Should you move during the winter?

What is the best season for moving? This question doesn’t have an easy answer. Every part of the year has some pros and cons to it. The summer is what most people consider the best time to move, as the weather is supposed to be fine and clear, the roads are clear and the kids are out of school. On the other hand, it is the busiest period for moving companies, and the rates are highest during summer times. Spring and autumn sound like good options, but they carry with them certain difficulties. Depending on the timing and location of the move the weather can be quite unpredictable. Also, the busiest for the majority of people with work and/or school to take into consideration.  And then there’s the winter. Most people will ask “should you move during the winter?” with all the potential difficulties in mind.

The pros of moving in the winter

We, at Master Moving Guide, like to keep it positive, so let’s start off with the pros :

Availability of the movers

One of the greatest points in favor of making a move during the winter is the lower cost and lighter schedule of moving companies. We asked some reliable residential movers what time of the year they are the most likely to have a flexible schedule, without much pondering they said – winter. And it makes sense. Most people avoid moving during the winter because of the weather. Thus during this season, moving companies will be more available. This is good news for anyone aiming to make a move during this time as this means they can probably pick and choose the date of their move to fit their plans perfectly. Also, the lighter schedule means that the moving company will be able to commit to you fully. They won’t be in a rush to finish your move and move on, meaning you will get the best treatment possible.

The pricing of the move

Another point closely tied to the lighter schedule of the moving companies is the moving cost. Winter is considered a downtime in the moving business, which also means that the rates are lower. Which is only natural. With a lower amount of work to be found, the competition to get it grows. Moving companies are aware of this and they will usually lower their rates for winter relocations and vice versa for one during the summer. Thus, relocation during the winter will be cheaper in terms of moving company fees.

The Holidays

Most people wouldn’t consider moving during the holidays a plus. After all, who would want to trade the cozy comfort of a holiday spent with their friends and family for the hustle and bustle of a move? But there’s an advantage to moving during the holiday season that you may not have thought of. During this joyful period, most workplaces have reserved days off. Additionally, schools are out for a  break. All this means easier planning.

If you can take the days off right before the holidays,  and connect the two, you can give yourself ample free time to make the move. What’s even better, this way you won’t be rushing off to work right after a hectic weekend of moving, but will have some time to adjust and relax and go to work fresh. The same goes for school children and students. And trust us, with the moving process being as stressful as it is, you will feel the benefits of having some down afterward.

The Cons of moving during winter

Naturally, the season is not without its problems, so here are some cons of relocating during the winter:

Weather

The major con of making a move during the winter is the weather. Snow, sleet and ice are surely not going to make the moving process easier. First of all, loading the moving truck in such conditions is slower if the floor is slippery. The same goes for transport. With snow or ice on the road, your movers will drive more slowly, meaning that the moving process itself will be more lengthy. The same applies to you moving to the location of your new home. Depending on the weather, you too will have to drive more slowly, meaning that the whole relocation process will take longer. Additionally working in the snow is more exhausting. Not to mention that you have to weather-proof your items when packing them for the move, which means more time is added to the moving process itself.

Shorter days

With the sun setting earlier and the dark hours being more prevalent, you will have fewer hours of daytime to work through. This means you will either have to plan your time in a way that you can use most of the daylight or work into the early night. And that means working slower and more carefully as it is dark (also potentially more slippery, as the temperature drops during the nighttime and more freezing occurs).

Traffic

One unfortunate fact that comes with winter and the holidays is traffic. The United States Department of Transportation reports that the winter holidays are the time of the year when the roads are most intensively used. Christmas shoppers might clog the road you were planning to use, lengthening the time of your move even further.

Additional things to consider when you move during the winter

Due to the nature of the season, making a move during winter requires some forethought. Most people will think about what needs to be done after the move takes place. However, here are some things you need to consider beforehand:

Clearing the walkways

To avoid the risk of injury when conducting your relocation during the winter, you should make sure to clear the walkways of both the place you’re moving from and the place you’re moving to. Both ice and snow can create a slippery surface, that, when combined with moving heavy objects poses a real safety risk. But even if you’re not moving the items yourself, you still have to pass the same area. So it’s best to clear the snow and ice beforehand and minimize the risk of injury for yourself and your movers. That means either spending time doing it yourself, or paying someone to do it. Additionally, it’s a good idea to salt or sand the area to make sure no ice forms.

Preparing the new home

First off, it’s a good idea to make sure you have lighting and heating up and running in your new home, ready for the day of the move. With the aforementioned shorter days, having the proper lighting conditions is paramount when moving during the winter. No less important is having the place warm when you move in. After all, you wouldn’t want to sit in a freezing cold home right after going through the stress of moving.

Also, you will want to put cardboard or old rugs on the floor of your new home. The idea here is that the move will include moving in and out of the snow and you and your movers will be leaving a wet trail behind in your new home. So to reduce the amount of cleaning you will have to do afterward, protect your floors. This becomes even more important if you have wooden flooring that might buckle if exposed to too much moisture.

So, should you relocate during the winter?

With all this said, it becomes clear that making a move during the winter isn’t all that bad. Yes, it does bring certain difficulties. But if planned right, it can go smoothly and easily. Considering all the benefits we would say, with the right moving company to help you out, it is worth it. Hope you found our little rundown helpful. Good luck.