HELPFUL MOVING HINTS AND ADVICE
Here at 5 MOVERS we know that planning and organizing a move is a big job for you and is keeping you busy. It is labor intense and there are lots of expenses involved with your move. It’s not easy to remember everything you need to do and you want to keep your expenses down! We are all looking how to save money for moving.5 MOVERS is proud to offer you some really great tips and ideas that will simplify your life for your move.
The first step to a successful, organized move is advance planning! This starts with a very simple step! Buy a sectioned notebook, like the kind you might have had in school. You will want different sections for different aspects of your move. For example, have one section for your inventory. Leave a few pages for each room. We suggest listing ALL of the items in the room to start with. If there are items that in the end you will not take or you are debating about, you can always remove them. If you feel comfortable with this, then you can also try your hand at a "guesstimate" of the number of boxes you will have from the room. It will not have to be exact until a few days before the actual move , so it can be changed.
Also, buy yourself some colored pencils! It might sound funny, but color coding will help you to be organized. Also, by making a list in pencil you will be able to easily erase or make changes whenever you need to.
At 5 MOVERS we help you save money! One great way to save money is by collecting used boxes that are in mint condition for your move. There are lots of places to find good boxes and this will save you quite a bit of money and of course is great for the environment! There are also lots of packing materials you will need. Some such as bubble wrap or shrink wrap you will need to purchase, but there are plenty of other really good solutions you either have around the house or are readily available to you for free. Some really good examples are newspapers, old clothing or curtains, or even towels and linens that you will be moving. You can use your imagination about this.
You are also welcome to go to the 5 MOVERS Moving Blog, where our moving experts discuss much of this in detail. You are also welcome to contact us with any questions or comments you might have.
Feel free to take advantage of the 5 MOVERS moving guide for your move!
*Notify your telephone, electric, gas, water, and credit card Companies of your move.
*Change of Address-Have all mail forwarded to your new address.
*Discontinue your services on a specific date.
*Notify former employers! This will simplify your life at tax time.
*Be present and give direction to the movers. Let them know what you would like loaded first on the truck and should be loaded last.
*Have YOUR copy of your inventory available and get a copy of your inventory sheet from the foreman. Be sure they are the same! Double check his notations about existing damage to your goods.
*Have your insurance plan readily available. We all hope you will have no use of this tip.
*Devise a labeling system. You should label your boxes with their destination in your new home. Also, number each box by room so you can be sure that it has arrived. You can hang numbered signs on the doorposts of each room and write the same numbers on the appropriate boxes. (Example: "2nd Fl./Room 4") If you`re handy with a pencil, sketch a sample layout of your house, number the rooms on it, and post the layout on the truck for reference.
*Remember! The rooms to be unloaded FIRST, should be loaded LAST. Whatever room is furthest from the entrance in your new home should be that room. In other words, unload the truck from the back of the house to front. The kitchen should be unloaded at the very end, since heavy appliances are loaded on the truck first.
*Have your tools ready when you start unloading. You should load your tool box after everything else is loaded in the truck.
*Take all your valuable documents and jewelry with you! Do not load them on the moving truck! Don`t forget about your plants. Most are too sensitive to make a long journey in a hot, dark truck and it is prohibited by the USDA and in many states to transport live plants across state lines. If you want, you take them with you.
Packing Supplies You Will Need, Labeling & Packing Tips
*Keep the following supplies handy at all times during your packing:
Boxes (Have lots of them)
Marking Pens (use thick markers only for marking and labeling your boxes)
Bubble Wrap
Lots of old newspaper and tissue paper (save all of your newspapers!)
Masking Tape and Scissors and a knife (Use only PLASTIC masking tape)
A good Tape Measure
Your Bathroom Scale
Use strong boxes only and/or plastic containers that can be secured tightly! You can purchase special boxes for dishes, wardrobe and other special items.(Very often you can either purchase used boxes OR there are plenty of substitutes you can find for free!)
Pack audio-video equipment and electronics in their original boxes. Label cables and tighten transit screws. If removing screws, TAPE them to the objects they are removed from.(You might consider putting the screws into baggies and taping the baggies to the equipment.)
Do not load more than 50 pounds into one box.
