Moving

[meliz]

Ok, so I have done this a zillion times... but never with "real" movers who do all the lifting and packing. So... any tips?

What questions should I be asking moving companies? Two come to my mind: 1. how long does our stuff sit on the truck, and 2. Do you subcontract? (recent news story about people getting stiffed lots of extra money by subcontractors who demand a fee once your stuff is on their truck).

But what else?

And what about the packing process. Any tips there?

[nicolef888]

Make sure they are a reputable company ie. how long have they been in business, etc. Get referrals from friends if at all possible. It's always good to speak to someone about their experience.

Pack up all your personal items and valuables before hand. I didn't like the idea of male movers going through my underwear drawers. Valuable such as cameras, video cams, jewelry, etc pack up and take with you before the movers come. On one previous move, we had movers take a camera and a walkman.

If you are going staright into your new place when you arrive, you should be able to schedule the movers to move your things in right away. If not, it will most likely be moved from the truck into a warehouse. Is the warehouse temperature controlled?

Most movers do not move wine or plants so be prepared to move those yourself. They also won't move anything flammable such as your BBQ propane tanks, lawnmover gas tanks, etc.

If you have any special items, be sure to tell the movers before hand. We have a handpainted toy box as well as a table and chair. They were just going to tape them and move them. I saw this and stopped them asap. I made them remove the tape and wrap and box these items. Valuable artwork ie, anything over a $1K, have crated by a professional (the moving company will outsource/contract this out as it's a specialty service).