5 Tips for Moving In the Winter
Moving, no matter what time of the year, can be stressful! It’s often a time of logistics and mayhem, but also of reflection and transition; it is not every day that we pack up our entire lives and shift them from one one space to another. Moving can present tactical, practical and emotional challenges at every turn, and while we can’t always offload the emotional aspects, the tactical and practical work of simply “getting it done” are well suited for the pros - especially when the weather presents additional hurdles to the big day!
Having just moved to a new home myself, I can attest to the temperature being something I hadn’t planned for during my move… In Calgary we are no strangers to cold weather in all shapes and sizes: it could be anywhere from 0 to -20 and it could be bright and sunny or blizzarding on any given winter day. Luckily we got a clear, bluebird day in late November, but the air was frigid. With many trips in and out of the old house to the car, and then into our new house, we ended up spending lots of time outside with doors constantly open, ushering winter wind inside for a not-so-warm-housewarming.
Here are some tips for a winter move that may be helpful!
Don’t Pack Up Your Warm Weather Gear - Yet!
I was so tempted to throw all of our warm jackets and layers into a box and tape it up - all in the spirit of an efficient move! Instead, I left a box/bin open in the front hall closet where all of our jackets, toques, mitts, scarves, etc. lived so that they were accessible day-of. Once the house was all packed up, I grabbed this box LAST and kept it close, bringing it to the new house in my car rather than with the movers. This meant that I wouldn’t lose track of it, had access to additional layers if I needed, and wouldn’t be scrambling to find the box and unpack it in the days to follow when I would inevitably need these items! This tip also extends to other cold-weather related items like shovels, gravel/ice, snow brushes… all things that need to come with us during a move, but should be left out to ensure we’re warm, happy and safe on moving day.
Have a Plan for Snowy/Muddy Shoes
Between me, my husband, and our wonderful movers from Two Small Men with Big Hearts, there were a lot of people going in and out. Between the cold weather and frequent in and outs, it was way easier for all of us to keep our shoes/boots on during. To protect flooring we had designated pathways to keep traffic and the mess contained to a specific area, AND our movers had mats/blankets to put down. This meant the floors at our old house stayed clean for our future tenants, and the floors in our new place were as good as new, even after a big day heavy winter foot traffic.
Ensure Every Item Has a (New) Home
Every box we packed and every piece of furniture moved was clearly labeled with information about the item’s destiantion at the new house. This meant that at the new house, things arrived and went exactly where they needed to go, avoiding any need to direct or re-direct folks about where items should go. Not only was this extremely efficient, but it meant that there had already been planning about how larger items may need to be maneuvered or what entrance they need to come in.. resulting in less time TRYING to fit a couch through our front entry way while yelling PIVOT, and in turn, less time with the front door wide open letting the cold in. Taking the time to label things, measure things, and clearly communicate the necessary placement was hugely value, resulting in less time out in the cold for everyone who helped us out on our moving day!
Plan Packing + Loading Tasks Strategically
On the day of a move, there’s a ton of tasks to do… it’s not just a matter of toting already packed boxes into a truck. There’s more to it - especially when you have movers who are thoughtful and organized in how they treat, manage, and transport your personal belongings. Before Two Small Men with Big Hearts arrived to help us, my husband and I had done as much as we could: boxes were packed and strategically huddled into specific corners of like-items and furniture was disassembled as much as we could, placed in places we thought it would be easiest/most efficient for the movers to grab and go! This meant that the movers could be very tactical as they tackled each room in the house. It also meant that when there were tasks like wrapping/protecting glasses, rolling up carpets, etc. they could do these things in a burst of activity inside - where we could close the door and warm up, while indoor tasks were taking place! Our movers also did a survey of the house and all the items to be moved before they started, so they could be thoughtful about what went where in the truck so there would be no need to move things around more than once. Having all of our items ready to go and visible made this easier for them as well.
Beware of Winter Hazards
It’s important to ensure your prized possessions are packed safely for any move; I know I went through a plethora of packing paper and bubblewrap for my items. Ensuring your items are packed appropriately for safe transport is important - and our movers were sure to do just that with out larger delicate items like glass table tops and TVs. All of our stuff was well taken care of, with nothing broken along the way. While I didn’t have any issues with ice on my moving day, I have no doubt that icy patches emerge on winter days and make moving move challenging… making sure your goods are packed well, and you have access to gravel/salt to navigate icy patches are sure to avoid slipping and costly breakage of items (and bones!). Furthermore, be sure to thoughtfully pack items that may be sensitive to the cold or extreme temperature changes accordingly to avoid spoilage - this could be food, medications, cosmetic products, chemicals, or cleaning products, etc.
A little bit of extra organization and preparation ahead of moving day can go a long way to ensure things go smoothly, and you aren’t left out in the cold!
With a few extra variables thrown into the mix for a winter move, these are just a few things that crossed my mind to help make navigate a big transition more easily. Of course, having friendly and reliable movers also goes a long way. I was pleased to partner with Two Small Men with Big Hearts, who help people all over Canadian move with ease. The team was a joy to work with throughout the day, all very friendly, communicative and respectful of our home and personal belongings. I am so happy with how our move went!
Even though I don’t plan to move again in the near future, I’ll definitely seek to work with the TSM team again when the time is right. You can learn more about TSM’s moving services here, and take a look a Moving Checklist put together by the pros themselves here.
