Decluttering Before You Move

By: Norma Watson

Whether you are moving yourself or you’re hiring someone to do it for you, moving is a sheer state of pandemonium. I don’t know about you, but when I don’t have some sort of plan in place, things around me seem to spiral out of control like a Kansas twister. A plan does not have to be elaborate to be effective. Simple tips can help relieve the stress and make you feel more organized and in control during the move process. Listed below are a few helpful tips to keep you moving forward. Remember, one step at a time and breath, you got this!

Good Riddance to Rubbish

Liberate yourself from all the “stuff” that you don’t need, want or use. If you are anything like me you have many wonderful treasures, but if you have not used it or wore it in the last year or if you won’t use it in your new home, get rid of it. If it is something you want to keep or if you won’t use it immediately after you move, go ahead and box it up.

So this task is less overwhelming, do it in piece meal. Pick one room and make it a goal to clean it out in a day or week depending on when your move day is. Clean out anything that holds your possessions; closets, drawers cabinets, shelves, etc. and place the item(s) into corresponding labeled boxes such as garage sale (extra moving money), donate (tax deduction), keep or trash. Once you have all the items boxed, clean the room and shut the door. Viola! You did it! Good job!

Use, Use, Use

Household staples take up room. Canned goods, perishables, paper goods, cleaning supplies and flammables, (propane and gas) all take up space and weight. The propane and gas cannot be transported by moving companies. Use them up or give them away to your neighbors. Invite all your friends over for a moving party. Get creative with your kitchen pantry, layout your spread of delicious “whatever” and nosh down. Then have a cleaning jam session after the food to burn off the calories and use up those cleaning supplies! Give away the rest, I mean who doesn’t love free stuff!!??

Boxes!

Investing in good sturdy boxes is essential to an organized move. They are made to protect your fragile household items and come in a variety of sizes making them easier to pack, seal, label and stack. Your movers will love you for thinking of them and their backs!

Moving File

While you are cleaning, organizing and disposing, gather all your important paper documents you will need during and after the move. Things like birth certificates, social security cards, medical and dental records, bank records, any paperwork you may need first when you arrive at your new digs. Put all these items in a file and keep it with you during your move. No ripping boxes open in a frantic panic to find that document, you got it covered!

See, as I said before, you got this! So go ahead, dig in and “git’er done”. You are moving forward.

[Norma Watson has been a member of the Two Men and a Truck family since April 2013. She has learned the tricks of the trade by helping hundreds of customers book their moves. Her tips will not only help you stay calm when packing up your home, but help you eliminate excessive clutter and start fresh at your new place.]

10 Questions to Ask a Moving Company Before You Hire Them

Moving can be a stressful time for everyone. Choosing movers can either make or break your move. Here are 10 things you should ask the moving company before choosing them.

1. How am I billed and what’s included?

 TMT: We charge port to port with an hourly moving rate. This includes the use of the 26 foot box truck, the two uniformed movers, shrink wrap, furniture/floor pads and a non deductible insurance on your possessions.

2. Are there any other fees?

TMT: There is a one time fuel charge fee.

3. Do you sell boxes and packing supplies?

TMT: We certainly do. We will even bring the boxes to your home/business ahead of time for free. Then on the move day charge you for whatever boxes you use and take back the rest with us. We have many different types of boxes to make your moving easier. Ask about our dish packs and wardrobe boxes.

4. Is there a cancellation fee or penalty for changing my moving date?

TMT: Nope. You may reserve a date on the schedule free of charge and there is no penalty for changing or cancelling. We know how tricky it can be booking a move with all the other variables. However, try to give us at least 24 hours notice. This allows us to give other customers the opportunity to fill the time slot.

5. When is payment expected?

 TMT: Payment is expected when the move is completed.

6. What type of payment do you accept?

TMT: Cash, check and all major credit cards.

 7. How long do you anticipate the job to take?

TMT: When you call us to book a job we can give you a fairly accurate quote right over the phone. By providing the addresses you are moving to and from, along with a detailed list of items we can estimate how many hours the move will take. Keep in mind, you only pay the time it takes to move broken into 15 minute increments. We often tell customers, overestimate the number of boxes and if there are items you think you will move, but we might end up moving them, put them on the list. In the end we rather quote you higher than what it actually takes – we don’t want to give you any surprises.

8. Do different days have different rates?

TMT: Yes, Monday through Thursday are our best rates. Friday and Saturday the rate is higher and Sunday it increases again.

9. How will you move my possessions safely?

TMT: Every mover and driver at Two Men and a Truck goes through an extensive training process. We never hire any day laborers or use temp agencies. We have something we call the “Grandma Rule” and try to treat everyone like we would our own grandma. Shrink wrapping and properly padding the items in the truck are the necessary precautions we take to prevent damages.

10. What happens if you damage my property and how long do I have to make a claim?

TMT: We do our best to treat your possessions like our own to prevent damages. Couches and furniture are wrapped and padded, glass is properly stored  and flat screen televisions require being boxed. But every once and awhile a damage does happen.

Our drivers and movers will bring to your attention if a damage is noticed and will fill out the proper paper work. Also, before the movers leave it is a good idea to inspect everything and bring to the the drivers attention immediately. Once the paperwork is filed out, you can expect a phone call within the next 48 hours to discuss the course of action of getting your items repaired, replaced or reimbursed. The moving insurance has a 72 hour shelf life. Waiting to call in a damage can complicate the issue and delay corrective action.

For more information on moving, please give our office a call today at 863.646.6683.