Re: Helpful Hints for a "Local" Move...

Bellabutterfly · ‎04-10-2014

@Buck-i-Nana wrote:
Are you hiring a mover or moving yourself?

If you're moving yourself, don't skimp on boxes! Boxes packed to heavy are a nightmare. Also, it's worth it to buy good boxes and padding from U-Haul or another place for your breakables.

Easiest local move I ever did I rented a POD, which is a moveable storage container. They place it on your driveway and then you can pack a box and load it into the POD. When you're totally packed up, you call and schedule them to come pick up your POD and deliver it to your new home. Once at the new home, you just reverse the process. Bring in your furniture, then bring in a few boxes, unpack, breakdown, bring in a few more. Much more organized, less pressure and really comparably priced to renting a U-Haul truck.

Hi @Buck-i-Nana !

Wow, what a "GREAT" idea! I never would have thought of that...It is brillant! I am sure going to remember this tip. Thank you for posting this.

ccassaday · ‎10-21-2010

We are thinking about getting a pod when we move. We may evdn be able to put it over on our property so when the house is built it is right there.

faeriemoon · ‎03-14-2010

@dex wrote:
Do the movers need to be tipped?

Yes. Since they worked such long hours, we tipped them each $100. There were 6 movers.

~What a terrible era in which idiots govern the blind.~ William Shakespeare

wildlifewitch · ‎02-08-2016

If you have the time, and it's local enough, make some short trips for rooms like bathrooms, and even the kitchen if you can. It was alot, but I filled my car with boxes of my kitchen stuff, and I was able to unpack it all in two hours. That way I could go grocery shopping and eat real fod on move in day, and have the bar stocked I also splurge on soft paper towels and wrap all fragiles in that, then additional newspaper if needed. I put silver ware in baggies. This way everything is clean when you unpack, and you can use paper towels to clean. Good luck with your new home.

AntiqueRose · ‎10-22-2016

We just helped our son and his family to move. Our daughter-in-law used a different color of duct tape for each room and put a corresponding piece of duct tape on each door to quickly find the correct room for the boxes.

I suggested that she use red duct tape for immediate use items. You need one bathroom immediately that will be functional. A new shower curtain, towels, hand soap & toilet paper! Toothbrushes and other toiletry items that you will need for the first couple of days.

Another immediate box for the kitchen...the most important for my husband was the coffee pot! (Lol) Again... hand soap, and hand towels (or paper towels) We tossed in paper plates, bowls, plastic utensils, coffee cups and anything else we could think of for the first couple of days.

Lots of bottled water and also cash for tipping. Having a little extra cash on hand for pizza delivery makes life a bit easier too.

FastDogWalker2 · ‎03-10-2010

Thank you all! Excellent ideas - dreading it a bit but these ideas will help!

dex · ‎03-09-2010

My son was hired by a moving company during his summer vacations from college.He says some people tipped and some people just bought them food,while others gave nothing.He was paid very well by the moving company including overtime and usually made about six thousand dollars for the summer...that was over seven years ago.

Lucky Charm · ‎03-09-2010

Locally, I would enlist as much family and friends who own trucks or SUVs to move some items. Cuts down on cost for you. Movers will usually come in beforehand and go over what they move and what they don't move.

Also, and these things are HUGE with me because I can't stand dirt/filth....do your own mattresses. Uhaul sells plastic bags large enough to accomodate king mattresses.

We carefully covered our own mattresses ourselves, one cover from the top down to the foot of the bed and then doubled up and did a cover from the foot end up.

I want to gag when I see people moving mattresses in the back of dirty old pickup trucks out in the open elements. Well, the floors of moving vans are filthy too. And so are the moving blankets they throw over furniture to *protect* it.

I don't use newpaper to pack anything, because the black ink will transfer --including onto your hands.

Good luck with your move!

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@faeriemoon wrote:
Plan on it taking longer than you expected. We recently moved three miles away from our old home. The movers arrived at 7 am at the old place, and didn't finish unloading us in the new place until almost midnight.

I was exhausted. We never thought it would take that long.

Also, a little suggestion, movers are happier when they are fed. This truly annoys me because it seems like a very bad time to expect food. But both times we have moved (the first time was 25 years before this move), the movers were expecting to be fed. (Doesn't anyone bring a lunch anymore?)

They actually asked you for food? How odd is that?I think I gave them coffee and cookies in the morning while their boss looked over the job at hand and told them they could help themselves to ice & water from the door of the fridge.But that was certainly all.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@dex wrote:
My son was hired by a moving company during his summer vacations from college.He says some people tipped and some people just bought them food,while others gave nothing.He was paid very well by the moving company including overtime and usually made about six thousand dollars for the summer...that was over seven years ago.

When we moved the owner of the company came over to the house top give us an estimate on the job and he told us the movers are well paid and he does not suggest tipping them. After all you are paying thousands of dollars to move a whole house, and that should be enough. Our move was especially expensive because we moved all our antique oak furniture and oak is very heavy. You pay for movers by weight.