Tips for Moving
 

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I actually packed everything and had the movers just move the boxes and furniture. The things that I took over where the things that I'd be upset if they broke or went missing. So jewelry, photo albums, things that had a certain significance to me, etc.

Most companies won't insure your stuff if they don't pack it themselves. My best friend and her husband found that out when they packed everything, then the moving company had to come and unpack and re-pack everything.

I'm sure they do mean the things that you wouldn't trust to someone else... Like yes, jewlery or expensive breakables.

You definitely made the right decision by hiring someone though.... I have moved WAY more times that I would like to think about, and it is much much less stressful to pay someone else to do it.

The company that moved my parents down here wouldn't insure what they didn't pack. I wouldn't go as far as packing up scrap books, but anything that would have value on the market (jewlery, etc...stuff that might get broken or stolen).

Try to pack as many of the boxes yourself as you can - that way you know where everything is when you get to your destination. Also, as was suggested, keep as many important/personal items with you as possible.

See if you can talk to people who have used the same company before; get some feedback on what they did well, and where problems arose.

I did the same as mu_agd. Also I made a master list of what was being moved, numbered the boxes and listed what was in them instead of on the box itself. It was easier to keep track of for me.

Check the condition of your furniture before and after move in case there's damage. Take photos of the more expensive pieces in case something does come up missing.

Don't forget to tip your movers.

I did this as well. It definitely made it a lot easier when it came to unpacking in my place.

I've always found it helpfull to make a scale model of the rooms in the house and the furniture on graph paper. The you can move the pieces of paper around instead of the furniture to see what fits where. When you find an arrangement that fits and you like, you tape down the furniture models onto the graph paper models of the rooms. Then when moving day comes you can provide a copy of the arrangement of each room as you want it to the movers. Saves a lot of hassle and re-arrangement.

Good luck !!

Take an inventory and pictures of things (the last moving company I used did this as well, and noted any damage before they packed it). I made a list of what was in each box, and each box had a number and a colored dot sticker. Not only did I know what was in each box, but the dot noted what room it needed to go into, and that saved a lot of time and energy as well.

Get insurance if your homeowners doesn't cover it. They company will usually offer it, and it is well worth it as some of my things were damaged (not by the movers, but in transit when it was on the barge or the truck, agents hired by the movers on the other end did it) and I received payment for them.

Empty your trash before the movers get there. When my dad hired a company, they came and packed the wastebasket into a box, with the trash still in it. Ick.

WTF??? That's nasty!!:eek: :eek:

Moving can be a pain but it means that you are moving on with your life. Congratulations! A new chapter in the books is always exciting.

When my husband and I bought a house we really did not have that much to move. We went from our tiny little college apartment to a 3 bedroom. Needless to say, we did not have much to move. His truck, my SUV and all of his sweet little KA brothers were more than helpful. :)

when we moved .. we hired movers to drive the stuff and the cars on a truck from NY to NV ... and as far as jewelry and stuff like that, we wore alot of our really expensive jewelry on the airplane, but mainly packed it all in a safe we have that you need a key and a combo for ..... so if you have a safe that'd be probably a very safe place for most of your stuff .. ?? ... and i dont know how far or long the drive is going to be, so ... but our stuff was all in once peice, and all there, when it got to nevada :D

We have been relocated a lot due to Mr. Alum's career. Thank goodness we never do it ourselves. I usually walk through the house with a video camera and circle the room so the condition of all furniture will be caught on tape.

Throw anything away that You have been thinking about! I moved "Stuff" 7 times in 7 Years!:rolleyes:

Mark Boxes what is in them or lose them.

If a moving company wont insure boxes You pack screw them. Pack very important items for safe keeping.

I have heard Horror Stories about some of them. Be there to help keep an eye out but dont be a pain in the rear. It really makes them pissed even more.

Be kind and act worried about Your Possetions, the older Movers know what You are going through.

Some of the helpers will go ovey, fragigle, how far will it go when I throw it.

Even though You have Insurance, then try to collect on it!:mad:

GOOD LUCK!