Imagine having to live in Texas all through your life but suddenly needing to move to Poland because your education or job demands so. More than the thought of missing your friends and family, the scariest thing that is sure to cross your mind is the weather. Provided its moderate climate, temperatures in Poland can be quite hot during the summers, but they can go below freezing with heavy snowfall. Therefore, if you have recently moved to an extremely cold place, there are a few things you should keep in mind before you think of packing your things and making your way back home.
Things to know and plan when moving to a cold climate
When you have recently moved to a cold country for the first time, the very idea of ice and snow may be enough to give you the chills. However, you might be forgetting slippery roads, howling blizzards, frostbites, and questions about what to pack, how to protect your vehicle, and how to avoid pipes freezing. These instances are scary, but it isn’t all bad, especially if you have insurance to back you up!
Cold climates have several benefits as well such as fewer allergies, better sleep, fun outdoor activities, and even more. Before moving on, to talk about how to organize your move in advance and prepare everything appropriately, you must learn how this transition can be beneficial in many aspects. Cold weather has scientific advantages that can drastically improve your overall health by:
- Boosting your brain function
- Helping with lower inflammation
- Reduce skin allergies
- More calorie burn
- Reduced risk of diseases
- Help you sleep better
- Lower the risk of infections
To successfully enjoy these benefits and overcome the cold climate challenges, here’s what you should know for quickly adapting to a new environment.
1. Ensure advance and appropriate organization of your movement
Now that you are aware of the advantages, you must wonder how to organize your move and manage the new lifestyle change smoothly. If you think it won’t be easy because these locations generally require movers to prepare more than moving to somewhere warm, you are right! Don’t worry because the bigger the efforts, the better the success. You can start by jotting down a substantial relocation to-do list. This risk will significantly reduce your tension and anxiety. Once you make a plan in advance, your stay and activity can be in control.
Firstly you will need to go through the beginner’s aspects of the entire process- packing suitable clothing for you and your family, including your pets, planning your relocation possessions, taking care of your vehicle. Secondly, a few other things that you will also need to handle is organizing your vital documents considering house insurance, professional moving services, etc.
2. Pack warm clothes and shoes or go shopping if you don’t have any
Relocation essentials are the most important thing to start with right after planning your entire movement. This entails learning how to pack your clothes, that is, taking warm and fluffy pieces that will keep you comfortable and warm at freezing temperatures. You need to consider that chunky clothes can take up a lot of space in your suitcase.
So, as a pro tip, pack them in ranger roles, or use creative storage ideas such as vacuum bags to reduce their size. These are a great way to know what you should be keeping and getting rid of. Pack or buy shoes that will keep you comfortable and warm besides ensuring that they are slippery or give you frostbite when you wear them.
3. Ensure the safety of your vehicle and prepare it for the harsh weather
Besides taking care of yourself and your family, you must not forget to prepare your vehicle for the cold climate. As much as you are susceptible to facing difficulties in a cold country, your car also needs the right to overcome the weather conditions. Moreover, you will be requiring a vehicle in a cold country more than ever. This requirement is why you mustn’t take it for granted.
To ensure that your vehicle runs smoothly in cold weather, you will need antifreeze to prevent your radiator from freezing, thinner oil, snow tires, and more. Apart from these, as part of your relocation budget, you must consider the following things for your vehicle:
- Installing winter blades in place of wiper blades,
- Installing winter wires,
- Doing a prior maintenance check,
- Keeping an emergency survival kit,
- Keeping a full gas tank.
4. Don’t forget to winterize your new home in a cold country
Curiosity indeed kills the cat, but for people relocating to cold countries, it is what saves them. If you are curious about knowing the things to do after relocation, get this one vital thing on your to-do relocation list. If you have already put effort into learning house hunting tips in colder climates, you must also think about how to prepare it.
For beginners, even if the home you have bought or rented is supposedly in a good condition, you will probably still have to go the extra mile and ensure everything is prepared for extremely cold temperatures. You must:
- Check for water heaters for cold climates,
- Seal any existing and visible cracks,
- Protect the pipes from freezing,
- Install gutter guards for proper insulation,
- Servicing the chimneys, boilers, and furnaces,
- Clearing sideways and driveways,
- Installing smoke detectors.
Remember this!
Frozen pipes in winter conditions are a homeowner’s worst nightmare. It can not only lead to cracking and bursting but can cause significant damage to the entire house. Therefore, look out for home insurance policies for colder climates that cover damage caused by frozen pipes. Usually, such damages will qualify as sudden and accidental and will cover the cost to repair and restore based on the extent of the damage.
What more?
Now that you know all the relocation hacks and the common mistakes that you can avoid, it’s time to get started with packing. Although winters might seem tedious, you will have a fun time exploring a country where there are fewer bugs and more fun outdoor activities. Be it Poland or Montana, if you want an efficient relocation experience and priceless memories, you must plan these four essential things before moving.
Michael Davis is a heating & plumbing expert who currently works as independent contractor in SC. He also writes for Plumbertip.
For almost 10 years he worked on various plumbing tasks across South Carolina.
