Moving to a new apartment can be an exciting time, but the actual act of moving is a different story. It's probably safe to say that no one likes moving, but it's a necessary chore. We've all got to do it at some point.
A Gallup poll revealed that the average American moves once every five years, or 11.4 times in their lifetime.
If you've got a move on the horizon, turn to some of these handy apps to help get you organized (and keep your anxiety in check). From getting rid of your unwanted stuff to finding movers, these are the best apps to help with your upcoming move.
TaskRabbit is an app that connects you to local helpers that can do just about anything, from assisting with packing to driving the U-Haul truck you've rented.
TaskRabbit is a good option if you're looking for more flexibility over actual moving companies because you can tailor the move to fit your needs. It's probably better for smaller moves, but you can hire experienced movers with moving equipment (trucks, dollies, blankets to protect your furniture). While you're at it, you can even hire a talker to clean your apartment once it's empty.
All you need to do is set up your account and answer a series of questions about your move. Then, the app will match you with local taskers in your area, with hourly prices for each.
Dolly gives you access to local people to help you move and matches you with local truck owners. Just like TaskRabbit, you can find movers to help you load and unload the truck or find movers with a truck and all of the necessary moving equipment.
Contractors from Dolly go through background checks and have reviews from other users. It's another solid option in case you want more options outside of TaskRabbit.
Keep in mind Dolly only operates in certain states, mostly major cities like L.A., Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, to name a few.
Unpakt is an app that helps you book, manage and pay for your move. It's convenient because you don't need to fill out a bunch of request forms at each movers' website for quotes. Rather, you put in your information once to see rates near your location.
According to their website, you could potentially save 45 percent if you book your move with them online.
If there's an upside to moving, it's getting rid of your unwanted stuff. Moving is the one thing that truly forces you to look at how much stuff you have.
Use letgo or OfferUp (or both) to get rid of your unwanted stuff. Just like Craigslist, you can post free items, as long as the interested party wants to come and haul it away.
Facebook Marketplace is another app to take advantage of if you have a lot of stuff to get rid of.
Also, if you're still looking for a new place to live, you can use it for your apartment search.
Nothing is worse than seeing a mountain of boxes and not knowing what's inside any of them!
Sortly is an app to help you reign in the chaos. You can try the free, basic version of Sortly to keep track of your boxes and categorize items by room (i.e. bathroom, bedroom, kitchen).
Their premium plan ($39.99 a month) lets you print out custom QR codes to stick on your boxes. Once you scan the code with the app, Sortly will tell you what's inside.
Some productivity aficionados swear by Evernote. It can be used for:
So, of course, it makes sense to use it during your move. One helpful feature is Evernote's labeling or tagging of notes, which makes it easy to do a search. For example, if you have a bunch of tasks related to your move, you can create a new label called “moving." That way you can quickly and easily find all of your moving-related notes by typing in “moving."
Evernote's basic version is free or you can upgrade for $7.99 a month. They also have a business version you can use with a team for $14.99 a month.
Your beloved furniture and decor that looked fantastic in one apartment may not look so great in another. Maybe your old place had a square-shaped living room and your new place is more rectangular.
If you're staying up at night wondering if your custom-made couch will look odd in your new spot, you may need magicplan. It lets you take pictures of your new place before you move in and create floor plans in 3D. This helps you plan how your furniture should be arranged in the room.
For $2.99, you can purchase one floorplan at a time or you can sign up for an unlimited plan for $9.99 per month.
You can also use it to plan DIY projects.
Before your move, breathe and imagine yourself in your new place, your things put away and organized and your furniture all in one piece. With so many awesome apps at your fingertips, the means to get there doesn't need to be so dreadful.
Use the best apps for your move and get organized, purge your unwanted stuff, and hire the necessary people so you can quickly get settled in. The best part of moving is being done with it.
Claire Tak is a writer who previously served as head of content and chief editor for FinTech companies in New York and San Francisco. Her work has appeared on FOX Business, Bloomberg and Forbes. She writes regularly about travel, money and being a good human. Traveling and snowboarding are her two favorite things to do.