5 Tips for Moving During the Spring

Spring isn't the most popular time of year to move, but sometimes due to jobs, families, lifestyle changes, etc., we are forced to move when we don't want to. The following are some tips that will help you make the best out of your springtime move. 

1. Watch the Weather 

In some parts of the world spring weather varies widely, especially in the early days of spring. One day it will be rainy and miserable then the next it will be sunny and warm. Make sure to watch the weather forecast closely for moving day. Be ready to get extra supplies that may be needed to handle a damp, snowy or hot day during the spring. 

2. Bargain with Movers 

Moving companies have lots of open dates during the spring and every other seasons besides summer, so you can possibly talk down the price of some movers who are desperate for business. This is especially true during the first two months of spring when the weather still can be bad. By pricing and bargaining with different moving companies you can save some big dollars.     

3. Free Labor from the Kids 

Teacher workdays, spring break and other spring school holidays give you time to utilize free labor from your children. Or if you just want them out of the way during moving day, you can utilize the free babysitting from public schools for at least part of the day.

 4. Spring is a great time for selling homes 

During nice days during the spring it makes everyone feel a little more optimistic. Springtime is all about new beginning, so you might as well utilize people's optimism to sell your home. Open up the windows and shades to emphasize the beautiful weather and lighting that spring provides to help your home appeal even more attractive to buyers.  

5. Take allergy medications 

Pollen season can be a huge problem for some people. Moving requires a lot of going indoor and outdoors, so you will inevitably be exposed to pollen. Make sure to medicate accordingly, so that the  worst of your symptoms are kept at bay during the move. Also, if you are moving into a new area, you may want to figure out if you are allergic to anything in particular in that area. That way you can get the allergy medication before you are going through the stresses of a move. Here is a chart to pollen seasons in different parts of the US.

10 Ways Movers Calculate Bids

When you are pricing around the cost of a move with different moving companies, it may come as a surprise the large differences in bids. No two moving companies have the same exact formula, but it can come in handy to know exactly what the moving company employees are considering when giving you an estimate. The following are the main things movers consider when calculating bids for different moves. 

1. Distance: How far away you are moving will be a large part of determining the cost of your move. Some companies charge by the mile while others give a flat rate for moves in the area. This cost is especially vital if you plan on moving a long distance.

2. Time:  Most movers can estimate about how a long a move will take, because they move stuff everyday. How the moving company charges for the amount of time a move will take varies largely between houses. Some moving companies charge by the hour, some charge by the day. To cut down on this cost you can have everything packed and ready, because the less time they spend the lower the cost.

3. Weight: This is where moving companies will try to add on additional fees. Some moving companies will look at your items then give you a low estimate on the weight of your items, so they get your business by giving you a low bid. When they get the items on the truck and weigh them they will add on fees. To avoid this unexpected cost make the company give you a binding agreement on the original quote at least for the charge of weight of your items.

4. Access: If either your old or new residence is not easily accessed due to no parking, narrow streets or long hanging branches, most moving companies will charge you more. The charge is due to the extra labor from shuttling all of your items a greater distance from the home to the truck.

5. Don't be a Jerk: Like most things in life, a good attitude will get you a long way. The chances are if you rude or unpleasant to employees of moving companies, they may just round up your bid or add on extra fees. Movers are used to dealing with stressed out and crazy people during the move, but they figure if you are crazy even before the move has begun you'll more than likely go nuts on moving day.  

6. Lots of Delicate Items: If you have a lot of breakable and delicate items with specific instructions, the movers charge for the extra time it'll take to pack and move these items. You can pack up your delicate items yourself to lower the cost charged by the movers. It is surprisingly easy to package art, electronics and the like when you get the right supplies to do so.

7. Uncertainty: Make sure that you let movers what you will expect them to do or not to do. If you seem a bit wishy-washy about what will be pack and what will not be packed, they are going to add on extra just in case they end up with a lot of extra work.

8. The Season: If you move during peak moving season during the summer, the movers will just charge more. The reason for this is they usually have more business than they can actually handle. Moving off season is a great way to get a lower bid, because the moving companies usually get a little more desperate for business.

9. Holidays: It is understandable to want to move on a holiday, but movers are people too. If they have to skip their celebration with their families and friends, they are going to want to get a little bonus working on a holiday. Wouldn't you?

