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Published on Jan 10, 2021
•6 min read
By Jessica Parker,Staff Writer
Moving house can be stressful. The last thing you need? Moving day rain!
If the weather forecast is telling you you’re likely to be moving in the rain, there are pro tips that can help. These pointers will help to keep you safe. They’ll also help you to keep your precious items in pristine condition.
Let’s get to grips with 6 pro tips for moving in the rain.
As we’re only too well aware, moving in the rain adds another layer of danger to an already risky business.
Most of us are not used to carrying heavy or large items, such as furniture. If the ground is slick with rain, it’s much easier to slip and injure ourselves.
Safely moving in the rain starts with choosing the right footwear. Don’t wear anything with a worn-out or non-grippy sole. Choose your sturdiest, most grippy footwear, and bring a spare pair in case they get wet.
Also, protect yourself from the rain with a good raincoat. It might get hot, but at least you’ll be protected from the elements.
You’ll probably need both hands to carry things in and out of the house, so an umbrella may not be practical. Baseball caps and other types of hats can offer some protection. It’s also a good idea to take a change of clothes, as it’s pretty miserable working in soaking clothes.
Speaking of hands, get yourself a couple of pairs of grippy gloves as well. You’re much more likely to drop things with wet hands. Grippy gloves will help you to keep a tight hold of your family heirlooms.
When thinking about how to move in the rain, you need to think of protecting both houses. Hallways are high-traffic areas on moving day and could get trashed by wet, muddy boots moving in and out.
If you have shiny hardwoods or tile floors, these can also become super slippery when wet.
Consider covering high-traffic areas with cardboard before you begin. A tarpaulin or other plastic cover will probably be too slippery. But cardboard laid flat and taped together can provide some grippy protection.
As it gets wet, add another layer on top. This will help to protect your floor finishes and keep both sides happy.
Something as simple as a welcome mat can also help. As people helping with the move to wipe their feet as they enter each time. It’s a pain, but it’ll keep the place as clean as possible.
Do you have several buddies helping you out on moving day? Are some of them willing to get wet? If so, one of the best tips for moving in the rain is to have two crews.
Keep one crew indoors in the dry, and the other outdoors. This will prevent the outdoor crew from bringing rain and dirt into either house.
The indoor crew can wipe down any rain that has accumulated on items coming to the house. This means that there’s zero chance of spraying the new house with dirty rainwater.
It’s also safer. When people are moving between wet and dry surfaces, slips and trips are more likely to occur.
It’s tempting to pack all your belongings into neat cardboard boxes. While these are easy to stack, label, and identify, there is one thing they are not – waterproof.
Sure, you’ll get away with cardboard boxes in a light drizzle. But if it’s raining cats and dogs out there, you’ll soon run into problems with cardboard boxes.
The solution? Garbage bags. They are waterproof, and they can help in several ways.
First of all, there are many items that you can simply put into garbage bags to move. Clothes, cushions, drapes, small rugs – all of these and more can be safely transported in garbage bags.
You can also use garbage bags to wrap cardboard boxes and provide a layer of protection. This won’t be perfect, but they’ll be better than going out in their natural form.
For a regular move, heavy moving blankets are where it’s at. They provide a great level of protection to your furniture in the moving truck. The problem is on a rainy day, they’ll just get soaked.
One of the top pro tips for moving in bad weather is to make liberal use of plastic sheeting and covers.
If the rain is really coming down, you need to protect everything with plastic covers. That includes wooden furniture.
It can be tempting to think that varnished or waxed wooden furniture will be OK if it gets slightly wet. It’s true that these finishes provide waterproofing for everyday use. But if you’re moving in bad weather, the rain will damage the wood if you are not careful.
Bubble wrap can also come in useful. Wrapping electricals and small items of furniture in bubble wrap can provide an extra level of protection for them.
Even humble kitchen plastic wrap also has a role to play. Wrap it around art and framed photos to keep them dry.
Trying to move house by yourself is a tricky business. It relies on lots of things to go right. You’ll need lots of support from family and friends, plus you’ll have to drive a moving truck.
Add to that moving in the rain, and the best decision is clear – leave it to the professionals.
Professional movers move people come rain or shine, every day of the week. They’re used to working efficiently and safely and have the necessary equipment already. They even provide packing and unpacking services.
They are also fully trained and insured. They’ll make sure your move goes well come rain or shine.
Moving in the rain is not easy. It takes lots of thought to keep everyone safe, not to mention a lot of plastic!
Many people decide to save money by not hiring movers. But especially if you end up moving in bad weather, this can be a false economy.
At Muscleman Elite, we provide a customer-friendly moving experience. . We can provide everything from mover and trucks to a complete packing and moving service. We take on any job, and there are no hidden charges.
Click here to get an instant quote for your move today!