How to Move House On A Rainy Or Snowy Day

The universe is working in your favor (for the upcoming move). Everybody at home collaborates to achieve the objective, and all is functioning as planned... Everything except for one “little” detail: the weather!

According to the forecast, it's going to rain and snow on the week when you are planning to move. But don't panic... Even if the situation is far from ideal, there are great tips to help you accomplish the task and protect your belongings during bad weather.

A. Get Prepared

• Be sure to wear appropriate clothes such as a rain jacket, non-slip boots or shoes, gloves and a beanie to keep you warm and dry, and to prevent accidents.
• Cover your wood floors, carpets and tiles with cardboard pieces, tarp or with old rugs, to prevent falls and to protect the floors.
• Before you start working, remove the leaves from the areas around the moving truck or van – since they get extremely slippery when wet.
• If it has been snowing, make sure to clear of snow and ice all the paths, sidewalks and steps before loading your items into the truck.
• Place a microfiber rug at the entrance to catch mud from dirty shoes.
• If you are renting a moving van or truck, be sure it doesn't have leaks.
• In case you find a small leak, seal it with duct tape. Use plastic wrap and duct tape to make a patch for larger leaks.

B. Moving in the rain

In general, cardboard boxes are very durable (even more than they look). The items inside of them will survive without a problem, as long as you seal the boxes with plenty of tape. Pay closer attention to the boxes with books and important documents inside. Try not to use boxes from supermarkets, liquor stores and other retailers, since they might get damaged with the contact of rain or snow.

Industrial plastic covers, mattress pads, and other protective materials are available in the market, but like we said previously, you can use household items such as bed sheets, blankets, tarpaulin, trash bags, and other similar materials to protect your belongings.

In case you are moving during heavy rain follow these directions:

• Cover the boxes with a plastic tarp or with tarpaulin, and make sure to hold the boxes from the bottom for major support. After loading the boxes into the moving van or truck, remove the wet tarps right away.
• Cover the furniture with heavy blankets, sheets or moving pads.
• Wrap your paintings and artwork with plastic wrap (this will prevent the rain from getting into the orifices in the frame).
• Transport loose clothes and linens in large-sized trash bags (or garden bags).
• In order to work faster and more efficiently, set up an assembly line: ask some helpers to stand inside of the house so they can hand boxes and furniture to the helpers who are outside (loading the truck). That way, the floors and carpets will stay dry and clean.

C. Moving in the snow

Follow all the tips that we've mentioned above, they are equally useful when you are moving in a snowy day. But also, make sure to clear of snow and ice all the paths, sidewalks and steps before moving your items into the truck, and when you unload the vehicle in your new location. This is particularly important to prevent accidents.

Also, check if the roads and streets are clear of snow, and if they are open to traffic before driving to your new place.

Consider the condition of the roads, if you are driving the moving truck or van to your new destination. Drive carefully and reduce your speed.

Stay inside of the house and wait until the storm is over – in case of experiencing a blizzard or heavy rain with thunder.

If you don't want to handle the project by yourself – when the bad weather strikes – we will fight the rain and the snow for you!

Please give us a call and we'll give you the personal assistance you deserve.