The Best Time to Move
Some Times Are Better Than Others
When to move can make a lot of difference to your schedule, your bank account and your family. Conversely, those very factors may determine what will work or must work for you.
That being said, if you have the option of choice, give some consideration to timing, because when you move can be just as important as how.
When It Comes to Your Pocketbook
Budget is a factor in choosing the best season for your move. If you’re out to save money, late fall, winter or early spring are the best times. Winter actually will get you the cheapest prices. Demand on moving companies is low and their schedules are flexible.
In general, you are more likely to go easy on your wallet during the late September to April window. The weather won’t be as harsh as the winter months and demand is still lighter in March and April. Again, because demand slows, rates are low.
When It Comes to Your Pocketbook
Budget is a factor in choosing the best season for your move. If you’re out to save money, late fall, winter or early spring are the best times. Winter actually will get you the cheapest prices. Demand on moving companies is low and their schedules are flexible.
In general, you are more likely to go easy on your wallet during the late September to April window. The weather won’t be as harsh as the winter months and demand is still lighter in March and April. Again, because demand slows, rates are low.
When It Comes to Your Kids
For obvious reasons, summer is the best time to move if you have school-age children. Unless you’re moving locally, winter wouldn’t be ideal as you may have to uproot your children in the middle of their school year.
Summer is the best for moving your kids. School is out and the kids have some downtime to get settled in.
In many respects, summer also serves you well financially. For example, if you’re selling your home, higher summertime demand means you’re likely to pull in a higher sale price. Still, there are tradeoffs. There’s a big call for movers in the summer months, so moving company rates are typically higher.
Industry experts report that peak moving season stretches from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend. About 70 percent of all moving takes place in the spring and summer and circles back to the reason that families with children tend to move in the summer months when school is out.
When It Comes to Work
If you’re work schedule is full, you may have to pony up the extra bucks to move on the weekend.
When It Comes to Weather
If you’re most comfortable in mild weather, fall or spring are the best times to move. Again, there are some financial benefits. Fall being the off season for buying and selling homes means you’ll likely get a better deal on a home purchase. On the other hand, in spring, the real estate market starts to pick up and you may pull in a higher price for your home.
While you might think summertime would be ideal, think twice. The weather has a lot to do with that, especially in hot climates where the temperature can rise above 100 degrees. Whether you’re moving yourself or hiring a mover, moving housefuls of furniture and boxes becomes tougher in extreme heat.
Also let common sense prevail. If you live in areas of extreme climate, you’re undoubtedly better off if you don’t choose a month in the midst of the high and low of the season. Icy roads, treacherous conditions and heavy lifting make for perilous combination for you, if you’re moving on your own, or your mover.
When It Comes to Time
Day or Week & When
It’s always preferable to get an early start. If you’re moving yourself, it’s good to remember that all of us tend to have more energy in the morning. Plus, if it’s 100+ degrees outside, you want to be done. When 105 degrees outside, you or your movers will want to be done by at latest 2 p.m. to get a jump on the heat. Early mornings usually mean cooler conditions for the movers during those warmer months.
Some industry experts recommend planning a mid-month move instead of scheduling your move for the beginning and end of the month. Demand is typically lower mid-month which may also favorably factor into your moving costs. As a general rule of thumb: the first of the month is more likely to be busy for movers since most leases begin the first of the month.
It’s also best to choose a weekday—Monday through Thursday because again there is less demand. Moving on a Saturday or Sunday may increase your costs due to higher demand for movers and limited number of weekends in a month (especially during peak moving season). Moving on a weekday also means you’ll have the entire upcoming weekend to unpack and get organized before your following work week.
Most professional movers want to arrive at your current home in the morning during the 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. window. That timeframe serves you well as you’ll be left with more time to unpack, organize and enjoy your new digs.
When all is said and done, you may not have the luxury of choice in picking your moving date. But if you do have some leeway, think a bit strategically and weigh the pros and cons of a preferable move time against your priorities
