Step-by-Step Guide to Packing Books

One of the trickier parts in moving your stuff to a new house is figuring out how to lug all of those heavy books from one house to another. They are heavy, bulky, and not used very often, but for many, their book collection means the world to them.

How do you pack and move those classics from your bookshelf without breaking your back? This is where many are making the switch from cardboard moving boxes to green boxes knowing that it makes moving these heavier items so much easier. Take a look at this step-by-step guide to moving your books during your upcoming move.

Start sorting and narrowing down

Unless you feel that you really need to take every book you own, now is the time to sort through that collection once and for all to see which books you really want to keep permanently in the collection compared to those that could be donated to someone else.

Since many books are meant to be read once and passed on to someone else, it may be a great time to look at your collection to see if there are some you’ve never looked at more than once. Other books might be ones that you pick up and read over and over again. Keep the ones you read often and then ones you are currently reading while letting go of the rest. Now is the time to sort through your collection and narrow things down for the new house.

Not only are you going to love having fewer books to carry around, but you’ll find sorting through the remainder much simpler for your move. Once you’ve separated the keep pile from the donate pie, look into places to recycle, sell, or donate the ones you are done with. You may find that there are friends that would love to read these books.

Pick up green boxes and packing supplies

If you’ve ever moved before, you know that cardboard boxes and heavy items don’t mix well. Not only does cardboard tend to be flimsier, but there are no handles or easy ways to carry those heavy books. Making the switch to plastic containers from Chicago Green Box for your move will not only help with transporting your book collection, but it will make the whole house easier to move.

They offer handles for carrying, they are easily stackable, and they are much more durable.  Just rent them from your local professional moving company and pick up packing supplies such as newspaper, packing paper, and a marker for labeling.

Packing the boxes

Now that you’re ready to pack, it’s important that you choose an efficient packing method. Place a level of packing material on the bottom of your bins before placing books inside. Make sure you’ve wrapped valuable books individually while arranging the rest of the books upright or flat into the box.

Avoid packing with the spines down because you’ll risk damage. Don’t pack too tightly and be sure to place a couple of sheets over a finished row of books before starting another row. The be sure to add another level of paper before securing and labeling the box, being sure to label which room these books are meant for. Make sure you haven’t exceeded 40 pounds in one box and choose smaller boxes for these heavier items.

Packing boxes for a move can be challenging with the weight of the item and the number of books you own. Use these tips to make your book moving more efficient.

A 7-Step Plan for Hiring a Professional Moving Company

Have you started looking at professional moving companies? This is a big decision for your family’s upcoming move which means you need to your due diligence before making a decision. Along with asking around for referrals and getting estimates from your top contenders, you’ll need to research their credentials and make sure they don’t have any complaints against their brand. Take a look at this 7-step guide that will make it easy for you to hire a professional moving company.

Research and get referrals

Begin by doing your research for local moving companies and talking to friends, real estate agents, coworkers, and relatives about their recommendation for moving companies in the area. You can check online listings or the phone book near your home to find out who might be able to help in the area.

Since you’ll need them to come to the home in the near future to give you an estimate, you won’t want to work with someone too far away. It may surprise you that some of the well-known brands or big-name companies are not always going to be the best option and that local businesses are often a better choice.

Talk to Moving Companies

Now that you have some names that you’ve been referred to or had good reviews online, it’s time to start talking to these companies and do your initial screening. Talk to each of your recommended movers and look at their reviews online to see what others have to say about their experience.

Call the Better Business Bureau for your final choices to see if there is anything you need to be aware of. You may want to check websites like movingscam.com to see if any companies have been blacklisted from consumer complaints.

Get an estimate from the final choices

Now that you’ve narrowed it down to a couple of choices, you’ll want to collect estimates from your top choices. For moves out of state, you’ll need to find out if the company will give you a written offer with a capped amount that they promise not to exceed. That way you can at least count on a capped amount that you won’t go over in paying for your move. The final costs of a move are typically more than the estimate and non-binding estimates are legal, but a binding not-to-exceed cap is better.

How the estimate should go

Once you have your estimates, you’ll want to understand how the process works. You’ll need to make sure you have everything from the closets to the attic that you’ll need to be handled on moving day. On moving day, if the movers believe you have more than what was on the estimate, they may try to challenge the estimate and have you to pay more unless you can prove that your estimate covered the correct amount.

This would also be the time to discuss if there will be elevators, stairs, a long distance from the curb, or other details that will affect the move. Make sure to collect the company information, references, and license numbers at this time.

Research final choices

Now you’ll want to compare the bids, and you’ll want to do some research on your final choices from there. While one may be offering a better rate, they may not have been in business as long as another company. Make sure they are incorporated in your state and look through searchable databases of business on the internet. Make sure you review their moving credentials and reviews!

Choose your moving crew

Now it’s time to make your selection. Select a mover that you feel confident about and confirm the details of the move once you’ve called.

Make sure you have an inventory

Lastly, you’ll want to get a written copy of the inventory list on moving day. Make sure they have directions to your home and a good phone number to reach them.

These are the 7 steps you’ll need to hire a professional moving company for your upcoming move. Contact The Professionals Moving Specialists for your Chicago move!

Make Sure you Don't Get Scammed by a Moving Company

Have you ever heard of people getting scammed by their moving company? You don’t want to find yourself in this nightmare. Moving is already a stressful time and you want a professional moving company that you can count on.

Most companies would try to help make the process a smooth one, but you may come across a company that is out to scam you. Watch out for cheap ads on Craigslist, book a company early and thoughtfully, and be sure you know what to do in the event that you are in a bad situation like this. Take a look at some ways to avoid being scammed on your upcoming move.

