Moving homes is never a decision made lightly and is almost always accompanied by unexpected events. According to research, about 62 percent of respondents expressed that moving house is more stressful than a relationship breakdown, divorce or starting a new job. Nevertheless, people in Hong Kong move for all sorts of reasons whether it be better neighbors, shorter commutes, a nicer environment for the kids, or simply a more captivating view. In order to minimize the unexpected, we’ve selected 5 free mobile apps that can make life easier when moving in Hong Kong.
Carousell is one of the most popular mobile platforms in Hong Kong for buying and selling a variety of first and second-hand consumer goods – ranging from fashion items, beauty products to books and furniture. Carousell provides an easy-to-access market for items you bought, tucked away, and forgot about. Prior to a move, one can sell items through Carousell, or buy items that would be perfect for the new place. That espresso machine you always wanted could be a few clicks away and your old sofa might be able to find a new home that isn’t on the side of the road – effective and environmentally friendly too!
Boxful (Android only)
Then there’s the stuff that you don’t use often, but probably want to keep around just in case. Boxful is a convenient door-to-door storage solution that picks up your selected belongings and brings them back to you on-demand. Very conveniently, they provide the boxes. On the Boxful mobile app, you can quickly schedule drop-offs, pick-ups or deliveries of your items. If your new apartment just doesn’t have the space, Boxful can become your off-site closet.
Evernote is a powerful note-taking app that saves your notes across devices. You can keep as many virtual notebooks as you want on Evernote and it comes with a number of nifty features that make digital note-taking a breeze. The check-box bullet point feature is perfect for a moving reminder to-do-list. These checklists can be shared so multiple people can check off items for you. You can also insert images, audio recordings and webpage clippings into the notes directly so that nothing gets forgotten and all tasks are easily understood.
Sortly (iOS only, Android coming soon)
Packing is its own skill and highly organized packing is another level. Sortly is an organization app that allows you to create a visual home inventory with photos and searchable tags. Place items in categories by location or subfolders and pack them into boxes accordingly. This makes a lot of sense, but it requires so much effort that most people have trouble following through. What really defines Sortly is its ability to generate customized QR labels that can be linked to specific folders or items. Keep your boxes organized by affixing a QR code and you’ll know where everything is just by scanning the box. Sortly offers total personal inventory control through your smartphone.
When the packing is done and you’re ready to go, you’ll need to think about logistics. GoGoVan is a local favorite moving service. Simply input the pickup point, destination and the number of vehicles you need through the app and you will receive the logistic details in a few seconds. You can customize your service by selecting add-on features like requesting an English-speaking driver or asking the drivers to help with unloading. Ordering a GoGoVan is as straightforward as ordering takeout.
Technology can alleviate some of the tediousness associated with moving houses, while improving overall efficiency. If you’re thinking about moving, give the above mobile applications a try.
What’s the best app you’ve used on a move? Let us know if your favourite is missing from the list.
