Thinking about moving house over Christmas in Portsmouth? It’s a surprisingly popular time to move home.

Every December, families across Hampshire choose to complete between the last office party and the first mince pie, drawn in by quieter conveyancing chains, motivated sellers, and the simple appeal of starting the new year in a new home.

A smooth Christmas move is entirely possible, but shorter days, busier roads, and reduced opening hours across the region mean it pays to plan further ahead than you would for a move in spring or summer.

Our guide aims to help you prepare for what tends to catch Portsmouth and Hampshire movers out, and how to keep the festive season stress-free while your keys change hands.

At a Glance: Moving House Over Christmas in Portsmouth & Hampshire

Planning a Christmas move in Portsmouth or across Hampshire brings a few extra considerations beyond a typical house move. Here is a short summary before we go into detail.

• Book your removal company early, ideally in October or November, since December diaries fill up quickly and many firms close for several days over the festive period.
• Keep an eye on the weather in the run-up to your move, as December in Hampshire can bring fog off the Solent, heavy rain, and the odd icy morning.
• Can a large lorry park at your property? You may need to apply for a parking suspension in advance of your move day.
• Sort your post redirection, address updates, and bin collection dates before you move, since council and Royal Mail services often change over the Christmas break.
• Ask about MoveProtect cover for your belongings, particularly if your move includes fragile decorations, electronics, or wrapped gifts.
• Plan around shorter daylight hours on moving day and confirm any parking suspensions or permits with your local council well in advance.

A little forward planning goes a long way when moving house over Christmas in Hampshire. With the right preparation, a December move in Portsmouth can run just as smoothly as one in any other month.

Why a Christmas Move in Portsmouth and Hampshire Takes Extra Planning

Moving house is rarely simple, and December adds a few extra layers.

Daylight is limited to around eight hours across Hampshire in late December, which shortens the window for loading, driving, and unloading, especially if you are moving any distance from Portsmouth.

Roads can be busier than usual with Christmas shopping traffic and school holiday journeys, and some Hampshire villages and market towns see additional congestion in the weeks before the twenty-fifth.

On top of that, many trades and services wind down over the festive period. Conveyancers, mortgage lenders, and local councils typically close for several days around Christmas and New Year, which can affect completion dates if your move is scheduled close to the break.

None of this should put you off moving house over Christmas in Portsmouth; it simply means the planning needs to start earlier, and the schedule needs a bit more breathing room than usual.

Book Your Removal Company Early

December is a popular month for completions, partly because sellers and buyers often want to be settled into their new properties before the festive season, and partly because some chains move faster once the summer rush has passed.

That popularity means removal companies across Hampshire, including Curtiss, tend to book up quickly for the run-up to Christmas and for the first working days of January.

If you already have a moving date in mind, or even a rough window, it is worth arranging the all-important free home survey as early as October, so your quote and van slot are confirmed well ahead of the busy period.

It is also worth asking your removal company directly which days they are closed over Christmas and New Year, since this varies from firm to firm and can affect how flexible your moving date can be.

Keep an Eye on the Weather and the Roads

Hampshire winters are usually mild by UK standards, but December can still bring sudden fog rolling in off the Solent, heavy rain and the occasional cold snap with icy pavements or frosty mornings.

None of this is a reason to delay a move, but it is a good reason to build in a little flexibility.

In the days before your move, it is worth checking the Met Office forecast for Portsmouth and, if the forecast looks unsettled, the national weather warnings page.

If ice or heavy rain is forecast, ask your removal company how they plan to protect flooring and driveways, and consider laying down mats or old towels at both properties to reduce the risk of slips while boxes are carried in and out.

Arranging Parking Suspensions

Not everyone has sufficient driveway or curbside space to accommodate a large vehicle, particularly in residential streets that get busy with Christmas visitors.

Some homes in Portsmouth and Hampshire sit along busy roads and have restricted parking or no parking at all. This situation is often overcome by using a shuttle vehicle whereby your belongings are moved via a small van to the larger lorry parked nearby.

However, in other cases, you may need to arrange for a temporary parking suspension. You need to arrange this with your local council.

If you live in Portsmouth, contact Portsmouth Council. For those living in other areas of Hampshire, contact Hampshire County Council.

Chat to our friendly surveyor; he/she will advise you what is best for your particular situation.

Update Your Post, Address and Bin Collections Before You Move

Christmas is one of the busiest times of year for post, so it is worth setting up your Royal Mail redirection well before moving day rather than leaving it until the last minute, since applications can take a little longer to process during the festive rush.

It is also a sensible time to update your address on the electoral register, particularly if you want to be correctly registered before any early spring elections.

Local services also tend to shift around Christmas. Portsmouth City Council, like most councils in Hampshire, adjusts its rubbish and recycling collection days over the bank holidays, so it is worth checking the Portsmouth City Council recycling and rubbish page for your old and new address before you move, so you are not left with overflowing bins either side of Christmas.

If you are moving elsewhere in Hampshire, your local council website will have equivalent seasonal collection dates.

