Shoestring Budget Moves: Useful Information

Moving is both difficult and stressful. Combine this with the added pressures of work and other surprises in life, and it is enough to make someone feel like they are going crazy, spiraling out of control. It is always important to expect the unexpected in an effort to assuage life’s uncertainties, even though it may not be easy.

If you find yourself having to move for reasons other than work, you need to have enough funds to support this transition. If you are lucky enough to move because of work, chances are your new employer will give you a stipend, easing your financial burden and lessening your own stress. In any case, it is beneficial to consider doing the moving on your own-saving a few dollars here and there can add up and save you a bundle in the long run.

Here is a guide on how to move on a shoestring budget.

Downsizing your existing load of belongings: 

Now is the time to get rid of that clutter you accrued in the previous years. Yes, I said it, that behavior might edge on being that of a hoarder. Now that we have acknowledged the issue, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start getting rid of what you don’t need. Give it to charity, or sell it on craigslist.org. You can also have a garage sale a couple of weeks prior to your move to sell your unwanted possessions locally. You can definitely make some money to help cover the cost of the move-you’d be surprised as to how many people would gladly buy your junk when they don’t have any use for it themselves, thus helping you un-clutter your home. Take advantage of this and sell as much as you can. Don’t be greedy and chase profit margins; just get rid of everything at any acceptable price.

Discount packing:

The good thing about moving is that you are not the only one who moves! Once you see someone moving into your neighborhood, ask them as soon as you can if you can take away their used boxes when they’ve finished unpacking. You can reuse these boxes, as they are generally left in fairly good condition. At the same time, you are helping your neighbors get rid of their trash, free of charge. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. When it comes to packing fragile items like dishes, wrap them in newspaper for protection. Just make sure to wash those items afterwards, because its possible ink from the newspaper will smear onto your dishware.

Make sure to tag every box. This way, if you do use movers, they will place the boxes in the appropriate sections of your new house. The more work you do now, the less you will have to do at the destination. Let me tell you, after a whole day of moving, the last thing you want to do is unpack. In most cases, it can take up to 3 months before all the boxes are unpacked. It is not usually a first-choice activity for recently relocated individuals on their subsequent weekends.

If you don’t ask, you don’t get:

I understand that family and friends may be reluctant in helping you lift furniture on moving day, but you could always ask them to help you with smaller tasks like organizing boxes prior to moving day. With that said, you would be surprised at how some people are willing enough to offer their time to move smaller articles in their vehicle. You never know if you don’t ask, so ask away!

Don’t sweat about the professionals:

While it’s true that professionals come at a price, you have to hire them and pay that price if necessary. Don’t be cheap, because it might cost you more in the end to have your furniture unprofessionally moved. To reduce your cost, just ask the movers to move the heavy furniture that you and your friends and family cannot do on your own. When it comes to using movers, check their BBB status, their license information, read their reputation in moving review websites, or simply ask friends or family about the moving companies they have used in the past, along with their experiences with those movers. The more you know, the more informed of a decision you can make, and the better it is for you. Your alternative is to shop around for the best deal you can find on an inexpensive moving van or truck rental, and heft the items yourself.

Preparation, preparation, preparation:

It’s a mantra similar to that of real estate (location, location, location). The more prepared you are, the more you can save. Always plan for uncertainties and have backup plans in case they happen. Expect the unexpected so you can be ready for unfortunate situations and find quick solutions to existing problems. Never wait till the last minute, even if you have to do the move yourself.

Good luck, and congrats on the start of your life at a new location!

Posted by Tallahassee Jacksonville Movers

14 Proven Moving Day Tips that Work

As we all know, moving from house to house can take a toll on anyone, and it is considered to be one of the most stressful day in someone's life. There is so much to do to efficiently cover all angles when it comes to relocating from home to home, or country to country. The key to avoid all this is to take yourself way in advance, means organize the move 6 to 8 weeks prior to the moving day. This way, you can anticipate all issues arising from the moving process. It is impossible to predict everything; however, you can limit it to just a few. Like any author out there, prior to writing a book, you need to create an outline. In this scenario, create yourself a checklist.

