Best Moving Tips?

[cercis]

I'm moving in about 2 weeks. I'm so excited. I found a house!!!!! In my price range (the lower end of my price range, at that).

We're moving about 5 miles away, just across town. So, a lot of our move will be in our car and truck. I still have the boxes from my move here, so that's a cost I won't have.

The tips I've had - use sheets and dish towels and towels to wrap around breakables so that you don't have to worry about newspapers or other wrap.

Pack up one room at a time, clearly label the boxes and then unload the boxes into that room and unpack each room at one time. Now, this won't apply to me so much since we'll be moving a little at a time (we'll have 3 weeks - with christmas in there). But it is something I know we'll try as much as we can. With our kitchen and bathrooms being the last rooms we pack (although in our case, our big furniture will wait until the family gets here for christmas).

Any tips for saving on a moving truck? I plan to call around, of course. But, is there any day that's better, any company who negotiates better? Any discounts for AAA, etc?

[robex]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

When we moved into the house we're in now, we used a rented moving truck for all the furniture. Everything else I packed up, labeled, and left in the room it was from. We had 6 rooms and 6 carloads of people helping us move. I gave each person a room that they then loaded into their car and unloaded at the new house. This was by far the easiest move I have ever made. One friend with an older truck offered to move all the outdoor stuff and he just unloaded it all into the new yard. My bils made sure all the furniture was in place before they went home for the day, sils unloaded the kitchen (I labeled the fronts of the drawers and cupboards where I wanted stuff to go), and my dear, sweet Mom stayed at the old house and CLEANED for me. I had done all the cupboards and stuff as I went along but she vacuumed, washed the floors and walls, and windexed the mirrored closet doors and windows. It was such an easy move...I hope yours goes as well. Don't stress out because everything will get moved even if it ends up going in a laundry basket. One of my sils told me that when she moved, she ran out of time and actually dumped her kitchen junk drawer into a box and then moved it to the new house and dumped everything into a new drawer there...LOL! Have fun!

[ab3tx]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

Why not get a quote on moving only your furniture to your new place? I had moved myself several times, until a friend suggested the idea. It only cost ~$100 for the big furniture pieces (1 BR, LR, DR, and study), and neither me nor my friends and family had to worry about it. I made trips with small stuff on my way home from work during the preceding week, and starting at 8, I was totally moved by noon on a Saturday, unpacked and finished early Sunday. As cheap as in-town movers are, I don't think I will move myself ever again.

[cercis]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

That's an idea. I'll run it by DH, but I don't expect him to go for it (men!).

We live in an area where service is cheap. I have a co-worker who has a cleaning lady come and work 8+ hours, does the laundry, the dishes, cooks the evening meal, etc all for $45/day.

I decided to give up my gardening business when I moved here because I knew I couldn't compete. We had a guy offer to mow our lawn for $6 (I need to call him tomorrow).

So, I'm sure we could get movers pretty cheaply. But, like I said, MEN! DH is so weird about moving his things.

[Fern]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

If you pay a moving company to move your stuff, make sure to pay with a credit card, which offers you some protection if the movers try to rip you off. The industry is notorious for that, like quoting you one price, then demanding a few hundred more when they have all your stuff in their van and you basically have no choice.

[kashi]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

I moved across town over a span of a month this summer, and the only advice I have is to start packing immediately, clearly label the boxes, transport packed boxes over to the new house as often as you can, and throw/donate/sell as much as humanely possible before you move. Not having to do everything in one day made it so much easier, as did the fact that I donated a ton of stuff before I moved.

[akaivyleaf]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

I recommend hiring a moving company. There is no price on piece of mind. But I recommend doing your homework first, checking with friends/ relatives/neighbors and others for recommendations and references. Then check with the local licensing structure and bonding/surety company. If all these things check out, go for it.

Failing the price, and I understand we're all trying to save the dollars and a moving company might not be in the budget, you're doing the right thing. Label everything... in your present structure and where your moving so that those helping you can match up labels, areas etc. Moving isn't so much the hard part as the boxing/unboxing. So people who help you, you might intice to help pack/unpack with meal or some other incentive. Its worth it to do the unpacking at the same time as the moving or else you might be like I was- stuff in boxes months/years after the move.

