The leaves are changing, the air is getting a little chillier, and it’s getting dark out earlier – you know what that means. Fall is here, and winter is just around the corner!
For a lot of people, moving season generally falls during the late spring or summer, but that’s not the case for everyone. Fall moving is becoming increasingly popular for a variety of reasons.
Why Move in the Fall?
There are a lot of advantages to moving in the autumn season versus the summer or even spring. Especially since peak moving season falls between April-September, it’s a great move just from a logistical standpoint to wait a month or two to get that move figured out in between the hot and cold weather extremes of the neighboring seasons.
If you’re wondering why it’s a good move to avoid peak moving season, there are a couple of reasons:
- Flexible Scheduling. Because you’re not trying to schedule or book your moving company at the same time as most of their clientele, it’s a lot easier for your moving company to be flexible and work around your schedule. Less clientele results in you getting your ideal moving date, and allows you to not have to worry as much about the possibility of your first pick movers being booked up before you can schedule.
This is an especially big concern if you find yourself trying to book movers for a last-minute move. On top of that, if you’re moving cross-country or out of state, it’s even more imperative that you’re able to schedule dependable movers that will get you where you need to go, without worrying about their schedule being completely full for months.
- Flexible Prices. This isn’t universal, but when moving during the off-season, you might be able to even get a better price from your moving company since there’s less of a demand. Your business will be even more important to your company, and you’ll receive even better service when they’re not juggling a huge amount of moves at once.
Your business should always be a huge priority for your moving company, but during the off-season it allows them to spend that much more time making sure all of the details of your move are coordinated and handled with the utmost level of care.
Additionally, when there’s less moving for your company to carry out, they might be offering discounts or deals to try and incentivize people to move during the off months and drum up business. Not only will you get an elevated level of service, but could very well receive a great price as well!
What’s the Best Weather to Move During?
In addition to flexible scheduling, service, and prices, moving in the fall is a win for self-movers and professional movers alike.
We all know that moving around or lifting heavy things and transferring furniture to and from places is a lot easier to do when it’s not as hot out. However, no one exactly wants to pull off a move amidst a snow storm or just during chilly winter temperatures in general, so the fall is a perfect interim to conduct your move during.
Because it’s not too hot or too cold, you’ll allow yourself to conduct your move without being covered in sweat, or shivering under a huge winter parka during the process (or slipping on ice or snow!). Fall is the perfect time to move comfortably.
Better Moving Deals, Better Housing Deals
Beyond just the moving world, a lot of real-estate related deals can be found during the fall months. Like the relocation industry, the peak season for renting out homes or apartments is usually during the late spring or summer, since that’s when most people’s leases tend to be up in general.
Once you start looking for places (whether planned or last-minute) during the fall or as the weather gets chillier, especially in apartment buildings with a lot of units, you’ll find that a lot of places run special discounts or have several offers for new renters once the summer ends.
Whether it’s money off rent, a first month of rent free with lease signing, or a variety of other discounts, it’s a lot easier to find a great place for a great price once summer ends. Landlords want their units to be filled, after all!
Additionally, since there’s less competition during the fall for apartments, houses, or other rental units, odds are you can be a lot more picky and generally have a less stressful process overall when looking for a new place in the fall. Though the chance never goes away, there’s a lot less of a chance of a place being snatched up from under your nose right after you view it during the autumn than in the summer, when tons of people are looking for their newest places.
Fall Moving Tips
Now that you’ve heard about a few advantages of moving in the fall, as well as some reasons why autumnal relocations make things easier to find a new place before the moving process even begins, it’s time to move on to ways you can make your fall move the best experience possible.
For our top 10 tips and reminders for moving in the fall, read below.
- Shorter Days
When you’re conducting your fall move, don’t forget that the days are getting shorter and temperatures cool down. Because you’ll have less hours of sunlight, you’ll need to make sure you plan your move accordingly and make sure you’re making the most of the daylight you have.
Especially when Daylight Savings hits and we change our clocks back an hour in early November, it can start getting darker outside by 5:00 pm pr 6:00pm. Start early and make sure your move is coordinated so that you can get all of the biggest stuff out the way during the day. That way, if it gets dark, you’ll either be done, or have just some straggler items to move.
- Wear Proper Footwear & Clothing
Even if it’s still pretty temperate out, odds are the leaves are going to be falling, and as a result will probably clutter your sidewalks or front walks a bit. Unless you’re moving into or out of an area with zero trees, you’ll probably need to watch out for slippery leaves.
To avoid slipping or falling, make sure you’re wearing proper footwear with a lot of grip, or maybe a pair of hiking boots. Whatever you think will provide you with the most grip and safety possible – wear them! And if you happen to have a broom handy somewhere in your things, it can really help to sweep a bit to get those leaves and the hazard they present out of the way.
Additionally, though temperatures won’t be as cold just yet, it’s important not to dress like it’s summer outside still while conducting your move. Wear a jacket or something to keep you warm and free from a cold during your move. You might feel hot from moving back and forth, but it’s a lot colder out than you’re feeling, we promise!
Dress in layers so that you can take off a jacket or coat if you’re feeling too warm, while still protecting yourself. Be prepared to put on or shed clothing throughout the day, depending on the region you’re in. Additionally, just in case, keep a hat and gloves handy or accessible at all times.
- Make Sure Your New Home’s Power is On
Before you start the moving process, head over to your new home ahead of your movers (or before you start the drive over), and make sure your heat is turned on and that your home’s lights and power is all on and good to go. No one wants to move on a chilly day, only to find that their home’s power and heat needs to be reactivated.
If you’re not sure of your home’s power situation and can’t contact your landlord or the previous owners, make sure to call your utility companies to set up any accounts that need to be made and have your heat and power turned on prior to your arrival.
- Cover Your Floors
During the fall, odds are you’re going to track in a lot more mud, leaves, or other debris during your move as opposed to moving during the summer. Cover the floors in your new home to guard it against not only mud, leaves and debris, but also against any scratches from the moving process, or from furniture being brought in. You can put down tarp, or maybe large pieces of cardboard before unloading your items.
Additionally, make sure to either also cover the floors at your old home, or come back and clean the floors and other surfaces after everything has been moved out. This will make sure that you’re getting the most of your security deposit back!
- Pack According for the Season!
This is our last and maybe the most important tip of all – make sure you’re packing according to the season you’re in! Pack away off-season items first, and make sure not to pack away clothes that you’ll need during the course of your move or while you’re in the process of relocating.
This is especially important if you’re moving long-distance, and may not have access to some of your items for a little bit. If you’re packing a separate bag or bringing things you’ll need immediately with you (separately from what’s being packed and moved professionally), make sure to pack an extra coat or jacket and dress in layers to make sure you’re ready in case temperatures drop unexpectedly. You’ll want to be ready for anything!
Now that you’ve got all the tools to have a successful move during the fall, it’s up to you to make it happen! If you’re moving at the last minute, make sure to inquire about any deals or offers your potential apartment or rental might be offering, as well as any deals that might be going on at your moving company. Make sure you’re getting the best price possible, and set yourself up and prepare to have the best move possible. You’ve made a great choice in choosing to move off-season – now get your fall move going!
