By CINDY ALDRIDGE | OURDOGFRIENDS.ORG
So you’re making a long-distance move? You already know it's going to be an undertaking - but sometimes the best adventures in life start with a slog. Moving is hard, but here are some apps and services that can make your life a bit easier.
For when you want to downsize and easily get rid of your stuff
If you’re moving far away, there’s a pretty good chance that you won’t want to take everything with you. Downsizing a bit is a great idea for any move - but it’s especially important for a long-distance one. You’ll find items that you want to throw away and some that you think would be good for a new home. For the former, try 1-800-GOTJUNK. You can schedule a pickup of all your unwanted stuff and they will haul it away from free - recycling what they can. For donations, try a service like the Salvation Army Truck or Pickup Please, which helps veterans.
For when you have no idea what you’re doing
Sometimes you just want someone to organize your move for you from start to finish. Since you’re probably not hearing from many volunteers, you’re going to have to turn to an app. Sortly is at the top of the game in terms of full-on move planning. Sortly has pre-made checklists for common moving tasks and it even lets you inventory your items and print QR labels so you’ll know exactly what is inside every box you pack. Moving Checklist Pro is also another good app for the totally clueless.
For when you need to do something with Fido
The best thing that you can do for you, your dog, and your movers when you move both in and out of a house is to get your dog as far out of the way as possible. They will forgive you, promise. Look to an app like Rover that offers a variety of dog care services by matching you to people willing to look after Fido either for a half hour walk, a day-long daycare session, or even for a whole overnight boarding experience.
For when you want to hire some moving help
If you want to save money by doing the packing and loading yourself, but you don’t really want to drive your stuff across the country, try a service like UPack. It’s pretty simple. UPack will deliver a empty cargo unit to your home and give you three days to get all of your stuff inside. Then someone else will drive your belongings to wherever you’re moving to. When you arrive, you unpack the truck yourself and then they’ll haul it away.
For when you are getting settled and don’t want to waste time
When you arrive in your new home in a new place, you may not know the area very well and you may not want to waste time driving around looking for what you need. Here’s where an app like Postmates comes in handy. Postmates will have someone deliver whatever you need right to your door - whether it be a bunch of Indian takeout or an Allen wrench from the hardware store.
Don’t go it alone - moving is hard. There’s no reason you can’t have all the help you need these days. Apps and services that didn’t exist just five years ago are making long-distance moving a breeze. Well, maybe not a breeze. Moving is never going to top the list of super fun activities. But you can make it just a little bit easier.