10. Ask questions: Make sure that you know what you are and are not paying for on the bid. Get the company to give you a detailed list of how the estimate is broken down. If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask. Being thorough in your understanding of the cost can save you a lot of time, money and trouble in the future.

Why I Hate Moving!

Last time I swore it would be the last time I ever moved. I promise that every time as I unpacked the last of the boxes wondering how many hours I've wasted. Then things in life come up. Break-ups, new jobs, falling in love, babies- you know life! All together I would say in the past five 10 years I moved around 20 times. I am an expert on moving only because I hate it so much I learned very quickly how to make things a little less painful. 

The last 5 times I have used a moving company to make the process easier.  Let me tell you, movers are magical people! I have no idea how one dedicates themselves professionally to such an arduous task, but they definitely earn every penny we pay for them. I'm telling you why I hate moving to let you know why you should hire a moving company to avoid tears, disasters and other atrocities. Or just not move at all possible! 

1. I own too much stuff. Even after getting rid of stuff continuously through Craigslist, donations and trashing, I still own a lot of crap. Unfortunately, I need MOST of this stuff. I even like most of my thing until I move. Then I realize how much STUFF there really is as I pack it all away into boxes wish I lived a less materialistic lifestyle. 

2. Stress. Stress is probably the number one killer in the world! At least I think I read that somewhere. Anyways, there is no way to avoid stress in a move unless you are some sort of zen monk. It stresses out all parties involved, even the household pets. 

3. Cardboard boxes. I stopped using cardboard boxes and switched over to green moving boxes in the last three moves not just because I'm a tree-huger either. It is because of the paper-cuts from the cardboard boxes. I even seem to get even when I wear gloves. There is nothing worse than a paper-cut! Or a cardboard box deciding to give out in the middle of the move. As bad as that is, paper-cuts are worse! 

4. New Bathrooms. Unless it is a completely new house, I am completely grossed out when moving into a used house due to the bathrooms. I immediately scrub down the bathrooms with bleach as soon as possible. Sometimes twice if it is particularly gross. I'll never forget the time I moved into an apartment where the previous owner dumped their cats litter into the bathtub. I literally scrubbed that bathtub five times, and still felt like it was unsanitary when I used the shower. I recommend hiring move in cleaners if at all possible to help with the cleaning if at all possible, these cleaners are also magical in my book.  

5. Children. We all know being a parent is stressful, but kids are especially monstrous during moves. They are either complaining or making a mess. I sometimes wish during a move there was a storage facility that took children in until the process was over. In our house we call this type of facility grandma's house.

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.

What to Do While You Wait for Your Moving Truck

Before we wrote about why when relocating hired moving trucks usually arrive later than we do at our new homes. This is a follow-up to give you some ideas on what to do while you wait for the moving truck to finally arrive. The further away you've moved, the longer you may be waiting. It can take anywhere from just an hour extra to an entire day. Make sure you know the estimate time of arrival beforehand, so you aren't completely surprised when they show up.

1. Keep Calm

If you read a lot of moving reviews by people, you'll notice a common complaint is the moving truck hasn't arrived when they expected. These people drive themselves crazy by calling the moving company one million times, fretting that their stuff is now being sold at a thrift shop and all sorts of anxiety-inducing activities. None of these things actually help, unless you are looking to raise your blood pressure.

While it is understandable to be freaked out that all of your stuff is in the hands of strangers, freaking out does not make your stuff arrive any faster. You've already expended a lot of energy starting this move, so give your blood pressure and general anxiety levels a break by keeping as calm as possible. Worrying doesn't do anything, it only makes you seem like you are doing something. Take some deep breaths, smell the flowers or whatever to try to make yourself feel better. Preferably plan ahead to have some extra time when you arrive, so that you can make good use of this valuable time.

2. Make Sure All the Utilities are On 

One of the most basic things you can do is make sure all the utilities you planned to have up are on. Sometimes in the mix of a move, utility companies will mess up dates or time to turn stuff back on, and on other occasions we may completely forget to call the utility companies. Go turn on the water, light, a/c, internet or whatever else should be up and running. If something isn't running, you now have time (if not energy) to call utility companies now.

