Moving is stressful enough, and moving during a pandemic is even worse because of the fears of getting sick and the thoughts of being locked inside. However, most people move during the summer months, which means moving companies are busy trying to keep up with the demand.
Adding on the protocols set in place by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention makes moving during a pandemic more complicated than it already is.
In this article, we look at how you can get through moving during a pandemic while keeping your health and sanity checked.
Give Yourself Extra Time
Sometimes, you’re under the gun, and you have to move quickly. However, if you have the luxury of time, do everything you can to give yourself as much as you can because everything will be more difficult when you try to move during a pandemic. You probably won’t have as many people in the house to help you pack as you would during regular times, which means the process will take longer. Also, moving companies limit their exposure to customers, too, so you may have to plan who will be in the house during moving day.
Scrutinize Your Moving Company
While it’s always a good idea to read reviews to find out which moving company is best for you, it’s crucial to take the scrutiny a step further during a pandemic. Ask the moving company like Bellhop you’re considering on their protocol for moving during a pandemic. How often do they monitor their employees for symptoms? Are they required to wear masks during the move? Do they sanitize boxes after they’ve moved them? What safeguards are in place to ensure no one with the virus is coming into your home?
Get Multiple Estimates
As you would during normal times, it’s wise to get estimates from multiple moving companies — three at the least as soon as you know that you have to move. Many moving companies were giving online estimates before the pandemic hit, but now nearly all of them offer this service for people who don’t want to risk strangers coming into the home for a walkthrough to determine your moving costs.
Declutter Your Home
Pandemic or not, it’s good practice to get rid of as much stuff before you move because the less that goes onto the moving truck, the cheaper the cost.
Begin decluttering as early as possible, so you’re not rushing around at the last minute. It’s easy to forget how much stuff you’ve accumulated throughout the years, and how long it’s going to take to get rid of the things you no longer need.
Start by picking a room and thoroughly going through it to decide which items you want to keep, and what you can put away. Consider selling, donating, or throwing away the things you don’t need or want anymore. For example, old clothes that don’t fit or don’t wear anymore could be donated to a charity, and the same goes for furniture and appliances.
It may take a few weeks, but if you go through each room with this process, you lighten the load and have less stuff to wrestle with when you get to your new place.
Get Supplies
If you’ve spent months in lockdown, you probably have a plethora of cardboard boxes and packing material from online orders. If not, ask your family members, friends, and neighbors to save up boxes and packing material. Don’t forget to get plenty of packing tape and markers to mark the boxes.
Pack
The best way to pack is to start with the things you don’t use every day like books, DVDs, offseason clothes, extra bedding, towels, etc. It’s also recommended that you pack items that go into the same room together, so it’s easier to unpack when you arrive at your new home.
Decide How to Unpack
If you use a moving company, they may want to unpack your belongings once you arrive at your new home. Still, during this pandemic, you might want to unpack the stuff yourself so you can be sure everything is adequately wiped down. Some people request their belongings to be moved into the garage at their new house to “quarantine” before moving the stuff into the home.
Storage Services
Depending on the particulars of your moving situation, you may need to rent storage space. However, during the pandemic, many storage companies offer limited hours of accessibility or limit how many people can access their storage units at a given time; this is important to remember if you store something that you may need quick access to.
Moving is rarely an easy process, and there’s always something that seems to go wrong. If you have the luxury of time, start planning in detail the entire process as soon as possible so you can move during these stressful times, and stay healthy.
David Johnson is a versatile content writer known for his ability to breathe life into words and create engaging narratives on diverse subjects. With a passion for effective storytelling and a keen eye for detail, David crafts content that resonates with readers and sparks their curiosity. He is dedicated to delivering high-quality, informative, and enjoyable content, making him a respected voice in the digital landscape. Beyond the keyboard, David enjoys exploring the outdoors, immersing himself in literature, and finding inspiration in everyday experiences.
Loading…