Moving house can be stressful and so if there is any way to make it easier such as finding the best day to move, we will all take it. So, what is the best day to move house? Is there really a certain day that is better than all the others? Does Wednesday beat Friday and, if it does, why?

The answer is that the right day is what works best for you. Within this article we are going to offer some advice that will help you find the right day for you. 

Understanding the Factors Influencing Your Moving Day Choice

Within this section we are going to talk about the factors you must consider when choosing your moving day.

Cost Considerations

The cost of your move will depend on a number of factors such as the location, the size of the move or the type of moving services you need. 

The day you choose to move can also be a factor with research showing that the cheapest day to move house is a Sunday. It has been proven to be the least favourite day for house moves, with only 2.69% of movers choosing the day. This could explain the cheaper rate, with companies trying to entice movers.

Tuesday is the second least popular day to move house but it is, surprisingly, the most expensive day. The average cost for a Tuesday move is £1,110.36, 44% more expensive than a Saturday move and 55% more than a Sunday move.

Availability of Moving Services

What day you can move house will also be affected by movers availability. 

Friday is the most popular day to move house, with Summer being the most popular seasons so chances are you will struggle to find available movers on Fridays during this season unless you are extremely organised.  

Choosing a less popular day or season could lead to more availability but really think about if it works for you. Sunday and Winter are unpopular days for a reason. Sunday because you will be back at work on Monday, exhausted, having got very little done. And Winter because it is cold and dreary and moves have to be worked around Christmas plans. Really think about if it will work for you. You do not want to choose a day/season and have it just make it more stressful.

Personal Schedule and Flexibility

A big factor you must consider is your own schedule. Your moving day has to work around your work and your personal schedule. This is why Friday is so popular as many people have the weekends off work but if you work weekends, you will need to decide what day works best for you. This will be entirely subjective to your life. 

Pros and Cons of Moving on Weekdays vs. Weekends

Next, we will move on to the pros and cons of moving on weekdays vs moving on weekends. 

Moving on Weekdays (Monday to Thursday)

The pros of moving on a weekday are that there is most likely going to be less demand for movers Monday to Thursday. Wednesday is also one of the cheapest days to move according to research conducted by Compare My Move. 

The cons are that many of the days aren’t any cheaper than moving on the weekend and, in the case of Tuesday, it can be a lot more expensive to move on a weekday. You will, most likely, have to have time off work so you will either have to make up the hours or use holiday days. 

Moving on Weekends (Friday to Sunday)

The pros of moving on the weekend are, firstly, Saturday and Sunday are two of the cheapest days to move. And Sunday is thought to be so cheap because it is the least favourite day to move so demand for movers will be low.  Also, you will have so much more free time to unpack and settle without needing to take time off work. 

The cons are that Friday is the most popular day to move for most of the UK so there will be high levels of demands for movers. As it is the weekend, roads will most likely be busy so you will have to time you move right, choosing an early moving time slot. This, on top of all the work you will be doing, will lead to an extremely tiring weekend. 

The Best Time of the Month to Move

Moving gets more expensive towards the end of month because there can be a larger number of renters moving as they want to move as one lease ends and another begins. The earlier weeks of the month tend to be more cost-effective and have the most availability, since there’ll likely be fewer people competing for the same slots. 

Seasonal Considerations for Moving

Now, we move on to which season is best for moving house.

Spring and Summer

Spring is the second most popular season to move. The good lighting, mild temperature and somewhat predictable weather conditions make Spring a good choice for putting a house on the market which encourages more moves to happen during this season. Plus, Spring has a range of bank holidays to take advantage of a long weekend to unpack.

The drawbacks to Spring are that it is a popular time to move. This can lead to less availability for movers and for everything being more expensive.

Summer is the favourite season to move. If you have children, you can take advantage of the huge Summer holidays to get your children settled, plus there are lots of  long bright days and fairly predictable weather.

Summer has the same drawbacks as Spring – movers will be busy so if Summer is the season you want to move, you will have to be organised. 

Autumn and Winter

Autumn comes joint second with Spring as the second most popular season to move. As Summer fades, you will still get fairly dependable weather and longer days, particularly in September which is a popular month for moving.  As Summer is the peak time for removal companies, it’s likely that moving in Autumn you’ll get a more enticing rate.

The drawbacks are that you only really have September, which is a popular month for moving. Once October and November hit it is going to get darker earlier and the weather will become colder and less predictable.

Winter is the least popular season for moving which we doubt comes as a surprise. It is cold, dreary and the days are short and dark. The cold weather can also affect the move as Winter weather does often lead to icy roads. You will also have to make you move work around Christmas and New Year preparations and parties. 

The benefits of a Winter move is that movers will be available and, due to it being such an unpopular season, prices could be cheap.

The Ideal Moving Day: Balancing Cost, Convenience, and Availability

So, what day is it best to move house?

The answer is still – whatever works best for you. Yes, some days are cheaper but if those days involve you booking time off work, it could end up costing you your precious holiday days. 

Some days and seasons are very popular for good reasons which can lead to a lack of availability and higher costs but they can also lead to a nicer move. 

You have to take into account all the factors – cost, mover availability, personal schedules, and weather considerations – and decide what works best for you. 

Tips for Planning Your Move

Before we end this article, we are going to give you some tips to ease the stress of your move even more.

Booking Movers in Advance

Booking your movers in advance will secure good rates but it will also mean you are more likely to get the date you want. This is even more important if you choose to move on a popular day – Friday – or during a popular season – Summer. 

Preparing for Moving Day

Once your moving day is booked in, you must be prepared for it. No leaving packing for the night before! Or even the week before! You will want to be packed as early as possible and, if you need to do things to your old house and having boxes all over the place will be a hindrance, utilise self storage and store the boxes for a month or so. 

You will also need to check your electricity, gas and water metres at your old home and make a note and/or take a photo. And do the same as soon as you get to your new house. This will make sure you aren’t paying too much when you set up your new utilities. 

And make sure you change your address for all the important things – banking, voting, credit cards, utilities etc. 

Finally, make sure to keep a box/bag to one side with all the things you need for you first day – this will include things like you purse, your phone and your passport but it will also include things like your kettle, teabags, food, your toothbrush, pyjamas etc. Anything that will make that first day/night better. 

Last-Minute Moving Day Tips

The best tips we can give is for you to try and stay calm, ask or accept help and take breaks. Unexpected issues can crop up and if they can be sorted quickly and easily, great! Sort them out and then get back to your move. If they can’t, take a deep breath, have a cup of tea (or a cry!) and then try to get back to focusing on your move. 

Things can go wrong but Rome was not built in a day and you do not have to have everything sorted over one weekend. Take breaks, stay hydrated, stop and eat, get some fresh air. This will all help to make the move slightly easier. 

When Is The Best Day To Move?

The best day to move is the day that is best for you. Yes, some days are more popular and some are cheaper but, ultimately, it has to work for you and your personal schedule. If you pick a day because it is cheaper but it doesn’t actually work for you or your family, it will just add to the stress. 

You need to consider your personal circumstances and the specifics of your move but we hope that our guide has provided you with some insight into what day would work best for you and your move.

If you feel self storage could help your move run more smoothly, please click here to find your local store.