The Top 10 Best Wintertime Moving Tips

Wintertime moves can come with their own set of unique challenges. The biggest challenges being the unpredictable weather and the cold temperatures! So what do you do? You expect the best, but prepare for the worst. Be prepared for a wintertime moving day with the following tips.

• Don’t pack away all of your winter supplies. Place supplies like your shovel, ice scraper, salt, and winter accessories like gloves, scarves, and hats in the car with you. You never know if you will need to clear a path in the snow with the shovel or throw some ice down on the sidewalk to keep everyone safe on moving day.
• Make sure that all of the utilities at your new home are turned on and actually working before you start moving. We recommend getting everything turned on about two days before your move. You are going to need to be able to heat your new place right away!
• Allow extra travel time as street conditions can be very unpredictable in the winter. Keep your eyes on traffic reports and use a map app that will adjust your route if there are possible traffic issues that might slow you down.
• When dealing with a wintery moving day, the goal should be to get everything moved to or from the truck/container and out of the weather as quickly as possible. This means parking your moving vehicle at whatever door you can get physically closest to. This will allow you to move your items quickly and efficiently while also keeping them out of the weather as much as possible.
• Another way to move items out of the weather quickly is to use an assembly line strategy with a dedicated indoor crew and outdoor crew. The outdoor crew will move items to and from the truck/container and then hand off to the indoor crew. This is an efficient way to move boxes and other smaller items. It also prevents sludge from being tracked inside.
• In wintery weather, use plastic trash bags, heavy blankets, tarps, and moving pads to wrap items that are not secured in a box. You can add extra layers of protection to electronics or other cold/moisture sensitive items by first wrapping them in blankets and then securely wrapping in plastic to form a protective barrier.
• Be sure everyone is wearing enough appropriate winter clothing to stay warm and safe. Take special care to keep extremities like your head, hands, and feet warm with hats, gloves, and boots. Consider offering everyone on your crew “hot hands” packets to place in their pockets to warm up frosty fingers.
• For extra protection, line the entryway to your home with old rugs and towels to catch the sludge off everyone’s shoes. You can also use dry cardboard or newspapers on your floor to protect them from the elements.
• Keep plenty of dry towels on hand. Use them to quickly dry snow off of any items that could be damaged by excess moisture.
• Have plenty of hot cocoa or hot cider available to keep your crew warm from the inside out!

Moving in the winter can be a challenge, but it is a challenge that Zippy Shell bravely accepts! Using Zippy Shell portable storage and moving containers allows you to pack and move at your own pace. Call (888) 947-7974 to schedule your move today.