Tip of the Day: Cross Packing Tape on Boxes

One of the biggest concerns we have during a move is whether or not or treasures will arrive safely. And one of the best ways to make sure that moving boxes hold together during transit is to make sure that the boxes stay sealed.Here's a quick tip on taping boxes correctly. First, tape the bottom seam of the box across the main seam running down the middle of the box, making sure that the flaps sit snugly together, with at least 1" of tape running up the sides of the box. Then form a cross of tape by securing a separate strip across the center of the box, or in other words, make a perpendicular line of tape over the first tape you applied. This provides additional reinforcement and helps keep boxes from popping open or splitting during transport.For more moving tips, please visit http://www.Movers-Edge.com.

Tags: packing+tips, moving+boxes, packing+boxes, tape, taping

Moving Tips: Packing Electronics

Packing for a move always takes a seemingly endless amount of time. And that time increases when it comes to packing electronics. Electronics are fragile, can be unwieldy to pack and transport, and generally represent a significant investment.

Here are a few basic tips to make things easier:

• A picture is worth 1000 words- Use a digital or cell phone camera to take pictures of how complicated wiring (computer cords, speaker wires) is hooked up. Be sure to use plenty of light and careful focus so the pictures will be clear. Print each picture and put it in the top of the box holding the item. This will make hooking up the items in your new place much easier.
• Original is best- Always use the original packaging when available. (I realize that most of us don’t have the original packaging for much of anything, but I thought I would bring it up anyway).
• Double boxing- For especially fragile electronics, pack them first in a box with an excessive amount of biodegradable packing peanuts. Then pack that box in a larger box filled with biodegradable packing peanuts. This two-box system seems like a pain but seems to do a better job isolating items from jarring impacts.
• No loose ends- Wrap each cord carefully with cable organizers, heavy twist ties or heavy rubber bands. Never throw unwrapped cords into boxes- they get tangled and caught on other items.
• Cord labels- Consider getting a label maker and labeling the end of each. Then you'll know exactly which cord you're seeing and where each end connects when you put things back together.
• The two-inch rule- Use at least 2" of biodegradable packing peanuts around each side of fragile items.
  

Following these simple guidelines can remove a lot of stress in packing your electronics.

For more information, please visit our free moving checklist and moving tips at http://www.movers-edge.com.

Movers- Finding Great Movers, Part 2

Here is the second of 2 posts on finding great movers:

Pricing

Price is obviously very important is selecting a moving company. However, it isn't the only factor. In fact, we think that quality, safety and reliability are at least as important. When you think that you will be trusting all your most important possession to be driven off by complete strangers, it puts pricing in some perspective. Further, if you see an estimate that's more than 1/3 lower than the next lowest estimate, it's a good idea to find out why. Very often an extremely low estimate is a sign of movers who are either very inexperienced or desperate. And neither of those reasons should be cause for encouragement!


"Binding Not to Exceed" Estimates

There is 2 primary types of moving estimates- binding and non-binding. Non-binding estimates are not contracts, and provide those moving with limited rights. Binding estimates are contracts and are binding on both you and the moving company. "Binding Not to Exceed" estimates put a firm cap on the amount you can be charged, so long as you don't request additional services or add items to be moved. Moving companies tend to be careful in creating such estimates, and many companies don't offer them at all. However, wherever possible, see if you can get your potential movers to agree to creating one for you.


"Rogue Movers"

The Department of Transportation offers specific warnings about scam artists known as "rogue movers." These groups offer a very low estimate for an upcoming move. However, once your goods are on their truck, they demand exhorbitant fees to release your possessions. Here are the warning signs the DOT points out:

• The mover doesn't offer or agree to an on-site inspection of your household goods and gives an estimate over the phone or Internet—sight-unseen. These estimates often sound too good-to-be-true. They usually are.
• The moving company demands cash or a large deposit before the move.
• The mover doesn't provide you with a copy of "

Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move," a booklet movers are required by Federal regulations to supply to their customers in the planning stages of interstate moves.

The company's Web site has no local address and no information about licensing or insurance.

The mover claims all goods are covered by their insurance.

When you call the mover, the telephone is answered with a generic "Movers" or "Moving company," rather than the company's name.

Offices and warehouse are in poor condition or nonexistent.

On moving day, a rental truck arrives rather than a company-owned and marked fleet truck.

