Moving in the snow, particularly during winter, is challenging and will test your preparedness for a winter move. Scheduling your move in winter is beneficial for most people who prefer relocating during off-peak seasons. This comes with low rates (which saves on the moving budget) and readily available moving companies. However, winter moves present a separate set of stressful challenges.
Ideally, you should prepare to deal with snow and other weather issues. If you can’t wait to complete the move when weather conditions improve, below are tips for surviving moving in the snow.
1. Plan extensively for the move
Whether you are moving in winter or summer, you should plan extensively to make the process less tedious, easier, and more efficient. You should create a moving binder highlighting every detail of the move, from to-do lists to inventories and other essential details.
Begin by creating a moving to-do list. This makes it easy to track various activities, ensuring you don’t forget some basics. Remember that winter temperatures are unpredictable and can get very low. Therefore, plan for possible delays. Your moving binder should also have an inventory list.
The list helps identify all your belongings and makes it easy to predict how long it will take to pack everything. Decluttering before packing your belongings is beneficial. It ensures that you discard, donate, or sell non-essentials. It also reduces your luggage, reducing the relocation costs.
2. Monitor weather forecasts across the country
Monitoring the weather situation is probably the most important aspect of a winter move, especially if you are relocating across states. You should regularly check the forecast to avoid unpleasant surprises. Familiarizing yourself with weather forecasts ensures that you stay updated in case of a storm or blizzard and reschedule the move in advance.
3. Prepare your current home for the move
You should also prepare to deal with snow in your current home during the move. If you have hired a moving company to help you with the move, you should prepare your yard to avoid accidents that can break valuables when loading the trucks. Prepare your backyard by shoveling the snow to create a path. Ensure the path from your home to the loading zone is free from ice to avoid slippage. Use a deicer on the cleared paths to prevent ice formation.
If the weather is harsh and snowing hard, creating shelter areas between your home and the truck is prudent. Put up party tents to protect your path and truck loaders. However, you should use strong tents that can withstand snowfall. As for the indoor environment, lay down plastic sheets to protect your floors. Since you will be moving back and forth, you can easily bring in snow, moisture, and mud. Protect your floors to avoid having to scrub dirt from carpets and other floor materials later.
4. Weather-proof your boxes
You should take extra care of your packaging boxes when relocating during chilly months. For starters, you should pack fragile items using towels, bubble wrap, and blankets. You should also prepare electronic equipment in advance to acclimate room temperatures before the move.
Specific items, such as mattresses and furniture, should be protected from moisture and snow that can easily accumulate in the moving truck. As such, you should wrap them tightly in plastic and bubble wrap or blankets. If you are transporting household appliances, such as washers and refrigerators, ensure they drain completely before packing.
5. Ensure utilities in your new home are connected and turned on
Whether you are relocating across town, city, or state, nothing is disappointing as moving into a new home without an electrical connection. This is especially important during winter, when electricity is crucial for comfortable indoor environments. Therefore, you make sure that utilities are connected and turned on to preheat your new home. Fortunately, you can easily find service providers online. Your current provider can also transfer your subscription if they operate in your new locality.
6. Additional winter moving tips
You should also consider the following tips when preparing for the winter move:
- Pack essential supplies – you should pack an overnight bag to make your first day/night in the new home bearable. Your essential bag should have a pair of clothes, clean sheets, a toothbrush, and other basics. You should also have warm hats, boots, and scarves.
- Ask family members and friends for help – packing for a cross-country move is a huge task. However, you don’t have to pack everything yourself. You can enlist the help of family members and friends. If they are not available, you can hire professional packers.
- Prepare your car – if you are driving to your new home, you should prepare your car for the move. Apart from servicing the vehicle, purchase tire chains, first aid kits, shovels, ice scrapers, and emergency flares to avoid being stuck on the road.
Conclusion
Relocating during winter can prove overwhelming. As such, you should consider hiring a moving company to handle the heavy lifting. Even then, you should plan accordingly, budget, and prepare for harsh weather conditions.
