Choosing a place to store your personal belongings is an important decision. You will want to make sure your prized possessions are safe and secure. Here are some hints on how to choose a storage facility: First, determine what kind of storage you need. Call a few facilities to ask about size, cost, climate-control, and access. Do some research online. You can try the Better Business Bureau and other online review sites. Contact the local police department to ask about the crime rate in the area where the facility is located. You may be able to find out if they’ve had any break-ins or reports of problems. Try to visit the facility in-person before you commit. This way you can tour the units and get answers to any questions you may have. ]]>
Avoiding Moving Scams
If you’ve never heard of a moving scam, then consider yourself lucky. But many people across America are falling victim to these scams. Moving scammers have a multitude of ways that they can take advantage of you. The main scam seems to be packing all of your household items into their truck, and then adding on exorbitant additional fees in transit, effectively holding your items hostage until you pay up. Less popular scams involve unlicensed movers posing as legitimate companies, by-the-hour rates where you are charged even while no work is being done, and in the rare case, a sham company showing up, packing up all of your possessions, and driving away, never to be heard from again. To minimize your risk, follow a few simple guidelines.
- Use a local, reputable business.
- Never do business with a broker. Always do business with the actual moving company.
- Always be sure that the company is licensed to do the work they are to be performing. This includes getting the business’s full name and address, motor carrier (MC) and Department of Transportation (DOT) license numbers, phone numbers and an e-mail address. If a company cannot provide you access to these things, then move on.
- Be sure to use a company with actual employees, and not day laborers. If they use day laborers, there is a chance that they may not have the proper insurance in place.
How to Pick a Storage Company
Choosing a place to store your personal belongings is an important decision. You will want to make sure your prized possessions are safe and secure. Here are some hints on how to choose a storage facility: First, determine what kind of storage you need. Call a few facilities to ask about size, cost, climate-control, and access. Do some research online. You can try the Better Business Bureau and other online review sites. Contact the local police department to ask about the crime rate in the area where the facility is located. You may be able to find out if they’ve had any break-ins or reports of problems. Try to visit the facility in-person before you commit. This way you can tour the units and get answers to any questions you may have. ]]>
How to Help Your Child with a Move
There are so many details that go into moving we often forget the emotional aspect of transitioning to a new home. For children this can be especially difficult. Often for children, the house and neighborhood they currently live in may be the only home they have ever known. Moving can be a particularly stressful event for a child. Here are some tips to help ease the transition: 1. Have a family meeting After you have made your plans to move, hold a family meeting to talk with your children. Share your feelings about the move and encourage your children to do the same. Expressing the positive aspects of the move can be helpful, also share that you may be feeling a little nervous too. 2. Make room plans Take your children to visit their new home or at least show them pictures. This may help ease their concerns. Let them be involved in their new home by picking out the paint colors or the furniture layout of their new space. Children will often be more receptive if they feel included in the process. 3. Make a map of local points of interest Your new home most likely has some fun things for children nearby. Go online or draw a map showing your new home and places that your children may enjoy like the library, soccer field, playground and other fun places. This will help your child feel excited and help them learn more about their new neighborhood. 4. Visit the new school If possible take your children to visit their new school before their first day. It will be helpful to meet the teachers and see the school’s surroundings beforehand. 5. Throw a “See You Soon” party One of the most difficult things about moving is saying goodbye. Hosting a “See You Soon” party helps your children understand that goodbye is not forever. Make sure to get all of their friend’s phone numbers and email addresses so they can keep in touch. Remember to take a lot of pictures at the party as well. Sending the photos to the friends they have left behind is another way of keeping in touch. Most of all you should try to keep things as normal as possible. You may need to hug a little more and check in with older children to help ease the anxiety. Soon they will have new friends and new things to look forward to. ]]>
Moving Can Be Stressful
60 Days Before You Move
- Sort and Purge-Go through every room, decide what needs to come with you and what can go. Make piles of things to throw away and things to donate.
- Plan a Yard Sale-Start planning a yard sale to reduce the amount of stuff you need to move. Some extra money for the move will also come in handy.
- Hire a Mover-Contact at least three moving companies. On-site estimates are better than over the phone or internet estimates. Get each estimate in writing, and make sure it has a USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) number on it.
- Create a Moving Binder-Store all of your move-related paperwork (checklists, contracts, receipts) in a binder. You may also want to inventory all of your items with photos or lists.
- Get Packing Supplies-Determine how many packing supplies you’ll need and designate a room where you can begin to store and organize.
- Take Measurements-If possible get room dimensions of your new home. Make sure large pieces of furniture will fit. Don’t forget to take measurements for appliances too.
- Confirm with Mover-Check with your mover the details of your move.
- Start Packing-Begin packing out-of-season clothes and unnecessary items.
- Label-Make sure to label boxes with what rooms the boxes will go in at your new home.
- Start/Stop Utilities-Make arrangements to connect and disconnect your cable, internet and utilities.
- Change your Address- Contact or visit your local Post Office to obtain a Change of Address form. You can also obtain this form online at http://www.usps.com.
- Make Notifications- Change your address to the following: registry of motor vehicles, banks, schools, friends & family, insurance companies, doctors and specialists, cell phone providers, credit card companies and magazine and newspapers.
- Contact Service Providers—Notify landscapers, cleaning services that you are moving, and look for new ones in your new hometown.
- Call Locksmith- Have your new home’s locks changed on moving day or before.
- Arrange Services- Have a cleaning company prepare the new home before you arrive and tidy the old home after you leave. Arrange for carpet cleaning too.
- Pack the bulk of your items.
- Start Cleaning-Begin cleaning any rooms in your house that have been emptied, such as closets, basements or attics.
