Moving in winter in Ontario works well if you plan for three things: snow and ice at both doors, short daylight, and weather that can change your date. Clear the paths, book an early start, protect your floors and electronics, and keep your mover’s contact handy in case a storm rolls in. The rest of the job looks much like a move in any other season.
Winter affects each type of move differently: local moves within an Ontario city, long-distance moves between Ontario cities, and long-distance moves from Ontario to other provinces. The sections below cover all three.
Is moving in winter in Ontario a good idea?
For many people, yes. Summer is the busiest moving season, so demand drops once the snow starts. You’ll usually have more dates to choose from, and weekday slots open up more easily than in July.
The trade-off is time. Snow, salt and slush slow loading, and a crew carrying a dresser down an icy walkway can’t move as fast as on dry pavement. If your move is billed by the hour, prep work on your side keeps that time down.
Winter moving checklist: two weeks before
- Book early. Plan 1 to 2 weeks ahead for a local move and 3 to 4 weeks for a long-distance or cross-province move. Holiday weeks fill up first.
- Reserve the elevator. Condo buildings in Toronto, Mississauga and Hamilton usually need a booking. For a 2-bedroom unit, ask for at least 3 hours; for a 3-bedroom, at least 4.
- Arrange parking. Snowbanks shrink street parking. Ask your building or the city about a loading zone or permit for both addresses.
- Book a snow clearing service for both properties if you won’t be there the morning of the move.
- Set up utilities at the new place a day early so the heat and lights are on when you arrive.
How to prepare your home for moving in snow
The biggest winter risk is a slip on the path between the door and the truck. Shovel the driveway, walkway, front steps and the space where the truck will park. Then salt or sand everything, at both the old and the new address.
Do it again the morning of the move if snow fell overnight. Movers carrying a sofa can’t see their feet, and a clear path keeps them safe and keeps your hourly bill shorter.
Inside, set aside one spot near the entrance for wet boots and coats. Take down any rugs in the hallway so they don’t soak up slush.
How to protect your floors and belongings in winter
Salt and meltwater mark hardwood and stain carpet. Ask your mover what floor protection they bring. At G Force, floor runners, moving blankets and shrink wrap come with the hourly rate, so you don’t pay extra to keep slush off your floors and furniture.
A few items need extra care in the cold:
- Electronics. Pack TVs, computers and speakers in their original boxes or padded cartons. After the move, let them sit at room temperature for a few hours before you plug them in, so condensation can dry.
- Glass, ceramics and framed art. Cold makes some materials more brittle. Wrap each piece on its own and fill empty space in the box.
- Plants. Move them in your own car with the heat on. Tropical plants can be damaged by even a short stretch in a cold truck.
- Liquids. Paint, cleaning products and drinks can freeze and burst. We don’t carry hazardous materials, so plan to take or dispose of them yourself.
Cardboard softens when it gets wet. If you’re packing yourself, use plastic bins for linens and clothing, and tape box bottoms twice. If you’d rather hand it off, our [packing services] cover full or partial packing, with every item wrapped before it goes in a box.
Plan around short winter days
In December the sun sets before 5 p.m. across southern Ontario. Loading in the dark on an icy driveway is slower and riskier, so book a morning start. Turn on porch and garage lights before the crew arrives and leave them on at the new address too.
Keep a small bag with you, not on the truck: phone chargers, medication, documents, a change of warm clothes, snacks and a flashlight. If the truck arrives later than planned, you’ll have what you need for the first night.
What if a snowstorm hits on moving day?
Check the forecast five days out and again 48 hours before your start time. That 48-hour mark matters. Under our [cancellation and rescheduling policy], a written reschedule request made at least 48 hours ahead moves your deposit to the new date with no penalty. With less notice, the deposit is forfeited.
If a storm builds up closer to the day, call or email us right away at contact@gforcemoving.ca or (647) 774-5686 so we can decide together whether to go ahead. Keep a backup date in mind when you book.
Long-distance moves in winter: what changes?
A move between Ontario cities, such as Toronto to Ottawa or Kingston, usually takes about a day. A move from Ontario to another province takes longer. Delivery to Alberta or Nova Scotia typically takes 3 to 6 days depending on route and volume, and winter roads on the Trans-Canada can add delays.
For our [long-distance moving] service, you get a confirmed delivery window before loading starts, and the same crew handles pickup and delivery. Every load goes out with furniture blankets, straps and multi-layer wrapping for the trip.
To keep a winter long-distance move on track:
- Confirm 3 to 4 weeks ahead, since these moves are harder to reschedule at short notice.
- Check the forecast at the destination as well as at home. Winnipeg in January is not Toronto in January.
- Arrange snow clearing and heat at the new home before you leave Ontario.
- Plan to arrive a day before the truck so you can let the crew in.
We move households from Ontario to Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. We don’t do local moves within those provinces, only long-distance moves that start in Ontario.
Should you use storage during a winter move?
Winter closings and lease dates don’t always line up. If your new place isn’t ready, short-term storage bridges the gap without a second move on your own.
With our [storage solutions], one crew loads, transports, stores and delivers under one contract. Your things stay wrapped and secured in a dry facility, off the floor, from a few days to several months. You don’t rent a unit or drive across town on icy roads.
Book your winter move
Pick a morning slot, clear the paths and confirm your elevator booking, and a winter move in Ontario runs close to a summer one. If you’re ready to set a date, [get a free moving quote] in under 3 minutes and we’ll call you back within 2 hours.
