There are many things we would rather do than move our stuff from one location to another, especially in the middle of winter, like swimming with sharks or listening to Roseanne sing the national anthem. It is a hassle, it gives us a headache, and it costs plenty of money.
Whether it is buying boxes or trying to find the right movers, it eats away a lot of your time, energy, and resources, much of which could have been better allocated to other tasks, like improving your backgammon skills or memorizing the lyrics to Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Major-General’s Song.”
Is there any possible way to make the big day any easier to complete?
When you have to select the best movers for your needs, there are several measures you can employ to ensure that the job gets done fast, and you get moved without great difficulties.
Here are five was to help movers before the big day:
1. Don’t Use Garbage Bags
For whatever reason, many customers decide to move their things using garbage bags. This is ineffective, and it will only cause movers or yourself to lose some of your items.
Sure, if you’re doing a few things before the big day, you can utilize garbage bags to move socks and underwear, shirts and sweaters. But that’s it.
Do you want to make the movers’ lives a bit better? Just use boxes and totes, not plastic bags.
Speaking of boxes…
2. Mark the Boxes with Classifications
Whether you have cardboard boxes or plastic totes, one of the best things to do is to mark the boxes with classifications, distinctions, or categories.
Here are some ideas to mull over as your packing the week before the move:
- One box is marked with “dishes,” while another box is marked with “equipment.”
- A tote is classified as “kitchen,” while another tote is categorized as “bedroom.”
By adopting these methods, you can know where your things are rather than scouring the depths of the underworld attempting to locate your keyboard or your spork.
3. Never Wait Until the Last Minute
Want to irk the movers? Wait until the very last minute to be ready. This will surely make the process a lot simpler!
If you’re still packing on the same day as the move, then it will only complicate matters, stretch out the move (which imbibes your pocketbook), and frustrate the movers.
Simply put: if you know you are moving on July 1, then start getting ready on June 1.
4. Be Honest About the Move
There is a common complaint among moving companies: customers do not tell the whole truth about their needs, or they try to hide certain aspects of the job. For instance, instead of admitting that they need to move a one-bedroom apartment, a client will claim they are moving a bachelor. Or, if the movers have to walk up and down four flights of stairs, the customer will say it’s a few steps.
Be a good person: be honest about the move.
If you have a three-seat sofa, a loveseat, and an armchair, then tell them you do. If you live at the top floor of a five-storey building without an elevator, then inform them of it.
Don’t be clandestine, don’t fib, and don’t omit any important details.
5. Have Their Tips Ready in Cash
Whether you are using movers from a franchise or you’re using independent movers, be sure to have their tips ready in cash (it’s usually about 10 to 15 percent). By using credit cards or debit cards, you risk not only costing the firm more money, other movers may not get their fair share. Just use cash, preferable small bills (fives and tens).
We get it. Moving is one of the hardest chores you will ever have to do in your entire life. Unfortunately, most of us move a dozen times in our lifetime. But it doesn’t have to be unbearable; you only need to better prepare for the big day. By incorporating these tips into your overall strategy, moving day doesn’t need to be the worst day of your existence.