Helpful Tips for Moving.
Who wouldn’t be able to use some handy tips for moving when they are packing everything they own to move to a new place? If you find yourself among the millions of people who have moved to a new community or home, you will know firsthand just how frustrating moving can be. Here are a few tips that you can use to make your move as hassle-free as possible.
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Hire a Moving Company
If you can possibly afford it, hire one of the professional moving companies in your area. Some moving companies will even do your packing for you for an extra charge. If you go this route, though, first do your due diligence and make sure that they are a reputable company. You can call the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any complaints about them. Also, if you are going to hire a moving company, do it as far in advance as possible. Most people move at the end or the beginning of the month and movers can get booked pretty quickly for those times.
Check the New Place for Hazards
One good thing to bear in mind when you are moving is to check out the new place for any possible hazards. 9 times out of 10, this will be done when you first check the place out, but once you are ready to move in, you can get a closer look at everything. If the place is one that is a bit older, you might want to check for things like lead paint. Asbestos is another worry with older properties. Both of these things can cause problems with breathing if they are disturbed. If you find either of these things, get a professional to help you take care of them.
Multi-Task as You Pack
Packing when you are getting ready to move means that you will literally be going through everything that you own. One way to make your move easier is to pay attention to your stuff as you are packing it. As you are going through your stuff, you will come across things you don’t need, clothes that don’t fit or have become ragged, etc. This is a great time to get rid of all of this stuff… so you are not moving any more stuff than you have to. If you will be getting rid of some furniture, think about donating it or posting it on Craigslist. If you do these things far enough ahead of the move, and if you will be getting rid of a lot of stuff, you might even consider having a yard sale.
Transferring Information
Before you are ready to move, you need to know what utilities you will be responsible for at the new place and you will have to make arrangements to have them turned on in your name. It is best to do this as far in advance as possible. This is because sometimes it can take utility companies as much as a week or longer to come out and get things turned on. Another thing you will need to do is change your address with the post office. You can do this right online at the USPS website. If you do decide to do this online, you will need a credit card handy because they do charge you $1. Also, make sure the credit card you use has your current address as the billing address because this is how the post office will verify the request. If you cannot complete this online, stop by your local office, like a post office in Gainesville FL to have this taken care of.
Get Cheap Packing Supplies
There are many places you can go to get packing supplies. The thing is, tape, boxes, and bins can add up to a nice little chunk of change. You can get around this by checking with your local retailers to see if they have any empty boxes you can have. Liquor stores, in particular, tend to have nice, sturdy boxes on hand that they don’t mind giving out. Furniture stores are another good place to get ahold of some good boxes. Call these places about a week before you will start packing though so that they can tell you if and when they might have boxes available.
