10 Splosh-Free Tips For Moving In Wet Weather

You’ve been planning your move for days (even months).  All your ducks are neatly in a row and you’re starting to relax – things are going to plan.  Then you decide (just to be sure) to check the weather forecast and… shock-horror, it’s set to be a downpour: Oh rats!  You’ll be moving in wet weather!

With all the planning that goes along with these things, delaying because you’re set to be moving in wet weather, is not always possible.

There ARE however a few tricks you can deploy to survive a wet weather move with minimal misery and mayhem.

The key is finding ways to move belongings safely from A to B without them getting a thorough soaking.  As they say, every cloud has a silver lining and that goes for the rain clouds too!

Here’s 10 tricky techniques to fend off rainstorms and soggy sneakers and make yours a whinge-free move:

1. Bag It!

Moving boxes and cartons can have their limits when moving in wet weather.  If you’re using a professional packing service, weather proofing can be part of what you have them do – but if you’ve decided to pack solo then you gotta use your own smarts.

Mostly you’ll need to make sure paper items, artwork and books are well protected.

Line boxes with plastic garbage bags – if you haven’t started packing you can do this as you go which is super-effective.  However, if you’ve already got your stuff all boxed up (and hopefully labelled) then the go would be to line the outside of the boxes with the plastic bags and tape it up good and solid.  Aka: waterproof the wet weather move!

2. Shrink Wrap It…

As an alternative to moving blankets, plastic shrink wrap can work wonders when moving in wet weather.  Shrink wrap has a few advantages – it wraps items safely, it beefs up shock absorption (especially if you can wrap soft bedding and towels around fragile items), plus it provides all the weather proofing you need!

Make sure you wrap any wooden furniture (particularly chair/table legs) because these pieces can be vulnerable to damage if exposed to a soaking.

If you run out of plastic bags, you could shrink-wrap your boxes to keep them dry when moving in wet weather.

Whatever you do, as an absolute minimum make sure you seal boxes tightly with heavy-duty tape to keep moisture out.

3. Think logistically

Minimize wet weather moving headaches by simple strategies that save you dealing with soggy mess.  Consider the planned route movers will take in your home when they’re loading up, and gather boxes into one location close to the exit beforehand.  This way they’re not walking through the whole house with wet boots leaving more mopping up work for you to do.

Try make box and furniture carrying distances from house to driveway as short as possible.  If you can stack boxes and items in the garage ready to move out, that is the best way to go.  It also allows the moving truck to be loaded really close to the house, saving on loading time also – which means you’ll pay for less of your removalist’s time.

4. Cover Up

If you have access to a large tent, beach umbrella(s) or tarpaulin, you could make a temporary overhead cover to keep yourself, your moving helpers and the actual goods dry.

When moving in wet weather, use plastic sheeting (source from Bunnings very cheaply) to cover any carpets in rooms which need to be accessed during the move.  This will preserve your delicate floor coverings from unnecessary last-minute damage or dirt stains from soggy boots.

5. Position your team

A clever mud-saving mechanism when moving in wet weather is to set up an assembly line of sorts so your moving team have specific roles in specific locations. In other words, ensure some people stay in the house, others in the truck while a few make the trek between the truck and the house. This will greatly reduce the amount of mud you will clean up later.

6. Dry as you go!

Keep a stack of drying towels in the removals truck and dry the boxes as you load them.  Wiping them instantly will remove excess moisture.  If mushy boxes sit on one another, moisture accumulates and can soak into your goods, causing damage.

7. Slip Safety

To avoid unnecessary slipping, lay makeshift mats in the entryway and along the path from the house door to the moving truck, and inside the house. You can use all sorts of things to make the non-slip path, for example: cardboard sheets, existing rugs, old bedsheets and cleaning rags and towels will all work a treat.

8. Packing order

If your wet weather move involves shifting in a chronic downpour and you’re short on time, start with non-breakable plastic items and things which are naturally more weather proof.

The idea here is that with some luck the cloudburst will have subsided by the time you start moving other boxed up items and furniture.

If particular items are prone to irreparable damage with water exposure (i.e. computers and electronic equipment), then take extra care to completely weatherproof these items with multiple layers of cling wrap, leaving no area exposed.

9. Unpack with urgency

Even if you feel like the walking dead when you get to the other side, spare some strength to check if any boxes or goods have been compromised. The sooner you unpack contents from their soggy casing the better.

Be aware that even slightly damp boxes are vulnerable to growing mold or mildew which will be hazardous to your goods as well as your health.

10. Insurance

Investing in moving insurance is a good safety measure when moving in wet weather.

It’s worth noting that the risk of accidents and damage to property (i.e. including your more expensive items) is higher during wet weather. Adequate insurance is an absolute must for a wet weather move.

WA Removals include standard insurance cover in our removals service.  Where you may require more comprehensive cover we can definitely point you in the right direction.

You’re almost there!

If you simply think through your move and adequately prepare when is the best time to move house, moving in wet weather won’t be a big deal at all.

What’s more, if you’ve planned for rain and you end up with a lucky dry-patch when the truck pulls up, it still means you’ll have a superbly hassle-free move.  Remember too, the rain may be short-lived, but the ground will still be wet.

Preparing like this during a wet season move means you’ll not be taken by surprise.  If it so happens you end up moving in wet weather – you’ll be laughing!