All these recent storms have got me thinking about moving during not-so-happy weather. It’s not everywhere that you can have sunshine almost every day. (I love LA!) These conditions always make me thankful that I make it a rule to hire movers when I move. My friends at NorthStar Moving® always take care of everything I might worry about! Letting the experts help, I always have peace of mind!
It’s a familiar situation we see on occasion: clients schedule their pro moving crew with us, happy to have us do the heavy lifting, but for some reason or another, also need to move a few items before our crew arrives, whether it is to deliver items they want to give away to a friend or a Goodwill delivery that needs to be done on a different day than the scheduled move date. Whatever your circumstances, if you find yourself moving on your own on an especially drizzly or extra hot day, here are some tips to get your bad weather moving day from “Oh no” to “Bravo!”
/>Dealing with Rain and Snow While Moving
Protect Furniture: Rain and snow can damage furniture. Wrap it up with plastic slipcovers or tarps to keep as much water away from your belongings as possible. Even if furniture has been treated to protect against water damage, you might want to wrap those pieces, as well. They will stay mud-free and clean, which saves you time so you can get moving and have a snowball fight!
Create a Floor from the Car Door to the Front Door: If there isn’t a clean or safe walkway for moving things to and from, create one! An old carpet or carpet scraps (if you are replacing carpet in your new or old home, this is the perfect way to reuse it) running from the front door to your car or moving truck will keep you safe from slipping and your house safe from becoming dirty.
Protect Flooring: You don’t want to spend your first night in your new home trying to get mud footprints out of your carpet! Try using an old carpet or area rug to shield your carpet and hardwood floors. You can also try putting down paper, cardboard, or fabric, but these can become wet and slippery. So, if you use one of those, keep an eye on your protective surface to see if you need to replace it throughout the day. Avoid using plastic, as that can become very slippery.
Keep an Eye on Cardboard: When cardboard gets wet, it is not a pretty sight. It will lose its strength and can break and tear easily. To avoid this, watch that your boxes have a home in dry places and spend as little time as possible in the rain or snow. And, always make sure your boxes are held from the bottom to prevent any unexpected spills. (NorthStar Moving® has some great packing tips for your cardboard boxes.)
Protect Yourself: Keep yourself and your helpful movers warm and dry! Wear appropriate clothing and make sure you have plenty of old towels to use for drying off. Plenty of hot drinks are also a great idea. Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate can keep everyone warm and moving. I don’t recommend that you move in severely cold weather, but if you must, make sure to know the risks of cold winter weather.
Dealing with Hot Weather
Protect your Stuff: Moving in hot weather might be a little less stressful than rain or snow, but it still requires some precautions. Make sure to keep all of these items cool and/or out of direct sunlight: wax items, flammable items, toiletries, food, medicine, electronics, and metal furniture. Nothing is worse than melted crayons or a burning your fingers on a hot metal file cabinet!
Protect Yourself: If you are going to be out in the sun, wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and a hat to keep you cool. Also, protect yourself from UV rays by wearing sunscreen and sunglasses. If you have the option, allow for the bulk of the heavy moving to be done in the early morning or in the evening; the sun is most intense between 10 AM and 4 PM. Anyone doing heavy lifting should drink water frequently and take breaks in the shade or air conditioning to cool off. Don’t let a little sunshine ruin your moving day, but don’t disregard it either. Heat related illness can sneak up on you, so learn about the warning signs.
Do you have any tips for dealing with the weather? Want to share any crazy weather moving stories? We’d love to hear about them!
top image credit: photo by Till Westermayer