The guest blog post was written by folks at Self Storage Finders.
If you ever had to move or had to help someone else move, you know how much of a pain and hassle the entire process is. Getting your belongings organized, packing possessions correctly, renting a truck, packing the truck correctly, driving the moving truck…the list goes on and on. The moving process is long, stressful and tiresome even in the best weather conditions.
The busy moving season is typically April – September during warmer weather months. As much as you plan to move during these months it may not always work out. What do you do if you are stuck moving during the cold, winter months? Below are some helpful tips.
•Be Aware of the Forecast – Weathermen are not always correct in forecasting the coming weather but they should give you a good idea of temperature and chance of precipitation. Getting a jump on a move early in the winter will most likely keep you away from major storms.
•Have Help on Hand – Have friends, family and neighbors on hand to lend help. The more people you have helping, the less time everyone is stuck out in the cold moving.
•Clear a Path – Make sure you clear a path from your door to the moving truck so you can get in and out quickly. A clear path should also reduce the risk of slipping and falling if there is snow or ice.
•Don’t Ruin your Floors – If it has snowed or is wet, you should cover the floors of your old and new homes so they don’t get ruined. Put plastic sheets or old bed sheets down to reduce the amount of snow, water and mud on the floors.
•Wear Warm Clothes – Don’t pack your winter clothes if you are moving in winter. Moving around and carrying all of your stuff will keep your blood flowing but it will still be cold. A hat and gloves are also a good idea to keep your hands from freezing.
•Heat Working? – Make sure the heat in your new home is on and working before you move in. Unpacking will be easier and less stressful.
•Keep the little stuff handy – Shovels, scrapers and fully charged cell phones should be within reach in case you need them for emergency reasons. You shouldn’t have to unpack anything in order to use them when you need them.
•Drive Cautiously – You or your driver should drive cautiously when navigating a large moving truck. Drive even more cautiously if the weather isn’t favorable. Be sure the vehicle was serviced before the move so you don’t have a breakdown on the highway in a blizzard.
•Use Self Storage – Consider using a self storage unit if your new place is smaller than your old home. Self storage facilities are an affordable, easy option when moving especially when you are first getting settled.
Moving is rarely easy or fun but moving in the winter presents other challenges to people. If you plan ahead and follow these simple steps you may find it less stressful. Remember there are plenty of options to aid your move and make it easier.
Now that you have decided to clear the clutter from your home by putting unused items in storage, the next step would be to find the self storage company that would fit your needs.
One of the first things that you may be concerned with is the cost of using the storage space. While there are a variety of prices out there for renting a storage space it is never recommended that you just run along with the cheapest prices that you find. It is always best that you shop around for a good price but cheap does not always guarantee that you would get the kind of service and not to mention security that your property requires. With that said if you really want to ensure that your items are well protected, then it is best that you spend a little extra to do so.
When shopping around for a storage unit, the second important factor is to find out just what you are getting for your money. Not all storage facilities offer a variety of security features; you would want to find out what features you have the option of getting for your unit. You can get a storage unit with 24 hour video camera surveillance which could really benefit the consumer who has to store away valuable items.
When you visit the storage facilities, it would be best to inspect the unit before you make a decision to rent. You are looking specifically to see if your individual unit is in good condition as regards to its physical condition. Any signs of water damage on the roofing or walls of the unit would indicate that there is a leak somewhere which could ultimately damage your personal effects. You should also be on the look out for pests and even if you do not see any at the time of your visit you should still ask the manager about this. Remember it is your right to ask lots of questions of the manager; you are only ensuring that your items do not get soiled or destroyed while in storage. Finally be sure that you choose a unit with a size that can hold all your items.
The last thing you want to do is to have to pay for a large storage space unit and only have a few things in it. Try to guesstimate the things that you have fitting in with the unit you plan on getting. This would definitely save you time and money.
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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