When the average person gets a house, they want to move right away. We understand that. It’s an exciting time, and it’s kind of like having a birthday present wrapped up in front of you. You want to get to it as soon as possible.
However, there’s a problem with that. For a few reasons, most people tend to buy homes and relocate during the same brief window.
That creates what’s known as the “peak moving season”, and your experience will vary dramatically depending on a few choices you make.
Today, we’re going to go over what the peak moving season is, why it exists, and how you can navigate your relocation effectively.
Let’s get started!
What is Peak Moving Season?
Peak moving season in the US takes place in the summer. Specifically, it’s the time between May and August.
It’s called peak moving season because it’s when the vast majority of residential moves occur, leading to the highest volume of work for moving companies all year.
What Causes Peak Moving Season?
So, why does everyone tend to move during the same time? Well, it makes quite a bit of sense. There are two primary factors.
First, most people don’t want to move during the winter. It’s cold, they have to worry about winter weather complicating their journey to their new home, and it’s just not a fun experience when you’re worried about freezing the entire time or dealing with snow.
Then, there’s the fact that most people sell their homes in the summer. It’s not only better weather to make a move, but life tends to be a little less stressful.
The kids are out of school for the summer, it’s easier to line up the move with vacation time accrued at work, and everyone’s in a better mood due to the fun summer activities going on.
This doesn’t mean that no one moves during the fall or winter, but those tend to be slower periods.
Navigating the Relocation Process
Relocating in peak moving season can be stressful, and you’re more likely to deal with issues. However, with a few tips, you can make the process a lot easier.
1: Consider the Slow Season
This tip is the opposite of navigating the peak moving season. If you can, you might want to simply avoid it entirely.
The fall and winter seasons, along with early spring, are fairly slow in the moving industry.
Yes, you have to accept that the weather might not be perfect, and when you get to your new home, your first memories won’t be of fun summer activities, but there are several benefits to taking this route.
First, you can usually book moving services whenever you want during the off-season. Since it’s slow, you’re not competing with other movers for a scheduling date. That puts you in full control of when you move without having to jump through any hoops.
On top of that, you might even get a better price. Since it’s the off-season, it’s not uncommon for movers to offer better deals to draw in business.
Minor benefits such as avoiding the heat, not dealing with tourism traffic, and similar small perks also sweeten the deal.
This can be harder if you’re moving into a home right after buying it. As we said, most people sell their homes in the summer. However, if you have the option to wait until the off-season to move, you can get some great benefits from it.
2: Pre-Pack
Moving services are usually booked during the peak season with very little time for delays or other issues. If you can pre-pack your items and have them ready to get on the truck, you can save time, avoid delays, and make the whole process smoother.
Instead of waiting until the last minute, spend a month or two handling this. Start with items you don’t need, and right before the end of your time in your current home, pack up the necessities that are left.
If you decide to move during the slow season, you can use packing services to make the transition even more seamless and stress-free.
3: Book as Soon as Possible
Do not wait until close to your moving date to book a mover. If you’re moving during peak season, and you wait until the last minute to call a mover, you might have to delay your move. There are only so many clients a moving service can take on, and those slots fill up quickly.
You might get to your moving day, start calling around, and find out you’re going to have to wait a full month before a mover can help you.
Try to book your moving date as soon as you know when you’re leaving. Preferably, do it before peak moving season starts, and give the service a month or two of notice in advance.
4: Book for the Middle
Always try to book your moving day for the middle of the month in the middle of the week.
Most people want to move during the weekend because they have an easier time getting off work. If you can schedule your move for the middle of the week and the middle of the month, you’ll have an easier time.
5: Don’t Choose a Holiday
Most people will be too busy enjoying the holidays themselves to even choose this option, but if you are thinking of picking a holiday to move, don’t.
A lot of companies close on holidays. So, you might not be able to schedule a moving service. On top of that, if you do find someone to do it, you’ll likely have to pay a premium and deal with high levels of traffic.
Memorial Day and the 4th of July are the primary holidays to avoid, but it’s best to just avoid holidays in general.
Make Sure You’re Hiring the Right Moving Service
Finally, the best tip is to make sure you’re hiring the best moving service you can. A high-quality moving service will put you first, and they’ll have the experience and professionalism to navigate the stress of peak moving season with ease.
For the best moving service in Texas, book your move with Bantu Mover today.