How To Mentally Prepare For A Move 6
“Plans are nothing; planning is everything” 6
Top 10 Best Organizing Ideas For Moving 10
Be prudent when choosing your moving service 10
Devise a clever sorting system 12
Accept any help you can get 13
Let your camera be your pal 14
Make it children and pet safe 14
Bonus idea: Start early and don’t rush yourself 14
Top 10 Moving Mistakes And How To Avoid Them 16
2. Failing to ask for an in-house estimate 17
3. Not obtaining multiple moving quotes 17
4. Not researching the moving companies 17
5. Choosing the company with the lowest quote 18
6. Bypassing items during the estimate 18
7. Packing poorly the day before the move 18
8. Failing to understand your insurance options 18
9. Entrusting irreplaceable valuables in the hands of the movers 19
10. Not understanding the moving paperwork 19
Non-Allowable Items: What To Do When Movers Say No 20
The Ultimate Packing Guide: 24
Picking the right materials 24
How to fit your entire house in the boxes 24
Make a list of all bedroom furniture 25
Start with your clothing, jewelry and other personal belongings 25
Bedding, carpets and curtains 26
The best way to move your wardrobe 27
Wrapping and stacking your breakables 29
How To Pack Consumer Electronics 30
How to pack your TV: step-by-step instructions 31
How to pack your computer: step-by-step instructions 32
How To Pack Pictures And Mirrors For A Safe Move 34
What materials you will need to pack your pictures 34
Packing for a move can be extremely hard 35
DIY Moving: How to pack and move bulky or heavy household items 36
Heavy kitchen appliances (refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dish washers, cookers) 40
Protecting the floors and the walls 40
Treat Your Moving Crew The Way You Want To Be Treated 43
Be considerate of your crew’s needs 45
Keep the communication channel wide open 45
Be polite and well-mannered 45
Why And How To Write A Moving Review 48
Why take the time to write a moving review 48
What to observe when writing a moving review 50
How to write a moving review 50
Glossary Of Moving-Related Terms 53
Relocation is often defined as a stressful and nerve-racking experience that eats up too much time and money, leaving you emotionally and physically drained.
And yet, it doesn’t have to be this way.
The key to successfully writing your own happy ending to the grim moving story is to be adequately prepared for Moving day by following the required packing steps.
Cleverly structured by esteemed relocation experts and, the purpose of this moving book is to help you organize and execute a smooth and trouble-free move with the least effort on your part.
Be well informed.
Be a smart decision-maker.
Make all the right moves.
We sincerely wish you the best of luck.
The Authors
It is universally known that moving often turns out to be a stressful experience with an insatiable appetite for time and money. The psychological impact of any relocation process cannot be predicted with any certainty and its side effects may last from a couple of weeks to a few years depending on what type of person you are. Being well prepared for the upcoming move is fundamental not only for your emotional well-being, but for that of the people around you as well.
There is no question that life is chaotically unpredictable and a person can never know beforehand what’s awaiting them around the corner so that they can get ready for the challenge accordingly. The mental preparation before and during a move will contribute greatly to the success of the relocation operation.
Smart detailed planning is the foundation of every good moving strategy, and such a strategy will ultimately present you with the reassuring thought that you have decent control over the situation. All you have to do is to put some effort into making the necessary relocation arrangements for a successful move. The typical approach here is to make a thorough list of all the tasks that you need to complete, and then cram these chores into a week-by-week planner (if possible, allow yourself at least 8 weeks of preparation time). Such a planner will give you a much clearer view at the larger organizational picture, and will help you lessen tremendously the inevitable stress of the moving day.
Unfortunately, more often than not, time is out of our control, and no matter how much you try to plan ahead, a move may sneak up behind your back and yell out “Boo!” at the top of its lungs. And when it happens, you need to act fast in order to buy yourself enough time to prepare adequately. Simply because we always lose the war with time doesn’t mean that we cannot win the fight, right?
Spending time with your family members and friends before moving away is the best way to say your emotional goodbyes with them. Organize a farewell party, invite your pals over to watch together a sporting event on TV or play a game of cards. Or why not invite them out for dinner at a fancy restaurant, catch the latest movie or just take a nice long stroll in the park? These priceless hours with your loved ones are the appropriate moment to inform them about the upcoming change, to exchange contact information and to discuss when, where and how often you will meet again.
Saying goodbye to your favorite places is also important since it may be years before you have the chance to go back and see them again. Take one last walk through your neighborhood or visit your favorite spots – just try to relive the good memories linked to each place. Hopefully, these distilled memorable mental snapshots will be invaluable later on when you’re trying to adjust to the new environment.
