Moving can be a stressful experience. It’s a lot of work to pack up all of your belongings and haul them to a new location, only to get everything organized again. However, there are a variety of steps you can take to make the process go more smoothly.
Here’s an overview of what you need to know before moving and some strategies that can set you up for success:
- DO spread your packing out over a long period of time. You should aim to give yourself at least one day per room to go through your items, pack what you want to keep and dispose of what you do not. If you try to get it all done in a single day, you’re going to have a bad time.
- DON’T hire a mover without doing some due diligence. Meet with the movers, discuss your move and the size of your home and get an estimate. Get recommendations from family and friends and look at reviews online. Don’t just go with the first company you find—look for a team that seems well suited to move you safely and efficiently.
- DO have detailed measurements of your new home so you know exactly how you will lay the rooms out and what will and will not fit.
- DON’T bother movers while they are working. You could distract them, which could result in accidents or injuries.
- DO remove all light bulbs from lamps, and carefully wrap up the shades before boxing them so they do not get damaged. Lamps are among the most commonly damaged items in moves, so taking these simple steps will help you avoid problems.
- DON’T move gas-powered equipment while it still has fuel inside of it. Check all of your lawn mowers, snow blowers, leaf blowers, portable generators and other gas-powered equipment to make sure all fuel is removed before you make the move. This will prevent spillage and potential fire hazards.
- DO try to consolidate all the boxes into a single area of your home as much as possible while you pack. Doing so will make it easier to get your items out of the home faster, and it will also keep boxes out of the way so your movers will be able to have easier access to larger items like furniture.
- DON’T work with an uninsured mover. Movers should, at the very least, have general liability coverage, coverage for property value, workers’ compensation coverage and auto insurance for the moving truck. You should ask the movers for a certificate of insurance to prove they are covered.
- DO mark all boxes with fragile items as being fragile so anyone carrying those boxes knows to take extra care. You should also mark which side should be facing up, if it matters for a particular box.
These are just a few examples of dos and don’ts you need to know before your move. For more information about getting through a move efficiently and safely, contact the experts at Furniture Master Moving Services Inc. today.