Moving Tips

Our moving and packing tips have been compiled in the hopes of making your move go more efficiently.

Preparing for a move can appear to be a daunting task. We strive to provide exceptional services that meet our high standards because we believe your home is your castle.

Moving Terminology

In terms of distance, there are two types of moves: local moves and long distance moves. A local move occurs when a person relocates within the same state. Every moving company submits a menu to the state Department of Transportation. Comparing the prices and services of different moving companies is a common sense moving tip, as the range and services can vary significantly.

A long distance move is one in which you are relocating from one state to another, regardless of the distance. Such moves may also be referred to as state to state moves or interstate moves. They are less regulated than local moves, so it’s important to be as thorough as possible when determining what will be moved.

There are two main types of moves as far as packing goes, a Full Pack Move and a Regular Move. A Full Pack Move occurs when the movers are responsible for packing all of your items and for supplying the moving boxes.

A regular transfer happens when you have everything ready for the movers ahead of time. It’s good to have everything clearly labelled before the movers arrive. This will be extremely useful when unpacking. Since you’ll be overwhelmed with last-minute information, you can finish all packing before the movers arrive.

Choosing Items to Move

Choosing which things to transfer and which to dispose of or leave behind is one of the most difficult decisions. It’s important to know the scale of the new locations before making such decisions. Not only is it inconvenient, but it can also be very expensive to transfer things that you don’t really need or that are too big for your new place. It may appear insignificant, but the more precise you are, the easier your move will be.

Getting Estimates

Another common sense moving tip is to contact multiple movers to decide which one best fits your needs. Moving companies lack standardization in both their services and their prices, so it’s important to call around. For example, one company may charge a flat rate while another charges by the person and hour. Prepare a detailed list of the items that need to be moved. Many companies have a professional moving consultant who will work with you in customizing a moving plan and provide additional moving tips based on your unique situation.

It is important that you have an accurate list of things to be moved to the moving company. One of the most difficult tasks for movers is when customers fail to provide items that the movers should then manage. Especially on long distances moves, moving companies coordinate several moves using the same truck and movers. Keep in mind that the overall cost of your move will change if you plan to take more or less items.

Choosing Moving Dates

If you have the choice, plan your move in the morning rather than the afternoon if it will take less than a full day. The team will be fresher, and you will have more daylight hours to complete the transfer if necessary. Similarly, for local movers’ schedules, early to mid-week is normally less busy than Friday. If they can’t travel on a Saturday, many people want a Friday moving date so they can take advantage of the weekend.

Get rid of stuff before Moving

It can’t be emphasized enough that releasing, letting go of, discarding, getting rid of, trashing… unnecessary stuff is a great thing to do before you even contact a moving company. Moving provides an excellent opportunity to go through this process. By that the number of belongings and organizing your stuff, you can save money on moving and avoid the headaches of finding out where to place items. It’s a great exercise to do in preparation for your transfer. Begin by getting rid of any needless duplicates of the same element.

Do you have more than enough of this category of object?

As you plan to move and go through your belongings, you can decide whether you have duplicates of certain items or older, less desirable versions of the same type of object. There can be needless clutter to get rid of. The sorting method entails gathering all of the various piles of items, emptying them, and grouping similar types of items together. Use the nice moving boxes your moving company can provide for you. Examples of categories include: office supplies, kitchen utensils, sports and crafts supplies, sewing, automotive, hardware, electronics, papers and other categories. When you have a full complement of items in front of you, you can find five of the same object. Next, you must decide whether to discard any of the duplicates, perhaps by eliminating the older, worn out, defective, less suitable, less ideal version. You can also have an exact duplicate when only one is needed.

Why people have duplicates of things

People may often keep an old version of an object because they believe they will need it at some stage. However, once you see that you already have many of the same item, it becomes easier to let go of this extra piece. Knowing that there is a worthy recipient (a worthy cause or person) for this item will make it easier to let go.

People prefer to purchase multiples of the same item because, even though they know they have it somewhere, it takes more time to locate the missing object than it does to simply buy another one.

As you get ready to move, you’ll be motivated to gather those boxes of miscellaneous items and see what’s inside. You’ll see how many extras you have with those frequently used pieces.

Toss it, trash it, dump it, you can do it. Just do it BEFORE you move it!

Tips To Reduce Moving Stress

Make sure you have backup plans.

You can guarantee that if you leave anything to chance, it will not go as expected. (See Murphy’s Law.) Make sure you have contingency plans for everything, from how to keep the kids and pets happy to what to do if the moving truck breaks down. A good backup plan is your first line of defense against a sudden complication.

Always use professional movers.

Having only two able-bodied people to do all of the heavy lifting may become a problem with some of the heavier items or – even worse – if one of them gets hurt. It is best to get twice as much help as you think you’ll need, or even better, a professional crew who knows how to do everything efficiently.

Do not throw every bit of clutter away – some of it might come in handy.

You never know what you may need once you get to your new home. In some cases, that old camping stove may be the only thing you have to cook with until your gas utilities get turned on, or your appliances get installed or repaired.

Plan the day as best you can.

You don’t want people tripping over each other. Whether you’re planning on contractors, repair people, or the cable guy, make sure you plan appropriately so they don’t get in each other’s way. If you are planning on hiring a moving crew, you may simply want to schedule your contractors and service providers for a different day altogether so that the efficiency of your moving crew isn’t compromised by too much foot traffic.

Keep your necessities close.

A lot of stress can be saved if you can lay your hand on what you need without hunting for it. This rule applies to everything, from silverware to toys for the kids to power tools. Don’t throw everything into boxes without at least marking what’s inside and where it should go.

Hopefully these tips will help make your moving day a little easier!