Stress and anxiety during the preparation phase up to the moving day may result in negligence of your own needs. You should never sacrifice your health in order to have additional time to get more work done. If time is really pressing you and you feel that you won’t finish the tasks on time, then, instead of subjecting yourself to less sleep, junk food or outbursts of despair and frustration, ask for help.
Professional help is just a phone call or a few mouse clicks away – experienced moving companies will readily assist you in your relocation preparations and can answer any questions you may have. Transferring the tough organizational task and the time-consuming packing job to a trustworthy licensed mover will unburden your mind of a number of worries. However, it could prove to be too expensive, in which case, you may resort to asking your family and/or friends for help. Yes, sometimes it can be hard to do so but remember that most people have experienced at least one move in their lifetime, and therefore will understand the tough situation you are in and probably be glad to help you out.
Make sure you take good care of yourself. Skipping meals, hours of sleep or any other essential points from your healthy daily routine is probably the worst idea that may pop up in your head, closely followed by any attempts to get “more time” by consuming excessive amounts of coffee or energy drinks. And while it is an undeniable fact that moving preparations will most likely eat up large chunks of your time, this “lost” time should never be compensated at the expense of your health.
Why don’t you come up with some special treats for yourself once you cross out a task as completed, such as a dinner out, a movie or anything else you enjoy doing?
Do your best to stay calm whatever happens before or after the move. Many things may go wrong, and maybe some of them will. However, if you acknowledge that you have no control whatsoever over what life throws at you, then it’ll be easier to simply accept the occurrence and deal with it the best you can. In retrospect, there are always tens of different ways you could have done something better to prevent any mishaps from happening but what’s done is done and there’s no use crying over spilled milk. Well, if only you had a time machine at your disposal!
Be optimistic. Moving doesn’t need to be a negative experience – in your case, it could end up being a positive and rewarding one. Try to focus on the advantageous aspects of relocation: it could mean a fresh start in an interesting waiting-to-be-explored location, a better job with bright future prospects and new good friends to have fun with. Fate works in mysterious ways and you never know what fantastic life-changing adventure is waiting for you at your new home. Replace your fear of the unknown with a surge of excitement at the unexplored.
You know how in sports usually the opponent who’s mentally tougher wins the match? This same phenomenon holds true for the majority of situations in life. Being adequately ready in the head can greatly aid you to deal effectively with any hardship that each day may have in store for you.
Don’t forget that every beginning is tough. Your move could get you out of your comfort zone and you may experience certain undesired effects, such as disorientation, homesickness, etc. The trick is to give yourself enough time to acclimatize to your new surroundings.
Breathe in through your nose, count to six, hold your breath for just a moment and exhale slowly and smoothly as you count to ten. And then repeat to yourself, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
How come some people have a rough and stressful relocation experience where their money, time and nerves are put to the test, while others have a trouble-free move where everything goes smoothly from beginning to end? The answer is simple: it all comes down to how well the moving process has been planned and organized.
Here are 10 of the best organizing ideas for moving that have been selected with the specific purpose of aiding you during these turbulent times. And by following them, you insure yourself against elevated levels of tossing and turning in your bed.
Choosing an experienced and reputable moving company guarantees you a smooth stress- and trouble-free relocation. But where to find such a company, you may wonder?
This large database of moving companies will give you a good head start and help you tremendously in your search:
USA, Canada, Australia
http://www.mymovingreviews.com/moving-companies.php
UK and Ireland:
http://www.removalreviews.co.uk/moving-companies.php
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg
http://www.umzugbewertungen.de/moving-companies.php
After having found several movers that fit your preliminary expectations, try to find a little more about each of them – visit their websites, call them up and ask them for their licensing information and a written estimate.
While comparing their rates, fight back the urge to hastily accept the quote with the lowest price, accompanied by sweet promises for getting the job done in an uncommonly short period of time – these are typical signs that you might become a victim of a scam scheme. Another telltale clues that you may have contacted a scammer include demands of cash only payments, requests for large deposits of money or lack of a website. In any case, make sure you read this helpful guide on how to recognize potential moving scams and avoid being ripped off.
Furthermore, request a copy of the contract from your future mover several days before you sign it so that you will have time to read it carefully. Oh, and NEVER sign blank documents.
There is one omnipresent element without which any relocation, (and storage) process is unthinkable – boxes. Be sure to get clean boxes in good condition either for free from the nearby liquor store or supermarket, or for a fee from your chosen moving company. The availability of boxes of assorted sizes with sturdy covers is the necessary prerequisite for a successful packing experience.
Also, you’re going to need various packing supplies to get the job done – plenty of wrapping paper (if possible, avoid newsprint because any items wrapped in it will probably get stained from the ink and you may waste additional time cleaning them after you have unpacked your stuff) , bubble wrap, heavy-duty tape, a pair of scissors, etc.
