Moving is inevitable, and dealing with inclement weather seems inevitable as well.  With the peak moving season being in the summer, it is important to know that you may have to deal with storms, especially when moves are planned months in advance. 

To be prepared, there are some other things we can do to prepare for the “just-in-case” weather moments that don’t cost a lot of money. In fact, we don’t recommend going out and buying rain-specific moving materials and boxes unless you feel inclined, but having some on hand is important for electronic devices or precious items that could be prone to damage by water. 

However, here are some thoughtful ways that you can be prepared for weather related difficulties on your move.  We also have some logistical advice to consider. Some of these tips might seem like common sense, but they should come in handy when you’re in a high-stress environment trying to scramble at the last minute.

http://movingworldwide.com/moving-during-peak-season-plan-the-perfect-move-at-the-perfect-time/

1.Wrap items in plastic.

Many people finish packing and don’t consider putting things like hanging clothes in baskets. Their plan is to roll a garment rack on a moving truck and cover it with a sheet. When a downpour hits, plans like these need to be reconsidered. We also have garment cartons for consideration. Ideally, anything that can become damaged when wet, like electronics, should be protected. One common solution is to wrap items without boxes in plastic.

We have shrink wrap on hand (and at no cost) that can protect furniture pieces from some rain. However, if you are moving yourself or your movers charge extra for this service, consider implementing household items to protect furniture and other items. Remember that plastic repels water but items like cotton sheets are not nearly as protective.

How to protect items when moving in the rain:

• Toss clothes and paper items in trash bags. Keep each family member’s clothing separate, but don’t worry about keeping them folded at this point. If the clothes do happen to get wet, you might need to launder the clothing after the move anyway.
• Wrap art in plastic wrap. Anything that is on the small side but is usually moved outside a box can be wrapped in plastic wrap you can buy at the grocery store. Excess bubble wrap will work too. Fine art works should not touch plastic wrap directly. First wrap them in a cloth or paper, then with plastic wrap.
• Cover furniture in comforters. Sheets might be too thin to repel water, but some thicker comforters can protect furniture temporarily in light rain. Lay the thick blanket around the furniture and use bungee cords to secure it in place.
• If you have time, consider purchasing shrink wrap. The investment might be worthwhile if you are moving valuable items that should not get wet, like antiques or fine art.
• Consider Large Plastic Bins. For some items that are crucia,l having some large plastic bins could be a good idea. 

2. Don’t skimp on rain gear.

Make sure you are ready with rain gear and that your pathways are prepped wit mats to prevent slippage as moving in the rain will lead to more injury. 

Minimize your risk by wearing non-slip shoes. Beyond that, pull out the following items to make the move less miserable.

Rain moving supplies:

• Rain slickers and boots
• Umbrellas
• Baseball caps or hats
• A change of clothes

3. Get to the new place before the movers.

Carve out some time in your moving schedule to prep your new home for the movers to arrive. A few simple steps can make all the difference between an unorganized, chaotic moving day and one that runs smoothly.

Prep your home for rain:

• Lay down a welcome mat. If you don’t have a mat, any cheap rug will do. Don’t lay down an expensive wool rug, but use your best judgment. If there are no rugs for people to wipe their feet on, go purchase some at a dollar store or use towels.
• Turn it up. If your utilities are on, make sure you turn up the air system in the home. The furnace will work to remove moisture from the air and will make it more comfortable overall.
• Put out plenty of old towels. Have towels on hand that you don’t mind getting potentially ruined. If the rain is heavy, movers will need them to wipe their hands, face, and even to dry off the items they are moving.
• Lay down dry cardboard boxes. If you have extra moving boxes, these create a somewhat anti-slip surface on the floor. Bare tiles and wood floors can get really slippery when you go in and out with wet shoes, so these walkways are essential.

4. Set up an assembly line.

To efficiently load a moving truck in the rain, you need a system. In all weather, we recommend designating one or two people to stay with the moving truck to work on packing it in an organized fashion. This tip holds even truer when it’s raining out.

In the rain, the fewer people have to move from A to B, the better. Keep some people stationed at the moving truck, but also set up an assembly line for the whole process.

For instance, have one person moving boxes into the house from the garage or another drop off point (more on this in a minute). You can then have other people unpacking or cleaning. By setting up stations with specific tasks, you’ll have fewer people in the house and therefore have less water in the house and less risk of people slipping and falling.

However, if you hire movers they will work out a system that will make sense depending on the physical and environmental challenges. 

Moving tips for inclement weather:

• Unload boxes to one area. If you have a garage, unload everything here first. If not, set up an area a few feet into the house for the majority of the items. Someone else with dry shoes can work on moving these items to the appropriate rooms.
• Set up a pop-up tent. You can put up this drying station anywhere, but ideally place it right at the end of moving truck. This way someone can have extra space to load and unload items.
• Move durable items during a heavy downpour. In most cases, there are lulls on a rainy day when the rain isn’t as hard. However, you can’t wait all day for a break in the rain because you pay the movers by the hour. Assume to move the most durable items like plastic totes during the heavy rain. Once there’s a break, quickly switch gears and move electronics, mattresses, or the like.

http://movingworldwide.com/moving-resources/our-forms/

5. Manage moisture in the moment.

The more you can do to clean up rainwater while you’re moving, the less you’ll have to clean up after the movers leave. If you have an extra person, designate water cleanup as their job for the day. Have them work to minimize the number of puddles that accumulate in both homes.

Ideas to manage excess water:

• Wipe items down with towels as soon as they come in the door. Furniture and other items should not be left with standing water.
• Unpack compromised boxes. Cardboard is resilient but if it spends enough time in rain, it can fall apart. Immediately unload these boxes and dry off anything inside so things don’t become irreversibly damaged.

