Moving Tips
Moving can be challenging enough, but correct planning and organization, can turn it into a fun experience and more important less stressful.
Start Early. While it may seem obvious, many people don't leave enough time to properly prepare for the move. Starting early reduces stress and allows you to deal with unintended problems.
Find a Professional Mover- This is probably one of the most important decisions you will have to make. The company you choose will reflect on your relocation experience. Always remember, the cheaper is not always better. Make your research; make sure you discuss all details with your moving consultant; Accuracy is the key! Failing doing so may turn your experience into a more costly service than expected.
Eliminate! Only when we move, is it when we understand we collected plenty of junk throughout the years. Separate it into piles. Go through each pile more than once, setting aside the definite throwaways during the first sweep and the less obvious throwaways during the next couple of sweeps. Many of the items can be given away to charity or be sold in a garage sale. Turn your junk to cash!
Plan your new home, while packing the old one-You won't be able duplicate everything in your new home exactly the way it was in your old one, and who would want to anyway? New place, fresh start, new ideas! But taking pictures of every room before you start packing your old home will help you plan how to unpack in the new place and save you a lot of time.
“SURVIVAL SUITCASE”- Be sure to pack one “Survival Suitcase” and keep it close at hand. This suitcase should include medications, , towels, pajamas, snacks, toilet paper, important documents and clothes at least for a week. Always consider delays may occur during relocation, and you don’t want to get caught without your personal items in hand.
If You Decided to Pack Yourself:
If you are packing yourself, begin boxing up items at least four-six weeks ahead of the move day to provide sufficient time to prepare your items for the big move.
1. Start by going to your local department or appliances stores and ask them for boxes. You might ask someone when the store expects shipments. They may even volunteer to set some boxes and packing paper aside for you.
2. Pack large Items in small Boxes and small Items in large Boxes- Limiting cartons, when possible, to a maximum weight of 50 pounds, make handling easier.
3. Keep an inventory of your valuable items and their condition prior to packing. At delivery, make note of any visible damage to the moving boxes or unboxed items on delivery day.
4. Packing China, Glass Decorations, Fragile Items- Wrap each piece in paper. Include plenty of padding on the bottoms, sides and in the corners of the box so pieces have no room to shift around at all. If you're using professional movers, consider having them pack your fragile items. Companies are usually only liable for the things they pack themselves. So if they pack it, you're essentially insuring it.
5. Packing sofas, beds-The safest way to ship your items is the way you bought it! Mattress or sofa covers are essential to secure your belongings from dirt or damages during transportation.
6. Pack Boxes by the Room and put similar items together.
7. Label Your Boxes – This will not only be an indication as per how to handle and place the box on the truck, but it also will make the unpacking easier.
8. We recommend that you keep sentimental or personal important items with you.-Such as but not limited passports, birth certificates, jewelry, Car titles, financial documents (stocks, bonds, CDs, IRAs, deeds, tax records) laptops, cash, School records, prescriptions, etc. Always remember, trucks arrival times are estimated.
9. Please consider items that cannot be shipped such as Flammables, Explosives, sentimental values, Combustible liquids, compressed gases, perishables (see examples below):
Compressed Gases:
• Engine starting fluids
• Fire extinguisher
• Gases used in welding
• Scuba diving tanks
• Aerosols
· Material labeled combustible, corrosive, and/or flammable
Flammables:
· Acetone
· Adhesive
· Ammonia
· Bleach
· Charcoal
· Cleaning fluids
· Denatured alcohol
· Enamel
· Gasoline
· Insecticides
· Lacquer
· Lamp oil
· Lighter fluids
· Liquors
· Matches
· Motor Oil
· Nail polish
· Nail polish remover
· Oil stains for wood
· Paint
· varnish remover
· Petroleum products
· Pesticides
· Polishes, liquid
· Poisons
· Propane tanks
· Propane or other gas
· Shellac
· Shoe polish
· Stains
· Turpentine
· Varnish
· Wood Filler
· Weed Killer
Explosives:
· Ammunition
· Black powder
· Blasting caps
· Dynamite (plastics or any similar explosives)
· Explosives auto alarms
· Fireworks
· Fuse lighters
· Igniters or primers
· Loaded/Unloaded guns
· Matches
· Propellants
· Propane tanks
· Smokeless powder
· Souvenir explosives/instruments of war
· Toy propellant or smoke devices
Perishables:
· Open or partially-used foods
· Food without adequate preservation
· Plants
· Produce
· Refrigerated foods
· Food in glass jars
Personal/Sentimental Items:
· Car titles
· Cash
· Checkbooks
· Computer data files/backups
· Family photographs/photo albums
· Home videos
· Insurance policies
· Jewelry
· Keys (car, furniture, new home)
· Laptop computers
· Medical/dental records
· New home documents
· Prescription medicine
· Professional files/research projects
· School records
During the move:
Know your rights and responsibilities. Check out the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Protect My Move page to learn more about your rights while moving.
Paper Work: Make sure the paperwork is updated with your contact information. Advise if there are any special restrictions in your new place (special moving hours, elevators, no access, etc.).
Do a final walkthrough of your home before the driver leaves. Check closets, attics, crawl spaces shelves and other areas for any items that could easily be left behind.
Get Your New Place Ready. Any projects you have planned for your new home will be easier and faster performed if they're completed before items arrive.
