My friends in Colorado just got a healthy foot of snow (even in town!) so the idea of moving right now is not the least bit attractive. The last couple times I have moved, we have been super fortunate with decent weather and relatively easy access to the house/garage. A couple "moves" ago, we hired a company to do the moving and I can't express enough how magical that whole experience was. Simply filling our car with some "breakables" and waiting for the truck to arrive at the new house was sublime. Let's take a look at some of the things you should keep in mind when planning (or executing) your move.

Since we're currently living in "crazy time", I recommend you check with the building or neighborhood where you are moving to. Some of these HOAs and condo associations have silly (IMHO) rules about which days you can move. On the more serious side, some of them are also not allowing moves as the virus numbers keep growing and "shelter-in-place" orders are being reinstated. Just call ahead and confirm your plans. It would be simply awful to have all of your stuff in a truck, just sitting in the driveway until the next day because you failed to plan ahead.

It should go without saying you should research the moving company. Get references. Actually CALL those references. And maybe even pick their brains a bit about how they have upped their game during the pandemic. Are they implementing sanitizing tactics? Are they doing internal testing of staff? Will they be wearing masks and gloves? In reality, moving someone's home is a tough job. Combine that with wearing gloves, mask, whatever other precautions are required and you have a simply awful job. I guess I only say that to encourage you to have some (lots of) compassion for these folks. They are most certainly earning their paycheck these days.

My favorite part about moving (and spring cleaning) is the decluttering. This is probably the best time you will ever have to cull out the "fat" and rid yourself of loads of stuff you simply don't need. If you're going "big" and getting rid of larger items (bureaus, beds, furniture) I encourage you to call the donation place ahead of time (assuming you're not selling this stuff). Sometimes they have certain days for larger items and, once again, you don't want to be stuck with a couch in the back of your truck overnight. Aside from those items, they'll be happy to take your stuff most anytime.

While not directly related to the "move" itself, call ahead and get yourself setup with utilities and Internet service. "It's always a good idea to start the cable/utilities process early when moving to a new home," notes Badger Peabody & Smith Realty (formerly Badger Realty) agent, Tara Peirce. "Getting the ball rolling early is a great way to remove one more item from your long list of to-do's during and after the move," she continued. Tara is right. We all know those services can be backlogged for weeks on end. Most of us are on cell phones now, so communication is not the issue. Getting the Internet, gas, and electricity all sorted out can be more time consuming. Get started early.

If you are able, pack your stuff yourself. There's obviously some concern about the virus "lasting" on cardboard and plastic surfaces for up to 3 days. Pack your items yourself and sanitize the boxes when you're done. That way you know they were clean when they were packed. A quick sanitization at the new house and you're off and running. Some have warned against using plastic bins since the virus can linger longer there. Use your best judgement with this one. Those plastic bins are a life-saver for me so I'm not sure I could do without them.

While we are talking about sanitization, be sure and get to the new home a couple hours before all of your items show up. Commit to a deep and thorough cleanse of the house so you are starting from a good place when all of the stuff arrives. We all know as soon as that couch is placed, we won't see the floor underneath it until the dust bunnies start to mate. Start fresh and once all of your "life" is placed and put away, you don't have to think about trying to clean. Trust me. You'll be ready to simply sit on that couch and start streaming your favorite show. (Aren't you glad you got the Internet hooked up early!?)

Lastly, try to involve as few people as possible in this process. The number one way this virus is spreading is through small groups of people meeting indoors. It is going to be more work for sure, but at least you can rest easy knowing the people who are helping you are healthy. For those of us who don't own much furniture at all, this process is actually better with no one else around. You can take your time and test out different placements for your stuff and you only have to buy pizza and beer for one!

Moving can be a stressful time and is, without question, a ton of work. With a little planning and a lot of grunt work, you can be in your new home and comfy within a few hours. Happy migration.