When You’re at the Mercy of the Mover--

--the mover’s schedule that is.

This schedule includes his loading and delivery schedule; especially if you have a small load. If you have a small amount of goods, you might not have much say over when you can get your possessions picked up, moved, and/or delivered. Also, because your goods are being combined with other small goods, it’s not easy for a mover to pinpoint the exact date your possessions will arrive.

But, then again, for smaller loads, flexibility is the key.

So make sure that what you're shipping you can do without for awhile (i.e. old legal papers, books, magazines, clothes, etc.).

Don’t Make A Small Move a Big Problem

Moving companies often consolidate shipments to most effectively use a truck's space. This is because any empty space is a loss of money for the mover. So a moving company often pieces together many shipments, or they get a small shipment to fill out the load.

However, if you’re the customer with a small load, this might not leave a smile on your face. This is because you’ll probably pay more per pound for every hundred pounds. Many movers charge for a minimum amount of weight (often around 2100 pounds).

So even if your load weighs little, you might get charged a lot! A partial explanation is that some movers charge an extra fee to bring your possessions from your home to their warehouse and hold it for a moving van headed in the direction of where you want your items shipped.

Putting the Pests Problem to Rest

Before you put your money down to store your goods at a storage company’s facility, visit the storage facility first and see if your possessions are at risk due to rodents or insects.

The owners of the warehouse should be able to give you a map which details the locations of insect and rat bait boxes. If they don’t know where these are, it’s because they don’t have ANY laid down, or they’re just plain sloppy.

If either is the case, pass on them and find another mobile storage warehouse. When you go to sleep at night, you don’t need to worry if your possessions are overrun by pests!

When It Takes Two—to Move

If you’re about to move in with your significant other—it can be significantly difficult as two moves are worse than one…as is the cost!

With all relationships and moves, it is essential to communicate. If you and your loved one have duplicates of anything, it might be time to bid adieu to the one in worse shape. This especially goes for big, bulky duplicate items like furniture, cookware or musical instruments, (i.e., pianos). It is now time to decide what to eliminate so you're not shipping the same item twice—which equals more money for both. Or, keeping a duplicate of something that just takes up room in your new place.

Finally, if you’re not sure that this relationship/move is one that will last, store your goods in mobile storage!

More Hook Up(s)

Before you move into your home, don’t phone in for your utilities to be turned on. You can let your fingers do the internet walking and hook up your utilities.

For example, WhiteFence.com will sign you up for all your utilities AND can compare online providers for the best price.

All you do is enter your zip code on the site, and you get the providers’ prices at your new home. You can also get special offers and discounts.

When it comes to moving, don't sit on the fence-try WhiteFence!

Truck it—then Junk it!

When moving day and throwing out day become the same day, some people go for the dumpster route. Unfortunately, to go on this route costs a pretty penny. And your neighbors might not appreciate it. But--

You could rent a moving truck.

Simply keep your stuff that you intend to throw away in your garage or in a room, then toss it into the rental truck and away to the dump you go! If you’re renting the truck for one day, you might find yourself with extra time to do other throw-away chores (i.e, home improvement) associated with your move.

So if you rent the truck for the day, wisely use every minute and every penny of your rental fee!

Island Living…

On Roosevelt Island!

For 235 years it was Blackwell's Island, and until 1973 it was Welfare Island—not a good name for someone to call home!

For years, the island was a place where New York sent its least desirable inhabitants: the contagious, the mentally ill, the incarcerated and the criminally insane.But now, people come to Roosevelt Island on their own volition. The world map in the visitor's kiosk is covered with pushpins indicating the many visitors' homelands: countries as far away as Greenland, India, Brazil, Korea and New Zealand. Today, about 12,000 people live on the island.

You can get a roomy two bedroom condo for $625-695,000 while a magnificent 3 BR 2.5 BATHS penthouse goes for $1,799,000.

So if you're looking to move to an island closer to New York then Staten or Long Island(s), try Roosevelt!

The Hook Up(s)

WAY back in the day, people arriving at their new homesteads would sometimes spend days calling utility companies to hook up a service. Today, the Internet has simplified the hook up process. Today, you can find most utilities (cable, phone, gas and electricity), on the Internet. They’ll let you sign up for service or change your existing service online.

