STERLING, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lower interest rates and COVID have spurred more people to move. With the pandemic and holidays, moves can be challenging, so JK Moving Services, a global moving, storage, relocation, and logistics enterprise, has put together a list of tips to help these life transitions go more smoothly.
“Moving during the holidays can be hard enough without layering in a pandemic, but that’s what many families are facing this season. That’s why we’ve come up with COVID-related moving tips to make moving easier and safer,” said David Cox, Executive Vice President, Residential Services Division, JK Moving.
Since the pandemic began, nearly a fifth of U.S. adults moved due to COVID-19 or know someone who did, according to a recent PEW Research Center report. With so many people moving, planning ahead is essential. Also moving during the pandemic and holidays can be especially difficult. Taking proper precautions and following these practical tips can help more consumers stay safe during a particularly difficult time to move:
1. Avoid the DIY approach
A pandemic is not the best time to invite friends and family to help pack and load a truck. By hiring professional movers, fewer people will be involved in the move. Also, professional movers will follow CDC guidelines as a matter of policy.
2. Work directly with a professional mover
To ensure a smooth, safe, and affordable moving experience, engage with a moving and storage company that owns its trucks and facilities to help ensure safety. When researching movers, review the company’s policies and commitments to keeping both customers and their employees safe from COVID. For example, JK Moving offers virtual consultations and virtual self-surveys using Yembo, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-supported technology, allowing customers to get accurate quotes without the need for in-person contact. In addition, JK follows COVID screen protocols during dispatch each day, including taking temperatures and confirming that a crew member does not have COVID symptoms and has not had exposure to someone who has tested positive.
3. Load up on packing supplies
With COVID slowing down manufacturing, supplies are not always available readily so loading up on supplies such as boxes, tape, packing materials, hand sanitizer and soap makes sense. This will help minimize additional trips to stores and reduce exposure.
4. Donating may not be an option
Giving away unwanted furniture and other home goods could prove difficult this year. Donation centers have varying guidelines on what they will accept especially during COVID. Contact local donation centers to learn their requirements. If their donations are closed or restricted, selling items on Facebook or Craigslist, and then accepting contactless payments through a mobile app may be another option.
5. Have a travel plan
If moving out of town, consider how to get from Point A to Point B. Some states and localities have travel restrictions so anyone moving should research those states guidelines before leaving. To minimize exposure along the way, consider what protocols might be followed if taking a plane, train, or bus and how to get from the airport, train station or bus station to a new home. The CDC page on “Travel during the COVID-19 Pandemic” is a great planning resource.
ABOUT JK MOVING SERVICES
For 35 years, JK Moving Services – the largest independently owned and operated moving company in North America – has provided local, long distance, and global relocation services to a variety of commercial, residential, and government clients. www.JKMoving.com