Packing, Storage and MoveProtect Cover for a Festive Move

Christmas decorations, wrapped presents, and festive glassware add an extra packing challenge that most house moves do not have.

Fragile baubles, fairy lights, and anything breakable should be wrapped individually and packed in clearly labelled boxes, ideally loaded last so they come off the van first and are not squashed under heavier items.

If you would rather leave the packing to the professionals, Curtiss offers a full packing solutions service, which is particularly useful if your move falls close to Christmas Day itself and time is tight.

If there is likely to be a gap between leaving your old home and getting the keys to your new one, our storage facilities can bridge that gap securely.

It is also worth asking about MoveProtect cover for your belongings during a Christmas move.

Standard liability under most removal contracts is limited per item, which can leave a gap if your move includes a new television received as an early gift, valuable jewellery, or a stack of wrapped presents.

MoveProtect provides continuous protection throughout the move and any time spent in storage, so there is no gap in cover over the festive period.

What to Expect on Moving Day in December

Moving day does not look drastically different in December, but a few adjustments make it far more comfortable.

With sunset around four in the afternoon, an early start matters more than usual, so try to have everything boxed and ready the night before rather than packing on the morning of the move.

Keep the kettle, mugs, a few teabags, and some warm layers easily accessible rather than packed at the bottom of a box, since moving day in cold weather is thirsty, tiring work.

Take a look at our article entitled 10 Essential Tips for Moving House in Winter for more helpful advice about moving home during the colder months.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Moving House Over Christmas

Most problems with a Christmas move come down to timing, not anything more complicated. A few common mistakes are worth flagging here.

• Booking your removal too late, only to find your preferred dates in December are already taken.
• Forgetting that solicitors, banks, and councils close for several days over Christmas and New Year, which can delay a completion booked too close to the holidays.
• Packing decorations and presents loosely instead of wrapping them individually, leading to avoidable breakages.
• Not confirming parking arrangements at the new property, which can cause real delays on a short winter moving day.
• Assuming home insurance automatically covers belongings in transit, when a dedicated policy such as MoveProtect often gives far broader protection.

Avoiding these few pitfalls makes a real difference to how smoothly a Christmas move in Hampshire goes, and most of them simply come down to starting your planning a few weeks earlier than you might for a move at any other time of year.

Ready to Plan Your Christmas Move?

Curtiss Moving & Storage has helped families move house across Portsmouth and Hampshire since 1871, and we know the Christmas period well.

Whether you need a local move, long distance removals, secure storage over the festive break, or simply some honest advice on timing, our team is happy to help.

With over 140 years serving Hampshire, Curtiss Moving & Storage combines deep local knowledge with a genuine commitment to looking after our customers, so your move feels straightforward from start to finish.

• BAR Accredited. We are proud members of the British Association of Removers, and every move we carry out follows their professional Code of Practice.
• Honest, Upfront Pricing. You will always receive a clear, written quotation with no hidden costs and no obligation to book.
• Experienced, Uniformed Teams. Our removal professionals treat every item, from flat-pack furniture to family heirlooms, with genuine care.
• Hampshire Specialists. Decades of local experience across Portsmouth, Southampton, Fareham, and Winchester mean we know the streets, the access points, and the parking quirks, so your move runs efficiently from the first box to the last.

Get in touch today for a free, no-obligation quote, and start the new year in your new home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it a good idea to move house over Christmas in Portsmouth?

Yes, for many people it works well. Chains can move faster once the summer rush has passed, sellers are often motivated to complete before the new year, and starting January in a new home has a real appeal. The main things to plan around are shorter daylight hours and services that close over the festive break.

How early should I book a Hampshire removal company for a December move?

Aim to book by October or early November if you can. December is a popular month for completions, and removal companies across Portsmouth and Hampshire fill their diaries quickly, particularly for dates close to Christmas and the first working week of January.

Do removal companies work between Christmas and New Year?

This varies from company to company. Many firms take a short break around the bank holidays, so it is worth checking your removal company’s specific closure dates as soon as you have a moving date in mind, rather than assuming they will be available right up to the twenty-fourth of December.

What should I do about my post over the festive period?

Set up a Royal Mail redirection before you move, and try to do this a few weeks before moving day, since Christmas is one of the busiest times of year for the postal service. It is also worth updating your address on the electoral register once you have settled in.

Will MoveProtect cover my belongings during a Christmas move?

MoveProtect can be arranged to give continuous cover across your move and any period spent in storage, which is particularly useful over Christmas if there is a gap between leaving one property and moving into the next. Speak to your removal company about the level of cover that suits your belongings.

How much does it cost to move house in the UK?

Costs vary widely depending on the size of your home, the distance you are moving and whether you use professional packing services, but a typical local move in Hampshire can range from a few hundred pounds for a small flat to well over a thousand pounds for a large family home. A free home survey is the most accurate way to get a firm quote for your specific move.

What is the best day of the week to move house?

Weekdays, particularly Tuesday to Thursday, are often quieter and can sometimes be cheaper than weekend moves since fewer people are moving and removal companies have more availability. In December, a midweek move can also help you avoid the busiest weekend shopping traffic in and around Portsmouth.