https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 21 May 2026 03:48:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913402 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 22:58:35 +0000 Shantuck 2913402@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe this is silly but could you hire movers, blind installation, etc. and then wait however many days it takes for the germs to die on hard surfaces before moving in? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913384 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 16:25:37 +0000 lady baltimore 2913384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I were you, I would seriously consider setting up at least your bedrooms in the basement. You're right, moving everything in and then out and then in again would be a huge pain. If you plan on getting new carpets as soon as possible, then sleeping in the basement saves you some hassle and saves you the expense of temporary shades. You could still spend lots of time upstairs during the day, and take the opportunity to do any painting you want to do without furniture and your permanent carpet to drip on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913383 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 15:07:28 +0000 helloperidot 2913383@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@annem1990: getting your roof fixed is beyond reasonable. I'd even argue yardwork is reasonable from a safety and pest control standpoint, so long as everyone follows social distancing rules. That's really the most important thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913381 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 14:52:11 +0000 misolee 2913381@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like all the ideas above but just chiming into say my husband and I measured for blinds, ordered it online, and installed it ourselves in two different houses. It's totally doable. The companies have guides on how to measure and install on their websites.</p> <p>Also, I believe roofers are considered essential. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913380 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 13:52:40 +0000 annem1990 2913380@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for the replies and reassurance everyone!<br /> I’m relieved about the feedback on the roof. I think I’ll write a note to the neighbors on either side just letting them know ahead of time the situation and that we are taking every precaution we can as it’s fixed. </p> <p>I think I’m nervous based on what I’ve seen on FB. We live in a very liberal area where it does seem most people are following guidelines as best they can. Yet I still see people calling their neighbors out for getting yard work done or walking too close to each other as they pass on the sidewalk. I’m definitely in the camp of “I can only control my own social distancing” so I just don’t get worked up when seeing others maybe pushing the guidelines. But clearly some people are very concerned with others (maybe rightly so!) and now everyone has a lot of time on their. hands to critique each other. I just want to be as reasonable as possible and I feel like everyone has a different idea of what reasonable is. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913378 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 13:25:40 +0000 Littlebit7 2913378@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What if you have your parents move in with you for 2+ weeks? Maybe a week before the move and then a week after to help you unpack? This wouldn't be advice i'd give anyone else, but given what you've wrote, I really don't see how you'll be able to move by yourselves with two kids.<br /> Are your parents strictly following protocols for isolation? I think if everyone could follow the rules, this could work.<br /> Blinds: buy the paper blackouts from amazon<br /> Carpets: buy the largest cheapest rugs from overstock/wayfair and cover the vast majority of your flooring<br /> Roof: get your roof done. I think it would be hands off from a construction standpoint; if your neighbors ask or get their knickers in a knot, tell them there was a major leak.<br /> Alternatively, you could hire movers which would be, I think, the only other solution. Where I am, its a huge rental market and people are constantly moving. The movers won't want to catch this from you either so id assume they'd try to be careful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913346 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 06:11:24 +0000 LadyDi 2913346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are moving on May 1. I totally understand how stressed you feel right now. Moving is already stressful enough. Ugh. </p> <p>We have hired a moving company. There's no way we would be able to move everything on our own, I don't want to enlist the help of friends and for everyone's sanity we just need to get it done in a day. I plan on wiping down the boxes and furniture with clorox wipes as the movers bring things into the house. </p> <p>We're also going to have our parents watch our kids (we have 3 under the age of 5) for 2 nights or so. My plan is to completely self isolate for the two weeks prior to the move (['ve still been going to the store once a week but that's it, I will try not to do that before we move) so that way I know we aren't sick and we'll take the kids to them. </p> <p>Before this all happened we we would have had our parents come to our new house to watch the kids there and help us unpack. We probably won't do that now. </p> <p>It really sucks and it isn't ideal, but I am trying to balance being safe and maintaining my mental health and so for that I need help. </p> <p>In your case I would still hire roofers and I don't think anyone would judge you for that. It's an essential service. I agree with the other posters and I would just throw something cheap up on the windows until you can get the window treatments you want. That seems like a much better option than living in your basement. You'll feel better and less stressed if you can have the kids (and yourselves) settled and in their rooms. </p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913338 Fri, 03 Apr 2020 20:03:25 +0000 Marfi 2913338@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are in a similar boat right now. My husband is starting a new job in MI (we're in OH) at the beginning of May so we are also going to be moving right in the middle of it. Here are my recommendations:</p> <p>1. If you were planning on hiring movers before all this started, I would continue with that. We are having movers pack and move our entire house. When other people are there, only my husband will be in the house and he will be staying in a different room from where the movers are. If you weren't planning on hiring movers then I would continue with your previous plans, when you go to get the moving truck, only have one of you go in to pick it up (the other can stay in your car). Same goes for getting boxes, only one of you go to the store. If you need to use your mom for childcare, sure it's not ideal but if it's a necessity to get your things packed then I would just do it.