Questions to Ask a Potential Moving Company

It is Your Hard Earned Money They Want Do Not be Afraid 

To Ask Questions

Working with a moving company can take a large chunk out of the physical and mental stress involved with moving. The trick is to hire the right moving company to make the process go as smoothly as possible. Part of picking out the right moving company for you is knowing what questions to ask the moving company when you are shopping around for who to use. By asking questions your prepare yourself for what to expect from the moving company, and there won't be any unpleasant surprises on arrival times, additional costs, etc.

The following are some simple questions to ask a moving company before you sign any paperwork with them. You should call various companies to get a sense of who you are dealing with, and what type of moving policies they have.

Questions for Moving Companies

How Will I Be Charged?

All moving companies break down the costs of distance, capacity and time spent in different ways. Some charge by the hours, others charge for works and some by weight. It is good to get a break down of these costs beforehand. Now is a good time to ask about any additional costs that may be added on to a bill after the bill for extra services provided by the company. Moving companies are not always forthright about these costs, so make sure to check your contract for these types of costs before signing anything.

What is the average window of time with estimated moving van arrival and departure times?

There are many stories of people waiting a long time for there moving vans to arrive. Here is a blog where we discuss why moving vans arrive late sometimes. Let the person understand that you know that moving trucks do not have exact arrival times, but you want to know how many hours of waiting you should plan for.

Are your workers covered by workers compensation and liability insurance?

Obviously you do not want to be put in the position where you may be deemed responsible if someone gets hurt on the job. Most larger moving companies will have this policy in place, but if you are using a smaller company you'll definitely need to ask this question to protect yourself.

What kind of liability insurance does your company provide?

If any damage is to happen to your stuff on the move it can be a financial disaster. It is wise to consider investing in the movers insurance that the company may provide. Taking this small cost precaution can save you a lot if any accidents were to happen.

How much work can I do myself?

Some of us may want to do some of the work ourselves to lower the cost. Find out what the company's expectations are from you on this end.

Who does the packing and unloading?

Like the question before, you will want to know what the movers will and won't do. You may choose a company based on what the movers are willing to do, if you do not want to expend the energy or risk and injury during the move.

When do you need me to be there for the move?

Most companies will need you to be there when the movers arrive at both sites and while they are doing any packing. Make sure that you know when the company expects you to be around for the move to avoid any hassles.

Do you guarantee pick-up and delivery dates? What happens if the dates are missed?

Depending on how flexible your move is, this can be a deal breaker for some people. For people who need to move on the exact dates, they should not choose a moving company that does not guarantee your date in some way. You also want more than just the generic word "guarantee", so ask them how they handle situations where they have to reschedule clients.

How do you handle complaints?

Sometimes working with  moving companies does not always go as smoothly as we envisioned. The danger of getting someone else to do the job is always that they will not do the job right. Know beforehand how to process complaints with the company in case it becomes necessary.

5 Tips to Maximize Your Home's Space

A home is a like a puzzle where we have to squeeze all the pieces together to make everything fit. Sometimes there just seems to be not enough space for all the stuff we have, and some people even consider self storage units as an option. Getting rid of stuff by putting it in self-storage, selling it, giving it away, etc., are all great ways to help us better manage the items we need, because we all tend to hold onto a lot of extra items. Before you consider the following tips, clearing out some of the junk may be an option to consider. 

Getting Organized Can Be a Creative Process

For the stuff you do have, creating minimal organization systems will help prevent piles, clutter and disorganization that can make home life feel a bit disorienting all of the time. Consider the following tips to help better use the space you have.  

1. Make Sure Every Item has a Place it Belongs: 

When we have floating items in our homes, they tend to create piles that are scattered all over our home. Make sure you can go around and put everything back where it belongs. 

2. Wall Storage: 

Wall shelves, hooks and racks give you extra space to store items in your home. Make sure that when you put items on wall storage they are organized, because it adds visual clutter when a mess is hanging up on wall.  

3. Go to Ikea for Ideas and Organization Furniture: 

Ikea is a store dedicated almost entirely to affordable items to organize tiny spaces in a way that is livable and even attractive. They offer many items that can help you organize items, minimize your amount of furniture and maximize your space.      

4. Create Multi-Purpose Rooms: 

If you do not have the right amount of rooms that you want for living space, make rooms have multiple purposes. Dining room/living room, family room/rec-room, kitchen/dining room, rec-room/library, bedroom/library, closet/reading nook or any combination seemingly adds space to your limited space. Get creative! 

5. Leave No Corner of Your Home Unused: 

If you have any space in your home you feel is not being used, considering giving it a makeover. You know that closet that nobody uses? It can turn into a reading nook for a child or an adult. That empty wall in the bedroom? Add shelves to store clothes, books or towels.  

Tips on Moving While Pregnant

Waddling around for everyday activities can be difficult enough while pregnant. The thought of moving while pregnant is a nightmare with the physical limitations and emotional instability created by the little bundle of joy (or maybe at this point it feels more like a parasite) inside of you. We can't always plan when we get to move, so sometimes women are forced into the role of superwoman (again) when it comes to moving.

