If you're like most people, you are planning your move for a day you won't have to work, perhaps a weekend. You might save yourself a lot of headaches and time, though, if you can arrange another time to move.

Best days to move

Friday through Sunday, especially at the end of the month, and especially in the summer, are insanely busy for moving companies. Jobs running overtime can cause moves to run overtime. A single mover out sick can snowball and mean late nights for everyone. That doesn't mean that a weekend move will be a disaster, far from it. It simply means that if there's a choice, moving during the week might enable you to relax a bit more.

If you need to move on a weekend, try to schedule it in the middle of the month. Renters typically have to move at the end of the month, but homeowners often have a choice.

Best months to move

You will find that it's easier to book a weekend move during the off-season, which is before Memorial Day and after Labor Day. Families typically schedule their moves in between school years.

If you don't have school-aged children, schedule your move between September and May. In some cases, you could even get a better price, especially on long-distance moves.

The bigger benefit in moving during the off-season is that it's off-season for home sales. According to studies, the best time to save money on buying a home is during August and September. Sellers are far more likely to list their homes during the summer.

The analysis of 25 major metros showed that there are more homes for sale at the end of the summer than at any other time of the year, giving buyers more selections and more wiggle room to negotiate prices. Source: Inman

If a home doesn't sell during the busy time, though, sellers (even in the Bay Area) may feel forced to drop the asking price.

For many people, moving during the off-season simply isn't an option and that's okay. Arrange your move as early as possible, and if it's possible to be flexible on the time of day, all the better. Don't be one of the hundreds of people calling on a Friday at the end of June, hoping to arrange a move for the weekend.

Featured image via Nicolas Huk/Flickr.