We've moved something like 11 times over the last 5 years and we swear this last move is our last. Our new building has over 50 stairs and a lack of air conditioning, so we hired movers for the first time ever. Although it was ridiculously pricey, not having to do the dirty work was more than worth it. We did however learn a few things about using a service like this (instead of your friends), so check out our 8 tips below!
1. Cash!: Having cash on hand when your movers arrive means never having to leave them with your things while you make a run to the bank. It also means you can, for lack of a better word, bribe them to transport things they normally wouldn't (tools, air compressors).
2. Cold Bottled Water: Even if they carry their own water with them in their moving truck, having water on hand, inside your apartment or home can be a huge blessing and increase their productivity. Plus, they'll be more willing to work for you, no matter what the temperature since you went out of your way to provide something for them (aside from your hard earned money).
3. Dolly: Do you have a great deal of furniture? Lots of large awkward things? Try having an additional rolling or furniture dolly on hand for them to use means things will get done extra fast, just make sure to put tape with a name on it so it doesn't get misplaced when their time is through.
4. A Plan Of Attack: If you've labeled your boxes for certain rooms, them make sure your system is legible and that they understand what's happening before they ever start loading the truck. They might choose to keep like boxes together to make unloading go smoother.
5. A Lack Of Stories: This one is tricky for us as we're far too chatty for our own good, but each conversation outside the task at hand only slows down your help and even if you feel as though they deserve a break, you're still paying them for their services (and usually by the hour) so keep the small talk extra small!
6. Door Props, Codes, Keys: If your apartment building requires any of these things for entry or exit, make sure they have everything they need upon arrival. If you have to continually buzz them in, there's a good chance the system will slow down. Don't forget to notify any doormen if your building has them.
7. Extra Tape/Markers/Boxes: Murphy's Law states that if you are missing any of these things then disaster will happen. Boxes will break, tape will break free and you won't be able to fix the situation. Better safe than sorry — have a few extra supplies on hand.
8. Printed Directions To Your New Place: Even if your movers have a GPS device, having printed directions for them makes life a great deal easier. Try making a run of the route before hand to make sure that the path you'll be taking is as free from potholes and construction as possible.
Do you have anything else to add to the list above? Share your mover tips in the comments below!
Image: Flickr member Beige Alert licensed for use by Creative Commons
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hiring movers is always worth it, if you can afford it. i have never regretted spending that money!
The one time I used movers, they showed up and took one look at my stuff and left. To be fair, I did have two bedrooms worth of stuff crammed into a one bedroom with a ton of plants and outdoor patio furniture.
I just suggest getting a quote from a place that actually comes to see your place before you commit if you have lots of stairs.
Be nice. Let them know you'll be tipping. And, if you're like me, you'll bake cinnamon buns and have a pot of coffee ready to go.
I have yet to have damaged furniture or bad service.
: )
Get references! Don't just go with the low bid.
Provide beverages and a snack afterwards to thank them.
We used movers once because they were provided as part of my ex-husband's hiring package. Having movers was a dream! I've moved more times in my adult life than I can possibly count, so I felt that this was well-deserved.
My advice: Be sure you've at least somewhat gone through your stuff because they pack EVERYTHING. I was a little embarassed when I realized they not only moved many almost-empty bottles of shampoo, conditioner, etc., but also at least one bag of recycling that I had forgotten to put out on the curb.
we hired movers for the first time this last move, and it was the best investment in making a stressful situation exponentially less stressful. but call ahead for quotes. ask if they'll move garbage bags of clothes and linens. ask if they have (and charge) for things like furniture pads, dollys, straps and the like. often times, you get zinged on things like boxing, taping, the time it takes to do so, plus materials on things like vacuum cleaners and microwaves. their materials ALWAYS cost more than free boxes from grocers! and sometimes, going with the guys who DON'T have their own trucks (you rent and drive you own) drive down the cost of the move, a lot. they're not paying for truck maint., truck insurance, and the like. so you're paying for just the man hours. And yes, having extra bottles of water around can be a much appreciated sentiment that gets you better attitudes all around!
"ask if they'll move garbage bags of clothes and linens. ask if they have (and charge) for things like furniture pads, dollys, straps and the like. often times, you get zinged on things like boxing, taping, the time it takes to do so, plus materials on things like vacuum cleaners and microwaves. their materials ALWAYS cost more than free boxes from grocers!"
