COVID-19 (also known as the “Corona Virus”), has landed our country in a serious situation. A huge percentage of businesses, both small and large, are forced to cease operations while the country practices social distancing and self-isolation. The moving industry falls into a category which is considered essential – especially for those who cannot wait. How does moving during a pandemic work? And more importantly—are moving services even still available?

Below, we’ll go over some of the biggest questions about moving during the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to keep you educated, prepared and calm in this stressful time.

While things are changing daily, the current answer yes. Many moving companies have decided to cease operations at this time, but there has been no official word that they MUST discontinue services. If you have already scheduled your move and haven’t heard anything, it might be best to call and confirm that the company is still offering moving services. 

Because the future is unknown, you might want to keep your move scheduled while the services are still available. Cancelling an upcoming move might result in an extended holding period should the government suspend moving services.  For now, we recommend that you research local moving companies and ask about their safety protocols.

You can expect that the moving company has added extra safety measures to their services including frequent hand washing among movers and no physical contact between movers and clients.

It’s best to reach out to the storage company for this answer. Like moving companies, storage facilities have not been asked to cease operations. However, individual locations might have changed their hours of operations or even a implemented a reduction to the amount of individuals allowed into the units at one time.

The rules and health regulations are changing daily when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic. One thing is certain, the health of the customer AND moving crew is TOP priority. Here is list of tips, provided by AMSA, for making your move go as smoothly as possible during this difficult time.

Be transparent. Don’t move if you’re sick. The main rule with COVID-19 is to stay home if you’re sick. If you’re experiencing any symptoms at all, please reach out to your mover and let them know. Most moving companies will work with you to ensure that you get to reschedule accordingly or take extra precautionary measures to get the job done safely.  

Provide sanitation products for the crew. Many moving companies are already adding sanitation protocols to their moving vehicles, but it might be helpful to prep your home as well so that they can easily sanitize their hands and surfaces frequently during the move. That includes leaving antibacterial soap and paper towels by the sink and a bottle of hand sanitizer by the door.

Purchase new boxes. You may not have budged for this, but it’s important. The virus can live on cardboard up to 24 hours. We recommend calling your moving company and asking to purchase new boxes which have not been previously used or recycled. If they don’t have any new boxes in stock, check with local stores.

Cancel your move if you’re considered “high-risk”. The COVID-19 virus can be lethal if you’re considered high-risk. We know that cancelling or rescheduling a move can be inconveniencing, but please consider this option if you’re: over 60, have diabetes, cancer, pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

If you need to cancel, please try to give notice. Most moving companies are small businesses trying to survive during this difficult time. They understand the need to cancel, but it’s best to give enough time so that they can schedule other jobs or re-schedule your move accordingly.

If you educate yourself and learn the best practices for staying healthy, your move should be safe and stress-free. For every move, both the mover and the customer must practice social distancing and sanitation protocols. If you have any questions, please reach out and we will help you to the best of our ability! 

2018 is upon us! This means that millions of people are vowing to change their lives for the better. Here is a list of top 10 New Year's Resolutions for 2018! 

1) Lose Weight - Let's be honest. This is, and always will be the number 1 resolution. January 1st is the day to start that new diet and get into shape. Is there anything wrong with that? Absolutely not! Make 2018 your year for fitness and health! 

2) Save Money - Everybody has dreams and goals and often times, finances are the cause for setbacks. Make a list of your bills and see how you can eliminate or reduce a few of them in order to save some money for that dream house that you have been looking at! 

3) De-Cluttering and organizing - While Spring Cleaning is around the corner, many people vow to clean and de-clutter after the holidays in order to make room for bigger and better things. Be sure to call a local moving company to get rid of those larger items, otherwise they will sit in a corner and you won't get around to moving them! 

4) Reduce Stress - This can mean a lot of things. Eliminating toxic people, changing jobs, taking yoga classes, and more! Stress is terrible for your body and your mental health, so take a few steps to reduce the stress in your life in order to enjoy yourself a little more! 

5) Spend More Quality Time with Friends and Family - Why isn't this number 1? This is important! Take a minute to call your family and friends to make plans on the weekend! Spending time with the people that you care about is good for the soul. Make some plans with those special people in 2018 and create memories that will last a lifetime!  

