Tips for moving house in the rain

Relocating in the rain is never ideal. However, with the coming of the winter months, rainy days are much more likely, and you might not have a choice. Even if you hire one of the top rated moving companies to help you relocate, you will still need to do your part to ensure that your relocation goes smoothly. Protection is key when moving house in the rain. You will want to protect yourself, your boxes, your furniture, and your home. In this article, we will provide you with seven tips on how to make the entire endeavor much easier than it might initially seem.

Simplifying moving house in the rain

When it comes to moving, preparation is key. When you start making moving plans, you might want to account for the fact that the relocation might need to proceed on a rainy day. This may mean purchasing some additional supplies that you might need. In fact, some of the tips that we are about to give you involve utilizing certain materials. You might have those materials inside your home already, but there is a chance that you will need to acquire them.

With that being said, here are our top tips for moving house in the rain:

1. Wear protective shoes
2. Protect your boxes
3. Protect your furniture
4. Prepare your home
5. Create an assembly line
6. Immediately deal with the moisture
7. Plan some time to “unwind”

If you happen to be moving with children, you might want to ensure that they know what to do when the moving day arrives. If you don’t prepare your children for a move, you might find yourself in an awkward situation where your kids gleefully run around and make a mess out of the entire process. In fact, you might want to share these tips with them, so the entire family is on the same page.

Now, let’s explore why following these tips may be in your best interest.

Choosing the right shoes

When moving in the rain, feel free to forget about your sandals and canvas flats. Even if you feel comfortable in them, there’s a reason why professionals wear sturdy boots when it’s raining. One of the primary risks of moving by yourself is the risk of injury, after all. In that regard, having non-slip, sturdy footwear is quite essential. You will be moving heavy items around, and the presence of rain means that it will be harder to maintain balance on slippery surfaces. Not to mention all the other hazards that moving house in the rain can bring about.

Your sturdy shoes or boots will allow you to go through the entire process in a much more confident manner. If you don’t already have a pair that you can use, it is in your best interest to obtain one before the moving day arrives.

Protecting your boxes from the rain

Unless you are utilizing waterproof boxes (a great idea in its own right), your boxes will require additional protection for rainy conditions. Alternatively, you can utilize a lot more tape when sealing and securing your boxes, as more tape means a greater degree of water protection. When packing your home for relocation, pay special attention to the bottom of the boxes, especially those boxes that will contain heavy items. Any boxes that contain books and breakables should receive the same treatment.

You may also cover the boxes with plastic sheets for added protection and minimize their exposure to the elements by having the moving truck park as close to the house as possible. In fact, this is something that you might want to do anyway, as you or your movers will have a shorter walk to and from the truck.

Protecting your furniture

If you plan on hiring movers for your relocation, they will bring padding material with them. If your movers do not plan on shrink-wrapping your items before the move, ask them to do it. However, as per our money-saving tips when hiring movers, having your own shrink wrap is much more cost-efficient. If you want to maximize the protection and minimize the cost, you will want to wrap all the furniture on your own. There’s a good chance that you will know that there will be rain tomorrow, and you can spend the night before the move wrapping your furniture pieces.

If you don’t have enough time to wrap all the furniture when moving house in the rain, there are other options you can explore. For example, you can look into mattress/couch covers that are extremely simple to use. You may also want to ask your movers about them, as there’s a chance that they can provide them for free!

Preparing your home for moving in the rain

Relocating a home inevitably means going in and out multiple times. As you will be walking through the rain, your clothing and your shoes are going to be soaked at some point. What you want to do is minimize the effect that this water may have on your home. There are a couple of things that you can do, such as placing old towels, carpets, or blankets on the floors. They will absorb much of the moisture, and you can simply throw them away later on. The absence of water damage will also help minimize anxiety during a move. You may think that it is alright to use plastic sheets or tarp for the purpose, but that is ill-advised.

The reason why you don’t want to be using any plastic sheeting is the fact that these sheets get slippery when wet. Trust us; you don’t want any slippery surfaces when moving house in the rain. Another thing that you don’t want in your home is mud. That is why you may want to have a hose ready to remove any mud from the driveway. By doing so, you will minimize the amount of mud that gets into your home.

Creating an assembly line

When moving in rainy conditions, you want to have as few people moving from one point to another as possible. To make that happen, you will want to create an assembly line of sorts. In fact, since making an assembly line is one of the moving hacks that will make your relocation easier, you may want to create one even if it is not raining. Ideally, you will designate one or two people to stay near the moving truck while the others create a supply chain. The best thing to do is have one person move the boxes from the front door to the truck while others bring the boxes to them.

If you want to organize the line further, you may want to unload all the boxes to one area (garage, outside shed, etc.) before your movers arrive. If you don’t have any such area inside your home, the next best thing is to set up a pop-up tent.

Dealing with the moisture immediately

No matter what you do, you will have to deal with excess moisture. Many people choose to disregard this fact and deal with the aftermath instead. That usually leads to damaged or broken items, so it is something that you should avoid doing. Basically, the more water you can clean up immediately, the less risk and danger.

If you notice that any of your cardboard boxes are compromised, make sure to immediately unload them and dry their contents. At the very least, dry your clothes quickly. Furthermore, you may want someone on “wiping duty” to wipe items down with towels as soon as they come in or out of the door. Be on the lookout for any standing water, too. Not a single item should be left with standing water.

Finding ways to “unwind”

While this tip is not necessarily there to make the actual moving process easier, it is still extremely important. You see, moving from one home to another does not stop after you’ve relocated your items from point A to point B. The process will continue for several days, even weeks, after that. Therefore, what you want to do is ensure that you have the time and means to “unwind”.

The fact of the matter is that moving house in the rain is going to place a lot of stress on your shoulders. You need a way to make that stress go away so you can focus on the next part of the relocation process. While you might think that it is best to finish all the chores in the shortest amount of time, the truth is that taking some time to relax is in your best interest. Watch a movie with your family, take a long bath, or partake in a relaxing activity. You’ve earned it, after all!

If you want to make your moving process even easier or to find the best moving companies in your area, Consumer Opinion Guide is your go-to resource. Leave it to us to provide you with all the information you need to make the best choices!