1. Wake up before the movers arrive
Make sure you get a good night sleep prior to M day. I understand that it can be stressful but if you haven't done 99% of the packing by the last day, it means you haven't taken yourself in advance for your move. Everything should have been completed a couple of days prior to your moving day. Also, you don't want to look like a zombie when the movers knock on your door at 8am. Be prepared.
2. Comfortable clothing
It will be a long day, so might as well be comfortable. Based on weather, make sure to have good warm clothing and sweat absorbent, in case you are fully participating in the move. Important point to remember. If you are moving from cold to hot weather, make sure to pack extra clothing so you can change mid way to your destination so you are not too bundled up during hot weather. The opposite is also true. If you are coming from very warm and driving north, make sure to have appropriate clothing as well.
3. Full charged cell phone
As we all know, being in touch is now crucial. Having a quarter of the battery left on your phone will not take you that far any longer. Charge it the night before so you can be easily reached during moving day. Also, you might want to contact the movers regularly to determine their whereabouts and see where they are with your belongings. It can be a nightmare to not know their ETA (estimated time of arrival).
4. Make lists when moving
You need to track everything when it comes to your moving day, including the actual movers. Make a list of phone numbers so you can reach them whenever necessary. Also, make your inventory box list so you know, at arrival, what goes where when movers unload the truck. It is imperative to have that in hand to avoid surprises. Make sure to have all your boxed labeled as well
5. Additional help on the moving day
To avoid high cost for your move, it is good to have families and friends involved, especially if they don't suddenly have amnesia on your moving day and forget to come and help. Have all tasks assigned for everyone, so they all know what they need to do on that day. It is crucial to avoid misunderstandings and arguments. You do not want to argue with your family in front of movers. It is embarrassing.
6. Packing your stuff up
That should save you a bundle, but need to take yourself in advance. Do not wait till the last minute or it will create more stress and definitely costly at the end because movers will have to bring the boxes and charge you an arm and a leg for it. Be cautious with these hidden charges. If you want the mover to pack you, expect to spend a few hundred more dollars above the original estimate given. More movers are adding cost to your move for packing supplies.
7. Food ideas
Moving is difficult. It requires lots of energy and definitely more food for you and the movers to consume. Consider sandwiches, pizza, even some sweets. Also, be prepared to offer food to the movers. If the packing and the loading takes more time than you have planned, you will have to take a break, so it’s a good idea to have some refreshments around. If it is cold outside, count on hot drinks – coffee, tea.
8. Dealing with youngsters on moving day
Get yourself someone to babysit during moving day. Lots of danger to let kids wonder around when heavy furniture is being moved. Don't regret it. Get yourself someone to take care of them during that day.
9. Pets and moving
Same as kids, pets needs assistance and attention. Movers do not want to bump into pets during the move. Put them in the cage or at someone else place. Also, dogs can be aggressive with strangers (the movers) and bark at them constantly. Be prepared.
10. Cleaning after movers
Some moving companies in Chicago offers cleaning service at your expense, but it is always good to do the cleaning yourself while one follows movers to the destination for unload, one will stay behind to clean after the movers. Do not be afraid, it’s just cleaning. Yes, it will be messy, so have some friends to help during that process as well. Its good exercise as well.
11. Sufficient payment
Make sure to have payment available prior to the movers unloading your items. It is not uncommon that moving companies will hold your items until all payments are paid in full. If during the day, you feel the move is taking longer than expected, you need to make a trip to the bank and get additional funds. You do not want to be forced to stay a night at hotel because of insufficient funds. Movers want their full payment prior to delivery.
12. Check out for damages or missing items
Make sure nothing is missing, such as big screen TV or any other valuable items. You want to make sure you check for damages. You need to file a complaint if it happens. Remember that movers are not insurance companies; they only cover the 60 cent per pound per article, and sometimes have a deductible. So look into the contract prior to signing it.
13. All personal documents or jewelry goes WITH YOU
Do not leave anything of that sort in the truck. You will regret it for the rest of your life. Jewelry, passport, important financial documents goes with you, in the car, where its safe.
14. Make sure the address is correct
GPS is great but also, with big truck, some routes are limited to the size of truck allowed on these roads. Make sure you are able to find alternate routes. You do not want to get stuck with a 26 foot truck in middle of nowhere.

