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7 Tips For A Smooth Move
Mention the word "moving"
and you'll most likely receive a barrage of negative
comments and opinions: "It's a nightmare."
"My moving company held my items hostage and ripped
me off." "My friends all avoid me when it
comes time to move." "I hate moving!"
With careful planning
and a little bit of advanced research, your move does
not have to be a struggle. Follow these 7 steps to a
smooth move.
STEP ONE - DO YOUR HOMEWORK
NEVER choose a moving company at random
from the phone book. Instead, ask your family and friends
for referrals. Which local moving companies have they
used recently? Were they pleased with the service? Was
the pricing fair?
Once you have a list of recommended
movers, check to see if they are all registered with
your state's Department of Transportation. All reputable
moving companies are registered with the DOT, and will
have a current certificate of registration -- you may
also call your DOT to verify the registration.
Check with your local chapter of the
Better Business Bureau to see if any of the movers on
your list have complaints against them. If they do,
read through the complaints to determine if there is
a consistent pattern, or if the complaint was a one-time
problem.
Armed with this information, trim your
list down to the top three candidates and call each
of them for a quote. Make sure they give you a "binding"
quote that cannot be adjusted up dramatically after
the move is completed. Get these quotes in writing to
protect yourself, and then make your choice based on
the total price as well as your comfort level with each
moving company's customer service level.
STEP TWO - PACK CAREFULLY
If you pack in a careless manner - just
tossing your things into boxes and then taping them
shut - you can expect to find a lot of broken items
at your destination. Take the time to wrap fragile items
individually, pack them tightly together to avoid shifting
during travel, and use quality boxes. Those used banana
boxes from the supermarket aren't going to protect your
items as well as brand new shipping boxes purchased
specifically for your move. Go ahead and spend the extra
hundred dollars to pick up a nice collection of moving
boxes from your local warehouse superstore -- your belongings
will thank you.
STEP THREE - LABEL EVERYTHING
Label each box with the room the items
came from as well as the name of each major item inside.
When you get to your new home you will be faced with
a sea of boxes, and detailed labeling will save you
hours of searching. Proper labeling will also help the
moving company place your items in the proper room of
your new home so you have less work to do after they
leave.
STEP FOUR - EVERYTHING IMPORTANT
STAYS WITH YOU
Do NOT pack medications, contact lenses,
jewelry, laptop computers, passports, mortgage papers,
or anything else that would cause you great distress
if they were lost, stolen, or damaged. Keep all of these
items together in a box or two that always travels with
you in your vehicle - NOT on the moving truck. Include
some bottled water, snacks, cell phones, and any other
items you may need within arms reach. Your move will
go much smoother with some careful forethought.
STEP FIVE - TRIM DOWN, SAVE MONEY
Moving is an excellent opportunity to
trim down your belongings. As you pack, set aside the
items you no longer use on a daily or weekly basis,
including clothes that are worn or no longer fit. Sell
everything you can at a garage sale and then donate
the rest to charity. Do not just pack everything and
tell yourself that you'll sort through it at the new
house - you're paying for every box moved, so why move
junk? You may find that the proceeds from your garage
sale will cover the entire cost of the move!
STEP SIX - ACTIVATE UTILITIES IN
ADVANCE
So your belongings are stacked neatly
in your new home and you're ready for a nice meal. You
go to turn on the stove, but nothing happens! You forgot
to get the utilities turned on! You make some calls
with your trusty cell phone, but find out that it will
take a couple of days to get everything turned up.
With proper planning, this will never
happen to you. Call the phone company, the electric
company, the cable company, etc. TWO WEEKS prior to
your move-in date and get the process started. By the
time you move in, everything will be in working order
and your life will be a lot less hectic.
STEP SEVEN - SUPERVISE EVERYTHING
Always be on hand during the moving
process - both during loading and unloading. Never assume
that your instructions will be followed. Watch and direct
your moving company on both ends of the process, and
always make yourself available for any questions or
problems that may arise. If you're off doing other things,
you may be in for a big surprise when you get back.
Also, make sure to tip your movers for
a job well done. Tip each mover individually to insure
that each of them is rewarded in direct proportion to
the job they have performed. You should make it well
know up front that you will be tipping based on speed,
careful handling of your items, and careful treatment
of the walls, paint, and floors of your new home.
If your moving company did a good job,
keep a few of their business cards available for your
friends to begin their own moving process.
Enjoy your new home!
1howto.com
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