So you’re moving to Seattle, huh? Even if you hire the services of Seattle moving companies, that doesn’t mean you could just kick back, relax and let them do everything for you. Although many Seattle movers may make it seem that way, preparation on your end is still required to make the moving process as smooth and fast as possible.

Fortunately, all this requires just a bit of preparation on your part; after all, your moving company will handle the difficult and strenuous aspect of the moving process.

If you are one of the thousands of people around the country picking up their lives and moving it to Seattle, a vibrant city that continues to experience stability despite the recession, here are 5 tips to make the household move less stressful and maybe even pleasurable for you.

1. Put everything in a list

Trust us, you’ll thank yourself for keeping a written record of your belongings. We recommend separating your belongings into boxes, writing a number on each box, and listing down each box’s corresponding contents in a notebook or on a spreadsheet on your computer. It doesn’t matter how you do it, just keep a record.

2. Think you have enough boxes? Get some more because you don’t.

If there’s one true thing about moving, it’s that you can never have too many boxes. The good news is that many Seattle movers sell their own boxes to their customers, which could be returned if unused, so go ahead and order as many supplies as you can.

Boxes are your best friends when it comes to moving, so too are packing paper, packing tape, bubble wrap, and more.

3. Make good use of wardrobe boxes

For light items such as hanged clothes, pillows, blankets and linens, tall wardrobe boxes are the best choice for storage. If you have plenty of coats, be sure to measure them so you get the appropriately-sized wardrobe boxes from your supplier. Bear in mind though that wardrobe boxes are meant to carry light objects, so pack smartly.

4. Categorize by color

Here’s something we recommend to all moving families and individuals out there: sort your boxes by color. Start by first categorizing each box according to the room it’s from. Separate boxes from the kitchen, your room, the living room, so and so forth. Once done, you can then make the boxes with color stickers, with each color pertaining to a specific room.

5. Keep boxes together according to contents

When the Seattle movers come over to pack the boxes, make it a point to tell them that you want certain boxes packed together. For example, keep electronic items together, keep your books together, and keep your clothes together. This way, things are faster when it’s time to count boxes of this and that when you arrive at your destination.

If you’re thinking about moving to a new home in the Seattle area, it definitely pays to know what options you have when it comes to Seattle movers. With different Seattle moving companies providing different moving services, you’ll need to figure out beforehand what your relocating requirements are. Each moving service comes with its own pros and cons, which enables you to decide the best one that suits your needs.

Moving Trucks for Rent

For those looking to move on a budget, rent-a-truck companies are often the best way to go. Renting a truck to move your personal effects is relatively affordable, and also allows you to work at your own pace, and more importantly, at your own schedule.

However, doing it yourself requires you to do the hard work of packing your belongings and hauling them all the way to your destination. For the faint of heart, this might not be too appealing. You need to worry about obtaining a driver’s license and insurance for driving the truck.

Professional Seattle Moving Companies

By far the most popular option for many people when moving from their old home to a new one, professional moving companies are indeed pros in this business. All you have to do is point out what you want to move, how you want it packed, where you want to move, and the rest will be taken care of by the company. Professional movers back your personal effects, load them unto the truck and unload them at your destination.

This of course, requires very little involvement on your part, allowing you to focus your attention on other matters on your moving. However, as you may have guessed, the services of a professional moving company don’t come cheap. So be sure to prepare a sizable moving budget.

Semi-DIY Moving

Also known as self-service moving, this type of moving service is the perfect solution for those who want to pack their belongings on their own without having to worry about renting a moving truck and driving it all the way to their intended destination.

Self-moving companies just drop a hauling truck to your home, leaving it there until you’ve loaded all your belongings into it. Once done, all you have to do is contact the moving company and a professional driver will come by to drive the truck to your new home.

Once there, you are left to unload and unpack your belongings.

International Movers

If you’re moving overseas, you’d need to look up Seattle movers capable of handling international jobs. These services are often the most expensive, due to the slew of legal paperwork that needs to be covered. However, most of these companies provide value added services, thereby making your investment well worth it.