Moving can be challenging enough, but correct planning and organization, can turn it into a fun experience and more important less stressful.
Start Early. While it may seem obvious, many people don't leave enough time to properly prepare for the move. Starting early reduces stress and allows you to deal with unintended problems.
Find a Professional Mover- This is probably one of the most important decisions you will have to make. The company you choose will reflect on your relocation experience. Always remember, the cheaper is not always better. Make your research; make sure you discuss all details with your moving consultant; Accuracy is the key! Failing doing so may turn your experience into a more costly service than expected.
Eliminate! Only when we move, is it when we understand we collected plenty of junk throughout the years. Separate it into piles. Go through each pile more than once, setting aside the definite throwaways during the first sweep and the less obvious throwaways during the next couple of sweeps. Many of the items can be given away to charity or be sold in a garage sale. Turn your junk to cash!
Plan your new home, while packing the old one-You won't be able duplicate everything in your new home exactly the way it was in your old one, and who would want to anyway? New place, fresh start, new ideas! But taking pictures of every room before you start packing your old home will help you plan how to unpack in the new place and save you a lot of time.
“SURVIVAL SUITCASE”- Be sure to pack one “Survival Suitcase” and keep it close at hand. This suitcase should include medications, , towels, pajamas, snacks, toilet paper, important documents and clothes at least for a week. Always consider delays may occur during relocation, and you don’t want to get caught without your personal items in hand.
If You Decided to Pack Yourself:
If you are packing yourself, begin boxing up items at least four-six weeks ahead of the move day to provide sufficient time to prepare your items for the big move.
1. Start by going to your local department or appliances stores and ask them for boxes. You might ask someone when the store expects shipments. They may even volunteer to set some boxes and packing paper aside for you.
2. Pack large Items in small Boxes and small Items in large Boxes- Limiting cartons, when possible, to a maximum weight of 50 pounds, make handling easier.
3. Keep an inventory of your valuable items and their condition prior to packing. At delivery, make note of any visible damage to the moving boxes or unboxed items on delivery day.
4. Packing China, Glass Decorations, Fragile Items- Wrap each piece in paper. Include plenty of padding on the bottoms, sides and in the corners of the box so pieces have no room to shift around at all. If you're using professional movers, consider having them pack your fragile items. Companies are usually only liable for the things they pack themselves. So if they pack it, you're essentially insuring it.
5. Packing sofas, beds-The safest way to ship your items is the way you bought it! Mattress or sofa covers are essential to secure your belongings from dirt or damages during transportation.
6. Pack Boxes by the Room and put similar items together.
7. Label Your Boxes – This will not only be an indication as per how to handle and place the box on the truck, but it also will make the unpacking easier.
8. We recommend that you keep sentimental or personal important items with you.-Such as but not limited passports, birth certificates, jewelry, Car titles, financial documents (stocks, bonds, CDs, IRAs, deeds, tax records) laptops, cash, School records, prescriptions, etc. Always remember, trucks arrival times are estimated.
9. Please consider items that cannot be shipped such as Flammables, Explosives, sentimental values, Combustible liquids, compressed gases, perishables (see examples below):
Compressed Gases:
• Engine starting fluids
• Fire extinguisher
• Gases used in welding
• Scuba diving tanks
• Aerosols
· Material labeled combustible, corrosive, and/or flammable
Flammables:
· Acetone
· Adhesive
· Ammonia
· Bleach
· Charcoal
· Cleaning fluids
· Denatured alcohol
· Enamel
· Gasoline
· Insecticides
· Lacquer
· Lamp oil
· Lighter fluids
· Liquors
· Matches
· Motor Oil
· Nail polish
· Nail polish remover
· Oil stains for wood
· Paint
· varnish remover
· Petroleum products
· Pesticides
· Polishes, liquid
· Poisons
· Propane tanks
· Propane or other gas
· Shellac
· Shoe polish
· Stains
· Turpentine
· Varnish
· Wood Filler
· Weed Killer
Explosives:
· Ammunition
· Black powder
· Blasting caps
· Dynamite (plastics or any similar explosives)
· Explosives auto alarms
· Fireworks
· Fuse lighters
· Igniters or primers
· Loaded/Unloaded guns
· Matches
· Propellants
· Propane tanks
· Smokeless powder
· Souvenir explosives/instruments of war
· Toy propellant or smoke devices
Perishables:
· Open or partially-used foods
· Food without adequate preservation
· Plants
· Produce
· Refrigerated foods
· Food in glass jars
Personal/Sentimental Items:
· Car titles
· Cash
· Checkbooks
· Computer data files/backups
· Family photographs/photo albums
· Home videos
· Insurance policies
· Jewelry
· Keys (car, furniture, new home)
· Laptop computers
· Medical/dental records
· New home documents
· Prescription medicine
· Professional files/research projects
· School records
During the move:
Know your rights and responsibilities. Check out the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Protect My Move page to learn more about your rights while moving.
Paper Work: Make sure the paperwork is updated with your contact information. Advise if there are any special restrictions in your new place (special moving hours, elevators, no access, etc.).
Do a final walkthrough of your home before the driver leaves. Check closets, attics, crawl spaces shelves and other areas for any items that could easily be left behind.
Get Your New Place Ready. Any projects you have planned for your new home will be easier and faster performed if they're completed before items arrive.