One in nine Americans moves every year according to American Movers Inc. Though the overall number of moves has dropped significantly over the last 50 years, the moving industry has gotten even more hectic. With an estimated 80% of yearly moves occurring during peak season (May-September), moving your family sometimes seems like a difficult and expensive process. That’s where online resources can come in. We’ve found some websites and apps that can help make all aspects of moving easier. From packing to furniture assembly, here’s how you can use the Internet to make your move as efficient and cost effective as possible.
1. Plan your to-do list
There are several apps that will help you create digital to-dos and reminders for yourself. Wunderlist is a great option for those looking for a digital planner. There are also, however, but also apps that are specific to moving. Moved, for example, bills itself as your personal moving concierge. The app treats your move as a project to be managed, and buckets tasks by the steps in your move. It will give you reminders for to-dos that you might’ve forgotten to add to your list, such as changing your address for your children’s doctor’s office or your credit card. Similarly, Home Move Pro also creates custom moving to-do lists, complete with packing lists and a calendar view. You can also find and hire movers directly through the app.
2. Keep track of your stuff
When loading and unloading your house, the cardboard boxes can all start to look the same. Organization and sorting apps can help you keep track of what is in each box and where everything goes, so your unpacking process can be as streamlined as possible. Sortly lets you take pictures of every item that you pack and group items by box. In addition, the app can create and assign a QR code to each box and print a box-specific label. At the end of the move, you can scan the label on each box to see exactly what is inside. Moving Van also allows you to document every item you pack. Using both of these apps can have lasting positive effects after you move as well. Your home inventory can help make it easier for you to file home insurance claims and keep track of valuable items.
If you have a few boxes that are especially important (the ones that contain your new house keys, for example), you can track the location of specific boxes with Tile. These Bluetooth beacons can be tracked via the Tile app or be made to emit sounds, so you can find your important item easily amid a sea of cardboard boxes.
3. Hire help moving
Though there are several moving websites that allow you to find and hire movers online, we figured we’d list a few disrupters in the industry. New Leaf Moving Group stands out as a family-operated moving company that provides a free online moving estimate. You can also use this service beyond moving- to store items in climate-controlled storage solutions, for example. Living by or moving next to a major college has its perks. Check out Bellhops for an easy way to hire local college students with the muscle necessary to move your stuff.
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive comparison of moving companies and quotes, try Unpakt. Create a digital inventory of all the items you need moved, and Unpakt will give you a customized quote for the moving companies available in your area.
4. Layout your Furniture
Sometimes it can be hard to remember all of the rooms in your new house or to keep track of measurements for buying or arranging furniture. Magic Plan can help. With this free app, you can create and store customized house floorplans just by taking a few pictures of the inside. The app can help you visualize where your furniture should go and what future renovations could look like. RoomScan Pro can also create customized floorplans of your house.
If you want to add furniture to your home, a great place for inspiration is Houzz. Using the app’s overlay feature, you can see exactly how new furniture would look in your home. The app will overlay a picture of the furniture piece onto a picture of the location in your room you would like it to be placed.
5. Get you settled into your new place
Moving is always more exhausting than you expect, even when you have lots of help. Handy can help take care of the details you are too tired to handle yourself, such as mounting the TV or assembling new furniture. You can take a break and use the app to hire someone to complete the task for you within 24 hours. Don’t have time to go to the drugstore or grab groceries? Have Postmates do it for you. Available in many US cities, Postmates can deliver what you need quickly and conveniently.
Once you set up your house the way you want, make sure it stays that way with cleaning tips from BrightNest. The customizable app can send you to-dos for cleaning or creative projects around your home.
Moving to a different home is never easy, even if it’s just down the street. However, online resources can help make even the longest moves a little better. Use these apps and websites and you can have a smoother overall moving experience.
