Moving in the winter: These 6 tips will melt away your worries

Brace yourselves Brits! The weather conditions in the new year are forecast to plummet again with overnight temperatures potentially dropping to -11C and daytime temperatures struggling to reach above freezing. Cold air from the Arctic combined with Storm Elliot, which devastated the USA, has caused the UK to experience one of the coldest festive seasons in recent years. 

So if you’re planning to say goodbye to your old home and hello to a fresh new address at the start of 2023,or any time during the winter,  it’s essential to call on expert house movers to get the job done right. 

Here’s our 6 tips to ensure maximum success during your icy move:

Shovel away snow and ice

In the grip of the chilly winter months, the UK is experiencing snowfall and ice. As the bad weather conditions become more widespread and severe, you need to be well-prepared to navigate the slushy conditions. Your best tool is snow shovels. Use these to clear your driveway and walkway of snow and ice to prevent the slush from dirtying your floors and damaging your furniture and appliances. To make the ice easier to shovel, you can apply salt or an ice melter to break the bond between the ice and the surface. If some ice remains, be sure to spread sand over the ice patches to increase traction, ensuring you don’t slip while carrying boxes full of your household items. 

Tarpaulin saves time 

Once you’ve used some elbow grease drying the wet conditions outside, it’s time to turn your attention to the inside of your house. As temperatures drop,  there is one more step to follow to ensure the icy and wet conditions don’t affect your move. You need to prepare your floors ahead of time with protective covering such as tarpaulin, especially in high traffic areas like your entrance and lounge. Considering you will be making countless trips inside and outside both your new and old home, this will safeguard your floors from dirt, salt and water, saving you tons of time you would’ve spent cleaning up muddy floors, while also minimising the chances of people slipping. If you’re a little confused about the right materials to use, our helpful team at Mason’s Moving Group, fondly known as Masons Removals, can advise you on the options that offer the best floor protection. 

Have a back-up plan 

Although moving in winter means you have to deal with challenging weather, you can avoid disruptive conditions by checking the weather forecast daily in the build-up to the big move. For long-distance moves, check the weather conditions in the area you’re moving to and the locations you will be passing to ensure it is cooperative throughout your journey. The weather during cold winter months is usually unpredictable and changes quickly, so make sure you have a plan B prepared if bad weather conditions make it impossible to move on a specific day. 

Extra protection for fragile items

Your set of crystal glassware, artwork, mirrors or any other fragile item needs to be taken extra care of in the frigid winter. Wrap these temperature-sensitive items in a thick and protective moving blanket to ensure they are safe from damage and moisture while in transit. Protect your furniture such as mattresses, sofas, and general household items with covers before heading to your destination. If you plan on placing some of these items in storage, make sure to cover these with a dust sheet to keep them in good condition. 

Turn on the heat 

In these cold conditions, you need to make your winter move as warm as possible by ensuring your new home is connected to water, electricity and gas. Although most homes in the UK are already connected, it’s best to double-check with your rental agent,  landlord or estate agent before moving day. If you’re buying the home, you may need to arrange your utilities at least 10 days before you move to allow enough set-up time for the new account. Besides keeping warm, utilities that are switched on will prevent bigger and more expensive issues like pipes freezing and bursting. As hard as this is during the energy crisis!

 Professionals movers make it easy

Moving in the winter comes with its own set of unique challenges, but you can make the process so much easier and stress-free by hiring an expert removals company to pack and load all your belongings and transport them safely to your new destination. The right moving company is trained to handle all types of weather conditions and get the job done quickly and safely. 

If you’re looking for a removals company in Cardiff, Newport, Bridgend, Swansea, and across Wales, we at Masons Moving Group have a team of expert house movers who will make your big winter move a success! To find out more or get your personalised removals quote, call our friendly team on 0800 141 3688 or drop us an email: [email protected] for your free quote!