How far in advance to book movers depends mostly on the season and the distance. For a local move in the fall or winter, a few weeks’ notice is often enough. For a summer move, or any long-distance move, book as early as you can, and a couple of months ahead is not too early. May through August fills fastest because military PCS season and summer family moves land at the same time, and all year long, weekends and the last few days of the month are the first dates to go. If your dates are fixed, call sooner rather than later.
Local moves in the off-season
If you’re moving across Colorado Springs in October, January or early spring, you usually have some breathing room. Demand drops after the summer rush, and fall and winter tend to have more open dates. A family moving from Briargate to the west side in November can often get a weekday that works for them with a few weeks of notice.
That said, “often” is doing some work in that sentence. Plenty of other people are moving in the off-season too: renters whose leases are up, buyers who just closed, families trying to get settled before the holidays. The more notice you give us, the more choices you’ll have, especially if you want a particular day or a morning start.
Keep the holidays in mind, too. The weeks around Thanksgiving and the end of December get busier than people expect, because a lot of families use time off work to move. Winter weather can also push a move back a day here and there, and when a storm moves dates around, the open slots on either side of it fill quickly. A little extra notice gives you room to absorb that.
For a local move in Colorado Springs, I suggest calling as soon as you know your rough timing, even if the exact date is still up in the air. We can pencil something in and adjust once your closing or lease date firms up.
Summer is a different story
May through August is the busiest stretch of the year for us, and it’s not close. Schools let out, families want to move before the next school year starts, and military families across Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base and the Air Force Academy are moving at the same time on PCS orders.
When all of that stacks up, dates disappear quickly. If you know you’re moving in the summer, call the moment you have a likely window. Month-end dates in June and July go especially fast, so if that’s your window, give yourself even more lead time.
Military families have their own timing to work around. Orders sometimes come later than anyone would like, and report dates aren’t flexible. We’re DoD-approved for military moves, and PCS season is part of every summer for us, so we understand the pressure those dates put on a family. Our military moving page explains how we work with PCS moves. Whatever your situation, reach out as soon as orders are in hand, or even when you know they’re likely.
Long-distance moves need more lead time
A move out of state takes more planning than a move across town. There’s the in-home or virtual survey, the written estimate, your packing plan, any storage, and the scheduling on the delivery end. On a long-distance move, we plan, pack and load locally, and Wheaton’s nationwide network carries your shipment to the new state. Coordinating all of that takes some time.
If your new home won’t be ready the day your old one has to be empty, storage becomes part of the plan as well. That’s easy to set up, but it’s much easier to set up calmly a month or two out than the week before. The same goes for your packing. If you want our crew to pack the kitchen and the fragile pieces, that’s another day on the schedule that needs to be held for you.
Booking early also gives you time to do the things that actually lower your cost. You can declutter before the survey so the estimate only covers what you’re taking. You can sell the furniture that won’t fit the new place. You can pack some boxes yourself at a reasonable pace instead of in a panic. All of that is harder with ten days’ notice.
So for an interstate move in any season, start the conversation early. In summer, start even earlier.
Weekends and the end of the month
A lot of leases end on the last day of the month, and a lot of closings land in the final week. That means the last few days of any month are crowded, and Fridays and Saturdays go first almost every week.
If you can move midweek or in the middle of the month, you’ll usually have more options. A Tuesday on the 14th is a much easier date to get than a Saturday on the 30th. Ask your landlord whether you can overlap a few days with your new lease, or ask your agent whether possession can fall midweek. A little flexibility on your end makes a big difference on ours.
What to have ready when you call
You don’t need everything figured out before you reach out, but a few details help us give you a real answer about availability and a useful estimate:
- Your ideal moving date and how flexible it is
- Both addresses, or at least the town you’re headed to
- A rough inventory, including large or unusual items
- Access details: stairs, elevators, long walks to the truck, HOA move rules
- Whether you want packing, storage or both
If you’re missing a few of these, that’s fine. Call anyway. Our office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 5:00, and we’ll fill in the gaps with you during the estimate.
When we come out for the estimate, plan on walking us through every room, including the garage, the basement and any storage closets. The more we see, the closer the estimate will be to your actual move.
What if your move is last minute?
Sometimes life doesn’t give you two months. A job changes, a sale closes faster than expected, orders arrive late or a lease falls through. If that’s where you are, call us anyway. Last-minute moves are sometimes possible, depending on the season and what’s already on the schedule, but I can’t promise a date until we look at it together.
If you’re working with a short timeline, my post on how to move on a tight schedule has practical ideas for getting it done without falling apart. The short version: decide quickly, pack in order of what you use least, and lean on help where you can.
Wherever you are in the planning, the best next step is the same. Tell us your dates and let us take a look. Our estimates are free and carry no obligation, and you can request yours here. The earlier we talk, the more options I can give you.
– Melysa