The guest post comes to us from FullServiceMovers.
There is a major trend to buy and do things in an eco-conscious way, also called “green”, which means that the least amount of natural resources are used, and consumers who are moving may also want to go green and minimize waste and act responsibly. Among the ways in which a person can limit their impact on the earth begins with choosing the least-polluting method of travel. Newer trucks emit less pollution than older ones, and since electric engines are not yet available for moving trucks and vans, ask your movers about their fleet, and about your desire to have an eco-friendly move.
Do not buy new boxes when you can find strong moving boxes through online recycling services in your area. Additional sources for packing materials are nearby stores and other businesses, which often allow a person to take empty boxes from their shipping and receiving area behind the building—check the store’s policy before you take any. As for packing materials, if you have any plain, popped popcorn, this makes a wonderful alternate cushion for fragile items that would usually be packed in styrofoam peanuts, which are not bio-degradable. When you are finished unpacking, the popcorn can be eaten by wild birds and other creatures.
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Another way to save resources is to pack your things in reusable plastic containers, which can then be used to store out-of-season clothing, sports equipment or any other items that you want to keep.
When you arrive at your new home, be sure to use only green cleansers, and place designated bins or other containers in your kitchen or back yard for recyclable items. Be sure to find out your local guidelines regarding recycling, because some areas require that you separate glass, paper, plastics, etc. They might not take any of your items for recycling if these rules are not followed. Other towns and cities are more lenient, and just ask that all recycled things be in one bin. In any case, make sure that the recycled packages, boxes, parts, etc., do not have any food particles on them. Don’t forget to recycle your moving boxes as well.
If you have cats and dogs to take with you on your move, there are certain steps you can take to ensure that the trip goes smoothly and that the animals are as comfortable as possible. Also be sure find out if the local or cross country moving companies you are planning on hiring know you have pets as well. Although most moving companies will be fine with this it is normally better if they are a full service moving company.
Any major change in their living conditions may cause stress for animals, particularly cats, which are not used to riding in cars as much as dogs are. Try to keep your pets’ feeding schedules as close to their usual times as possible. In addition, make sure that they always have access to clean drinking water, since spills are likely with all of the car’s turns and stops, and the animals could also tip the water bowl over if they move around a lot.
Before you move, check to see if your pets’ vaccinations are up to date, and keep the records some place where you can find them if you need to. It is important to look up the phone number of the local veterinarian’s office you will be using in the new location as well, in case there are any emergencies. The vet can also let you know if the state or region you are moving to requires any vaccinations that your pet has not yet had.
Be sure to stop as often as necessary to let your pets exercise and get fresh air. When traveling with cats, it is usually a good idea to confine them to a sturdy cage and put their favorite toys, blankets and other items in the cage, which will bring them some comfort. Even if your cats are well-behaved it is a safety hazard to have cats running around unleashed in a vehicle. Your cats might complain loudly and frequently if they are confined, but they will eventually settle down and get used to the situation.
Upon arrival at the new home, you may want to lock your cats in a room for a week or two, so the animals can slowly become accustomed to the unfamiliar surroundings. You don’t want any pets to be confused and try to escape, following their instincts and trying to return to their last home. After some time has passed, carry each cat around the new home to all the rooms, and do not let it outside until you feel it is ready.
The article was provided as a guest post by Full Service Movers, a moving portal of long distance movers.
Preparing to move across the town and it is as complicated as moving to another state. The hardest job is boxing up your belongings and transporting them to the new home. Furthermore you would also be consistently worrying about trusting your valuable items to strangers. Finding a dependable moving company would certainly cause the stress levels soar. So it is best to comply certain steps for choosing a proper moving company.
Choosing a moving company is the thing you should do and this is not a complicated process as it appears to be. Ask your friends, neighbors and family members about movers that they have employed in the past. Sometimes the estate agent that you deal with can provide you with a list of local companies since they deal with movers all the time.
When you have gathered some phone numbers and names, you should call those companies and ask some questions such us offered services, prices, insurance coverage, policies and etc. Ask for their DOT number and check up on it on Department of Transportation website. Make sure you hire a company that is accordingly licensed with your state. The next step is check the dependability of the company with Better Business Bureau or any other consumer organization.
Then cut down your list to the movers with good reputation and get the address of at least two or three companies. You will be able to avoid scammers by easily voiding companies that do not have a physical address.
The next main thing is to get the quote for your move. It is always recommended to arrange on-site estimates which are normally provided at no cost. Keep in mind that some moving companies will give the moving quote over the phone without evaluating the possessions to be transported. The moving companies apply a broad variety of rates. Some companies would charge by an hourly rate while other would go by total weight. Usually local moves are charged by the hour and long distance moves are charged by the weight of the shipment. Some movers would charge extra for large furniture, supplies and stairs, make sure to have all this information in writing
With the moving quote in your hands, it is time to select the moving company that is right for your needs and budget. You should evenly deliberate your feeling, provided services as well as the price while making the final choice. Get a written agreement from the movers before the moving day. Now you will be able to relax and spend more time on other things.
If you are planning on moving anytime soon then this should be the first thing you should need before contacting the movers. For there are many common mistakes to be made during the move and by reading this, we can tell you how to avoid them and save yourself the added stress.
According to some moving experts, one of the more common moving mistakes that people make when moving is that they neglect to do conduct a thorough search on their movers’ company. It goes without saying that when one is anxious to move, you want to get it done by any means necessary; the cheaper the better and not to mention in the quickest way. Therefore one is likely to contact and go with the first moving company that possesses the aforementioned features. If you have not already moved and you are deciding to do so, you need to get information about your moving company to see if they are licensed by the Department of Transportation in your neck of the woods to get the job done. Also check with the Better Business Bureau as they would also be able to provide you with information that could tell you if your moving company is in shoddy business or if it is indeed legitimate with no client complaints.
If you are moving on a budget then you would want to check out ways in which you can save money on your move. There are a lot of free resources that you can take advantage of such as getting free boxes either from the grocery store or from someone who is giving them away for free via newspaper ads or even on websites such as Craigslist.org and Backpage.com All you have to do is to keep looking under the “free” section.
After you have selected your moving company and you complete the transaction by signing off on a Bill of Lading document, do all you can to keep this document in a safe and secure place as it is the only form of a contract that you have from your mover. This document can save you should something go wrong during the move and that’s why you want to put it away safely. You can place the document in an envelope labeling what is inside of it so that you would not forget and throw it away. Ideal places for storing the Bill of Lading document could be a locked storage box which you can easily transport when you move.
Do not forget to change your address with the people at the USPS. The postal service makes it very easy for one to change their address if they are doing it online. One dollar for verification would be charged to your credit card for this service. Then you are able to put in information which includes your old address and the new one and information about the date that you are moving so that the postal service can get your mail redirected from moving day onward. Of course you also need to contact your utilities company as well as your cable, internet and phone service providers letting them know about your moving date as well.
In closing, make sure that you understand the tax deductions as it pertains to moving. If you are not clear about it then you should call IRS to get more information. One of the things they would ask you to do is to save a copy of all your moving receipts for filing. These documents too can be placed in a locked storage box. Above all be nice to your movers on moving day and remember to keep snacks and drink handy to serve them on moving day.
No one says that moving was an easy undertaking; no one said it couldn’t be done successful either. With just a little planning a few months ahead of your set moving day you would see how much smoother and more pleasant the whole experience can be.
No doubt about it, those who go through unwanted moving day stress will usually be the ones who leave everything for last minute. A huge moving project like this should never be taken for granted. The earlier you get started on things; the better. After locating a moving company and finalizing your moving day, one of the first steps that you should take is to get rid of unwanted items that you presently have in your home. You should also get rid of some of the items you have in your home that you have intentions of replacing as well. Start the process by taking out unwanted items room by room and then separate those that you are going to dump from the ones you are going to sell or give away. If you are going to donate your items then make sure to pack them in boxes so you can give to a family in need or even donate to your favorite charity. In addition there are many websites where you can list your items for sale or you can even list it in the classifieds section of your local newspaper; the choice is up to you. It is when you get rid of the unwanted items you will realize how much lighter your moving load becomes.
Packing your items should be next on your agenda. When you pack in advance it would give you enough time to do so in a stress-free environment. Not only does it guarantee that you would be able to neatly pack your items in the box but you would also have enough time to tape and label the boxes as well. Even before taping up and labeling the boxes you should make a list of all the items that you are placing in the box and the label name that goes along with it. This would make things so much easier for you by the time you get to the new place. Once you are done packing, assemble the boxes in a downstairs room that is preferably near the front entrance of your home so that the movers could have easy access to it when moving day comes.
Days before moving you should start tidying the old house by clearing out the cupboards, drawers and wiping and dusting them as you go along. Vacuum the rugs and carpets in each room and make sure that you clean the bathrooms and take out the trash.
