Right after you move, it is important to take the time to make a thorough inventory of your belongings and make sure everything arrived in good condition and that nothing has been lost.

Most probably, movers will ask you to check your valuables as they bring them to your new home.  They will provide an inventory sheet with corresponding numbers and descriptions for the task.  Even though it may be difficult to concentrate with all the work being done around you during the move and with movers bringing several loads together, try to focus and organize the inventory check so that you don’t miss any items.  You could ask a friend to help you double-check every valuable, or divide the duties of checking the list and looking over the items.

Check furniture and appliances very carefully for missing feet, broken knobs, and scratches, and plug in appliances to ensure they are working correctly.   If there is something missing, mark it and tell the movers immediately.  If you see damage, make a note on the inventory list.  Do not sign the sheet until you are certain that everything has been accounted for.  It will greatly simplify things if you locate boxes or discuss damages while the movers are still there.

While you unpack, make notes about what you think is missing or damaged.  You’ve already checked for missing boxes, but not for missing things inside them.  Everyone who is unpacking should have an inventory list for the box they are working on.

Everything should be checked within the next few days after the move; otherwise, damages or losses may not be covered by the movers’ insurance.

As soon as you’re done unpacking and if you have found missing or damaged items, call the movers and ask them to track the items; maybe something was forgotten in the truck and is easy to recover.  If something is not found, call the insurance company to file a claim.  You will have to give detailed information about the item that is missing or has been damaged, and the inventory list you made prior to moving will be crucial.

Even though something could go wrong, normally everything works smoothly if you have taken the precaution of researching locally and hiring quality Movers in Seattle WA to help you handle the move.  Investing a little more could save you lots of headaches and bad experiences later.

A lot of people dread moves, but this is because they don’t take it seriously and fail to plan ahead.  When you know exactly what to expect, how to get organized, and even what could go wrong, nothing can get you off balance, and you will be ready to deal with whatever happens in an effective way.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.psmoving.com as the original source).

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If you are thinking about moving to an apartment, you better have a digital camera handy.  It can really simplify your apartment search and move-in processes, by instantly capturing every crucial space and its condition.

Once you really get going, you will visit dozens of apartments, and it will be very hard to remember all of the details for each one of them, unless you have an out-of-this-world memory.  Through the pictures, us mere mortals will have no way of forgetting about the interesting or not so practical details regarding the design, style and colors.  These are research photos that will be very useful when making a final decision.

The pictures will help you move in too, as they will help you buy appliances and furniture that will truly fit and enhance the space.

Once you have chosen the perfect place, and before you call the movers in Seattle to help you, take a walk through the apartment and take photos to record its condition.  This will be very useful once you decide to move out, because you will only get your security deposit back if the apartment is in the exact same state.  Take pictures of problem areas, like stained carpets, so that you have a way to prove that it was not you who damaged it.  Make sure you talk to the landlord about any concern or damages you see before you move in.

When moving to a new apartment it is fundamental that you get rental insurance and be prepared in case of a burglary.  For this, you must take pictures of your belongings and the electronics’ serial numbers, and save the receipts for expensive appliances like TV’s, furniture, computers, china, and stereos, so that you can file an insurance claim with enough proof in hand.

And since they say that thinking ahead is thinking wise, when the time comes to leave the place, do not forget to take pictures of the condition you are leaving the apartment in.  The same as before you moved in, clear the space and take some ‘after’ pictures as a back up, just in case you have trouble when getting your deposit back.

The set of pictures you take must last several years in good condition, at least while you are living at the place, thus, file them in a safe place where you can find them easily, and also store them online as a back up.  And of course, make sure you take good care of your digital camera!

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.psmoving.com as the original source).

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It’s difficult enough to have to pack all your life to move into a new home, but when you have to do that and still, do it fast, you better have an easy and practical method to support you, otherwise the memories you will hold for years to come will be bitter and frustrating, turning what should have been a joyous occasion into a living nightmare!

Luckily, that easy and practical method is reachable; there are many ways to make any fast move go smoothly and enjoyably, and it has all to do with organization.  Follow these tips and find the bright side of moving.

1.    Prepare a list.  Write down everything, no matter how insignificant it seems.  Create a simple record keeping system to pack boxes, be it numbers, colors, or anything else.  Get a notebook and write down in detail everything that goes in each labeled box, when it is ready, put it down on your designated “To Go Central”, meaning, everything that is there is ready to go.  You should also have a packing area, where you have everything from scissors to labels, tape and markers.

2.    Have enough supplies. Get enough boxes, better safe than sorry.  Save around ten boxes for last minute packing, things like bedding, clothing, and cleaning supplies.  Use strong tape and unprinted newspaper or bubble wrap to protect your belongings.  You will need more than you think of everything, so get a lot of supplies and return what’s left at the end.

3.    Use wardrobe boxes. They are great for things like pillows, comforters, blankets, and clothes.  Calculate how many boxes you will need and ask the Seattle moving company to bring enough so that you don’t have to over stuff each.

4.    Use wardrobe boxes strategically. The movers can move some of your things ahead of time, thus, pack a little ahead of time and as early as possible.  Also, take advantage of the size of the boxes and fill them in a way that is easy to unpack and to keep everything organized inside: shopping bags filled with several closet items at the bottom, then hanging clothes, and finally some purses or sweaters.

5.    Coordinate colors. Choose a color for each room in your new home, put a color sticker on each box, near the number, and put a matching sticker on the door of every room.  In this way, the movers will know where everything goes.

6.    Keep together things that belong together. Tape small parts to the items these belong to, or put them inside an envelope.  Picture hooks with pictures and shelf brackets with bookcases.  Designate a “parts box” and put any cables, pieces, parts or nails that appear here and there inside, so that you can easily find everything on moving day.

7.    Pack ahead. Anything you can pack ahead of time will free you to take care of important stuff on moving day.  Leave only the indispensable and pack everything else.

8.    Organize cleaning supplies. Clean you old place ahead of time, but have a cleaning kit ready for action on moving day.

9.    Use luggage to pack. Fill them with clothes, sheets, towels and papers.

10.    Keep an eye on valuables. As much as possible, everything valuable must remain with you.  Review the movers’ insurance to see how you are covered in case you lose something.

11.    Guard important papers. This means birth certificates, school records, mover estimates, job contracts, utility company numbers, bank records, bills, phone lists, closing papers, realtor information, maps and installation manuals.  Always keep them with you.

12.    Get a box for each person. Each family member should get a special box.  It should contain items that will be needed immediately after the move.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

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