Personally, I'll never move myself again. I'm paying someone to pack it up, move it and unpack it, its well worth it to me.

Sharon

[cercis]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

We just moved here a year ago, and that was a 750 mile move. I got rid of soooo much stuff then. I have some kids clothes to get rid of now, but for the most part, we've been careful about what we bring into the house. I do have a non-working TV I need to get rid of - any ideas other than trash?

DH just won't go for a moving company. We really should be able to do it ourselves, most of it is pretty easy to move. We just have the appliances and beds, dining room table, futon couch, and my craft chest (which was really heavy empty and it isn't empty now). We also have a dolly - best $20 we ever spent - we bought it 10 years ago and it's still going strong. Everyone should have one - even if it's just used to move pots around in the yard/patio.

[gakline]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

1. When you move the bedroom furniture, throw a set of sheets into the dresser drawers. This will help you get ready quick that first night. You'll know exactly where the linens are and not have to dig around for a box.

2. Also, clearly label everything. "Living Room Entertainment" isn't good enough. You should label everything, DVDs, Videos, PS2, Remote Controls, Coasters. Also anything odd, such as slippers.

3. Don't label the top of the box. Label it on the side. That way when you are looking for something specific you can just read the side and not strain your back moving the stack.

4. Don't pack boxes with heavy stuff. Small boxes are great for books. Or get one big box and put some books in the bottom and stuffed animals on top.

5. Get the closet boxes. Those are the best invention ever. They are sturdy and have a rod for all the hangers. Save them for the next move too.

6. Find more boxes. You always need more than you think you do.

7. When moving glass, transport on edge. Do not lay it down flat. The less surface area the less chance of breaking. Just make sure you pad the edges.

8. Do not pack any chemicals or liquids in closed boxes. No matter how well you seal, there's always a chance it'll open and leak. Leave it open and make sure there's not a box underneath.

9. Borrow some coolers for food and frozen items.

[cercis]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

Gakline - where were you last year? I could so have used those tips then.

I love these little cross-city moves though - no major packing, clothes stay on hangers and just moved as there is space, etc.

I remember our first night here, we went and bought new sheets (which wasn't a bad thing, we hadn't had new ones in 7+ years) because we couldn't find any of our 3 sets. And then slept on them unwashed. We also had to buy new towels. I told them and told them "when you unload the boxes, put the bathroom boxes in the house, not the garage. But you can't tell men anything.

[gakline]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

I've moved around every couple of years when I was growing up. (not army) My mom was a pro at packing. She got every nook and cranny of every box filled. The worst was always the first night. Everyone was to tired to unpack and just wanted the quickest way to bed.

[cercis]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

I've told DH this is the last time I am moving us for at least 5 years. That he'd better be prepared to pay movers next time. I'm not doing it.

He's agreed that he's happy down here and maybe we can stay even more than 5 years (the man has itchy feet). I sure hope so, we bought a house and we'll need at least 5 years to be able to make anything when we leave (after all the fees we've paid on this end and will pay on that end).

[abowers]

Re: Best Moving Tips?

We moved 350 miles this summer, and rented a Penske truck (17'?), and moved things ourselves, with the help of my boyfriend's older brother. This was 2 apartments worth of things coming into one apartment. Find family or friends to help you move if your husband doesn't want to pay movers! If you're only moving 5 miles a rental truck should be cheap since you can get away with just paying the daily rate if you pick up/drop off in the same location. (We had to pay per mile because it was a 1 way rental). I'm not sure what's available in your area-- but A couple friends have had problems with U Haul (trucks are older, have had engine troubles). AAA has a discount for Penske I believe, which we were happy with. I've also heard good things about Budget. Good luck with the move!

[Bob B.]

Write a number on each box you pack - starting with 1, then 2, 3 ... Presumably you will pack up the things that you use least in the earliest packed boxes, and the things you use most in the latest packed boxes.

When you unpack in your new house, unpack the boxes with the biggest numbers first. The smallest numbered boxes can probably wait a while.