Three main questions to ask your packers and movers before getting started

If you’ve decided to hire a moving crew for your upcoming relocation, you’ve made a great decision. Not only will you be removing a huge hassle from your to-do list, but you can count on your belongings making it safely to your destination.

Professional packers and movers know how to properly pack items to eliminate the chance of damage, put things in the truck with care, and transport it safely and efficiently to destination. When homeowners try to take on such a challenge on their own, they lose the benefit of the moving company handling something that they do every single day.

Take a look at what questions you’ll want to ask before the packers and movers you choose to work with get started on the job.

Will you do a pre-move survey?

One of the first questions you’ll want to discuss with a moving company is the plans before the actual moving day. This means that you should ask if there will be a survey done before the move of your space and your household goods.

In the survey, your packers will be able to take a look at each room of the house to determine what is being moved, what type of boxes will be needed, how big the home is in order to choose the right size truck, and if there are any special concerns to address when it comes to moving day.

This is the time to find out if they will be moving you out of a condo that is only accessible by elevator, or if you have special artwork that will need specialty boxes.

You’ll want the moving company to perform a walk-through with an estimator to help note what you are going to need moved so that you can also let them know if there are things not being moved. This is a time where you can get a moving estimate based on the knowledge you provide the company.

What type of insurance do you have?

Next, talk to the company about what types of insurance they carry. This will help you get a better sense of the company’s credibility and let you know that they are up to the task as other moving companies. A high-quality, professional moving company will carry insurances to cover themselves and you. The main insurance they should have is liability insurance. They may also carry transit insurance to cover damages in transport.

You’ll want to ask what kind of insurance they are offering and if you’ll need to pay for it, as well as what it will cover. You’ll need to make sure your belongings and your move are covered by insurance just in the rare event that something happens. You can ask for proof of insurance and they will be able to show you their general liability insurance. You’ll be able to call the insurance agent to make sure it’s still in effect if you have any doubts, but rest assured that moving companies will have liability insurance to cover both the company and you for all moves.

Can I see references?

just like you would look for a restaurant review online, you’d likely want to hear from past customers to see how their experience with this company went. Ask if you can talk to references to get an idea about their likability among past customers and what you can expect working with them yourself. 

A reputable mover should be able to provide you with a few customers from your area that have moved in the recent past in order to allow you to call and ask questions about their experiences. You’ll likely have access to reviews online as well.

Before your move, be sure to ask these 3 big questions to your packing and moving crew. You’ll be thankful you were so prepared!

What to Move First When Moving

With so much to pack in your home, where do you even begin? There’s actually a good answer to this question because there is a part of the home that is the perfect place to start packing and moving first. It’s definitely not the kitchen or the bedrooms, but it may be items found stored in these areas of the home. The answer is also not to just start somewhere.

There is a way to pack the home that is going to make the most sense for the least disruption to your regular routine and the most efficient for moving everything from one home to another. Take a look at where to begin your residential move first and how it will make the process smoother.

Before Packing

The first thing to do before even packing or moving anything is to get a moving checklist, take an inventory, purge some things, and hire your moving crew. Your moving checklist will tell you how to get all of your tasks done and in what order, such as when to change your utilities over and what to pack first and last.

When you take inventory of what you do have, it will easily spell out for you what you need to be packing first, which will be the things you rarely use that you do want to keep.  That is because there will be some items you rarely use, and even some you use often, that you’ll decide you’d rather part with going into the new home.

Purging your belongings after taking your inventory will help you to see how much stuff you really have and help you downsize some of your things before moving them into another home. Less stuff will give you less to move and allow you to even make some money selling them in a yard sale. Lastly, hire your moving company now that you have an inventory of what’s going and they can help you get an estimate of what your move will cost and require.

Begin packing these things first

Now it’s time to start the moving process by packing things that have the lowest impact on daily life first. This will include stored items, books, extra linens, artwork, china, knick-knacks, and out-of-season clothing. If you have items in storage, such as your Christmas decoration in the garage, these types of things will be packed first.

Then your clothes that are out-of-season right now are perfect to pack and you could even use some to wrap up your delicate knick-knacks. Your china, artwork, picture frames, and souvenirs should go next. Then you can start packing extra linens or towels and just live with less for now, and apply the same to your book collection since you are likely only reading one or two books at the moment.

On moving day, it will be easy to see what items should go first because it will be these boxes you’ve worked on first. Your Christmas decorations, wall hangings, and extra linens and clothes are the perfect place to start because you aren’t using them for several months so they are already sitting in a spot unused at the moment.

The things that need to be packed last are those kitchen supplies, everyday clothes, bathroom accessories, and your home office. These things being packed up first will make it too hard to keep living in your home, while your china and souvenirs will be fine being packed away for moving day.

Make sure to prepare for your move by packing and moving these things first so that you can pack the things you need right now last.

When and what should you vacuum seal during a move

Sometimes people opt to pack their house with vacuum sealed bags, helping to save space and protect items during the move. While this is a great method for some items, it’s not going to work for everything. Vacuum packing simply means to vacuum the air out of a plastic bag designed for such task, and keeping the items in the bag sealed tight and taking up minimal space.

When you remove the air from the bag and seal it, you’ll save space for things that are normally space-killers, such as bedding and clothes. Take a look at the items that people often vacuum seal for their move and which ones won’t benefit from this method.

Bedding and pillows

One of the easiest ways to save space in your boxes is to vacuum seal that bulk bedding you own. Bed sheets and comforters are very hard to pack efficiently because they take up so much space and are very large. When you use a vacuum-sealed bag, that big, fluffy comforter can now fit in a more efficient box rather than an oversized one.

Your pillows and other bedding are perfect for this type of bag as well. Bed pillows, throw pillows, bed skirts, and other bedding items can become bulky when folded up or attempted to be stuffed into moving boxes.

Use a vacuum-sealed method for these other bulky items so that you don’t have to feel guilty about how much room these favorite fluffy items are taking up in the moving truck. Your pillows and blankets will spring back to life once you open the vacuum-sealed bag at destination.

Clothes

Just like your bedding, your clothes may start to become bulky when you pack them for the move. These are the most common items for vacuum-sealing, for everything from moving to just going on vacation. Each piece of clothing on top of one another becomes more and more layers in your box, but your vacuum-sealed bag can smash them into one simple layer.

They won’t even wrinkle when put in a vacuum-sealed bag while packing normally will more likely cause them to become wrinkled. Instead of lugging heavy clothing boxes into the truck and out of the truck, get them into vacuum-sealed bags in just a few boxes.

Food

You may have never heard of vacuum-sealing food, but this can be one of the handiest places to use these bags. It will help keep your perishable foods lasting longer when you vacuum seal. It’s a great way to protect your food during the move, avoid food going bad, keep the food fresh, and ensure the food will last longer.

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Perks of vacuum-sealed bags and what items to avoid

In addition, to protect your items and saving space, vacuum-sealed bags are an inexpensive purchase that will keep your stuff organized. It will keep your food fresh, turn bulky items into a smaller, more manageable size, and will save you money when moving due to needing fewer boxes and a smaller truck. You also can stop worrying about things getting into the bag since they are air-tight.

Can I just vacuum-seal everything in my home for the move? Watch out for solid items, like antiques, knick-knacks, and office items, which will not benefit from a vacuum-sealed bag. Only flexible items that can be layered will benefit from this process. They will condense from the removal of the air, which means solid items won’t be able to become any smaller for space saving.

If you’re considering vacuum-seal bags for your upcoming residential move, these will come in so much handy while you’re packing up the bedroom and refrigerator!

The Difficulties of Packing Your Shed

One of the last things you’re probably thinking about with your upcoming moving is packing up the outdoors, specifically the things in your shed. It’s one of those areas that can be easy to forget between packing up your attic, getting everything from your children’s rooms, and even grabbing the dog’s toys.

Once you remember that your shed is going to need to be handled as well, you’re going to have to take extra precautions, since the items in your shed tend to have dangerous elements that have to be addressed before a move. Take a look at why your shed can be difficult to pack and why a professional moving company should handle it for you.

Moving your tools

One of the items likely living in your shed is your toolset which means you have items with blades, sharp edges, and heavyweight. You’ll want to prep for the move by putting all of your small tools in the toolbox and then gathering all of the tools of the same length to secure them together with a cord or plastic tab. Your movers will then secure all of the large or dangerous items with bubble wrap and properly label the box to make sure you are cautious when unpacking.

Furniture

Do you keep your lawn furniture in the shed during the offseason? You’ll need to think about how these items will be moved as well. They are usually bulky and lightweight, making it more likely that you’ll be able to dismantle some of it before the move. Look at the table legs, glass tops, and umbrellas in the table to see if things can come apart. Be sure to wash everything down and let it dry all the way before the movers secure it with plastic.

Gas-powered items or motorized vehicles

Next up is the items in your shed that contain gas, oil, or a motor. You’re going to have to drain these items of any harmful liquids like oil and gas from your lawn mower, grill, chainsaw, or snow blower. Your movers will have protective covers for your chainsaws and lawnmower blades, but they may want to remove all attachments and pack them in a separate box. They will either have you empty propane tanks or not bring them on the truck.

Be sure to discuss any motorized vehicles that you need to have moved that you don’t plan on driving. There are steps involved in preparing your car for shipping that your mover will need to discuss with you. Most people drive the vehicle or use a trailer behind the moving truck. If you own a motorized boat like a Jet Ski or ski-doo, or need your motorcycle moved, talk to your movers about what you need to do to get them ready before moving day.

Outdoor equipment and planters

Lastly, your shed likely holds your outdoor equipment, children’s stuff, and pots for your plants. Your mover will have to disassemble your swing sets and climbing toys unless you do them in advance, and then they will likely box your bikes to avoid bending them during the move. Before moving to another state, you’ll have to check if plants can be moved with you. Clean your planter boxes or pots thoroughly before the move and make sure to mark the box to show its heavy.

Being such a big job, it’s important to hire a professional moving company to handle your household move and everything in your shed. This is a look at how the move will go with the most common items in a shed.