With snow and colder temperatures just around the corner, many families may soon find themselves moving in winter-like conditions. And although it’s only the end of October, it’s never too early to start educating yourself on what to do if you wake up on moving day with snow covering the ground.
Continue reading below for a list of tips to help you with your move should you be forced to move in the snow and freezing cold. And as always, if you have any questions regarding anything in this article or would like to discuss your move with us, reach out to us by phone, email or even social media and we would be more than happy to help.
Happy reading!
Protect Your Floors
Wet and muddy footwear is a must when the snow starts to fly. That’s why we recommend protecting your floor before moving in so that you’re not stuck cleaning immediately after you unpack. You can protect your floor using rugs and runners, or as a cheaper option, you can look for the rolls of brown paper that contractors and carpenters use to protect brand new floors from their work boots. Either will do the trick, but the second may require a few extra layers to make sure it stands up over the course of the day.
Adjust your heating
It’s no secret that moving requires a lot of coming and going and with the door left open (or being opened and closed so frequently), your heating system may have to work overtime to ensure your house stays warm. This is why we often recommend just turning your heat off until you are done moving. This way you’re not wasting money trying to heat your home or putting extra stress on your heating system. Sure, you can leave your heat during move in, but be prepared to spend a little bit extra when it comes time to pay the month’s heating bill.
Check the Snow Plow Schedule
Seeing as how it’s only the end of October/ beginning of November, we hope that this tip doesn’t apply to your move. But if for some reason you are faced with a major downfall of snow, you will want to check the snowplow schedule and coordinate your move in time around this. This will make sure vehicles don’t get snowed in and save you from having to pause your move to shovel snow out of your way.
Clear your Driveway and Walkways
Falling snow means snow-covered driveways and walkways. Before your moving team shows up, it’s a good idea to clear any fallen snow and also melt any ice that may be underneath. This will make your move as safe as possible for everyone involved and will make sure there are no setbacks that drag your move out longer than it has to be. Even if there’s no ice present, we still recommend salting or sanding your driveway and walkways. This will provide additional traction and will make sure that nothing forms after the fact.
Consider providing Warm Snacks and Drinks
This has nothing to do with the safety of everyone involved in the move but is merely an idea. If you wish to make snacks and drinks available to everyone helping you move, you may want to consider warm drinks like cider, hot chocolate and coffee and snacks like cookies, pastries, etc. Popsicles and ice cream are great for cooling off in the summer but aren’t quite as useful in late fall/winter.
Protect Electronics
It’s no secret that electronics don’t like moisture. And although you don’t plan on dropping anything, even falling snow can cause enough damage to electronics to make them useless. Consider covering electronics in garbage bags and then taping/tying them shut to protect them from unwanted moisture and make sure everything makes it back indoors safely and soundly.
Take Your Time
This is the most important tip for winter moving. With the risk of ice, slippery sidewalks and many other things, it’s important to remember to take your time when moving. Yes, we want to get in out of the cold as much as the next person, but at the cost of your wellbeing, it’s not worth it. Remember to take your time when moving, and hopefully, everyone will finish the day in the same shape they started it—albeit probably a tad more tired.
We hope these tips prove useful if you find yourself moving in the snow and as we mentioned above, if you have any questions, please contact us. We are more than happy to provide you with guidance for your move or discuss hiring our team to complete your move for you.