It Begins: The Busy Moving Season

Now is when things start heating up...are you ready?

     As the weather warms up we all become more active, shaking off the cold days of winter and the wet days of spring, it seems to get people in the mood to move.  I can't put my finger on it, maybe its the desire to escape the cold and gray of the last few months.   Or it could be all the college graduates leaving to start their new lives, and the underclassmen who are returning home.  All I know is that this is the busy season for moving which inherently means you need to take extra care in the preparation otherwise you'll be left hot and bothered by a lot more than the weather.  As always there is no one way to execute a move efficiently so take your personal circumstances into consideration when following any of this advice (or any advice to be honest).

     One of the first things that you need to think about when moving in the summer, wether you are doing the move or hiring professionals, is the fact that because of how many moves are being done this time of year there is not a lot of availability...as in there is not a lot of available trucks to rent or movers to hire.  How does this affect your move, well simply put, you need to start making the appropriate plans as far out in advance of the moving date as possible.  So unless you expect a headache make your calls as close to a month in advance as possible, truthfully you may even want to start earlier if possible.  Obviously not everyone has the luxury of knowing months in advance when, where, or if they are moving, so if you find yourself on short notice one tip I can give you is make your move on a Monday.  Essentially Monday thru Wednesday is generally the slowest time of the week for movers and rental companies.  I know this means you will probably need to take off of work or rearrange appointments, but it may help secure a quick easy move on short notice.

     One of the biggest factors in summer moves has nothing to do with how busy the moving and storage companies are, it's the heat...if your moving your own stuff it can be a killer, make sure you take regular breaks and drink lots of water otherwise you will have bigger problems then how to get that triple dresser down three flights of stairs.  Also, try to use any shade to your advantage, and don't forget earlier in the day is generally cooler so try and use that to your advantage.  Keep in mind though, these factors also affect professionals as well so be considerate when you see them fighting the thermometer.

     I don't mean to make it sound difficult to move this time of year, it's truly not much different then any other time of the year...but there are some more things to think about, contrarily there are also some benefits to the warm weather.  Generally you will find it easier to stage things in and around the truck without the worry of harsh weather, same could be said of a move going in or out of a storage unit.  Another big plus to some is that it's yard sale season, and as I went over in another post, this can really help alleviate some of the financial and physical burden of the move by putting some money in your pocket while giving you less stuff to pack and move.

     In the end, I wish you the best if you are trying to beat the heat on your move, but if you heed my advice you may just beat the headaches that come along with summer moving!!

Selling Unwanted Items

Getting rid of stuff you don't want to move

   When you begin your move you are probably going to run into a few things you haven't seen in years.  Some items you realize you don't need anymore, and in these penny pinching times, some items you don't find worth moving.  When you run across these items you have 2 options.          
   One is to give items to charity, this is a great option if you can afford it.  Don't forget that most charities will give you donation slips, and some may even come to your door to pick up donated items.  With that being said, charities won't take all your unwanted items so you will need to figure out what to do with those particular items.

What to sell

• Obviously this depends on your individual circumstances, and almost anything can be put up for sale or donated.
• Furniture like sofas, television stands, desks, etc.
• Appliances, even scrapped can fetch a pretty penny, such as air conditioners, fridges, etc.
• Electronics, i.e. televisions, video games + consoles, computers, etc.
• Board games, gaming tables, etc.

Where to sell

• First and foremost, there is the ever present yard sale / garage sale.  This cuts out the middle man, prevents shipping costs, and can fetch a bigger pay-day then a lot of the other options.  The downside is there is a lot of set-up involved.  Days of planning, making signs, setting up tables, etc. but it is still one of the best options.  If there is anything that remains unsold afterwards you can always use one of the following methods.
• The internet is possible the second best option.  E-bay, Craigslist, etc. are reputable places to sell unwanted items.  Using the internet can give you quick sales and regulated prices, and since your ad is up all over the world you don't have to hope that people show up to your yard sale.  To do this effectively you need to take good pictures of your items, and you will probably have to pay for shipping costs, but this is still one of the best ways to sell your items
• Flea markets / Farmers markets rent stands over the weekend, generally for very little money, where you can set up and sell your stuff to a wide audience, you don't have to worry about advertising your sale, and they generally have protection from weather so you don't have to think about rain days.
• Last but not least is Pawn shops, you won't get the best price here because they are in the business of reselling your items.  So in general expect to get half of what it is actually worth.  They also have a relatively low range of items they will actually buy.  It can be a quick way to sell your stuff though if you don't want to put all the extra work of a yard sale.  
• A variation on the pawn shop is Second Hand shops, again you won't get top dollar for your items but they will buy all sorts of things from books to clothes and even kitchen equipment.

  Selling your items will not only make your move quicker, cheaper and easier, but you also get to put a little cash back in your pocket.   

Packing your house

Where to begin

   

   The best place to begin is a plan, take stock of what you have and what you are going to move.  It's important to remember when you pack your own boxes and hire a mover, that unless the box is damaged the moving company is not responsible for any damage to the contents.  With that in mind you need to pack well otherwise you might not be happy with the outcome of your move!

