As people endure ‘shelter-in-place’ orders from state governments, many have begun to reassess their lives. Others have lost their jobs and don’t know if they will get them back. College students have been told that college is cancelled. Therefore, there are many people who are considering moving during the Corona Virus crisis.
It could be a good time to move as house prices have taken a big hit and it looks like the market could crash again. Some tenants will be forced to move as rents have risen too high and are now unsustainable with so many people out of work, some temporarily, some may be permanently unemployed.
A lot of people are thinking of moving, but some are scared to move right now due to the Covid-19 disease. Some of these fears may be justified, yet with proper and careful mitigation it is possible to move safely and minimize the risk of Corona Virus. Fortunately, there are some very solid moving companies that are doing everything they can to ensure your safety during this health crisis. If you find a good moving and storage company, you’ll be fine.
If you’re planning to move during these tough times, there are a lot of things you should think about. Let’s spend a few minutes and break this down so you can come up with a safe strategy to get around safely in these difficult Corona times.
Important considerations when moving during a pandemic health emergency
The first thing to consider is whether the state you are moving to has a quarantine period. That is, a time when you must stay home, usually 14 days, or until you are sure you have no symptoms, whichever is longer. Such quarantine periods are required in Texas and Florida and many other states. You’ll need a plan to have everything you need once you get to your new home.
Next, let’s talk about packing all your stuff. If you have a team from a moving company do it for you, you may want to wait to unpack those belongings for a week or so simply because the coronavirus can live on certain surfaces for a long time. Things that you will use right away, perhaps you could pack them yourself. When unpacking, it may be convenient to have a UV light on the box when unpacking, as UV light kills the virus in about 2 minutes.
Always wash your hands early and often, and avoid touching your face while unpacking. Ask family members to do the same. Make it a ritual, every time you take something out of a box and place it somewhere in the house, wash your hands before you grab the next item, especially if someone else did the packing. You can laugh at the whole next year, remembering all the ordeal. Your family will be stronger once this is all over.
Hire a moving company during the Covid-19 crisis
Ask the owner or manager of the moving company what they are doing to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Ask if the movers will wear masks. Explain that you don’t want anyone to go to your old or new home if they show signs of having the virus, such as a cough, fever, or other common symptoms. Ask if you have the right to refuse a crew member who you see is coughing if you have the right to ask them to leave the premises.
The best moving and furniture storage companies already have protocols and plans to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Moving companies are considered essential workers and take their industry, their jobs, and their mission to move you safely and safely very seriously.
Some final thoughts on how to complete your move
A smart idea recommended by moving consultants and moving experts during this coronavirus crisis is for movers to move large furniture, heavy things, and put the rest of the unpacked boxes in the garage. It is easy to disinfect large furniture surfaces with Lysol and/or a similar disinfectant. For wooden furniture, hit it with Lemon Pledge afterwards to avoid damaging the surface.
When unpacking the boxes, simply move them one at a time to the driveway on a sunny day and start unpacking. As soon as you finish one, start the next one.
While you will likely be a bit close to the moving crew, try to keep this to a minimum and maintain a safe distance of 6-10 feet. If you always keep your distance, they will too out of courtesy, it’s human nature. You don’t even need to mention it in general, just keep your distance. Also, please wear a mask when the moving team is moving, request that the moving team do as well. Keep children and older members of your family in a room where you will not move during the process. Everything will be fine
As long as your new neighbors come to introduce themselves. Say thank you and tell them that you are under the required quarantine since she moved from another area, but only for 14 days. Tell them you feel fine, but those are the rules.
Tell them how happy you are to have good neighbors and that you’ll be so happy when this is all over so you can meet and invite them over. Trade only email addresses and phone numbers for now. If something comes up, that’s the best way to communicate at the moment. Be cool, we will all get through this together and you will enjoy your new beginning.