With the summer months fast approaching
A lot of people will begin to plan for their upcoming move. The long hot days of summer also happen to be the busiest days of the year for the moving industry, and that is because a lot of people choose to move home between the months of May and September.
In fact, according to the United States Census Bureau, out of all household moves each year, a staggering 65% take place during this time.
While there are pros and cons to moving during summer months, our helpful tips listed below will help you gain a better understanding.
What you can expect, and in result make the best decision for you and your family. To learn more, continue reading our tips for moving during summer months.
Moving during summer months
For many Americans, summer months are the best time to move. The weather is great, the school is out, and the real estate market is at its peak.
These factors and many more therefore contribute to what is known as the busiest season for moving industry. As a result, planning ahead for your move is extremely important, particularly during this time.
Begin preparing as soon as you learn you are moving, at least one month in advance. For the purpose of this article we have created a hypothetical timeline. Continue reading below.
Pro Tip If the time is not on your side, and you’re moving in a hurry!
- One Month
It is time to get organized and begin your search for licensed and professional moving companies in your area. Booking movers is not impossible at this time.
But in order to secure a spot with reliable movers, you must book them in advance, especially if your schedule is not flexible. Due to high demand at this time, most trustworthy movers get booked quickly, and if you don’t act fast, you will be left with very few options.
Keep in mind that weekends and the ends of the month are the busiest, especially during the summer months. As a result, the rates are higher and availability is scarce.
If you can, try to plan your relocation during the weekday, you may not get a lower rate but you will have a higher chance of securing a good moving company.
Begin to sort and purge your home to solidify what you will be leaving behind or taking with you. This process can be time consuming. You will want to get started on it as soon as possible. Create a floor plan to help you better envision your new place and the items that will go in it.
- Two Weeks
Begin to pack the items you will be taking with you, one room at a time. Consider having a garage sale or donate to local Salvation Army the items you won’t be taking with you.
Packing is often underestimated and as a result rushed. You can begin to pack out of season items as soon as one month prior.
If you have children that will be changing schools as a result of the move, you will want to now make arrangements to have their transcripts and vaccination records transferred to the new school.
Notify all of the right institutions of your upcoming change of address. This includes your job, bank, doctors, etc. This will take time to go into affect; therefore you shouldn’t wait till the last minute.
Notify service providers of your upcoming move and give them a date to forward or terminate service.
- One Week
Confirm your move with your movers. Know their policy and accepted forms of payment to avoid any stress on moving day.
Avoid buying food and eat whatever you already have in your fridge to avoid anything going bad.
Clean your home before moving, and be sure to fix anything that may put your rentals deposit at jeopardy.
If you’re moving from a property where you were the owner, you should still clean up as much as you can for the new owners moving in. Tips on how to avoid losing your rental deposit.
Make necessary arrangements for your beloved pets for the moving day. Will they be with you throughout the duration of your move?
If so, designate a particular room within the home where they will feel safe. Make sure the area is cool and they have their favorite toys to play with. For more tips on moving with your pets.
You children will also need a safe, climate-controlled place to be during the move. Make proper arrangements, and if you can’t find a baby sitter, make sure they stay out of the way of the moving crew.
Set aside valuable items, such as important documents, jewelry, etc., and keep those with you. Do not pack them to be placed on the moving truck.
Pack a box of essential “must-haves” that you will need on the first few days at your new home. Toiletries, bedding, and cooking supplies should be among the items in this box. Mark the box accordingly, as you would the rest.