5 tips for moving into a new home during the winter

Knowing how to move during the winter will help alleviate a great deal of your relocation stress. This breakdown offers several useful tips to help you during a winter move.

Moving at any time of the year can be difficult, but there's a unique set of challenges that come with moving during the winter. For example, you might have to deal with blizzards, extreme cold and slippery surfaces.

Knowing how to move during the winter will help alleviate a great deal of your relocation stress. This breakdown offers several useful tips to help you during a winter move.

Despite the fact that weather is notorious for changing on a whim, watching the reports closely will help you time your move and avoid days when there are expected blizzards or harsh storms. Plan the route you'll take beforehand so that you know if the streets will be congested with winter traffic or packed with snow.

Pack your essentials such as winter clothes, food, cooking utensils and toiletries last so that they will be unloaded first. Keeping essentials handy prepares you if an unexpected storm hits and you can't get the moving vehicle unloaded immediately.

Try to make sure the walkways where you will be carrying boxes, appliances and furniture are clear of hazards such as snow and ice. Allied Van Lines suggests that you shovel snow away from walkways and salt the area to prevent ice buildup on the day of moving.

Dress in layers. Even in good weather, moving is hard work. You should turn off the heat in your home and leave the door open to help cool it down so that you don't experience a shock in temperature variances as you go in and out. Maintaining a cooler environment helps your body transition as you carry boxes and other items from the inside to the outside. If you become overly heated, consider removing a layer of clothing, but don't allow your body to get too chilled.

Make sure utilities are turned on at your new house so you can have heat once you finish moving. A delay in having the power turned on might make it impossible for you to spend your first night in your new home if the weather is too cold.