The dishes are wrapped in newspaper and...
The dishes are wrapped in newspaper and stuffed in several unmarked boxes stacked in the driveway. Your toddler is crying for the teddy bear that the movers, who showed up two hours late, packed with the dirty laundry and loaded onto the truck.
A worst-case scenario or common moving-day trauma?
Regardless, careful planning can minimize moving-day hassles.
“Planning is as essential as choosing the city you’re moving to,” said Dave Kramer, manager of Orange County’s oldest Mayflower agent, Penn Van and Storage Co. “For the first time in 50 years, Orange County is an outbound area headed mainly to Seattle or Phoenix. There’s a lot of stress involved in relocating, but good planning can cut down on headaches.”
According to several van lines, the most popular destination out of Orange County is Washington and the least popular place to move is North Dakota.
“A good moving company will charge a fair rate regardless of destination,” Kramer said. “The moving company should be insured, offer packing options and use an experienced crew.”
Beyond that, here are some tips that can help make moving less hectic:
PLAN THE MOVE WELL IN ADVANCE
Interview several moving companies. Arrange back-to-back interviews for the same day. The agents should know you are shopping. According to the industry, moving fees are 70% labor, so reduce costs by packing belongings yourself. Eliminate all high- and low-end bids.
Choose an off-peak time to relocate. The summer and the last days of each month are popular moving times. Given the rules of supply and demand, those times are also the most expensive booking days. Negotiate with the agent to choose the date that suits both your needs and the schedule of the moving company.
TWO WEEKS BEFORE MOVING DAY
Decide what will be moved. Shipping costs can be reduced by having a garage sale before you move. Plus, it costs more to ship heavy items, such as lumber or gardening soil, than it does to replace them. Be cautious when packing flammables, including nail polish, varnish and detergents. Summer temperatures in a moving van could cause some items to explode. Begin packing. It often takes a few weeks to pack an entire house. Beginning early limits the stress and errors associated with last-minute packing. Label every box and furniture item with the room into which it will be moved.
Arrange utility cutoff dates. Household utilities should be connected until the day after the move is scheduled. The telephone should remain connected until every detail concerning the move is completed.
MOVING DAY
Handle valuables with care. Pack expensive jewelry, irreplaceable mementos and important documents in a suitcase and carry it with you.
Designate a “do not pack” area. Clearly mark a room or area for items that will not be moved. Otherwise, movers assume that everything--from Fido’s food to dirty plates--goes.
Check everything twice. As items are loaded into the van, keep a list of belongings with inventory numbers and the condition of the pieces. For example, if a table is scratched, note the length and location. The moving company will maintain a similar list. This expedites claims of property damage or loss after the move.
MOVING IN
Be early. Plan to get to the destination on the day before, or the morning of, the agreed delivery date. Mark each room with what boxes and furnishings belong inside. As the items are unloaded, check off your list and note any new damage to furniture.
Source: Various moving and transit companies, California Moving and Storage Assn.
