With the Easter public holidays coming up and the long weekend, it’s only natural to consider if it’s a good time for moving houses. If you work, you won’t need to take any annual leave or plan around office hours.
Moving over a long weekend can be a great idea, especially if you plan it early and properly. While roads might be busy, you won’t have to deal with the typical peak time traffic you can expect during a normal working day.
When it comes to holiday relocations and moving over a long weekend, especially Easter, there are some considerations and unique challenges. This guide will cover everything you need to know about moving over a long weekend so you can be thoroughly informed and prepared come Easter.
The Challenges of Moving Over Easter Long Weekend
Moving over any long weekend, especially a popular holiday like Easter, presents unique challenges. While it originally started as a religious holiday, it’s quickly been adopted across Australia and has become a popular reason to celebrate with family and friends.
The biggest challenges you’re likely to encounter trying to move over the Easter long weekend include:
Increased Demand
Even without factoring in public holidays, weekends are always a high-demand time for professional removalist services. Many people book weekends weeks and sometimes even months in advance when planning a move.
So, you’ll be competing with other people for slots due to the increased demand. If you’re booking removalist services last minute, you might have to settle for odd times or even increased costs.
The Holiday Traffic
Although long weekends are great opportunities for moving houses, the traffic poses a new and unique challenge. Easter is a popular time for travel, so you can expect the roads to be busy at almost every hour.
While the roads won’t ever get quite as bad as peak traffic during the morning rush and evening on a working day, people are more impatient. A Road Sense Australia report reveals that Easter is a deadly time for Australian roads. For example, back during Easter in 2022, an extra seven people passed away on the roads than the expected national average.
If you’re planning a move, then make sure to be extra vigilant on the road. It’s also key to remember that holiday periods also feature double demerit points.
Businesses Are Closed
Another unique challenge presented by the Easter long weekend (and any public holiday) is that most businesses are closed. So, if you need any last-minute items to help with packing or the move, you won’t be able to just drive down to the store and pick them up.
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Even at the best of times, moving can be an incredibly stressful and draining process.
While holiday festivities are supposed to be a celebration and bring joy, they can also be a difficult and stressful time. So, if you’re planning to move over Easter, it’s essential to take the necessary steps to protect your emotional well-being and mental health, whether it be from the move itself or organising plans with friends and family.
Costs
During any long weekend/public holiday period, everything costs more. This is due to a combination of factors, like increased labour costs for businesses, surcharges, limited supply, and increased demand.
This also applies to hiring professional removalist services. Most businesses will charge more for holiday relocation services. Beyond removalists, hiring anything moving-related will cost more, like trailer hire and truck rentals.
Hiring A Removalist Over the Easter Long Weekend
The best way to avoid the stress of any move, including on the holiday long weekend, is by hiring a removalist service. While it may be more costly than moving during a non-holiday period or even a normal weekend, there are several benefits.
First of all, you won’t have to deal with the holiday traffic. Instead of dealing with all the other cars on the road and stressing about getting your belongings from point A to B, you can just enjoy Easter with your friends and family.
Many removalist services also offer packing and unpacking services, so even if you forgot to pick up packing supplies, they’d have you covered. Additionally, hiring a removalist service can help when it comes to stressing over how to properly transport belongings and prevent potential damage.
Any reputable professional removalist business is always insured. So, if there is any unfortunate damage to your belongings, you will be reimbursed and/or have it replaced. They also have professional expertise in how to handle large objects, like furniture, safely.
Although the expenses of hiring a removalist, especially over the Easter long weekend, might seem daunting, purchasing or renting moving equipment and packing supplies quickly add up. There are circumstances where a removalist service might be more cost-effective, especially if one doesn’t already own equipment and/or tools, transport, and petrol.
Is It A Good Idea To Move Over Easter Long Weekend?
Moving over the Easter long weekend is a great idea as long as you’re prepared and informed going in. There are also several advantages if you choose to move over the long weekend. These include:
- You won’t need to take time off from work and/or use up annual leave. Most workplaces are closed over Easter.
- During Easter, many people have time off due to the public holidays. So it’ll be easier to find friends/family that can potentially help.
- If you hire a removalist service over the long weekend, it’ll free up your time to celebrate with friends and family.
- Another major benefit of moving over Easter is the cooler weather. As autumn settles in, days are much milder, and you won’t need to deal with the summer heat.
- Easter also usually coincides with school holidays. So, if you have children, this will give them more time to settle into their new environment and reduce any moving-related stress.
Our Tips For A Smoother Transition Over Easter
As discussed, while the upcoming long weekend can be a great opportunity for moving houses, it also poses its unique challenges. Below, we’ve outlined specific steps and strategies you can take for a smoother transition. These include:
- If you’re hiring any moving-related services, make sure to book well in advance. This will help you beat the high demand, and you’ll get to select times/days that work best for you.
- When it comes to shops shutting down over the long weekend, make sure to pick up everything in advance. If possible, also buy extra supplies, like boxes and packing tape.
- If you’re planning to transport all your belongings yourself, try to stock up on petrol in advance. Gas stations tend to raise prices just before and during holiday periods.
- If you want to beat the holiday traffic, plan to travel during the early mornings or evenings.
- Similarly, if you’re worried about the dangerous road, stick to driving in the morning. Avoid driving in the evening, especially when it’s dark out.
When planning an Easter move, it’s also crucial to take the time to be mindful and protect your mental health. Make time to celebrate with family or friends during the moving process so it isn’t as stressful. The last thing you want is to move into your new home exhausted and drained! Also, the long weekend is a great opportunity to get people over for a housewarming once everything is moved.
For A Hassle-Free Move, Hire Ready Movers
If you’re planning to move this Easter, make it hassle-free with local removalists. While we’ve still got availability, you can book our professional team to help you pack, transport, and move all your belongings to your new home.
Easter is the time for new beginnings, and nothing says a fresh start like moving into your new home. Ready Movers prides itself on being a professional removalist company that has helped more than 20,000 customers move their belongings stress-free.
Our team is fully insured and can help you move whether it’s a few streets down or even interstate. Contact us today to request a quote, or you can call us at 1300 787 934. We’re also available over email at nostress@readymovers.com.au.