</p> <p>2. Roofs are necessities. Get it fixed I would be surprised if people judge you. We had a huge hail storm last weekend, we are getting our roof replaced as a result, we're not the only ones. If your state is allowing them to do the work, then it's fine.</p> <p>3. Like @sckim recommended, I would get paper blinds. They work really well and if they need to be up for a bit they will last until you can replace them with your desired blinds! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913334 Fri, 03 Apr 2020 19:23:34 +0000 petitenoisette 2913334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1] I think you should let your parents help you. Have everyone wear masks. If everyone is socially isolating I don’t think it is a terrible risk to have them help.<br /> 2) Get the roof repaired - no one is going in your house for the repair - maybe request that the company wear masks so anyone observing them feels like they’re being safe?<br /> 3) tape black trash bags over the windows. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913307 Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:10:31 +0000 sckim 2913307@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Window treatments: we used paper shades when we moved into our first home until we figured out window treatments. They are relatively cheap at Lowes/Home Depot. You trim them yourself to the width you need. They worked well and provide privacy. Search "paper shades". They come in black or white in a variety of sizes. </p> <p>This is one. $6.92.<br /> <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/Redi-Shade-Black-Blackout-Cordless-Pleated-Shade-Actual-36-in-x-72-in/3371876" rel="nofollow">https://www.lowes.com/pd/Redi-Shade-Black-Blackout-Cordless-Pleated-Shade-Actual-36-in-x-72-in/3371876</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913303 Fri, 03 Apr 2020 15:45:29 +0000 annem1990 2913303@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>. @periwinklebee: Yeah I do think we’ll need to do it over many days which is okay. We live in a large building currently though so leaving them alone several stories up and too far for our monitors doesn’t make me feel great. Not to mention, my husband will then have to somehow get everything out of the truck and into the new house himself. </p> <p>I’m also considering all of us just sleeping in the finished basement for the time being. In addition to blinds, all the bedrooms were going to be carpeted immediately too. So moving furniture in and then out when we install carpet seems like a pain. The basement windows have shades and there are a few separate rooms so it’d be fairly quiet. Still, sleeping in a small, dark basement for weeks/months is far from my dream of moving from a 2 bedroom apartment to our “dream house.” 😅 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913302 Fri, 03 Apr 2020 15:15:31 +0000 periwinklebee 2913302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>:heart: My kids our similar ages. To move without help, we would have to do it across a few days, as I just don't see how we could safely disassemble furniture and move it to the truck except when the kids are both sleeping (rarely). </p> <p>We ordered/paid for window treatments back in Jan but unfortunately they didn't get installed before this started. I ordered command hooks, cheap rods, and very cheap curtains on Amazon as a temporary solution for windows where it was essential. It doesn't look great, but my sole priority is to make it dark for the kids to nap/sleep + privacy in the bathroom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913300 Fri, 03 Apr 2020 14:24:48 +0000 helloperidot 2913300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Moving truck: secure it online and wear gloves/mask in person. Bring lysol spray if you have it, spray inside both the truck cab and the storage end. Wipe down surfaces with Clorox wipe. Etc. Etc.</p> <p>Roof repair: this would be an essential repair and allowable (at least AFAIK from our state's stay home bill). Check with your roofer to see what their social distancing methods are and how they are caring for their team. If your neighbors question it, let them know it's a roof leak. This one is pretty understandable.</p> <p>Window treatments: this is non-essential and I don't know if you would be able to find an installer to do it. Can you live with temporary window treatments that you put up yourself for now, at least in the bedrooms? Order curtains and rods from Target for pickup or delivery. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/moving-during-covid#post-2913299 Fri, 03 Apr 2020 14:12:23 +0000 annem1990 2913299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This seems like such a “first world problem” so I’m having trouble talking to people about it in real life. Several of my friends are pregnant and facing the possibility they’ll deliver alone, my sister is an ICU nurse and my parents are totally isolated and scared away from their kids. I’m fully aware that these problems are so not issues in the grand scheme of things, I’m just looking for some opinions. We are taking this very seriously. We haven’t seen anyone in weeks and my husband is the only one who goes to the store. I don’t want to suddenly throw all caution to the wind because of inconveniences. </p> <p>We are set to close on our first house in a few weeks. The offer was made before all of this went down, it’s our ideal location and the owner who we rent from currently is selling so we still need a place to live. It’s only 2miles from our current place. </p> <p>- How are we supposed to actually move? We won’t hire movers and we have a 2 year old and 6 month old and 1 sedan. We’re going to have to rent a U-Haul or something and also buy boxes. That would involve being around some people at least. How will we move with 2 kids and no help? My mom is insistent that they will come to watch the kids but I worry that’s not a safe idea. Neither of them are high-risk, but it still wouldn’t really follow the guidelines.<br /> - The roof is in terrible shape and there is a small leak in the attic. The current owners agreed to pay for the roof into an escrow account and we had to add 50% ourselves in case of incidentals. In order to get those thousands back, we have to have the roof done. Is it liveable? Yes. But I also don’t want to worry about water damage/mold and we have thousands of cash tied up until that gets done. I also don’t want to make neighbors uncomfortable by having work done and the judgment from not following social distancing.<br /> - It’s a one story house with no window treatments. The bedroom windows are mere feet from the houses next to us. Our plan was to have blinds installed the day after we close before we move stuff. Now I don’t know how to go about this. Is it unsafe for us to to let them inside to install (and we just don’t stay)? I’m sure there would be some in-person interaction (we’d keep a distance and wear masks) so we couldn’t be completely isolated. I also just don’t want neighbors to judge us or worry for their own safety. </p> <p>Any advice on how to handle this? I have such guilt trying to determine what’s “necessary” or not. </p>