Tips for Avoiding Shady Movers in Chicago
Moving is stressful. Items might break, get lost or you might have to deal with a late moving truck. All of these issues can cause stress, but they certainly don't compare to dealing with a fraudulent moving company. Shady movers may try to take advantage of you by holding your items hostage and demanding more money. This is just one of the many types of things a rogue mover may do and it can get as bad as the shady moving company stealing all of your belongings. Here are a few ways to help you avoid getting ripped off by shady movers in Chicago
Do some Research
A little online research can go a long way. It's not hard to dig up consumer reviews and find out whether your mover has the federal seal of approval. You can use protectyourmove.gov to check for the seal and many sites, such as ripoffreport.com will give you reviews of moving companies.
Get Multiple Estimates
Securing more than just one written estimate will give you not only an estimate to compare, but also the interaction with the company. Most of the best moving companies will not provide a firm price online or over the phone. They will provide an estimate free of charge, however.
Price isn't Everything
A low-ball moving estimate may end up costing you in the end. You want to look at more than just the price and choose a moving company with a solid reputation in Chicago.
Avoid Brokers
When you try to hire a mover, you may run into brokers. These are middlemen between you and the mover. They don't own the trucks or provide any moving labor. You want to go directly to the moving company, even if you do go through a broker.
Make Sure they have Insurance
Every reputable moving company should have insurance o cover your goods while in transit. You should look for a "full value protection" policy, which may make the moving company a bit more expensive, but will also provide you with peace of mind.
Don't Skip the Paperwork
If you simply skim the paperwork, you might mist something important. The moving contract may be boring, but you need to read it thoroughly to ensure you understand what you are getting into.
Don't Pay a Large Deposit
None of the top professional moving companies in Chicago charge a large deposit for your move. You don't want to pay a large deposit up front, especially if the mover demands cash. This could be a sign of a shady mover.
Hold onto your Valuables
You don't need to allow the moving company to move important papers, jewelry, cash, coins and other valuables. Instead, ship these items with UPS or FedEx or move them yourself.
There are several good ways to avoid shady movers in Chicago. You don't want to get taken advantage of and if you follow the tips above, you will be in a better position to hire a professional moving company ready like The Professionals Moving Specialists to help you instead of a potential shady mover looking to steal from you.
A Quick Guide to Senior Moving in Chicago
As an older adult, moving may have become a huge hassle. However, you may need to plan an upcoming move for retirement or another reason. Whether you are moving into a smaller home or to a new city, it's important to understand a few of things about senior moving.
Is it the Right Time to Move?
Before you start putting together a good plan for moving, it's often smart to make sure it's the right time to move. Sometimes, you need to take care of other things before it's time to move, such as downsizing your belonging for a smaller home. Some of the main reasons seniors move include:
A decline in health or mobility
A feeling of isolation
Not much support in the area where they live
Time to downsize to a smaller home
Ready to retire to a new state/country
If you have experienced a decline in health or any of the other reasons apply to you, it may be time to move. Make sure you evaluate the reasons for moving to ensure you are making the right decision.
Downsize before You Move
In many cases, seniors will be moving from a larger home to a smaller condo, apartment or home. Sometimes, they will even be moving into a nursing facility or long-term care housing.
Whenever a senior moves from a larger place to a smaller home, they will need to downsize. This could mean giving away or selling some of your belongings. Do this before moving so that moving becomes easier.
Take your Time With Packing
There's no reason to rush the move, if you don't have to. Often, you will have plenty of time to prepare for the move. If you don't have to rush to get out of your current home, take things one step at a time. Start small with just preparing one room at a time until your entire home is ready to go.
Obtain a Layout of the New Home and Plan the Move
A layout of your new home will help with the planning of the move. Since most moves with seniors will include downsizing, it's smart to understand how much space you will have in your new home. This will help you to part with the right items and only take what you can fit in the new place.
You will also want to plan the actual move down to labeling boxes properly and the timing of the move. If you feel better in the morning, plan your move for the morning. Taking care of the actual moving process during the best time of the day for you will make a difference in how the move will affect you physically and mentally.
Hire Outside Help
Most seniors don't want to deal with packing and moving all of their belongings. Some may not even be physically able to handle the moving and packing process. Plenty of professional movers will help you get all of your belongings packed and moved to your new home. Don't be afraid to hire outside help, as it may be the best way to ensure your move goes smoothly.
When you are a senior and you plan to move from one home to another, it can be a stressful time. With outside help and the tips listed above, you will be able to take the stress out of moving, even as a senior.
