Smart Tips for Moving in Winter without Losing Your Mind
Posted by : Admin
Moving can be stressful, tedious, and frustrating at any time of year, and winter poses particularly challenging problems. But when you find your dream home, you can’t hesitate! Buying a house in winter sets you up to move during the colder months of the year when it may be rainy, icy, or snowy. We have your back when it comes to getting your winter move under control. Here are 11 tips for moving in winter without losing your mind.
Check the Weather
Look at the forecast several days before your planned move and if inclement weather’s on the way, see if you can change your moving date. It’s almost impossible to slog through several inches of snow without damaging some of your possessions. If there’s no other option but to move in the rain or snow, dress warmly and ask the movers to cover all your cloth furniture and boxes in plastic
Don’t Get Ghosted
…by your movers, that is. Talk with them a week ahead of time and firm up the day and time they’ll be showing up at your old place. This reminder lessens the chance of you standing there with all your belongings waiting for a truck that never comes because they accidentally wrote down the wrong day.
Pack Like a Ninja
It always pays to pack well in advance of the move and to strictly organize the details. It’s even more important with a winter move. Standing in the cold while trying to find the boxes that should go in your bathroom, or not being able to locate your blankets to keep you warm during the night is a real drag. Pack each room up and label the boxes with a waterproof marker, then place tape over the writing. This way, neither rain nor snow will smear it, and the box will land where it’s supposed to go.
Be an Early Bird
It gets dark earlier in the winter, so moving day needs to start at the crack of dawn. Schedule the movers as early as they can get there, and have everything ready to go for them. Starting early gives you some breathing room if something goes awry that eats up some of your day.
Prep Your Walkway
A trip to the emergency room with a broken wrist or cracked rib disastrously derails moving day. If the weather is looking bad but you’re still moving anyway, salt your porch and walkways to avoid spills. Do the same at your new home to protect yourself and your movers from dangerous falls.
Service Your Car in Advance
You may be completely absorbed in your new home, but don’t forget vehicle maintenance before your move. Get your car serviced and have everything, especially the anti-freeze, checked out. Replace your wipers and check the tread on your tires. Stop and fill up your gas tank on the way home. When you jump in your car to follow the moving truck to your new place and it starts right up, you’ll be glad you did.
Cover Your Floors
One of the most helpful moving tips we can give you to save you some future scrubbing is to cover your floors. Wintertime brings in some muddy, salty, wet circumstances that can wreak havoc on vinyl, carpet, and even hardwood. Drape your floors with heavy-duty plastic to protect them from muddy boots and other grime. After the move, rip it up and throw it away. Your floors will be as beautiful as always.
Have Warm Beverages Handy
Be the hero by helping everyone involved in the move warm up. Make a big pot of coffee, hot tea, hot chocolate, or another tasty beverage and serve it in an easy-to-carry cup with a lid. You’ll be surprised how much better everyone’s mood gets after they sip a hot beverage.
Note: As tempting as it is, don’t add a nip of alcohol. Little else derails moving progress faster than a buzz.
Plan for Delays
It’s not a matter of if, but when, a delay will rear its ugly head. Late movers, traffic, sickness, or another ill-timed issue will pop up. Keep a calm head, breathe, and figure out how to lessen the impact of unexpected delays.
Our last few winter moving tips will help you save some cash on the big day.
Turn off the Heat (in Both Houses)
The cold winter weather, people tramping in and out, and furniture being moved constantly makes it impossible to keep heat inside. So turn it off. Once the movers arrive, crank the heat down several notches during the flurry of moving activity. Do the same once you’re at your new house. There’s no use heating the whole neighborhood.
Request Discounts
A big advantage of moving during the winter is that moving companies are typically less busy and more willing to deal. Negotiate with the movers for a winter discount on the move as well as packing materials. Save those dollars to buy something new for your house.
Don’t let the fact that you’re moving in the winter dampen your excitement. After all, you have a new house! Prepare in advance, start early, and don’t let delays stress you out. Keep your eye on the goal, which is to wake up in your bed, in your new home, by morning.
