From De-Icer To Wearing Layers: Six Essential Tips For Moving During The Winter
Moving during the winter can help you to save money, but if you live in one of the worst winter weather cities like Chicago or Cleveland, moving in the winter can be cumbersome and painfully cold. Before you try to brave a move (with an Affordable Moving Company) in a city with some of the coldest temperatures and heaviest snow falls on record, take a look at these six essential tips. They will keep your winter move running smoothly:
1. Keep the moving schedule flexible
If a major blizzard hits, you won't be able to schlep boxes through the snow banks or even drive the moving truck on the closed roads. To avoid cancellation and frustration, keep your moving day flexible, and be ready to move over the nicest day out of a three or four day time period.
Check the weather reports and let them be your guide. If you are planning your move a month or two in advance, you can even use a farmer's almanac as a rough weather forecast.
2. Have snow removal gear at the ready
If a few flakes hit on moving day, don't worry. You can easily tackle them with the right tools. Make sure to leave a snow shovel, some de-icer and a brush and scraper for your car where you can access it on moving day.
Have this equipment ride in the first vehicle that is planning to arrive at your new home – that way you can easily brush off snow or de-ice sidewalks as needed. If you rent a truck, make sure to buy an extra ice scraper and snow brush in case the truck doesn't have one.
3. Dress in layers
In addition to having your snow removal gear ready, make sure that do not pack your own snow gear. Even if you are moving in November, March or one of the other months during which winter is possible but not guaranteed, have your winter clothes unpacked and ready to wear. You don't want to freeze your fingers off as you move furniture.
However, if you end up moving on a cold day, remember to wear layers. That way you can strip off a few layers as you heat up while moving heavy loads.
4. Plan for moisture
If you track wet snow into your new home repeatedly, it can soil the carpets or wreck the floors. Plan for moisture by bringing mats to lie on the floor as you walk into the home. Many professional movers have these mats or long strips of protective sheeting just for this purpose.
Professional movers may even have overhead canopies to protect your items from snowfall, sleet or rain as you walk from the truck to the house.
5. Keep the cold in mind as you pack
Many people like to pack up many of their possessions, and then, they have those items sit to the side as they clean the house or pack other items. If you are packing and storing any items, keep in mind the effect the cold may have on those items. Most electronics have warnings on them reminding you to keep them out of extreme temperatures, but even fine china and some ceramic items cannot be safely stored in the cold. If you box up these types of fragile items, keep them in your house. Do not put them in an unheated garage or in a pod outside your house.
6. Overlap your heating services
During the move, make sure that you have heat at both homes. That way, you are assured that no pipes freeze and break while you are in technical possession of either home. Additionally, you don't have to worry about being cold in either house while doing the moving.
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