Moving is always hard, but moving in the rain poses a challenge of its own – in addition to everything else you need to take care of on Moving day, if it’s pouring outside, you’ll also have to find a way to keep your belongings safe and dry, to protect the floors and carpets in your home from water and mud, and to mitigate the increased risk of accidents and injuries. And you’ll have to be extremely careful with items vulnerable to water damage – such as furniture pieces.
Moving furniture in the rain is difficult and risky – you can easily slip on the wet walkways while carrying a bulky piece and your furniture can get damaged when exposed to moisture for a long time (wood can swell and warp, delicate finishes can be ruined, thin veneers can lift and peel, upholstered furniture can be heavily stained or deformed, leather can sustain irreversible damage, metal parts can get rusty and corroded, mold can develop on the furniture surfaces, etc.).
To protect your cherished pieces from water damage when it rains on your parade on Moving day – and to prevent accidents and injuries – you need to take adequate precautions.
Read on to find out how to move furniture in the rain safely and efficiently:
Pack your furniture properly
The best way to protect your furniture from rain on Moving day is to prevent moisture from coming in contact with the pieces. So, 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, you should do your best to “waterproof” your furniture.
You can do that by packing your pieces for moving the right way:
- Disassemble your furniture as much as possible to make it easier to move and easier to protect from water damage. Wrap each piece in thick fabrics and plastic wrap so that water cannot get through to it;
- Wrap larger furniture in thick moving blankets – unlike thin sheets that cannot repel water, the thick covers will provide temporary protection against moisture. Make sure the pieces are completely covered on all sides. Use plastic stretch wrap to secure the coverings in place and provide a waterproof barrier against the elements.
It is also a good idea to purchase plastic furniture covers to better protect your pieces from moisture on a rainy moving day.
Must-read: How to pack furniture for moving
Protect yourself
Once you’ve provided your furniture with adequate protection, you need to take measures to protect yourself too:
- Put on light, flexible raingear that will keep you dry and comfortable throughout the day, so you can concentrate and work more efficiently;
- Wear waterproof shoes with anti-slippery soles to reduce the risk of slipping on mud or wet pavement;
- Wear flexible, waterproof gloves that provide a good grip.
Wearing appropriate personal safety gear will help you prevent accidents and, therefore, reduce the risk of hurting yourself and causing damage to your furniture on a rainy moving day.
Make the trip between your home and the moving truck as short as possible
Hauling heavy furniture in the rain is no fun – and the longer your pieces are exposed to the inclement weather, the more likely they are to get damaged. So, when moving furniture in the rain, you’ll want to take the pieces from your residence to the moving truck (or the other way around) as quickly as possible.
To be able to do so, you need the moving vehicle to be as close to the entrance of your home as possible:
- If you’re performing a DIY move, be sure to park the rented moving van directly in front of your front door;
- If you’re using professional moving services, be sure to reserve the nearest possible parking spot for the moving truck.
Ensure a safe route between your home and the moving truck
The route from your home to the moving truck can become treacherous on a rainy day – depressions in dirt or concrete can turn into puddles, dust-covered walkways can get slippery when they’re damp, wet fallen leaves can create a slipping hazard, etc.
You’re, therefore, advised to inspect the route that your furniture will be carried along on moving day in advance and take some precautions:
- Lay down pieces of plywood over deeper depressions and other potentially hazardous spots;
- Create an artificial path of plywood planks over any unpaved terrain that will have to be crossed on moving day (such as a lawn or apartment complex landscaping);
- Sweep the paths clear of leaves and debris;
- Hose down the driveway and any concrete walkways that will be used on the Big day, etc.
Use tarpaulin to set up a temporary cover over the path from your home to the parking spot for the moving truck.
Create a dry zone by the moving truck
When moving in the rain, it will be very helpful to have a dry space at the rear end of the moving vehicle where to place your items while loading or unloading the truck.