No one sets out to get scammed by a scam moving company when they are relocating but unfortunately these are the risks that some people face especially when they are trying to move on the cheap. If you are desperate to move from your current home to another, you may be compelled to go with just about any company that is willing to move you at a fraction of the cost that you would pay with other movers. Desperate moves also mean that you would not have had the time to do your research on your scam moving company to see if they are actually registered with the Better Business Bureau.
When you enter a business transaction with a scam moving company, you are no doubt setting yourself up for a massive headache, for scam movers are known to change the original business transactions before your eyes; something that you would have never seen coming. Scam moving companies are smooth talkers and are quick to talking you into a sweet deal that you cannot refuse. Most of these deals are non-binding which gives the company the authority to increase the moving cost for no particular reason.
There are a lot of people out there who have had to endure situations where the movers are requesting that they pay more money than they were originally quoted in order to get their household items returned. If you have recently been part of a moving scam the first thing that you should do is to report the matter to the police and have a police report made. If you are in a situation where your furniture is being hostage then you should gather up all your documented transactions between you and the moving company so that you can make a case against them in court. The documents could consist of all the emails, text messages even snail mails that you have received from the company prior to your move. Also you should compile a log of the names of the persons that you may have interacted with from the moving company as well as the date and time that you spoke to them.
If the moving company concludes that you may want to negotiate with them rather than pay the full price to get your furniture, you would soon realize that they would no longer be too accessible by phone. If they start avoiding your phone calls you can easily mail the company a registered letter requesting the return of your furniture. Whatever correspondence they mail back to you, you can use it against them in court.
Moving from one home to another is not an easy process. The moving process itself can be quite complicated and annoying. However there are tips that will help you to make the process easy for you and your family.
The most important part is to hire the right company to transport your goods.
Before shopping for movers you should decide what you are going to take to your new home and what you are going to leave behind. Then determine how much of the packing you are able to do yourself. This step is required in order to get accurate moving quotes from moving companies.
As anticipated, moving budget is a contributing point when hiring any type of service. The moving estimate must be provided in writing, never accept a verbal quote as your given estimate. In addition, the moving quote should also be arranged only from a mover who has thoroughly gone through your home and made a list of items that needs to be transported. Don’t accept quotes over the phone, you will be able to get general idea about the moving company, their provided moving services and prices. This type of quote cannot be accurate.
Ask the representative if they will disassemble and reassemble your furniture. Another thing you should pay close attention when comparing moving companies is what service it provides for your money are what types of payment they will accept. Some companies do not accept credit cards or personal checks, you should be aware of it.
Ask your friends family members of their opinion with local movers they may have hired in the past. Ask the representative how long the company has been in business.
Once you narrowed down a few moving companies, check with your local Better Business Bureau to inquire of any past complaints and resolution. It is also very essential to check with Department Of Transportation, most of the US States require movers to be registered. Long distance movers are also required to put out their rate list and have it readily.
All licensed moving companies are required to provide basic liability coverage at no extra charge. Make sure you understand the level of protection and the course of action in the event of a damage or loss.
You will have a lot of preparations to handle for the big day and it will take a lot of time for one or two people to handle. Some movers even have storage units available for the customer to store their unwanted items. You will not have the bother of trying to find room for them. There are some movers that do more and others that only provide minimal services. For some of the companies, you will even have to load the boxes and packages up on the truck. This will include the wrapping of items, boxing them up, loading and unloading the truck and driving to the new location. If this is the case, you should look for movers that provide all the services of moving.
Movers can usually be found in most US cities. This will also cost extra, but it again is worth the cost when it comes to making things a lot easier for your move. Most people find it a lot easier to hire movers to take care of all these things for them.
They may expect the movers that they hire to do all the work for them in order to make their life easier. For this service, however, you are going to have to pay more for the cost. This great feature will be a big help in most moves. When you are preparing for a move, you will find that there are a lot of details that have to be taken care of. Movers can make it a lot less stressful for everyone involved. In the long run, it is usually worth the expense. Some moving companies only provide the transportation part of the move. This means that you will have to do all the packing and the wrapping. A lot of people want this full service in their moving companies. The items will be safely packed away in a storage container until you want them.
Think about all the things that you are going to need done and what you are going to be willing to pay for. You will need to decide what you are looking for in the moving company that you hire. When you know what is in each box and where it goes, you will save a lot of time and work in the end. This great time saving step will help a lot of people with the unpacking in the new home. In some companies, they will provide different services. This step will let you store the items that you do not want or cannot use in the new home. Most movers will even go the extra mile to pack one room at a time and then they will label them and put them in the rooms that they belong in the new house. This may not be what a lot of people want in their moving company.
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