8 Tips for Moving in Winter – Best Moves Calgary

Moving in the winter is stressful and more complex since cold weather, icy driveway, or road closures may impact the process. Check our tips to make it easier!

8 Tips for Moving in Winter

No matter the season, moving is always about numerous tasks you need to complete from A to Z to make it successful. However, when it comes to moving in winter months, the process becomes even more stressful, as external factors such as bad weather, cold temperatures, frozen rain, and increased road hazards can significantly affect or even ruin your plans. That’s why moving in the cold season requires you to be focused, flexible and give special care to details.

Here are tips for moving in the winter to help you make your relocation safe and less stressful!

Hire Professional Movers

By hiring a professional movers, you can simplify the process a lot. With all the equipment, materials, and experience, the moving crew can take care of all your belongings by loading and transporting them safely to the new location. This is especially true if you consider taking fragile items, artwork, glass, or other easily breakable items to your new home.

Moving in the winter is different than in summer due to cold temperatures and sometimes unexpected weather changes. Thus, you may face trouble in the most unpleasant moment, which can make the process much more stressful, especially if it’s your first winter moving. In this case, experienced movers, who have already completed numerous orders, can help you to figure everything out when needed, so you can relax and pay more attention to the process and your tasks.

That’s why one of the top tips for moving in winter is to hire a reliable company to avoid problems and successfully move your belongings!

Be Flexible And Prepare A Plan B

Having a plan B for your move is a smart idea so you can quickly make adjustments if things change.

Start planning your winter moving early, as extra time gives you more options and flexibility.

Since the weather can be unpredictable, keep an eye on the weather forecast for your current and future locations during the last few weeks. Winter moves can be tough and stressful because severe weather can occur the day before the scheduled date or even on a moving day!

Be in touch with your company, especially in the last few days, as both you and the movers have a vested interest in everything going well. By cooperating, you can set another move date if necessary, as road safety is the main factor to keep in mind.

Prepare Your Home

After you have packed your belongings, consider how exactly the process of moving and loading your belongings into the truck will be carried out.

• Ensure boxes can be safely moved out of the house without the risk of damaging walls, doorways, and floors, so deal with any obstructions and get rid of stuff beforehand.
• Ensure your home is easily accessible for the truck. Clear walkways and driveways by shovelling snow and sprinkling salt.

There must be no excess snow or ice, especially on the stairs, as you or the movers can slip, which can lead to injury and cause damage to your belongings. Therefore, pay special attention to how safe the environment in your home is.

For extra floor protection, put plastic sheeting on it to prevent moisture, snow and dirt from getting on the floor and ensure floor protection from scratches when carrying out the boxes. Also, put plastic sheets inside the truck before loading to protect the boxes from moisture.

Properly Pack Your Items

If you are planning to move during the winter months, pay attention to how you pack your belongings. Cold and sudden temperature changes can damage delicate items like dishes and glass, so double-wrap everything in blankets to create protective layers and keep your things well-insulated.

In addition, carry your most valuable and delicate items in a personal vehicle. If you’re going to transport your plants to the new location, protect them well before loading. Get the necessary packing materials in advance, as houseplants are extremely sensitive to low temperatures.

Items which require extra care include:

• Dishes, glass, porcelain
• Musical instruments, electronics
• Antique furniture and items made of delicate wood
• Plants

Keep Your Gadgets Warm

Among the main points to consider during cold weather moves are the safety of your gadgets. Your phone, tablet, PC, power banks, and other electronics don’t handle cold temperatures well. Thus, ensure you pack and insulate them securely before moving. You can get travel cases for your gadgets beforehand for extra protection.

Frosty winter weather harms batteries, as the cold slows down and sometimes stops chemical reactions inside them, which can often cause gadgets to turn off when they stay in low temperatures for a long time.

Do not charge your devices in cold weather. Also, avoid turning them on immediately upon arrival since it may lead to damage or breakdowns. It is better to wait until your electronics warm up to room temperature.

Load Heavier Items First

Always load heavy items and boxes into the truck first. This is one of the important winter moving tips.

The main reason for such an approach is the even distribution of weight along the truck. If the balance is disturbed, the steering and control of the transport deteriorate while driving, which makes the truck more difficult to drive, and the risk of skidding is also significantly increased. In the case of winter conditions (snow, ice on the road, wet asphalt, fog, poor visibility, etc.), such issues become even more crucial.

In addition, when loading items into your vehicle, ensure that your trunk is not too loaded before you hit the road. It’s always better to hire another truck or pick up some of your belongings next time than to load your car up to the limit and increase the risks while driving, especially in winter when travel times are usually longer due to the weather.

Schedule Your Moving On Morning

It’s best to start the process in the morning. So if you get the chance, try to arrange your move before noon when planning your upcoming winter relocation.

In winter, the sun sets faster, so the days are shorter. It may become more difficult to carry things out of the house and load them into a truck during dusk or night. Moreover, you should supervise the process to ensure you have taken everything you need and have a margin of time in case of unforeseen circumstances on the day of the move. That is why the sooner you start, the better.

Take Care Of Your Movers

Loading and transporting items is always a tough job for movers and drivers, especially during winter when cold and harsh weather can make the entire process much more difficult.

You can thank the moving team for a job well done. Have cash ready for tips in advance. In addition, you can say thank you to the crew with food, snacks, and drinks. Hot cocoa, tea, a pot of coffee, or another warm beverage will keep them warm in cold weather and is a nice gesture of gratitude on your part!nce in economic implications is huge. Commercial moves naturally involve a higher cost given the size and criticality of the move. They also need more specialized services.