Did you know that nearly half of all moves take place between the beginning of May and Labor Day? With nearly 35.7 million people in the United States who move each and every year, that means nearly 18 million people are moving into new homes in just a matter of a few months!
Summer is a busy season for real estate because parents like to wait for their kids to finish their school years before they transition them to a new environment. It’s also a peak wedding season, which lends to couples finding a new home to share their new life together. Lastly, summer usually offers up the best weather for a move. Albeit hot, it’s not as difficult as navigating rainy spring seasons or frigid winters.
How can you manage your summertime move when everyone else seems to be moving, too? Many factors go into planning a move, and beating the heat is only one concern when you’re braving the busy season for other relocating Americans.
Begin Planning as Soon as You Can
As with all moves, your goal should be to start planning as soon as possible. Taking inventory of your things, packing them up and having them safely delivered to your new home is no easy feat. It’s easy to lose perspective of the number of things we own, and how long it will truly take to go through our belongings and pack them away. Even sifting through what we want and don’t want to keep is a daunting task- just ask anyone who has tried to KonMari their home.
Need help with your planning? Try looking for moving checklists that suit you and your family’s needs and have them available to you as you take on the task of getting ready for your summer relocation.
Make Your Move as Affordable as Possible
It’s no secret that professional movers are in high demand during the summer. This increase in demand for moving services often leads to higher prices. Booking as early as possible will often translate to lower moving costs than if you book in the peak summer months.
Another way to make your move more affordable is to cut costs by moving less stuff. This comes back to early preparation but takes it a bit further by setting the goal to declutter and minimize the number of things you’ll be bringing to your new home. Take the opportunity to sort through your belongings and determine what you really want to keep, while hosting a yard sale for those that you choose to discard. If you’re ahead of the game, you could even take the opportunity to post some items online and sell them in plenty of time before moving day.
If you are looking to cut costs, then packing your items yourself will save money on professional packing services. On the other hand, if you prefer convenience over cost-savings, then using a professional packing service like Movegreen will ensure that your items are safely packed using the best materials to ensure safe transport.
Be Strategic with Your Timing
Not only is it the busiest moving season, but you’ve also got a few holidays and events spread throughout the summer months that can make travel quite difficult. Be thoughtful about holidays like Memorial Day weekend, the Fourth of July, or the last weekend before school starts. These will all make for heavy traffic days, difficult scheduling with movers, and potentially be more expensive.
It’s recommended that if you’re moving during the summer, select a weekday somewhere in the middle of a month to avoid the busiest times of the (already) busy moving season.
Pack Like a Pro
The most time-consuming task of a move is undoubtedly the packing. Try not to underestimate the time it’ll take to complete this task and take inventory of your things long before you set out for your new home.
Get a head start on buying- or finding- packing supplies. Movegreen has a full selection of eco-friendly boxes and packing supplies that we deliver to our customers to make your packing as pain-free as possible.
Consider your high temperatures and sensitive belongings as you pack, too. The heat is not just a nuisance during a laborious move; it’s also a threat to your household items. Protecting your electronics, which are often heat sensitive, by bringing them with you in your own vehicle helps to mitigate the risk of damage from a moving truck’s high temperatures.
Toss any perishable items like food, or even wax-based items like candles and crafting supplies, as they will most definitely melt in the heat. Also, safeguard your plants. Most moving companies may suggest not bringing your plants along, but if you’d like to move them yourself, there are some tips on how to do that successfully.
Keep Yourself Safe
Heat exhaustion is no joke, so proceed with caution as you push your body through a move. Getting an early start in the day to begin moving your belongings is a great way to avoid the sweltering heat.
Keep yourself hydrated by drinking at least half of your body weight in fluid ounces of water. If you’re sweating more than average, account for that as well. Pack some bottled water and pay close attention to symptoms of dehydration.
This goes without saying but utilize your air conditioner! Have your services in your current home, and soon-to-be home turned on and available to you to keep you and your movers safe. If that’s not available to you, portable electric fans will be your next best friend(s).
Last, but not least, wear appropriate clothing for your move and never forget the sunscreen!
Contact Movegreen Today
If you are considering a summer move, it’s never too early to start planning. Contact Movegreen today to find out about our full-service packing and moving services that will make your summertime move simple and stress-free.
We are the premier eco-friendly moving company in Southern California with locations in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Orange County. We specialize not only in short local moves but also long-distance, interstate, and even international moves. Call Movegreen today to book your next move!
