When you first decided to sell your house, the chances are that the sun was shining and the world felt full of possibility. Unfortunately, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the weather may look very different now that you’re actually staring down the barrel of a move.
You aren’t alone – a great many homebuyers face a winter-based move that, as well as generally feeling like it ruins the magic of the big day, can leave your new property looking significantly less impressive than when you first saw it. But, even a cold-weather move can feel like a winter wonderland if you approach it in the right way.
Of course, the chances of blue skies and warm sun are always going to be slim, but it is entirely possible to reduce the impact of the cold and the general bad feelings it can bring during all of that hard work. Then, you’ll be able to settle down in front of that new fire with all of the good vibes you could hope to find in any summer move. Even better, making it happen is as simple as considering the following.
# 1 – Avoid busy periods
If there’s one thing worse than moving during a cold snap in winter, it’s moving during a cold snap that’s also at a notoriously busy time. During the colder months, in particular, holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are famed for creating real estate bottlenecks that, as well as ensuring some of the coldest moving days of the year, create more stress, increased risk of delays, and a generally bad moving experience that it’s in your power to avoid. Obviously, if your buyers are pushing for a pre-festivities move then it’s never worth compromising a sale for this purpose alone. However, making it clear to your buyers and vendors that you’re happy to wait creates wiggle room, increasing the chances that, at least if you’re having to move during a cold period, you can choose a quieter, more convenient time when you’re able to get straight in and settled.
# 2 – Get organized
Organization is always a moving day 101, but it’s especially crucial when the weather outside threatens to turn icy at any moment. Having to wait around for keys or leave the doors open due to moving van delays is certainly going to ruin this experience for you! Instead, make sure that you plan this day like a smoothly oiled machine. Obviously, there are some things (like specific completion times) that are out of your control, but meticulously planning where you can is still going to make a huge difference. This is especially the case with your moving company, when seeking a company who can store your stuff for a night or two especially means you’ll be poised to go as soon as you get that call. Further than that, reducing the time during which your doors are flung wide open is all about getting organized with packing in the first place with clearly labeled boxes that, in many instances, will halve the time it takes to unload your belongings and close the doors behind you at last.
# 3 – Prep your property
Many homeowners moving in winter also find themselves facing extreme and unpleasant surprises that keep the cold going even once they’ve moved in. Issues like failing boilers and a lack of hot water certainly aren’t unheard of for a first night, and you can bet they’re going to ruin your experience faster than anything else. Hence why it’s also worth prepping your property, both by ensuring a survey that considers these things in advance of your move, and also by doing checks for these things as soon as you arrive. Even if things slip through the cracks before you’ve exchanged, this forward-thinking ensures that you aren’t left short, buying you time to contact companies who offer emergency furnace repair and maintenance that can get to work while you’ve got your doors open anyway. Then, with a bit of luck, you’ll be able to settle into your first evening with a nice hot bath, and a fully functioning heating system that means you wouldn’t know whether it was June or January outside!
Moving in the depths of winter might not be the idyllic setup you imagined, but there’s nothing to say that you can’t still have a smooth, and generally happy experience if you embrace the season and use these tips to pave a move in your very own winter wonderland!
Please note that some of the links above and below are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.