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Things you should do before moving into a new destination

So you are all excited to move to your new home and very exciting to starting a new life to that new state or city you've been dreaming about for a long time. However, the fun will begin ONLY once you are arriving at the destination location. The process to getting there might be challenging and loaded with stress.

Moving is not easy. It requires lots of time to organize and to strategize your plan. If you wait too close to the moving day to think about the details, you will end up messing up and forget important things that you might regret.

Follow these few tips to make sure you cover all basis:

1. To strategize the move: You need to go room by room and determine what needs to be packed into boxes. Look at what needs to go where and name each boxes to make sure the movers puts it in each appropriate rooms so you can unpack everything when arriving at destination location.
2. Make sure you have the right boxes and tools and materials to properly secure all items into the boxes. Do not be cheap when it comes to purchasing flaky boxes and them get damaged at day of move. You will end up having to repack everything once these boxes get broken during your move.
3. Get rid of all clutter so you can simplify things. Its important to do that to avoid bringing clutter to the new house.
4. Label all boxes so you can find yourself when arriving at destination.
5. Start as early as you possibly can. Do not leave things to the last minute or you will end up panicking and getting frustrated with yourself, your family, the movers and everyone else who wants to help. Avoid that at all cost.
6. Moving can be stressful, but it doesn't need to be. Take yourself way in advance when it comes to packing and protecting your asset. Be proactive and you will reap the benefits at the end.

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Criterias for choosing household good movers. Important notice:

Everyone's move is different in nature. If you are looking to move just a few objects, you need to look for movers who specialize in 10 items or less move, because the cost will reflect accordingly. A large size mover might have to charge additional cost for being such a small move. They have operating expenses that you do not want to be responsible in paying for your small move. Look for movers who have different specializations.

You need to do your research and make calls. It is your duty and responsibility to do that before you move. Moving companies also have to abide by some rules when it comes to charging their rates and providing you with services that meets your expectation. Below are some tips to abide to prior to looking for a mover.

Tips on choosing a household good mover

Because of the internet, there was a surge of moving company entering the market without much difficulty and taking advantage of it. More and more movers feel they have the liberty to take advantage of customers because no one does anything to regulate the market.

That is why it’s your job to focus on your search and to make calls and see what mover is reputable based on their past performances.

You need to schedule appointments for onsite estimates for someone to come in and have a look to what needs to be moved. Once done, an estimate will be sent to you for cost of services rendered. It is difficult to accurately determine the cost because of difficulty access, how much packing supplies may be used for the move etc.. However, an idea of the amount of hours and men will be on the estimate to complete the move successfully.

When representative is onsite, make sure to ask about past customers and if possible for you to contact several of them. You need to take into consideration that past customers may not want to be bothered by your calls, so privacy maybe of an issue. Past customers need to give authorization to the mover to share names and phone numbers.

The estimate needs to be detailed. Ask as how the cost is being presented, and if something is unclear, ask questions. Tariffs per hour have to be mentioned; cost of using trucks and equipment needs to be mentioned, as well as packing supplies. You do not want any surprises at day of move.

When moving long distance, there are more factors to be taken into consideration. To get a truck chartered for you only will cost you an arm and a leg, but if you share your load in a large 53 foot trailer, you can save a tremendous amount of money. Depends on your budget, you need to ask for choices to the mover as to what option best fits your needs. Look into options, but if you are adamant about having your stuff in a truck, exclusively, be ready to dash out a lot of money. Moving cost a lot, and depends on what you are looking for, it can cost way more. Be smart, do your research, ask as many questions as you possibly can, and make your selection.

Whatever happens after that, you can say that you've done everything in your power in doing your homework. Any issue arising is because of bad luck.

Best time to move during the year (Summer or Winter)?

Moving is very stressful. We all know that. Now adding the time of the year to move can be even more difficult and pricey. Since the moving industry is very cyclical, and summer months are the busiest for moving companies, it is recommended to move during the winter months to save yourself money and stress.