- Pack Suitcases- Finish your general packing a few days before your moving date. Pack suitcases for everyone in the family with enough clothes to wear for a few days.
- Gather Keys- Organize all keys, alarm codes and garage door openers so that you can be prepared to hand them over to the new owner or real estate agent.
- Defrost the Freezer- Empty, clean and defrost the freezer at least 24 hours before moving day.
- Make Payment Plans- You will need to make sure you have made arrangements to pay the mover and have a tip (usually 10%-15%).
- List Contact Info- Write out a list for your movers of things they’ll need: phone numbers, exact moving address and maps.
- Take Inventory- Before the movers leave, sign the bill of lading/inventory list and keep a copy.
- Walk-Through- Do a walk-through of your new home with your real estate agent.
- Layout New Home- Tape names to doors to assist movers in placing furniture and boxes.
- Have Director- Arrange for someone to direct the movers at your new home.
Moving out of state?
If you happen to find yourself moving to another state in the near future, you’ve got your work cut out for you. On top of having to deal with the stress of relocating your family in an unfamiliar place, you’ll have a lot of paperwork and research to consider before the big day. Here are four things that you’ll need to have covered if you hope to have a seamless transition into a new residence. Keep in mind that the more bases you’ve got covered, the easier it will be for you and your family to get accustomed to a new state. 1. Cost of living. – The cost of living can vary dramatically from state to state. If you’re moving for a new job, then make sure to research the cost of living close to your new place of employment. If you lived in a metropolitan area before, then it may serve you better to move to a town surrounding the city and pull a commute than to take a gamble at throwing yourself into a new city that may upset your current lifestyle. Alternately, you may find that the state you are moving to has a fairly low cost of living in the metropolitan areas compared to what you are used to paying. Every state is different in this regard. Doing the research now will save you major headaches. 2. Moving companies. – Unless you are packing up all of your belongings yourself, odds are that you will be relying on a long-distance moving company to handle most of the work. Prices of this service can very dramatically from company to company, so be sure to get at least three quotes from reputable moving companies as to ensure you’re getting the best deal. Also, make room in your budget for an insurance plan that you are comfortable paying for. The last thing you’ll want to deal with during your move is the worry of your possessions being damaged with no recourse. 3. Taxes. – You may not think that taxes are an important thing to consider this early in the game, but if you live in a state that doesn’t collect an income tax, moving to a state that does can impact your cost of living. Meet with a tax specialist and review any hidden taxes and expenses you may incur as a result of your move so you aren’t surprised later on down the road. 4. Neighborhoods and local culture. – This may be one of the most important steps that a lot of people overlook. Just because you do a virtual walk through of a home and like what you see, doesn’t mean you’ll like where you’re moving. Do some detective work before you sign papers. Look into crime statistics, school ratings, reviews of the city and neighborhood you’re considering moving to, and local taxes and ordinances. You can find all of this information online relatively easy. If you can manage it, then plan a visit to your potential new home to see everything your new town will have to offer. Look at the commute to your new place of employment, the sights and sounds of the local culture, and keep an eye out for anything you don’t particularly like about a place. You can make your transition a lot smoother by connecting with a reputable real estate agent who has a healthy knowledge of the area.]]>
How Much Storage Do I Need?
Do you have too much stuff? Are you making a move and looking for storage options? If so, the fist thing you will need to determine is how much storage space you need. As you are going through your things ask yourself if you really need to store everything, or is it better to donate or sell some things. This could cut down on the amount of storage space needed and ultimately reduce the cost. Once you determine which items will be stored take an inventory of your items. Make a list and have this information ready when you start calling storage companies. So what size storage unit will you need? Here are some standard sizing options that most storage companies use. Always check with your company first.
- 5 x 5 x 10 = Small items, boxes, books, etc…
- 5 x 10 x 10 = Small 1 bedroom home
- 10 x 10 x 10 = 1 bedroom home
- 10 x 15 x 10 = 2-3 bedroom home
- 10 x 20 x 10 = 3-4 bedroom home
- 10 x 30 x 10 = 5-7 bedroom home
Beware of the Hidden Costs of Moving
If you are planning a move you are probably busy thinking about the new costs of living, how much the rental truck will cost, packing and how you will get there. What you may not be considering is the hidden costs of moving. Here just a few of the surprise costs of moving and some ideas on how to avoid them: Late Fees When you are moving things get lost in the mail or are slow to be forwarded to your new address. If you miss paying your bills on it can add up in unnecessary late fees. Switch all of your bills to online billing that way you are sure not to miss a payment that is lost in the mail. Overdraft Fees Don’t close that bank account just yet. You may have checks or bills still being drawn on that bank account. Leave your bank account open for approximately three months to allow all checks to clear. Doing this will help you avoid any overdraft fees. Contract penalties All of those contracts you have signed may come back to haunt you. Memberships at the gym, country club, day care facility, community association, etc. can cost you. Typically there is some type of annual or monthly contract associated with membership and cancelling early will usually cost you. Some of these contracts will have an exception for a move so read the terms and conditions before you pay a hefty cancellation fee. Auto insurance Part of the cost of your auto insurance is determined by your address. For example, moving from an area with less population, to a more highly populated area will cost you more in auto insurance. Different states also have different laws regarding insurance coverage. States have different minimum liability requirements so in some states you will need to purchase personal injury protection and uninsured motorist coverage and in others you will not. Health insurance Health insurance can also change when you switch states. Just like auto insurance, health insurance mandates vary among states, too. Some states require some types of medical procedures are covered while another has not mandated coverage. Be sure to comparison-shop for your health insurance. While adding up the normal costs of moving expenses like boxes and storage also be sure to check for these hidden costs and try to avoid losing money in your next move. ]]>