As we enter autumn and soon, winter, you may have to deal with moving in bad weather. How to protect your furniture from the rain? How to make sure nothing gets soaked or damaged by the rain or snow? How to deal with a move when the driving conditions are bad?
Here are 10 tips by professional movers in Sydney to help you deal with bad weather during your move.
1] Protect your boxes
It may seem obvious, but cardboard and rain don’t mix well. Humidity can weaken your cardboard boxes and you wouldn’t want your book collection to crash into a puddle.
To avoid this kind of situation, you can do the following:
- Double tape generously. Make sure to double the amount of tape you’re using on your boxes, especially for the bottom
- Use sturdy boxes. We often use and re-use old boxes for the occasion, but if it’s raining, you may want to buy a new, sturdy removalist box to avoid damaging your delicate belongings (Glassware, porcelain knick-knacks, any other breakable items)
- Use plastic boxes. If you want to make sure to protect your items during the rain, especially if it’s a heavy one, you can rent plastic crates to make sure your items will be inside sturdy protection.
Your removalist team may offer your some for rent, so shoot them a message at least a day before if you need some.
At Holloway, we have our own crates and skates for rent starting at $0.70 per crate and per day!
Sydney Removalist tip: You can contact us directly to buy new removal boxes, and pick them up directly FOR FREE!
Or alternatively, rent sturdy plastic crates and skates for added protection for your documents.
2] Use garbage bags
Garbage bags are going to be your friends for medium items that aren’t too heavy. For example, if you have kids, that’s the perfect way to transport their teddies without damaging them in the process. Plus, it’s easy to get in a large quantity for cheap.
You can also use them inside boxes to decrease the chances of your items, like clothes or documents, getting wet and mouldy.
3] Park closer to home and protect your furniture – separate your indoor and outdoor team
There is no perfect way to protect your furniture from the rain, but you want to avoid spending too much time transporting them from your home to the truck. There are several ways to optimize your move when it’s raining:
- Park as close as possible to your home. That’ll help you avoid getting your belongings wet.
- Divide your team into indoor helpers and outdoor helpers. This way, you’ll avoid damaging your floor and creating a slippery surface inside.
4] Lay blankets on the floor – Be careful about slippery surfaces
On that topic, you will sometimes have to let the movers in and out of your home during bad weather. To avoid damaging your floor and carpet (especially if it’s a new home you’re moving into!) lay old towels and blankets on the floor, or try making a cardboard path in your home.
You could also prepare for your move by packing your belongings before-hand and gathering them all as close as possible to your door. This will avoid a lot of back and forth in your home and mud all over the place.
However, avoid anything like tarp or plastic as the water can make it slippery, and create dangerous situations for your movers, especially when they’re carrying heavy furniture.
Unfortunately, this might still happen, so prepare a way to clean the place afterwards, especially if your movers have to walk by a garden first.
Sydney Removalist tip: Plan ahead a few hours dedicated to cleaning the place after a move during rainy or muddy weather.
5] Double wrap
When the weather is bad, one word (or rather two): Double wrap!
If you booked a professional team like Holloway Removals and Storage, we will take care of that for you and take extra precautions to avoid getting your belongings soaked.
For your mattress and couch, you can either shrink wrap them or get a special protector from any specialised hardware store. You can also now directly buy Butchers paper reel from our own Box Shop.
Removalist tip: Contact us to buy professional grade wrapping for your items! Or book our services for free wrapping and free blankets.
6] Get your ponchos ready / dress for the weather
An umbrella won’t help you in the rain because you’ll need both hands to carry your boxes in and out of your home. Invest in ponchos and sturdy boots to get through muddy paths and flooded roads to protect yourself as best as possible.
7] Plan accordingly – Plan for longer move
Unfortunately, because of all of the above, your move may take longer than expected during bad weather. You can now see why your removalist team might take slightly longer to double wrap and protect your items.
Try to make sure that you don’t have a tight schedule when moving out on a rainy day and expect some delays that could make your move longer.
8] Get an insurance
While any professional movers should have drivers and transit insurances, meaning your items are insured in case of an accident on the road, consider taking an insurance for any damage occurred at any step during your move. Slippery roads and pathways can increase the risks of scuffed or damaged furniture.
We recommend taking out insurance with an AFRA accredited company to ensure the best outcome during bad weather.
Sydney Removalist tip: Check if the team that you’re booking with is part of AFRA by checking on their website or directly contacting them! This is a gage of quality.
9] Be prepared to reschedule
While some rain or snow may not deter your professional removalists team, we all know how tough Australian storms can get.
If the weather is too dangerous to carry your furniture safely or drive on that particular day, you should prepare a plan B to reschedule your move on another day. While this situation can be annoying and a waste of your time, remember that having your items damaged in this kind of situation would be way more infuriating and time-consuming, as you would need to deal with your insurance.
10] Prepare hot cocoa and treats for your removalists
Finally, our last advice is to prepare some treats for your removalists if the weather is less than perfect on the day of the move!
Our removalists are an awesome bunch and work hard for you, some hot coffee or cocoa will help them get through awful weather.
Above all, whether it rains or shines, our Holloway Team will always serve you with a smile!
