Moving at any time of the year is a pain — packing everything up, hauling boxes out to a truck, then getting everything unpacked at the new place is exhausting and, frankly, not fun. Moving in the winter can make it even more difficult. Especially if you live in an area that's cold and gets snow and ice.

There are different risks when dealing with the weather for a winter move. You'll need to have things planned out a little better to help you stick with your moving date. Planning ahead can even save money in the end. Here are some winter moving tips to help you make the most of your move in the winter.

Pack sooner rather than later

It's always good to get everything packed at least a few days before you move, no matter what the weather. But when it's cold outside, you want to minimize the number of times you go in and out of your Apartment while you move. Make sure you pack things up in a smart way.

Give yourself ample time to pack, so that you can fit all of your belongings into the fewest number of boxes. This will make it so you can take the fewest trips in and out of your apartment while you load it. It also will make it easier to load your vehicle. You'll have fewer pieces to fit into a truck or van.

Insulate items affected by cold weather

The cold weather can make some fragile items even more susceptible to damage, such as glass and electronics. When these items get too cold, they're more likely to break. Make sure they are properly protected by insulating them when they're packed.

Using bubble wrap and blankets is an easy way to insulate your items. All you need to do is wrap them in bubble wrap first, then add blankets. This process will give you both cushioning and insulation. They'll be less likely to break or become damaged as you move them.

Use tarps to keep the water off

If you live in an area that gets snow, you may be moving while it's snowing. When you're transporting items to and from a moving van, snow might get on cardboard boxes and wooden furniture, which may cause damage to your belongings if they become too wet.

Grab a couple of tarps and place them over things as you carry them between the moving van and your apartment to keep water and snow from soaking into your cardboard boxes and furniture. And if you're transporting your belongings using an open-back truck, tie tarps over the items in the back to protect them from the snow, too!

Check the weather and plan ahead

Weather during the winter months can be uncertain and change on a dime. Inclement weather can make it hard to do the simple parts of moving, like packing up a moving van and moving boxes from your apartment to your vehicle. Even a little bit of snow and ice can be a big pain.

To best avoid the bad weather, take a look at the weather during the weeks leading to your move to help you plan when the best time to move will be. This will help you decide on the best day to move. It will also help tell the best time of day to move. It's typically really cold in the mornings and evenings. So you may want to opt for moving in the early afternoon when it's probably going to be less cold.

Or, you may find that the only day you're available to move has heavy snow coming in the afternoon, so you'll want to get things planned out to move first thing in the morning, before the storm hits. Planning ahead and being aware of what you're up against before you start your move will make things go smoother and, in the case of winter, it will make it a little safer.

Double-check the weather the day before and the morning of the move, especially in peak months for snow. If there's going to be extreme cold or other complications that could make the move too difficult, you might want to get your backup plan ready.

Clear snow and ice during winter months

Once you have everything packed up in your apartment and you're ready to start carrying things out to your vehicle, you'll want to make sure all of your walkways are clear of ice and snow.

Shovel snow out of the way and make sure the ice is all melted. Ice can be tough to spot sometimes. Take a little extra time to really check around for icy conditions and slippery spots on the path between your apartment and the moving truck. If you need to, throw down lots of ice melt to get rid of the ice and provide a little extra traction for you as you walk. On top of that, make sure there's a wide path to give you plenty of room to move around.

Plan extra travel time for winter weather

Moving in winter conditions means driving in winter weather — which can be a mess sometimes. If it's snowing and there's a lot of ice on the roads, it means you'll need to drive extra carefully and move a little bit slower. You'll want to account for this when making your moving schedule.

You'll be hauling a heavy load, so you're at a higher risk of sliding on ice and tipping over. To help avoid these dangers, plan on driving slower than you normally do. Plus, there's the chance that it starts to snow, which makes driving more difficult and often creates bad traffic, which might include road closures.

When you look at your maps app to get a time estimate between your old and new apartment, add extra time so that in case of bad weather, you won't run into too many issues and, most importantly, you'll have the time to drive safely and not rush in dangerous driving conditions.

Have a snow shovel and ice melt easily accessible

No matter what stage of moving you are in, you'll want to keep a shovel and ice melt handy. You'll want them not just for clearing the walkways at your old apartment. But you may need to clear off the pathway at your new apartment. Plus, there's the chance that something happens on the road between apartments. You may need to pull over in a snowy spot to check on things — you'll want a shovel to help you then!

The best suggestion here is to keep it where you can grab it at any time. In the cab of a moving truck is best or if you're driving in a normal vehicle, like a car or van, keep it in the back seat. You don't want to have it packed up with other belongings where you need to dig it out. Keep it in a spot you can reach quickly in case you're in a pinch.

For even more safety and preparation, keep ice scrapers in your moving vehicle so you can get anything off of your windshield. If you stop for a minute, your windshield could get iced over. You don't want to have to wait for it to melt off with the heat from your car before continuing your move!

Eat warm food

What you eat throughout the day while you move can help keep you warm! This means eating food that's hot and drinking warm beverages, like hot chocolate or tea. Especially at the end of your long move, nothing beats a mug of hot cocoa and some soup!

Bring an emergency kit

When you're moving, there's a chance you get hurt — even a little cut from a cardboard box can hurt. Keep a first aid kit handy so you can take care of any minor injuries that occur.

Make sure your utilities are turned on in your new apartment

When you're moving in winter, you'll want to have a nice, cozy apartment to walk into after you've hauled all of your belongings across a city or state. It wouldn't be fun to walk into your new place only to find that the heat hasn't been on for days and it's just as cold inside as it is outside. Make sure that all of your utilities are up and running at your new apartment. That way, you can come in from the cold and be greeted by a warm living room and hot water.

Have a backup plan

Since there's always the risk that a last-minute winter storm rolls in when you're planning on moving, you should have a backup plan in place. Winter moves are going to have hiccups and there's a good chance your plans will get derailed. So think about what might happen before it actually does and figure out a second plan.

This might mean changing the day you move to a later date or packing up your belongings a day earlier so you can get moved before a storm comes in. Be flexible and know that it's just temporary. A few days' difference isn't going to ruin your moving process!

Hire professional movers

If you want to avoid most of the stress of moving in winter, you may want to hire professional movers. This will allow you to focus just on packing up your belongings without the stress and hassle of moving them out to a moving truck, driving it in potentially poor weather and unloading it all at your new place.

Hiring movers when moving over a long distance is especially helpful for reducing stress since you'll have an extra pair of hands (two or three or four extra pairs, for that matter!). Just make sure you're on the same page with them when it's moving day.

Look into moving companies for winter

If you're hiring movers, check into different moving companies in your area and ask them about moving in winter. They'll have the most experience and know how to safely get you moved from one place to another. Even in the worst weather. Every moving company will have good experience and have its own tips for moving in the winter. So ask questions and choose one that sounds the best for your scenario.

Moving in winter requires preparation

The main thing to remember when moving during the winter is to be prepared! The last thing you want is to have something bad happen, be completely unprepared for it and unable to resolve it quickly. Use the simple moving tips we mentioned above to help you avoid a bad moving experience. The winter months are more difficult for moving than the summer months. So make a plan for moving to keep it stress-free and safe.

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