Guest post provided by MyMove.com(written by Nancy LaFever), an online moving authority where people planning a move can find information, products and savings to streamline and save during this exciting life stage.
Moving during the holidays is not the most convenient time, but moving disrupts routines any time of the year. If you’re scheduled to move over the holidays, celebrating will definitely be different than other years. It may take some extra effort, but you can still make it memorable. No matter which end of the move it falls for you—in your old place or settling into the new house—here are some moving tips:
•Acknowledge the sentiment. The holidays trigger all kinds of emotions for people and when you add moving to the mix, there’s a large emotional component to the process. Leaving your old home with its memories can be tough. If you have children, you want to acknowledge that they will be missing their “usual” holiday, but keep an upbeat attitude. You can set the tone.
•Maintain some traditions. Involve the whole family in planning some holiday activities. If you normally bake cookies, find a way to make that happen even if you forgot where you packed the cookie sheets! Locate holiday decorations when packing your old house and be sure to set aside a box, including ornaments, wrapping paper, etc. If you normally put up a tree, make room for a small one with a few decorations.
•Plan some outings. Plan some time away from those moving boxes. Drive around the neighborhood to look at lights and decorations, go to a holiday craft fair or have a holiday meal at a favorite restaurant. If you have extended family you’ll be leaving, make sure to schedule some time with them.
•Confirm moving plans. Things get rushed and busy during the holiday season. People take vacations and may be hard to reach. Be sure to call and confirm your move date with the movers or rental truck company. Make sure your utility companies know when to turn off or turn on your utilities.
Don’t forget to sit down, take a few deep breaths and make time to enjoy the holidays!
So you have decided to pick up and move to a brand new place. That is an exciting and scary thing to do. Moving all of your belongings from one home to a new one, can also be very stressful. If you are moving in the dead of winter, the stress levels will increase dramatically. If you are in a place that has harsh winter weather, or moving to a place that does, you have many potential hazards and obstacles to encounter in your move. There are some ways to prepare yourself to combat frigid or dangerous conditions while moving into a new home.
The first key to doing this efficiently and successfully is to plan. The weather outside means you will want to avoid going outside until you absolutely have to. Begin packing and preparing your belongings as far in advance of the move as you can. Pack little by little so you do not get overwhelmed; one of the best ways is to go from room to room. This way you can note the progress and feel accomplished; you can also be sure that you do not miss anything, and you can clean as you go. Once you are packed, cleaned and ready to go, you need to plan transport.
The ideal form of transport in the winter months would be something that could move all, or at least most of, your belongings in one trip. This will save you the hassle and stress of having to go and come back; multiple trips will just keep you out in the cold longer and put you at risk of injury or sickness. Move as much as you can in as few trips as possible. This could mean renting one large moving truck or even getting all of your friends and acquaintances with trucks to show up at the same time. Having a lot of helping hands for the move will also be beneficial. Bribe your family and friends with hot chocolate or cheap food or guilt them with the “I’m family” line so that you have as many able-bodied people around during your move. Teamwork will make your move smoother and more efficient, and can also be an opportunity to bond with people you may not get to see as often as you like.
The key is to plan and pay attention. Figure out what you need to do first, and then figure out the best way to do it. Optimize your time, and get as much help as you can. Make sure that there are warm drinks, clothing and blankets available to that no one gets sick. You want to move as quickly as possible so that you can settle into your new, and hopefully very warm, home.
The article was provided by MoversCorp.Com, an online marketplace of local movers and labor providers. You may follow them on twitter at MoversCorp or get connected on Facebook here MoversCorp
Relocating, whether it is across the country or another state, is hard enough on adults, but on children it can be rougher. If they are school age children they are leaving friends and teachers they know and going to a new school where they will be a newbie. If your children are in high school it may even be more difficult if they are ready to graduate and have a boy/girl friend they have to leave behind. If at all possible, get them involved in the moving process and make the thought of moving exciting.
When you find a place to move into, try to give the children some input as to whether they like it or not and you can even let them pick out their own bedroom. Give each child, if they are old enough, a chore to help with the moving. Make sure when you know that you are relocating that you sit down as a family and discuss the move, why it is important, the positive things that are going to come out of the relocation, and make sure that you listen to the children as they tell you their fears and why they do not want to move. When they get upset about leaving their friends assure them that they can keep in touch and maybe come back for a visit during the summer, and they will make new friends.
Ask your child if they want to help with the packing, and let them pack their own bag to take in the car with you on the trip to the new home. Make sure that if your child is young, that they have a favorite toy with them on the trip. Also, make sure that they have things to entertain them while traveling.
Go on the internet and bring up the city where you are going to be moving to and with your children look up things that they can do in this new city that interests them or find new things that they may find interesting. If you are moving to a small town and it is not on the map look up the closest big city. Find attractions such as amusement parks, water parks, museums, etc that you can visit as a family once you get settled in your new home.
Moving with kids can be made easier just by getting the children involved before, during, and after the move. Make the move an adventure, not a chore.
We all know how stressful moving can be. In fact the statistic shows that moving is the third most stressful event in life, following death of a loved one and divorce. Finding reliable cross country movers can reduce the stress and make it a little bit easier for you.