The process of moving is never easy, and those who find themselves in a relocating situation naturally want to the best way to make the transition as smooth as possible. More importantly, we want to get the most out of our money when hiring the services of a mover.

When gathering information on companies that offer moving services, it’s very easy to become overwhelmed with making numerous phone calls and inquiries-the influx of information can be mind-boggling for those who don’t have all that much free time.

Seattle alone is home to dozens of Seattle moving companies, all of whom specialize in different types of services for moving and relocating within the country. That said, how exactly do you choose the best Seattle movers for your needs? How do you tell a worthwhile company from one that’s not?

Here are some factors that you should take note of if you’ve yet to choose a moving company.

Needs

First things first. What are your moving needs? Are you a college student moving out of your dorm room? Are you retired and moving into a care facility? Or do you have a family of 6 and want to move into Seattle?

Determining your needs is a crucial step in selecting the right moving company, as each company may or may not have what you’re looking for. Knowing your needs also allows you to streamline your moving requirements and dispense of service add-ons, thereby letting you save as much money as possible.

Plan Carefully

Make an inventory of everything you intend to move with you. Do these before you even look up a moving company so that you can provide estimates on how many boxes are needed. Don’t worry about having one or two extra boxes; after all, you’re only providing estimates. Keep your inventory organized in a neat list for reference purposes.

Organize Thoroughly

Handling the amount of information you get by making phone calls and inquiries and deciphering it into terms you actually understand is what you’re after. To do that, you’ll need to keep a list of quotes you get, as well as the corresponding services that you get. Placing all that data into a neat chart allows you to make effective comparisons.

You can also print all the quotes you get online for you to sit down and look at them instead of staring for hours at a computer screen. Organize your quotes based on price or service type.

Check Credentials

All Seattle moving companies are required by law to be insured, bonded and licensed and must be able to meet all state and federal requirements in order to operate and provide moving services. There are individuals out there who offer to move your belongings at lower rates, but the risks of having untrained and uncertified individuals handling your personal effects are far too great.

Seattle is a rather large city consisting of several smaller communities. There are many historical neighborhoods like Pike Place Market and Queen Anne, among many others, which are also easily accessible by the public. Seattle was the first city in the US to allow police mobility via bicycles, and it has the highest number of people using bicycles in comparison to all the other cities in the US.

Seattle is also home of the largest man-made island in all of the United States, while Farmer’s market is the oldest market for farmers-in operation since 1907. Seattle also happens to be the most literate city in America as most of its citizens enjoy reading. Its public library alone is a testament to that as it has the largest parking space compared to any other library in the country.

One of the main attractions of the city of Seattle is its aquarium. It provides a unique experience, allowing visitors to witness marine life in its natural state. As an added excitement factor for the kids and kids at heart, the aquarium houses a giant octopus and so much more.

With all of the wonderful attractions that Seattle has, it’s no wonder many wish to move here. But the main question is: should you hire Seattle movers to do it for you? Well, there are a few ways to help you make the right decision. Most people who move into a new home will be looking at a lot of specific reasons and features as to why they should hire a Seattle moving company to do the move instead of them doing it themselves. In contrast to people who know what they want, there are also some who are oblivious to how moving companies operate but are not really sure they can do the move successfully on their own.

There are some questions you need to ask yourself before making the final decision to hire Seattle movers.

Firstly, can the Seattle movers move things upstairs without any elevators? As long as it’s not a big building with a broken elevator, moving companies are able to move stack after stack of boxes upstairs with no problem. However, if you are going to be moving to the top floor of a building with no elevator, then you might want to speak with the owner of the moving company you’d be hiring.

Lastly, can they do the packing for you? Most definitely! Seattle moving companies have people that actually specialize in packing a variety of objects with the utmost care. Some are even OK with packing up the random objects at home, even the heavy ones just as long as you notify them ahead of time so they can pick up the appropriate tools to get the job done faster.