Guide to Student Moving in Chicago
The Windy City is a very popular place for student to move to for school. Of course, when students move it's not the same as a regular move. Instead of moving into a home and staying all year long, students often move to a dorm room or apartment and head back home to mom and dad's house for the summer. This type of moving provides a few unique challenges. When exams are over, everything has to be packed up and taken out of the dorms for the summer. It can be a big job getting everything into boxes, carrying it down the stairs, packing up a vehicle and taking it back to mom and dad's house. The days when college students move in or move out are the busiest days and the most stressful days on any college campus.
What Should You Store?
If you know you will be coming back to Chicago next year, you should consider storing some things instead of moving them home. Larger items, such as futons, mattresses, dressers and other furniture item should be stored. You can also store comforters, pillows, dishes, winter clothes and anything else you won't need over the summer.
What Should you Take Home?
You don't want to take home more than you need, as it will just make the move more stressful. Personal items, your computer, TVs, stereos and other electronics may be items you want to take home. However, if you have no use for them during the summer, you can just put them in storage until next year.
Tips for a Successful Move
As you move to or from a college dorm or apartment, you want to make sure you follow a few general tips:
Label all items on every side of the box
Keep a full inventory of the items you store
Stack neatly and put larger boxes on the bottom when storing items
Use proper moving boxes and packing tape
When you plan to store some items and you plan to take some home, an inventory of where each item went will help you when moving back the following year. It's easy to misplace an item, but the inventory will ensure you know where it's supposed to be.
Hiring a Mover to Help with your Move
Moving to or from college is incredibly stressful. You already have a long list of things you have to do when you arrive, if you're moving to college. If you're moving home, you've probably spent the past few weeks stressed out about final exams. There's no need to add to your stress. Instead, hire a moving company in Chicago to help you move to or from college.
With a Chicago student moving company on your side, you can take care of the personal items going home to mom and dad's house with you, while they handle the larger items going to storage. This will make the move back home easier.
When it's time to move back to college, you can have your trusted moving company pick up all the items you have in storage and bring them to your dorm room. You won't have as much to worry about as they will take care of the lifting and ensuring your larger items arrive on time.
There are many benefits to hiring a moving company for student moves. With all the stress you already have to deal with, hiring movers is an easy way to check something off your list. If you're a student or the parents of a student and you need to move in or out of a college dorm or apartment, consider hiring a mover to help.
What to Consider When Moving to Chicago
Moving provides plenty of opportunity and excitement. It also comes with stress, especially when moving to a new city, such as Chicago. Whether you already live in a big city or you are coming from a small town, there are some things to consider when moving to Chicago.
The Job Market
Of course, you need a way to support yourself. Unless you are independently wealthy or retired, you will need to consider the Chicago job market before you move. Make sure you have tested the waters and know you can find a job or already have one waiting for you.
Housing Cost
Before you move to any new city, you have to look into the cost of housing. Whether you will buy or rent, it's important to be prepared for what you will be able to afford in the new city. Look into the cost, along with the location of your new potential home.
It's important to consider the type of neighborhood, along with the overall cost of your new home or apartment. Looking into all the different factors will help you get a better sense of what to expect when moving to Chicago.
Features/Amenities of Buildings/Neighborhoods
Depending on where you live, you may gain access to amenities, such as a gym, swimming pool or community center. If the amenities are something you will use on a regular basis, this should be factored into your decision to move. You should also make sure you will feel safe by looking at the crime rate and the quality of schools in the area.
Other Basic Expenses
Often, when moving to a new city, people forget to look at the overall cost of living. This includes looking at basic needs, such as utilities, groceries and health care. Sometimes these items come at a higher cost in Chicago than in a smaller city. Make sure you will make enough money from your new job to outweigh the higher expenses.
Chicago has plenty to offer and for many, it's worth the higher cost of living. In addition, many jobs pay more in the Chicago market than in smaller markets. However, it's still important to look into the overall cost and the salary you will make before you finalize your decision to move.
Overall Quality of Life
Before you make the move, you should consider the quality of life you will experience in the area you are moving in to. If you love being outside, living near a park may give you a higher quality of life. For some, living near a church or top shopping options will help.
Chicago has plenty of different neighborhoods and plenty to offer for everybody. Make sure you choose an area you will love before you make the move to the big city.
There are several things to consider when moving to Chicago. When you do your research, you will be better prepared and you will have negotiating power if your company is paying for a portion of the moving expenses. You may be able to negotiate a higher salary due to a higher cost of living, but if nothing else, you will be better prepared for living in Chicago.