Winter has already come, but you should not postpone your move just because temperatures are low. Or maybe you live in a cold area so you just can’t avoid it.Cold weather can have its advantages – it is quite easy to find a moving company or rent a moving vehicle. Next, the cost of moving in winter may be lower because it is not the moving season.Even so, you must prepare problems that may come your way while moving in cold weather. We have some advice for you to check before moving in the winter season. Follow these tips to make this winter moving safer and more enjoyable.
Start early
It may sound like a cliche, but you need to start earlier with your preparations. Bear in mind that days are shorter, and you have less time to finish your work. Working during the day is much easier and comfortable, so start packing during the daytime. You don’t need a lot of time – we wrote about how to pack in just one week here.
Think about the weather when moving in winter
Of course, you expect for it to be cold, but keep an eye on the weather when moving in winter.Try to pick a day when snow storms, rain or blizzard are not expected if moving in the winter time. If there is a lot of snow, you need to prepare your driveway, as well as sidewalks and clean it beforehand. Equip with everything that you may need for that day. These are mittens, extra coats, a windshield scraper, shovels and other winter supplie . These may also include a portable heater, a percolator (that doesn’t need electricity), a flashlight, etc. Don’t pack in boxes anything that might save you on a snowy day. Keep it close to you or in your car, so you can get them easily if you need them.
Prepare your car and make a route plan
Your car needs to be ready for that cold winter moving day. We mentioned you can keep winter supplies in it, but check if your car is ready for this adventure. You need to make sure your tires are in good condition and with good tire pressure. Scrape any of the ice and snow from windows, and have a de-icer spray on hand. If a snow day is expected, find the best route which will have clean roads and not so busy traffic. Avoid streets which may not be salted and cleared, and you will have no problems.
Prepare your home
Nobody wants dirt, water or mess in their new home. You also want to leave your old home clean. And when moving during winter time, it is easy to get snow or dirt into your hallway. Therefore, in order to avoid that, follow this tips. First of all, as we mentioned, keep your walkways clean. In that way, you will not bring a lot of snow as you come inside. Also, icy and snowy walkways can be slippery and risky.Next, protect the floors.Cover them so you don’t damage them with boots, water or heavy boxes. Some of the things you can use to protect your home (and your car) are:
- blankets
- towels
- plastic covers
- sheets
- cardboard boxes (if you have some extra ones, lay them flat on the floor)
Protect the boxes
You packed everything and you’re ready to go. But when packing during winter, it’s not all that you need to do. Boxes get wet easily and your belongings can be ruined. Use some of the plastic bags, blankets, and sheets to protect the boxes with fragile items. Glass and ceramics break easily at low temperatures. Books and documents are ruined if they get wet. so be careful!
Save your gadgets
Electronics don’t enjoy cold weather so you need to be extra careful with it. When packing, cover them with some sheets and towels, so they don’t freeze. Especially pay attention to protect screens of your monitors and TVs. Also, before you turn them on again, let them adapt to the room temperature. Wait 24 hours before plugging it in to avoid condensation and damage. You can see a video about how to pack electronics here:
Make it more pleasant for your family and pets
Even though it is cold outside, this adventure doesn’t have to be that bad. Do some things to make it more pleasant for you and your family. Also, there are maybe your friends or people from the moving company. Here are some things you can do. Make sure some warm clothes are on hand. You never know who will get extra cold during the day. Even though you maybe decided to turn off the heating before you start leaving, wait. It is already going to be colder in the house because doors will be open for a longer time. So you can wait and turn off the heating later, just before you leave. Also provide the people who help you with some warm, tasty drinks like hot chocolate or coffee.
Children and pets should be elsewhere on this day. You can arrange their stay with your family or friends. Kids can pack their books and toys in advance. In that way, they will feel as a part of the big moving process.
Hire professionals
Even though you thought it is easy to do it by yourself, hiring a moving company is way better. Professional movers can help you with big items, give you some good advice and deal with extreme conditions. After you hire them, make sure to choose a backup date, in case you wake up with a bad weather on your moving day.
Take it easy
This process may be stressful, but make the most out of it. If you followed all our winter tips and tricks, you are all set. Hire a good moving company, and ask your friends to help you.Moving in winter may be difficult, but you are all prepared now. You can make this process more enjoyable and safe, and enjoy your new home very soon. We promise!