Moving house in a heatwave? How to keep your belongings safe in the heat

Can you move house in a heatwave?

Yes, you can move house in a heatwave, but we plan it around exposure time. Sensitive items need less time in hot rooms, stairwells, direct sun, pavements, cars and the van. The safest approach is to sort them before loading, then control what travels with you.

If your completion date, tenancy handover or lift booking is fixed, hot weather rarely gives you much room to change the day. A good hot weather house move is therefore about order and access. We want fewer belongings waiting in the wrong place, especially if the van cannot park close to the entrance.

Weather terms can add confusion here. The Met Office treats a heatwave, an Extreme Heat Warning and a UK Health Security Agency Heat-Health Alert as different things, so we do not use them as though they all mean the same event. For your move, the practical question stays simple: which items need shade, short waiting times or a place in your own car?

Personal safety still matters. Water, breaks, suitable footwear and keeping children or pets away from the hottest parts of the move all make the day run better. For belongings, the next job is to separate the items that need special handling from the boxes that can move in the normal order.

Belongings most at risk in hot weather

Heat-sensitive items need different handling because they do not all fail in the same way. Some need to stay with you, some need to be loaded late and brought off early, and some are fine on the van if they are packed properly and kept out of direct sun.

Medicines sit in the highest priority group. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency says most medicines need to be stored below 25°C, and heat can affect how well they work. The leaflet that comes with your medicine is the first thing to check, and a pharmacist is the right person to ask if you are unsure.

Electronics also need a bit of care. Apple Support says iPhone and iPad devices are made for use where the surrounding temperature is between 0°C and 35°C, so we avoid treating every device as though it has the same heat limit. Manufacturer guidance matters, especially for phones, tablets, laptops and battery-powered items.

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Sorting items this way keeps the move simple. We are not trying to turn every box into a special case; we are giving the sensitive items a shorter and better controlled route from old home to new home.

Preparation before the removals team arrives

The easiest time to protect heat-sensitive items is before the van is being loaded. Once the crew is moving furniture, opening doors and dealing with keys, you do not want to be searching for medicine bags, chargers or candles in an unmarked pile.

Use this order the day before and on the morning of the move:

• Set aside the carry-with-you items. Put medicines, medical devices, passports, tenancy or completion paperwork, phones, chargers and small electronics in one place. Keep that bag with you, not beside the boxes waiting for loading.
• Mark the load-last boxes clearly. Candles, cosmetics, plants, selected electronics and artwork need a label that a mover can see without opening the box. A large note on the top and one side works better than a small sticker.
• Use cool bags where they make sense. Food and some medicine-related items need separate thought, but do not assume one cool bag solves every heat issue. Follow the medicine leaflet where it gives storage instructions.
• Tell us early about anything heat-sensitive. At GT Removals, we prefer to know this during the quote or video survey, because loading order is easier to plan before moving day than halfway through it.
• Prepare the new home for fast placement. If you can, make space for medicines, electronics, plants and food before the van arrives. Curtains, airflow and a clear route to the kitchen or a shaded room reduce waiting at the door.

On a London move, this preparation matters because access can change the timing. A suspended bay can still leave a carry from the entrance, a concierge booking can create a tight window, and a flat move without a lift slows the trip from room to van. Clear labels keep priority items visible and easy to reach.

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Put medicines, documents, chargers, and any small electronics into one bag and keep it with you from the moment loading starts. That avoids the risk of heat exposure while the van is being arranged.

Gloria Tyman Removing and Relocation Expert

Loading and transport control on the day

A flat move can look simple on paper, then become slower because the van is across the road, the lift is shared, or the building team allows access through one door only. In hot weather, every extra pause matters because boxes can sit in a warm hallway, on a pavement or inside the van for longer than planned.

Careful handling reduces heat exposure. It does not mean rushing the move. Rushing leads to dropped corners, missed labels and furniture being stacked in the wrong order. The better approach is to keep the path organised so sensitive boxes travel through it with fewer pauses.

For a summer house move in London, we look at three things first: where the van can wait, where boxes can be held before loading, and which items must come off early at the new address. If the parking bay is not close, heat-sensitive boxes should not be the first things carried down and then left beside the kerb while larger furniture is being arranged.

At GT Removals, we use our own employed, trained team, so the same briefing can carry through the job. If a box is marked for load-last and unload-first handling, the crew can keep it visible rather than burying it behind standard boxes. That matters when the new home has timed access, narrow stairs or a lift queue.

Insurance has its place, but it is not the plan. We carry £30,000 goods in transit insurance, which covers belongings while they are being moved on the van, yet the better result comes from avoiding heat exposure in the first place. A labelled candle box kept out of sun is better than a claim form after the day has gone wrong.

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Label boxes that need to travel last with large writing on the top and one side. Clear labels help the team spot candles, cosmetics, plants, and artwork quickly when access is tight.

Byron Shaw Moving Specialist

Arrival priorities after a hot weather move

What needs attention first once the door opens at the new home? Start with the items that suffer from being left boxed in heat after the move is technically finished.

Medicines and medical devices come first. If any medicine has changed colour, developed an unusual smell, changed texture or looks different, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency advises asking a pharmacist for advice. Keep these items away from sunny windowsills and warm rooms while you settle in.

Electronics deserve a pause before use if they feel warm from the move. Check the maker’s guidance for your device before charging or switching on anything that has been sitting in heat, especially battery items. Small devices that travelled with you are easier to manage because you know where they have been.

Plants, candles, cosmetics and food should be dealt with early as well. Take plants out of tight packaging and move them away from direct sun. Check wax items and toiletries before putting them into cupboards, and make a careful decision on chilled or frozen food rather than leaving it in a box while you deal with furniture.

Hot-weather planning is becoming a normal part of summer moving, especially for London homes with timed access, flats and parking limits, so the best plans will build heat handling into the move from the start.

Questions we get asked about moving in hot weather

Should I use a cool bag during a summer house move?

A cool bag is useful for food and some items you are carrying yourself, but it is not a blanket answer for every heat-sensitive item. Medicines need to follow the storage instructions in their patient information leaflet.

Can candles go in the removal van in hot weather?

Candles can go in the van if they are packed upright, kept away from direct sun and loaded late where possible. Mark the box clearly so it does not sit outside or get buried under standard boxes.

Should I tell the removals crew about medicines?

Yes, you should tell the crew that medicines are travelling with you and must not be loaded by mistake. Keep them in a separate bag that stays under your control throughout the move.

Can houseplants travel with the rest of my belongings?

Houseplants can travel with the move if they are shaded, lightly packed and not left waiting in hot sealed spaces longer than needed. Unpack them early at the new home and keep them away from direct sun.

What paperwork should stay with me on a hot moving day?

Keep completion papers, tenancy documents, passports, medicine information and key contact details with you. A small document folder is easier to protect than a box that gets mixed into the van load.

This is general information, not medical advice.