Tips for Moving in the Summer: How to Beat the Heat and Save Money

Moving to a new home is exciting — but when your move lands between June and August, you're also signing up for peak moving season. Between soaring temperatures, packed schedules, and increased demand for moving services, a summer move can feel like a lot to juggle. It’s also the best season to move for a lot of people, though. No school, clearer roads, and nicer weather mean less to worry about. But can the good outweigh the bad? With the right tips for moving in the summer, you can bet on it.

Essential Tips for Moving in the Summer: Your Ultimate Guide

Relocating during the peak season means balancing cost-efficiency with physical safety. Whether you’re cross-country moving or simply relocating across town, understanding the nuances of a summer move — from protecting heat-sensitive items to securing the best rates — is critical.

1. Stay Hydrated During Your Summer Move

Before you worry about logistics, your priority should be your own safety. The physical toll of high heat is a summer move's greatest adversary — combine that with heavy lifting, and the risk of dehydration and heat-related illness skyrockets. Staying safe requires a proactive approach to both your environment and your body's needs.

Physical Preparation and Hydration

You can't wait until you're thirsty to start drinking water — by then, you're already behind. In high heat, you can lose over a liter of sweat an hour just hauling boxes, so staying ahead of it matters more than most people realize. Here are a few tips:

• Start early: A few days before the move, get in the habit of drinking a little more water than usual. Snacking on water-rich foods like watermelon, cucumber, or celery also helps — and doubles as an easy break-time snack on moving day.
• Replenish electrolytes: Water alone won't cut it during hours of heavy lifting. Keep a sports drink or coconut water on hand to help ward off cramping.
• Skip the cocktails and coffee: Save the celebratory drinks for after the move. Alcohol the night before or the day of can leave you more dehydrated (and more prone to injury). If you can’t skip your morning coffee, be sure to follow it up with some electrolytes before you start lifting boxes.

Optimal Timing and Attire

Beating the heat often comes down to beating the clock — get as much done as you can before the sun hits its highest point in the afternoon. And make sure you dress for the occasion.

• The early bird advantage: Aim to have the truck parked and the ramp down as early as possible. Knocking out the heaviest lifting before the afternoon heat hits makes the whole day easier on you.
• Choose the right fabrics: Light-colored, lightweight clothing helps you stay cooler. Cotton breathes well, but moisture-wicking workout gear is even better at keeping sweat off your skin.
• Don’t skip the SPF: Even short trips back and forth to the truck add up in sun exposure. A little sunscreen goes a long way toward avoiding a sunburn on top of an already long day.

A portable fan can help create a cool zone during a summer move.

Setting Up a Cool-Down Zone (and Knowing When to Stop)

With doors propped open all day for the move, your house can heat up fast. But there are a few things you can do to keep things cool — and recognize when you need a break.

• Designate a recovery room: Choose a room, keep its door shut, and run the AC or a fan on high in there all day. Use it strictly for breaks, not storage or staging boxes.
• Use cooling accessories: Keeping a cooler filled with ice and small towels goes a long way. A cold, damp towel on the neck or wrists can cool you down fast when you’re overheating.
• Know the warning signs: Heavy sweating, muscle cramps, fatigue, weakness, and dizziness can all signal heat exhaustion, according to the Red Cross. If you or anyone helping you notices these symptoms, stop right away, get to a cool spot, and hydrate.

A little planning goes a long way. These tips for moving in the summer are what keep a summer move from turning into a trip to the ER.

2. The Right Way to Protect Your Belongings from Heat and Trapped Humidity

Once you've got a plan to protect yourself, it's time to think about protecting what you're moving. Inside a metal moving truck or sealed storage container, things can heat up pretty quickly. That, combined with high humidity, creates a breeding ground for mold and a destructive environment for delicate materials.

Fighting Moisture and Mold Growth

Humidity is a silent curse for a mover. If you pack moisture into a box, it has nowhere to go, and your belongings can get ruined pretty quickly.

• Ensure everything is dry: The simplest tip? Never pack items from a damp basement or garage without letting them dry first.
• Utilize desiccants: For long-distance moves where items spend days in transit, include silica gel packets or moisture-absorbing pouches in boxes containing clothing, furniture, or electronics.
• Moving blankets: Many people believe that using plastic wrap protects furniture, but it can actually trap moisture against wood or leather. Breathable moving blankets, on the other hand, are a great way to wrap furniture for moving and can work as a strong base layer.

Protecting Electronics and Media

Standard electronics are designed to operate in controlled environments, and leaving them in a hot truck risks permanent damage.

