What You Need to Know About Moving House during COVID

This time last year was a very different world. The impact of COVID-19 has changed so much in such a little time that it's hard to know just how long-lasting the social changes we've developed will be. Of course, life continues to move forward, albeit at a slower, more self-enclosed pace. That makes moving home during COVID a particular challenge. The traditional way of moving home, which is already one of the most stressful tasks to undertake, needs to be looked at again. So, if you're moving to a new house during the current pandemic, here are some ideas and suggestions that you might not have considered.

Think About House Value

One of the main problems for property sellers during the current crisis is that house prices are proving to be very unpredictable. Even before you start the process of packing up and moving home, you need to make sure that you know exactly how much your home is currently worth. With such unpredictable fluctuations, and with so much confusion about the current state of demand, it is expected that house prices are going to drop throughout the current crisis, and perhaps well into the future. Check the Cash Lady House Price calculator to make sure that you're getting the right value for your existing home and aren't painting over the odds for your new property. Moving will be a lot less stressful if you know that you're bagging a bargain!

Moving Services

Although many have reopened their offices, moving services are still running as tight a ship as possible. When social distancing is so important, those removal teams are going to need to be very careful if they want to stay safe themselves. If you pre-booked your removal team, check that they are open and that they can still manage your move on the big day. In the bulk of cases, it seems that this is not going to be a problem, but it's worth checking just in case. While you're double-checking everything, don't run the risk of making one of the most common moving mistakes!

A Note on Storage

If you've been planning to use a storage service to help make your move easier, you're also going to need to check that they are still accessible. If they are, check they have the right hygiene practices in place. They should be limiting the number of people in the storage facility at any given time, and hand sanitiser should be available throughout the storage unit.

Falling Ill

If you or a member of your household is feeling unwell, especially if they are showing the NHS recognised symptoms of COVID-19, then you need to let your removal service know as quickly as possible. In some cases, they will try to rearrange delivery dates, but for emergency cases, they may simply add some extra safety protocols to protect themselves.

Your Responsibilities

Make sure that you have provided hygiene products for the removal team to use. Soap and paper towels are vital, with bottles of hand sanitiser left near the entrance to your property. In most cases, the removal team will have their own hygiene essentials, but it's better to be safer. The safer the environment, the easier the move.

Buying Boxes

Don't rely on the traditional way of getting cardboard boxes by going to your nearest stores and asking if they have any. If you have boxes at home, then these are fine to use, but for any additional packing, it's going to be best to buy some dedicated moving boxes. You can order these directly online from many stores. The reason why this is so important is that the coronavirus can stay alive on cardboard for as long as 24 hours.

Sometimes, moving home is inevitable. While it's not impossible to move somewhere new during the current stress of COVID-19, it will take a little more strategic planning. Take your time, protect yourself and those around you, and your move might be a lot easier than you thought it would be.