The COVID-19 outbreak has affected a vast number of people, and we all have to find clever and practical ways to deal with the situations that arise. As I am sure all of you had some plans that were delayed because of the current situation. For example, I had to cancel a romantic trip to Rome with my girlfriend, where I was about to pop the question. Well, as horrible as that may sound, the question was still “popped” on a safer location, since I was able to find my way around it. However, we were also planning to purchase our place and move in a month or two. At this point, our relocation will have to wait. With that in mind, as someone who had experience in this situation, I want to help you with sharing some tips for postponing your international move amid the global COVID-19 outbreak.

It is not as horrible as it may sound

If you are following daily updates on the COVID-19 outbreak, you understand the seriousness of the situation. First of all, if you are safe and healthy, postponing your international move amid the COVID-19 outbreak shouldn’t be a source of stress. I am sure that is much easier said than done, but you have to look at the big picture here. Before you can even start thinking about how to handle this situation, you must be mentally prepared for it.

Once you are ready to face the challenges of postponing your relocation, it is time to look at the most important things to take care of:

• refunding the money
• canceling services
• unpacking
• making a plan for the next relocation

Refunding the money

The good news is, whatever money you spent so far on organizing transport and other services, chances are you will be able to get a full refund. However, there are some other options you can also consider. This mostly depends on the service provider, but you will probably be offered a chance to:

• postpone the move for a different date with no additional charges
• get some kind of a “store credit” in the amount of money you spent

I went for a full refund, but I guess you can pick whatever option you think is best for your situation. If you are choosing a different option, be sure to read the fine print, as there may be some clauses that limit your service in the future.

Just to give you an example, the airline company offered me a flight with the same tickets whenever I want, but only if the desired date has that specific tariff and travel class for the exact same destination.

And one more thing. When you do get your money back, make sure to save it for when you actually need it. It never hurts to have savings for a rainy day.

Canceling service

When it comes to canceling services, make sure to cancel anything you booked. In most cases, the service provider will even call to inform you that the services are canceled because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Nevertheless, do not wait for that to happen. Call their operators and make sure everything is canceled by you. Do not forget to talk about any refunds if you already made some payments. Remember, you can move anywhere in the world after the outbreak!

Unpacking the boxes

Unpacking the boxes might be the most tedious task you will have to do. This all depends on where in the packing process you were. Nevertheless, there are some things you can do to perform this task in the most painless way.

First of all, think about anything you packed that you don’t use at the moment. Why unpack it, when it can stay in the box until you need it? If you have a garage, an attic, or a different type of storage space you can use, store those boxes there. I can even go as far as to suggest renting a storage unit, but since we don’t know how much will all this last, that can be a costly investment.

Next, it is important to only unpack what you need. Later, when an opportunity presents itself, you can unpack everything else if you want. The important thing is to take your time since that is all you really have in this situation.

Making a plan for the next relocation

Since time is all that you have, there is no better moment to plan your next relocation. Not only will it help you kill the boredom, but you can plan the relocation thoroughly. Even though postponing your international move amid the global COVID-19 outbreak is a priority, it cannot hurt to prepare yourself for once everything is over.

One of the best tips I can give you is to discuss the relocation with the moving company you chose, such as relosmart.asia.  If you were in the middle of planning, check with them what their suggestions are. Maybe they can offer some discounts in order to make everything easier for you.

Remember to stay safe!

I hope that these tips for postponing your international move amid the global COVID-19 outbreak helped you in handling this situation successfully. No matter what happens, make sure to always stay safe and follow all the procedures, regulations, and safety measures in your country. The COVID-19 outbreak has caused many problems for people all around the world. Still, it is important that we all act as one team and beat the virus so we can continue with our lives. Best of luck and stay safe!

Photos used

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