Ask anyone and they’ll tell you relocating right now isn’t the best idea.
Why? Because we are currently facing a huge health crisis nationwide. Probably the worst type we’ve had in decades. The figures are grim and it seems like there is little or no end in sight for the continued spread of the coronavirus. Plus, there are restrictions in place regarding movement, especially if you’re going to be crossing state borders.
Yet, most times, moving is not a luxury. Definitely, not something you would do simply for the fun of it. It could be a necessity, something paramount to your work or life in other ways. At the moment, it could even be long overdue. And if you’re waiting for the perfect time to execute your relocation plans, you just may never find it.
So if you’ve come to realize that relocating during this crisis isn’t something you can postpone, but what you want to do and get over with as soon as possible, here are a few things you should consider.
Check Your State’s Guidelines. It is to be expected that as time goes, states are going to review and make alterations to their different COVID-19 guidelines in response to the situation on ground. At present, moving is still considered essential by most states, meaning that you would still be able to relocate from one place to the other.
Consider the Health Status of Family Members. Statistics show us that certain classes of people are more prone to suffer from Covid-19 pandemic. If there are members of your family who have underlying health problems, you would want to take extra preventive measures to protect them. Gauge your options. Is it possible to wait a little till it is safer to move them? If it is possible, then you should consider postponing or at least make arrangement for them to join you later.
Ask if Your Moving Company is Currently Operating. As explained earlier, it’s unlikely that relocation companies will be stopped from working during the covid-19 pandemic because they are generally taken as essential businesses. But it won’t come as a surprise to see a moving company out of operations temporarily as anything from the sickness of employees to logistic and financial hitches could affect their ability to attend to customers.
However, there are moving companies operating at the moment. You should contact one that is credible and with a history of good outcomes for clients to handle your move. Now more than ever, you need a moving company that’s reliable, to deal with anything that might come up.
Get new Supplies. It’s best that you get new supplies though it could seem far cheaper to go around gathering old boxes and cartons to stuff your belongings in. It is a usual habit for people to recycle boxes from the supermarket for different purposes, yet your priority should be safety over cost. In a report by the New York Times, the coronavirus can remain active on a paper or cardboard surface as long as 24 hours.
Make a list of the supplies you would need. They should include; small boxes, large boxes, medium boxes, mattress bags, furniture sliders, post-it notes, box cutters, measuring tape, packing tape, bubble wraps, glass pack kits, plastic bags, tv boxes, markers, tall wardrobe boxes etc.
Plan Ahead of Time. It is wise to order for your supplies 6 to 8 days before you would need them. This is to make sure that in the event of a delay in the delivery of your supplies, you would still be able to pack up your things and be ready in time for your delivery company to move them.
Handle Packages Carefully. We recommend leaving your ordered items outside the door for a day at least. You won’t be able to disinfect most of the packages without staining or otherwise damaging them anyway. Best to leave them out so any contamination can die off before you begin using them to pack. As they say, the sun is often the best disinfectant.
Get Adequate Sanitizers and Disinfectants. Speaking of disinfectant, in the process of moving, you may not have the opportunity to always wash your hands with soap and water but you need to stay top of your hygiene game at all times. Have hand sanitizers to constantly clean your hands. Take disinfectants for commonly touched surfaces. If you find yourself short on them, you can make sanitizers out of strong alcoholic spirits. Be sure any alcohol you’re using is strong enough though – alcohol percentage levels of above 60% are most effective.
Find out about your moving company’s policies. What are the safety measures being put in place? Are the workers to wear gloves? What steps have been taken to ensure the security of workers and customers during the relocation process.
Do they also offer virtual assessments of your belongings? Physical assessments could still be done with precautions put in place. But in a world where there is abundant technology to conduct remote assessments, why not take advantage and conduct some of the processes virtually to reduce time spent doing it in person?
You will also need to know about payment policies. If you change your mind about the move, is it possible to get a refund? Could you also reschedule your move to a later date? These are information your moving company ought to provide.
Other Helpful Tips.
- While moving, make use of cloth masks. If you called friends to help you, provide masks for everyone. Standard moving companies will adopt safety measures like professionals but friends choose to be casual. Yet, since they are there to provide assistance you should be looking out for their safety.
- Label your boxes. Don’t just stuff everything randomly. If you do, you’ll have trouble sorting out your belongings when you arrive at your new home. Get a marker and name each box according to their contents. You could also make a list of what’s inside each boxes so you can detect if anything goes missing.
- Give out what you can. There might be some things you’ve not used in a long while and most likely won’t be used in your new home. Why bother taking them with you when someone else could be needing them? Call your neighbors and ask if you can drop them at their front door. That way you can make someone happy while reducing your load as well.
Last thing: stay safe. By observing social distancing, using cloth masks and sanitizers, you will be doing your bit to ensure everyone involved in your move remains in good health. Happy relocation!
