Very few people enjoy the process of relocating; this can be made worse by the weather, local events, and more. Fortunately, with some thought, you can determine when the best time to move is depending on your situation. Here are just a few things that you will want to consider before you make your final choice.
One of the most important things to consider is the season. This is especially true if you live in an area that has snow or ice during the winter months. This can make it extremely dangerous to move large objects from your home. It can also lead to damaging your furniture, dishes, and heirlooms if they happened to be dropped in the process. Even if you hire moving companies, they may add additional fees to compensate for the conditions in which the employees will be working as well as transportation issues that may arise. If you can, it is best to try to avoid moving during the winter months. Of course, this isn’t always possible, but if it is, it is definitely in your best interest to avoid it.
If you have children, it is best to move during the summer months, if possible, this ensures that your children won’t have to start at a new school during the middle of the year. Doing so, especially if they are in higher grades, can have a very negative impact on their grades. In some cases, children have been held back due to not fully completing a semester at their original school before moving to a new one. Of course, there are also added stressors that can make the move emotionally and socially challenging for a child. Planning to move during the summer can ensure their grades or school progress is not hindered, and they can have a good start at the beginning of the school year.
One downside of moving during prime summer months, however, is that there is a much higher demand when it comes to moving companies. This can increase your costs when using a variety of moving services: the more flexibility that you can have, the better. Planning weeks in advance can help to reduce your costs as well. If you are flexible, you can talk with the moving companies to see how adjusting your dates and times can impact your overall costs for your move.
One major way to reduce your costs is to move during the weekdays. Just about everyone tries to complete a move over a weekend. Naturally, this makes sense for most people as they are trying to avoid missing work as much as possible. However, given the fact that most people are trying to accomplish this goal, the costs to move during the weekend are increased simply due to demand. By moving during the week, you can easily save hundreds of dollars. When comparing this to the time you will take off of work; you may find that you are saving instead of losing money.
The truly ideal time to move if you do not have children is moving during the fall and spring months. There is very little demand during this time when compared to other months, and the weather is still relatively pleasant. It also enables you to more precisely pick your moving dates, as opposed to having to work around the schedule of your ideal moving company. If you have the liberty to choose during these seasons, it is perfect, both for your wallet and the convenience factors.
Whatever you do, definitely avoid moving during a holiday week or weekend. There is a huge increase in the number of people moving during holiday seasons as they often have an extra day off of work to make the move easier to accommodate. Two holidays that see massive increases in moves are Memorial Day and Labor Day. This is because many employers are not open on these days. The fact that these two holidays also occur during the warmer months is of course another factor in this trend. If possible, try to avoid moving during any holiday.
Even the time of day that you choose can play a major role in how much you will pay for the service. The prime moving hours can change depending on the season. To best understand when you can get the best price and find the availability for when you want to move, it is a good idea to contact the companies that you are considering for this service. They can give you an idea of when they typically have the most availability. They may be less than willing to disclose any lower rates they offer, but if they are interested in your business and want to fill slots, they will be happy to share this information with you.
Of course, several factors can make it difficult or nearly impossible to negotiate when you are going to move. However, even small adjustments can make a big difference when it comes to cost and your overall moving experience. Keep all the above information in mind as you plan your next move. It will increase the chances that you won’t be displeased. It could lead to having the best moving experience you’ve had yet.