Moving is always difficult, but rain on moving day increases the challenge tenfold. A heavy downpour can completely derail your moving plans and even a light shower can cause plenty of troubles – wet walkways (high risk of accidents and injuries), wet and dirty floors (increased risk of accidents, potential moisture damage to the floors, tiresome and time-consuming cleaning after the move), wet items (potential moisture damage to your belongings), etc.

Pack your items in waterproofing materials

In order to keep your belongings safe and dry on a rainy moving day, you need to prevent moisture from coming in contact with them. The best way to do so is to pack your items in waterproofing materials:

• Use plastic bins – Plastic boxes will provide utmost protection to your items when moving house in the rain – water cannot damage the plastic containers or seep through them to get to your belongings, so your items won’t get wet no matter how heavily it rains;
• Cover cardboard boxes with plastic wrap or tarpaulin to keep water away;
• Wrap larger items in thick moving blankets and plastic wrap to create a waterproofing barrier around the pieces.

If the weather forecast predicts rain on the day of your move or if you live in (or are moving to) a place that sees a lot of rain, consider purchasing plastic furniture covers, plastic mattress bags, and other specialized packing materials designed to provide maximum protection from moisture.

Make the trip between your home and the moving truck as short as possible

The longer your items are exposed to precipitation, the more likely they are to get damaged – so, when moving in the rain, it’s crucial to take your belongings from your home to the moving truck (or the other way around) as quickly as possible. This means that the moving vehicle has to be as close to the entrance of your home as possible:

• If you’re performing a DIY move, park the rented moving van directly in front of your front door;
• If you’re using professional moving services, reserve the nearest possible parking place for the moving truck.

Make the path between your home and the moving truck as safe as possible

If it’s raining on moving day, the path from your home to the moving truck can become very dangerous – walkways can get slippery, fallen leaves can create a slipping hazard, depressions in dirt or concrete can turn into puddles, etc. To reduce the risk of someone slipping and getting hurt – and/or causing damage to the item they were carrying – you’re advised to:

• Sweep the paths clear of leaves and debris;
• Hose down the driveway and the concrete walkways around your home to remove dust and dirt and prevent mud from forming;
• Lay down pieces of plywood over deeper depressions and unpaved areas, etc.

Protect the floors from water and mud

When moving on a rainy day, water and mud can easily get tracked inside the home and ruin the carpets and floors. To prevent this from happening, you need to take adequate measures to protect the floors:

• Line the entryway to your home with old rugs and towels – they will catch most of the mud and water from yours and your movers’ shoes;
• Provide shoe booties (disposable shoe covers) and ask people to put them on when entering your home;
• Cover the floors with drop clothes, tarp, plastic film covers, or other suitable protective materials;
• Place some cardboard pieces or newspapers over the protective floor coverings near the front door and replace them when they get muddy and slippery;
• Create an “assembly line” – whether it’s professional movers or friends helping you move, ask a couple of them to stay inside your home and the others – outside. The people indoors will hand your items to the people outdoors who will bring them to the moving truck. This way, the floors will stay dry and clean (as no one will be getting in and out of the house, tracking mud and dirty water inside) and the loading process will be much more efficient (while the outdoors crew is making the trip to the moving truck and back, the indoors crew will have already brought the next items and boxes to be loaded into the van to the front door – so, plenty of time will be saved).

Hire professional movers

Benefits of hiring professional movers

Bonus tips for moving in the rain:

1. Wear appropriate clothing (light, flexible raingear that will keep you dry and comfortable throughout the day) and waterproof shoes with anti-slippery soles (to reduce the risk of slipping on mud or wet pavement);
2. Do not set boxes and items on the wet ground;
3. Dry your items as soon they’re loaded onto the moving truck – remove any wet coverings and wipe all surfaces with towels or clean rags;
4. Do not rush things – rash actions lead to accidents, especially in rainy weather. Plan ahead, be careful, and be patient;
5. Get appropriate moving insurance – the risk of damage to your items is much greater when moving in rainy weather, so you’re strongly advised to opt for full value protection and even purchase additional moving insurance for your most valuable belongings;
6. Do not try to move house in a severe rainstorm – lightning, strong wind, and heavy rain pose many dangers, so you will need to postpone your move if a violent thunderstorm hits your area on moving day;
7. Drive carefully – whether you’re transporting your belongings in a rented moving truck or driving your own car to your new home, you need to be very careful when driving in the rain. Brake early as the vehicle will take longer to stop on the wet road, avoid flooded areas (find an alternative route to your destination, even if that route is longer), and pull in somewhere safe in the event of a thunderstorm. Don’t drive after dark if it’s raining and/or the roads the wet – in such conditions, the risk of a traffic accident is very high;
8. Unpack as soon as possible – Be sure to remove any protective coverings from your items and boxes the moment they’re taken inside your new home. Unpack cardboard boxes right away (even if a box has been wetted during the rainy move, you may be able to save the items inside if you dry them soon enough).

Moving in the rain is difficult and risky, but when you’re well prepared, you can still achieve success. After all, the rain may bring a rainbow – and a rainbow is sure to bring good luck to your new life!