It’s a good idea to put aside some of the boxes that you think you won’t be needing, either due to their bad condition or inappropriate size, cut them up in smaller pieces and use the corrugated fiberboard as cushioning or lining material.
And keep in mind that each fully packed box should not exceed 50 lbs., or otherwise all kinds of problems may occur. Pay special attention when packing books because they are extremely heavy and it’s easy to go over the weight limit. Also, pack them flat, as opposed to having them stand on ends, to avoid damage to their spines.
In order to save plenty of time, you will need to devise a clever sorting system of all your household goods. The first step is to inventory your entire house so that you’ll know what you are taking to your new home and what you are leaving behind. Start from the rooms you use the least, like guest bedrooms, basements and attics, so that you won’t clutter the areas of the home that you use on a daily basis. Continue the sorting process from the largest items towards the smallest ones, or in other words, decide what you’re going to do with your furniture first before you move to your collections of coins and postage stamps.
The second step is to mark and label each box appropriately. Felt-tip pens are ideal for marking the boxes with valuable information such as its content and destination room, fragile or this side up. The usage of colored labels is very practical – it’s customary to assign a different color for each room. In fact, the creation of a master list which details the content and final destination of each box is a great organizational trick that will speed up significantly the sorting process
When you reach your new home, it may have gotten too late to unpack or the moving company of your choice may not have arrived yet. Or you may have to spend a night or two at your current home before the actual move takes place. It either case, it would be wise to keep close to you a few boxes with absolute essentials prepared in advance. These so-called “Open First” boxes should contain items that will enable you to provide basic meals, to produce an extra set of clothes for each family member, to present some entertainment options, or to even deal with minor emergencies.
Here are some helpful items that you may consider putting inside: prescription medication, bottled water, non-perishable food, paper plates, plastic utensils, towels, sheets, a change of clothes for everyone, a blanket, toiletries, favorite games of kids and/or pets, some essential tools such as a set of screwdrivers, an adjustable wrench, a hammer, a flashlight, a measuring tape, or any other lifesavers you can think of.
Now, this is crucial: make sure all your valuable items (jewelry, debit or credit cards, cash, expensive electronic equipment, objects of great sentimental value, etc.) and important documents (passports, driver licenses, product warranties, insurance policies, receipts, etc.) stay with you AT ALL TIMES. Double- or triple-checking all of your valuables before and after the move, as well as some extra cautiousness during the actual move on your part may save you from splitting headaches later on.
Make a list of all the items that you surely won’t need anymore and, by sifting through them carefully, decide which ones are worth selling and which ones can be given away to various charitable organizations. Needless to say, throw away any stuff that is broken beyond repair or too old to be reused.
In order to cut your moving expenses, you can organize a garage sale for the belongings you have chosen to sell a week before the relocation itself. Using the services of a specialized website for online sales is another option, especially if you have sufficient time. On the other hand, if you are willing to look beyond your immediate needs and decide to do something good for your community, then don’t hesitate to donate some of your personal items to selected charitable foundations.
As a rule of thumb, packing and unpacking are boring procedures that eat up a lot of time. This is why asking family members and friends for help during these transitional periods is a great idea. And it’s all up to you to make it all a little more fun – order Chinese food or pizza, play some great music to everybody’s taste, tell jokes.
If you have kids, and they are old enough, get them involved in the moving process too.
Taking photos of your belongings before the move can help you in several ways. You can use the photos later as a proof before the moving company in case the latter has damaged any of your items during the relocation process. Also, photos of electronics wiring can aid you to properly connect back the equipment once you start unpacking at your new home.
And, if neither of the above becomes a necessity, then you can simply arrange the photographs in an album and keep them as bittersweet memories of past days.
There are many ways to notify your friends and relatives about the change of address – personal phone calls, text messages, email messages, posts on your social networks and so on. You will also have to contact your bank, your post office, your local police station and your utility companies (electricity, gas, water, etc.). Moreover, you can order address labels before the relocation takes place – they will come in pretty handy when you need to indicate that your address has been changed. Leaving a few of them behind is a good idea so that your mail gets forwarded to your new address.
If you have young children, it’ll be best if you have someone babysit them while you are busy with your preparations for the move or with your arrangements after it. This way you won’t be constantly interrupted and they will not lose their usual routine.
More or less the same applies to your pets too, if any. Some of them may have a much harder time adjusting to your new home than babies or really young children. Do whatever you can to make them feel more comfortable by giving them your extra attention and their favorite toys, and by not leaving them alone for long periods of time.
If at all possible, start the relocation preparations as soon as the decision to do so has been made. Don’t underestimate the time it takes to get fully ready to move, and neither should you postpone any items from the moving agenda even you feel like there’s enough time. You know what wise people say: “The early bird catches the worm”.
The moving
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