By Moving.net Staff
Purge
1. Decide in advance what things you want to take to your new home and what is best left behind. Why pay to move something you haven't used in years; just get rid of it. If you think the major appliances will be moved but are not 100% sure, include those items for now; they can always be removed from your list of things to be moved at a later time. (link to how weight affects your move).
Work With Your Moving Company
2. To get moving quotes, have someone come to your home to see the stuff to be moved so you can get an accurate estimate. This is not something that can be done easily over the phone or by filling out an Internet inventory. You will forget things, and your moving company representative is a trained professional. Be thorough: Make no assumptions about the care given an item for which you have a concern, and ask questions about the handling of those items.
3. If you are getting several moving quotes, the same person should work with the moving company representative; you want estimates to be equal. Also, heed suggestions from the moving company representative. How the survey is conducted should be a factor in your selecting the moving company -- a representative who did not seem to be giving his full attention and then prepares an estimate with charges considerably lower than others you receive has probably forgotten something. It can come back to haunt you later.
Moving Day
4. Notify your current and new neighbors of loading and unloading dates. Most trailers are 53 feet long, and with a tractor attached they take up a fair amount of space. Managing the parking situation as well as neighborhood children and animals will help the process.
5. Whoever met with the moving company representative should work with the moving crew. This will ensure the items to be moved are the same items identified in the walk-through. Also, when the driver arrives at your home, he will probably want to do a complete tour of the home. Walk along so you can answer questions as they arise. [work with your movers]
6. Prepare refreshments and snacks for the moving crew at both origin and destination. It is money well spent: The crew will be most productive if they do not have to leave the job site, and they will appreciate your consideration. Minor things can have a major effect on the move.You may want to let only the driver know where you have those things; normally the crew is on the driver's clock and he determines break time. Individual bottles of drinks usually work best, and snack items should be light. You may also want to grab sandwiches for lunch time.
7. Respect the movers. I'll never forget a crew that came back to the office about 30 years ago extremely upset that a customer clutched her purse the entire day; it immediately gave them the feeling she did not trust them. They were offended and I'm certain it had an effect on the move. Being a mover is not an easy job and does require special skills, and being a driver on the road presents its own challenges. Being away from family and friends for long periods of time is not easy. Compliment your moving crew about the good job they are doing. I'm sure you, like me, work best in a positive environment.
8. Walk through your home with driver as he is preparing the inventory. This is the best time to ask questions and express concerns. The driver will do a condition report of your furnishings. The inventory is not one-sided – yes, it will protect the driver and the moving company, but it can also make the claims process easier for you should there be damage to any of your furnishings during the move.
9. Have room schematics of where you want your furniture placed in your new home. This will help the crew as they move in the furniture. Once the moving crew gets the "lay of the land" the move-in will run smoothly. And be sure to check items off the inventory as they're brought into your home. Although the driver's intent is to make sure you get everything delivered that he loaded, occasionally something can turn up missing. Like the inventory itself, checking off the items at delivery will make the claims process easier, should that be necessary.
10. Gratuities are not required, but they are appreciated by the driver and his crew. For one, a tip is an indication the customer was pleased with the service provided. For another, all of us like to get a few extra dollars in our pocket. You may want to take some notes throughout the move to help you determine if a gratuity is warranted and how much it should be.
On a large, long-distance move, several people may be involved in completing your move (packers, driver, and moving helpers), so keep that in mind when figuring the amount. When asked for a dollar amount, I've generally suggested $10 to $100 per person depending on the size of the shipment, the quality of the work, and whether workers were there for the packing and unpacking.