There are many reasons why people move from one place to another. Some are moving because of family reasons, while some need to transfer to get close to their place of employment.
And then others move because of financial reasons since they found a place where the cost of living and the prices are more affordable. Some move because they could no longer tolerate the pollution in the area where they are presently residing.
Whatever your reasons for moving, you need to prepare before-hand, and consider everything and anything that you will take or will not take with you. This article will give you some tips culled out from the experience of moving companies that will make your transfer as problem-free as possible.
1. Throw away things that you don’t really need in your new location.
Discard as many things as you can that you may not use in your new house. Don’t be too attached to old things because of their sentimental value. If they are not useful and necessary in your new residence, they need to go.
This goes especially to old wardrobe that you haven’t used in years. They will just take up important space which could be used by more recent clothes that you will need in your new location.
Check objectively and examine which of the household items you now have will be useful or not useful in your new home. Those which will serve no purpose, or are just too troublesome to transfer need to stay where you are now.
To assuage your feelings and emotions, you may just hold a garage sale for these unwanted items weeks before your actual move, so that you can use the sale to partly pay for the fees you will give to the moving company.
2. Take an inventory of the things that are left.
By taking an inventory of what’s left in your household belongings will help you organize and avoid being stressed. As you have everything that’s left on your list, it will be easier to determine how many boxes and what size of boxes you will need.
With a check list, you will also be able to tell what items are missing the moment you unpack the boxes on your new location.
3. Set a reasonable budget
Now that you’ve organized everything that will be moved, it will now be easier for you to set your budget. With a definite number of boxes, and with their corresponding sizes known, you can inform your mover about these details and he will be able to give you a safer quote.
If you really want to save a lot on your move, you can schedule your move during off-season which is from October through April. Another way you can transfer on a low budget is by not hiring packers and packing all your household things by yourself instead.
If you will ask your mover such as Lowe’s or Penske to handle even the packing of your belongings, he will add this service to his overall service charges. Perhaps you can just let him pack the bigger things that you can’t pack yourself.
Another avenue you can explore is: to ask financial assistance from your boss, if your transfer is due to your new assignment in another distant place.
4. Put as many items inside the boxes.
You should remember that most shippers and movers charge by the box, and not by the total weight. Therefore, you should try to pack your boxes tightly and don’t leave any unused space inside. Of course, do it carefully or you will break your glass items if they are too tightly packed.
5. Allow for more time.
The more items you need to transfer, the longer you will spend packing these things. Therefore, it will be wise to start early. Give yourself ample time so that you won’t be packing things in a hurry.
If you’re in a hurry, you might not be able to organize your things properly. Or you might not be able to pack the more important things that you need to and just leave them to the mercy of the elements. Hurrying will also add more to your already built-up stress.
6. Think of other alternatives
Will it be necessary for you to transfer all your things at the same time, or will it be better to move some of the things in advance?
If you have more time in your hands, you will be able to think about all the wise options. Perhaps it would be better to ship some of your goods through air cargo rather than a truck mover.
There are some cases when people were able to save hundreds of dollars by using air cargo, than through the U.S. Postal Service. If you are thinking of cutting your costs, you need to explore all your options.
