Help and Tips to Make Moving Less of a Headache
Let’s start with the planning. There should be a structured way in which you do this and you should be able to write down and get organized to make this less stressful and easier.
Write down everything you can think of to do before you move. If you have a family have them help. This can be a stressful time for everyone and especially for young children. Have them help and be more involved and it will be more fun and less scary for them.
Write down things like who to contact before you move, who to call as far as utilities to shut off and who needs to know where you are moving to. All the utilities will want to have a forwarding address for you, in case of some overpayment this is good on your part.
You will want to find a mover if your not doing it yourself and this could be a problem. You have to find someone who will not rip you off when you are in the middle of a move. There has been a trend in moving company scams that is a real problem across the country.
A new scam is popular goes like this, the moving company says they will you for a low cost. Then they load everything up and move out. The contract, if they even have one will state something like they will pay by the pound and then they go and weigh your stuff. Which is way more than they told you as an estimate.
Then when it comes time for them to drop off your household goods, there they are with all your stuff still in the truck and holding out the bill. Either pay or off they go with your stuff. Either way they have you, if you don’t pay they will charge storage fees and get you there too. If you do pay it is very hard to get back what you did say you would pay before.
This is where a contract prior to the move and a little homework on your part comes in. You need to get it in writing and get estimates about how much stuff you have and how much it weighs. Ask a couple of movers and the ones that are close to each other are the ones to go with.
Dig into the movers and find out if they are reputable. How long have they been in business and who is the owner. Check with your city and the Better Business Bureau and see if there are any complaints against them. You can even check around to see who used what company when they moved.
How about big businesses in your area. If there is someone that you know that works for a large business in the area ask them to find out who they recommend. If they have a regular local mover they use it would be a good start to try them.
Whoever you use to move get the move in writing. Have a written contract that it will cost so much to move your household goods from point A to Point B and not a penny more. If they don’t come to look at what you want to move that is another warning. They should come to your house to see for themselves how much you have to move.
They may have a part of the contract about weight and that it will cost so much per pound but you can get an estimate for that before you move. This is a very common way for them to do business but they know roughly how much your stuff will weigh. If they have been doing this for years they will be able to look at your stuff and roughly guess how much it will weigh and how much it will cost.
If they are not looking at your stuff go to someone else. They don’t care how much they move afterwards because they have your stuff and you have to pay them to get it back. If it is in writing before hand you have the upper hand.
When you pack, list everything in each box. Make a copy of the list and attach one copy to the box and keep the other copy in a file with other important papers during the move. If anything is lost you have a record of it and can get money back from this.
Also take pictures of any valuables, especially jewelry or other small things. Things that are small and can be easily misplaced need to be accounted for and evidence of their existence needs to be recorded. Take pictures of things that are not boxed to show the condition of them when you gave them over to be moved. That way any damage en route cannot be blamed on you before the move.
Take important papers such as the most current bills, insurance for cars, life and health and anything like your receipts for the move and the contract for the new house or property. The contract for the move should also be with these papers along with the list of your property.
You should keep all your blank checks and other financial records separate from your household goods. That way if anything is lost it won’t be things like blank checks. Keep them in a lockable box or small security safe and take them with you. Or you can mail them to your new address by certified or insured carrier and be sure you get them.
Before the move you need to make sure all the utilities get shut off and that they stay that way. Go the place that the utility is for and get in writing that you are moving and that the utility will be shut off from your name. This may sound odd but the person moving in after you is not someone you may know.
Go and tell the cashier or secretary you want to give them a letter saying you are moving and that you want the letter signed by them or someone there stating you are being taken off the utility. This will leave you with evidence in case someone tries to turn the utility back on in your, the former owners name.
This has happened to me and is a problem that I don’t wish on anyone else. The landlord turned the utilities back on in my name just by calling the power company and telling them to. I am still fighting it and have been for a few years now.
When you do leave, of course go around and shut everything you can, windows doors and such. Leave the fridge open and make sure you return all keys to the new owner or landlord.
By writing down important things you will not forget and will be able to make the move that much easier and stress free. Follow your list and do what you need to. It will help if you write down and keep yourself more organized