6. Practice self-care after the move.

Self-care might be a buzzword currently, but it’s so important to remember when you are approaching a stressful relocation. The stress doesn’t stop when moving day comes to a close. There are boxes to unpack, furniture to arrange, and an entire household to set up. That stress tends to be exacerbated when you are forced to move in rainy weather.

Plan some time to unwind before you rush into unpacking or other moving duties. Don’t get so wrapped up in what needs to be done that you cause yourself more stress in the long run. This step might not come naturally if it’s hard for you to carve out time for yourself, which is why we are taking the time to mention it. Order take-out, watch a movie, take a bath, or do whatever you need to do to recoup from a rainy, exhausting day. You’ve earned it!

Remember that with some additional steps, moving in the rain might still be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Good luck!

Moving?

  Contact a realtor we recommend to gain information that will be useful in your search.  We you are ready to place things in storage or ready to move, so contact us!

Worldwide Moving Systems is family owned and operated company! We have been in service for families, military and companies since 1973. We pride ourselves with providing the upmost care for moving storage and logistical needs. Even though, we have a good reputation in the community we still felt the need to be American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA) certified Promovers: credentialing our services and establishing another layer of trust and reliability for customers. The AMSA launched a consumer protection and certification program called ProMover on January 1, 2009.

This initiative is designed to fight impostors, known within the industry as “rogue operators.” ProMover certification gives consumers an easy way to separate reputable, professional movers from rogue movers out to make a quick buck at the consumer’s expense. Contact Worldwide Moving Systems for your next move and feel secure to know we are professional movers that will have upstanding ethical business practices and will make sure we do the best for your move.

Call us : 301-870-5300

Visit: www.movingworldwide.com

Email : customerservice@movingworldwide.com

Please follow and like us:

Jessica Ryan May 21, 2020 Moving Industry News & Publications

Plan your perfect move
When you think about it, peak moving season is “peak” because it is the perfect time for moving and a great number of people want to avail of its benefits. This “popularity”, however, results in moving experiences that are quite far from perfect.

If you wish to move during this busy relocation period, you’ll have to overcome challenge after challenge and there can be no guarantees that the process will be smooth and the outcome – favorable. To have a chance of success you need to plan everything well in advance and plan it right.

Here are some proven tips for moving during peak season to help you plan your perfect move against all odds.

When is Peak Moving Season?
More than 75% of all house moves in the U.S. occur between April and September. During these months, the demand for moving services is very high, so this period is referred to as peak moving season.

There is a good reason why so many people choose to move during this particular time of the year – moving in the summer has many clear advantages:

Favorable weather conditions – the nice weather in late spring and summer ensures a higher level of comfort during the relocation process, promises safe and efficient loading, unloading, and driving, and eliminates the risk of accidents due to slippery driveways, icy roads, or frozen hands and feet;
Real estate market opportunities – statistics show that there are much more houses for sale in the spring than in the fall, so people have a greater choice when searching for a new home;
School year – children have just completed a year of their education and the summer break provides a good chance to relocate, find a good new school, and get ready for the next school year; 
College – the academic year starts in late August, so students need to move in the summer too;
Business activity and seasonal work – a lot of people find temporary employment for the summer in other cities and states and need to move closer to their workplaces. Besides, many companies (as well as the military) tend to relocate their employees during the warm months when business activity usually falls into temporary decline;
Newlyweds – it is a fact that the majority of weddings take place in spring and summer, so the newlyweds move to their shared family nest during the high season as well;
Free time – many people take their paid leave from work during the summer which means that there will be more friends and relatives who have the time to help with the move;
Moving sales – when the weather is nice, it is easy to organize a garage sale to get rid of unwanted items before moving.

Moving in off-peak season may not be very pleasant.
Bonus tip: Consider moving in off-peak season

If you have the liberty to choose your moving date and don’t have specific reasons to move during the busy summer months, you can save a lot of money and nerves by moving in off-peak season:

Lower moving costs – most moving companies offer considerable discounts (up to 30%) for moves during the off-peak season to attract more customers;
Greater choice of reliable movers – reputable moving companies are the first to be booked, so you may have to put up with less experienced and less reliable carriers when moving during the high season. When moving between September and April, however, it will be easy to secure the services of a trustworthy and affordable moving company for your relocation;
Convenient dates available – you can reserve pick-up and delivery dates whenever it is most convenient for you because the movers are not so busy and will probably be able to accommodate your demands.
Oftentimes though, the circumstances necessitate that you move in peak season despite the higher costs and tighter schedules. In such cases, be sure to take a closer look at the expert peak moving season tips below – they will help you achieve success despite the greater challenges of the busiest relocation period.

We will be there when you need us and make your move run as smoothly as possible during this crisis. 

Please follow and like us:

If you decided to do your move yourself and up for the challenge, please allow us to make it easier.  Take advantage of using our Space/Ships! Our storage units allow you to pace your move without worrying about tight time constraints.  

What we are offering: 12’ Space/Ship

• We will drop off the Space/Ship (empty) at your residence, relocate/transfer (loaded) to the destination, pick-up (empty), 1 week of rental included.
• 12 moving pads included.
• Lock is optional at $7.

Where we are offering this special: St. Mary’s, Calvert, & Charles ONLY.

When: Ends May 31.

Cost: Flat fee of $350.00 per 12’ Space/Ship. (regular fee with 1-month storage minimum would be $450.00)

Additional week rental: $50.00.

Please follow and like us: