It’s no secret that we can all use all kinds of moving tips whenever we make the decision to pack up and move ourselves and our families to a new location. There are many different ways to help make the move itself much easier, which includes an moving company the following.
Compose a List
Always compose a list of everything, no matter what. Regardless of whether you write or type the list, you will end up thanking yourself later on.
Make Sure You Have Plenty of Supplies
This is a step that involves you having plenty of boxes, likely more than you will actually need in the event that you end up having more items that need to be packed. This is something that will end up making your entire life much easier in the long run. Furthermore, you will also need to have strong packing tape of some sort in order to securely tape up any and all boxes that are being packed. Unprinted newsprint or bubble wrap is also essential for helping to cushion items that are fragile. If you have any unused supplies once the moving truck has been packed, be sure to return them.
Use Wardrobe Boxes
These can be used not only for clothes, but they can also be used for pillows, blankets, and comforters as well. Contact your moving company to determine the width of the wardrobe boxes that they will be bringing, then measure all of the clothes in your closets in order to determine how many boxes you will actually need. One important thing to remember is to never make the boxes too heavy to carry.
Strategize the Use of Wardrobe Boxes
There are some companies who will be happy to deliver boxes of any kind ahead of your move. However, if you are moving everything yourself, schedule everything as early as you possibly can. For instance, a few days beforehand, fill up sturdy shopping bags with items like sweaters, shoes, and jeans. Fill up wardrobe boxes with these before adding clothing that should be hanged. Then, cover the shoulders of your clothes before adding sweaters or purses on top.
Coordinate Colors
Designate a specific color for each room in your home. Place colored stickers on boxes, which will indicate that the boxes themselves will go in these particular rooms. You can also put a matching sticker on the door to each room to help movers know where to put everything once they arrive at your new home.
Keep Everything Together
Always insist on keeping everything together whenever either you or the movers are packing any boxes, regardless of what the items are.
Pack Ahead of Time
Packing ahead of time will save you a great deal of money on moving day itself. If you’re moving during the summertime, pack up your winter clothes. Also consider boxing up any extra shampoo and toothpaste and purchase smaller-sized travel versions of these items to live off of until the big day. You can even pack up wastebaskets and use plastic garbage bags to throw away trash.
Consolidate Your Cleaning Supplies
In the event that you need to clean your old home before moving out, make up a kit of the most basic rags and cleaning supplies. Clean everything that you can ahead of time, and even as the movers empty each room.
Use Your Own Luggage
Fill up your own luggage with clothing, towels, sheets, etc., even if you’re moving locally.
Keep Valuable Items Safeguarded
Always keep any valuable items with you as much as possible. If that’s not possible, there are alternatives to safeguarding valuable items. If necessary, check your homeowner’s insurance to see exactly how you’re covered during a move, as well as if you need any additional insurance and if you need to fill out any further paperwork in the event of a loss.
Keep All Important Papers with You
Important papers such as birth certificates, bills, bank records, etc. should always be kept with you at all times rather than with the movers.
Personal Boxes
Allow each member of your family to fill a colored tote with any items that they’ll want immediately in their new home, regardless of what those items may be.
One common goal that a lot of homeowners tend to reach for is to make the entire moving process as free of stress as they possibly can. One way to ensure this will happen is to establish a moving plan and hire an austin moving company, which will help you keep track of the entire move in the months leading up to when it actually happens. Here are the basics of what you will need for this kind of planner.
8 Weeks: Schedule an In-Home Estimate Get this process started by contacting your local moving company and scheduling a date to have your home surveyed and an estimate prepared. If your company will be the ones paying for the move, you will need to refer to their services in order to determine exactly what all the mover will be authorized to perform. It’s also important to decide whether you want to do any packing yourself or whether you’d like to have the moving company work on any or all of it, depending on whether or not this is a service that they offer. Regardless, show the moving agent everything that will be moved, as anything that you fail to disclose will cause the cost of the entire service to be increased, even if you have already been given an estimate that is binding. You will also need to take the time to learn about all of your rights and responsibilities in order ot ensure that you fully understand the extent of your moving company’s liability.
7 Weeks: Finalize Your Estimate and Your Move After you obtain a full understanding of all documents and services, then and only then should you finalize your estimate. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions that you may have as well. Additionally, you will also want to officially confirm your moving date, as well as keep the name and phone number of your moving company and coordinator close by in the event that you have any questions or require any further information.
6 Weeks: Contact Your Utility/Service Providers Firstly, you will want to contact your local post office and notify them that you will soon be moving to a new residence. They will respond by providing you with a change of address form, which you can also fill out online for more convenience. Furthermore, you will also need to contact providers such as banks, doctors, and other professional services to update your information.
