With the exception of international relocation, cross-country moving is one of the most challenging types of residential moves you can be involved in.
Hauling your household thousands of miles to a new place is never going to be an easy undertaking.
The ferrying of belongings is a unique puzzle that requires figuring out on its own, although it’s usually best to bring in an interstate mover and let them worry about that particular aspect.
The move gets more complicated if you’re moving with young children in tow, double so if you add pets to the mix. For those of us who’re into gardening, there is also the flora to worry about, which might or might not even be allowed in your destination state – something you need to check beforehand.
Clearly, you can expect to have your hands full if you have a cross-country move on the cards.
Now, a year into the pandemic, we have drastically changed the way we approach our daily lives and interact with others, something that’s not likely to be suddenly reversed just because the world has been vaccinated.
These changes have affected every aspect of our lives, including the way we move.
Long distance moving during the Covid-19 pandemic isn’t ideal, but sometimes it’s inevitable depending on individual circumstances. On the upside, most states are easing restrictions post-vaccination, so things are starting to look up. A little.
Still, it’s important not to drop your guard. If you have a cross-country move scheduled in 2021, we have 3 important tips we’d like to share with you to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
Make sure your interstate mover has a Covid-19 safety plan
During these extraordinary times, your moving company of choice needs to be proactive when it comes to prioritizing the health of its customers and employees.
That said, we’re not completely out of the woods yet, so when planning your move in 2021, look for a mover that has a Covid-19 plan in place.
This doesn’t have to be a masterplan whose contents are only known to a few. It’s really about having a plan in place that ensures the move is conducted within the necessary safety precautions as pertains to Covid-19.
That means a mover that puts their staff through daily check-in screenings to ensure any probable symptoms are arrested early. It means frequent sanitizing of moving equipment and materials, as well as staff sanitizing and washing hands on a regular.
It also means minimizing contact between mover and customers as much as practically possible.
A move is not a straightforward process, so you want to be sure the moving company you’ll be using has healthy professionals leading the way as efficiently as possible.
Opt for virtual estimates
Before most of us knew a name like coronavirus existed, in-house moving estimates were all the rage, and understandably so given these tended to be the most accurate.
At this time, however, you might want to opt for a virtual estimate if safety is on your mind. It doesn’t mean you’ll get a quote that will change down the line.
If anything, most moving companies have started giving credence to virtual estimates since COVID happened, so you shouldn’t expect any major disparities in the initial estimate and the figure on the final invoice – provided, of course, you’re working with a trusted mover and that your moving requirements do not change later.
Opt for video estimates done through your smartphone (FaceTime, Skype, Zoom or whatever medium you and your mover decide to use) as opposed to call estimates.
Stock up on masks and sanitation supplies
If you hire a reputable long-distance mover that doesn’t gamble with the health of its employees and customers, their moving team will likely not be short of cleaning and sanitation supplies on hand to stave off any potential contamination during the move.
However, you shouldn’t rely on the moving company for your health and that of your family. Let them do their part, and you yours.
That said, have more than enough masks and cleaning supplies, including disinfecting wipes (they still existed before the pandemic, remember?) and of course, hand sanitizers.
If you can, it might also be a good idea to sanitize your new home after completing your move, assuming 1. it was previously inhabited and 2. the property or building manager or landlord has not taken the initiative of thoroughly doing so.
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