Moving in the Rain

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Ryan Kraft

Worried about a rainy move?

The weather doesn’t care that you picked your moving day two months ago and just rented a moving truck yesterday. If it wants to rain, it’s going to rain, and you’re going to have to deal with it.

Moving in the rain requires added care to avoid injuring yourself or damaging your possessions. Here’s how to handle even the wettest of moves:

Rain-Proof Your Stuff

Water can damage your belongings if it gets onto them, and it can weaken moving boxes, tapes and other moving supplies, causing them to fall apart. To protect these things from the rain, there are three steps you want to take:

Use plastic covers – Plastic will protect your furniture and other large possessions from the rain, and it will prevent moving boxes from getting soaked. You can find plastic covers at moving stores, or you can simply use garbage bags or tarps.
Use extra tape – Tape can loosen in the rain, so if you are using it, try to give one extra go-around.
Cover the truck bottom – If water gets into the truck, it can pool on the floor. So, make sure to use a tarp or some other type of plastic covering to cover the bottom of the truck. This will prevent boxes from sitting in water.

Move Safely

The rain creates a number safety issues. The risk of slipping, twisting and dropping are increased significantly, both inside and outside of the home. Just about every part of a move becomes more hazardous in the rain. Here are some ways to stay safe:

Use gloves – Good old gardening gloves will help you grip large, wet plastic things.
Wear boots or non-slip shoes – Flat bottomed shoes and sandals can hydroplane on slick surfaces. Boots can grip even wet surfaces well.
Use mats at entrances – While moving, water will get into your home through open doors and from your shoes. If you don’t stop it, it could end up puddling on tile or wood near entrances, making them extra slippery. So, cover each entrance you use with sticky mats or dry towels, and make sure to dry off your shoes on them.
Cover your car or trailer – You don’t want to have to rush in the rain, so make sure you have a covering that will allow you to load/unload your stuff from the truck without getting drenched.

Drive Carefully

Driving a moving truck is already a difficult affair. It’s even worse in the rain. In order to drive the moving truck safely, take extra precaution when handling turns and high-traffic situations. Drive slowly and deliberately. Allow maximum stopping distance as both the weight of the truck and the wet ground will make stopping shortly more difficult.

Consider Mover’s Insurance

If you know it’s going to rain ahead of time, it might be a good idea to buy some mover’s insurance, which protects your possessions during a move.

The rain will increase the risk of damage to your stuff. Driving is riskier; handling things is more difficult; and the rain itself can cause damage to your stuff. Mover’s insurance will protect you from those risks and make moving in the rain a bit less stressful, albeit not less soaking.

Moving in the rain is dangerous enough, but if that rain freezes into snow and ice, it’s far worse. Learn how to move during the wintertime.