We’ve compiled some of the best moving tips and advice that you won’t find anywhere else! From packing to moving companies, here is everything you must know!
Homeowners often neglect preparing for their move, finding themselves scrambling to find moving companies and packing up their home last minute. Be sure to take a pro-active approach and prepare well ahead of time. In this article we offer some of our best moving tips, advise on moving companies, and packing hacks you may have never even heard about!
As you prepare your home for the sale, you are most likely decluttering, moving furniture around, putting away small countertop appliances and accessories etc. This is the time to be pro-active and make your efforts count. As you prepare your home for sale start packing up the things you will not use and consider some of our best moving tips below!
Choose the right closing date. Remember that moving companies are most busy and most expensive during the final days of each calendar month and week. These are the worse days to pick as your closing/moving day. Agree on a closing date with your buyer that falls closer to mid month and mid week. This will save you a lot of money!
Get you boxes for cheap. In recent months the price of cardboard has sky rocked! But you can get incredibly cheap moving boxes that people are trying to get rid of online. Our favorite is Facebook Market Place. Just do a quick search for “moving boxes”, you may even get them for free!
Have a next door storage plan. This is one of the most common issues during a move. If the new owner is moving in on the same day, you better be ready. By law, you are required to vacate before a set time! If you run out of space in the truck, which often happens, have your neighbor’s garage on stand-by. You can quickly move any last items into their garage and pick them up the following day.
Hire a cleaning service. You are required to leave your home in “broom swept” condition. Seems easy enough. Not really, when you don’t have a minute to spare, and your cleaning supplies are already on their way to their new home. Arranging for a 2-3 hour cleaning service will cost very little compared to the frustration it will save you. Be sure to ask your cleaning professionals to take photos of the entire home, proving that it was left in great condition!
Use masking tape on mirrors. This is a great moving hack! Run two pieces of masking tape in a diagonal pattern to form an X on each glass or mirror. This will increase the resistance of the glass from shattering.
Pack dishes vertically. Your dishes are just like an egg. An egg has a lot of strength standing vertically, but not so much horizontally. Packing your dishes vertically, with a sheet of paper towel or coffee filter between each plate will prevent potential damage.
Roll up the clothing. The quickest and most effective way of packing clothing items is to roll them up! This will prevent items from becoming creased and wrinkled. Best of all, you can pack rolled portions of clothing into household garbage bags.
Use your garage or unfinished basement as storage. As you begin cleaning and staging your home, you can start packing up many of the items that are seldom used. Pack them up in boxes and store them in an unfinished space of your home, such as garage or basement.
Load tools, cleaning supplies and bedding last. As you move into your new home, the first thing you will need are your tools and bedding for the night. Be sure to load this as the last items on the truck to make sure that you have them accessible right away as you enter your new home.
Pack overnight bags. It may take some time before you have access to all your clothing or personal necessities. Pretend that you are going on a 3-day trip. Pack all the essentials for every member of the family into suitcases. Ideally, take these bags with you in the car. Should there be any delays or surprises with your move, you will have everything you need for a few days.
Label every box and item. Remember that most moving companies charge by the hour. Labelling boxes with what part of the house they should go to will ensure that they end up in the right location of your new home without the need to be moved again.
Make provisions for your pets. Moving is a very stressful time. Kids are one thing, but pets can be a real nuisance on moving day. Be sure to arrange safe pet sitting with friends or family members for the day of your move.
Protect your mattresses. Moving trucks are dirty and the weather is never predictable. Use older fitted sheets for every mattress in your home. Sheets can easily be washed but your mattresses cannot.
Don’t order pizza. It is customary for the homeowner to provide their movers with some food and beverage. By doing so, you will foster a better commitment to care and perhaps even a more reasonable final bill. But whatever you do, don’t order pizza! This is the most common menu that movers are offered each day. Think of something else quick and easy that would satisfy everyone.
Back up your computer. If you have a desktop computer, be sure to back it up prior to moving. Computers drives and components are highly sensitive to vibration, static electricity, and sudden changes to temperature. Loosing your digital data is the last thing you need to worry about.
Obtain moving insurance. Movers will always find a way to avoid paying for any missing or broken items. If you are moving very expensive and/or fragile items, it may be a good idea to take out some secondary moving insurance. Be sure to contact your insurance broker for what options they may have available.
If you want to find the best moving company for the best possible price, you better start looking early. Be sure to take your closing date into consideration. This was one of our moving tips from above. Choosing the right closing date, when moving companies are less busy, will allow you to get a better rate with less hassle. Most moving companies will provide you with an approximate estimate, but the final bill will depend on how many hours it took to complete the move. Yet, there are still a few moving companies that will guarantee the provided estimate. To find the best moving company, you should consider obtaining as many estimates as possible! Prices and guarantees can vary in the thousands of dollars. The more estimates you obtain the more money you will save.
A great way to being your search is to go online and search “moving companies near me”. Consider calling on most of what the search results provide. We offer two additional sources of moving directories below.
Movers in United States: https://www.moving.com/
Movers in Canada: https://www.mover.net/
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