COVID-19 has been one bumpy ride for all of us. Cancelling almost all enthusiastic plans, everyone made sure to abide by one thing: health. Amidst all the travel bans, social distancing and getting used to working from home, we all surpassed almost two years now.
With countless events being cancelled, planning and re-planning the anticipations for the future, and the overwhelming precautions, moving can be very typical. But, for the people who are already on the move, persisting is an option that you can’t really go for.
If you are looking to move during COVID, you just have to underline your priorities, do a little extra planning, and follow a few precautionary steps to make it successful.
Make DIY Your New Motto
Although there are many designated moving companies available, either these companies have shut their services down or have reduced their working hours and bandwidth in the era of the pandemic. So, in a scenario like this, try to make a move on your own. If you can find any functioning local movers and packers near you, reaching out to them before moving would be the best idea. However, before making any commitments, ensure their sanitisation procedure and all the miscellaneous details, like moving and cancellation policies, are in place.
Lessen the Contact
During COVID, social distancing and going contactless is something that you should always keep a note of. So, before working with a moving company, make sure to check their clauses and that they are willing to offer a fully no-contact service. As far as the considerate and obvious handshakes are concerned, they can surely be replaced by a smile and a generous tip.
Taking Extra Sanitary Precautions
On the day of moving to your new home in Canada, ensure that you take extra precautions. Some of them might include:
- Disinfecting the frequently touched objects and surfaces, including furniture, handles and doorknobs.
- Make sure to pick new moving supplies and not reuse the old ones you might already have. Purchase new and sanitised boxes before you have to pack up everything and move to your new home.
- Place paper towels and soaps next to the sinks and sanitizers by the doors to make everything hygienic and clean.
- Make sure to cover your nose and mouth with masks. To avoid contact, you can use gloves as well. Make sure you work with moving companies that maintain proper hygiene and sanitation protocols and possess all the necessary additional hygiene products for the workers and the suppliers.
Manage Your Expectations
Before the virus hit the world, inviting friends and family and asking for their help wouldn’t have been a task. But, with the new concept of minimizing contact and maintaining social distancing, it’s best not to refrain from inviting friends and family over to help you with the move.
However, in case you cannot find any moving companies, definitely seek help but try to limit the number of people to a minimum so that all social distancing and safety protocols are maintained. Make sure you divide the tasks and make a move coordinated to perform the entire process quickly and hassle-free.
Flexibility and Transparency
When times are tough, it is important to be more cooperative and transparent. While maintaining all COVID protocols are sacrosanct, it is also important that you are flexible enough to reschedule your move, depending on your surroundings. So, here are a few things to bear in mind when you are planning to move to your new home.
- If you are staying in an apartment building, you can ask for help from neighbours and the people around you. You can tell them the date of the move and ask for their help from an understandable vicinity, hence following social distancing.
- If any of your family members are experiencing coronavirus symptoms, you should definitely postpone your moving plans. We know rescheduling is a task, but considering the health and safety of the community, the needful must be done.
- Make sure to lighten the load and help others during these tough times.
- According to statistics, nearly forty million Americans cannot afford groceries and things that come with basic needs. With COVID 19 leading to the closure and isolation of schools, restaurants, and even jobs, the need and the urge to survive and sustain had risen.
- You can indulge yourself in donation groups and make sure that you can be as helpful as possible. Multiple national organisations would help you with the same.
- Moving becomes an even more copious task, with the pandemic adding to the challenges. But, with proper measures and precautions, one can surely get past this challenge.
Additional Resources
While laying out your plan for the move, make sure to coordinate with the concerned authorities. Take heed of the health and safety guidelines that are being set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention)
For any latest updates, you can visit the official websites of the government and underline the guidelines regarding the same. If you need help listing your properties during the times of the pandemic, feel free to reach out to our team of experts at Square Yards.
Below listed are a few companies functioning amidst the pandemic that would make your moving go smoothly and in a safe and organised manner.
- Betkins
- Arpin
- Graebel
- U-Pack
- Stevens Worldwide
- Mayflower
- Wheaton Worldwide Moving
- United Van Lines
- Atlas Van Lines
- North American Moving Services
Ask Questions
Before hiring any help for moving, make sure to ask the right questions and find out the correct protocol. Ensure that they are regulating and monitoring the health of their crew members with proper measures incorporating face masks, hand sanitisers, gloves, etc.
Even moving agencies contact customers three days in advance to find out if anyone has been infected with the virus or not. That way, they can plan the move for their clients accordingly. So, no matter the moving company you approach.
Wrapping it Up
The process of moving alone can be extremely overwhelming, let alone the process of moving during a pandemic. With utter cautiousness and keeping all the safety measures in mind, carrying out a safe and sanitised move can be possible. You can proceed with the above-listed measures as a start to move to your new home amidst the pandemic.
FAQs
Many organizations like Arpin, Betkins, North American Moving Services can assist you with the whole moving process. These companies also make sure to make the process sanitized and healthier.
Moving during the pandemic can be difficult, but with proper planning and precautions, the moving process can be eased and carried out smoothly.
You can contact the team at International Student Expertise Team and make sure you justify all your enquirers.
Yes. Spring Campus Housing is only available for undergraduate students and should be applied for.