• Personal essentials: Laptops, tablets, and cameras should not be placed in the back of the truck. Instead, transport these items in your climate-controlled personal vehicle.
• Know the do’s and don’ts: One PODS prohibited item is large batteries. Think: Electric bikes or power tools. But really, anything with a battery is best left in your personal care.  
• Wait to power up: Do not plug in electronics immediately upon arrival at your new home. Allow them to adjust to the indoor temperature first to prevent internal condensation.

3. Book Early To Beat the Busiest Season

Protecting your stuff is only half the battle — you also need to lock in the right crew before they're booked solid. The summer season is the busiest, so it’s important to prepare in advance. To make sure you're not scrambling at the last minute, treat your moving date like a high-stakes reservation and plan accordingly.

The Ultimate Booking Timeline

• Three months in advance: Start your research and use the Better Business Bureau to look for companies with high ratings and few complaints. Get at least three estimates.
• Two months in advance: Finalize your choice and sign a contract.
• One month in advance: Re-confirm your date and time. Some moving companies juggle hundreds of clients; a quick phone call ensures you are still on schedule and puts your mind at ease.

Avoid Scams

Unfortunately, the high demand in the summer attracts unlicensed individuals who take deposits and disappear. Before you sign anything, verify the mover’s credentials through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) search tool. Legitimate interstate movers must have a USDOT number. 

If your schedule allows, moving mid-week could help you score a lower base rate.

4. Save Money With a Mid-Week or Mid-Month Move

Beyond simply booking in advance, the specific day and week you choose can unlock even more savings. Choosing when to move is one of the most significant factors in determining the final price tag of your relocation. If you have any flexibility in your moving dates, you can leverage these fluctuations to your financial advantage.

The Financial Strategy of the Mid-Week Move

Most people attempt to schedule their summer move on a Friday or Saturday to avoid taking time off work. There are a few advantages to booking midweek, though:

• Equipment availability: If you’re DIYing your move, rental outlets are much more likely to have the specific truck size or equipment you need for your move.
• Lower rates: Moving companies and truck rental agencies often offer lower base rates for Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. So you won’t have to doubt you’re getting exactly what you want when you want it.
• Avoid the road rush: A move in the middle of the week means less crowding on the roads (outside of rush hour, that is).

Avoiding the End-of-Month Rush

The majority of residential leases end on the last day of the month, and new ones begin on the first. This creates a moving crunch at the beginning and end of every month.

• The sweet spot: Aim to schedule your move between the 10th and 20th of every month. Demand dips significantly during this window, and you might even find some companies that offer discounts.
• Scheduling flexibility with portable containers: For those who find the strict timelines of traditional movers too stressful, using a service like PODS can be a game-changer. Portable containers allow you to load and unload on your own schedule, which bypasses the single-day rush and allows you to spread the labor according to your own schedule.

Coordinate With Your Real Estate Team

If you’re buying a home, you can talk to your realtor about the possibility of a mid-month closing. It might require a small amount of prorated rent or interest, but you could save hundreds on moving labor and yourself some stress with an off-peak move.

Whether you're shifting your closing date, choosing Tuesday over Saturday, or booking your movers months ahead, these small scheduling decisions add up. Navigating a relocation during peak heat and the height of market demand can cause some stress, but by following these tips for moving in the summer, you can ensure your transition is both safe and cost-effective.

Tips for Moving in the Summer — FAQs

Q: When is the best time to move during the summer?
A: The best time to move during the summer is mid-week and mid-month. To avoid the worst of the heat, you should start your move as early in the morning as possible.

Q: Is it cheaper or more expensive to move in summer?
A: Since summer is considered the peak moving season, moving costs are significantly higher.

Q: How far in advance should you book movers in summer?
A: A good rule of thumb is to book a mover at least two to three months in advance to ensure availability and secure your desired dates.

Q: What are the biggest mistakes to avoid when moving in summer?
A: Moving during the peak season involves more than just a price tag. Underestimating health-related risks, not packing heat-sensitive items properly, logistical oversights, and poor loading choices are some of the biggest mistakes.

After following these summer moving tips, let PODS help with the heavy lifting by delivering a portable container right to your driveway.

Moving With PODS Simplifies Your Summer Move

Make your summer move flexible with PODS portable moving containers. Have a container delivered right to your driveway where you can load it on your own schedule. If the heavy lifting is too big a burden in the summer heat, PODS can connect you with local packing and loading services. Once everything is loaded, have your container picked up and delivered right to your new home, or keep it in a secure PODS Storage Center until you’re ready for it.

Visit PODS online for a free local moving quote or call 877-350-7637 for long-distance moving.

_{*This article was written on behalf of PODS Enterprises, LLC (“PODS”). PODS does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of any information contained in this article and disclaims any liability for reliance upon the content herein.}