Moving In Winter: A Professional Guide

Moving in winter can be a smart move if you do it right. You won’t get sweaty and irritable in the extreme heat, for one. Also, it’s a quiet time for moving. So your movers are likely to have a lot of availability when you need them.

But in order to plan like a pro, you need to consider the following.

AVOID PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

And think about when everyone will be traveling out or coming back from vacation. You don’t want to be sitting in traffic burning gas when you could be settling in to your new home.

DOUBLE CHECK YOUR UTILITIES ARE GOOD TO GO

When planning your trip, check you’ll be able to switch the heating on when you arrive. This should be easy if you’re moving in just as the previous owners or tenants are moving out.

If you’re moving somewhere with a super cold winter, ask for the heating to be left on low so the pipes don’t freeze and burst. Yikes.

CONSIDER SLIP HAZARDS

If you’re planning to do a lot of the leg work, consider all those slippery journeys. Which shoes are waterproof and have the best grip?

It’s better to leave it to Air1 Moving & Storage professionals who have 20 years experience. Because slipping while carrying heavy furniture and boxes is no joke. You don’t want to end up spending moving day at the emergency room.

And how about the outside of your new home? If you’re doing a long distance move or an international move, will it be icy when you get there? Keep an eye on the weather report leading up to your big move, so you’re prepared.

GET A SITTER

Are you moving locally? If so, little hands may not be the most helpful ones. You can get way more done, more safely if the kids are having fun at a sitter or relative’s house.

Likewise, are your furry friends going to get in the way? Dogs can find moves stressful, so if they can stay with someone you trust, all the better.

WRAP UP

Yes, you and your family. But also your belongings.

You might choose to do the packing yourself. Alternatively save time and just use our stress-free packing and unpacking service.

We take that little bit of extra care in the winter, because slips are more likely and some materials can be brittle in the cold weather.

A little extra bubble wrap is a good choice in the winter when belongings can be more delicate.

BEWARE OF TEMPERATURE SENSITIVITY

Going somewhere far away and cold? Your art may not enjoy the trip as much as we do. Breakables like artwork and crockery can get brittle and crack when it’s very cold for too long.

Moving pianos and other musical instruments is also more of a delicate job in winter. Musical instruments can go out of tune if they aren’t insulated with bubble wrap.

Even more seriously, wooden parts can contract and expand more than usual in cold temperatures, and then the wood can crack.

SEAL THOSE ELECTRONICS

OK so thankfully in LA you won’t have to worry about your electronics actually freezing. But are you moving somewhere snowy?

Because snow and ice means it’s damp. If your electronics will be between houses for a while, it’s worth sealing them in something waterproof.

Before setting off you should clearly label your electronics so that we know to treat them with special care.

ARRANGE GRIT AND TARPS

So if you’re moving somewhere snowy you’ll need to shovel and grit the outside area to get rid of the snow. This is usually easy to arrange.

Fine. And now consider your poor floors in the new place. They will need to be protected from that grit so that they don’t get all scratched up and slushy. So you’ll need tarps to lay over the floors.

On a budget? No problem. Then you can just use old blankets, old curtains or something similar.

SHOW YOUR CAR SOME LOVE

It’s a fact of life that there are more breakdowns in winter.

You’ll probably be fine, but it’s worth getting your car serviced before your trip. And pay attention to the brakes, the fluids, and the battery. Will you need winter tires where you’re going?

No-one wants to be stuck on the side of the road on moving day.

KEEP YOUR BOXES DRY

If you set down boxes outside where it’s wet, they can totally disintegrate. From the bottom.

The pros will anticipate this and lay down a tarpaulin on anything wet. You can help keep stuff dry by clearing any leaves that might get damp the day before your move.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

OK, Los Angeles weather is pretty good in general. But we still lose over four hours of daylight in December compared to the summer.

So get going early and make the most of the daylight. Everything’s that bit easier before it gets dark.

STORE SPARE WARM CLOTHES IN THE CAR

Moving involves a lot of activity and then some sitting around in the car. It’s easy to forget you won’t be warmed up and on the go for the whole move.

If it’s rainy or snowy on the day you should keep some extra clothes in the car in case what you’re wearing gets wet.

PLAN YOUR HOT MEALS OR HOT DRINKS

It’ll be amazing to move into your new place and warm up straight away.

Do you have a coffee machine ready to go? Keep it in the car with some mugs and you’ll be able to enjoy a well-deserved coffee as soon as you’re inside.

And we’d hate to drop hints, but professional movers LOVE a coffee at the end of a long winter move.