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!!

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.