We are now into the Moving Industry’s peak season. It starts around the middle of May and usually ends by mid-September. Annually, 65% to 70% of all moves occur during this time. It happens for a number of reasons, the main ones being that children are out of school, and the weather is finally nice enough for people to safely transfer their items from one home to the next.
While this might be the best time for you to move, moving in the summer presents a unique set of challenges that you don’t see as much during the colder months of the year. The biggest issue you will face is just how busy moving and truck rental companies get during peak season. Movers are often booked out for weeks in advance, so you may have trouble getting the exact day or time you want to schedule your move. Also, communication between you and your moving or truck rental company could be more challenging as phones and offices are usually extremely busy. Try to be flexible when booking the day and time of your move. If you can, avoid moving at the end of the month or the first week of the month as these are the busiest times. The two weeks mid-month are usually your best option. Also, keep in mind that weekends and morning time slots are the most sought-after so schedule your move dates in advance or you might just need to adjust the schedule of your move.
Other things that are booked up during these peak moving periods are hotel rooms and airline tickets. Between vacation travelers, workers on temporary assignments and families on the move, airlines and hotels get expensive during the summer, especially for last-minute reservations. If you’re driving cross-country, planning your daily travel schedule and reserving hotels along the way will take much of the stress out of the journey. Also, if you’re moving with a pet, more and more hotel chains are pet-friendly but with all of the pet lovers today, those rooms go fast too so plan ahead.
When it comes to moving day, there are a couple of key things to remember. To make your day go smoothly and to help the people who are doing the moving, be as prepared as possible. Have all your packing done and your boxes taped closed. If you’re having the movers pack for you, clearly mark the things you don’t want packed or put them in a separate area of your home.
If there is a change to the list of things you included in your moving quote or to the packing service you requested with your move, call your moving company ASAP to make them aware so that they can arrive prepared! These changes ca affect the total cost of your move, and whether or not your movers can fit everything into the truck. No one likes moving-day surprises so it is imperative that you are as accurate as possible when telling the company about the things you want to move and the services you need to get everything ready to go.
Have a plan for where to park the truck. Even if you rent a truck, you want to park within seventy-five feet of your home or apartment entry door. If you need to clear your driveway, or block off parking in advance, or get a parking permit from the city, please make sure you have that figured out ahead of time. Moving day includes a lot of activities with people constantly in-and-out the door of your home. If you have pets or small children, their safety is crucial, so it might be best to have plans for them to be off-site on moving day if possible.
And lastly, please keep the summer heat in mind! Try to keep your air conditioning on throughout your move and/or fans if you use them. Another kind thing you can provide for your moving team is water and light snacks. Moving furniture is hard work and the movers or volunteers helping with your move will definitely appreciate it.
With a little planning and good communication, you can make it through the summer moving season and get to where you’re going ready for whatever is next in your life.
