Creating A Moving Plan

If you're moving across town in the near future, you may be tempted to forget about using a temperature-controlled moving van because, after all, you'll only be going a short distance. Because most people tend to move during summer, seasonal heat is usually a part of the picture. Even short exposures to high temperatures can ruin items in transport, and, in the event that the move takes longer than expected due to traffic conditions or mechanical difficulties, your items could end up being exposed to heat for even longer periods of time. Non-air conditioned moving van interiors can easily reach well over 120 degrees on warm days.

Following are just five of the many things can be ruined during a move across town if temperatures are warm. 

Wine

It doesn't take much exposure to heat at all to ruin your wine collection. Wine literally starts to cook if it's exposed to temperatures of over 70 degrees Fahrenheit for any length of time, and a sunny afternoon in the trunk of your car or the back of a truck will render your wine undrinkable. Be especially careful with the older wines in your collection, as they'll be most vulnerable to heat spoilage. The best option for moving these even short distances is a temperature controlled moving van manned by professionals. The second best choice to pack your wine in ice and transport it in your own car, making sure to move it indoors quickly upon your arrival at your new place rather than allowing it to languish. Interior temperatures heat up quickly in cars when it's warm outs

Fragrance

Exposure to high temperatures can not only make your fragrances appear cloudy, it can alter its top notes to the extent that they impart an unpleasant aroma, and, in some cases, the top notes may disappear altogether. Your favorite colognes, splashes, and perfumes may also develop a musty smell as a result of too much exposure to heat. 

Cosmetics

Cosmetics of all kinds may also be adversely affected if they are exposed to high temperatures in the moving process. Skin care products such as creams and lotions designed to cleanse, moisturize, or protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun's UV rays may become damaged in ways that causes them to lose their effectiveness. Heat may also deactivate the preservatives contained in some cosmetic formulas, causing the products to go bad much more quickly. Too much exposure to heat can also cause microbial growth in certain types of products such as shampoo that contain a great deal of water, and this can result in bacterial infections. Products such as foundation that contain combinations of water and oil will separate when exposed to heat, and and powder may develop clumps in the heat. 

Plants

Most houseplants are extremely vulnerable to exposure to high heat -- even a half hour in an hot moving van can kill many species. Play it safe and either transport them in your car or request a temperature-controlled van from your moving company. 

Food

It's a no-brainer that you shouldn't put perishable food items in a hot vehicle and expect them to retain their freshness and quality even for a short move across town, but heat can also ruin many foods that are otherwise shelf-stable. Canned goods, for instance, are never safe to eat after they have been exposed to temperatures of 100 degrees or more, and items such as puddings and applesauce in individual plastic containers will simply melt and become inedible. 

Please feel free to contact your local moving company at your earliest convenience if you have more questions on the best way to handle an across-town move to ensure that your belongings aren't damaged in transit.