6 Suggestions When Relocating in the Middle of the Pandemic

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One of the most difficult events of a person’s life is relocating to another area.

Note: This is a contributed post. Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Amazon Associates, Walmart.com, and Etsy.

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A survey, in fact, found that moving is more challenging than becoming a parent or getting divorced. The process of relocating is complicated, whether you choose to take care of the task on your own or hire a company to assist you with packing, transporting and unpacking.

Unfortunately, the current global health crisis did something that many thought was not possible — made relocation more nerve-wracking. Despite these difficult life circumstances, many have to move to a new property and weather this incredibly major life change. When you’re moving because of a life-changing job opportunity or financial difficulties, relocation is an event that you can’t postpone.

If you’re going to move during these tough times, take note of these six best practices:

Choose Virtual Over In-Person Tours When House Hunting

The ongoing pandemic has the normal steps of buying a home. Some sellers, for instance, discourage open houses. Those who do allow in-person home visits make sure to accept only serious and pre-qualified property buyers.

If you’re house hunting right now, you’ll want to find and relocate to the right home while minimizing human contact as much as possible. You can do this by touring houses online. Look for property sellers who offer a virtual tour of their homes on the web.

When you’re going through a virtual tour, think carefully about what you want in a living space. Come up with a mental checklist to determine specific questions tailored to your priorities, needs and situation. Raise questions or concerns that aren’t easy to deduce from a short virtual tour. A few examples include:

“Can you show me what the window views look like?”
“Can you turn on the faucet or the shower, so I can find out what the water pressure is like?”
“How is the mobile phone reception in that area? Can you show me the signal bars on your mobile phone?”

Brush Up on the Donation Rules in Your Area

When you already have a property to move into, you need to sort through your stuff. Then, decide the belongings you should keep along with the items you no longer use. Dropping off a bag filled with toys, clothes and other household goods, however, isn’t as easy as it was before.

Before you give away your stuff, familiarize yourself with the updated donation procedures. Some local thrift stores, for instance, won’t allow you to enter their establishment. Instead, they’ll send out a staff member to get your household items for donation from the back of your vehicle. They do this to practice social distancing and keep you safe.

Buy New Boxes

Before the pandemic, you could use recycled boxes to pack your household belongings. Although this can save you money, it may not be a good idea. A recent study from Harvard Medical School found that the virus can survive up to a day on cardboard. If you’re going to take the recycled box route, wait until 24 hours before using them. Otherwise, just buy brand new cardboard boxes (or covered cardboard pieces that you can easily assemble into a box).

Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Scammers

The current crisis can bring out the worst in some individuals. The last thing you want to encounter during this pandemic is people trying to con you into paying more. If a moving company asks for an unusually large security deposit, consider this as a red flag and look for another provider.

Complete Paperwork Online

If you’re going to hire a moving service provider to help you relocate, you’ll want the complete all the necessary paperwork virtually. This means filling out the forms on the web signing the forms electronically. If one of the movers requires you to sign a paper form, use your pen to sign the document. Then, make sure to sanitize your hands or wash them with soap and water.

Allot Additional Time for the Entire Relocation Process

Everything is a lot more difficult during the current health crisis. If you’re going to tackle your move, take a few days to a week off work for sorting, packing, sealing and labeling boxes and other containers.

If at any time you feel that the process isn’t going easier or faster than you want, stop, take a deep breath and go on a short break. You could also ask one of your family members to take over some remaining moving tasks. Don’t let the stress of the pandemic prevent you from getting things done.

The pandemic has unfortunately made the process of relocating a lot more difficult this year. Don’t fret, though. By following these suggestions, you’ll feel at ease with your decision to move regardless of your reason.

This is a contributed post.

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