Pack Your Moving Boxes the Right Way

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Packing moving boxes seems pretty straight forward, right? Well, the truth is there’s a technique to packing the right way.

Even when you decide to hire a professional mover, you can still decide to pack most or all of your belongings yourself, which will save you some money as well. When it’s time to pack your moving boxes, there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure you do the job right.

Packing Essentials

Boxes: The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure you have plenty of moving boxes in varying sizes. Don’t underestimate the number of boxes you need. It’s easier than you think to run out of boxes.

PVC or Packing Tape: You need to have plenty of packing tape and PVC tape for taping up items you don’t want to damage.

Scissors and Box Cutter: You’ll be doing a lot of cutting while packing up your moving boxes and getting ready for the big move.

Bubble Wrap and Paper: Have some bubble wrap and newspaper on hand to wrap up fragile items and keep them safe.

Helpful Wrapping Tips

Before you start actually packing items into your moving boxes, be sure to start wrapping up all the fragile belongings.

For packing up dishes, unprinted newsprint paper is the best option. Start by putting a stack of this paper on a flat surface. Roll glasses and jars up, starting from the corner of the paper. With plates, place them in the center of the paper and fold the corners inward.

Before packing any of you fragile items, make sure you put some wadded up paper in the bottom of our moving boxes. This will help ensure there’s a nice cushion.

Let Us Help You

Still have questions? Give First Choice Moving a call today to find out how we can help you make moving a breeze. 1-877-500-6683.

How to Compile a Detailed Local Moving Checklist

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Planning a move can be a stressful and difficult process and it gets worse on the actual day of your move – it is downright overwhelming. What can lessen the pressure, though, is knowing what you need to get done in a particular order. This will help put your mind at ease when the day comes for you to vacate your place and move in to the new one.

To keep the chaos at bay, you will need a local moving checklist to guide you through the process. Many of the tasks on the local moving checklist can be done in advance, so do yourself a favor by getting organized in advance. By being ready, you will be able to handle the ordeal of moving without distraction or worry.

8 Weeks Before the Move

  • Get organized – If you plan on obtaining the services of a moving company, you’ll need to organize that as early as 2 months before the move. Decide which moving company you will be working with and agree on a schedule; there are chances that someone has beaten you to the date you want to move. Set aside a folder where you can put all paperwork related to the move or have a notebook where you can jot down all your notes.
  • Sort your belongings – Decide what items you want to donate, discard, and keep.

7 Weeks Before the Move

  • Plan a garage sale – Go through your belongings and find things you don’t want to bring to the new location. Possessions you can easily purchase and clothes you haven’t worn in a while can be sold. It is a good way to lighten the load and make a few bucks to spend on moving expenses.
  • Buy moving supplies – You will need boxes of various sizes, markers, bubble wrap, and packing tape.

6 Weeks Before the Move

  • If you’re moving hours away from where you currently live, go to your family doctor and get copies of your family’s medical records.
  • Inform your children’s schools of the upcoming move and obtain copies of school records. This is also a good time to check the enrollment process in schools near your new residence.

5 Weeks Before the Move

  • Finalize everything with the moving company. Call the company you’ve picked and confirm the date, time and details of the move.

4 Weeks Before the Move

  • Notify your landlord – If you’re renting a home, let your landlord know and ask when you can have the security deposit returned.
  • Notify utilities – Process the closing out utility service at the current place and get utilities set up at your new residence.
  • Begin packing non-essentials – Place things you won’t need right away inside boxes and make sure you label the box flaps.

3 Weeks Before the Move

  • Change your address – Go to the USPS website and complete a change of address form. Inform credit card companies and banks of your new address.
  • Plan your food situation – Plan ahead to have nothing left in your refrigerator; use up food or canned goods that you don’t want to take with you. Check your pantry and make sure anything that is opened is consumed.
  • Take care of your car – Have it serviced and check with your insurance company about transferring your policy.
  • Pets and plants – Make arrangements to get your plants and animals to your new home.

2 Weeks Before the Move

  • Coordinate your valuables – If you have heirlooms and jewelry, separate them from the main move. Don’t mix them up with your other items. Keep them in a safe place and transport them yourself.
  • Proper disposal – Get rid of items that can’t be moved, like paint, cleaning materials, and propane.
  • Make a clean move – Make arrangements to have your new place thoroughly cleaned. You wouldn’t want to move to a dirty house.

1 Week Before the Move

  • Pack an essential kit – There will be items you will need right away at your new place. Prepare a backpack or suitcase filled with these needed things and don’t load it on the truck.
  • Confirm with movers – Check with your mover and confirm the date and time of the move. Make sure you have the same schedule.