The following are just some gentle reminders to make your move go more smoothly. Remember to always listen to your body. Although you are obviously superwoman, that is no reason to play the hero by ignoring you and your baby's needs.  

1. Talk to a doctor! 

As soon as you know you are going to move, setup an appointment with your physician immediately. They will give you the best tips, advice and guidance available out there. It is important to schedule this appointment to make sure  that you know how to set strict limitations to protect you and your baby's health. Also, some of us have an easier time listening to a doctor's guidance rather than some other non-professional telling us the same things.  

2. Plan early! 

You are not going to get any less pregnant until baby pops out, so the more you get done earlier on the better. Planning early allows move to go more smoothly. The pressure of a deadline may be more of a motivator for you usually, but right now any additional stress that can be avoided will benefit you and the flow of move. As early as possible pack up stuff you don't need, schedule any hired services, find a doctor in the new area, etc.  

3. Put Yourself First! 

You do not need to play hero for once. You may be used to making all the moving parts of your life run smoothly, but now you are a little pre-occupied making a person. Don't be afraid to let go of a little bit of control where you can. If that means letting someone else do some more work or not having things organized to your level of perfection, so be it. 

4. Accept all help offered! If anyone offers you help, take it. 

It doesn't matter if it is a co-worker, a parent, a pesky neighbor or your partner. Getting help is no succumbing to a challenge, it is overcoming pride that doesn't want us to ask for help when needed. 

5. Communicate! 

It is important to state your needs to people helping you. They cannot read your mind or know your physical limitations. Most people are willing to give a little extra help if asked. 

6. Take time for Yourself! 

Take a yoga class, read, meditate, sit outside or any activity that you enjoy each day. Don't get so caught up in the move that you never take time to de-stress. The building up of stress hormones is bad for you and your baby, so try to take time to take it easy whenever you can. 

7. Remember you are crazy! 

No pregnant woman is sane. The hormones make it impossible to maintain complete mental control during pregnancy. Sorry. If you feel things spinning out of control causing you tell bounce for yelling, screaming, crying to laughing just remember that it isn't just your body, this little person has taken over. Do not be afraid to apologize for your hormones later. You may even consider apologizing to your partner before this whole atrocity for misbehavior, and ask them to be accommodating for your mood swings. 

8. Get a New Doctor if Needed! 

If you are moving far away, make sure to get a new doctor in the area before you move. It is better to be safe in sorry in this situation. If it turns out you do not like this doctor, you can always switch once the move is completed. 

9. Go Early! 

If at all possible get yourself to the new location early, this is especially useful for women moving a long-distance. Allowing yourself a couple extra days in the new house to clean or in a hotel relax, because this can will reduce the stress when it comes to your big day- moving day of course!

Couples are Not Usually This Happy When Moving while Pregnant

A Guide to Finding Cheap Boxes

If you are moving on a budget, you can save a little bit by not spending a whole lot on boxes. Buying brand new moving boxes is not necessary, but you may want consider newer boxes if you have particularly breakable or valuable items. The following are some tips to make packing stuff in boxes a little bit cheaper.

1) Dumpster Diving

The cheapest boxes are free! Check behind grocery stores and restaurants for boxes, and even in their dumpsters if you can. It is hard to literally dumpster dive anymore since local business frequently chain their dumpsters down, but if you check during business hours employees will frequently leave the dumpster unlocked.

Many grocery and restaurants still do leave cardboard boxes out for those who may want them. . You can also try asking local restaurants and business if they have any boxes that you could use. Most will be willing to save some boxes for you or give you what they have in back.

2) Save Boxes

If you know that you are going to move, you should start saving any boxes you may receive in the mail. You can also ask close by friends, neighors and family to save some boxes for you. Also, ask around at work to see if the business has any boxes they wouldn't mind parting with.

3) Buying Boxes

If you need to buy new boxes for your move, shop around for the best prices is the key to getting cheap boxes. Just going to the local moving store you will usually get ripped off by their extremely high prices. Buying online, even with shipping costs, is the best way to get cheap boxes. If you do buy boxes, make sure you only get as many as you will need for the move.

4) Do Not Buy Filler

Use homemade filler to cushion any fragile items you may need to put in boxes. Sheets, newspaper, paper, clothes all make excellent cushion in boxes. If you don't have a newspaper subscription look around for local free magazines at stores that usually feature real-estate or car ad listing. You can technically take as many you want, so grab a few if you see them out.

5) Buy Cheap Tape and Markers

Do not buy tape and markers from a location for convenience. Places like your local grocery store or gas station will rip you off. Get the cheapest tape possible at Staples, Home Depot, The Dollar Store or Target for the best prices.

6) Use Grocery Bags

A lot of smaller items you can just put in left over plastic grocery bags. Cleaning supplies, food and papers can be easily transferred to the new location by using these left over bags.