Moving home in winter, may not be an ideal situation; but in the UK the process of buying a home can take anywhere from weeks to months before you finally complete the process. This means that the completion date may fall within winter ultimately giving you no choice to move in this season.
However, it isn’t all doom and gloom with there being a few positives to moving in winter. Being prepared and organised will help you to stay on track of deadlines plus it will make the process a lot easier.
It is also good to note that fewer people move in winter, meaning if you choose to hire a removals company you should get a better chance at securing a time slot.
Keep on reading our top tips for making the process of moving in winter more simple and less stressful.
Tip Number One: Hire the professionals
At Location Removal, we can’t stress enough the importance of using a reputable and reliable removal company. These professionals are experienced with moving homes and in all different weather conditions. They will cost you but they will be able to pack and move everything in half the time of trying to do it yourself.
Most professional removal companies will use a range of specialist materials to protect your furniture and belongings no matter what the weather. Location Removals include; carpet protection, mattress covers, furniture covers and specialist removal blankets in all of our quotations, meaning you can be assured your furniture is safe no matter the weather!
Finding a removal company is easy, with you just needing to make a simple search of Removals in Staffordshire or in the location where you live
Tip Number Two: Make Sure You Have Heat
Upon moving to your new home, it is important that you have gas and electricity ready to supply your new home. You can either ask the old residents or contact the necessary utility companies to ensure they’ve been set up correctly.
If you are in contact with the old residents or you can ask your estate agents to ask if the heating can be left on low or if you already have access to go turn the heating on yourself. This helps reduce the chances of your pipes freezing.
Plus if you have any issues with your boiler, you will know in advance meaning that you can get an engineer out and fix the issue.
It is also a good idea to keep warm clothing, blankets and portable radiators on hand if you do run by any issues with your heating.
Tip Number Three: Keep Entrances/Paths Clean
As it is wintertime, there is a good chance that entrances/paths may be icy or frosty. Keep some sand or salt on hand to scatter outside both your current house and the house you are moving into. Not only will this protect you whilst moving boxes but if you use a removal company then you will prevent anyone from getting hurt.
Tip Number Four: Protect Your Flooring
Sadly in the UK, we are known for our rainy winters and there is a good chance that it will rain when you move in. To protect your floors from wet feet and mud, use plastic sheeting to cover your floors or any old offcuts of carpet. This should be done for both of the properties.
Should you choose to hire a removal company they will provide carpet protection for you and fit this at both properties before commencing with any work.
If it is forecast to rain, try to plan ahead with letting the removal trucks park as closely as they can to your property. This will help them minimise how long they are spending outside, which will result in less mess.
Tip Number Five: Purchase Weatherproof Materials
If you are packing yourself, then you will need to use materials that are fit for the winter weather. Normal boxes are perfect for the summer but can result in damage if used in winter.
You will need to purchase sturdy boxes that won’t fall apart if they get wet. Also, using a lot of tapes will help to keep seams and joins closed. During your move, you don’t want to have your items falling out of boxes or getting damaged by water.
For larger items such as tables, sofas or beds, using heavy-duty polythene covers will help to keep them covered during the move. It is also handy to keep the boxes for electrical items such as TVs, game consoles, etc as you can pack these items back into their designated boxes.
For tips on packing fragile items, check out our blog post.
Hopefully, these tips have given you an insight into moving in wintertime. It can be a seamless process with the right organisation and utilising a removal company.
For more information regarding removals in Stafford, please get in touch; we would love to help.
Thank you for reading.