5 Weeks: Figure Out What to Sell, Throw Away, or Give Away This can be achieved by going through all of the rooms in your home to determine what will go with you during the move and what won’t. If there are any items that you wish to get rid of, you can consider having a garage/yard sale, or even donating any unwanted items to charity or a local thrift shop. You will also need to retain receipts that shows the items’ approximate value, which you can use for tax deductions.
4 Weeks: Check in With the Moving Company Inform the moving company that you’re working with if there are items that you are adding or subtracting, as well as if there are any date changes. Additionally, be sure that you have provided the company with your new address, as well as a phone number at which you can be reached in the event that they need to contact you for any reason. It may also be a good idea to confirm any extra stops that may be required for picking up or dropping off items other than the main areas. If one item that’s being moved is a car, you should be prepared to drive it to a loading site for proper auto transport, as well as pick it up at its final destination.
3 Weeks: Prepare Friends/Family Before the big move, take your family on a visit to some of the places in town that hold special memories, as well as holding a going-away party for your children and their friends. Don’t forget about yourself as well – think about hosting a barbecue or similar kind of party, but keep everything simple. You could also consider taking your family on a big trip, but make sure to reserve aspects such as hotel rooms and airline tickets as necessary. When the time comes to move your heavier appliances, set up an appointment with a service technician to prepare everything to be shipped. Furthermore, your moving company can also recommend someone who is qualified to perform this task. Next, establish a date in which you will need to have your utilities turned off, ensuring that you keep them turned on at least through moving day itself. You will also need to have any draperies and rugs cleaned, but leave them wrapped up when they come back from the dry cleaners. If you own any antiques, obtain a written appraisal in order to have their values verified. If any of these antiques are made of wood, avoid oiling or waxing them because this could soften the wood itself. Furthermore, if you have any upholstered furniture, never clean it before your move, as this could cause mold to develop due to moisture, as the furniture may likely have to be placed in storage.
2 Weeks: Make Plans for Your Pets It’s also important to ensure that you make travel plans for any pets that you may have. In the event that you need to have friends watch them or have them boarded, these are plans that need to be made as soon as possible. Furthermore, you will also need to take your pets to the vet in order to make sure that they are updated on all of their inoculations and health certificates depending on the state in which you live. You will also need to pick up anything that you have had cleaned, stored, etc., as well as empty out any lockers that you may have at your local gym, bowling alley, etc. Make sure that you haven’t forgotten any other critical items.
1 Week: Last-Minute Details Whenever a service representative shows up to start preparing any heavy appliances to be shipped, make sure that you are present to oversee everything. Furthermore, make sure that all electrical equipment has been properly services prior to the representative arriving.
One Day If there are any fragile items that require attention, be sure to point these out as soon as possible. If there are items that shouldn’t be packed up, take the time to mark them as such. Furthermore, label any boxes or other items that you will want first whenever the moving truck shows up at your new residence. If you are packing everything yourself, everything should be ready to go before moving day. The moving truck operator will also check to make sure that everything has been packed properly. In terms of appliances, these should be unplugged 24 hours before moving day, with the exception of plasma televisions. This is so they can be at room temperature by the time moving day arrives.
Moving Day Always be present to ensure that everything is loaded and unloaded from the moving truck. Once you make a final tour of your new residence, be sure to sign off to verify that everything has been delivered. Furthermore, obtain a copy of this form from the moving company and keep it safe. There may also be some necessary paperwork for you to make note of, such as the High-Value Inventory Form (which you must complete and sign showing whether or not any high-value items were included in the move) and the Bill of Lading/Freight Bill (which shows the terms and conditions by which everything is moved, as well as your receipt for the move itself). You will also need to provide the moving van driver with your exact address, as well as with a phone number that you can be reached at.
Take One Final Look Around Determine that the following has been done at your old residence:
*The water has been shut off *The furnace/air conditioner has been shut off *Light switches have been turned off *Utilities have been set up to be disconnected *Windows have been shut and locked *Keys have been turned over *Nothing else has been left
Delivery Day Make sure that you are present to accept any and all deliveries; however, if you are unable to be present for any reason, be sure that you authorize an adult to be there in your place to accept deliveries and make payments for you. On delivery day, you may be contacted by the moving van operator, who will likely want to stop by your new residence if they aren’t able to reach you. In situations such as this, you may be able to request more time to wait until the delivery can actually be made. You will also need to take the time to check all of your belongings as they are unloaded from the truck, making sure to note any discrepancies that you find on the truck operator’s copy of the inventory sheet. When you sign this sheet, you are essentially acknowledging the condition and receipt of all items that are listed. Furthermore, all items unloaded will be placed exactly as you direct them to be. All documents regarding the move should also be kept in a safe place so that you have them for verification when the time comes to file your federal income tax return
One Week After the Move Once you’re settled into your new residence, check with your new local post office in order to see if you have any mail being held and request that delivery to your new home begin. You will also need to check all local and state requirements for automobile registration and driver’s licenses. Furthermore, you may also want to retain the services of an attorney to talk about any and all laws in regards to your new area of residence.