Perfect timing

Moving season goes from April to mid september. So anything after that is great. The weather is still great and moving companies are slowing down in terms of business. After summer months, moving companies have the tendencies to reduce their prices as well to the customers. If you can't move any other time then the summer, I would recommend to move mid-month, since the first week and last week of the month are the busiest, as well as week-ends.

Any other time of the year, after the moving season is over, should be ideal. This will allow you to negotiate price with movers once they are less busy, which is a very difficult task when they are overbooked and all customers are able to pay the full rate. Also, be cautious not to negotiate too much. You can end up dealing with a scammer and will tell you whatever you want to hear, and once all your furniture is in their truck, they can triple or quadruple the amount from the original estimate. Make sure to ask for your moversfax.com report. That will eliminate any potential scam during your move. Moversfax is like the carfax report for the moving industry, a must to ask to every mover prior to getting moved.

School year

If moving to another city or state, changing school will be a must to avoid long commutes. It is important to allow your child or children to have said their goodbyes to school and neighborhood friends and get them acquainted to the new neighborhood. Moving too quickly or too close to the new school year can be stressful to the kids and make them less friendly to their new classmates. Think about your children and provide them plenty of time to adapt to their new environment. If this time is not provided to them, the sudden change of school and home can be detrimental to their performance and emotional well being. Given them the time they need will render smooth transition between cities or states. Its a win win situation.

Secular and religious holidays

When possible, move before or after the major holidays. First, because it is time to spent with families, but also because moving companies might charge extra for sending crews during these holiday times. Moving companies also have family event to attend and making their staff work during holiday might require time and a half for their paycheck, which the company might charge you extra to pay the crews. To save money, make sure to do it during slow times.

Seasonal tips

There is always a good time for everything. The same goes for moving. As mentioned previously, you might need to choose the best time to get the movers at your home and relocate you either locally or long distance. They all say the best time to move is summer because of weather, end of school year etc.. Well, if everyone think the same, which they all do, it makes the summer months very busy for movers and many new movers, especially the scammers knows that very well. They all come out, rent themselves a truck and scam as many customers as possible during the summer months to eventually forfeit their company for the next year and open with another name. Be careful with all of that. You need to choose the best time which can be after end of summer, and before spring, when the weather gets better. In some areas of the USA, winters are gruesome, which can be difficult to move and travel between locations.

If you do need to move during winter, then make sure to pack all your items properly for transit. Make sure to wrap all your furniture with blankets and shrink wrap to avoid damaged furniture.

How to secure a stress free move by planning ahead?

With the right planning, anything in life can be made easier and stress-free. How can you secure your stress-free move? Get prepared and stay that way. Do not wait until the last minute to relocate your belongings across the city, state, or country. Make sure you start planning 6 to 8 weeks prior to your moving day, and make sure no stones are left unturned.

Plan ahead every step of the way. With so many things to do, each one has to be done, but the silver lining is that they can be done at your own pace. Write a to-do list to remember everything. Most industries are cyclical and have high peak periods, such as Memorial weekend to Labor Day weekend, when it’s the most expensive to move, and less busy periods, such as after Labor Day to mid-May, when you can move at a discount. I would suggest moving during the slow period, if you can of course. You can save a bundle because most movers, even the most reputable and ethical ones, won’t be busy and can offer you great discounts.

Because of the limited season, many movers are constrained when it comes to generating revenue. For this reason, scam movers take advantage of consumers and try to make as much money as possible during this season and disappear afterwards. Be careful about moving companies, as they are very difficult to deal with and have already planned how to scam you from the get-go. Get the facts about these movers and do your research on each and every one of them. You can start with the Better Business Bureau and the company’s snapshot at the United States Department of Transportation. Lots of information is available out there, so start searching. Moversfax.com is the ONE place out there to get the report to facilitate your selection of an ethical and professional moving company.