• Lists, lists, and more lists.  Write a list of the items you are moving, items you are getting rid of or selling, and lists of what you'll need to get the job done. 
• Figure out how many boxes you'll need (check out the boxes widget on our site).  
• Gather all the right materials, tape, bubble wrap, paper pads, etc.
• Think honestly about what you use often in your home and things you never touch, you dont want to pack away things you'll need after it's already in a box.
• Make a plan as to what you are going to do with all your items that you are not going to move (tips for selling or donating your items soon!).

   It is best to start packing as early as possible, sure a pair of movers can pack a 2,000 sq. foot home in a day, but for most people a room a day is the average.  If you can start around a month or 2 in advance you should have enough of a head start that you never feel rushed during this hectic process.  When you start packing early you can literally pack yourself into a corner if you don't plan appropriately.  To prevent that, it's best to start in your storage areas and closets, packing up all the things you rarely use.  Items like holiday decorations, off-season clothes, etc.  This same concepts can even apply to your kitchen, leave only the dishes, utensils, and necessary pots and pans for your family (side note, this also makes for less dishes!).  Other ideas for where to start, under your beds, sheds, old files, books, kids toys, spare rooms, etc.  

   

   When you get close to moving day start packing everything, which brings us to the next part of this article...Packing your boxes.

Packing your boxes

   

   Now this might seem like a no brainer, and for the most part it is, but there are common problems you can avoid if you follow these steps.

• Never fold the flaps on your boxes, ALWAYS tape the top and bottom, using about 3 strips of tape each.  It never hurts tape the corners of your boxes for extra stability especially for you fragile boxes.
• Make sure your boxes are closed fully and as square as possible, this will make for an easy time packing the truck and will help prevent damage.
• Use small boxes for heavy items such as books, cd's, etc. and larger boxes for lighter items, like pillow, bedding, etc.
• Pack according to your destination.  If you have 2 kids sharing a room now but they each get there own room in the new home, seperate their items before packing.
• Label everything.  Make sure the labels are very visible, especially any boxes marked Fragile.  It can really help when you unpack if you know that box your looking at goes into John's bedroom dresser or which shelf those books belong on.
• When you pack a box make sure it is filled to the top, if not the box is likely to crush the second any weight gets put on top of it.  It helps to save some sheets, throw pillows, etc. so you can put them on top when you can't quite get the box filled.

   Packing is never fun, but if you follow these tips it should get rid of the headaches and also make your move a damage free one!!

Things to Think About 

We Haul Moving

    If your a verteran of one of the big cities in this country, you know there are plenty of extra steps involved when you're trying to move into a new place.  From the parking restrictions, to the secure building access, nothing comes easy in the city.  As such moving under those conditions can become extra stressful.  Truth be told, there isn't that much of a difference with one big exception, planning.  This article will give you a few quick and easy steps you can take to make your move smooth and fast.

• Talk to your current / future building super - This will help you gather all the appropriate information as to your buildings rules and regulations on moving...This will really help you avoid some major headaches, some buildings won't allow moving services in their building without appropriate insurance papers being faxed in, etc.  A good understanding with your buildings front desk and staff will be the biggest step in making your move as simple as possible. 
• Make sure you get the right size truck - Wether you are renting a truck, or hiring a moving service, making sure your truck can easily access whatever building enterance is needed is one of the most important steps to plan for your move.  This also means a shorter walk for you or your movers, which will save you time and money.  As a side note, you can also generally reserve parking spaces either with your building if you have private parking, or through the city if it is metered parking that you will have to use.
• Figure out the best access - Wether this means reserving a freight elevator, which really speeds up the process if using an elevator is the only way to get your move done.  Another thing to think about is security doors, if you have several of them in your building it can really slow down the whole move.  Sometimes, if planned in advance, building will allow for these doors to be propped open during a set time for your move.  Another solution for this problem if you have a key fob access is to just let your movers hold onto the fob for the duration of the move (or a spare one if you have one).  
• One last thing about elevators - If at all possible, make sure all of your items can fit into your destinations elevators if that is the only way to get to your place.  Nothing can ruin a move quicker then if your couch and bed can go into your new apartment and you have to sleep on the floor till you can find another solution!

Well this is my first real blog entery, I hope it was helpful, and gives you some insight on moving.  Please let me know what you think, and feel free to add any ideas you have on this subject.  Stay tuned because this is the first of many, and remember submit any ideas or concerns you have about moving to get feedback from professionals and peers.  For a more in-depth look at our company and the services we provide, visit us  We Haul Moving where we have even more tips and some very useful tools to help you plan your move.

We Haul Moving : Still under construction

We Haul Moving

    Over here at We Haul there have been some major changes lately, the site is almost fully done construction, the blog is under way and being worked on regularly.  We are trying to spread the word about moving, in a effort to make every move an easy one.  With that in mind, we've been working hard on establishing a widely read and followed blog.  Trying to give out information on every aspect of a move, whether you've hired a mover, or even more importantly if you are moving yourself.
    Remember, this is an open forum, any questions and concerns will be thoroughly discussed by professional movers and hopefully some well informed D.I.Y.'ers.  If you like what you find, or want some personal answers for your impending move, visit us at We Haul Moving or contact our offices for fast, honest, dependable service