Moving in the winter is not always ideal and can make transporting your life and belongings from one place to another an even harder and more tedious process than usual. However, with these tips and best practices for baring with the ice, snow and dreary weather, Hunziker Properties hopes to point you in the right direction and set you up for success.

The staff and property managers at Hunziker Properties guarantee well-maintained properties upon moving in, but unfortunately that is not always the case with every landlord. Before you move in, confirm with your landlord that the heat has been running throughout the vacancy of the property. This will ensure that you don’t run into any frozen or bursting pipe problems during the first week of your tenancy.

You’ve been proactive about signing the new lease before anyone else could, so the last thing you need is to find that little winter pests have moved in before you. Pests ranging from mice, to voles, to ladybugs are potential creatures that you could find “hibernating”’ in your new home. Although Hunziker stays on top of the business of keeping these pests out, it’s a good idea to ask your new/future landlord to do a pest check. If you are moving into an older house or apartment (especially on a ground floor), it may even be a good idea to request that a pest control service does a once-over.

Apart from the pesky tasks and details of doing a little pre-move-in maintenance, you will of course want to be prepared for move-in day! While there’s no guarantee that your moving day will be free of bitter winds, blowing snow, or bone-chilling temperatures, you can make sure you only have to brave the elements for the least possible amount of time. This is what friends are for!

Once you’ve gathered your moving crew, be sure that you and the rest of the team is properly dressed for moving in. Things like gloves and sturdy boots are always an essential for lifting heavy loads, but in the Winter months you will also want to make sure your crew is outfitted in coats, hats, and maybe even some ice shoe cleats to prevent potentially dangerous falls.

While you want your moving day to go smoothly, things like slick ice and snow on your path you will want to break up. If your landlord is unable to get ice or snow removed prior to your move-in day, be sure to keep a couple of shovels handy to clear a path for safe shuffling of your possessions.

In a summer move it is convenient to toss miscellaneous or hard-to-package items in the backseat of your car or truck, and to carry them into your new place the same way they left your old place. All is well if you drop a pillow in the grass during the dry summer months, but pillows will be lost and permanently damaged if dropped into a pile of winter slush. A good alternative to leaving out those awkwardly-shaped items is to place them in a big trash bag. Don’t increase the cost of moving by creating possible needs to replace your possessions.

Although it may be tempting to want to clean your new floors before moving in, resist the urge to do so during a winter move. Slushy and muddy puddles of melted winter elements are sure to create dirty footprints as you move things in. Let your moving crew do the tracking in that is necessary and resolve to cleaning once all is finished. Alternatively, put some towels or cardboard down in the entrance area to soak up the majority of the dirt and water from the get-go.

While it may not be ideal to pack up and move in the middle of winter, Hunziker Property Management has the right units for you. We typically have several units ready to move into immediately, and other units that can be subleased. Browse our properties page today to find the right fit for you.