If you’re thinking about moving during the coronavirus pandemic, then you may also be asking yourself, is it even safe to move right now? Well, that depends. The moving process is already stressful enough. Add a pandemic to the mix, and a lot more can go wrong, and I’m not just talking about a broken mirror. I’m talking about you and your family’s health, which is the most important thing of all, correct?
Fortunately, there are several ways to keep you and your family safe and healthy during the move. With that said, here are 5 common mistakes I strongly encourage you to avoid making when moving during this pandemic. Because the more you know about what you should and shouldn’t do, the more prepared you will be for your next move.
- Assuming that it’s safer to move everything yourself
Do you think going the DIY route and having friends and family help instead of hiring movers is safer? Well, while it will save you money to not hire movers, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safer.
For one, if you ask your friends and family to help you, they might just likely be as sick as the movers. And odds are, professional movers should have the training and equipment (including gloves and face masks) to move things as safely as possible.
- Waiting until the last minute to pack
Are you one who tends to put everything off until the last minute? Well, you’re not alone. Even if you plan to just quickly throw everything into moving boxes, packing takes time. It’s almost inevitable that areas you thought would take ten minutes to pack take closer to an hour, and then there are those areas that you know from the get-go won’t be a walk in the park (hi, kitchen). Giving yourself an insufficient amount of time will always lead to unnecessary stress that could have been avoided with better planning.
- Failing to budget properly
It’s impossible to anticipate the cost of your move down to the penny, which is why moving companies give you estimates—not quotes. But it’s still smart to get a general idea of what your move is going to cost you, especially if you’re trying to keep costs in a certain range. It’s common to have sticker shock after a move, but you can also mitigate it by doing the legwork ahead of time to figure out what you’re comfortable spending and how much you’re going to need to budget.
- Using other people’s recycled boxes and supplies
Let me ask you this, did you know that the coronavirus can live on cardboard for up to 24 hours and plastic and steel for up to 72 hours? Mind-blowing, I know. With that said, I highly recommend that you use any boxes and plastic bins that you already own. But, if you need extra moving boxes and supplies, it’s also recommended that you buy everything new, and avoid picking up free, recycled boxes from friends, neighbors, or supermarkets,
Moving companies may also let you rent plastic bins. If that’s the case, make sure you wipe them down, inside and out, with disinfectant before packing your things. But what happens if you don’t take proper safety precautions? Keep reading to find out!
- Failing to take proper safety precautions
Whether you hire movers or move everything yourself, don’t forget to wear protective gear. Examples of proper protective equipment that you can wear while you move include cloth masks, gloves, and shoe coverings. This gear will help prevent you from bringing the virus into your home. In addition to wearing PPE, be sure to keep a safe distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and the movers.
