A major move doesn’t always follow our ideal timelines.
Maybe there was a career change or you just want to take advantage of lower costs and less competition. Regardless of your reason for a move, it may not happen during milder, temperate months or seasons.
If you end up needing to move in winter, we’ve got some essential tips that will keep you safe and on schedule!
1. Keep a Sharp Eye on the Weather
Before we get into tips for household moving, let’s talk general common sense: Check the weather, and check it often.
Sure, you know that it’s winter and the temperatures are going to be low, but with winter comes snowstorms, sleet, blizzards, and more. It will be a turbulent time for many regions, so flip on the weather channel and check your weather apps often.
Check for any advisories or warnings in the region you’re moving from, as well as where you’re moving to. Coordinate that information with your schedule.
2. Prepare Your House in Winter
This tip is for people who are moving in a wintery region. If you’re going to be boxing and packing belongings into cars and trucks (especially with others’ help), you want to keep everyone safe.
This means at both your old home and new house be sure to:
- Shovel your driveway and sidewalks, making wide paths
- Remove ice from walkways and stairs (consider using salt or other anti-ice products)
- Lay down mats, towels, or blankets on your floors so that movers going in and out with wet, slushy shoes don’t slip
3. Protect Your Belongings
This is true for moving in any season, but you need to pay extra attention to how you package your belongings during winter relocation.
Double wrap everything and take special care of all your fragile items. Some fragile items, such as glass, will be more prone to breaking in extremely cold weather.
Load your fragile items last and unload them first to reduce the amount of time they spend in cold temperatures. You can even use personal cars to load these items to keep them safer.
4. Prepare Cars and Trucks for the Long Journey
No matter how many trucks or vehicles you’re taking on this winter move, make sure they are all fully serviced and in good working condition. Pack plenty of warm blankets, coats, hats, gloves, etc. You don’t want to get stuck on the side of the road in cold weather with nothing to keep you warm and safe.
Also, have ice scrapers on hand when ice buildup becomes too much on the windows.
5. Give Yourself Time
Finally, be sure to give yourself time for this move. Tips for moving in winter are different from moving in spring or summer. Weather conditions are more extreme.
A lot can go wrong with vehicles in cold weather. You need to be realistic and understand you might be delayed. So, if there is a particular time when you need to be in your new location, consider beginning your move at least 2-3 days beforehand.
As always, hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
Make a Safe Winter Transition
Moving in winter may be more difficult than moving in the spring or summer, but sometimes, you have no choice in the matter.
If that’s the case, then make sure you pay close attention to the weather and take all necessary precautions. Prep your home, as well as cars and trucks, for the winter move.
If you’re planning on an upcoming winter move and could use some expert help, feel free to reach out and request a quote!