Bust a Move: 5 Apps That Make Moving Suck Less
There are few bigger life stressors than packing up all your stuff and moving it someplace else. (It’s right up there with just missing the ice cream truck, accidentally swiping left, or dropping your phone in the toilet.) You have to find a new place, maybe a new roommate, pack, unpack, book the moving van, switch over utilities…and that’s all on top of your regular day job. It could take a month or more to gear up all the logistics before you even move a single box.
Lucky for you, we’re all about using technology to make life easier here at Zipcar. So grab the packing tape and get these 5 apps to help lighten the load leading up to moving day.
Matchmaking isn’t just for romance these days, with cohabitation apps like RoomieMatch. Photo courtesy of iStock/monkeybusinessimages.
1. RoomieMatch
While we love Craigslist for its democracy, finding a roommate there may be a bit sketch—as in, “My new Craigslist roommate looks a lot like that police sketch.” No, it’s not easy to find that perfect combination of fun, considerate, employed, and odor-neutral. That’s why we love RoomieMatch. It has real humans reviewing and pairing potential housemates based on profile data, so you can “avoid a horde of total nitwits,” as they say.
Bonus: It starts out by asking a slew of questions you might not have even considered could affect roommate compatibility. Such as: How often do you do your dishes? Are you universally tolerant to all sexual orientations? Do you take a shower every day, every other day, or think bathing is bad for your skin? We especially loved the answer option to the question: Is it cool for family members to visit? “Yes, my mom and a casserole will be dropping by every other day.” Sounds like a match.
Keep virtual track of your physical things—so you know just where every goodie is packed—with Sortly. Photo courtesy of iStock/PhonlamaiPhoto
2. Sortly
Ever move, and then three months later, you’re still living out of boxes? Then you wind up buying new versions of everything, until you finally find the box packed with all your kitchen gadgets. (Ohhh! Why are the juice glasses in with the sheets?) Sortly helps by creating a visual inventory of your stuff that is easily cataloged and searchable.
Use the Sortly app to take a pic of a room, area, or item before you pack it, then upload the photo and you can quickly sort and organize what’s in the box. For example, once you’re moved in, search “CORK SCREW” on Sortly and discover the QR-coded moving box label of the box where it lives. Moving magic!
Why chuck when you can make a buck? Easily sell your unwanted treasures to trusted locals with Offer Up. Photo courtesy of iStock/ AnikaSalsera.
3. OfferUp
You know that old adage: one person’s old futon is another person’s treasure? (It’s something like that.) Well, instead of lugging that surprisingly heavy futon to the curb, reduce waste in your city (and the amount of crap you have to move down the stairs). Easily offer it to someone else on the OfferUp app.
You can list any item you want to heave-ho and offer it up for sale to your neighbors. (You might even make a buck or two for the post-move pizza fund.) The simple app lets you snap a pic, post a listing, and sift through potential buyers who receive star ratings, so you can suss out who’s a real buyer and who’s a flake. One bit of criticism the app has been receiving is that a lot of buyers say they are coming and then just don’t show up. But that sort of seems like more of an issue with humanity. (Who raised these people?! Rude!)
Totally tote all your stuff in a faaaabulous Zipvan! (Not that we’re biased or anything.) Photo courtesy of Zipcar.
4. Zipcar
Not to toot our own horn, but we’re pretty proud of the way Zipvan drastically improves the whole van rental experience. Download the Zipcar app and you can sign up to search and reserve cargo vans nearby. If there are none available, you can usually find a pick up truck or SUV to help you bust a move.
What’s it mean for you? No more bugging a pal (who’s already spent the whole day helping you move furniture) to drive you over to the van rental place out on the highway. Now you can reserve and walk to a moving van in your neighborhood. Use it for a few hours (gas and insurance are included) and drop it off when you’re done. Ah, simplicity.
Keep track of the important stuff and let Updater handle all the annoying logistics that come with a changing address. Photo courtesy of iStock/ peopleImages.
5. Updater
In this day and age, no one should have to call the cable company to change their address. This is what founder and CEO of Updater, David Greenberg, thought when he was moving a few years ago. He realized how inefficient having to contact service-providers individually—gas, electric, credit cards, newspapers—could be when you change your address and was shocked there wasn’t a one-stop solution. So he built one!
Updater lets you set up all your connections with your new information in one fell swoop. (They will even file your official change of address with the post office.) By streamlining the process of forwarding your mail, changing over utilities, and updating your Cat Fancy subscription, Updater estimates they can save you up to 5 hours! This app is currently by invite only, but your leasing agent or realtor can get you hooked up, so ask ‘em about it when they hand you your brand new keys! You savvy mover, you.
