Apptitude: My Move and Moving Day complement one another
|
Version 0 of 1. If you’re like me, you dread not only the idea of moving but also the actual logistics: packing, hiring reputable movers, keeping multiple checklists, etc. I turned to my iPhone for help with a crosstown relocation and found two apps that, together, made the move more manageable. My Move As I’m not very skilled in the arts of packing or organizing, I was drawn to the creator’s claim that this is a free “complete move planner.” The app does provide tips, tools to calculate costs, and extensive checklists that can make a stressful transition more manageable, as well as the opportunity to solicit quotes from moving companies. The interface is attractive, intuitive and easy to navigate. But the best resource, in my opinion, is buried at the end under “Moving Tips”: The “Browse Moving Articles” section provides essential information for readers of all aptitudes, including how to choose a truck size, hire movers, anticipate problems and move yourself. The list of recommended movers in your area, and customer reviews, are worth the download alone. Other helpful information is in the “About” section, which offers a government consumer protection Web site, postal service change-of-address forms and more. I do have a few quibbles. Some information (such as lists of movers)showed up in multiple sections, and the tips section includes random industry news articles such as “Moving the Vatican Library: A Real Logistics and Security Challenge,” which, while intriguing, are not going to help you save time if you succumb to reading them. But if the app had the capabilities of Moving Day, as well, it would come pretty close to its “complete move planner” claim. Moving Day What My Move lacks is a tool such as Moving Day, which helps you keep up-to-date inventory of your moving boxes during a relocation. You catalogue items being packed — tedious but worth it — print out labels to tape to each box, then check in your boxes as they arrive by scanning them with your smartphone camera or manually entering the bar codes. The app is a little buggy. Choosing a “box size” made it crash, so I just skipped it, and it took me a few tries to print the labels. But being able to scan and immediately see the contents of each box as it arrived made it a must-have for me. Take a photo of your belongings (helpful for insurance purposes), and it will even print the photograph with the bar code. More Apptitude For stories, features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit WP Magazine. Follow the Magazine on Twitter. Like us on Facebook. E-mail us at wpmagazine@washpost.com. NAME: My Move COST: Free OPERATING SYSTEM: iOS, Android CREATOR: World Media Group USER RATINGS: Apple, (41 ratings, all versions); Google, (24 ratings) REVIEW’S BOTTOM LINE: Will help ease your move. NAME: Moving Day COST: Free OPERATING SYSTEM: iOS CREATOR: Mighty Ants USER RATINGS: Apple, (22 ratings, all versions) REVIEW’S BOTTOM LINE: A bit buggy but worth it. |