Moving Tips

Though many people are not aware of this, moving is a regulated industry, and as such is subject to regulations they must follow maintain their licensing. Household-goods brokerage services are not subject to the same stringent rules, nor the same supervision. This allows them to, and they often do, cut corners at your expense. It is highly recommended to avoid these services and use a professional, accredited and licensed transfer company.

When a company’s representative is on site to prepare an estimate, it is extremely important to show them everything you want to have moved. Inside, outside, upstairs, downstairs, front yard, back yard, even that storage shed out back you haven’t opened in years! For your estimate to be accurate the company representative needs to be fully armed with all pertinent information. Be sure to include any tricky access points or physical impediments. This ensures a smooth, professional and most importantly stress-free transfer!

The more established relationships the company has within a specific community, the more likely they are to want to provide excellent service. There are reasons they’ve have been active in your community for a length of time and they will want to protect and fortify their standing in the area. You don’t want a company looking for a one night stand, but one whom is committed to developing and maintaining a relationship with you, your family, friends and neighbors.

• Is there any specialty experience the moving company should have for your move?

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• Do you have elevators or sharp angles in your entry and hallways?

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• Do you have specialty items that require extra care and attention such as grandfather clocks, pianos or barber chairs?

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• Does the moving company have experience with your specific type of move––long distance moves, high rise condos or multi-level buildings with steps, big city moves?

Be sure to have thoroughly planned out the placement of all items in your new home. The installation of your goods goes much more quickly and infinitely more smoothly if you have a good idea fixed in your mind of item placement, and even better when you can be available to direct the flow of goods as they are unloaded. Not only does this decrease stress and increase productivity, it will reflect directly in your bill as it saves a great amount of time during the install.

One thing to keep in mind if you’re doing your own packing is box size. Heavier items such as books should be placed in boxes of smaller size, while conversely lighter items such as linens or pillows should be placed in boxes of larger size. This not only makes them easier to move but also adds an element of protection during transfer. Try to fill your boxes as much as possible, the less space there is for things to move around during transfer the better! Be sure to tape all your boxes properly with a strongly adhesive tape. If you can find the time, labeling boxes with its contents and the room from which it came can be huge time and headache-saver.

Always consider packing a box or two with personal items you’ll need straight away at your new residence. It can be quite daunting to look at all of your boxes and wonder where that darn toothbrush is. Toiletries, pet food, disposable dishware, bedding, coffee (and the coffee maker!) and any kid-essential items are all prime candidates for these boxes.

Before moving day, safely expose of all gas and oil from any motorized and outdoor power equipment. This can include items such as lawnmowers, weed eaters, portable generators and more. Liquids–such as gas and oil–are highly flammable and are not something you want so close to the rest of your possessions.