Ideally, when you are moving to a new Seattle home, you will want to do it on a pleasant and sunny day which makes everything much easier.
However, if you are moving in the winter, or an unexpected deluge shows up on your pre-arranged moving day, it can really dampen your enthusiasm and throw a wrench into your plans.
It can also make you worry about your possessions being damaged as you move them into your new home.
Don't worry; it's still possible to move your possessions in the rain, snow or cold.
All you need is a little bit of technique, forethought and planning.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you are moving on a day with terrible weather:
Dress For Success
Make sure everyone in the family is dressed warmly. You will be going back and forth from indoors to outdoors a lot, so it might be tempting to not bother with your warm clothes.
However, it's important to dress appropriately. You don't want anyone catching a cold.
Wear multiple layers that you can take off or put on accordingly. Also, remember a rainproof layer if it's pouring.
Ensure Safety
In snowy climates, clear the driveway and the front porch of snow and ice, and sprinkle them with salt.
This is very important to ensure that no one slips and falls while carrying boxes out of the old house and into your new home.
The last interruption you need on moving day is a trip to the emergency room.
Wrap Up Your Belongings
If it is raining or snowing you will need to protect your belongings from getting wet.
Wrap your furniture in waterproof plastic and seal your boxes with packing tape and plastic.
Invest in enough of these supplies before the moving day so you don't have to run to the store to buy more in the middle of your move.
Keep It Clean
At your new house, set up an area at the front door with towels so that everyone can dry off the boxes and themselves to avoid tracking rain or snow into the new house.
As these simple tips point out, packing and moving in the rain or snow is a problem that can be overcome with appropriate planning.
Plus, sometimes moving in the winter can give you an advantage because there will be a low service demand that can decrease your moving costs.
Labels: Moving, Safety, Weather
As compared to gloomy days, do "sunny days" put you in a good mood? If you're like many people in WA , the answer is "yes".
In a study of more than 1,200 people, researchers found that daily weather factors such as temperature, precipitation and length of day can alter a person's emotional state. Of all the weather factors, however, "sunshine" can have the most profound effect.
The most likely reason is because sunshine affects people in a physiological manner.
When the human brain detects sunlight, our bodies produce serotonin, a chemical which promotes happiness and well-being. By contrast, when the brain detect darkness, our bodies produce melatonin, a chemical which promotes sleep cycles.
Sunlight -- quite literally -- leads to happiness.
Understanding the effect of sunlight on human mood, therefore, we must consider the nation's "sunniest cities" as more than just a novelty list. It may be a link to personal well-being, too.
From the National Climactic Data Center, these are the Top 10 Sunniest Cities in the United States :
- Yuma, AZ : Sunny on 90% of all days
- Redding, CA : Sunny on 88% of all days
- Las Vegas, NV : Sunny on 85% of all days
- Phoenix, AZ : Sunny on 85% of all days
- Tucson, AZ : Sunny on 85% of all days
- El Paso, TX : Sunny on 84% of all days
- Fresno, CA : Sunny on 79% of all days
- Reno, NV : Sunny on 79% of all days
- Flagstaff, AZ : Sunny on 78% of all days
- Sacramento, CA : Sunny on 78% of all days
The sunshine rankings of other noteworthy cities include Key West, FL (#12 with 76% sunshine); Denver, CO (#30 with 68% sunshine); and Seattle, WA (#165 with 43% sunshine).
At the bottom of the list is Juneau. Just 30 percent of the Alaskan capital city's days are sunny.
The complete Sunshine Rankings as listed by Metropolitan Area is available on the NCDC website.
Labels: NCDC, Sunniest, Weather