If you don't care about your things, then move them in those plastic trashbags which are likely to tear and leave your things on the ground - or worse, torn themselves...
...and Of Course moving boxes, blankets and packing materials cost more than boxes in the dumpsters - They'll also hold up better since they're made for weighty and fragile household goods rather than uniformly-sized and not-so-fragile canned goods or boxes of cereal.
If you value the items you've collected for your home, moving isn't the time to skimp and cut corners: Accept the fact that moving costs money and get the best service & materials you can afford.
In addition:
Be sure there's enough danish, coffee, pizza and cold drinks to keep your movers happy.
Have a pack of sharpies, a stack of newspapers and extra packing tape on hand "Just in case"...
...empty all garbage cans before they arrive, or they'll pack and move it (Remember that Packers and Short-Distance Movers get paid by the hour plus materials, but Long-Distance Movers get paid by the pound)...
...and remember to reserve any elevators, loading docks or delivery parking spaces well in advance of moving day.
Having cash on hand when your movers arrive means never having to leave them with your things while you make a run to the bank.
I'm not sure what that means. Unless you live in a studio, and get in the moving truck for the ride, the movers will be alone with your things at some point. If you hire a reputable company, there is no need to fret about that.
"Having cash on hand when your movers arrive means never having to leave them with your things while you make a run to the bank."
It means you won't have to leave the apartment or house while they are working to go and get money with which to tip them or to pay the pizza guy. The more you can eliminate small errands on the day of the move, the more relaxed the move will be. Well, "relaxed"...
My advice?
1) Get three quotes. Check the BBB rating of each. Pick the one with the best quote AND the highest BBB rating. (My standard is 3 years of no complaints.)
2) Pack your car first thing in the morning, to be sure your "car stuff" doesn't get accidentally packed.
3) Lock up your cats / dogs if you haven't kenneled them, and put up a BIG SIGN on the door saying "CATS! DO NOT OPEN!"
Whether you're moving yourself or having movers, you're much better off with un-printed newsprint paper for packing than with newspaper. Your hands, clothing and belongings will thank you for not smearing ink from here to eternity. Places that sell boxes and such usually sell it by the pound and it's a great investment.
Just know, however, it's fine for long-term storage of hard goods (e.g., china and glass) but it is acidic, so it's not good for long-term storage of fragile goods (e.g., valuable books).
Also, use LOTS of it. I'm almost done unpacking from my latest move. The stuff I packed is clearly differentiated from stuff packed in 2007 for a corporate move. The movers who packed in 2007 knew what they were doing. The boxes they packed are still full to the top with padding. Some of the boxes I packed last October have settled with inadequate padding. My boxes have in a few cases collapsed from the weight of boxes stacked on them.
worth. every. penny.
We did it for the first time when we moved to Milwaukee a month ago -- and we actually used Hernia Movers, the truck pictured in this post! It was definitely worth it after we had loaded up the truck in 100 degree Austin heat, drove for two and half days, and arrived in Wisconsin exhausted. I highly recommend it.
Have a professional referee handy.
One crew I hired ended up in a fistfight over which particular moron got the truck stuck up to the axle on the soggy lawn after a heavy rain. That made everyone want to quit and leave me stranded.
It was not pretty and required an emergency call to the owner to straighten out.
If you break down the costs hiring movers is not much more expensive than renting a truck and moving your self. Save yourself, and your friends, the pain of moving and hire movers. You can make the move much much less expensive if you follow these three tips since you will be paying by the hour.
1. Be prepared when the movers arrive. Ideally you don't want the movers to do anything but move your stuff. Have EVERYTHING packed, padded, taped up and ready to go. Often movers have more jobs that day, and if you aren't ready when the movers arrive you're slowing down everybody else.
2. Find out any rules your building may have about moving way ahead of time. Take care of any fees, reservations for elevators etc. so you aren't wasting time on moving day.
3. Be nice and not overly demanding, you want your stuff to arrived unharmed. Have some water available, think about how much it sucks when you move your own stuff. TIP unless they were truly terrible. $20 per mover is pretty standard in Chicago, and probably most places.
