Moving is often associated with chaos and unpredictability, and for good reason. Now, there’s an easy fix, with technology providing solutions even for less well-organized people. Many tasks can be done online—from hiring moving companies and managing your budget to finding people for the odd jobs, getting to know your new neighbors, and more!
However, identifying the best online tools among the myriad of available ones is time-consuming, so we decided to step in and lend a helping hand. We went through hundreds of apps and websites, analyzed their performance, usability and review scores and came up with a fail-proof list of the 12 best online tools for an easy move. Our top criteria were user-friendliness, creativity, and usefulness.
User-friendliness refers to how intuitive an app or tool is and how easy it is for a new user to get the hang of it. Creativity stands for features that differentiate the app or tool from other similar products. Usefulness is about the added value that the apps bring to users and what real-life tasks people can solve using them, from A to Z.
The apps we included in this list are not ranked from first to last. Each app answers to a somewhat different need related to moving, so it was pointless to draw a classic top 10. Instead, we focused on helping readers identify the best tools to use during every stage of the move: initial preparations, the actual move and post-moving. You know you’re actually supposed to start planning your move at least three months in advance, right?
Each and every app and tool below is designed to make your move easier, smarter, and more productive, all the while giving you peace of mind. Let’s dig in!
Online Tools to Use before the Move
1. LetGo
LetGo makes moving easier by helping you get rid of your ballast. The app is a marketplace where you can sell all the stuff you no longer need or want. Install the app on your phone at least a couple of months prior to moving date and use it to decrease your load. Instead on spending money on packing and transporting useless items, LetGo allows you to turn them into hard cash.
- Strong Point: Features like user verification and in-app chat ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all users.
2. ThredUP
ThredUP is another app centered around selling items you no longer use, but it focuses exclusively on clothing and fashion. Jump-start your move by selling all the clothes and accessories that are simply taking up space in your closets. Getting rid of them is a challenging task for many of us, but ThredUP makes it easier by providing an appealing and profitable way to do it.
- Strong Point: The online marketplace is very smarty organized on several categories, based on type of clothing, designer, occasion and size, allowing both sellers and buyers to find what they need in no time.
3. Mint
Mint assists users with their budgets, and what could be more important during a move than creating a budget and sticking to it? In cases like that, it’s wise to plan your expenses at least a few months in advance. Mint helps you draw up a budget that includes savings for the move, and you can even set up a separate budget for that objective alone.
- Strong Point: The app sends you bill reminders, shows how much you’re spending on ATM fees and you also get warnings for going over budget. With moving being a chaotic and busy period, such features are more than useful.
4. Planner 5D
The app helps you visualize how your new home will look. You can create 2D floor plans and design layouts with furniture or you can switch to 3D for even better views. Choose between a multitude of colors, patterns, materials and furniture items and test out which style looks best. The app does sophisticated operations but it’s intuitive and allows users to design without spending hours on tutorials.
- Strong Point: The Snapshot feature captures the design and turns it into realistic, photo-like images, adding shadows, lighting and colors.
Online Tools to Use during the Move
5. Sortly
Sortly is the competent assistant that stays on top of your move with its handy checklists. You can create a visual inventory of your possessions, add notes for each one and decide what’s worth keeping and what’s not. Organize stuff based on location, packing box, or any other type of parameter you prefer using.
- Strong point: The app allows you to mark your boxes with QR codes. When you scan the QR codes, you see what’s inside the box.
6. Unpakt
Unpakt takes you one step further toward the move, by helping you book a moving company. First, you draw up an inventory of your possession for an accurate cost estimate of the move, then you compare offers and then you finally book the offer that suits you best.
- Strong Point: The app is handling the payments toward the movers and you can cancel for free up until two days before the move.
7. StorageCafe
This smart online tool covers the need for finding a storage unit located as conveniently as possible. Moving almost always involves the need for storage, and this online portal helps you find facilities located near you, choose the right unit size, check out prices and amenities and contact the facility directly to book your unit.
- Strong Point: You can search for the perfect location based on city, neighborhood, Zip code and even by drawing the area you’re interested in on the map.
8. GoShare
GoShare helps you hire transportation for local moves and deliveries. You simply list the locations for pick-up and drop-off, the items you want moved or delivered, and what type of vehicle and equipment is needed. The app immediately gives you a price estimate and finds a pro for the job. Whether it’s a small parcel, a few boxes or your furniture, the app hooks you up with the right-size vehicle. You can track the progress of your delivery, pay, tip and leave a review – all in the app!
- Strong Point: The app provides same-day moving and delivery on demand and it takes under a minute to get a price estimate and find a pro for the job.
9. Updater
Updater provides a wide range of moving tools, making it easy to stay organized and on top of everything. Their MO is to bring ALL moving tasks into one place, one easy-to-use app. The app helps you curate a checklist of moving tasks, request estimates from movers and reserve a mover online, rent a truck, hire people to load and unload, ship your car and much more. The options extend beyond the moving day – the app also helps you set up your home and get utilities and other services at your new address.
- Strong Point: The app manages tedious tasks such as forwarding your mail and changing your address with businesses and institutions.
10. Moved
Moved provides multiple moving quotes, coordinates all moving logistics, and helps you purchase packing supplies and even discard the items you no longer want.
- Strong Point: The app assigns you a concierge, an actual person that plans and coordinates the logistics of the move.
Online Tools to Use after the Move
11. TaskRabbit
This speedy rabbit helps with those pesky new house tasks that usually take so much of your time. You can hire people to mount your electronics, assemble your furniture, clean your bathroom or your kitchen.
- Strong Point: You can choose people for the job based on skills, reviews and price, and you pay them through the app.
12. Nextdoor.com
Nextdoor is a private social network for neighborhoods. After moving to a new place, it can be hard to get to know your new neighbors. On Nextdoor, you find your neighborhood based on address and instantly become part of the community.
- Strong Point: The social network is a secured environment where all neighbors are verified, and you can use it for things like finding a babysitter or planning local events.
Make the most out of these online tools to turn your moving experience into a less-stressful, easier-to-manage event!
