Moving during peak moving season? With the majority of moves in America happening during this time frame, you can bet there will be plenty of moving trucks on the road and new neighbors moving in. If you decide to move to a new home during the peak moving season, here’s what you need to know.
When is peak moving season?
Summer is the peak moving season in most parts of the country. In fact, nearly 70 percent of all moves in the U.S. take place sometime between Memorial Day to Labor Day. Since this May to September window happens to be when movers are most in-demand, it’s important that those moving book their moving professionals or truck rentals as soon as possible. In many cases, top-notch movers are booked out several months in advance. If you wait until the last minute to book movers, you may be left with undesirable options and a limited number of moving dates.
Why is summertime the peak moving season?
Summer is the peak moving season for a number of reasons.
- Families with school-age children often prefer to move in the summertime, when school is not in session. Moving during the academic year can interrupt a child’s learning as well as their reliable schedule and important after-school activities.
- Moving during the winter months is tough – especially when snow, ice, and blizzards come into play. For northern residents, weather conditions during the summer are more predictable and ideal for moving. Most people would rather deal with a hot and humid move than a dangerously icy relocation.
- In many cities, rental leases end and begin during the summer months. This causes more turnover and moving among renters in most major cities.
Those who live in college towns can expect to see plenty of moves at the beginning and end of the summer – marking the ending and beginning of the academic school year. - Come springtime, you’ll notice an abundance of For Sale signs popping up around the neighborhood. In most areas of the country, home selling hits its peak in the spring and early summer months. This means more Americans moving during the summer.
11 tips for moving during peak moving season
- Book your movers and choose a date asap
When it comes to moving during peak moving season, you snooze you lose. Make sure to book your movers as far out as possible, in order to ensure that you get a move date that works best for you. Booking movers in advance also increases the likelihood that you’ll get your first choice moving company. - Aim for a mid-week, mid-month move
Moving at the beginning or end of the month typically costs more than moving in the middle month. Likewise, moving on the weekends costs more than moving mid-week. If you’re looking to get the best rate on your next move, we recommend aiming for a mid-week, mid-month move. - Avoid moving on a holiday
There are a number of important holidays that occur during peak moving season. Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day happen to be expensive times to move. This is due to the limited availability of movers and large amounts of traffic on the road (which means more delays). If you’re looking to save money during the summer months, we recommend avoiding a holiday move. - Arrange for childcare on moving day
Moving during peak moving season is hectic enough without adding rambunctious toddlers and crying babies to the mix. Make your life easier by arranging for childcare on moving day. Asking a family member, trusted friend or babysitter to watch your kiddos during a move is one of the best things you can do for your sanity. - Use Wade Odell Wade’s Move Planner tool
One way to make your move during peak moving season easier is to use our helpful planning tool. This tool includes moving checklists, and personal tasks lists-all of which will help you stay organized throughout the planning and moving process. - Lighten your load to save on costs
The more stuff you move, the more the move will cost. After all, the shipment will be heavier (which affects the cost of an interstate move), and the move will most certainly take longer to complete. Thankfully, it’s easy to save money during peak moving season by lightening your load. Donate, sell or give away items you no longer need in the new home. - Prepare for the drive
Planning to move yourself? Be aware that you’re more likely to run into heavy traffic when moving during peak moving season. Several ways you can prepare for the drive, include servicing your car prior to moving, test-driving a truck rental before driving it on the highway, planning out your route and keeping an eye out for low bridges or overpasses, which may make it impossible to drive a box truck rental on certain roads. - Beat the heat
Moving during peak moving season is So don’t forget to pack a small cooler of bottled water, snacks and perishables during your move. If the heat is especially unbearable, you may also want to pack several cold washcloths to keep you cool. Stick to lightweight and light-colored clothing, wear sunscreen and bring a portable fan as well. - Turn the AC on
Speaking of heat, make sure you turn the air conditioning on inside the new home before you move. This way, you won’t find yourself unpacking boxes and melting at the same time. We recommend turning on the AC the night before you move, so that the home is cool and tolerable on moving day. - Keep certain items climate-controlled
From computers and iPads to candles and heat-sensitive furnishings, not everything you own can just be thrown in a box willy-nilly. Many items will need to be kept in temperature-controlled environments throughout the moving process during peak moving season. Make sure to pay special attention to electronics, as these tend to cost quite a bit to replace. - Arrange for a pet-sitter
The last thing you want on moving day is your dog or cat getting loose. Unfortunately, movers tend to leave doors open when loading and unloading their trucks. In addition, it’s easy to forget about your pets with all of the moving day distractions. To keep your pets safe during peak moving season, make sure to arrange for a pet sitter on moving day.
Moving during the summer?
Moving in the summer heat is much easier when you have professionals to help with the heavy lifting. Choose Wade Odell Wade to handle your summer move!!!
Best of luck and happy moving!
