Moving Tips: How to Get Around Safely in CoronaVirus Days
As people put up with ‘shelter-in-place’ orders from state governments, many have begun to reevaluate their lives. Others have lost their jobs and are not sure if they will get them back. College students have been told that college is canceled. Therefore, there are many people who are considering moving during the Corona Virus crisis.
It could be a good time to move, as real estate 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, others may be permanently unemployed.
A lot of people are thinking about moving, but some are afraid to move right now due to Covid-19 disease. Some of these fears may be justified, yet with proper and careful mitigation, it is possible to move around safely and minimize the risk of the Corona Virus. Fortunately, there are some very strong moving companies that go out of their way to ensure your safety during this health crisis. If you find a good moving and storage company, you should be fine.
If you are planning a move during these difficult times, there are many things you should be thinking about. Let’s take a few minutes to discuss them so that you can come up with a safe strategy to move safely through these challenging times in Corona.
Important Considerations When Moving During a Health Emergency Pandemic
The first thing to consider is whether the state you are moving to has a quarantine period. That is, a time in which you must stay at home, generally 14 days, or until you are sure that you have no symptoms, whichever is longer. These quarantine periods are mandatory in Texas, Florida, and many other states. You will need a plan to have everything you need once you arrive in your new home.
Next, let’s discuss how to pack all your things. If you have a team from a moving company doing this for you, you may want to wait to unpack those belongings for a week or so simply because coronavirus can live on certain surfaces for a long time. Things that you will use right away, maybe you can pack yourself. When unpacking, it would be wise to place a UV light on the box while you are 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. Have family members do the same. Make it a ritual, every time you take something out of a box and put it somewhere in the house, wash your hands before grabbing the next item, especially if someone other than you did the packaging. You can laugh at the whole year to come, remembering the whole ordeal. Your family will be stronger once this is all over.
Hiring a moving company during the Covid-19 crisis
Ask the owner or manager of the moving company what they do to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Ask if the movers will wear masks. Explain that you do not want anyone to go to your old home or your 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 you see coughing if you have the right to ask them to leave the premises.
The best moving and storage companies already have protocols and plans in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Movers are considered essential workers and take their industry, jobs and mission very seriously to move you safely and carefully.
Some final thoughts to complete your move
A smart idea that moving consultants and movers are recommending during this Corona Virus crisis is to have movers move large furniture into place, heavy stuff, and put the rest of the unpacked boxes in the garage. . Large furniture surfaces are easy to disinfect with Lysol and / or a similar disinfectant. For wooden furniture, hit with Lemon Pledge afterwards to avoid surface damage.
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.
Although you will probably be somewhat close to the moving crew, try to keep this to a minimum and maintain a safe distance of 6 to 10 feet. If you always keep your distance, they will do it too out of courtesy, it’s human nature. You don’t even need to mention it in general, just keep your distance. Also, wear a mask when the moving crew is moving, ask the moving crew too. Keep children and older family members in a room where there will be no movement during the process. Everything will be fine
If and when your new neighbors show up. Say thank you and tell them that you are under the required quarantine since you moved from another area, but only for 14 days. Tell them it feels good, but those are the rules.
Tell them how happy you are to have good neighbors and that you will be so happy when this is all over so that you can meet and invite them. Exchange only email addresses and phone numbers for now. If something comes up, that’s the best way to communicate for now. Be cool, we’ll all get through this together and enjoy your new beginning.