Label each box clearly and list on it the following-
*Which rooms the boxes it should go in.
*Whether it is fragile and which side is up!
*If it should be loaded on the truck LAST so it can be unloaded FIRST.
Pad the contents with packing material such as bubble wrap, newspaper or tissue. Save room and money by using towels and blankets to wrap fragile items.
Pack books tightly in small boxes (Remember books are heavy!). If they are musty smelling, sprinkle some talcum powder between the pages and wrap the book before packing. Leave stored for a couple of months to eliminate the smell.
Have your rugs and drapes cleaned before moving and leave them in wrapped for the move.
Pack all medicines and liquids in leak proof containers.
Carry all of your valuables with you! Do not load valuables on the moving truck.
Check with your local U.S. Department of Agriculture for regulations regarding moving plants from one state to another. Many states have restriction to prevent importing bugs or pests that can destroy valuable cash crops.
HOW TO PACK YOUR BOXES!!
PLAN AHEAD AND GET MOVING BOXES
5 MOVERS can supply you with the cartons you need at discounted prices, in addition to other packing material such as paper and tape. You might save a substantial amount of money, however, by obtaining cartons from other sources such as friends who have recently moved and/or stores. Start collecting boxes at least a month or two prior to your move. This way you will make it possible to get enough boxes and to get them for free.
SELECT THE RIGHT SIZE AND KINDS OF BOXES
There are 3 standard size boxes used for moving. Here is an easy way of understanding them! A 1.5 cu.ft.(Small) box is about the size of a small microwave oven. A 3.0 cu.ft. (Medium) box is about the size of a dormitory fridge that a college kid would have in their dorm room and a 5.0 cu.ft.(Large) box is about the size of a dorm fridge with a microwave on top of it.
Heavy items such as books, record albums or canned food should be put in SMALL boxes. Items such as large pictures, mirrors, glass tops and shelves, clocks and mattresses may require special boxes or packing. You can ask your moving expert about how to do this yourself or we can provide special boxes or materials for this.
PACK THE ROOMS ONE AT A TIME!
Packing sounds huge task when you look at the "big picture". Packing the rooms one at a time makes everything seem much more manageable! It will have the effect of dividing the big picture into several smaller pictures and make the packing seem much more manageable. This will also help you to set realistic packing goals!
TAPE THE BOTTOM OF CARTONS
Tape the bottom of cartons securely before filling them. This prevents the bottom of the box from falling apart and the contents of the box from spilling out the bottom during the move.
HEAVY ITEMS ON THE BOTTOM AND LIGHT ITEMS ON TOP
Always pack the heavier items at the bottom of the box and the lighter items on top. This will help to prevent damage.
USE LOTS OF PAPER
All breakable items must be wrapped individually in paper. Use lots of paper to cushion the bottom, sides, top and all around your breakables inside of your boxes.
HOW TO PROPERLY PACK YOUR BEAKABLES IN A BOX
Dishes should be stacked vertically. Glasses or stemware should be placed in an upright position. Use lots of paper to pack any and of your all fragile and breakable items.
CORRECTLY FILL YOUR BOXES
Fill all boxes to the top, BUT without overfilling. Moving Boxes can not be sealed properly or stacked with items sticking out the top! Boxes that are under filled can get crushed when they are stacked. Make sure that each box is filled to the top before closing. A small space at the top can be filled with paper, a towel, a blanket or other similar items or packing materials.
CLOSE YOUR BOXES AND SEAL THEM SHUT WITH MASKING TAPE
Make sure that your boxes can be sealed properly. Seal your boxes with plastic masking tape only! Sealing your boxes properly with masking tape will prevent damage and make stacking easier.
PROPERLY LABELING YOUR BOXES
Use a THICK dark colored marker to clearly label each box, listing its contents and the room where it will go at your destination. Label the SIDES of each carton rather than the TOP, so that when the boxes are stacked they can be identified. If a box must me in an upright position, draw arrows on each side indicating which side is up. Any cartons containing particularly fragile items should be labeled as FRAGILE.
STACKING YOUR BOXES
You can save lots of time arranging your boxes in stacks of similar sized boxes that are four to five feet high. This will make it easy to dolly the cartons from the house to the truck.
