How to Make Your Summer Move

The professional movers at All My Sons Moving & Storage present special tips on how to make your summer move without breaking the bank or your sanity.

School’s out and the pools are open, but you’ve got to make some serious moving plans before you can start your great summer adventures. While moving during the holidays certainly has its own downsides, moving during the summer presents a special challenge. Summer is peak season for professional movers, which means higher rates and limited availability. If moving during the summer works best for you, you can make your move a little easier on you and your wallet by following these special tips for making a summer move.

Moving is the perfect time to think about what you want in your life and what you can let go of. If you are downsizing, or moving into a smaller place, then you will need to be selective about what you choose to take with you. Even if you’re moving into a larger place, your move will be a lot more manageable if you decide ahead of time that you won’t be taking certain items that don’t fit into your new life.

Several weeks before you start packing for your summer move, take stock of what you own and sort it into three categories:

• Keep: These are the items that are essential to your day to day existence or too sentimental to part with. 

• Donate, Sell, or Give Away: These items are in good condition and can serve their purpose for years to come, but maybe with someone else. You could donate these items to a charity, gift them to family or friends, or attempt to sell them for some extra moving cash.

• Discard: Items that are not in working condition or would be meaningless to another person should be recycled or trashed.

Need to get rid of some bulk junk before the move? Call Junk.com to get same-day junk removal, and say goodbye to old furniture, broken appliances, outdated electronics, and more. 

Summer moving reservations stack up fast, so to secure your preferred movers and move date you should book your movers as early as you can.

How far in advance should you book your movers? Ideally at least a month in advance. Call ahead to ask your professional movers about their summer availability and prices, and then reserve your move date as soon as you’ve made a final decision about who to hire.

If you are moving yourself, reserve your rental equipment far in advance and ensure you have enough helpers to assist you the day of your move.

The worst part of moving during the summer is arguably the extreme heat. Dehydration and heat exhaustion are real risks for you and your movers as you perform the heavy labor of moving. Stay cool and avoid serious illness or injury with these special recommendations for moving during the hottest months of the year.

• Keep Hydrated: Stock up on water and sports drinks the day before your move. Take small drinks throughout the move to keep your body regulated.

• Wear Cool and Protective Clothes: You should wear lightweight clothes that provide coverage from the sun’s intense rays. Steer away from dark colors as these absorb light and heat.

• Apply Sunscreen: Harsh sunburn and skin cancer are no laughing matter. Apply sunscreen before you start your move and keep a bottle on hand to reapply at least every two hours. 

• Bring a Hat and Sunglasses: Protecting your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays is just as important as protecting your skin. Prolonged sun exposure can increase the risk of cataracts, macular degeneration, and other harmful eye conditions. Wear sunglasses or a hat to help shield your eyes during your move.

• Move Early in the Day: The hottest part of the day tends to be in the latter part of the afternoon, between 3PM and 6PM. If you can start your move early, then you can avoid the worst of the heat.

• Take Regular Breaks: Watch for signs of heat exhaustion, hyperthermia, and dehydration. Be sure to take periodic breaks to make sure you and your movers are doing okay. 

• Watch Out for Heat-Sensitive Items: As you are decluttering and packing, ask yourself if your items need extra protection from the summer heat. Some items such as makeup, candles, crayons, and vinyl records will not do well on a hot truck for long periods of time. 

• Make Sure Utilities Are Connected: Keep your air conditioning running as you pack up your old home and ensure your electricity is working at your new place before you begin your move-in. 

With some extra forethought, you can brave the summer heat and get all your items moved in without serious issue.

If you’re budgeting for your summer move and looking to shave some dollars off your hourly rate, try planning your move on a weekday. 

Most summer movers plan their move on the weekend to avoid missing work time, but this means that weekend rates will be significantly higher. Moving companies are more likely to offer better deals on weekdays.

Memorial day weekend and end of month weekends are the busiest times for movers. Many leases end on the last day of the month, and weekends are already the most popular time to move.

End of month weekends see sky-high demand and as a result most movers will be offering higher rates if they are not fully booked.

You can save money, get more personalized customer service, and have better flexibility with booking if you choose to book your move on a different weekend.

Sometimes though, your move must fall on the end of month weekend in June. If you have weighed all the options or are planning a last-minute move and just do not have the leeway to move at a different time, never fear. You can still save yourself time, energy, and money by adequately preparing for your move. An organized move is an efficient move, so follow these steps to make sure your summer move goes smoothly.

• Create a Moving Checklist: Get started building a moving checklist as soon as you know you are moving. This moving checklist should contain items such as determining your budget, scheduling time off, filing your change of address with USPS, and making sure your utilities are connected.

• Keep an Inventory: You can save yourself the stress and heartache of losing important items in a box maze by creating a moving inventory. As you pack items into boxes, keep a list or spreadsheet of what went into each box. For furniture and valuables, note the condition of the item as you put it into your inventory. In lieu of a full moving inventory, always label your boxes with as much detail as possible. 

• Separate Essentials: Your essentials are the items you need daily. They should be packed last, loaded on the truck last, and unloaded as soon as possible. Once you have your essentials unpacked, your new home will officially be in business. Separate essential items like your bedsheets, coffee maker, and toilet paper to go into special boxes that you will be unpacking at your new place as soon as possible.

• Pack an Emergency Bag: Grab a bag you will keep on your person during your move and pack it with important items like medications, overnight toiletries, documents for your move, and a boxcutter to open boxes when you reach your new place. You should also pack children’s essentials and pet essentials if you are moving with kids or moving with pets.

Keeping organized during your move enables you to cut down on wasted time, make fewer trips, and minimize the risk of injury to yourself or your movers. 

Once all the boxes are unloaded at your new place, you’ll be able to get down to the business of unpacking. Congratulations, you’ve made your big summer move.

There’s not another second to spend on moving procrastination when you’re moving during the peak season of summer. Stock up on water and sunscreen, ready the tape gun, and roll up your light-colored breathable long sleeves. It’s time to make your summer move.

Ready to start booking your summer move? We hope you’ll consider All My Sons Moving & Storage for all your moving needs. From professional packing to moving supplies, we’ve got you covered for your local or long-distance move. Move houses, apartments, or offices in style no matter what time of year it is. Call 1-866-726-1579 or use the quote form below to get started on your move.