Summer Moves: Pros, Cons & Things To Ponder Upon(s)

Let’s start with a riddle: Why is moving during the summer like a beaver convention?

Answer: Because things tend to get a little busy.

OK, make that dam busy!!

It’s like flying the Wednesday before Thanksgiving: a lot of people want to do the same thing.

OK, what makes summer a good time to move?

1. It’s the peak home selling season. More people are looking to sell their homes. If you want to move, you’ll have a better chance of selling your house and finding a new place.
2. The days are longer, which means more daylight hours for loading and unloading. (That’s especially helpful if you’re doing the move yourself.)
3. Warmer weather means better travel conditions. You won’t have to deal with snow, cold, icy roads, or slippery sidewalks.
4. The kids are out of school, so you can put ‘em to work: pack those toys!! Also: it’s usually easier for people to get time off from work during the summer

What makes summer not such a good time to move?

1. Summer is the busiest time for moving companies, so there’s more competition for their services. About half of all moves take place between May and Labor Day. Summer is when families with school-age kids move. It’s also peak season for military moves (change of station).
2. Summer is vacation season. If you move during the summer, you’ll have to contend with vacation traffic.
3. As noted, there’s no snow and ice during the summer. OK, that may not be true for the penguins who follow this blog. But for the rest of us it can get hot. And that creates certain challenges (see below).

OK, let’s assume you’re gonna go for it: you’re going to make a summer move. What are some things you need to think about?

1. Best advice: Book early. At least 6-8 weeks in advance, even earlier if you can. Competition for movers is keen during the summer. The early bird gets the van, so to speak.
2. If you have the flexibility, move on the least busy days. It will reduce stress, and make it easier for us to get you on the schedule.

   Most people move on weekends (more time to prepare and/or unpack), and at the beginning and end of the month (because leases typically expire at the end of the month). Fridays and Mondays are the most popular weekdays to move because they can be “tacked onto” a weekend.

   So the least busy days for American Van Lines and other moving companies are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in the middle of the month.

3. To reduce traffic headaches, steer clear of holiday weekends and popular vacation times like the end of August. If that’s not possible, try to schedule your move to avoid peak traffic.
4. Build in some flex time (good advice any time you move). There might be last minute snags and delays— you never know. Have a Plan B and be mentally prepared to use it.
5. It’ll probably be hot. Wear light clothing and put on sunscreen.
6. Schedule the move for early in the day. It’ll help us beat the heat. It’s a lot easier to move furniture when it’s 70º than when it’s 105º!
7. Speaking of heat: stay hydrated. Have plenty of bottled water on hand. And if you’d care to give some to your friendly hard-working American Van Lines movers, well, they won’t say no because they know that wouldn’t be polite.
8. Turn on the air-conditioning to cool down the house before our movers arrive, or keep one room cool so they can take a break if it’s a very warm day. They will thank you with tears in their eyes.
9. Turn on the A/C in your new home or apartment so it will be cool when you arrive.
10. Summer is yard sale time. Have a big one a few weeks before the move. It’s a great way to lighten the load.
11. Identify heat-sensitive items: candles, electronics, musical instruments, etc, and take necessary precautions.

    Our van could wind up sitting in the sun for an extended period. Consider transporting heat-sensitive items in your personal air-conditioned vehicle. If you need to transport them in our van, keep them cool in the house so we can load them last. Recommended: waterproof boxes in case of a summer shower, and be sure to label the boxes so you can unpack them first at your new home.

12. Have a plan for your kids on moving day. They’ll need a safe climate-controlled place to stay while we’re loading the van. You might need to hire a babysitter at both ends of the move.
13. Have a plan for your pets as well: rhinos, llamas, boa constrictors, whatever. Our movers will need unrestricted access to your home and yard. The yard really isn’t a good choice for animals on a hot summer day, so put pets in a kennel or ask a friend to take care of them.

Hey, it’s July!

Summertime… and the livin’ is easy. So’s the movin’, thanks to this handy guide.

So wax up your board, put on some Beach Boys music, and give us a call here at American Van Lines. We’ll help you catch a wave– I mean a van— to your new home!