Most people move during summer time, because they're generally less likely to run into adverse weather that may impede their relocation plans. As is often the case in life, surprises do happen and you may find your moving day in the crosshairs of an impending or ongoing storm. Here are a few things you should do when this occurs.
Contact the Moving Company ASAP
Moving companies have the tools and experience to conduct moves in a variety of challenging situations. However, sometimes a weather event will present too much of a safety risk for movers. Therefore, the first thing you should do if a storm comes barreling in your direction is to contact the moving company to determine whether they plan on still coming out and what other arrangements can be made if they aren't.
For instance, moving companies will typically reschedule the appointment for a day when the storm is predicted to be over. If you can't wait, you'll typically be given the option to cancel and get your deposit back.
Unfortunately, you may get a frustrating "it depends" answer when inquiring about the company's plans because—despite what meteorologists would like you to believe—the weather isn't always easy to predict. Hurricane Mathew was expected to be a category one storm. It rapidly escalated to a category 5 with winds blowing up to 160 mph.
Depending on the geographical area, sometimes the moving company won't actually know what its plans are until the day arrives. In this case, it's best to expect and plan for the worst-case scenario, i.e. the company will cancel/reschedule at the last minute. This way, you won't be unpleasantly surprised and stuck if it does happen.
Talk to Your Landlord
If you're renting your residence, the next thing you should do is contact your landlord to discuss possible delays in your move. This is particularly important if you are contracted to be out by a certain date and time (e.g. the 30th of the month) and the storm is interfering with that. Most landlords will be understanding about the situation, but some may charge for another month's rent (or prorated portion) when people end up occupying the home or apartment longer than agreed.
Another thing you need to find out is whether your current and future landlords will let you access the premises while the storm is passing through. Your current landlord may want you to evacuate for safety reasons if it appears the storm will do some damage. Alternatively, your new landlord may limit access to the home or apartment building for the same reason. Even if the movers are willing to help you relocate, it won't do any good if you can't get into the residence.
Thus, talk to the people you're rent from as soon as possible and communicate these issues to the moving company. The company may be able to help. For instance, the company can put your items into temporary storage until the storm passes and it can make a final delivery. Whatever you do, be sure to opt for insurance to cover anything that may be damaged by the storm while in the company's possession.
Prepare the Area
If the storm isn't expected to only be serious enough to cause some minor inconveniences, the next step is to minimize safety problems that have developed because of the adverse weather. For example, rain tends to make steps and sidewalks slippery. Thus, it may be better to have the movers transport things from the home to the truck through the garage rather than the front door.
Put down water absorbent anti-slip rugs on bare floors and keep a mop nearby to help keep high-traffic areas dry. Leave out a few towels as well for people to use to dry off between trips to the truck.
For more tips on this issue or help relocating, contact a residential mover.