The Best Time of Year to Move

Key Takeaways

• June was the busiest month for moves in the Census Bureau’s 2009 report, at about 11%, with March among the quietest at about 7%. A later working paper on the same survey found August ahead for 2021–2023, at about 11%, with June near 10%, March near 9%, and January and February quietest, under 6% each.
• Published figures for seasonal savings run from under 4% to 30%, so ask whether a mover’s hourly rate changes by month. LIOO Moving’s does not.
• Gwinnett County families get about ten weeks between school years, because school there starts in early August.
• A 5-hour move bills the same at LIOO on a Saturday as on a Wednesday. Only a job under 3 hours costs more on a weekend.

Peak vs. off-peak season

Moves bunch in summer. In the Census Bureau’s 2009 Seasonality of Moves report, June took about 11% of moves nationally and August about 10%. The June-through-August share rose with distance, from 29% of moves within a county to 33% of moves between states (2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation). A working paper using later rounds of the same survey finds the calendar has shifted since 2021, with June and July losing share to March and April. Its 2021–2023 figures put August first at 11.3%, June at 9.7% and March at 8.9%.

• Summer (May–September) is peak. School's out and leases end, so calendars fill early. It is also the hottest stretch: Atlanta averages 16 days at 90°F or above in July and 14 in August (NOAA normals, 1991–2020).
• Late fall and winter are off-peak. October through February is quieter, so your preferred date and arrival window are easier to get. With LIOO that is the whole advantage: the published rate card doesn't change by season. The trade-offs are shorter days and the odd winter storm; January averages about 13 nights at or below freezing and an inch of snow.

Is it actually cheaper to move in winter?

Moving in winter is cheaper only if your mover changes its price by season, and published figures disagree on how much that is worth. SpareFoot advertises savings of 20–30% from timing, and MYMOVE says rates can be up to 30% lower off-peak. Lugg, reporting on more than a million local moves, puts the gap between its cheapest and priciest months at under 4%. These are company figures, not government data.

Ask each mover whether its hourly rate changes by month. LIOO’s does not. Georgia’s Maximum Rate Tariff No. 7 has no seasonal column for hourly moves inside the state, but it does set a higher overtime ceiling. Under Georgia DPS Rule 570-38-3-.07 overtime covers weekends, five holidays and weekday hours outside 8 AM to 5 PM, so ask about those too.

Best day of the week and month

• Mid-week beats the end of the week. Friday and Saturday were the two busiest days in Lugg’s data, and Thursday the quietest.
• Mid-month beats month-end. The last weekend of the month is the single busiest window because most leases start and end then. Mid-month dates are calmer.
• Combine them. A mid-month weekday in the off-season is the sweet spot for availability.

Lugg’s data on local moves also shows the last three days of a month running about 16% busier than a mid-month day.

What a weekday actually saves with LIOO

LIOO works 24/7 and charges the same hourly rate on a Saturday night as on a Tuesday morning, holidays included. The calendar only moves the minimum charge: 2.5 hours Monday through Friday, 3 hours on Saturday, Sunday or any same-day booking. A job 25 miles or more from downtown Atlanta has the 3-hour minimum whatever the day.

So the weekday saving exists only for a job that would finish in under 3 hours. A move that runs 5 hours bills the same 5 hours on a Saturday as on a Wednesday. For a larger home, pick the day for availability and the morning start, not for price.

Weather in metro Atlanta

NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for Hartsfield-Jackson put numbers on the seasons. October is the driest month (3.28 inches of rain, about 4 days with a tenth of an inch or more). June and July bring the most rainy days (7.5 each on average), and July and August the most 90-degree afternoons.

For a summer date, book the morning arrival window (8–10 AM) so the heaviest carrying happens before the afternoon heat; the other windows are midday (11 AM–1 PM) and afternoon (2–4 PM), and dispatch confirms your arrival time on the day before the move. Spring brings heavy pollen, and in winter a storm can close roads. Under LIOO's terms, weather can delay or reschedule a move and time worked is still billed, so keep a back-up date in mind for January and February.

When to book

Month-end dates need the most notice: LIOO asks for 2–3 weeks on those, against about one week for a date in the middle of the month. For anything less than 72 hours away, including a same-day job, call to book. Reserving takes a deposit of 25% of the estimate, which comes off the final invoice; after an online reservation, that deposit can't be refunded once the move is within 72 hours. Changing the date later may be subject to a reservation change fee, so reserve once the date is firm.

Weighing the trade-offs

Timing isn't the only factor — school calendars, job start dates, and lease terms often decide when you move, and that's fine. If your dates are fixed in peak season, just book early and start your day early. If you're flexible, a mid-month, mid-week, off-season date makes booking easier; with LIOO it lowers the bill only when a short job would otherwise hit the 3-hour weekend minimum. The hours themselves (inventory, stairs, the distance between addresses) decide most of the cost. See our metro-Atlanta moving cost guide for the full price picture.

When should families move in metro Atlanta?

School calendars can leave metro Atlanta families a shorter summer than national guides assume. Gwinnett County Public Schools’ 2026–27 calendar runs from August 5 to May 26, which leaves about ten weeks between school years, not a Memorial Day to Labor Day summer. A mid-June date misses the month-end rush and July’s heat: June averages 10 days at 90°F or above, against 16 in July. School calendars differ by district, so check yours.

Best time to move FAQ

Sources

• NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, monthly, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (USW00013874)
• U.S. Census Bureau, The Seasonality of Moves: 2009
• From Summer to Spring: A Shift in US Housing Market Seasonality (working paper)
• Georgia DPS Maximum Rate Tariff No. 7
• Gwinnett County Public Schools 2026–27 Student Calendar
• Lugg, When is the best time to move?
• LIOO Moving Terms of Service: deposits (§9), arrival windows (§14), reservation changes (§15), weather (§32)

Keep reading