The Ultimate Guide For Moving In Winter

A Guide For Moving In Winter 

The weather outside is frightful, and it’s time to move. The unique challenges of winter moves necessitate the need to follow winter moving tips. While these tips may seem like basic common sense, moves are already a challenging time for most Ontario residents, and it’s always good to be reminded of ways to make the moving experience easier on yourself. 

At Morison Insurance, we want you to have as stress-free of an experience as possible when you need to move. That’s why we’re sharing these tips for winter moving with you, so no matter the weather conditions, you can have a positive experience when moving in winter. 

Why Do I Need Tips For Moving In Winter? 

Ideally, the day you move would be bright and sunny but not too warm. The roads would be clear, and no obstacles would prevent your movers from expertly loading the truck and depositing your belongings in your new home. Unfortunately, the day we move is not always the most convenient or the best day to move. In fact, it’s often necessary to move under less-than-ideal conditions, such as moving in a hurry or moving in winter conditions. 

Without tips for moving in winter, you can face some serious challenges that have the potential to derail moving day. Between the cold weather, slippery steps, and abundance of snow, it can already be a stressful process, but if you factor in additional obstacles such as snow storms, slower travel times, and frostbite, without reliable tips for moving in winter, you can run into some real trouble. 

10 Moving In Winter Tips To Keep In Mind 

1. Have Insurance in Place

The first item on our list of tips for moving in winter is to make sure you get insurance before moving. You’ll want to ensure your belongings and home are protected, and at Morison Insurance, our insurance brokers will do just that. Whether you need home insurance, townhouse insurance, condo insurance, tenant insurance, or need to change the address on your insurance policies, our team will help ensure you have the insurance coverage you need for moving in winter. 

2. Plan and Be Flexible 

Any move requires planning, but when temperatures dip below freezing, this tip for moving in winter is even more important: plan in advance. 

Winter comes with plenty of obstacles, so you need to plan everything carefully when moving in winter. This includes all the regular moving tasks—such as coordinating with movers, planning travel routes, and checking parking—but also includes accounting for excess snow and having a backup plan should a bad weather event occur. Make sure to discuss any contingency plans with your moving coordinator should winter weather put a damper on your moving plans. Check out our moving checklist for a full guide to help you prepare. 

While it is ideal that everything goes according to plan, things can happen, and it is important to be flexible. Whether it’s snow drifts that need clearing or a blizzard shutting down part of the city, be prepared to adapt when moving in winter. Maybe this involves calling your new building manager to schedule a new move-in day or finding a new travel route, but one of the most important tips for moving in winter or any other time of year is to plan and adapt when needed. 

3. Watch the Weather 

During the prime moving season, you may need to be concerned about the heat or rainfall, but that’s nothing compared to trying to move when it’s -20 degrees outside, so be sure to keep an eye on the winter weather conditions. 

Ideally, moves are scheduled at least three weeks in advance, so it can be hard to find an accurate weather forecast that far out. But as your moving date approaches, if inclement weather conditions are set to occur, discuss with your movers what changes need to be made to accommodate the move, such as extending travel time, shovelling snow, and other activities that will make moving in winter easier. 

4. Pack Carefully 

Another major part of our tips for moving in winter is to pack everything carefully. In colder winter temperatures, many household items become more fragile, making them much easier to break when moving in winter. So pack any delicate items, fragile items, musical instruments, or antique furniture with extra care, and clearly label boxes so your movers pay attention to their contents and be more careful with breakable items during the moving process. 

Make sure to speak to your movers about what extra precautions, such as furniture wrap, extra blankets, or plastic sheeting, you can get to ensure your property arrives undamaged to its new home. 

5. Plan for Extra Time 

Whether it’s across the country or down the block, make sure to increase your travel time to account for slower driving. Additionally, during the loading and unloading step of your winter move, ensure your movers have plenty of time so they don’t need to rush and potentially slip. Whether adding another day for travelling or planning for breaks from cold temperatures, taking your time while moving in winter can ensure that everyone does so safely. 

6. Clear a Path 

In Canadian winter, snow and ice can turn sidewalks, staircases, and other pathways into hazardous obstacles. So make sure there is a clear path that is lit properly with exterior lighting from your old and new residence to the moving van. This may include you physically shovelling snow or monitoring the path to ensure ice doesn’t form if temperatures start to drop. 

This safety aspect of our tips for moving in winter will help ensure your move goes more smoothly and safely, as with a clear path to follow, movers won’t need to worry about slipping and sliding while carrying heavy objects. 

7. Dress Appropriately 

Ensure you can move around easily in these clothing items and can easily grip boxes, keys, or anything else you need for your move. Keep in mind that while you may want to bundle yourself up to your eyeballs in cold weather, moving is a very physical activity, and it can be easy to overheat in layers despite the weather outside. Choose multiple layers, including a bottom and sweat-wicking layer, and prioritize function over fashion when moving. 

8. Protect Floors and Carpets 

Movers aren’t going to have the ability to take off their shoes at the front door, and the dirt, snow, and muck on multiple boots going throughout your home can wreak havoc on your floors with water damage. So, one smart winter moving tip is to consider protecting your floors and carpets with floor mats at entry doors, plastic tarps, and cardboard sheets over your floors to provide a pathway your movers can walk on. 

Many moving companies will provide these supplies, although you should request them when you schedule moving services. If your movers are yourself and some family and friends, make sure to pick these items up in advance of your winter moving date. 

9. Have Winter Supplies Handy 

When talking about tips for moving in winter, we would be remiss if we didn’t advise you to have winter supplies on hand. These types of supplies can vary from snow shovels, car ice scrapers, and tissues to possibly even hot drinks for your mover. 

At both your new place and your old, ensure that you have standard snow or ice-clearing equipment on hand in case you need it, along with portable space heaters to help ensure your new living space stays comfortable despite the frequent exits and entries. 

Additionally, when moving in winter, it is always a good idea to have a warm beverage on hand for your movers. Moving is hard work, and having a nice hot beverage like a pot of coffee or hot chocolate on hand, or even bottles of water, can go a long way toward keeping your movers happy, which makes for a more enjoyable moving experience. 

10. Ensure The Utilities Are Turned On and Functioning 

Ensure your utilities are turned on in your new place before moving in. Reliable heating is crucial for any home in Ontario during winter, and when you’re moving, you do not want to move into a place that’s a literal ice box. That’s why calling your utility company and checking out your utilities is an important item on our list of tips for moving in winter. Without it, you risk your home’s interior being colder than its exteriors, making your new residence uninhabitable in the winter months.