If you're an adult and you own stuff you care about, you should hire movers. Your friends are not insured and I suspect your friend with the PhD doesn't normally move $2000 couches. Movers are worth every penny.
#1 rule- be READY when they arrive. If you are sitting among your boxes reading a book when they arrive, your movers will be happy because they know you're efficient. Movers usually respond to the customer's habits.
Other good tips:
-Have water in both locations- old place and new place.
-If you have a larger place, clearly label boxes as "kitchen" "bedroom #1", etc.
-Have a friend around, if you're moving by yourself. The friend can hold doors, direct movers, find the toilet paper. I've never had a friend turn me down when I've offered a free meal for them standing around for 2 hours.
-Treat the movers with respect.
Also:
Have your beds stripped, your media system unplugged and cords bound together, your dishes washed and the artwork off the wall Before the packers arrive.
I've always done all my own packing because I am really good at it and a well packed move makes the unpacking so much easier. But we have used movers several times and especially as we've gotten older, it is so worth the cost.
Hernia Movers -- that's hilarious! For my last move, I used Beltway Movers (DC area), and I can't say enough good things about the experience. They did everything by a checklist, and offered all kinds of suggestions and options that made the move virtually stress-free.
Boxes must have lids. We got a bunch from the grocery store and the movers charged us extra, because they didn't close even though everything was already packed. But, it was completely worth the money!
Professional movers are definitely exponentially more expensive than doing your own truck! That being said, some things can't be measured in money, and nearly dropping from exhaustion from trying to move a truck full of belongings is one of them.
Not to mention if you have the bad luck to hurt your back, drop a chest of drawers on your foot, or fall on the stairs while carrying three boxes at once.
We've moved three times by ourselves and once with movers, and I've vowed to never move myself again unless I sell everything and move out with two suitcases.
One other thing to have on hand for movers - a reliable watch. Our movers overcharged us by nearly an hour but we didn't notice because we were too tired and frazzled to check.
So far I have never used movers since I find it such a huge waste of money. But I know people who do. Biggest tip I have picked up is to always always pack your own boxes and move the small things yourself (you surely can move your own clothes and linens and possibly even electronics) - cuts down on the amount of time they spend moving you which means it costs less.
Remember to stock the new place with toilet paper, towels, kitchen paper, some cleaning stuff and lamps (you might unpack until it's dark and when the place does not come with fixed lamps it's really dark...).
Coffee machine (or know where the next coffee to go place is).
In addition to providing enough water, Coke, coffee, tip etc.:
Never ever bop around your movers screaming 'Be careful! This was expensive!' They do know this, they are professionals.
Sarah Rae, have you moved from the former church to another place already?
It seemed silly at the time, but label every side of your boxes largely and clearly. Our movers told us that helped them so much not having to hunt for what room the box went in.
Water, definitely.
Oddly we forgot toilet paper and some handsoap/towel. We packed everything and were clean and ready to go short of pushing the vacuum around so when the movers had to use the bathroom they were kind of stranded.
Tips and be nice! Our last driver told us you'd be shocked how condescending and rude people can act to movers or treat them like they just know their stuff is going to get stolen/ broken for no good reason. I offed to get them lunch and while they appreciated it, they declined. Small things like that help things go smooth.
My dad always swore a tip to get movers to be nice was any random stuff (furniture or otherwise) you were getting rid of, to hold on to til the movers get there and see if they wanted. They gave my parents old dining room set to one of the movers who was ecstatic and they didn't have to get rid of it themselves.
Movers are definitely work it. I was sick of having no one to help me move (can't blame them, it sucks) so I called around to get quotes and hired a company. It was funny when they arrived, because they thought I had so little, said it would be no problem. You do have to pay for a minimum of 2 hours, and they were a little more than 2 hours. I wasn't overly impressed with their attitudes, but the move itself went smoothly and I was so happy to not have to carry all that stuff.
I packed everything myself though, as not all companies do that. Also my friends came early in the morning to help me move my plants, cat, and litter box.
I love the Hernia movers in Milwaukee. Not only is their name hilarious, but they do a quality job. Thanks for the great tips. Cross my fingers we aren't moving soon, but if we do, I have this post bookmarked!
That's is a really nice 8 things for movers service
Toronto movers