During our time working with removals and storage companies, we tend to find a lot of familiar topics crop up a lot. There’s a decent amount of advice on Google, mostly from removals providers themselves. That doesn’t necessarily mean the blogs always directly answer the query fully. Is there a best day and month for a relocation?
While there are definitely a few ways to approach answering this, there’s a subjective and situational element to consider. What suits one person won’t necessarily work for someone else. That said, the aim is to try and provide our readers with a conclusion. This article will delve into the studies and related information to determine the best moving day and value for money month to relocate.
The Science Behind Choosing When to Relocate –
Let’s start with a statement: there is a science involved when choosing a day to book your relocation. However, it’s not as clear-cut when we discuss the best month or season for your move. There’s plenty of subjectivity and personal circumstances at play when talking about more general periods like weeks and months.
By using several credible online sources of information and our own experiences and knowledge, we’ll provide anyone reading this with Move, Store & More’s best day and affordable month to relocate within the UK. To make things more thorough, we’ll also award silver and bronze medals to the runners-up as well. There are plenty of blank spaces to fill in as we go, and please feel free to comment on this article or our social media pages.
Let’s get into it.
Friday is Popular – But is it the Best Day to Move?
Oh dear – did we just give away the answer in our subheading? Sort of, but not really, and I’ll explain why. Friday is the most popular day to move, as detailed here by Compare My Move. It’s an excellent article that forms a lot of the data we’re referencing, and I highly recommend going through it thoroughly. However, when it comes to choosing Friday, moving on this day presents a myriad of possible issues.
One problem you’ll face is everyone wants to move on a Friday, and I mean everyone. You might get lucky or need to book your removal several months ahead. It’s not just removals companies who are jam-packed on Fridays. It’s also the banking sector’s favourite day of the week because they clock off early. And when the doors close, so do all transfers.
I’ll expand on this last point in more detail. If you’re buying a property and the final payment is due on a Friday, there’s every possibility of a delay in payment. Then you’re stuck because the seller isn’t legally obliged to hand over the keys until the full payment clears. The domino effect begins:
- Your removals job – cancelled.
- You still need to vacate your current home – nowhere for your possessions.
- Panic sets in – but you find a storage company, thanks to Move, Store & More (we’re currently building our directory but will happily help you find a storage provider if you contact us).
The table below represents the popularity of moving days:
As you can see, Friday is by far the favourite choice, with Sunday languishing in the popularity relegation zone. Solidarity, Sunday, I know the feeling. Saturday and Thursday are sought-after days, most likely due to the weekend’s proximity and extra days to settle in. I want to refer to Oli for an opinion on midweek moves to get his take on the best moving day for availability and affordability.
“Tip for bargain hunters. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are often quiet days in the removals industry, and the more established removals companies normally have salaried staff and spare capacity on these days. I suggest you start by asking for a quote for a Friday or Saturday and then ask them if it would be cheaper on another day of the week. 20% off could be a realistic expectation.”
Conclusion – Our Choice for Best Day to Relocate in the UK –
In first place, the winner of Move, Store & More’s best day to move is – Monday. And here are some bullet points which formed the decision:
- You can use Sunday as a day off to prepare.
- Quiet periods might warrant a discount.
- Likely to book easily during any month or season.
- Lots of time for bank transfers and final payments.
A valiant effort for second place goes to – Wednesday.
- Still plenty of time to sort financials.
- Typically the best day for midweek discounts.
- You’re almost guaranteed to get this booking.
Lastly, in third place, we have – Saturday.
- A slight disadvantage of being second most popular.
- It gives you the weekend to move in and settle.
- You’ll need to have your financials in order.
What Month is the Cheapest to Move?
As you’ll probably notice, our main metrics are popularity, cost, and availability, with a strong consideration for potential issues. However, this might be how we’re calculating our final opinion, but we’re still basing this on questions and queries people enter into Google. And finding good value for money is high on everyone’s priority list.
From personal experience, it’s something I factored in before organising and booking a removals job. I can’t say this always guarantees a stress-free relocation. This point requires the complete attention of its own article. Watch this space for this soon, as it’s a critical topic to cover in more detail.
Unfortunately, while this is a popular search term, there isn’t enough consistent data for what month is cheapest to move. That’s likely because removals companies don’t charge a premium for their busiest periods. Instead, they reduce or add discounts for quieter days if and when people inquire. This is done outside of any specific deal and is solely at the discretion of the mover in question.
While this isn’t a peer-reviewed conclusion, it would be worth considering the potential for winter discounts. Referring back to Compare’s article, the winter months are the least popular for moving. Couple this with The Advisory’s advice, which awards December and January with the worst months to sell. However, to find a cost-effective relocation without having to battle with other consumers, you’re probably going to find value for your pound during these months.
There isn’t enough data to give a proper conclusion, so we’ll pencil in January as the winner for the cheapest month to move by default.
Renters – Please Be Mindful of Your Final Lease Day –
This one’s less analytical because it contains no data or evaluation from external sources. I’m basing this on personal experience, and I have plenty of disastrous relocations to make me an expert in this field. You might sense a theme for the upcoming blog on booking a relocation based on a lean budget.
Most online articles discuss moving dates with homeowners in mind, yet the UK has millions of renters. Presently, the figure is between 18% – 20%, but this is predicted to continue rising, especially with a higher demand for housing than the current supply. And due to the pandemic, likely, this won’t change soon.
I’m highlighting a section specifically for renters because I’ve predominantly been one, and I’m still saving for my first deposit. Additionally, there’s something that goes by the wayside when moving. Your final lease day might land on an awkward day of the week. Plan ahead and discuss with your landlord in case you run over by a few days.
Ideally, you’ll want to try and give yourself a couple of days to prepare for your move. Self storage is worth considering, especially if your deposit is significant. You can clear everything out, undertake minor repairs, and organise a deep clean. This article goes into detail about getting your full rental deposit back, and we’ll also cover it in the near future.
How Do I Find a Good Removals Company?
As I mentioned earlier, we’re in the process of compiling a directory of removals and storage companies. If you’re the owner of a removals company, you can complete this form, and we’ll add you. The list will include a physical address, contact details, website, and any reviews from Google Live and Trustpilot.
Oli and I have worked in the removals and storage industry for many years, but we won’t base the directory on privilege or previous ties. It will be in alphabetical order and location basis. You’ll be able to cross-reference against your area and then research previous customer ratings and reviews.
We’ll also include review platforms like Trustpilot and similar websites. The idea is to give you an opportunity to find the right removals company. We’re still in the process of researching affiliate programs. And at the time of writing this, we aren’t in the position to provide recommendations or referrals. However, if you’re struggling with finding a removals company, contact us, and we’ll assist.
Move, Store & More – Giving You a Helping Hand When Moving Home –
A quick recap:
Best Moving Day = Monday
Value for Money Month – January
This website’s primary purpose is to inform and help people and businesses about various aspects of relocating. We want people to find the answers they’re looking for while also adding some tips and knowledge on related subjects. Every article we publish will provide our readers with the necessary understanding of what goes into an effective relocation.
There are lots of common mistakes, and most of them are preventable. I’ve certainly made many and would prefer to help others avoid them. Life is one big learning curve, and we’re here to make it a little less stressful when relocating.
Contact us today if you would like to discuss this article. We’d love to hear from you in the comments section or on social media. Please feel free to submit any topic requests, and we’ll see if we can add your idea to our slate of future subjects.