Moving Tips For A Safe Relocation

When you know that you have to move, you need to carefully plan it from A to Z. You have to put together a list with every single task that needs to be done. This list should include among others, finding packing boxes for moving, doing the actual packing, finding a good truck rental company, organizing all the paperwork, undertaking the actual transportation and settling in finally in the new place.

As you see, these are no small feats to do and each of them should have its own little task list that you should write upfront and then follow religiously.

When you are planning your move, you are ahead of 90% of other folks who simply do it as it comes and forget half of the things behind - or run around like crazy after packing boxes simply because they didn't plan for enough cardboard boxes early on.

Photo credits: Fanginhoon

Truck rentals for moving are necessary when you are relocating simply because they are huge vehicles that can transport all of your belongings, including clothing, furniture and any other home accessories that you might have. You simply can't transport your things in a regular car.

However how do you go about getting the best truck that will provide safety for your items on the road?

It is important to find a reliable truck rental company which will offer you the best deal and the best truck that you need. The truck should be in good working condition, fully loaded with petrol when you take it over and it should be available at the time when you need it. This is why one of the first things you need to do when you plan your move is to find a good company.

You need to take into account the times when these trucks are quite difficult to get hold of during the year. For example the summer holidays is a super busy period so you might want to move (if you can) during off-season. Also weekends are very busy as well as ends of the months. So if you plan carefully for your move, you will not only be able to get a good truck but also get a good truck at a great price. If you have to move during the busy times, you might find a truck but it could cost you extra.

Also don't forget to check all the paperwork (including the small print) when you are about to sign the contract with the moving company. You don't want to be slapped with some additional hidden costs later on simply because you were not aware of them early on. You should pay only the initially agreed amount.

Finally don't forget to actually check the condition of the truck. It should be in a good working condition, not very old and with all the protective extras that will help you transport all the belongins without anything breaking or getting destroyed in the process.

Of course you might want to go for a moving company that will do the entire move for you. This will save you time, however it will cost you more - at times, much more. So you have to carefully balance your need to save money vs your time available for the move.

Photo credits: mzacha

Packing is an entire subject by itself, it is so big. There are so many things you need to take into account even before packing. You need to gauge how many sturdy cardboard boxes you will need for the move. You wouldn't be the first person to be on the day of the move with things still unpacked simply because you ran out of boxes. You want to avoid this!

So make sure you get some good cardboard boxes that are sturdy and of good quality. You don't want to pack your china and crystals in a box that will not hold them properly during the move. You'd have a lot of damage on your hands upon arrival and even if the insurance pays for them, these might be left by your parents or grandparents and no insurance can replace the emotional loss you will experience.

Also get yourself some permanent markers (different colors if possible) and some labels so that you can carefully label every box accordingly.

One way to label them is by room. So you might have the things that will need to be unpacked in the bathroom, or bedroom or the shed.

And make sure you have adequate tape so that you can nicely tape every box. You don't want the boxes to open when the workers (or you) are putting them on the truck or when they are unloading it at the destination.

I hope these moving tips are helpful for when you need to move to a new place. What are your personal tips for moving, what did work best for you and what should one avoid? Also if you have any interesting stories to share, go ahead, we'd like to read them and this way other people will also know what to avoid or what to do best.