Moving The Smart Way

Posted on: 16 February 2016

Moving during the winter months brings about its own list of challenges. To ensure a successful move, you need to be aware of these challenges so you know how to prepare. Here are a few tips for moving during the winter.

Cover Your Floors

Make sure you take time to cover your floors before the movers arrive. In many climates during the winter, there is soggy soil, snow or ice-melting salt on the ground. All of these elements can be damaging to both carpet and hard floors.

For example, the small granules in the salt can scratch a hard floor, the chemicals within the mixture can damage any sealant coating, and this mixture can also cause small tears in carpet fiber. This is damage you want to avoid whether you're moving in or out of the home. As an added measure, place a towel at the main doorway to wipe away much of the moisture from the mover's shoes and the dolly wheels.

Prepare the Exterior

As previously mentioned, the ground is likely to be covered with some type of winter weather mashup. In order to prevent damage to your belongings, it's important that the moving team have an unobstructed pathway between the moving truck and your home.

Make sure you are preparing the exterior of your home with this concept in mind. In terms of sidewalks and pathways make sure you remove any snow and ice. If you are using an ice melting salt, try to remove as much of it as you can once the snow and ice have melted, as these small granules can also pose a tripping hazard for a mover who is trying to move swiftly.

Give Yourself Extra Time

If you're planning a winter move, don't wait until you are down to the wire. Moves during the winter will generally take longer than a move in a friendlier climate. This is especially the case during periods when the temperature is close to, or below, freezing.

In this type of weather movers will likely need to take more breaks than they would in warmer temperatures to stay safe. Additionally, even if you have prepared the exterior surfaces, the movers will likely have to move slower than they normally would as a precaution. Make sure you are accommodating for the extra time.

The more prepared you are for your winter move, the less stress and the better your move will turn out. For more information on how to prepare for a winter move, consider contacting local movers.