Best Time of Year to Move

Why Summer Is the Most Expensive Season

Summer aligns with school schedules — families move between academic years to avoid disrupting their kids' school year, creating a surge in demand exactly when good weather also makes moving easiest. That combination of high demand and favorable conditions is precisely why movers charge the most during this window.

The Cheaper Alternative: Fall and Winter

October through April sees significantly lower demand, which translates directly into lower prices and better availability. Movers are also more willing to negotiate during slower months, since they'd rather book a discounted move than leave a truck and crew idle.

Day of Week and Month Also Matter

• Weekdays over weekends — most people want to move on weekends to avoid missing work, driving up weekend demand and pricing.
• Mid-month over month-end — many leases end on the 1st, concentrating moving demand around month boundaries. Scheduling mid-month often means better availability and pricing.

When Timing Flexibility Isn't an Option

If your move date is fixed — a new job start date, a closing date on a home purchase — booking as far in advance as possible (4-8 weeks minimum, longer during peak season) is the best way to protect your options even without seasonal flexibility.

A Practical Planning Timeline

If you have full flexibility, targeting a weekday in November through February, avoiding the first and last few days of the month, tends to produce the strongest combination of low pricing and wide availability. If your timeline is fixed to a specific month, booking as early as possible within that constraint — 4-8 weeks ahead, longer during summer — still meaningfully improves your options even without seasonal flexibility.

Frequently Asked Questions