In the ideal world, we would wait until the weather was perfect to move. But, in reality, most of us are on a strict deadline for moving and can’t postpone moving day because of bad weather. Whether you are dealing with rain or snow, here is some advice for safely moving.
Dress Appropriately
Even if the weather report predicts sunshine, you should still have a rain jacket packed in your “survival box” of items to get you through the first few days of the move. Otherwise, you will be driving to your new place in dripping wet clothing.
No matter what the weather is like, you will want to make sure you have appropriate footwear. Sandals, flip flops, or any open-toed shoes are NOT appropriate for moving day! Ideally, you should wear steel-toed boots. At the very least, have on sneakers with good traction.
It is also a good idea to wear a brimmed hat on moving day. The brim will protect your eyes from glare on sunny days. On rainy or snowy days, the brim will keep water from getting into your eyes – which could be a recipe for disaster while trying to carry heavy boxes.
Protect Your Home
Don’t leave a muddy, slushy, wet mess for the next tenants to clean up! Instead, protect your home’s floors by putting old blankets or towels down on the floor. You can also break down cardboard boxes and use these to line the floor.
A good moving company will know how to keep your home safe from their dirty shoes. They might even set up an assembly line, with some movers working inside while the others remain outside to minimalism the need to go in and out.
Keep the Driveway and Walkway Clear
It is your responsibility to make sure the walkway is clear on moving day. If you live somewhere warm like California or Texas, then you probably haven’t had to worry about snow or sleet in your lifetime. But, if you are moving to somewhere colder during the winter months, don’t forget that the walkway might be covered with snow and ice! Unless you plan on going to the new home before the movers arrive and clearing the walkway yourself, you will probably want to call a snow removal service and arrange for them to have the driveway and walkway cleared for you.
Don’t forget that wet leafs can create a safety hazard! Ideally, you swept your walkway before moving day as it is a lot easier to clear dry leafs than wet ones.
Protecting Your Belongings in Inclement Weather
Hopefully you did a good job of packing your belongings, using quality new boxes which were shut with packing tape. If so, then they can probably handle getting a bit wet.
It is wooden items and electronics which are most susceptible to damage when moving in rain or snow. A good moving company will wrap your furniture for you to protect it from getting wet. They can also wrap your mattress and other items which might get damaged by water. If you are trying to move yourself, then you will want to buy some moving shrink wrap or large plastic bags to wrap your belongings.
Don’t Move During Lightening!
Regardless of how tight your schedule is for moving, don’t try to move during an electrical storm (lightening). You will be safe from lightening inside your home. However, moving metal items like electronics into a metal truck during a storm is a recipe for disaster!
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