Whether you’re an Issaquah mover or a Seattle mover, moving can be painful enough. Don’t let the experience bite your bank account.

1. Haggle Before Disconnecting. When disconnecting your services, you have those companies at a disadvantage. To keep you, they may be willing to give you a hefty incentive to stay.

2. Plan Ahead. Try to move during the slow season and during the slower parts of the month. You could be able to negotiate better rates.

3. Be Flexible. Similarly, be willing to move at the moving company’s convenience and schedule. Insisting on your own schedule could result in additional charges.

4. Do it Yourself. Consider packing your boxes yourself. Just make certain you use your legs for lifting (not your back) and ask for help on the really heavy stuff. It would not do to spend your savings on medical bills. And unless you are a professional mover and truck driver, leave these to the experts.

5. Keep an Eye Out on Incentives. Awhile back, the Post Office offered a Lowe’s coupon for those who went online to do an address change. Keep this in mind when you think of each company with which you do business. They may have similar incentives.

6. Hunt for Boxes. Before you shell out hard cash for pretty boxes, check at local stores-liquor, grocery or even the recycling center.

7. Investigate Before Selecting a Mover. Ask others for recommendations. When you have a list of movers, check the Better Business Bureau’s website (www.bbb.org) to ensure your recommended companies aren’t shackled with complaints.

8. Let the Government Help Pay for Your Move. Is your move job-related? If so, you could deduct some of your moving costs. One important restriction requires that you would have to travel 50 miles farther to your new office than to your old. So, if you drive 2 miles to work at your old office from your old house, but you would have to drive 53 miles to your new office from your old house, you meet this requirement. Check IRS Publication 521, “Moving Expenses,” for more details.

9. Lose Some Pounds. Donate furniture and other belongings before you move. If you don’t really need it, you could use the tax deduction, and you would save a little on not having to move so much.

10. Prepare in Advance. Make certain your new residence is ready for the delivery before the Seattle movers get there. Any delay could result in additional charges.

11. Clean Up. If your old place has a security/cleaning deposit, you could jeopardize that if you do not clean your old place thoroughly. Make sure you leave yourself enough time and energy to do it right.

12. Sleeping Accommodations. You could stay in a hotel the night before the big move, now that everything is all packed, or you could “rough it” by using a sleeping bag and even an air mattress to keep you comfy. You deserve a good night’s rest after all your hard work, but it need not cost a lot.

A little preparation could save a world of grief on your next move.

1. Give Each Item a Destination Address. Sketch a map of your new place labeling each room. Say “A” is for kitchen (you know, where all the Apples are kept). Just before the move, safely tape a sign at the entrance to each room with the tag ID you’ve given it. When you’ve finished packing each box, write your label with contents like, “A-spices,” or “A-dishes.” Then stack the boxes by their destination room so the movers can be more organized, too. Be sure to label each box on at least two sides to increase the chances the movers will see your label.

2. Keep Your Organization Tools Organized. When the moving day arrives, you may not be done. Keep everything you need for organizing the move-felt tip pens, packing tape, scissors, etc. in a box labeled “Do Not Move.” You don’t want the movers to ship your tools while you need them.

3. Designate a “Magnet” Location for All “Holdout” Items. You should move some items yourself-money, jewels, valuable documents, pets, and other irreplaceable items. Some items movers are not allowed to handle, like flammables, guns, explosives, ammunition, and other hazardous materials.

Don’t mark your valuables in a way that would attract thieves. Keep your cleaning supplies here, too, so you can clean your old home when the movers are gone. Your magnet location should include all of the papers, keys, map with directions, phone numbers, security codes and everything else you will need on the move. Label the area, “Do Not Move.”

4. Prepare a Portable Refreshment Center. You know you’re going to get hungry and thirsty with all of this activity. So, keep an ice chest and/or box with snacks and drinks.

5. Pace Yourself. Packing for a house full of possessions takes between 2-3 months. Take the amount of time you have until moving date, and divide your estimated number of boxes by that amount of time. Pack the items you rarely use, first. Say your Seattle moving company estimates you’ll need 100 boxes of a certain size to pack everything. Schedule to pack between 5 and 10 boxes per week. And keep track so that you don’t have too much to do in the last few weeks.

6. Offload Dead Weight. Donate or sell those items you never use or won’t have room for in your new home. This could give you extra cash or a tax deduction, plus it may save on the final moving cost.

