People move all the time due to different reasons. Some deal with the complicated task of preparing for the move easily and quickly while others waste a lot of time and effort. These moving tips can help you relocate to your new home without any stress and commotion.
How to Prepare for the Move Efficiently: Moving Hacks
One of the most important tasks while preparing for the move is to gather and pack the things.
Getting rid of unnecessary things
Moving is a great time to get rid of the ‘extras’. If you still have some time before X day, you have several options that allow you to kill two birds with one stone: reduce the amount of junk you’ve accumulated and earn some money.
- Organize a garage sale. You know what they say: ‘One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure’.
- Arrange an e-commerce sale. You can do this on some online platforms like eBay, Amazon, Etsy, WooCommerce, Weebly, Selz, etc. Remember to be very specific about the measurements and conditions.
You should take more than one photo of the item for sale and one of them should be of the label where a potential buyer can see the manufacturer, what the item is made of, and its quality. If the item is untidy, it can hinder the sale. So, make it look as attractive as possible.
- Make a difference. You can use the chance to help the less fortunate ones and donate things you don’t need to a charitable organization.
- Throw them away. If you see that the item is damaged or in a really bad condition, it is better not to waste time and dispose of it.
After you are through with reducing the number of things, it’s time to move on to the next step – packing-which is one of the hardest things to do. Some people even turn to companies providing packing services, to avoid dealing with it.
Packing tips for moving
In the video below you can see step-by-step instructions on how to pack things efficiently and to avoid damage while moving and unpacking.
- Create a calendar of the moving and a list of tasks to perform with their deadlines.
- Write the lists of items in the box to make it easier to unpack when you reach your destination. Make the list of essentials – you might not have time to unpack all the things at once. So, put the clothes and things you’ll need immediately in one bag or box.
- Sign the boxes. The easiest and clearest way is to put the name of the designated room on the box as well as the listing. For example, Kitchen. Plates, Living room. Books and receipts, Hall. Boot rack, etc. You can use color-coding instead of words: mark the boxes and the places you plan to put them with the same color.
- Put fragile things into separate boxes. Wrap them up so they don’t get damaged during transportation.
- Prepare “an emergency box” with things that can help you survive in case of a delay in delivery if you are planning to use a moving service to ship your things. Take it with you. It will be necessary if you want to avoid an experience one of the consumers had with a moving company:
“ …My delivery has been changed every day for nearly 2 weeks. I was told last week it was absolutely Thursday or Friday.
I took both days off and Friday morning got a call, from my coordinator, it would be just a couple hours. Late in the day she called and said they confused my move with another and mine wasn’t that day, it would be 4 days from now…” (source: PissedConsumer.com)
- Choose the right packaging. ‘Right’ means the durable one and of the right size. You need boxes, special bubble wrap which protects the contents, stretch film, and tape (either ordinary brown or colorful one). You might want to use the tape with warnings that the box contains glass or fragile items.
Cardboard boxes can be of different thicknesses. If you are traveling within the city limits, three-layer cardboard can be enough; however, for a long-distance journey, a five-layer one would be better. A box shouldn’t weigh more than 30 kg with the optimum weight of 20 kg per box.
That way it won’t lose its shape and it will make the movers’ job easier as well as decrease the possibility of an accident. You could pack big soft things in bags and the essentials can go in the suitcases.
These packing tips for moving have to make the preparation process easier.
Moving and Transportation Tips
Owning a car can come in handy while moving over short distances. You could also involve your friends and relatives in it. However, if you have a lot of belongings and they are large; you plan to move far away or just don’t want to do it yourself – it is better to turn to a moving service, which offers a wide range of services including packing.
The next step is to find a moving company. These tips can help you to make the right choice.
How to choose a moving company
- Look at the company website – it can tell a lot about its standing and credibility. See that there are several communication channels available so that you can contact them by different means. Check if the moving company reviews give a realistic picture of the customers’ satisfaction rate and offer some complaints or there are just standard praising comments.
The tabs should offer the full range of the services the company provides. If the company uses free hosting, it shows a lack of commitment, and the services can be of lower quality.
- Ask about the vehicles the company provides. If it offers a limited choice for all occasions, you can hardly count on their speed and quality.
- Discuss all the details of the movie, including the price, with the same representative of the company. The more reps there are, the higher the possibility that things will get confused and something will go wrong.
- Ask about movers’ experience and qualifications. It is important to know if they are fit and able to perform extra tasks like dismantling or assembling furniture or are familiar with safety rules. You can also ask if they are qualified to use special equipment. Uniform is an advantage because it stresses the company’s status and commitment to its customers.
- Find out about the warranty and insurance the company offers. Reliable moving companies insure the cargo as part of their service. If a company does not mention any insurance, you should demand it. The cargo can be insured against any possible mishap including delays or only some specific damages. It’s up to you.
- Compare several companies, their services, and prices. Describe your cargo in detail as it can influence the final price. Don’t be shy and insist on knowing the exact price.
- Look for moving companies’ reviews before you make the final choice. They can look great in theory but customers’ experience is the best way to verify their claims. You can find the reviews for moving companies on forums dedicated to the topic or various blogs.
Researching online reviews can prevent you from making the wrong choice and tell which companies not to choose.
In case of moving from one state to another or abroad, not every company will suit you. You might have to use the railway, air, or sea shipping. There are some businesses that offer transportation by several means of transport.
Finding the right moving company can take more than one day as you need to do thorough research before entrusting them with your possessions.
How to Avoid Moving Scams
It is easy to fall prey to different scams while preparing for a major change in your life. These can be companies that state one price, then demand more than has been agreed on, or change conditions of the service at the last possible moment. Among them, there also can be dishonest employees who steal from customers.
Attention to detail and planning beforehand is the best preventive measures you can come up with as they give you control and reduce the chances of being cheated. There are also other precautions to ensure the safety of your money and moving:
- Demand to see the company’s legal documents, license, or permit that allows it to do business. Verify this information, if it’s possible, with legal specialists you trust.
- Visit the storage you are planning to use in advance to check the conditions of storage and security.
- Check that the price is included in the contract before you sign it.
- Make sure that the terms and conditions are as have been previously agreed on.
- Check reviews about the company.
Overall, moving is a bothersome time- and energy-consuming affair which is also not quite cheap. However, if you take your time and follow the moving tips as well as packing tips for moving and storage tips, it is possible to survive it without any troubles.
Contributed by PissedConsumer.com
