It’s. So. Hot. Your sweat hisses when it hits the sidewalk in the heat of the summer. Pigeons lay in the shade at the parks. You’re pretty sure you just saw a cockroach wearing a straw hat, sunglasses, and a Hawaiian t-shirt carrying a miniature suitcase down into the sewers. Okay, that last bit may have been a heat-induced hallucination. But then again, it’s New York City. Anything could happen. And the worst part of it all? You’re moving when it’s this hot. All the hot tips on the internet tell you moving in the summer is a bad idea. But here you are..

It’s enough to make a perfectly grown adult throw a temper tantrum, but that would involve way too much flailing around for these kinds of conditions. It’s an especially bad idea if your apartment has hardwood floors instead of carpets.

So here are a few tips from the Roomi team to stay cool when you find yourself moving when it’s hot.

Timing is everything when you’re moving when it’s hot

An old bit of advice that still holds true today. And probably forever. Schedule moving for early in the morning or late in the evening when the heat is at its least miserable. If you have a choice between the two, always do it early.

Yes, getting up early is a giant pain in the butt. But moving day almost never goes as planned. If things go awry, but you got an early start, you’ll have more time to fix it. Also, the hottest point in the day is typically 3 pm, not noon. So you’ve got more cool hours to work with early in the morning that don’t involve stumbling around narrow metal staircases in the dark. Farmers get up at the crack of dawn for a good reason, as it turns out.

Hydration is key if you’re moving when it’s hot

One of the best tips we can give you for moving in the heat of the summer is this: hydration is extremely important. There are a lot of different opinions on how much water you should drink in a day. There isn’t a hard and fast rule that everyone can agree on. But according to this popular article, the fluid intake for guys is about 3 liters per day and gals is around 2.2 liters per day. The word fluid didn’t slip in by accident. Lots of beverages contain water and can count towards your hydration efforts. But keep in mind that moving is tough, sweaty work and you’re doing it in conditions that would make a camel wince. So it’s a good idea to drink extra beverages if you’re moving when it’s hot.

And by the way, slamming a six pack of Bud Light then wrestling a couch up a flight of stairs is so not a good idea. So don’t let anyone on your moving team get too crazy with their interpretation of “beverages.”

Use utilities to your advantage.

Wherever you’re moving to, have the utilities turned on and ready to go before you get there. If you’ve got an AC at the new place, the apartment can be cool as you move in. You might be tempted to save some money and turn off the utilities at your current residence on move out day. Understandable. But if you can keep them going for one more day, you can run the AC at your place while you pack. Even if you don’t have AC, you can run fans. And more importantly, the fridge (you’re fridge will be your life saver if you’re moving when it’s hot). Which brings us to our final piece of advice.

Cool, damp towels are your new best friend.

A cold, damp towel that’s been hanging out in the fridge can feel like pure ecstasy after a long day of moving when it’s hot. Maybe you can even stick it under a hat, so it covers your head and hangs down over the back of your neck through the day. If you don’t have power to the fridge, then cool water will still work wonders.

D’you know what else Roomi does outside of helping its readers with tips for moving in the heat of the summer? With our ever-increasing lists of rooms and roommates across the world, we help you find your perfect match! Download the app here and hop on the easiest ride home, ever!