It’s certainly no secret that everyone dislikes the idea of moving to a new place, as well as every single aspect that comes with the task itself. However, once these people are able to hire a professional moving company, they will find that the task itself will be much easier to handle. Here are six great reasons why you should always consider hiring a moving company.
Less Chance of Suffering an Injury
Moving heavier items are tasks that require multiple people to complete, as well as the right equipment. Furthermore, it’s also a task that needs to be completed twice – moving everything out of your old home and into your newer one. However, if not done correctly, there is every chance that you could get injured. Hiring a professional moving company will drastically reduce the chance of this happening.
Your Friends Will Never Regret Knowing You
Regardless of how often your friends say they will help you with a move, the truth is it’s something that they don’t like simply because of how stressful the job itself can be. Rather than inviting your friends over to help you move, invite them over once the move has been completed for a housewarming party.
You’ll Have Time for Other Important Issues
Aside from the move itself, there are other important issues that need to be completed. These include setting up utilities, cable, and making any necessary changes to your driver’s license. Additionally, you could also spend some time at your new residence making the interior move-in friendly. All of these tasks can be completed when you hire professional movers to complete the more daunting task of moving all of your belongings to your new residence.
Professional Movers Have the Proper Equipment
You may think that you will have all the right equipment to pack and transport all of your belongings to your new residence; however, this is not always the case. Professional moving companies are equipped with all of the right tools that are necessary to get this job done, especially in no more than one trip.
All of Your Belongings Will Be Insured
Professional moving companies will ensure all of your items in the event that they suffer any kind of damage during the moving process. This means that if an item is damaged, the company will replace it or compensate you so that you can replace it yourself. Before selecting a moving company to work with, be sure to ask them about all of the different insurance options that they offer.
You Will Save Money
Most of the time, when it comes to moving, a lot of people tend to underestimate exactly how much this kind of task can cost. It’s important to keep in mind the costs of such things as refreshments/food for those who are helping, replacing broken items, injury, gasoline, and whether or not you are insured in the event that something ends up going wrong. By keeping these things in mind, you will be able to make a plan that will help you save money in the long run.
One task that can be especially stressful is moving to a brand new home. Furthermore, something that can be equally stressful is making the decision to either move all of your belongings yourself or hire a professional moving company to complete the job for you. However, there are actually many different advantages that can be utilized when you hire professional movers, some of which include the following:
Leaving Packing to the Professionals
Packing all of your belongings is a task that can take up approximately a quarter of your entire moving expense. This means if you were to take on this task yourself, you would actually end up spending more money. Not only would you end up using more boxes than you actually need, but you may also end up damaging some of your belongings due to not packing them up properly. Professional movers, on the other hand, are highly trained to pack many different things as efficiently as possible.
Locality
Professional movers always work hard to run local area checks. This is important because understanding all of the routes and the neighborhood itself will ensure that your belongings get to the right place.
Your Property is Insured and Safe
The one thing that is perhaps the most important to professional movers is always making sure that all of your belongings are as safe as possible, as well as insured. Professional movers always use heavy-duty wrap and plastic covers for furniture pieces in order to make sure that no excess dirt and/or dust finds its way onto them during the moving process.
Using the Right Equipment
Transporting your items to your new residence yourself is never a bad idea; however, vehicles such as normal cars and trucks never typically come with all of the right equipment to ensure that everything is transported safely. The same thing cannot be said for professional movers, who use hoisting straps, dollies, and ramps to transport your items in their custom-built trucks.
Estimates That are Straightforward
Typically, there are no hidden charges involved whenever you make the decision to hire a professional moving service; rather, these companies charge by the distance in which they have to travel, as well as the particular service that you choose to go with. Before going ahead with the move, these charges will be discussed with you in detail.
Customer Service That is Friendly
Many professional moving companies are more than happy to provide you with solutions regarding any issues that you may have involving your move. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to speak with them.
Storage Facilities That are Flexible
In the event that you find you need to delay your move, many professional moving services will provide you with storage facilities with options that range from short-term to long-term to overnight. Additional charges may be involved, but in the long run, all of your belongings will be protected.