Creating such a dry zone is easy enough – all you need to do is set up a pop-up tent next to the moving van. This way, you’ll have a dry, safe place where to leave the furniture you’ve taken out of your home until you can organize your things and load them into the truck. Or, you’ll have a dry space where to leave the furniture you’ve unloaded from the moving truck until you can take them into your new home.
Your furniture will be well protected inside the pop-up tent, so you won’t need to rush things in order to get your items out of the rain as quickly as possible and will be able to load or unload your belongings in a safe and organized manner.
Set up an assembly line
To perform a safe and efficient move in the rain, you need a system. Your best bet is to set up an “assembly line” – designate two people to stay inside your home, two (or more) people to make the trek between the house and the moving truck, and another two people to stay in the moving vehicle. The indoor crew will hand your furniture pieces to the outdoor crew who will bring them to the truck and give them to the people stationed in it. These people will be tasked with organizing and securing your items in the moving truck.
If you’re unloading furniture in the rain, the assembly line will work in the opposite direction – the people in the truck will hand your furniture to the outdoor crew who will bring it to the people inside your new home.
This way, the loading (or unloading) process will take less time, so your furniture won’t be exposed to the rain for long and you will be able to get out of the bad weather faster. Besides, the floors in your home will stay dry and clean (as no one will get in and out of the house tracking mud and dirty water inside) and there will be a smaller risk of people slipping and falling during the process.
Know how to move different kinds of furniture in the rain
In addition to the general tips for moving furniture in the rain detailed above, there are some specifics you need to be aware of in order to better protect your pieces from moisture:
How to move wood furniture in the rain
When moving wood furniture in the rain, you need to take extra care to protect the delicate wood finishes from moisture. Cover furniture corners and protruding furniture parts with foam padding, wrap the pieces with moving blankets, and enwrap the entire furniture items in plastic wrap.
How to move a couch in the rain
When moving a fabric couch, you can wrap it directly in plastic wrap to protect it against moisture. (Plastic wrap is safe to use on fabric upholstery as there is no risk of condensation occurring on the fabric surface.)
When moving a leather couch, cover it with moving blankets first, then wrap the entire piece in plastic wrap to keep water away from it. (It is not safe to use plastic wrap directly on leather, as moisture can get trapped underneath the plastic material and result in mold growth or cause the leather to warp.)
See also: How to move a couch by yourself
How to move a mattress in the rain
Even a small amount of moisture can ruin a mattress (when a mattress gets soaked up, it cannot be easily dried and remains wet for a long time – as a result, mold starts developing on the porous material and quickly affects the entire piece). Therefore, when moving a mattress in the rain, you need to keep it completely dry and well protected against moisture – use a special mattress bag and pack your mattress with great care.
See also: How to pack a mattress for moving
Bonus tips for moving furniture in the rain:
- Take measures to protect the floors – line the entryway to your home with old towels and rugs, lay plastic drop cloths or tarps on the floors, cover smooth surfaces that can become slippery when wet with cardboard pieces or old rugs, tape down the edges of the floor coverings so that they don’t move around or form any folds or ripples people may trip over, etc.;
- Do not set your furniture on the wet ground;
- Dry your furniture pieces as soon they are loaded onto the moving truck or taken inside your new home – remove any wet coverings and wipe down the furniture surfaces with towels;
- Do not rush things – you can easily hurt yourself or damage your furniture if you make hasty decisions and rash actions. Plan ahead and be careful so you can avoid disastrous moving scenarios;
- Take breaks to dry off, warm up, and regain your focus.
Hire professional furniture movers
Using professional moving services will save you all the above hassle and will give you peace of mind that your furniture will stay safe and dry throughout the entire relocation process.
How do moving companies safely move furniture in the rain?
Professional furniture movers have specialized moving supplies and rich experience moving furniture in the rain – they know how to properly pack, load, transport, and unload your pieces, so they stay protected from the elements. The experts implement the above-described steps with expertise and professionalism and use the most efficient and most appropriate moving techniques – and packing supplies – to ensure the safety of your furniture.
With a reputable moving company, you have nothing to worry about – whether it rains or shines on moving day.
