It’s easier to move in the spring, summer, or fall than in the winter.
Even so, there may be times when you’ll need to pack up your things and move at a time of year when it’s colder than you’d like. How can you move safely when snow, sleet, or hail abound? Whether you’ve sold your home or are mulling over the possibility of putting it up for sale, you’ll want to know how to plan a move any time of the year. And that might include the winter.
Continue reading for tips to help you plan a safe move in the wintertime.
Stay Abreast of the Weather Forecast
If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow during the winter, ensure you keep tabs on the weather forecasts. You might find that a winter storm is headed your way on moving day. If so, you’ll want to inform the moving company to see what’s the best way forward.
Sometimes it’ll just take more time to get the job done on moving day. But if the weather is incredibly treacherous, you may need to reschedule. Flexibility is critical in the wintertime.
It’ll be in your best interests to build some flexibility into your schedule just in case Mother Nature decides to dish out heavy snow, freezing rain, or something else that throws a wrench in your plans. Nothing is worth risking your safety, so be prepared for last-minute changes. The moving company you’re working with will work with you to deal with any weather issues.
Check In With Mover a Week Before Moving Day
It’s also a good idea to check in with the moving company a week before moving day to ensure everything’s still on track. While a good service provider will do its part to ensure good two-way communication, that doesn’t mean you can’t be proactive and check in as well. You’ll want to know the truck you need is reserved, that there’ll be enough movers to help, and more. As moving day approaches, getting in touch with the mover will take a load off your shoulders.
Get Someone to Watch Your Kids and Fur Babies
It’s also a good idea to get someone to keep an eye on your kids and fur babies. Moving can be a stressful ordeal for your children and pets. But the stress can be compounded by the winter weather. You can make things easier for your kids, pets, and yourself by hiring someone to look after your kids and fur babies during the move. Whether a family member, friend, or trusted neighbor, you can ensure your kids and pets are in good hands during the move.
Transfer Your Utilities
You’ll also need to transfer your utilities from your current home to your new home. You don’t want a situation where you move to a home that’s like a large ice box simply because you didn’t make arrangements to transfer your utilities on time. The problem will be compounded during a time of year with extreme temperatures. Whatever utilities you’ll need at your new home, ensure you contact the service provider in question so that the service can be transferred to your new address. Moving day can be stressful. Don’t make it any more stressful than it needs to be
Label Boxes
Label your boxes properly to make it easier for the moving professionals and for yourself. If it’s freezing cold outside, no one will want to spend more time outdoors than necessary. Labeling boxes will save time since you’ll be able to tell the workers where to put stuff when you get to your new home. You’ll want the process to flow as seamlessly as possible when the temperatures are chilly outside.
Get Started Early
It gets darker sooner during the winter, so it makes sense to start as early as possible on moving day. If you can get started early in the morning, you can conclude your move before the evening hours when it starts to get dark sooner than it would in the spring or summer. It’ll also make it easier to navigate the snowy roads during the daylight hours. So, get started early.
Clean Driveway and Walkways
You must also clean your driveway and walkways ahead of the movers arriving at your home. If it snowed the night before, shovel off the driveways and walkways, and sprinkle some salt if the surfaces are slippery. Failing to do this can make for unsafe working conditions. At the very least, it can slow down the workers, leading to delays.
Dress for the Weather
Dress for the weather. Once you check to see what the forecast is for moving day, you can dress appropriately. It’s best to dress in layers so that you can add or remove them. You might, for instance, work up a sweat by packing your car or travel trailer, or you might start to feel cold if the temperature dips at a certain time of the day. So, ensure you dress for the occasion. Don’t forget to wear a winter hat and winter gloves to help keep your extremities warm.
Use Bubble Wrap for Fragile Items
While it’s always a good idea to use bubble wrap to secure your fragile items, it’s essential when the temperatures are cold. Fragile items are more susceptible to being damaged in frigid weather, so it’s in your best interests to protect your possessions.
Protect Your Home
If there’s snow and slush outside, it won’t be hard to transfer those things to the inside of your home. That’s why it’s essential to protect your floors. Cover the floors where the movers will be moving about. In fact, most professional moving companies will have covers to put on your floors and stairways. They’ll also cover other things to prevent any damage to your stuff.
Winter Moves Possible With Proper Planning
Keep these tips in mind if you intend to move during the winter weather months. You’ll find that knowing what to do makes the process a lot easier. You’ll also find that hiring a reputable mover will make all the difference in the world.
Are you thinking about selling your home? Do you want to see what type of cash offer you can get? There are advantages to selling your home for cash. It’ll take a lot of the risk out of the equation since you won’t have to cross your fingers and hope that a buyer is approved for financing. A cash offer means that there are no hurdles to scale. It simplifies the process of selling a home.
You’ll probably hope to move anytime other than wintertime. But at least you know how to move during the time of year when the weather is the coldest.