The COVID-19 coronavirus affects people all over the world, both in a private and professional context. It causes a lot of anxiety. Many people are worried about their work or health. That is why in our country, but also globally, governments take various actions to stop the spread of the epidemic as effectively as possible. In order for life to return to normal as soon as possible. However, it is not known how long this situation will last.

How does it relate to your situation, when you sold a flat a month ago, you are currently running out of office renting or have planned a dream home or office renovation and you paid an advance to a renovation company? You wonder what to do next and how during a coronavirus pandemic you should do when you still don’t want to retreat your decisions.

Therefore, if you also plan to store private or office items and furniture, or you to move and you are looking for an advice, you are in the right place. We realize that you can have a lot of doubts whether it is better not to wait. We will give you some helpful tips that will calm you down a bit, help you make the right decision and increase your safety in such situations by taking appropriate precautions.

TIP 1. Settle all formal matters remotely

You should make all possible arrangements regarding the collection of things and furniture for storage or moving by phone and then confirm them by email – this applies especially to the getting an offer. Instead of inviting representatives of storage of moving company to your apartment of office, make a list and photos of the items and furniture, send them by e-mail and discuss by phone.

If you need to sign a contract, it’s best in an electronic version – Więcej Miejsca offers this form of an agreement, when placing an order for a storage service by company’s website. Avoid paying cash for the order. It’s best to arrange an advance payment by bank transfer before the collection of items or moving, so that you can book the date. The rest of the payment should also be done electronically after the work is done. If you have to sign any documentation, ask an external company mover to put them aside and to leave at least for 2 meters. In the meantime, wash your hands beforehand, put on protective gloves and use your pen.

During the visit of movers, avoid greeting by shaking hands – instead, just raise your hand or nod and just say the usual “Good morning” and “Goodbye”.

TIP 2. Don’t ask people who are in high-risk group of coronavirus for help

During an epidemic, most people follow the instructions and stay at home to protect themselves and their loved ones. Therefore, it is difficult to get help from friends in anything, as it was until recently. If you think of people who would nevertheless decide to offer you support, your list should not include those who are most at risk of COVID-19 because of their health (especially those with pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular conditions) or age (over 60). Generally, the “task” of such people should now be to rest and avoid exhausting work, especially doing heavy lifting or carrying things up or down the stairs.

In addition, if you use a storage or moving company, such as Więcej Miejsca, after the initial walk-through is completed with the crew, you may want to consider leaving your home or office for the time of collection or move (in the event of a possible check from the uniformed services, you can explain the situation). If this is not possible, vulnerable persons should be in a separate room from which items or furniture will not be removed. If this cannot be organized, please ask the movers for calm execution of the order.

TIP 3. Take care of communication with the storage or moving company

It doesn’t matter if you use the help of storage or moving company, friends or even family members. If you currently want to store things and furniture (doesn’t matter if in such warehouse offered by Więcej Miejsca with door-to-door service or self storage) or move, you should remember about the risk of COVID-19. Transparent communication and getting answers to the most important issues are so important for your health and safety now. Questions you should ask people that will help you, should relate to:

recent symptoms of a disease (remember that in the case of coronavirus, these include breathing problems, fever, cough, persistent chest pain or pressure),
serious illness,
health and safety precautions that will be taken in connection with collection of items or removal.

TIP 4. Keep cleanliness and sanitize things as much as possible

When you want to put things into storage or move, you should take care of your own hygiene as well as the cleanliness of things. How?

Wash your hands often with warm water and soap (at least 20 seconds – it’s best to count the time).
Wear protective gloves and face masks when packing or unpacking things (ask other people who help you to do the same).
Ask movers to cover furniture and other bulky items with stretch or bubble wrap. We know that everyone counts money at the time of coronavirus, but in this case, securing furniture with the right materials is a must! After using, utilize the materials in the outer basket.
Bags or cartons in which your private or office items will be packed should be sealed during storage or when moving. Dispose of them after use. Więcej Miejsca offers also solid and safe plastic boxes for storage or moving purpose. If you decide on our support and would like to use them, we will collect them from you after the service is done (then clean them with a sanitizer).

Additionally, after the moving, it is best to wait some time before unpacking the items. You can use a garage or storage room for this. If you do not have such space, you can use one of the rooms.

TIP 5. Keep a safe distance from other people

During activities such as move or when putting things and furniture into storage, you should keep a safe distance from other people, as you do while shopping or even walking with a dog. We do not suggest that people who support you have a coronavirus, but sticking to at least 2 meters distance, especially when talking to another person, is now widely practiced and natural behavior.

TIP 6. Use safe packaging materials

Storing private or office items or moving during coronavirus is not the time when you should use free cartons – available in some stores or borrowed from friends. You can use the ones you have in your home or office or buy some new, if you don’t have enough. Make sure that the storage or moving company that provides them to you has not used them before for another customer.

Więcej Miejsca offers also special sturdy plastic boxes for moving and storage. They are very convenient to use, thanks to their construction and save time needed to pack such things as books, clothes, kitchen items, documents and small electronics. Our plastic boxes, unlike cartons (often used by different customers) offered by most removal companies, are always cleaned before delivery to a new customer. After use, they are laid in a designated area in the warehouse in safe distance from other items and after a few days they are cleaned with gloves and sanitizers.

If you need other protective materials (e.g. bubble wrap, tapes, wrapping paper), it’s best to order them online for a few days before the collection of your items for storage or moving and put them in a secluded place where they can lie for a while before you start to use them. You can also ask us for a delivery of packaging materials together with plastic boxes or cartons (those last – not used by other customer before).

Summing up

We recommend using common sense if you plan to give your private or office items or furniture for storage or are planning to move. We hope you find the above tips helpful. We are sure that compliance with at least some of them will increase your safety.