IN THIS POST
– Prioritizing your health
– Using a rental truck
– Hiring a moving service
– Cleaning and sanitizing during the move
– Disinfecting the house before unpacking
Moving houses in the middle of a global pandemic might not be a smart idea. Packing all of your belongings and transferring it to a new location is a hassle during the best of times. But doing so during the lockdown imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus in Pakistan can be more stressful than you may realize. However, if relocating in the middle of the ongoing crisis is completely unavoidable and cannot be delayed or postponed by any means, here are a few safety tips for moving during COVID-19 that you should follow to stay safe from the potentially deadly virus.
Safety Tips for Moving During COVID-19
These safety tips for moving houses during COVID-19 lockdown will not only help reduce the risks of acquiring the potentially deadly disease but also lower down your stress levels.
Prioritizing Your Health
When it comes to safety measures for moving during coronavirus, your top priority should be the health of family members who are in a high-risk group.
If you or someone in your family is above 60 years of age, suffers from a respiratory disease or a cardiovascular condition, or is immunocompromised, then it’s recommended to put off your move until after the coronavirus pandemic is over. However, if you can’t put it off or don’t want to for any reason, you need to be extra careful of exposing such members of your household to the virus.
Similarly, if someone in your household has either contracted the disease or has come in contact with a potential coronavirus patient, make sure to call your landlord or the seller to inform them about the situation at hand. There is a good chance you’ll be able to delay the moving date without having to pay any extra charges. In case that doesn’t work and you have to move anyways, you must tell the movers about the situation so they could take extra precautions to keep themselves safe.
Using a Rental Truck
Most people prefer using a rental truck to move their belongings to their new home. Sometimes, these trucks come with labourers who can help you place the heavier items such as beds and cupboards into the vehicle and then unload them once you reach your destination.
While it is a budget-friendly option, there are a few things you need to make sure of before renting out a truck.
For moving safely during COVID-19, you must ensure the part of the vehicle where you’ll be storing your boxes is completely clean and has been disinfected. Secondly, the driver and workers must be wearing a mask and gloves. Thirdly, everyone must maintain social distancing while moving the boxes from to and from the truck.
Hiring a Moving Service
Hiring moving services during the COVID-19 pandemic will cost you a little more than just renting out a truck. However, it can be a good idea to hire one while moving houses during the lockdown as professional movers will help you quickly pack up your stuff and move it into their vehicle faster than you could’ve done on your own. Similarly, unloading and unpacking your belongings will also become much easier and time-efficient if you hire the services of a moving agency.
However, before you commit to a single company for shifting a house during coronavirus, make sure to ask them the following questions:
- Have they equipped their movers with proper safety gear, such as gloves, masks and hand sanitisers?
- Are they cleaning and disinfecting their moving vehicles as a precautionary measure against coronavirus?
- Do they have a system in place to screen their employees for the symptoms of COVID-19?
- Do they allow their staff members to stay at home if they have fever, cough or show any other potential symptoms?
Cleaning and Sanitizing During the Move
Taking extra sanitation precautions is one of the most important tips for moving during COVID-19.
Please make sure that you have proper cleaning supplies on hand while moving. This includes items such as disinfecting wipes and hand sanitisers – both of which you can make at home, microfiber cloth or duster, disinfecting surface cleaners and soap or a liquid hand wash.
Also, do not use old recycled cardboard boxes from different sources to pack your stuff. According to a research study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, coronavirus can remain stable on cardboard for up to 24 hours. So, you can either buy cardboard boxes a week or two in advance or just use the ones you have in your home instead of asking a nearby grocery store to lend you some at the last moment.
Moreover, if moving during the coronavirus outbreak, you must use disinfecting wipes to wipe down every item before packing it in a box and then wipe down the box as well. The same needs to be done for furniture, appliances and other items. This will reduce the chances of the virus being carried into your new home.
One of the other crucial safety tips for moving during COVID-19 is to ensure you and your family members along with the movers are washing their hands frequently. If that isn’t possible, you should provide them with rubber gloves or hand sanitisers that comprise at least 70% isopropyl alcohol.
Disinfecting the House before Unpacking
Last but not least, those moving houses during lockdown must take extra precautions and thoroughly disinfect their new home before unloading. In order to do this, you must wipe the floors, doorknobs, stair railing, light switches, window frames, faucets and taps, as well as countertops with a disinfectant.
Please note that disinfecting a surface is not the same as cleaning it.
You can check out our guide on the differences between cleaning, sanitising and disinfecting to learn more about the topic.
Next, make sure to wipe the boxes and furniture with disinfecting wipes as you unload and unpack them. Moreover, ask your family members to wash their hands after touching any of the items after shifting to a new house during COVID-19.
Here are some home cleaning tips to prevent coronavirus that you might find helpful in this regard. In addition to that, make sure to follow this COVID-19 protection protocol while entering or leaving your house.
In case you are moving houses for the first time, this beginner’s guide on how to pack for a move will come in handy. Similarly, you should also take a look at our tips on how to unpack efficiently after moving to a new home.
Meanwhile, if you have questions about our safety tips for moving during COVID-19, feel free to write to us on blog@zameen.com.
To learn more about the preventive measures against coronavirus and what you can do to help those affected by the lockdown, stay connected to Zameen Blog – the best lifestyle and real estate blog in Pakistan. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest updates about construction and property trends in the country.