A Final Note

While selecting a moving company can be an imposing task, it's important to note that moves with reputable companies tend to turn out well. Following the simple steps in this article can help ensure that your move is a successful one.

Here are some other free resources:

101 Best Moving Tips
Ultimate Moving Checklist
Easy-to-follow Packing Tips
Finding Great Movers

Movers- Finding Great Movers, Part 1

Quick Summary

1. Get refererrals from local real estate agents and friends who have moved recently.
2. Only consider movers that are licensed, bonded and insured.
   Investigate your potential movers through the U.S Department of Transportation, MovingScam.com and the Better Business Bureau.
   Evaluate a minimum of 3 movers based on in-home estimates of goods to be moved.
3. Price isn't the only factor- extremely low bids indicate a desperate mover.
4. Ask for written "Binding Not-To-Exceed" estimates.
5. Avoid "rogue movers"- if you feel uncomfortable, trust your instincts!
   

The Details

If you decide to hire professional movers, you're faced with a big decision- how do you find reputable movers or moving companies? The good news is that a small amount of time spent on researching potential movers can help insure a stress-free move. This article outlines those research steps.


Getting Started: Referrals

To evaluate movers, you need to have a list of potential moving companies. While the Yellow Pages (for those of us who can even find their phone books!) and web searches can help, referrals can provide the best leads. Ask your friends, co-workers and new neighbors about their experiences. Look for people who have moved in the past 12 months, as companies' quality changes over time. Be sure to ask for details such as the names of people they worked with, what went well, and what to watch out for. Even information about moves that didn't go well can be helpful.

In addition to friends and co-workers, try to get referrals from industry professionals. Check with your leasing agent or real estate agent for experiences of their clients- they can be a wealth of helpful information. If you work for a large company, check with the Human Resources department to see if they have someone who works with relocation (even if you're not receiving relocation assistance- they may be willing to pass on useful information anyway). Getting these types of referrals will get your research started on the right foot.


Licensing

Movers are regulated by federal, state and local laws. At the federal level, a moving company that carries goods across state lines (interstate) needs to be licensed by the Department of Transporation (the DOT does not regulate local movers). At the state level, laws vary widely, and several states (Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, South Dakota, Utah, and Vermont) don't require moving companies to have a separate license. For those that do, verify that the licenses are current.

We also recommend that your movers be bonded and insured, both as proof that the company is legitimate and financial stability in case the worst happens and you need to file a claim.


Investigate Potential Movers

Once you know the basics about your potential moving companies, it's time to find out about people's experiences. You want to know get opinions from objective, third-party opinions based on dozens or hundreds of consumer evaluations. While almost every moving company has had some kind of complaints, having objective resources is important.
Fortunately, there are a few excellent resources you can use for free.

The U. S. Department of Transportation has a website devoted to its "Protect Your Move" program at http://www.ProtectYourMove.gov. There you'll find a link that will allow you to look up individual moving companies. You can also find individual customer reviews and opinions at both http://www.MovingScam.com and the Better Business Bureau website (http://www.BBB.org). It's a good idea to check all 3 to make sure you see a complete picture. Again, almost any mover who has been around for awhile will have a complaint from someone- you're looking for patterns of issues and how the movers attempted to resolve the issues.


In-home Estimates

Many companies provide methods for customers to obtain an estimate over the phone or on the web. This presents tremendous convenience for the consumer. Until a moving company representative takes a physical inventory, their estimates aren't very reliable. You should also be somewhat concerned when a moving company isn't interested enough in your business to request an in-home visit.

It can also be tempting to get only one or two estimates for an upcoming move. This presents two problems. The first problem is that it's very difficult to evaluate an estimate without having a few others to use as comparisons. The second problem is that you miss valuable opportunities to evaluate a mover's personnel without ever having met them. It's worth the time to get these estimates in person.

We'll continue this in the next post. Until then, there are several great, FREE resources online for you to use for your move. Here are a few from the author's website, http://www.movers-edge.com/:

* 101 Best Moving Tips
* Ultimate Moving Checklist
* Easy-to-follow Packing Tips
* Finding Great Movers

I wish you the very best of luck with your relocation!

Holding a Moving Sale

I strongly recommend holding a "moving sale" or garage sale for anyone with an upcoming relocation.

Now I realized that this sounds silly at first mention. After all, you're frantically busy with moving, so how on earth will you have time for a garage sale?

