**Cure Winter Blues over a Holiday Move**

*** AS THE HOLIDAYS APPROACH and work schedules wind down with the year drawing to a close, moving during this time period can be rather costly. While you might have time off work, movers and other types of workers may be hard to reach when festivities of the season get underway. If you decide to move during the holidays, be prepared in advance for additional costs and potential hassles with the following tips. *** ~~ Moving Companies ~~ Holiday cheer may not extend to cutting you a good deal on the cost of moving as far as a mover is concerned. Getting a mover scheduled for your moving day could also be quite tricky during the holidays since many businesses have limited hours during the season. It’s important to make a reservation well in advance if moving during the winter holidays, and be prepared to spend far more than a regular move. ~~ Follow-Up ~~ When your moving day draws near, check in with your movers a bit before the move to ensure they still have you booked on their calendars and that they are prepared with all the details they need to know. This is a good way to avoid any mix-ups, as you don’t want the movers to send a small truck when you reserved a large truck. ~~ Hire Smart ~~ Your selection of available movers may be limited during the holiday season, but try to hire a moving business that is a licensed member of the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA), a trade group for moving specialists. Check out online reviews of companies as well to see if other homeowners had any serious complaints. You don’t want your antique table destroyed by a careless mover. ~~ Consider Storage ~~ If weather conditions take a turn for the worse, then know in advance the nearest storage facility in case you have to keep items safe until the weather improves. Rental trucks often don’t have studded tires to help you out when the streets are slippery, and snowy, icy, and wet conditions are not ideal for moving your furniture into your new home.