Moving during COVID-19 presents additional challenges, but also opportunities. Last Fall I moved and experienced it first-hand. For the first time, I had the luxury of additional time to really sort through my things. I was amazed at what I had been willing to pack and bring on my last 3 moves; but now I could change that pattern.
First, we made the tough decisions and let go of some of our things. We made donations and used NextDoor to post some of those items, selling vases, bedroom furniture and even an old, down-on-its luck bicycle. Next, we reused boxes from our last move, which saved time and money. Lastly, we hired movers, because we couldn’t depend on family (like we always did) amidst the pandemic. The move was one of our easiest. I hope these suggestions help your next move be less stressful and more seamless.
1. Declutter: Get rid of anything you haven’t used in the past year and things that may have accumulated over time (for me, mainly from impulse purchases). You can visit these links to donate some of your clutter https://www.moving.com/tips/charities-free-donation-pickup/ and https://bigfootmoving.com/residential/donate-unwanted-items/.
2. Boxes: Pick out different sized boxes. There are even boxes that you can hang your clothes and coats.
3. Labels: Label the boxes by room and write on the box what is placed inside, then you can place those boxes in the appropriate rooms. This alleviates a lot re-moving heavy boxes from room to room.
4. Packing: Use appropriate boxes for items, place heavy items on the bottom and lighter items on top. Check the box’s weight often to avoid over packing and making the box too heavy.
5. Chargers: Create a necessity bag and place important items in it, such as phone chargers and important documents.
6. Movers: Book your movers as soon as you have your move in date. Also, ask about what extra costs you could anticipate (e.g., tape, furniture covers). (Bonus tip: If you are going to rent your own truck, get one with a ramp - it’s worth the extra money!)
7. Utilities: Call and set a date to shut off your existing utilities and set start dates at your new place.
There are a lot of movers in and around Boston. Here are a few that my clients and I have used:
Stairhopper Movers - https://stairhoppers.com/
Gentle Giant - https://www.gentlegiant.com
Olympia Movers - https://olympiamoving.com/
You can also help a great cause while moving by choosing one of these moving companies that will donate your food you don’t want to move: https://moveforhunger.org/find-a-mover