If you decide to hire Seattle moving companies, it’s best if you browse the Internet first to check out the rates and services so you could get the right one for you.

The task of moving to a new place is almost always a stressful one and may create numerous problems for you. For starters, you have to deal with the process of adjusting to a new environment-with family, it gets even more complicated. There’s also the question of moving all your personal belongings from your old location, to the new one.

If you’re contemplating moving to Seattle, or thinking about moving from Seattle to another place in the United States, it may be best for you to look up Seattle moving companies. This is something many families in the city have chosen to do since it makes the process of transferring personal possessions faster and smoother. Seattle movers are best equipped to make the necessary arrangements to relocate you and your family’s furniture and other worldly possessions, thereby making the task of moving far less chaotic than usual.

Seattle moving services providers simply handle the dirty and stressful job of taking all your belongings, placing them into some truck, and driving them all the way to your next home. With the services of a moving company, you can attend to your regular day-to-day activities and other moving matters with the peace of mind knowing that your possessions will be in good and experienced hands. No longer do you have to bear this unnecessary burden that takes time away better spent on ironing out matters of more importance.

Locating Seattle movers is a largely straightforward affair. There are many ways to do this and it all depends on your preference. You can do it the old fashioned way by consulting your local yellow pages or better yet, you can go online and fire up a search on Seattle moving companies on your favourite search engine. Picking one however, is a whole different story.

Whichever method of locating a moving company you choose, you’re guaranteed to find a large number of hits. Before hiring the services of the first company you see however, be mindful of some factors you need to consider before choosing a moving company. These factors should include (and not be limited to) cost, array of services offered, perks, specialized locations and more. If a Seattle mover doesn’t cater to your moving destination, then it’s obvious that you’d have to find another one.

The cost however, is the single biggest factor to consider when hiring the services of a Seattle moving company. This will largely depend on the distance of your moving destination (which will be calculated in miles) as well as the number and size of the belongings you’re moving. Always make it a point to negotiate prices down before signing anything to ensure that you get a good bargain. With housing prices down at the moment, moving companies have also responded by making their services at a more competitive price point.

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!

Many of us have never used a storage unit and we may think these are meant for people who work with merchandise; however, it is very normal today for people to rent storage units when they are in between homes.

If you are faced with any of these situations you may want to consider renting a storage unit:

1. Temporary move

This is very practical moving advice! Let’s say you have to transfer temporarily¾2 years¾for a job… in such a case you probably don’t want to move everything you own with you since this is not a permanent situation, then… a storage unit is the best solution. You are able to move only with what you need/want.

2. Home selling

It may happen that you are selling your current home. In this situation, you know that when showing your home to potential buyers the first impression is crucial, and too much clutter will make people run the other way!

Your home must feel spacious, and this is only achieved with a clean and uncluttered space. Anything that can jeopardize the sale must go… or be stored somewhere else.

3. College years

Many parents with kids in college know that once they finish studying they may come back home for a few years while they find a job and make some money to move out.

In this case, it is a good idea not to sell the kids’ furniture, but store it while they’re away so that the empty nesters can use the space in other ways for a while.

4. Inheritance

Parents may have some furniture they no longer need but want to pass to their children once they move out.

When renting a storage facility, make sure you check the contract termination policy, just in case you need to get your stuff out before the original intended date.

Also, check the locks and ensure the place has good security, because your things will be there for a long period of time without you keeping an eye on them. You should make a list of what you’re storing and review it with the person in charge of the facility.

Keep in hand the facility’s phone number and operation hours, and make sure they have your number too, in case of emergency.

If a Seattle moving company is dropping off your boxes, talk to your contact at the facility ahead of time and let him/her know who’s coming, and ask the movers to look for this person when they arrive to the place to comply with safety procedures.

Storage units are a great short-term solution for people with busy and very active lives, but it is never a bad idea to think about getting rid of some stuff through garage sales, donations, online auctions, or the garbage, if you have a lot of things that can be considered clutter.