One of the most stressful life events anyone can experience is the dreaded moving day. After all, what could generate more anxiety than disassembling and packing up all your worldly possession, loading those possessions onto a truck or van and then perfectly reconstructing everything at your new home? The good news is whether you are moving across country or across town there are 5 amazing moving tips that may just save you from a migraine.
- Select the right moving company: Do your homework! The moving company that you will hire should be viewed as your partner in this endeavor. It may be tempting to enter “cheap movers” into a search engine and go with the first company that appears on the list. But what happens when this fly by night company shows up 3 hours late and you find that grandma’s china has been reduced to a few pieces of glass? Start out by asking friends and family who have moved if they had a positive experience with their movers. Try to put together a list of 3 or 4 potential companies. Take the time to call the Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List, or visit Yelp.com to see if your potential company has good reviews.
- Insurance: Contact your moving company to find out the details of its liability coverage policies. Do not assume that your moving carrier has adequate insurance. Carriers will insure items based on weight, actual value or replacement value. So the $2000 touch screen television set you just bought two months ago may only be worth $1000 in the eyes of your carrier’s insurance. A smart idea is to purchase your own supplementary insurance by contacting an independent insurance broker.
- Organization: Prior to a move is the perfect time to organize all your stuff with an objective eye. Do you really need that 1980s 20’ TV that is collecting dust in the attic? At least one month before a move you should start cleansing your residence of all unnecessary junk.
- Document: Prior to packing you will want to whip out your camcorder and start taking pictures. In the event that something is damaged you will have proof that the item was in pristine condition prior to being dropped. Make a log detailing all your items of value. When you arrive at your new home you may check the inventory against the log so you know everything is there.
- Supplies: Follow that old Boy scout model “Be prepared!” One of the most common mistakes any mover can make is not being ready on moving day. Make sure you have extra boxes, duck tap, cleaning supplies, paper plates and napkins on hand. Having a label maker in working condition may also come in handy.
Moving may be an incredibly stressful event, however, taking the time to follow these 5 amazing moving tips will pay large dividends in the end. Research your moving company, validate the insurance coverage, minimize what is being moved, document everything that is moved, be ready with supplies and you may just enjoy a pleasant move.