7. Create a “Goodie Box.” This is your special “reward” box of items you will need to get started in your new home. This will include everything you and your family will need in the first few days. Ask each family member what they couldn’t do without after they arrive. This could include snacks for the dog, paper plates for the inevitable take-out, and your children’s favorite play things.

Every move is a challenge. These tips help to keep the madness under control so you can get back to your life as soon as possible after the move is done.

Service Disconnects

Every service your old house or apartment enjoys should be disconnected and re-established at your new residence. This may seem obvious, but if you don’t have a checklist of these, you may forget one or more.

Not all of them will necessarily apply, of course. If your new home is all electric, you won’t need gas hookup. Here is a list to get you started. This may not be complete for your own situation, so add items as you think of them.

• Phone service
• Electricity
• Natural gas
• Water
• Cable or satellite television
• Internet connection
• Mail delivery
• Gardening service
• Pool cleaning
• Bottled water delivery

Make certain to notify all of your providers far enough in advance so that they can schedule the discontinuance at your old location and start at your new location so that you are not left in the dark after your arrival. You may also find that some providers do not operate at your new location. In that case, you will need to find a new provider. If you take care of this early enough, surprises like this will be far less painful.

Mechanics of the Move

Giving each room in your new place a unique name or letter will allow you to label each box for its destination room.

When you label your boxes, make certain you label at least two sides to increase the chance the movers will see your all-important information.

It may seem to be a pain, but why not label all sides. When you have a mountain of boxes and you need an item in a box with a label that is not immediately visible, you don’t want to have to dig through the mountain just to reveal that hidden label. If the label is on all sides, you increase your chances of finding what you need without a lot of extra effort.

Keep all of the tools for your move (tape, scissors, felt tip marking pens, etc.), important information, and valuable documents in a box or location clearly labeled “Do Not Move,” otherwise the movers may take them while you still need them.

Use old newspaper, sheets and towels to wrap your breakable items. This can save you money on more expensive packing materials.

Valuables

Think about any items you would never be able to replace if the movers were to break them. Not a comforting thought, but even the best Seattle, Redmond or Tacoma movers occasional break things. That’s the nature of the business, and that’s why move insurance is offered. Why not move your valuables yourself so you don’t have to worry about them?

Anyone that has ever resided within the Emerald City will certainly tell you that relocating across town can be a harrowing journey. During your move, the challenges to overcome in this beautiful metropolis are sometimes very hard to endure. Learning everything you can about these difficulties will certainly give you an edge when it concerns moving to a new home or office.

Here are 5 preventative measures that you should take when moving in Seattle.

1.  Be Mindful of the Weather

It’s no secret that Seattle has the highest level of precipitation than any other city in the country. It’s wise to expect that it’s going to rain on the day of your move. Therefore, the actual chances of having your uncovered furniture getting wet are very, very high. Take the initiative and purchase some tarp or plastic sheeting to help cover your belongings when moving into your house.

2. Plan Your Route

To ensure that your move is going to be as stress-free as possible, the timing of it is very important. If you’re moving within the downtown area, try to avoid rush hour and lunch time. The best time to relocate is either very early in the morning (before people go to work) or early afternoon. Also, moving across town during the months of May-September is widely considered the best time of year to avoid inclement weather.

3. Manage Your Time Wisely

Allow yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. Fortunately, Seattle is a fairly small city, and it sometimes only takes 30 minutes to get across the entire town. However, even though this is a somewhat compact city, it’s bustling with activity. Take your time while on the road and don’t put yourself in a situation where “time is of the essence”.

4. Inspect Your Property

Seasoned Seattle movers know that every piece of property has flaws. Sometimes there are: uneven sidewalks, slippery surfaces, poles, low-hanging branches and holes. Try to map out your path when moving in and invest in a traction mat if you’re dealing with wet sidewalks.

5. Pace Yourself

Even though moving is a tedious venture, be sure to stay patient and unload everything one box at a time. Assigning everyone a particular job to accomplish will create a system that will get everything done in a timely fashion and keep chaos at bay.

Although, some of these rules are subjective toward the city of Seattle, they can easily be used for moving in other cities, as well. They are all important to keep in mind while relocating to another area. If you expect the unexpected, then you’ll be ready for just about anything. Always keep your guard up and be careful when moving in the radiant Emerald City!

