Relocating can be a stressful experience, and when you have to do it in the middle of a winter, the stress can be almost unbearable. This is especially true if you have to travel in a cold, blustery snowstorm. I recently moved during one of the most severe winter storms the area had seen in years and the experience was not pleasant.
The night before the move, my family and I packed up most of the items we wanted to bring with us; the boxes were piled high and ready to be loaded. We had anticipated the storm and adjusted our sleeping arrangements accordingly; we made sure to place as much furniture close to the front door as possible. The plan was to start loading the front van with the boxes first, then move the furniture to the back.
The next morning, the storm was huge and were already falling thick and fast. We were already anxious about the journey ahead of us and when we discovered that the roads were already blocked by large mounds of snow, we were even more worried. There seemed to be no way of passing through the snow and if we had attempted to do so, the snow would have buried the truck and its content.
The driver of the moving truck then made the brave decision to wait it out and hope that the snow would pass soon enough to make the journey possible. For the next 20 hours, the storm continued and the forecast showed no signs of improvement. We decided to wait another day, but as the storm worsened, we finally had to admit defeat and admit that the road we had to take was too dangerous to cross.
We then had to make some difficult decisions. We had boxed up most of our possessions, meaning if we had to go back and unload everything, it would mean another day of travel. We also had to make sure the truck was safe and secure so the content would not be damaged during the journey. We eventually decided to hire a snow plow to clear the road and make it safe enough to pass through.
This was not an easy decision, but it was the right one. Thankfully, we were rewarded with a smooth and safe travel. We arrived at our new home a few hours after the storm had passed and were relieved to have made it safely.
Moving during a winter storm was an experience I do not ever wish to repeat. The cold, the snow and the stress made it an unpleasant event. I learned a valuable lesson, however; that something as simple as planning for extreme weather can make a move much easier. I now always plan ahead for bad weather conditions and it has made my life much easier.
