Scorching temperatures may not be the worst weather conditions you can imagine for your moving day, but they do present a few challenges. When the mercury starts rising, you have to be extra careful that you and your helpers keep yourselves cool and hydrated during your moving efforts. You also need to make sure none of your more sensitive items -- like electronics and cosmetics -- fall prey to the heat and suffer damage. With these five tips for moving during a heat wave, you'll have no trouble achieving these goals.

Put a big box fan in the entryway.

Place a chair on one side of the entryway, and set a big box fan on top of it. Turn it on the highest setting. This way, each time someone passes through the entryway to take something to the truck (or come back inside), they'll get a nice blast of cool air. Those who start to feel overly warm while working outside with the moving truck also have easy access to the fan if they need to take a break.

Alternate between working outside and working inside.

Don't have the same helpers spend all day outside packing the truck and another set of people stay inside packing. Assign everyone to either the outside or the inside, and then alternate every hour. This way, nobody has to stay outside in the scorching heat for more than an hour at a time. Make sure you don't have your electricity turned off before moving day. This way, you can keep the air conditioning on and maintain the home as a cooling-off point.

Fill several coolers with chilled drinks.

If you don't want all of your helpers going in and out of your recently cleaned fridge right before the move, pack chilled drinks in coolers rather than in the fridge. Just go to a nearby gas station for some ice, and set a variety of cold beverages like water, soda, and juice inside the ice-filled coolers. If you want to buy your helpers beer as a "thank you" for assisting in your move, wait until afterwards. It's not a safe idea to be drinking alcoholic beverages when the temperatures are so high and you're exercising (moving). Alcohol dehydrates the body, impairing your ability to sweat and keep you cool.

Pack sensitive items in your (air conditioned) personal vehicle.

The hauling portions of most moving trucks are not air conditioned, and temperatures inside will soap pretty high as the sun beats down on the metal truck. Therefore, you want to avoid packing anything that's heat-sensitive in the moving truck. Set it aside in your air conditioned home, and when you're ready to set off for your new home, bring it into your air conditioned personal vehicle or the air conditioned cab of the moving truck with you. Make these heat-sensitive items the first things you bring into your new home once you arrive, too. Some heat-sensitive items include:

• Electronics
• Cosmetics items (like makeup, shampoo, and hair spray)
• Paints and stains
• Paintings
• Plants
• Medications
• Candles
• Wax crayons
• Musical instruments

Start early in the morning.

The idea of rolling out of bed at 5 am to pack your things into a moving truck may not sound too appealing, but when 2:00 comes and the hot summer sun is beating down on you, you'll be glad you're almost done instead of just beginning. Starting early ensures you get the majority of the work done before the hottest hours of the day. Make sure you have plenty of helpers on hand, and the process should go swiftly. Having plenty of help also makes it easier for helpers to take breaks when they start to feel overheated.

For help with your move, contact a company like Bell Moving & Storage.