Tips For Moving At Night

While it’s preferable in most ways to move during the day, not everyone’s schedule allows them to take a day or two off work to move into a new home. If you’re using the PM hours to move your belongings, you have a new set of challenges to face. Here’s how to be prepared.

Mistaken Neighbors

There’s an issue that few people have thought of while moving — what if you accidentally look suspicious?

It’s pretty rare, but occasionally neighbors will call the police on a new neighbor moving in or an old neighbor moving out, mistaking them or their movers for burglars.

Obviously, this can lead to embarrassing, exhausting, and even dangerous situations if the police are called in to investigate.

The simplest solution is to quickly introduce yourself in person or in writing to new neighbors, and let old neighbors know when you’re moving out. If everyone is familiar with you and your situation, they’ll think nothing of you moving into your home, even if it’s late at night.

You May Not Have 24-Hour Access to Your Storage

While some storage facilities offer 24-hour access to storage units, others, well, don’t. If you have limited access to your belongings you entrusted to a storage rental service, you may have to wait until business orders to move them into your new home.

Utility Blunders

If you need to call your local electricity providers to turn on service to your new home, make sure you do so before moving day. Can you imagine even professional furniture movers trying to navigate a chunky sectional couch in the dark?

Light It Up

It’s not always enough to have electricity and light INSIDE your new home, you’ll often want some extra light OUTSIDE your home to facilitate unpacking as well. Cheap floodlights, flashlights, and even glowsticks can be indispensable tools in helping you unpack trucks and avoid tripping on stairs.

Protect Yourself From Actual Burglars

Your neighbors’ suspicion about burglars? It’s not totally unfounded. Burglars often target houses that are between owners. Why? These houses will have unattended goods and neighbors may not be surprised to see someone unfamiliar entering or exiting. There are a few security rules of thumb for moving. For example, you should submit a change of address two weeks before your move, right? Otherwise your mail could fall into the wrong hands. One of the first things you should upon moving in, no matter what the hour, is change your locks and make sure all your important belongings are secure, such as those you might have boxed up in the garage temporarily. If you don’t change your locks, you risk the old keys to your existing locks falling in the wrong hands.

Lastly, be kind to your movers if you’re able to hire some for the late shift. Professional movers won’t let it affect their work, but they’re tired too! Make things as safe and efficient as possible and you’ll be all moved in in no time.