Professional movers taught us so far that the most important step of every local relocation is a good plan. Having your move organized and planned ahead will make things easier and smoother, that is for sure. But sometimes we are not even sure where to start planning. That is why we spoke to professional movers, in order to gather the information from them and to create this timeline that can help you out. It is just a basic timeline that will definitely change based on your needs, requirements, and wishes. But at least, you have something to start with. So, let’s move on to the ultimate moving tips gathered from local movers!
(At least) A month before the move
- Make a detailed plan
First things first, you should make a plan before calling professional movers. Since every relocation is different, and every person moving has his own requests and requirements, you will have to make this based on your needs. Once you call professional movers, they will certainly help you determine some things that are related to the execution itself, but the timeline needs to be determined by you, based on your time and your needs. The best thing is to have a dedicated notebook where you will write down every detail related to your move. You would be surprised to hear how many professional movers told us the clients forget even what moving company they hired, and that is normal, because moving is such a stressful event, and some things can easily slip your mind. That is why professional movers are advising you to write down everything that is important, and everything is important when moving locally. Be on top of every task that you are facing with your local move, and even more importantly, try to stick to the plan you made and not to change it that much along the way. Some things will definitely change, and no one is able to predict everything, but you should try to be as accurate as possible.
- Find suitable professional movers
Finding suitable local movers is way more than just typing furniture movers near me, and scheduling the first one on the list. If you want to hire good professional movers you can rely on, you will have to dig deeper. It is definitely a good idea to start your search online, but you will have to do research before hiring them. Make sure to read reviews and check their website. After you make a list of at least 5 local moving companies, you should start calling in order to find the best professional movers for your needs. When it comes to reading the reviews, that can be a little tricky, because most of the furniture movers do have some bad reviews on their pages, because that is the moving business. Even the most skilled professional movers can make a mistake, it is important how they handle it, so don’t be too strict if you see a couple of bad reviews. Also, check if professional movers are licensed and insured. Ask your local movers what is included in the price and if there are some additional charges of any sort, you don’t want to be surprised by some additional charges that don’t fit your budget at the last minute of your relocation. There are many furniture movers on the market nowadays, and unfortunately, not all of them are trustworthy, so you will have a difficult task in front of you. It is also important to have someone reliable when it comes to customer support, you want local movers who will be there for you whenever you need some answers or you need help with something.
When reading all of this, you can already get the idea that the best way to find professional movers is to get a recommendation from someone who just moved and had an exceptional moving experience. The first-handed experience is always the best marketing for every local moving company, so if you have some neighbors or friends that moved, feel free to ask them for help.
- Set the moving budget
After you call a few places and get a couple of moving quotes, you should think of a moving budget. The budget that you should spend on moving does not consist of professional movers only, you should be aware of all the expenses that might appear. It is important to try to stay within that budget, so make sure to be realistic. If the budget is set too low, you will be stressing out about having to spend more than you planned. Besides professional movers, you will have to purchase packing material, you will have some expenses in decorating your new home, maybe you will need to use a storage unit, and similar. There are many expenses when it comes to local moving that we often forget, so try to remember everything you can. If you are not sure what your expenses might be, you can always find a moving calculator online and see what applies in your case. Try to save on a moving company, but having affordable movers is not the same as having a shady moving company that is not even checked. Having local movers that are not skilled will lead to additional expenses, so try to avoid that as well.
- Sort out before packing (make an inventory)
Before your professional movers arrive to your moving site, or even before you start packing, make sure to declutter everything you are sure you won’t be using or needing in your new home. Moving is an ideal opportunitut to sort out your belongings and decide what to keep and what not. After you sort out your belongings, you can donate them or organize a garage or online sale. The golden rule is – if you haven’t used it in ages or if you cannot even remember you have it, it is time to say goodbye. Not to mention that you might save some money on professional movers, because they will need less time to move all of your items.
- Start packing in time
This might be the most important task! Packing should be done at least the night before your professional movers arrive, so make sure to pack up all of your belongings by then. Just imagine the stress if you are not even half packed and your local movers are there. This will make your move a complete disaster. So make a plan when it comes to packing and make sure to start in time. Also, there is a rule that you should pack at least something every day before the move. Find the tempo that works for you and start based on that. It is ok if you need a day, and it is ok if you need more than a month. Every move is individual, that can be confirmed by professional movers as well.