Or, you could try services that let you do all your utilities hookups online, like WhiteFence.com. Not only can you sign up for your services at one time, but you can compare the providers of these in one simple place online as well as shop for the best price.

So get hooked up at your old home before you move into your new home—without having to travel to your new home.

Binding vs. Non-Binding

There are two types of moving estimates: binding which means the contract is you and the moving company. One type of binding estimate is the “guaranteed not to exceed” estimate which means you won’t pay more than the estimated moving costs, but if your moving costs wind up being less than the estimate, you pay the lesser amount.

A non-binding estimate is an estimate; you might pay more, you might pay less. These are more common for local moves, where you pay by the hour according to the number of movers you use.

If there are contracts for both—read them before you’re binded to something too late!

Weighing Your Options

For a long distance move (interstate or within your state), watch when the truck with your goods inside gets weighed at the scale used to weigh trucks. One reason that you may want to do this is to ensure that the actual weights used were just for your shipment, which is important if your shipment is not the only one on the truck. Trucks often carry goods from several households on the same truck if they have the same final destination.

If you plan on being a witness to the weigh-in, let your moving company know so they can arrange it with the driver. If for some reason the moving company refuses to offer you the opportunity to see this weighing, it could create some other doubts in your mind about the moving company.

If you have any doubts, move on to another moving company!

Watch Your Weight--

--when it comes to moving a long distance!

Unlike a local move, when you're moving interstate or a long distance within a state, your move’s costs will be dictated by how heavy your possessions are and the number of miles the shipment will be traveling to your new home.

For example, on the day of your move, your driver will weigh his truck before loading any of your good. This gives him the "based weight" of the truck. Upon filling the truck with your possessions, the truck is again weighed by the driver, and the difference is the basis of your charges.

Because you're paying for the move, you may be asked to be involved in these weigh-ins—which in this case, watching your weight means watching your money!

Ask Before You Move A Mattress Out!

If you’re going to surprise a loved one with a new mattress, make sure the old mattress is not being used as a bank. For example, in Israel, a woman mistakenly threw out a mattress with $1 million inside, setting off a frantic search through tons of garbage at a number of landfill sites. The woman said she bought her elderly mother a new mattress as a surprise and threw out the old one, only to discover that her mother had hidden her life savings inside!

So—do a thorough mattress search so you don’t have to search mountains of garbage later!

Before You Pack—

--make sure that you don’t pack up possessions that are essential to you and your well being.
That is, you don’t want to pack away any prescriptions or medications that have been prescribed to you. Also, keep all cold medicine and (aspirin for any headache you might get) handy. You don’t want to feel ill and realize that your medicine is packed deep away. This especially goes for those with asthma.

Stress, or imagined stress, from a move often brings on illness. So keep any medicine within arm's reach!

After Moving In—

Take a deep breath and make sure all moving records are where you can get to them again—especially during tax time. Keep all receipts and documentation in a file marked “MOVE” and store it all in a safe place. Be sure to include your Bill of Lading (BOL or B/L) which acknowledges that your possessions have been received on board as cargo for conveyance to a named place for delivery to the consignee (which is you or someone you deem to be the consignee).

If you haven’t done it, get a new driver's license and new tags for your automobile.

Then, register to vote if you’ve moved to another state.

Show—Not Tell

If you’re at your new place before your mover, it’s better to show the driver where you want the truck parked. You don’t want the driver to park in a new neighbor’s favorite spot or to block a driveway that’s not yours.

Also, you should be there to sign for the delivery. If you are unable to do this, work closely with a friend to accept your shipment. Of course, after you’ve arrived at your home, have your friend or family member give you the signed form—especially if the family or friend is just visiting you from afar. If you can’t be there for the move or at your new house for awhile, have the signed form placed in a secure and locked place in your new house.

If You “Move In” Before the Movers…

If you get to your new home before your possessions do, you still have a full plate of things to do even if your rooms are empty.

Make sure your utilities have been connected—and are in your name! Contact the electric/gas, cable and phone company to make sure you’re not paying someone else’s bills.

