The holiday season is jolly and merry, but it's also incredibly hectic for seniors. Holiday shopping for loved ones, decorating the home, and managing a collection of presents from celebrations can all contribute to a feeling of disorganization. Seniors who are preparing to downsize might need to declutter their homes before listing them for sale and moving to a smaller home or senior community.
The good news is that winter is the best time of year to move. Summer is the peak moving season, specifically May through August, leading to higher costs and more demand for moving professionals. Celebrate the New Year by partnering with the Senior Moves team to help you prepare for a post-holiday move. Here's what you need to know!
Table of Contents:
Key Takeaways:
Winter is considered the down season for the moving industry. Seniors may move and downsize after the holidays to save money and receive more personalized attention. One downside, however, is trying to sell a home during a slower season.
Why Winter is the Best Time of Year to Move
Summer is the most popular time of year to move, as the summer season correlates with children on vacation from school. It makes sense for families to move during the break between school years, ensuring that children can make a fresh start on the first day of the year at a new school.
The moving industry begins to heat up in April and doesn't slow until the end of August or early September. Those who choose to move or downsize may find it more difficult to rent a truck, hire movers, or work with other professionals in the industry.
Winter is the slowest time of the year for moving. While the real estate market starts to pick up after Super Bowl Sunday (in preparation for spring and summer sales), the market feels much more sluggish.
The good news for seniors who wish to move or downsize after the New Year is that the cold winter months also allow seniors to rent trucks quickly, and seniors may have their pick of the best senior move experts (as calendars might be a bit more open).
How Timing Affects Moving Costs
Higher rates correlate to the increased demand during an industry's busiest season (on-peak). Moving professionals may charge higher prices during their busiest season, and seniors may need a higher budget to move during the summer months.
In addition, calendars may be filled out, and senior move professionals may already be booked. Seniors who need help with a summer move may need to book a moving team or a senior move management team months in advance.
Winter moves, however, allow seniors to pay more affordable costs for movers, trucks, and other professionals. The industry players may drop their rates during off-peak season to encourage more individuals to use their services during the slower season.
Seniors may enjoy a bit of savings simply by moving their relocation plans to correlate with a winter move. Demand and supply play a crucial role in rates and costs; choosing a lower-demand season to move leads to a greater supply availability of professionals. Simply put, seniors may have their choice of the best moving professionals when they plan a winter move.
How to Stay Organized During the Holiday Rush
There are a few downsides to the post-holiday move. Seniors may accumulate more stuff over the holiday season, leading to more clutter and disorganization. Those planning to list their home for sale after the New Year and downsize to a smaller home will need to assess all their possessions to understand what they can keep and what needs to be donated or discarded.
How do you stay organized during the holiday rush? How can seniors avoid collecting additional items and clutter after a busy calendar filled with parties and gift exchanges?
Staying organized after the holiday rush is challenging for many individuals (not just seniors). Utilizing city recycling programs can help minimize the collection of gift boxes. Not all gifts may be beloved, although parting with any gift (when it comes from the heart) can be difficult. However, seniors who received gifts they know they won't use or need may donate the items to a charity.
If the holiday chaos leads to an overwhelming feeling of stress or when seniors simply don't know how to stay organized, the team at Senior Moves can step in and minimize the clutter. We can organize the home to ensure it looks amazing for potential buyers. After the holidays, Senior Moves also can help stage the home.
Managing Post-Holiday Organization
Seniors who know they need to relocate or downsize after the holiday season can work with Senior Moves to create a plan that helps them manage every aspect of their downsizing or moving. Senior Moves organizes declutters, packs, and unpacks and helps seniors settle into their new homes.
Seniors who specifically need assistance with downsizing can also work with Senior Moves to manage this process's phases. Senior Moves team members help seniors sort through all their possessions, guiding them through determining what they wish to keep, donate to charity, or toss to the curb.
Downsizing may be an emotional experience for seniors. The team at Senior Moves serves as an emotional support system, listening to seniors as they work through what they wish to move to their new home. We never judge and help seniors keep what they want and move their beloved items to their new homes.
The Bah-Humbug of Moving During the Holidays
Some clients wish to plan their move during the holidays. We advise against a holiday move, as the scheduling can overwhelm clients and make them feel stressed. The holidays are exciting, but they also are extremely busy for many clients.
The bah-humbug of moving during the holidays is that moving may take away the excitement and joy from the season. Plan a move after the New Year, and spend holidays enjoying family and friends, not packing boxes.
Downsizing Services from Senior Moves
If you are preparing to downsize to a smaller home or transitioning to a senior living community, the team at Senior Moves wants to work with you to create a streamlined, smoother, and more relaxed moving experience. We offer a variety of services, ensuring that you don't have to tackle any task that you would rather avoid. Senior Moves offers:
Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment and learn how we can help you as you transition to a new home in the New Year.
