Moving home is one of life’s hardest tasks, whatever time of the year you do it. However, the process can be even more challenging during winter. Snow and ice can cause trips and falls, whilst heavy rain can cause serious damage to your possessions. Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of top tips for moving house in winter. Read on to find out how to make your house move easier during the coldest months of the year.
Start the packing process early
One of the best tips for moving house in winter is to start packing up your belongings as early as possible. The main reason for this is that there’s less daylight at this time of year, which can make sorting out items in your garage, shed or other outdoor storage areas a difficult task. Starting packing early on will ensure that you’ve finished long before the removal van pulls up.
To make the packing process easier, consider using a professional packing service provided by your removals company. At Metro Removals, we’re on hand to pack your belongings for you, making sure they’re safe and secure during transit. We can even provide packing materials too, saving you time and money.
Protect your possessions
Rain, sleet and snow can all cause significant damage to your belongings if you’re not careful. To ensure that they don’t come to any harm as you’re moving them between properties, you’ll need to keep them well protected. Pack them securely in sturdy boxes, ideally in those constructed from plastic instead of cardboard. Plastic boxes which have wheels are a good option for winter house moves.
Importantly, they should have lids on them in order to prevent moisture from getting into them. You could also use plastic sheets and other protective coverings such as blankets to protect your possessions during the move. When you hire a reputable company for removals in Kettering or Market Harborough, they will make sure your belongings are protected at all times.
Make a plan for moving large and bulky items
For large or bulky items such as dining tables, pianos or exercise equipment, it’s best to make a plan for moving them. This can help to avoid them being left outside and therefore exposed to bad weather for any longer than necessary. During your pre-move survey, your removals firm will assess your belongings carefully and devise a plan so that your larger items will spend the minimum amount of time outdoors. At Metro Removals, we can move a whole range of bulky items with ease.
Clear paths of ice and snow
Ice and snow can make moving house hazardous, with slips and falls a real possibility if the right precautions aren’t taken. One important tip when relocating in winter is to clear your paths and steps of ice and snow. You need to ensure that entry points to your property are clear and safe. You may even want to put down salt or sand the night before the move if it’s particularly cold. Fortunately, since any experienced removals team will be used to working in the winter months, it’s unlikely that they’ll slip or fall whilst moving your belongings.
Layer up on moving day
Since a house move involves spending a lot of time outside as you move your possessions between properties, it’s important to layer up in warm clothing. Temperatures can plunge to below freezing in winter, which can make moving day pretty unbearable if you’re not wrapped up warm. Wearing several layers of clothing means you’ll stay nice and snug but you can easily take them off to cool down if you get too hot. We recommend wearing gloves that come with grips as this will help prevent items from slipping from your hands when it’s icy. Wearing sturdy footwear like snow or hiking boots with grippy soles is also a good idea.
Professional home removals in Kettering and Market Harborough
Since moving house in winter can be so challenging, it’s even more important to hire a removals company you can depend on. At Metro, we’ve been providing removals in Kettering, Market Harborough and the surrounding areas for several years. Building an unbeatable reputation for our services. We’ve helped many hundreds of people to relocate at this time of year. Helping them to avoid the pitfalls that can come with a winter house move. Our removals team can work in all weather conditions. Including heavy snow. It’s very unlikely that we’ll need to delay your house move due to bad weather.
Book removals early
Whilst there’s normally less demand for professional removals services during the winter months, it’s still best to book early. Secure the services of your chosen company as soon as you know your moving date. This is especially important if you want to move house in the run up to Christmas. There will be lots of people keen to move into their new properties before the big day. Which means that dates tend to get booked up quickly during this period. At Metro Removals, we recommend securing your preferred date around four to six weeks before. Having said this, we may be able to assist with short-notice house moves in some cases.
Contact us
Now that you’ve read our top tips for moving house in winter, you may feel more confident about relocating at this time of year. To book us for removals in Market Harborough or Kettering, get in touch today. You can reach us by calling 01536 665 149 or 01858 515 015 or by sending us a message via the website. We’re on hand to tell you more about our removals services and arrange a full pre-move survey for your house move.
