Moving to a new apartment is an exciting time in a person’s life, but isn’t free from its own set of stressors. Perhaps the largest stressor of them all is the actual move itself. While this move is always a bit painstaking, that goes double for when you have to move to a new apartment in the winter. The cold, the ice, and the unpredictability all add to an experience that has the potential to be quite difficult.
Thankfully, there are some things that you can do to make your winter move into a new apartment a little bit smoother. This article is going to take a look at some of the best tips to help you move into a new apartment in the winter.
1. Watch your step
When moving furniture up and down stairs and loading it in and out of vehicles, you will be making a large number of trips. While this is likely tiring and might take a while, in the winter, there is also the added risk of ice. Sidewalks, front steps and even the streets themselves could be covered in ice, which makes it very hard to walk without slipping.
Not only can falling on the ice or snow lead to painful injuries but if you fall while carrying some of your belongings, they could be damaged. Either way, be sure to be extra careful, watch your step and even consider salting or chipping away the ice before you start your move in or out of an apartment. Also, look into wearing shoes with a lot of grip to prevent slippage.
2. Dress warm
In addition to the ice being something you need to worry about in the winter, so is the cold. While it won’t cause you to fall, it can cause you a whole lot of pain and discomfort during your move. Being out in the cold is not advised, but when you have to move, you have no choice but to spend potentially hours and hours moving in and out of the cold.
As a result, be sure to dress warm if the weather will be cold during your move. This means gloves (preferably ones that still allow you to carry or hold things without issue), a jacket, and potentially even a beanie. Of course, how warm you dress will depend on what the conditions call for in your area. While dressing warm might inhibit your movement a little and you might get hot while loading stuff inside your old apartment, it is worth it to ensure you stay warm and comfortable when outside.
3. Take frequent breaks
When moving, especially in the winter, you need to be sure to take frequent breaks. Not only to give your body a rest from the heavy lifting, but also to prevent yourself from getting too cold. These breaks don’t have to be long, but just give yourself a few minutes every hour or so to relax and warm up.
If not, you run the risk of your fingers, toes or other body parts potentially going numb, which can make carrying and transporting things more difficult. Also, who doesn’t love a little hot chocolate on a cold day in the middle of a long move?
4. Allow extra time for the move
One thing that everyone should know about winter by now is just how unpredictable the weather can be. It can be clear one moment, only to have the next be full of wind and snow. Because of this unpredictability, it is very important to be flexible and allow yourself some extra time for the move if you need it, or have a backup plan.
The last thing you want to do is be forced to move during a snowstorm, so you should be sure to be flexible and have a couple of other days that you could move. Also, things like road closures, car accidents, and other weather-related issues could arise that you need to be aware of.
5. Protect your belongings from the conditions
When most of us move, we put most of our belongings into boxes and carry out the boxes to load up in a vehicle. While this is fine in the spring and summer months, it might not be enough for the winter. This is because some items might need some extra protection against the cold.
Things like dishes and things that are made of glass are particularly at risk, as they can crack or break if a rapid change of temperature occurs. Also, electronics of many kinds can be affected by the cold and should be protected. These susceptible items can be protected by being wrapped in blankets or other things to keep them insulated.
We hope that this post has been able to help you discover some new and useful tips for moving into a new apartment in the winter.