Making the decision to move is only the very first of a long list of decisions waiting for you.  Once your house is sold and you know when and where you are moving, you will need to make plans for the best move for you.  A professional mover in Seattle is as near as your keyboard or telephone, and consulting with them will help you decide just which of the many services they offer are the ones that you can make use of.  To help you get started here is a brief rundown of moving services that are generally offered.

Free Estimates
All moving companies of reputable status will offer free moving estimates.  They will most likely send a consultant to your home to assess your belongings in order to give you an accurate estimate.  Be wary of companies that don’t visit you to do an estimate.  If they just give you a quote over the phone or online, the actual numbers could change and be a lot higher than originally expected.  Using an online quote as a starting point can be helpful but bear in mind that it will be an estimate.  Be sure to get a final quote in writing before committing to a moving service.

Packing and Unpacking
Depending on how much time you have and how busy your lifestyle is, you will need to decide if you will pack and or unpack yourself or have the movers do it for you.  For many folks, packing up their things to move is a very personal thing and not something they want left to strangers.  Likewise with unpacking, they want the adventure and excitement of unpacking all their cherished belongings and carefully choosing where to put them in their new home.  For others, however, the perfect moving scenario is to sell the house, go away on a little trip and come back to a new home all unpacked and ready to live in.  For them, the more the moving company can do the better.  Movers will most often offer as little or as much of a service as you wish.

Boxes and Packing Supplies
If you are doing your own packing, make certain your moving company can supply you with boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape and any other materials you may need.  These items can be purchased separately so you need only buy what you actually need.  Movers can also offer some good packing tips if you ask them, such as the best boxes for particular items and how to pack fragile items.

Oversize Furniture/Specialty Items
Even if you are doing all the packing yourself, you may still need to know if your moving service will move your piano or large pieces.

Storage
If you are moving into a home with big renovation plans, you may want to ask your movers if they offer temporary storage of your items until you are finished with the renovations.  Most Seattle moving companies will offer this for a fairly reasonable extra charge.

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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.

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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!

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Not feeling that homey feeling yet because your new place is loaded with boxes and empty walls?  Do not despair!  There is a way to get there easily: you just have to unpack! (Ughhh…)

When seeing a lot of boxes piled up and a mess everywhere, most people’s first reaction is to open all the boxes and get everything out and in place just to get the work done and start enjoying their new home ASAP.  However, there are two things you must consider before rushing into unpacking and in order to keep your sanity and everyone else’s:

-    It is not necessary to unpack everything in a day.
-    Unpacking can be a lot of fun if you see it as the end of a great adventure.

In order to start unpacking in an intelligent and fun way, think of your family’s basic needs, which are eating, bathing, and resting, and get to the task following that order and centering on one room at a time.  Aim to get those areas operational so that you can take care of the details later without a sense of urgency.

Of course, we are assuming when you packed, you labeled all the boxes and know exactly which ones belong to what room.  You did that, right?

1.    Unpacking the kitchen
Commonly, the kitchen is the heart of the home.  Once it is a little organized, everyone will start meeting there.  Do not rush to organize it perfectly immediately though, start with the most important things and leave items that you do not need on a daily basis in the boxes until you decide where to store them.

2.    Unpacking the bathrooms
After the kitchen is ready, move to the bathroom.  Unpack your toiletries and put them where they belong.  Very important! Make sure everything is working correctly in every bathroom and that they’re properly supplied with fresh towels.

3.    Unpacking the bedroom
Bedrooms don’t really need to be ready for the first night.  You can sleep with the mattresses on the floor and make it a fun first night.  Assemble the beds and organize heavy furniture together, but let the bedroom owner take care of the rest on his or her own.

4.    Unpacking the living room
Finally, center your efforts on the family room or living room.  Do not just start moving furniture around, it is much better to draw a plan of the room showing where you would like to put the furniture pieces based on how you want the space to look.  In this way, pieces that have to be assembled can be put together where they belong.  You will save lots of energy, muscle ache, scratches, and probably even broken items.

Leave the garage for last; nothing in there is urgent, so take the time to think of the best way to organize it and keep it clear before taking things out of the boxes.

Once the basic stuff is ready, take some time to enjoy your new home, and work on the details for a few hours every day.

