There are so many details surrounding a move from one house to another. One detail you may be focused on right now is trying to decide how far out you’ll need to actually schedule your move. This answer is going to be different for everybody because if you are moving locally, it’s much simpler than if you are moving from out of town.

If you are moving during a comfortable weather season, it will be much simpler than if you were moving during inclement weather. Some days of the month are busier than others, while certain days of the year should be avoided altogether. Take a look at this guide for determining when to schedule your residential move.

Days to avoid

There are a few days in the year to simply avoid scheduling your move whatsoever. You’ll want to avoid booking a move over any national holidays, including times like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Independence Day.  You’ll also want to try to avoid booking it over the weekends since those are also the busiest time of the week to relocate.

If possible, avoid booking your move at the beginning of the month or at the end of the month since this is when most people would finish and start a lease and also be trying to move.

Local moves

If you are going to be moving locally, from one house to another in the same city, you are going to have more leeway with booking the movers out. If you choose to do this off-season, you can even book it just a couple of weeks out and you shouldn’t have an issue.

It’s best to give more notice since movers will try to book up, but typically during the off-season, it will be much easier.  If you are moving locally during the busy time of year, typically summer, you’ll have to give a couple of months’ notice to movers. If you have no choice but to book with less notice, you’ll have fewer movers to choose from.

Out of state moves

If you are moving from one city to another, you are going to have a different set of circumstances as you would if you were a local move. Moving to another city during the busy season, typically summer, means that you are going to need at least 10-12 weeks booked out with your movers. Fewer movers are willing to move you out of the area, which means you’ll be more limited in who you can work with.

If you are moving out of the city during the off-season, you can probably book 1-2 months out, but lean towards the 2-month mark to be safe. For moves that are going over state lines, you will be extremely limited on choices and thus you’ll need to book at least 12 weeks out.

Scheduling out is important

Now that you know when to avoid booking your move, you’ll want to focus on the best times to move and understand why plenty of notice is key. Having your move booked well in advance gives you a confirmed and reserved date that will allow the rest of your move to be able to be scheduled around this date, such as the packing process and the first day at your new job.

Your moving crew will have plenty of notice to properly prepare for the day and will be able to work with you in advance on any questions or concerns that will avoid any surprises on moving day. If you book early, you can sometimes get a discounted rate and you’ll find that you have the best movers in town available to book with.

Try to book your move on a weekday other than Friday, sometime in the middle of the month, and especially during the off-season. If your area is busiest in the summer, avoid booking from May until September, and try to book it for one of the other months of the year. The longer the distance you are moving, the earlier you’ll need to book.

Consider if you are moving into a complex that will need advanced notice or a property on a street that will need to be reserved. Talk to your movers about elevator access, unusual items, and long carries. By booking well in advance, you can work out all of these details and you won’t have the stress of a last-minute move that could cause you to work with poor movers.

Use these tips to schedule your upcoming move with plenty of notice to your moving crew.