Moving is supposed to be a positive experience. You’re moving into an entirely new home, joining a new community, and generally, getting a fresh start. However, one thing can really dampen the mood on a moving day unlike anything else. The weather.
Bad weather can affect your moving day in a variety of ways, and none of them are positive. You’re more likely to damage your belongings, it can take longer, it’s even more stressful than usual, and unfortunately, there are also safety risks.
Today, we’re going to go over tips for moving in bad weather that can prevent all those things and make your moving day as smooth as possible.
1. Waterproof Your Belongings
One of the most common weather issues you’ll have to deal with on a moving day is heavy rain, and unfortunately, it’s one of the worst weather events to get caught up in. You’re moving all your belongings in cardboard boxes, and there is a big chance of your stuff getting water-damaged.
The best way to resolve this without delaying your move is to spend a little extra money on tarps and trash bags.
While it’s extra work and a small extra expense, you can slip a trash bag over each box to waterproof them while you’re carrying them to and from the moving truck. As long as you’re not sitting the boxes down outside of the truck, you don’t even have to worry about tying them off or covering the bottom. Just covering the top and sides will keep your stuff dry.
The tarps are for larger items or if you’re using an open-bed truck. They can cover the things that trash bags won’t, or you can stretch them over an open truck bed to protect your boxes in transit.
2. Use Plastic Bins for Small, Vulnerable, Items
Plastic bins can be a great way to waterproof your belongings in addition to the tarps and bags we described previously.
While it would dramatically increase your moving costs to only use plastic bins, using a few of them for your items that are particularly vulnerable to water damage is a cost-effective and reliable way to protect your belongings. The bins won’t get soggy and weak in wet conditions like boxes will, and as an added bonus, they provide a bit more protection in general. So, they’re also great for transporting fragile items if you use the right packing material.
3. Prepare The Walkways
This is a tip that is good for your safety, the safety of anyone helping you, and the safety of your items, especially if you’re moving with kids.
While you’re getting things in and out of the truck, you might have to deal with slippery sidewalks due to snow, ice, or rain. Make sure you prepare those walkways at the home you’re leaving and the home you’re moving into before the moving process starts.
You already have enough to think about, and you don’t want to worry about someone slipping and hurting themselves, a box of fragile items getting dropped, or any of that.
Rain isn’t too much of a problem, but make sure you get any mud or slick debris off the walkway to prevent slips. Snow and ice are much bigger concerns. So, prep your walkways with ice prevention products, and make sure you pack a couple of snow shovels in your moving vehicle in case you need to quickly clear a walkway.
4. Dress Appropriately
This tip doesn’t really have anything to do with your belongings, but it’s important for you and your health.
It can be easy to get carried away with packing and handling your move and then forget to tailor your attire to the weather. You might feel warm working hard to get your boxes together in the house and go right outside into cold temperatures with rain without even putting on a jacket. Except, the weather will quickly catch up with you.
If it’s raining, make sure you wear a poncho to stay dry. If it’s snowing, wear appropriate layers. Even in the heat, you should make sure to wear cool clothing and apply some sunblock.
You’ll be more comfortable throughout the process, and you won’t be as likely to make mistakes.
5. Accessorize for the Weather
This goes along with wearing the right clothes. If you know it’s going to be raining or snowing, or you know you’ll have to deal with a heatwave, bring some items that help with that. Forgetting these essentials is a common mistake that can make your move much more difficult than it needs to be.
Umbrellas, hand warmers, extra socks in cases your regular pair gets wet, sunblock, sunglasses, etc. Anything that will make your life easier throughout the move despite the weather conditions will be a good choice.
6. Minimize Your Stops
If the weather is creating adverse road conditions, one of the things you want to avoid is stopping more than you have to. Every time you have to hop off the highway to go to the bathroom, get food, or fuel up, you not only lose time but also increase risks by driving in more cramped spaces and re-entering highways under slippery or low-visibility conditions. By maximizing efficiency, you can reduce these unnecessary stops and streamline your journey.
Take time before you move to make sure you have everything you need and can reasonably take with you in your vehicle, and then you won’t have to deal with those stops as much along the way.
7. Focus on Your Driving
All the preparation in the world won’t help much if you get into an accident and your stuff is put through a big impact. Everything you put effort into protecting will likely get ruined. Not to mention, that’s an extremely dangerous situation to be in.
Many weather conditions can make it more difficult to drive safely, and you need to make sure you’re focused on what’s ahead of you, taking every precaution you can to avoid accidents, and taking the safest route to your destination.
On top of that, it’s also important to know when it’s time for you to pull over and wait for the bad weather to calm down.
If you’re not confident in your driving abilities or feel uncomfortable navigating difficult weather conditions, it’s better to hire a professional moving company. Experienced movers can handle the challenges of the road and ensure your belongings arrive safely, giving you peace of mind.
Get Help with Your Move from Man with a Truck
Moving in bad weather is even more stressful than a regular move, but you can greatly reduce your stress by trusting your belongings to Man With A Truck. Rain or shine, we’ll get your stuff to your new house safely.
We proudly serve Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, and beyond, offering expert services for local and long-distance moving, helping families and businesses tackle even the toughest moves with ease and confidence. Let us handle the heavy lifting while you focus on settling into your new space.
Contact us today for a free quote, and let us turn your move into a smooth, worry-free experience!