Believe it, unpacking can be a great activity, even a relaxing and meditative one, if you just don’t obsess over it.

To make it even easier, request the help of your local movers in Seattle; nothing beats the help of a professional!

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When moving into a new office, it is very important that your business move as quickly and efficiently as possible.  When it comes to moving your office, whether it is from an existing office nearby, or moving into a new office out of state, every second wasted means your hard earned money going down the drain.  But moving your office is much more complicated than just moving it quickly. It involves detailed planning and professional movers, as well as money.  It is very important, when moving your office, that your business not suffer too much during this relocation period.  But if your company follows the right steps, hires the right moving company, and spends its money wisely, then your business is sure not to lose hours of work and productivity with a poorly planned move.

In any business relocation move, planning is the most crucial, and important, step.  It is important to remember, that while your business is relocating to a different office, or building, it is literally making no money in this process.  This is why it is vital that your relocation period take place as swiftly as possible, without cutting the necessary corners in a large office move like this.  This is why planning is so crucial to your moving endeavors.  And one way to do this is to hire a professional moving company that specializes in large office moves, so that the moving will run smoothly, and get you back up and running as soon as possible.

To help your move stay cost-effective, as well as moving swiftly, there are a number of services that you can use that you may not be aware of.  One of those is taking advantage of a business relocation service.  These services can provide packing materials, can sometimes help with the actual move, and even help to reassemble your office equipment and furniture, when you successfully move into your new office.  Now it is important to remember, that these services are not a replacement to a professional moving company, but can be a helpful addition to your moving team.

Another important planning step your company should take is to get very familiar with the new office you’re planning on moving into.  Try to visit the office as many times as you can, to get a feel for where you plan on placing furniture, and what kind of plan you have for the new office in general.  It is important to obtain measurements, understand the location of outlets, special wiring, as well as Internet hookups.  Another important planning step you could take would be to create a detailed floor plan in advance.  By creating a detailed floor plan, you will be able to visually see how everything will work out in advance, as well as giving the movers an important resource to go from.  Once your items are in place, you will be able to make the necessary adjustments, instead of doing it all on the fly.  Whether you’re hiring a local moving company, movers in Seattle WA, or one out of Cleveland, the more information you can give your movers, the easier the move will be for everyone.

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A moving company can offer a multitude of services, depending on your specific needs.  If you are moving locally, out of state, or into a bigger business setting, a moving company can offer you the tools, and the professional support that you might be looking for.  But when choosing a moving company for your next move, there are a number of factors you will want to take into consideration.

You will want to evaluate exactly what you’re planning on moving and, most importantly, if you can find someone you can trust. By correctly weighing your options, and doing the proper research, there is no question there is a moving company out there to fit your specific needs.  But what should you be looking for?

Whether you are hiring a Seattle moving company, or a moving company out of Dallas, or Chicago, the most important thing you want to look for in a moving company is their reputation.  Remember, moving can sometimes be a very expensive endeavor, not to mention, when hiring an outside moving company. You will most likely be trusting complete strangers to be handling some of your most personal, and valued possessions.  So how can you make sure, that the moving company you’re choosing can even be trusted?

By taking a few simple, yet effective steps, you can ensure that you’re not only getting the best price, but you are getting a reliable and trustworthy moving company to fit all your moving needs.  The best thing you can do when evaluating moving companies’ reputations is to do a lot of research.  The first thing you can do is to look up different moving companies on the Internet.  Most reliable companies will have their own web site, including the services they offer, what sets them apart from other moving companies, and why you should give them your business.  Another important feature to look for is if the company has customer referrals on their web site.  This can be a great way to obtain some feedback about the company, from people who have actually used the service.

Besides checking out the company’s website itself, there are a number of other steps you can take to evaluate their credibility.  One step would be to call the local Better Business Bureau, to get more information about the company that you’re considering.  The Better Business Bureau can be an important resource because not only can they provide information on the legitimacy of the business, but will have any reports filed by unsatisfied customers, including if the matter was resolved in a timely fashion, or not at all.

Here are some things that you might want to look for as red flags.  One of those is that there is no website or no listed address for the company.  Another red flag to look for is if the company only accepts cash, and may want a large deposit upfront.  This can be a telltale sign of a con artist.  Also, make sure the moving company has insurance, and most importantly remember to sign a contract before any payment is transferred.

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