using a storage unit to organize a hoarded household

4 Tips To Prepare For A Winter Move

21 January 2022 by David Diaz

Spring through summer may be one of the most popular times of the year to move, but it isn't the only time of the year that moves to take place. Sometimes, you have to move when it is freezing cold outside in the winter. Perhaps you needed to move for a new job, or maybe the purchase finally went through on your dream home. Whatever the reason, there are some essential tips you will want to keep in mind if you need to move during the winter.  

Get Your New Home Ready 

You will want to ensure that you have all your utility set up before your moving date. You will need to make sure that your gas, heat, electricity, and water are all turned on. Ideally, you will get them turned on about two days before your move so that you can ensure everything is working. 

Have someone go to the new home on your move-in day and turn on the heat. Yes, you may waste some energy as everyone moves things into the new home; however, there is no reason for your new home to be as cold as it is outside! Turn your new home into a warm oasis by turning on the heat during the moving process. 

Be sure to also add toilet paper and paper towels to one of the bathrooms so that everyone helping you has access to the bathrooms. 

Prepare the Driveway & Sidewalks 

In the winter, there is always the risk of snow and ice. You should have tools to remove snow and ice at both your old home and at your new home as well. You should have deicing agents and shovels so that you can get rid of any ice and shovel away any snow. This isn't a task that the moving company will take on for you; this is something that you should do in preparation for their arrival.  

Protect the Floors 

Things tend to get wet outside during the winter, which means people's shoes will be wet. It is not realistic to have people take their shoes off every time they come in and out when moving boxes and furniture, which is why you are going to want to protect your floors.  

You can purchase carpet film to put down on your floors to protect them from dirt and moisture during the moving process. You can also tape down cardboard to create paths throughout your home. Try to avoid putting down plastic, as it can be slippery when it comes into contact with moisture, creating an unsafe situation.  

Use Extra Protection 

When you are packing your items, you will want to take extra care packing up anything that can be susceptible to temperature changes. For example, glass could crack or break if it is exposed to an intense temperature shift. You can't control the temperature outside, but you can protect your fragile items by double wrapping everything, creating a more stable environment inside of the moving boxes. That extra layer of protection can help stabilize the temperatures around your items and ensure that they don't get damaged during the cold moving process.  

When it comes to moving during the wintertime, be sure that your old and new houses are warm and comfortable and have the utilities turned on. Protect the floors with carpet film or cardboard; avoid plastic, creating unsafe conditions. Ensure that the driveway and pathways are free of ice and snow. Wrap your items up in extra layers to protect them from external temperatures

For more information, contact movers near you.

Share