5 extremely handy apps that helped me while moving houses

Over the previous month, my husband and I’ve been going by way of the dreaded home transfer expertise. We’d solely gone by way of a few strikes earlier than in our whole lives, however this one was certain to be the hardest. 40+ giant packing containers, 70-90 minutes aside by prepare, no private automotive to assist with the back-and-forths whereas the brand new place is preparing, a few furnishings items — actually, it was all a recipe for frustration. However we turned to 5 very helpful Android apps to assist us by way of all of it.

Since we reside in France, I used some native providers, however I’ll point out the US equal in every case. These ought to technically be accessible in lots of nations, too, however beneath completely different names. I counsel asking Gemini or ChatGPT, “What’s the equal to X in my nation?” to get the identify of the service should you don’t know what it’s.

Since we had been shifting out of a completely furnished house, we didn’t have quite a lot of furnishings in our identify besides two Ikea storage cupboards, my desk, and my workplace chair. All the pieces else might go in packing containers or journey suitcases. However since we didn’t have a automotive, the very first thing we clearly wanted was a truck and somebody to assist us with the transfer.

There are numerous specialised shifting firms in France and the US, however the charges are exorbitant and not likely fitted to a comparatively small transfer like ours with no huge furnishings items. So I turned to Yoojo, a activity supplier platform that hyperlinks handymen with individuals who do not know what they’re doing (i.e. us), just like TaskRabbit within the US.

I posted my request, received dozens of quotes, discovered the one I preferred probably the most based mostly on his worth, earlier opinions, and gear, and employed him. The day of the transfer, he arrived on time, had an enormous truck, a hand truck to assist carry every thing, and he did his job completely.

I additionally turned to Yoojo as soon as once more every week later after I seen that the garden in our new place had grown too tall and was in determined want of mowing. Since now we have but to purchase a lawnmower (and it’d be foolish to get one earlier than Black Friday), I simply posted a brand new request for lawnmowing and located somebody to assist with it. That is our first time dwelling in a spot with an out of doors backyard and garden, so till we determine how you can care for it and purchase the required gear, it’ll be good to know that we are able to flip to somebody who is aware of what they’re doing to assist us.

We’re used to day by day cleansing and upkeep for our residence, however we knew our cleansing expertise — and exhaustion — could be put to the check throughout these two weeks. For one, we needed to absolutely clear our previous house after all of the dusty packing containers had been gone to verify we received our full deposit again. For 2, there was a small renovation in our new place, which prompted the complete home, actually, to be dusty.

After struggling in opposition to accumulating mud for a couple of days and making an attempt to do our greatest to wash, wipe, and scrub the primary surfaces, we determined it was time to name up somebody who had the abilities to deal with all of it. For one, I actually wished my full deposit, and for 2, I’m at some extent in my life the place I do know well being and time are invaluable, so I used to be prepared to half with a couple of euros to dump this activity.

I might’ve gone to Yoojo too, however there’s a better-specialized cleansing service right here in France referred to as Wecasa (the equal within the US could be TaskRabbit or Useful) that permits me to routinely apply a deductible to my taxes, so I used it to get licensed cleaners for each locations. In just some hours every, they had been in a position to deal with the entire mud and grime from each nook, nook, skirting board, and extra. Cash nicely spent.

When packing up every thing you personal, you’re certain to run into gadgets you don’t want anymore. So why trouble transporting them to your shiny new place when they’ll sit in some field or on some shelf and by no means be used?

I used this chance to donate some perfumes we are able to not use (my allergic cough begins instantly the second somebody sprays something subsequent to me) and an enormous unicorn plush my husband obtained as a Secret Santa present/prank. I additionally offered some unused gadgets like a Chromecast since my Google TV Streamer changed it.

For all of that, the simplest place to go is Fb’s Market — it’s truly the one purpose I maintain a Fb account energetic. I additionally turned to the native Leboncoin as a result of it gives safe transactions and simplifies the sale course of for each vendor and purchaser.

Regardless of our greatest efforts to cook dinner home made meals throughout the transfer, there was a few week the place we simply couldn’t make it occur. Our kitchen gear was in packing containers for a few days earlier than/throughout the transfer, and we needed to wait a couple of further days for the renovation to be achieved earlier than cleansing and utilizing our kitchen within the new place.

The simple reply was to open the native Deliveroo app — DoorDash should you’re within the US — and discover close by eating places and quick meals joints with some buy-one-get-one gives to ship meals. Some Korean kimchi jeon, some sushi, some curry and rice, and sure, a pizza as soon as to tide us over till we had been again in enterprise and cookin’ up in our new kitchen.

Sure, we did rent a mover, and we used public transport (busses and trains) to commute forwards and backwards for practically two weeks whereas the small renovation was ongoing, however there have been nonetheless a few situations the place we simply needed to seize a Bolt or an Uber.

The primary time it occurred, we had been a couple of seconds late to the bus after an exhaustingly lengthy day, and the wait time for the following one was 23 minutes. It was a straightforward choice to drag up Uber and get a taxi to drop us on the prepare station, about two kilometers away.

The second time, we had a last-minute change in our renovation that required us to get new tiles. On a Sunday. Our contractor supplied some choices he had available, however none had been good sufficient, so we headed to Leroy Merlin (the French equal of Dwelling Depot) and located some good tiles. We’d passed by public transit, however there was no approach we had been finishing up 80 Kg (176 kilos) price of tremendous giant tiles on a prepare or bus or by foot. Uber to the rescue! We simply made certain the motive force accredited of the transport earlier than he arrived.

Irrespective of how a lot you put together for a transfer, you’ll find yourself with some important purchases to make on the final minute. Further packing packing containers or bubble wrap, a brand new lock and key for the brand new place, a handheld vacuum to wash up some spots whereas the renovation is ongoing, an additional water filtering bottle to have the ability to drink within the new place, correct assist for the washer and dryer to have the ability to transfer them round, and so forth.

For all of these, it was simply really easy and so handy to drag up Amazon, do a little analysis, purchase the merchandise we would have liked, and get it delivered the following day. It was a boon for our last-minute “Shit, we want this!” moments.

Now, I’m simply relieved this complete ordeal is over. This was my and my husband’s most intricate transfer in our complete lives and we needs to be staying put right here for some time, hopefully. However I do know there’s an arsenal of providers and apps which are simply at my fingertips if I ever (no, no, no, by no means, I’m by no means doing this once more!) have to do that once more.