1 Day Before the Move

  • Defrost and clear – Clean out the refrigerator and freezer, check the pantry and cupboards for any open food items and get rid of them.
  • Keep important documents handy – Any paperwork related to the move should be ready. Keep them in your bag at all times.

Moving Day

  • Collaborate with your movers – Help them identify large and fragile items right away. Be there when they load the boxes into the truck and verify if they have loaded everything. Sign the bill of lading when after you have made sure everything is accounted for.
  • One final sweep – Do a final check and make sure nothing is left behind.

Getting ready for the big moving day shouldn’t be as tiresome with this detailed local moving checklist. As long as you follow this local moving checklist, everything should go smoothly.

Local Furniture Movers

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Moving furniture is one of the primary reasons people hate relocating. Trying to take this task on alone, or with not enough people is not only a hassle, it can be downright dangerous.

If you are ever in the position of having to move your furniture, you should always consider hiring local furniture movers. However, if you are in a jam, remember these few tips.

Equipment: Moving furniture requires a lot more than elbow grease. Make sure you have the right tools before trying to attempt moving furniture yourself. The usual tools include a dolly (or hand cart), sliders so you don’t damage hardwood floors and furniture straps.

Preparation: The next thing you’ll want to do is make it as easy as possible to move your furniture. That means empty dresser drawers completely, remove the cushions from sofas and lounge chairs and make sure there is no loose change or any other heavy items weighing your things down.

Disassemble: If you have furniture that can easily be taken apart and broken down, this will make it much easier to move. This includes taking the legs off tables and chairs if possible. Just don’t forget to keep the screws and small pieces handy. A good trick is to tape them to the item you are moving. That way you won’t lose parts or get them mixed up.

Secure: Next, make sure everything is properly loaded and secured inside the moving truck. Things that are not tied down correctly can be damaged in transit, or create dangers when it comes time to unload.

Make It Easy: Hire Local Furniture Movers

Of course the easiest way to move furniture is paying someone to do it for you. Professional local furniture movers have all the specialized equipment and training needed to do the job safely and make sure everything arrives at its destination in pristine shape.

Get a Quote: Contact First Choice Moving today to find out how much it will cost you to hire local furniture movers. You’ll want to be very detailed in explaining to the movers exactly what you need done. This will help ensure you get the best price possible.

Have a Plan: Sketch out a map of the destination so the movers will know exactly where everything will go once it gets there. This will help avoid any confusion or hold-ups when moving day Arrives.

Hire First Choice: Make sure you choose First Choice Moving when it’s time to hire local furniture movers. We have the skills and expertise you are looking for. Don’t just trust anyone with your most valuable possessions. Give us a call today at 1-877-500-6683 to schedule your free consultation.

Hire the Right Long Distance Moving Service

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Are you preparing for a move and looking into hiring a company that specializes in long distance moving service? This is a good idea. Having a moving company assist you with the move can help you with some of the burden that comes along with transferring to a new place. The thing is, there are a lot of unethical moving companies who are only interested in taking your money than delivering your valuables safe and sound.

Be Cautious If Something May Be Suspicious

When looking for a good long distance moving service company, some signs are obvious. Poor phone manners are definitely a red flag. Look up the company on the internet and check their website. A website that looks out of date or hasn’t been updated in a while is a sign of another problem. Movers that seem to lack experience and disorganized should not be ignored. Trust your instincts if you think there’s something wrong or if you have reason to believe that the company should not be trusted.

Check a company’s reputation as well as its business licenses. Also make sure the long distance moving service company is willing to go to your home and check the items you wish to move. If the company’s representative simply gives you a quote over the phone without seeing your possessions, that is a bad sign. The estimate will not be accurate and you might end up getting billed a lot more than the quote mentioned over the phone.

Never trust a company that asks you to pay in advance, whether it is partial or the full amount. Always ask for references and thoroughly research the company on the internet. A company that is hesitant to provide you with references from previous customers is something you should stay away from.

Information and Paperwork Needed

Prior to the execution of the transfer or at the time of the estimate, the long distance moving service company must supply the following:

  1. Neutral dispute settlement/arbitration program information
  2. A copy of its written non-binding or binding estimate
  3. Contact information for the mover for inquires and complaints
  4. A copy of the U.S. Department Of Transportation (DOT) publication, “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move”

After the order for service has been implemented, the moving company should provide you with a copy after it has been signed and dated by you and a representative of the mover. At the time of pick up/loading time, the moving company should provide you with a copy of the freight bill or bill of lading. Included with the freight bill are scale weight tickets when the freight bill has been paid.

At the time of delivery, the long distance moving service will supply a copy of the completed bill of lading. After this has been done, double check and make sure all your boxes and possessions are intact. If you are happy with the company’s service, leave a testimonial in their Facebook page or website for the reference of those who are looking for a moving company.