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When is the best time to move?

Changing apartments or moving to a new city is one of the most significant upheavals in life for many people.

If you are considering moving into a new home, there are several different factors that affect when might be the best time to make the big transition. To begin with, you need to take a good look at your and your family’s personal situation to find a time that works for everyone’s schedules.

Beyond your family’s personal restraints, you will also want to consider the weather before deciding when is the right time to move. Both the time of year and the time of day that you choose to make the transition can affect how smoothly the process goes. Along the same lines, understanding the consequences of weather on both home availability and average price can change with the seasons. If you would like to avoid spending a great deal for movers, coordinating your move with the moving agency during less busy times in advance is best.

Naturally, all of these suggestions hold true under ideal circumstances. The best time for you to move will depend on your priorities and limitations. Keep reading for more information about the most important factors you should consider when choosing the best time to move for you and your family. Following these tips can help you avoid some common moving mistakes.

Make It Personal

The most important factor you need to consider when choosing a moving date is what time period is the most convenient for you. For most working adults, this relatively free period will be a result of different work, school and holiday schedules. When you are deciding on a moving date, ask yourself these three personal questions before coming to a conclusion:

  • What is going on at work? Moving your entire household is often more stressful than many people expect. If you have recently started a new job or position, have tight deadlines coming up that are inflexible, are learning a new and complicated process or doing anything else at your job that takes an abnormally large amount of your attention and energy, then this probably is not a good time to move. You should avoid moving during these times if possible. Try to move while you have a good handle on your professional life so that you can dedicate the extra energy you will need to create your new home. If you are moving for work, try to give yourself at least a few weeks in the new place before starting your new position so you can adjust to your new home.
  • Is school in session? Whether you or your children are studying, it is a good idea to sync up your moving schedule with the school schedule. For adults who are studying, trying to move while school is in full session can spell disaster for assignments and deadlines. For children, moving can be an extremely upsetting event, especially if they are not only changing homes but also neighborhood or cities. Moving while the children are still in school will be more stressful for the whole family and may result affect performance and school grades. If you can, wait till the school holidays to move.
  • Is it time for vacation? A good way to work around both work schedules and school schedules is to plan a move over a holiday that everyone in the family has off. If there is not a national holiday that everyone has free, you could try to schedule a mini-vacation from whatever obligations you have to take care of moving. Moving over holidays can have its drawbacks, however. Prices for movers or vans can be higher or not available during some holidays. If you plan on moving during a popular holiday, make sure to schedule whatever services you may need for the move in advance.

Take Time into Consideration

Beyond the personal issues you should take into consideration, you should also take a good look at the calendar when deciding what is the best time to move. The time of year can make a big difference in what properties are available, the price of your rental, the cost and availability of movers and much more. Your moving experience can also be affected by what time of the month and the week you choose to make the transition. Even the time of day that you schedule your movers can change how well things go. Make sure to think about these four temporal considerations before you decide when to move:

  • What season is it? The season in which you decide to move is important for several reasons. The summer and late spring are the most popular times around the country for people to move. This means that this is the period when the most properties will be on the market for you to choose from. For those of you whose primary concern is getting a good deal on an apartment, the winter months are the best time to go shopping for rentals or purchases because many property owners are willing to give you a discount to take a place off their hands instead of leaving it empty until the summer surge months go away. At the same time, people who move in the winter will probably get great deals on movers and trucks since it is not usually a busy time for these companies. In fact, you will want to double-check that your preferred mover is operating at regular business hours during the winter. The savings you may make by moving in winter, however, can be offset by the difficulties that winter moving creates. There may be ice on the roads and sidewalks, below freezing temperatures and too few daylight hours for a move to go smoothly. Even more, extremely cold weather can automatically ruin wooden and some plastic furniture that is left in the elements for too long.
  • Is it the end of the month? When you move during the month will also have an impact on your moving experience. Most leases end at the end of the month. Accordingly, the end of the month will be the busiest time to move and usually the most expensive. If you can, try to move mid-month when moving companies and leasing offices will most likely be a little more available. Moving in mid-month will usually allow you to move out mid-month when the time comes, making this tip a double-win.
  • Are you free during the week? Since most people have weekends off, most people move on the weekends. This means you can save some cash and have more choice for professional help if you can do your move during the week. Any time from Monday to Thursday should be less busy than on the weekends. If you will have to miss work or another obligation to make your move on the weekend, the loss in wages may not offset the benefit of moving during the week, so think about this one carefully.
  • Are you an early bird? There are a few different reasons it is better to do your move in the morning instead of another time of day. For anyone moving during the summer, the morning is the coolest time of the day and therefore the best to get hard physical work out of the way. Additionally, most people naturally have more energy during the morning, which will be helpful when climbing all those stairs to your new apartment. For this tip, you will also want to keep in mind the sort of traffic you will face on your route from your old home to your new one. While moving in the morning has many benefits, if your area is blocked by morning rush hour traffic or something similar it may be more beneficial to move at a different time. You can do a test run at your expected move time before the actual move in day to make sure you will not have any trouble on the big day.

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