4 Tips for a Safe Move During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Moving into a new home can be a stressful time, and even more so during a global pandemic. While many technologies have emerged making many tasks and jobs virtual, a move is still a face-to-face task that involves other people, which means it involves a level of risk. 

Here are some tips to help mitigate that risk and maintain your health – and that of any movers who are assisting you – if you are moving to a new home during this time.

Follow Local Health and Safety Orders

First and foremost, make sure to follow any orders set by state and local authorities. The safest thing for everyone is to make sure you and your moving company, if using one, follow any directives set by your local officials. In many cases, this means maintaining at least six (6) feet of distance between all persons and limiting the number of people involved on moving day to ten (10) or fewer. That said, this guidance may not apply to all areas – be sure to check your local regulations and guidelines before moving day.

Talk to Your Movers

It’s important to establish clear communication with the people who will be helping you move. Keep the lines of communication open and ask the right questions to help protect yourself and others during the moving process.

Some questions you can ask your movers include:

• Have you or anyone on your team had any symptoms in the past several weeks?
• Has anyone who will be moving me been exposed to COVID-19?
• What health and safety precautions do you plan to take during the move?
• Will you and your team be wearing gloves and masks?
• Can I sign the paperwork and process payments electronically?

Sanitize Your Belongings

Pack your belongings carefully into boxes or bags, making sure each one is sealed. This will help keep your items safe and contact-free while being moved. When you arrive to your new home, dispose of the boxes and bags, and disinfect all items before bringing them inside. 

Larger items and furniture can be wrapped in plastic for the move. Dispose of the plastic once you arrive to your new residence and give each piece of furniture a good cleaning once situated. 

Deep Clean and Sanitize Your New Home

You’ll want to deep clean and sanitize your new home before moving in. It’s a good idea to have soap, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, cleaning solutions, and rags or paper towels available as soon as you arrive. 

Disinfectant wipes are a great way to quickly clean high-touch areas like doorknobs, cabinet pulls, refrigerator handles, countertops, and other hard surfaces. For areas that can’t be wiped clean, like couches and mattresses, use a disinfectant spray. For more recommendations, read these recommendations on Household Cleaning and Sanitizing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

First Heritage Mortgage COVID-19 Resource Guide

For more information and resources to help during this time,
please visit our COVID-19 Resource Guide.