Choosing the right company
But how to choose between all those cross country moving companies our there? How to make the right choice? Here is a small guide for a smooth moving experience:
- The first step is to request multiple professional moving companies to estimate moving costs for your upcoming move. That way you will be able to compare all the movers and receive multiple price estimates to choose from. Going with the lowest estimate is not always a good idea, since the overall quality of the service might be significantly lower.
- Select two or three from the moving companies based on your observations by speaking with the representative and the price estimate. Make sure all these companies have provided you with written estimates with all the taxes and fees included. Also do not forget to ask for a price list of the packing materials provided by each of the movers in advance.
- Check if the companies are licensed and insured with the US Department of Transportation. Every professional moving company should have a DOT number of registration to operate as a carrier.
- Research the selected movers online. Reading reviews on the cross country moving companies before hiring in multiple review sources is a must. Companies with 4-5 star ratings are ok. Avoid using companies with one or two stars ratings. Another thing you might want to research is if the companies are BBB accredited.
- After having all your findings in place, you can easily select your mover and you can be sure you will get professional attitude for your upcoming state to state move.
No matter if you are looking for reputable Boston movers or affordable cross country moving companies cost to California or New York, make sure you have selected a moving company with acceptable moving reviews and ratings. As there are so many moving companies out there, you have to be sure you make the right choice.
Portable on demand storage or PODS are indeed making a name for itself. It is convenient and ideally one of the best choices when you are thinking about moving or storing extra items. For those who are planning a self-move, a pod can be just the thing that you need to make your move go even smoother. You can rent these small containers from any pod storage company and they would drop it off to you and a specific location. You are then able to rent it and keep it on your property for as long as you want and the best part about it is that unlike a moving van, you are able to go at your own pace when packing for moving. There are a lot of good reasons to rent a pod, one of which is that they are at ground level which means easy access to them when packing and unpacking.
If you have decided on getting a pod, we would first recommend that you shop around first before making the decision on any one company. Like any other companies out there, you can also find the best and the worst of pod companies out there and a little research on these companies would get you a long way. You can research a company by conducting an Internet search which oftentimes leads to customer reviews whether they are positive or not.
As you shop around the condition of the pod, its weight, price and even service should be addressed in order to help you make a solid decision.
Moving experts would tell you that even before visiting the pod companies you should determine the size of pod that you would need for the items that you current wish to store or move. Depending on the size of pod that you take, you may have to spend more or even less for renting the container. If you are unsure of the amount of items that you wish to put in the pod, then make a list of your items for storage and pod representative may be able to average the size and then suggest a suitable one for you.
Choose the containers that can withstand severe wind and rain while it is on your property; these are the pods that feature metal frames around the container.
More than ever, when you start shopping around for pod storage companies you would be doing yourself a huge favor to select a company where the representatives are always friendly and easy to speak with either in person or on the phone.
A pod storage company that can also offer you the extras of moving equipment such as dollies and blankets etc is one that is going the extra mile to get your business which is something that you should not ignore.
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.
If you are planning on moving a sofa with your upcoming home relocation, then you should get ready to employ a few extra hands because moving a heavy furniture is no easy task. Sofas are bulky, awkward and if not moved carefully you can injure your shoulder and back as well.
It’s always best to first determine the weight of the sofa and that can be done if you were to actually get below the sofa and lift one end some six inches in the air. By doing this, you should be able to make a decision if you need two extra helpers or more to help you move the sofa. Usually you can move a light sofa with the help of just two extra people. However if the sofa is heavy then you would need to get four or five men to help you out in order to balance off the weight.
Get rid of any items that may be on the floor on the path of moving the sofa. The last thing you want to do is trip over items or be interrupted while moving. The sofa should be wrapped with blankets before moving to ensure that it does not rip or get scratched during transit. As you wrap the sofa with the blankets ensure that you reinforce it tightly with rope just so that you would have a firmer grip on things.
You and your helpers can now proceed to lift the sofa and move it slowly as you call directions to the other guys. Take breaks when you can especially if you feel the burn on your shoulders or back. The most challenging part of your move is when you have to move the sofa through a door or down a staircase. For moving the sofa through the door, the best way would be to slide the sofa so that it is on its back and place it on a furniture dolly and get it moving. Make sure the feet of the sofa are off or else you would have to angle the sofa so that it could pass through foot by foot.
When it comes to moving the furniture downstairs, then you would also have to use your furniture dollies in this instance as well. Again you should slide the sofa in a forward position while the rest of your moving team apply pressure on the side opposite the stairs so that it would tilt slightly forward. With a slow movement get the sofa on the stairs to where it is in a laying down. If there are six of you moving the sofa, then three men can remain upstairs while three remain downstairs. For moving the sofa down a curvy staircase then you would have to stand the sofa on the arms. The next step would be to slide the sofa from one side to the next as if it is walking down the stairs. The people at the foot of the stairs have to make sure that the sofa does not slip while those on top are moving the furniture downstairs. Keep repeating the movements until the sofa is safely down the stairs.
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.
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.
Recent Comments