The practical guide to moving home in winter
Despite what some people may say, moving in winter isn’t always a mistake. It just requires a bit more preparation. Short days, wet pavements, and the fact that most people have a bit less energy can make an otherwise ordinary move feel extra stressful.
It’s not all bad, though. Removal teams have more availability, traffic is calmer (outside the holidays at least), and cool air is often a welcome surprise when you’re carrying heavy boxes for hours. With a few smart adaptations, you can stay warm, safe and dry.
Table of Contents
Plan around daylight
For days when you’ll be moving around outside, work backwards from sunset. In December, you’ve got roughly 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in much of the UK, so aim for early key collection and get the van parked while it’s still bright out.
Confirm access complications with neighbours, arrange bay suspensions in advance with the relevant council, and agree key pick-ups a little while in advance so that you’re not unduly stressed. If you can, avoid Friday – most people will be less tired, and there’s bound to be less traffic holding you up..
Weatherproof
Check the forecast a day or two out, and then again the night before. If frost or snow is likely and you can’t change the removal day, grit paths and steps at both addresses and clear as much of it as possible.
Inside, run a path of flattened boxes or dust sheets from the front door to the main rooms, and tape the leading edge so nobody trips up. Wrap sofas and mattresses so that the fabric doesn’t have to touch dirty, damp ground, and keep a bunch of old towels by the door to wipe furniture feet.
For a hire van, confirm breakdown cover and stash a torch, scraper and high vis jacket where you can reach them. If you’re using a service like Bright Movers, then they’ll take care of this for you.
Heat your new home
Nothing kills the mood of a move like coming into a freezing cold shell of a house. If you can’t pre-heat with the boiler, then at the very least bring an electric heater and make one room comfortable before anything else.
It’s also important to take a picture of meter readings, so that you’re not inadvertently paying for the old tenant as well. Turn the boiler on once you’re in; if there’s an outdoor condensate pipe and it’s freezing, warm it gently with warm water before firing up the boiler.
It’s worth packing some mugs, tea bags and a kettle somewhere accessible, just so you can warm up a bit after arriving. Warm jackets, gloves and even a blanket or two are also must-haves.
Moving home in winter isn’t that difficult at all, but it does help a lot if you prepare yourself properly. Given that your energy will likely already be slightly less than it would be during the height of summer, the more you can do to set yourself up for success, the less likely it’ll be that small issues pop up and throw you off along the way.