While people move during all times of the year, spring and summer are extremely busy and officially considered “moving season”. If you are moving during this time, be sure to look out for moving “scams”, which can really hurt your wallet and hinder your move.

This moving issue can be one of two things: a scam or an accident. Either way, it’s a serious setback. If you are renting a truck from a large company, such as Penske or UHaul, when you arrive to pick up your truck, it is not available. This could be for several reasons. Poor administration is the top reason. Many companies will book your reservation without looking at the actual inventory for that day. This type of poor customer service can leave you stranded without a truck, which will delay your move.

On the other hand, the issue could be simply due to the fact that the previous customers were not timely in returning the truck. How can you avoid this?  Seek a rental truck company that offers guarantees. That way you are guaranteed a truck to get you started on your move!

If you have decided to hire an actual moving company to conduct your move, be sure that this moving company has good reviews and no hidden fees. Many moving companies are notorious for giving a set price or quote, loading your belongings onto the truck and then upping the price on the customer. What is even worse is that if you refuse to pay their higher quote, the company will they threaten to sell your belongings.

A good moving company will give you prices up front, whether they have a flat rate or an hourly rate. Ask if there are any fuel or trip charges involved with the move. Avoid any issues by hiring a company that is with the BBB – they are usually honest and reliable.

A good moving company will arrive with a “pre-existing damages” form. This form should be noted with any scratches, dents or scuffs which are discovered as the items are being wrapped or loaded onto the truck. You, as the customer, can sign this form to acknowledge the damages were there prior to the move. This form not only protects the moving company, it also protects the customer.

Moving is a stressful and overwhelming time. Many families are faced with an overload of THINGS. Should you pack everything and take it with? Sometimes, the answer is "NO". It's time to clean house. This is when a moving sales can benefit your family. You are able to purge on things that are cluttering your home, while making some extra cash!

Here are some tips for hosting a successful Moving Garage Sale:

My piles are very simple: What to Keep, What to Sell, and What to Donate. You can go from room to room and sort in this fashion until you have accumulated a significant pile of things to sell!

The bigger the sale, the more people will stop to browse. Invite all of your friends and family members to join your moving sale in order to benefit everybody.

Weekends are usually the best days to host a garage sales. When you advertise the dates on your ad or signs, be sure to include the start and end time. You'll have early birds show up, so be prepared early. If you select a Sunday, be sure to start early and end later - many people go to church and will visit before or after.

You'll probably have times where there are many families at once browsing through your garage sale. It is best to host your garage sale at a location that offers enough parking for shoppers. If a person can't find a parking spot, they will mostly continue driving until they find the next sale! If your home doesn't have plenty of space for shoppers to park, consider finding another location. 

A moving garage sale is the best way to free up some space for your new home while making some extra money! Contact Helping Hands Moving for more moving and storage tips!

Helping Hands Moving is well known in Palm Beach County for their excellent moving services. Here are some more 5 Star Reviews from happy and satisfied customers!

"Dennis and Doug were there on time, and ready to work. They started promply at 9:00 as scheduled. They were equipped with the tools they needed to get the job done. They worked fast and very hard moving large pieces of furnit from a second floor apartment with stairs. They loaded all of my furniture and boxes at the old place and unloaded at the new place (nothing broken)with 15 minutes to spare on the contracted time. Dennis and Doug both are great guys with beautiful personalities and a wonderful attitudes toward their work. I will certainly recommend and use them again!! Thanks Guys you are the best!!!"  J Forbes in Palm Beach Gardens, Fl

"Excellent. Came on time and worked diligently. Have already recommended to someone else. Will use again." Dennis H, West Palm Beach FL.

Helping Hands Moving is well recognized by large companies, such as Angie's List. Give us a call today to discuss your upcoming move!

It happens all the time. We tell our customers of the importance of furniture pads before every job. Unfortunately, when we arrive to the job, there isn't a pad in sight. This can be devastating for a move. Basically no furniture is safe without the protection of a furniture pad.  Furniture pads/quilts are one of the most important essentials for a successful move and are top priority when it comes to protecting your belongings. 

