On-demand housing: an easier and greener alternative to moving

You finally unpack the last box in your new place and breathe a sigh of relief, knowing the dreaded move has come to an end– for now anyway. But what about next time?

The U.S. Census Bureau says the average person will relocate 11.7 times in their lifetime. In reality, you’ll most likely move again within the next 5 years.

If the thought of moving 11.7 times in your lifetime sounds overwhelming, just think about all the time and money you’ll spend every time you relocate (and this doesn’t even take into consideration all the pre-planning involved with your move):

1. Packing up your lifeAfter figuring out where you’re going to live, which can take anywhere from a few days to several months, it’s time to start thinking about what you are and aren’t willing to part with. Give yourself at least a month to go through everything and donate or sell whatever doesn’t make the cut.When you’re ready to start packing, expect to spend:
   • 12-16 hours to pack a studio or one-bedroom apartment
   • 25-30 hours to pack a two-bedroom house or apartment
   If you don’t have enough local friends ready to pack up your home in exchange for free pizza, and you don’t have time to get it done yourself, you can hire a full-service moving company to do it for you. Costs vary but start around $2,300 (steep, but packing for strangers is even less fun than packing up your own home). Just keep in mind it may take several days or weeks to complete your move, so you may end up sleeping on the floor for a few nights.
2. Ensuring access to power and the internetOf all the tedious parts of moving, dealing with utilities is most people’s least favorite part of the process. You’ll spend some time ensuring your electric, water and internet services are disconnected after you leave, so you aren’t paying for services you don’t use.Even more fun, you get to research the utility services offered in your area and kill an afternoon trying to connect them in your name at your new home. There may also be delays in having them connected, depending on where you are moving. Expect to spend plenty of time on hold and front some security deposits.
3. Moving all of your worldly goodsIf you can’t bribe your friends with some free pizza to help you load the truck, hiring a moving company will be your next best option. On average, they charge around $25-60 per mover, per hour for local moves.So if you need movers to transport a 1 or 2-bedroom house worth of items a few miles away, you’re probably going to spend at least $900. And those guys will still expect a tip after they knock your IKEA Billy bookcase into the wall.But if you have a long distance move, expect to pay anywhere from $2,000-10,000+. (So consider whether it makes sense to post all of your mismatched furniture to Facebook Marketplace and just start fresh in your new home.)
4. Now it’s time to unpack

You finally made the move, but let’s be honest– you’re nowhere near done because you still have to unpack what looks like a gigantic storage unit. More than once, you will question your decision to spend time and money moving some of your things.

In the middle of unpacking, you’ll probably realize some of your items didn’t survive the move. So in addition to all the money you’ve already spent, now you’re wondering what needs to be replaced. And you’re wondering where the bedding, towels and soap were packed because it was a long, sweaty move and you’re ready to crash.

You’re looking at a shocking pile of boxes and packing materials, wondering if it was worth the cardboard and bubble wrap to move used furniture and chipped dishes.

Fast forward a couple of months… hopefully your new place is all in order. But then again, most people still have some unpacked boxes at this point. The unhung pictures. You’ll get around to them eventually…right?

An estimated 900 million cardboard boxes, 30 million rolls of tape and 90 million pounds of packing paper end up in landfills every year.

5. Do I really need to go through moving?

There is an easier way to relocate, that benefits both you and the planet.

With Lodgeur’s long-term, on-demand housing, you’ll never have to worry about furnishing or cleaning your place again. Whether you’re staying in a studio, 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom, our interior-designed apartments are move-in ready the moment you get the keys.

When you pick up the keys, you just swan in like it’s a hotel room. The bed is made. The kitchen is organized. The towels and toiletries are in the bathroom. The utilities and wifi are already connected. Walk in with your luggage and you are moved in.

On top of that, you can expect:

• Convenience and flexibility. A digital, fully transparent booking process, with no need for a long-term lease agreement. Only book the dates you want – without worrying about whether it fits neatly into weeklong or monthly boxes.
• Turnkey living. All utilities, including the internet, are set up and ready to go when you walk in the door.
• Stylish, professional design. There is a happy medium between matchy-matchy, institutional hotel furniture, and the usual mishmash of furniture, decor, and personal items found in the listings of amateur Airbnb hosts.