Two weeks before
- Schedule the company to transfer your utilities
Don’t forget to schedule the company to transfer your utilities as soon as you set the date with your professional movers. You want to feel like home as soon as you relocate your belonigngs there, so make sure your utilities are transferred as well. You will make your life easier.
- Stop buying groceries
Professional movers cannot move your food or drinks together with the rest of your belongings. Get creative in the kitchen and make some interesting dishes with the groceries you already have. No one likes to throw away food, so why would you when you can make a plan before your local movers arrive and start handling your furniture.
- Organize a babysitter
All professional movers will agree on one thing – the moving site might be dangerous for toddlers or pets. The last thing your furniture movers want is to have someone around while they are carrying heavy furniture. That is why you should think of the safety of your loved ones and hire a babysitter and someone to take care of your pets. Make the moving day smooth with little things. And after, you can all enjoy in your new home as a family.
- Defrost your freezer
We talked about planning your meals, and now it is the perfect time to use everything inside of your freezer because professional movers will need you to defrost it. It is not safe to move it with the food inside, and as you know, if the freezer starts defrosting inside of a moving truck, it might ruin the rest of your possessions, and local movers cannot be responsible for that.
A week before your local move
- Make a layout of your new home
Professional movers that are helping with local movers are usually charging hourly rates. So just imagine your furniture movers having to move the same sofa from one corner to another a dozen times because you are not sure what is the perfect place for it. Not only you will waste time and money, but the chance that some pieces might get damaged is growing bigger. Avoid this mistake before your professional movers are even at your address, and make sure you have the layout of your new home. You want to feel at home from the very first moment you walk into your home, and having things organized and creating the layout is one of the exciting tasks you will have. This will also help you determine if you have to buy some new items or to get rid of some old ones in order to make your new home look and feels like home.
- Pack an essential bag
We can guarantee that you will need some of your items during your first night or the first day in your new home, so make sure all of these items are somewhere near you. You can even move this box on your own, instead of having professional movers taking it. This way, you will be sure that all of your necessities are close by and you won’t have to go throug dozen of boxes in order to find your linens, or something that you cannot spend the night without.
- Take pictures of your electronics before you disconnect them
Your professional movers will take care of relocating your electronics, but they won’t be able to help you connect them back. So make sure to take pictures so you can make your life easier when you move to your new home. This way, you won’t have to spend hours on trying to figure how to turn your electronics back on.
On a moving day
- Make sure there is enough water
Moving is a difficult and existing physical work, and you have to be sure that your professional movers have enough water or juice on that day. Especially during the summer months. On a moving day, you should have enough liquids to serve your professional movers. During the cold months, you can have some tea or coffee to warm them up. Professional movers will know to appreciate this gesture. What is also a nice thing to do if your move is taking too long, because your home is on a bigger side, is to offer them lunch. You are not obligated to provide either food or drinks to your professional movers, but if you are looking for a way to make them feel appreciated for the service they are offering, you might consider this.
- Charge your phone
This is something that you will probably do even without us reminding you, but having your phone fully charged is extremely important because you will have to maintain communication with your professional movers throughout the whole process. Just imagine if your professional movers cannot find you and they will call before the arrival. Or if they cannot find your new home because it is a new community. There are numerous reasons why your professional movers might call you before or during the move, so make sure you have your phone on you and make sure you can use it. Also, sometimes you might have a poor signal or anything of that sort, so make sure to check your email. In case when your professional movers cannot reach you over the phone, they will probably email you.
- Have some changing clothes
On a moving day, you will be active, that is the fact. Whether you will be assisting professional movers by offering them the water, or you will be there to coordinate where to put what – it is a job that requires you to move. Moving can also get a dirty job, and it is easy to end up with a dirty shirt. Make sure you have some extra clothes in your car or in your essential bag, in case you have to leave the moving site.
And if you are looking for professional moves who can help you out with your upcoming local move, you are in the right place! Issaquah Moving Company has many years of experience in this field and we enjoy helping our neighbors. So don’t hesitate to reach out to us and get your free moving quote today!