USA Moving Tips
These USA moving tips are designed to help you keep your cool on moving day.
A lot will be going on the day of your move. Our USA moving tips should help you get through it much more smoothly and keep your stress level down.
- Make two checklists - one for what needs to get done before your moving day and one for the day of your move.
- If you're doing some of your own packing, get your portion completed before the movers come to pack - usually the day before they load. Our tips for packing moving boxes will help you complete the job.
- Make any necessary arrangements for your pets. You'll want to keep them out of the way of the movers and keep their stress levels to a minimum - the actual move will be stress enough for them.
- Take care of any last minute items to be packed early in the morning on moving day. That way, your mover won't need to wait around while you finish.
- Try to clear up any last minute errands you need to run the day before your moving day. If you plan to tip your moving crew if they do a good job, be sure you have cash on hand or plan to have any necessary cash when you reach your destination if you plan to tip the crew after unloading.
- Before the movers arrive remove any obstacles that would be in their way between the door and the moving van. Make sure hallways and stairwells are clear. If a stair railing needs to be removed, take it down ahead of time.
- Check closets along with storage and utility areas around the house make sure you haven't forgotten anything. Make sure all of the moving boxes you packed are properly labeled. Tape up any moving boxes that are still open.
- Move any vehicles that will be in the way of the movers or that you don't want blocked by the moving van. You may also want to alert the neighbors if the van will prevent them from getting their cars out of the driveway.
- Stick around so you can be available for both the movers and the packers and you can be alert to what's going on. Try to build some rapport with your movers and packers.
Selecting a Moving Company
Here are a few moving tips to help you select a moving company after receiving your moving estimates:
- Before selecting a mover confirm that the moving company is licensed.
- If you're moving locally, ask nearby relatives, friends or neighbors if they've had experience with any of the moving companies you're considering.
- Ask each of the moving companies you're considering for references and check them to see what they have to say about each mover.
- Compare your moving company estimates. While selecting movers shouldn't only be about low price, compare the terms and the services included in each quote, what type of mover's valuation or insurance is offered and what the charges are for any access problems or added options you selected.
- Compare payment terms. Will you have to have cash on arrival to pay the balance due to the moving company?
- Ask if the mover you're hiring is a member of the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) or if they are members of the AMSA's Certified Mover program, which is a group of only 100 moving companies that have agreed to provide exceptional service. Certified Movers in the program are independent operators, while Certified Van Lines are national and international movers who operate through a network of agents. More information on the program and a listing of members are available from AMSA's web site, www.moving.org.
- Find out what will trigger additional charges if your estimate is not a guaranteed amount. What terms are in the written moving estimate with respect to situations like when your shipment exceeds its estimated weight?
- Compare how each moving company's representatives have communicated with you. Did you have to deal with anyone other than the estimator/sales rep at the moving company? Did one moving company seem easier to deal with than the others? Is any moving company putting undue pressure on you to make a decision?
- You can check a moving company's background with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and your state's Department of Consumer Affairs. Check your state's web site for information on how to contact the Consumer Affairs or similar department in your state to check a local mover's complaint record. Interstate moves (across state lines) are subject to federal regulations, but your state Consumer Affairs Department may also have a complaint record on file for a specific interstate moving company.
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