While I don't have an easy answer for that one, consider this- if you choose not to sell the items, when will you have time to:

• organize the items
• pack the items
• record the items in your moving inventory
• make sure the items are properly covered with moving insurance
• label the boxes
• move the items
• load the items
• unload the items
• unpack the items
• and find space for the items in your new place?

Besides, it's not uncommon to earn between $200 - $1000 on a well-planned, well-executed garage sale, which works out to a pretty decent wage per hour.

Here are a few basic tips:

• Keep separate boxes in each room for "moving sale" eligible items as you pack.
• Arrange to have a charity donation truck come at the end of your moving sale to take away anything that wasn't sold.
• Stuck on how to price things? Start by dividing the original price by 5 and then discounting for any damage.
• It's easier to make categories of items all the same price, such as "all clothing $4 each."
• Make sure all prices are easily divisible by 2. That way, you can hold a "1/2 price blowout" during the last hour of the sale, and clear out lots of remaining items.
• Have tons of change (bills and coins) on hand on your person (not in a box that can be stolen at the sale).
• Start advertising at least 2 weeks prior to the sale. Use clear street signs in very large letters, ads in local papers, and flyers on cars in a 5-block radius from your place.
• Recruit as much help as you can stand for the big day.

By following these guidelines, you'll be on your way to a successful sale.

For more advice on getting organized for your move, please click here.

Moving Checklist: Change of Address, Part 2

Moving Checklist: In the last post I discussed specific people and organizations you might want to contact for your change of address. But what if you want to change your address for everyone?

The easiest answer, if you're willing to spend $1, is to file online with the U.S. Post Office at http://www.moversguide.com/ or call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) (both have a $1 fee), or go to the local Post Office and complete form PS 3575.

While you're at it, you might want to contact the Direct Marketing Association (http://www.DMAChoice.org) to stop getting junk mail you don't want to receive. And of course, don't forget to put your new phone number on the Do Not Call Registry with this link (http://www.DoNotCall.gov).

By following this strategy, you can continue to be in communication with the people you do want, and stop getting communication from everybody else. :-)

Here are some other free moving resources:

• Ultimate Moving Checklist
• List of 101 Best Moving Tips
• Guide to getting organized for your move
• Guide to finding great movers and moving companies
• Packing tips
• General good starting point for moving advice: http://www.movers-edge.com/

Moving Checklist: Change of Address, Part 1

Notifying people that you've moved isn't exactly glamorous. However, it's pretty important. So I'm continuing our moving checklist with change of address details. Some of the people who might need your new address include:

• Accountant/tax preparer
• Alumni associations
• Attorneys
• Babysitter/ child care provider
• Banks (auto loans, checking accounts, credit cards, home equity, IRA’s, mortgage, safe deposit box, savings account)
• Broker
• Business cards (order new ones)
• Cell phone provider
• Child care/ daycare
• Chiropractor
• Courts, especially for traffic tickets or local disputes
• Credit bureaus
• Credit card issuers
• Dentist
• Department of Motor Vehicles
• Diaper service
• Doctor
• Dry cleaning pick-up and delivery
• Family members
• Health clubs
• House cleaning service
• House of worship
• Insurance providers (auto, health, life, other vehicles)
• IRS (form 8822)
• Lawn care
• Luggage tags (replace existing ones)
• Magazine subscriptions
• New business cards
• New employer
• Newspaper subscriptions
• Old employer
• Orthodontist
• Parent-teacher association
• Passport
• Pet sitter/ dog walker/ pet day care
• Pharmacy (BONUS: get year-to-date expense summary for taxes)
• Physical therapist
• Physician (BONUS: get referral for new location)
• Post office
• Professional organizations
• Retirement plan holders
• Return address labels (order new ones)
• Schools (BONUS: get copies of transcripts)
• Snow removal service
• Social Security Administration
• Swimming pool maintenance (pool cleaning, pool opening or closing)
• Swimming pool memberships
• Veterinarian BONUS get vet records and recommendations
• Water delivery service

Who did I miss? Who else would you notify? Please create a reply and let me know!

For now, you may want to check out these other resources:

• Ultimate Moving Checklist
  
• List of 101 Best Moving Tips
• Guide to getting organized for your move
• Guide to finding great movers and moving companies
  
• Packing tips