3. Clean 

You are not supposed to pack cleaning supplies in a moving truck, so you should have your cleaning supplies with you. If you aren't lucky enough to be move into a brand new home (most of us aren't), consider giving the house a good move-in scrub. I know people who are move out are supposed to clean up after themselves, but as a neat freak I personally  like to give everything a brief scrub (especially bathrooms).

Unpack your supplies and start scrubbing away. I even like to bleach bathrooms to get rid of some of the nasty grime that can build up with inattentive residents. Make your home to the level of clean you want it to be as part of the move in process.

4. Send Out a Scout 

You will want to leave at least somebody to wait for the moving truck to arrive. If you have a partner, teenagers or whoever can drive send them out on a scouting mission. Find the local grocery stores, schools, hardware stores, pizza shops or whatever other places you will need to learn the locations of. This will also give you a chance to gain your bearings around your new location.

Make sure not to get too adventurous with your exploring. The thing about gaining your bearings is that you should plan a little time to be lost. Even though Google maps says the store is only 20 minutes away, it doesn't account for the 30 minutes you may spend correcting a couple wrong turns.

5. Unpack the Stuff in Your Personal Vehicle or That You Have with You 

Plan ahead to have items with you that you can unpack while you wait for the truck. Doing this means you can begin the long journey ahead of unpacking all of your stuff into your new home. These small items may just seem like a tiny fraction of the entire move, but it is a tiny of a fraction of things you won't have to deal with when the rest of your items arrive.

6. Plan Where Stuff is Going to Go 

Now is a good time to discuss where you actually want some of your stuff to go. While you shouldn't set your head and heart on too specific of arrangements, it is a good use of time to get a general idea of where some furniture and other items should go. You can even get out a piece of paper to sketch out different ideas for each room.

Deciding where furniture goes before the movers arrives gives you a chance to tell them exactly where to put things. This means less moving around of heavy items that you will need to do later.

Items to NOT Take with You on a Move

Moving gives you the unique opportunity to sort through needed and unneeded items. It is a great chance to

A Garage Sale is a Great Way to Get Rid of Excess Stuff

throw away, give away or sell items that you don't need. We recommend at least throwing away one trash bag full of stuff as an exercise to clear your stuff of clutter.

The following are items that you should not take with you for various reasons. If you have anything to add to this list, please let us know!

1) Dangerous Goods: Acid, Paint, Fertilizer, Car Batteries, Aerosols, Kerosene, Liquid Bleach are a couple of examples of items that you should not take with you. It is illegal to pack anything substance that is corrosive, explosive or flammable. Moving companies will not even pack these items. Contact your local recycling system or the EPA to find out the proper way to dispose of any of these types of goods.

2) Junk you never use anyways: That box of papers holding all your school work, old tools, unused dishes, books you will never return and clothes are all great candidates to be gotten rid of. We form sentimental attachments to JUNK, but that doesn't mean it isn't junk. Now is the honest time to assess the stuff you have around your house.

3) Furniture: Consider what furniture you will need for your new home, and what you currently have. Different homes require different furnishing, and the chances are you will not need all of the same furniture for a new home. Give some of the old furniture to charity or try to sell it on Craigslist.

4) Old aquariums, pet cages, etc. : If your goldfish or guinea pig kicked the bucket, and you still have the container for the critter just in case, get rid of it! These items can be sold easily on Craigslist or given away to charity.

5) Perishable food: Eat all the food in your house that you can before a move. Make yourself not buy anything a week or two before the move, so that you can even begin to start finishing off non-perishable items. Once you move to your new home you can start a new with your new pantry/food-storing area.

6) Old toys: We love to give our kids everything, and there rooms often reflect the clutter of our generosity. Get rid of some of the toys before the move, especially older ones they don't use much or at all. Do not ask the kids, because even if they do use it chances is they will says no. Give the toys to charities for kids who don't have every toy in the world!

7) Broken appliances. Some people have the nasty habit of saving old electronics, exercise equipment, tools, appliances and other stuff in the hopes they will fix it some day. My grandmother had a collection of broken toasters in her addict. We have a box of electronics we hope to use again one day in our house. If you aren't going to get around to it, now would be a good time to consider recycling or otherwise disposing of it. There is nothing more annoying than moving around stuff that doesn't even work properly.

Happy moving!