Timing is your biggest tool
Summer is a busy moving season in the Las Vegas Valley because of school calendars and job start dates, so the coolest morning slots go quickly. Reserve movers as early as you can and ask for a start at sunrise or soon after.
Splitting the move into two half days can help too: pack and load in the morning, unload the next morning. Afternoons are better spent unpacking inside an air-conditioned house.
What heat damages, and how to protect it
The inside of a closed moving truck or storage unit in a Southern Nevada summer can get far hotter than the air outside. Some belongings handle it fine; others warp, melt or fail.
| Belonging | Risk | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Candles and wax items | Melting, sticking to everything nearby | Your car, in a bin |
| Wine and spirits | Spoilage, pushed corks | Your car, or arrange temperature-controlled transport |
| Photos and documents | Curling, sticking together | Carry with you |
| Electronics and batteries | Damage, battery swelling | Your car, out of direct sun |
| Makeup and medications | Melting, reduced effectiveness | Your car, in an insulated bag |
| Vinyl records and artwork | Warping | Your car or first off the truck |
| Pantry food | Spoilage and pests | Use up or donate before moving |
Keep the new house cool and ready
Ask for the utilities to be on a few days before the move, and set the thermostat so the house is already cool when movers arrive. Front doors stay open for hours on moving day, so a pre-cooled house matters.
Wipe shelves and cabinets before the truck arrives; dust settles quickly in a vacant desert home. If you can, place window coverings or temporary shades on west-facing rooms where you will unpack in the afternoon.
Protect people and pets
Heat exhaustion is a real risk on a long moving day. Keep a cooler of water and electrolyte drinks at both houses, offer them to movers and helpers, and schedule short breaks indoors.
Pets do best away from the commotion entirely, whether with a friend, at a boarding facility or shut in a cool quiet room with water. Never leave pets, children, or medications in a parked vehicle, even briefly.
- Cooler with water and ice at each house
- Sunscreen, hats and work gloves
- Box fans for garage and entry areas
- A cool room set aside for pets and kids
Unpack indoors first and save the garage for fall
In summer, focus your energy on the kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms, where the air conditioning keeps working conditions comfortable. Boxes headed for the garage can wait, as long as they hold only heat-tolerant items.
Sorted Spaces runs garage organizing from mid-October through April for this reason, while indoor unpacking happens year round. Read about our move-in unpacking services, the moving to Las Vegas checklist, and the best time to organize a garage in Las Vegas.
