Summer Move to Qatar: How to Do It Right

Qatar is known for its extreme heat and dry air, which makes strenuous activities nearly unbearable. During the summer, the temperatures can even reach 42°C:

We don’t have the power to lower the temperature, but we can at least help you make things a bit easier with some tips on how to prepare for moving to Qatar in the summer!

Moving to Qatar in the summer means you’ll be dealing with plenty of moving boxes, severe heat, and stepping into the unknown. To make these days more manageable, it’s best to hire professional movers to assist you. 

Reliable movers can transport your items safely to your new home, and/or store your belongings in a storage facility if necessary. By the way, Doha has climate-controlled storage facilities available, so check them out if you’re still in-between places. Moves can help you transport your items to these facilities as well. 

If you want help with international relocation, you can check out companies such as Mudinmar, Interem, and Almas Movers International. And, in case you need somebody to help you move boxes in Qatar, you can look into Movers and Packers in Qatar, Doha Moving Service, and E-Movers. You should submit a quote request with your moving specifics for exact pricing. For an estimate, you can check out Movers and Packers' pricing options.  

Put on a hat whenever you’re outside. This will protect you from direct sunlight, and you’ll avoid sunstroke. 

Furthermore, wear light clothes, preferably made of cotton. Your blouse should have long sleeves, and trousers or a skirt should be longer as well. When the heat is blistering, you shouldn’t expose your skin directly to the sun. Also, it’s culturally appropriate to wear items that aren’t too revealing.

The clothes you wear should also be white or any other lighter color, since darker ones absorb more heat. We recommend that you don’t wear tight clothes as well, as looser clothing allows your skin to breathe and you’ll sweat less. 

Finally, it’s wise to wear your old, comfortable sneakers during the relocation, especially if you’ll be the one carrying heavy bags. Avoid wearing heels at any cost, or brand new shoes that you haven’t broken in yet. You don’t want to risk blisters and potential injuries. 

If there’s one thing to keep in mind on your moving day, it would be to drink plenty of water. Always have a bottle next to you, and remind yourself to take a sip whenever you can. You can even download a Water Drink Reminder. Setting an alert sounds silly, we know, but with all the things you’ll have on your mind that day, you may forget the basics.  

Also, due to heat and stress related to moving, people tend to forget to eat properly. Start your moving day with breakfast, and have some healthy snacks like fruits, nuts, or even a small sandwich with you at all times.  

Choose a sunscreen with a high SPF factor, preferably above 30. 

Bear in mind — sunscreens can sometimes cause allergies. Therefore, we recommend you test out a product a few days before your relocation. This way, you can react on time and avoid having a possible allergic reaction on your moving day. 

Whether you decide to hire movers or not, your relocation must take place early in the morning or late in the evening. This is because in Qatar, the morning temperature (around 6 AM, for example) is 29 degrees, which is considerably cooler than 40+ degrees around 2 PM. 

Are you relocating to Qatar with your kids and pets? It would be ideal if you could arrange for a relative or a friend to look after your children and your furry friends until you’ve finished relocating. 

In case you have no other option but to have your kids with you while you’re packing (or unpacking), they should be in the room with air-conditioning, and with plenty of food and water available. You could also create a special box with some crafts, coloring books, and snacks to keep them entertained. During a break, consider going to a play area at a mall or a hotel so they can run around and, hopefully, be sleepy enough to let you finish up your tasks when you get back. 

As for pets, you can book a pet hotel, like the Dragon’s Pet Hotel (it has excellent reviews), and rest assured, your pets will be safe while you’re moving houses.  

Here’s a list of heat-sensitive items that you need to pay special attention to when relocating to Qatar in the summer: 

• Medication,

• Photographs and paintings

• Makeup and skincare products

• Electronic devices (laptops, mobile phones, gaming consoles, etc.)

You should never expose these items directly to the source of heat. You can store medication, makeup, and skincare products in insulated bags, or better yet, in a cooler bag. 

We suggest putting electronic devices and items such as photographs and paintings in insulated containers as well, and away from direct sunlight. 

Once you arrive at your new home, make sure to unpack these items first.

Even if you take all the precautionary measures to combat the Qatari summer heat, you can experience heat exhaustion on your moving day. 

It’s important to recognize the symptoms, which often include: pale skin, extreme sweating, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, headache, dizziness, and even fainting.

If you start experiencing any of these, you need to sit down, relax, drink water, and most importantly, stay in a room or place with air-conditioning, or at least in the shade. In case your condition doesn’t improve within 30 minutes, visit a doctor. 

In Doha, you have a state hospital you can visit without an ID, called Doha Clinic Hospital. You can reach them by calling 999 or +974 4438 4333, and get someone to help you with heat exhaustion. 

Additionally, Qatar is brimming with high-quality private hospitals, such as Naseem Medical Center or American Hospital Clinics. You can check those out before moving day, just so you know what your options are in case of emergency.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully relocated to Qatar during the summer. We know it wasn’t easy for you, and now you deserve some rest. 

But, before you do that, turn the A/C on. Visit all the rooms of your new apartment to check if everything is working and whether there is any damage you need to contact your landlord about. 

For example, check if the lights can be turned on and whether tap water is working. The water heaters in the kitchen and in the bathroom would need inspecting as well. Then, check the beds, flooring, and any other furniture for damage. If you find something suspicious, take a photo for proof and report it to your landlord. 

After that, you should unpack the heat-sensitive items we’ve mentioned earlier. So, electronic devices, medications, and skincare products should be unloaded first. 

Once you've inspected the house and unpacked your valuables, you're free to turn on your favorite music, call your friends and family to let them know you’ve arrived safely, and enjoy the rest of the day!