Also, when a house is empty, that is the time to make any slight repairs to it. For instance, if the last tenant moved out, make sure he/she left the household in good shape during his or her move. If he/she didn't, have them come over for the repair--or charge them for it.

Moving to--The Bowery

Manhattan’s Bowery is the oldest thoroughfare in New York City and once a place for the down and out. Today, it’s the place for the up and coming—and beyond!

Renters can still find historic walkups, most without doormen. Buyers should check out the Grand Street Co-ops, a collection of 4,500 apartments - some with outdoor space and/or views of the East River.

Of course, for better or for worse, NYU is building a $38 million dormitory on the south side of East Second Street between the Bowery and Second Avenue. The developers and students are overjoyed over news that galls residents of 2nd Street, who live mainly in 19th-century brownstones and carriage houses. Somehow, the dormitory was designated a community facility under the zoning code, allowing the building to be much larger than it would otherwise have been.

So move in—before NYU TOTALLY does!

Making a Pain-Free Moving Experience

Anyone who has ever moved has been inflicted with a sudden case of “the dreads.” The hardest part of moving and the one movers dread the most is the “just getting started part.”

If you're feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath—or two. Concentrate on the room you're standing and perspiring in. Then, work one room at a time until there aren’t any more to work! Focus on smaller individual tasks rather than trying to take on the whole job.

For instance, let go (i.e. throw out!!) the things you don't want before packing. Do you really want that scratched “Village People” album? Are you tripping over broken children toys that your children don’t even want any more?

Let them go so you can get going!

Insuring That You’re Insured

Don’t take a mover’s cliché word how, “You’ve got nothing to worry about. Relax, your move’s gonna be fine!” A move that isn’t fine could mean that your goods have been damaged, lost or both.

Taking out an insurance policy not only eases your worries, but it enables you to insure high value items. Get a policy from a licensed insurance agent. It monetarily protects you from “Acts of God” that can cause havoc on your move (i.e., floods, tornados, lightening, hurricanes, vehicular accidents etc.).

A good policy is one that covers the items listed on your contract at full replacement cost. So get a good one…and feel good!

Never Underestimate Your Estimator!

--a.ka., your moving consultant, assessor etc.!

These are the individuals who come into your home, see what is going to be moved and assess you a price for the move.

Make sure it’s a set price—and make sure it’s in writing. Don’t have the estimator give you a figure over the phone then, on the day of the move, that monetary figure moves faster than the move.

Also, trust and do business with an experienced estimator from an established company who carefully takes his time in assessing the move and explaining the process and price to you. An estimator who strolls into your home, does a quick look around and gives you a quote after a five to ten minute “assessment” tells you that (1) the moving company is not established (2) if the moving company isn’t into “details” on assessing the move, the move would be just as careless and (3) the estimator is as inexperienced as the company!

Boxing Day

Moving is like a football coach planning to attack the opposing team. As in football, in moving you too need a game plan—which starts with the boxes you’re going to put into play. Below are four types of boxes and what should go in them:

2 Cubic Feet Carton – Small moving carton for heavy items, such as books and records.
4 Cubic Feet Carton - Medium utility carton often used for pots and pans, toys, etc.
5 Cubic Feet Carton - For moving bulky items, such as linens, towels, or toys.
6 Cubic Feet Carton – For moving large bulky articles, such as pillows or large lampshades.

In short, boxes are like clothes: Getting the right size is extremely important. You don’t want a box too small or so big that the possessions shift and break in the move. Consult with the experienced moving agent for the box that’ll fit you and your possessions to a “T!”

Confronting your fear of the unknown…

…which in the moving business is—will I get ripped off?

There are surefire ways to avoid this nightmare from occurring.

First, if you’re talking to a “broker” who says he’ll sell your move to a moving company you’ve never heard of, hang up. A broker or mover who gives you a quick moving quote over the phone or on the Internet and has never seen you or your possessions is sure to be a rogue mover.

Have a moving company give you at least three in-home assessments. If they give you a scarily low estimate at the first assessment, tell them to move out of your home---pronto!

If you’re still unsure if a moving company’s legit, go to the Better Business Bureau’s website and/or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's website www.safersys.org.