Warning signs to watch for

A good place to start is to make sure you are as organized and rested as possible, in order to avoid being taken advantage of while you’re feeling frazzled and vulnerable. Look for warning signs and be on guard for the possibility that they come up.

Look out for deals that are too good to be true, such as a Craiglist offer that sells moving services for way too cheap. Many times a scam will occur when the price is offered too low and then a contingency comes up causing a price increase, such as stairs or a long loading route. When you have to make an agreement verbally rather than on paper, you may find yourself fighting with the movers at your destination with your belongings being withheld from you without further payment.

How to spot a winner of a company

Avoid any signs of a bad moving company and trust professional movers with a great reputation in town or online. Look for online reviews with great credibility and positive feedback, while being realistic if you think a company looks too good to be true with a perfect rating.

When you choose a company that seems trustworthy, call them for information on handling your upcoming moving. You should get to work with a moving coordinator or a manager that will oversee the move. While some issues could come up that can’t be avoided, your move coordinator should be your point person to help when an unforeseeable situation comes up.

Having a coordinator means that someone is being updated when an issue pops up, such as not having a key to get into the new home or furniture not fitting through the door. If a company offers this service, you can likely feel at ease, while one that doesn’t offer this service should make you remain watchful for any red flags.

Tips for prevention

While being scammed by a moving company can happen to anyone, it’s helpful to take a few precautions. Along with seeking out a company with good reviews and a great reputation in town, watching out for offers too good to be true, and considering avoiding any companies that don’t provide moving coordinators, consider booking early when there are still many choices available to you. You won’t fall for deals too good to be true and you’ll have time to build a relationship with a company before it’s time to move.

If you get a bad feeling from a company or find communication is lacking, it may be time to look for someone else. Does the company live up to promises, such as getting you a timely estimate and contacting you when they said they would? If you hire this company, remember that they will be handling your precious belongings and you’re trusting them with the safety and efficiency of the process.

While you may have to pay a deposit for the move, watch out for companies that ask for full payment in advance or a really large deposit. A small deposit lost by moving to a new company is worth it if you feel uncomfortable with a company, but a large deposit or full payment would show signs of a company not worth dealing with.

If you find yourself in a scamming situation, make sure you have a manager’s name and contact information that you can reach if something goes wrong. Sign a contract that lists the minimum value protection for you the customer, and a way to declare the value of your items. Then if something were to happen, you could take them to court with documented proof, as well as talk to the Better Business Bureau. Of course, a social media blasting will make this company look bad and will warn others to avoid them.

Don’t get scammed by a moving company if you can avoid it; use these tips to know what to look for.

What Should You do Before the Movers Arrive?

The movers are arriving in a few weeks and it’s time to get serious about preparing for the move. Not only do you need to take inventory of all of your stuff, but you need to start purging, disposing of, and pre-packing some of your items.

You’ll need to get the appliances ready to be moved and you’ll have to start handling some of the essential boxes yourself, such as the stuff you’ll need to access on the first week of your move that shouldn’t be put on the moving truck. Then you’ll have to find a space to put things that aren’t meant to be packed, such as plants and hazardous items.

Take a look at this guide to get a better idea of how to prepare for the movers to arrive.

Start purging and disposing

You are likely not going to be taking everything to the new house. It’s a great time to start purging your home and getting rid of useless items that the packers shouldn’t be packing. If there are items that you don’t need to have transported by professional movers because you don’t really want them in the new home, it’s time to sell, donate, or dispose of them. This could be furniture that doesn’t fit in the new home, extra clutter, or kitchen items you wanted to replace. Consider what you can start purging of before the movers arrive.

Then, make sure you dispose of things you don’t want packed, such as old food, chemicals and cleaning supplies, flammable items, paint, and trash. If you don’t want to take your plants to the new home, find a friend to donate them to.

Take inventory and work on must-have boxes

Now it’s time to take inventory of your possessions so that you can track where things get packed and make sure it all arrives safely at your destination. Take inventory to make sure you can check everything off for arrival and to ensure it hasn’t been damaged, and to make sure you can easily file an insurance claim in the event that something happens to an item and proof is needed it was moved.

This will also help you to see how much stuff you are taking in case you want to pare down on your belongings, and to get a better idea of what will be packed together for separating items by room. Then, take some photos in case you need to show them later.

When you arrive at your destination and haven’t gotten around to unpacking yet, it will be important to have a few boxes with the essentials to get you started. You won’t be able to wait for a few weeks to locate your shower curtain, bath towels, or prescription medicines. Make sure you’ve packed an “open first box” that you can keep with you for getting your kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, and kid’s items play area.

Determine what won’t be packed and prepare the family

Next, you’ll want to choose an area to place items that aren’t meant to be packed and to talk to your family about staying safe during this process. Put a note on anything that isn’t mean to be packed by the movers, such as your plants, valuables, electronics, and first-week essentials.

Keep it all in one room and make this the meeting room for prepping your family on safety measures during the move. This will be where pets can stay or phone calls can be taken during the time the movers are there.

Prepare appliances and pre-pack

Lastly, start pre-packing things that you prefer to handle yourself, such as high-value items or a collection of magnets or ornaments. This will make it easier for the movers to pack quickly if you’ve handled all of the small pieces yourself. Then prepare your appliances for the move by unplugging things like washing machines and dishwashers.

When the movers are scheduled to arrive soon and the house needs prepared, use this list to make sure you’re ready for a swift and efficient move.