If you are renting a truck from a company such as U-Haul or Penske, you have the option to rent furniture pads. Typically these cost $15/dozen which is a reasonable cost considering that the safety of your furniture and belongings are at stake.

If you are using the service of PODS or ABF, then you might have a little bit of trouble as these companies don't offer furniture pad rental services. You'll have to purchase them, which can be a little more costly. If this is the case for you, try calling around to local moving companies and see if they have any furniture pads to sell at a lower cost. 

Exactly how many furniture pads do you need?

Each move is unique, and has different requirements. We recommend a dozen furniture pads per every bedroom, sometimes more to be on the safe side. We have also seen the recommendation of a dozen pads per every 5 feet of space, which is also good.  Changes to this advice should be made:

Every family and situation is unique in the moving world.  That’s why we offer fully customized services to help seniors citizens. Our professional movers are compassionate and detail oriented.

Helping Hands Moving has a trained staff that can turn the entire move into a swift and easy process. We are experienced in moving entire households, small apartments and even businesses. We also offer moving services to help redecorate your rooms should you like a seasonal change.  

Helping Hands Moving  is also proud to offer premium packing services.  Packing an entire house can be exhausting and cost a lot of money which is why we are proud to offer affordable packing rates which include materials and labor.

Call or email Helping Hands Moving to receive a free quote and schedule your upcoming move.

1. Take Your Time.  The best thing that you can do, if possible, is to stretch the move into several days. Begin packing way in advance. Let your children help with the packing (and box labeling, etc.). If you move your entire house in one day, children don't grasp what is going on. It also exhausts the parents and children, causing a very grumpy few days after the move. If you are only moving locally, ask if you can move some boxes in prior to the actual "big move". This helps to transition and it also is a big stress reliever for adults as well.

2. Don't be afraid to ask for help. This is definitely the time to ask for a play date or hire a fun baby sitter. Keeping your children occupied during the move will help distract them from the drama and it will also give you some free time to concentrate on the task at hand: moving!

3. Decorating!  Your child may feel like leaving their old room behind is a very hard thing to do. If you can, let them decorate their new room! What color paint would they like for the walls? Where would they like the bed placed? This type of thing can really help with anxiety over a new home or room. Plus it's a great way to bond with your child and really make them excited for the move.

4. Keep in touch!  If you're moving out of state or town, help your child to understand that they can still keep in touch with friends or relatives. I suggest making self addressed envelopes to hand out. Your child will love getting mail at the new house and will also enjoy coloring pictures or writing letters to send back. 

Moving is stressful and a lot of work. All of this is multiplied when your move is out of town. If you are moving to a new city, my advice to you is to prepare yourself ahead of time. Take a look at the information below in order to ready yourself for a long distance move.

 

In the midst of all of this hectic moving stress, take a breather and get to know your new town! Take a weekend trip to check out your new town, ask around to find some new great shops or restaurants. Moving doesn’t have to be so stressful, especially if you leave it up to the professional movers!

Moving is a stressful time, one that quite possibly means that your items will be damaged if you don't package and box them correctly. How can you be sure that you're doing the best you can when you are packing up your house? Here are some great moving and packing tips:

Take inventory of everything in your house. Make a list which names everything fragile or special - items which will require special attention when packing. Heavy and awkward items should also be listed and mentioned to your local mover. Once your list is complete, it's time to go supply shopping.

Moving and packing supplies can be purchased anywhere. I recommend asking your local mover for their prices or if they recommend any local stores. You can even purchase your moving supplies online, however you'd have to pay shipping. If you start preparing in advance, you should have plenty of time to price shop. 

If you're not interested in spending money for boxes, ask your local grocery store. Wine/liquor stores also have boxes with handles and they are generally durable as well. Ask the manager a few weeks in advance if he/she has any boxes. Usually they will set some aside for your or give you the days that they get big deliveries. Keep in mind that the larger the box, the more difficult it is to secure fragile items.

If you have a larger house, here are some supplies that we recommend having on hand to pack everything safely:

Contact your local moving company and give them a run down of the items in your house. They can give you a good idea of the supplies that you need. They can also give a quote for packing services if you don't want to pack yourself!