How to Move Safely During the Winter in Austin

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While many aspects of our lives are based on the time of year, all too often the large transitions like moving into a new home flatly don't take the weather into regard. If your new home in Austin is ready for you in the middle of winter, it is time to move whether it is the smoothest time of year for the chore or not. While the good news is that sweat won't be rolling off of you amidst the move, it's also important to take into account the special safety precautions needed to make sure that you, your helpful friends and your professional movers are both safe and efficient in the blustery conditions.

What You Will Need

  • Snow Shovels
  • Rock Salt
  • Plastic Sheeting or Tarps
  • Kettle, Tea Bags, and Several Mugs
  • Pitcher and Cups

Dealing with Icey Sidewalks

A vital thing to remember is that icy sidewalks, driveways, and streets are treacherous enough under normal conditions but become much more risky when you are lugging around bulky boxes or furniture and can't watch your feet as attentively. If it's icy where you dwell, shovel the walkways as comprehensively as possible and salt the whole walk in between your front door and the portal of the moving truck. When you are done, put up your shovels and bag of salt in the trunk of your own car or make sure they are packed last in the moving truck. This will guarantee that you can clear driveways and sidewalks at your destination as well.

Protecting Your Flooring

The next ice and snow related concern is the floors inside your residence. When people are tromping through ice and snow to get into your house, that slush will stay on their shoes and will most likely be tracked all over your clean floors or, even worse, soak dirty slush into the carpets. To guard both the home you're leaving and the one you are moving into, use tarps and plastic sheeting to keep snow-covered boots off your flooring.

Planning for Icy Roads in Austin

The following consideration is the possibility that the byways you will be taking are most likely to also be blanketed in ice and maybe even people still traveling from the holidays. You should plan for heavy traffic, accidents, backups, and all kinds of delays. This means that if you have a drop dead date for your move, you'll need to leave early to ensure that you have an extra few days to both make the transit to your new home and get all of your possessions unloaded in the elements.

For efficiency and safety's sake, you may also want two or three alternate routes or have an app ready to help you plan detours in the event that there's a bad traffic or weather problem on your primary planned route.

Landing Somewhere Warm

After a lengthy drive in the moving truck or your own car in a caravan with your moving trucks, you are going to need to warm yourself in the new residence pretty fast. This means that any delays getting the house open and the heater own can be problematic, especially if the utilities aren't ready yet. Make sure to have water, electricity, and gas, if applicable, turned on at the new place. Attempt to arrive ahead of the moving trucks or ask someone local to access the house and get it warming up prior to the convoy shows up and the unpacking starts.

Take Care of Yourself and Your Movers

Moving in the frigid weather is difficult work with a combined risk of getting too cold, overheating, and getting dangerously dehydrated as your body loses moisture to the cold. After you get the heater turned on, you should make a big pot of hot tea or cocoa along with a pitcher of room-temperature (not freezing cold) water. Keep yourself hydrated and warm with cups of tea and pass mugs or a thermos around for the movers and any friends who are there helping. This way, everyone is energetic and unlikely to get too exhausted or catch a cold during the process.

Moving in the winter is tricky business, but something you can surely handle with a little forward thinking and consideration for everyone involved. By making sure all walkways have the snow and ice removed, the destination home is warm, and everyone drinks enough liquids, you will be able to get all your stuff safely from one icy residence to another.