Moving During COVID-19? Five Tips for Staying Safe!

Are you planning a move during COVID-19? On your moving day, the tasks to complete are many and the hours are few.  Your day starts with anxiously awaiting the movers to arrive and, when using Moving Ahead Services, becomes one of relief because they are on-time and they present as professionals.  However, even with the best movers and the best planning, anxiety and stress are bound to emerge.  There is a lot to think about.  Complicating a move in 2020 and in the near-term future is the unprecedented uncertainty due to the COVID-19 virus.

Challenges Right Now

Taking on any major change under normal conditions is stress-inducing.  For most of 2020, and for the undetermined future, however, normal activities and a reasonable expectation of process is in flux because of the pandemic.  Questions you may be asking include: Should you put off moving?  Should you try to move yourself despite knowing you need help?  Are there concerns ‘you don’t know you don’t know’, only made worse during COVID-19?  Like with most activities, COVID-19 has added a complicating layer on moving, and it can be incredibly nerve-racking.   Work to mitigate risk and anxiety if you need to plan and execute a move during these uncertain times.

Practical Tips for Your Move During COVID-19

Before we list the practical advice, remember to take measures to care for yourself and your loved ones.  Daily habits that work to keep you healthy mentally and physically will go a long way in minimizing issues that come from forces outside of our collective control.

• One important way to limit stress during your move, and especially during this time of COVID-19, is to limit commitments.  Stay focused on taking care of your needs and that of your immediate family and then, when your move is complete, you can pick up again helping others.  Don’t be afraid to say “no”; people will understand and they can relate.  In addition, limiting commitments limits your interaction with others, which reduces your risk of contracting contagious infections.  What other practical steps can you take before and on your moving day to minimize risk of exposure during COVID-19?
• Opt for a virtual “in-home” estimate.  Moving Ahead Services offers this service should our customers prefer to limit the number of people in their homes.  Should you prefer a traditional in-person home estimate, MAS will send only the required number of personnel and will follow recommended safety protocols including mask-wearing and physical distancing.
• Limit the number of family members who are present on moving day.  Anyone who needs to be present should be wearing a mask and should sanitize their hands often.  Moving Ahead Services movers are following these strict mask and hand-washing protocols as part of our overall safety plans.  Our crews are also self-reporting their temperatures and overall wellness as part of their personal responsibilities to our clients during this time.
• Be diligent about disinfecting.  Carry disinfectant wipes with you so you can use them on apartment building handles, elevator nobs, and door handles in advance of your movers.  If you’re driving your own moving truck or rental, wipe down the car door handles, the steering wheel, and other driver-side high touch points before you’re driving for the day.

Introducing Electrostatic Cleaning

Not only are you moving out of your current location, you’re moving into a new one. COVID-19 guidelines from the CDC include washing hands and surfaces frequently.  So what about your new location?  How do you ensure your peace of mind regarding the cleanliness of the place you’re moving into?

• Take advantage of Moving Ahead Services’ new service offering: Electrostatic Disinfectant. Our electrostatic spraying will help eliminate 99.999% of bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19, H1N1; MRSA; Norovirus; HIV; Legionella; Hepatitis A, B, and C; Ebola virus; among others. The method uses an electric charge to ensure the disinfectant reaches as much surface area as possible, and could be applied before you move into a new house, apartment, or office.

Lastly, once your movers have finished and the move is complete, give yourself some mental ‘space and grace’.  Don’t expect your new office or home arrangement to be perfect in a short-amount of time.  You may feel the urgency to get everything right, but moving can be hard, and moving during COVID-19 brings an additional challenge.  Acknowledging this, and taking a bit more time for cleaning and moving your items will go a long way in your efforts to staying safe during your move.

Do you want to take advantage of the extra protection of our Electrostatic Cleaning service?  Contact us today!