You can also rent trucks if you do decide to do the move yourself, but be careful when driving these large vehicles. You can be a driving hazard if you are not careful, and can put lives in danger if you don’t calculate the angle of your turns, especially with an oversize vehicle like a 26-foot truck. There are also Portable On-Demand storage services, where containers are delivered to your house. These containers can be loaded and unloaded at your leisure. Many choices are available, so make the one you feel is best for you. If you are residing in Texas, hire Austin Moving Company. They will take care all of your moving stuffs.

Important factors when Moving your Home Office – Easy Packing Tips

Your business is your livelihood.When your business is located in your home,it helps you save time in commuting in the morning and night.You have more quality time spent with family but at the same time, since your office is at home, you may have the tendency to wanting to work ALL THE TIME. Either way, it is crucial, when having to move your home office, that all important documents, paperwork, check, accounting files, computers, fax, printers etc.. Packing your home office is almost like a job for packing any other room in your home but a bit more tedious. You can pack your home office easily and efficiently. Here are our office moving packing tips.

Pack the Home Office – Preparation

You first need to get packing supplies. Lots of file boxes that you can get at your local Staples or Office Depot. For computers, printers etc.., it would be ideal if you kept the original boxes. If not, get yourself sturdy boxes that can hold heavy weight equipment. All these materials are available everywhere but you can also order it from a moving company prior to your moving day, especially if you will be using their moving services. They might give you the boxes at discount. But be aware of selecting the moving company. Before hiring, read the moving companies reviews on some review websites such as yelp.com, bbb.org, moversfax.com.

Your office is filled with packing material so what do we do next? We pack. Start with emptying all file cabinets and put them in file boxes. Once everything is empty, go into packing all computers and printers and copier. Finally, the desk should be emptied from all its content for the movers to come and move the heavy furniture. Make sure to start to pack early. It’s crucial to have everything done in advance so you avoid shoving everything into boxes and to have difficult in re-organizing your office at the destination location. Always mark the boxes and file cabinets. Box 1 will go with File cabinet 1 and so on and so forth. You want to avoid spending too much time re-filing everything and not being productive with your actual business. You can also use the mover to do all of this but again, they do not know where or how you want things organized. Plus, it can cost a lot for a mover to pack you.

When packing yourself, make sure to prioritize the documentation based on what you may need immediately or what you may put in archive. It depends on the level of importance of the documents. Income tax returns should be kept for at least 7 years, but anything after that, IRS is not really interested in case of an audit. Any tax documents younger than 7 years should be kept in file cabinets just in case. All other paperwork would also have to be organized based in importance. All this packing may allow you to be better organized as well. It is possible that you may not like the way your existing organizational structure is operating. This will allow you to change it while packing. You may come up with other ideas. This entire move can be a big plus for you and your business. Welcome these changes with open arms.

Make sure to NEVER overload the boxes. Yes, i know, you want to save money. But just imagine that if you do decide to overload the boxes and it breaks in transit, the movers will have to pick the content of the broken box. What that means? More time to complete the move on YOUR dime. So you are not really saving any money overloading the boxes. You are actually wasting time and money. Keep this in mind. Be smart about all that.

Tips – Computers and electronics.

Always make sure to back up everything. My suggestion is to keep the external hard-drive with you and do not hand it to the mover. If you operate your business with laptop, bring it with you. If you have desktop, you can keep the CPU in your car and ship the rest in the moving truck. It’s easy to replace a monitor, but not easy to replace the content on the hard drive in case something happens. When packing electronics. do not go cheap on the packing supplies and bubble wrap. Use as much as you can to safely secure the monitors,. TV's etc.. It might cost you more to replace the broken item then the cost of materials. Again, cheap will end up being expensive for you.

Let everyone know

You need to make your clients/customers/patients know you are moving. Whoever may have a connection to you should know. Also, since you are moving, you may not be able to attend to your customer's needs. They need to know that it’s not about a lack of customer service, but because of you moving to another location. Make sure you are sending postcards or letter explaining what will happen in the next few days or weeks and that you are still available to answer to all their calls in case of need. Never stop your business because of the move. With today's technology, you can operate your business with a phone, tablet, laptop or anything else. Life goes on when you move and when well organized, you can eliminate all the stress and once arriving at your destination location, you can be immediately productive, build your business and prosper.

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