Archive for June, 2010
June 30th, 2010 | 
Author: Are you in a big hurry to move? There can be many reasons you find yourself in this predicament. Or maybe you would rather pay someone else to do the heavy lifting, and walking back and forth for you.
If you are using a moving pod or a rental truck or simply have a lot of stuff to move then looking into hiring other people to do the lifting and carrying for you could save a lot of time and strain.
I found movers that will move your stuff info your pod or truck for you. This is a large company that can send people to you no matter where you are. They will even pack for you if you supply the packing materials. You can schedule them for loading or unloading or both if you are only moving within 50 miles. I would think that you could schedule a loading and then an unloading separately if you are moving a long distance. They can also help you with your overseas movie. My favorite part about this moving company is that they have pre-priced packages right there on the order service page. If you are looking for this type of service then check them out.
A complete moving checklist could be pages long and very by family and situation. These are just a few things to think about before you move.
1. Get estimates from moving companies, whether you plan on doing most of the work yourself or as little of it as possible.
2. Get your mail forwarded by filling out a form from the post office. You can do this either online or with the special post card that you can get at your local post office.
3. Contact every company that sends you a regular bill. Have them canceled or transferred to your new address.
4. Get information about your kid’s new school. Even better contact them.
5. Collect as many boxes as you can, and then buy the rest. You will use more than you think.
6. Return the things that you have borrowed and get back the things that have been borrowed from you.
7. Start packing as much as you can of the non essentials.
8. Get rid of items you don’t want in your new house or aren’t worth the money to move.
9. Decide how you plan on moving your pet.
10. Use up your toilet paper, shampoo, food, etc. Why move that stuff?
The most important thing is to get started as soon as you can. In my experience the sooner you get organized the better decisions you will make, the easier it will be to unpack, and the less it will cost you in the end.
How do you know whether to rent a truck or a self-service storage container for you move? Things to think about are cost versus how far you are traveling, whether you want to drive a big truck (possibly with another car following), and how much freedom you want as you travel. You always know where your stuff is with a truck, but you have to drive your stuff everywhere as you travel, especially if you don’t have a car with you. Gas cost can add up quickly with a truck.
With a self-service container, it is usually easier to pack than a truck, you can forget about it once it has been picked up, and it can be stored long-term for a fee. You may have problems finding a place for the container, and may have HOA restrictions against a container, even though it’s your own house.
Best shop around for prices and convenience, and determine just what you want to deal with as you move.
You’ve finally decided to move. Maybe you or your spouse got a great job out of state, you bought a new home, or you just want a change. There is so much to consider when you’re making a move. You don’t want to be frazzled during a time when you need to be focused and organized. A moving checklist can help. Here are ten things not to forget.
1. Get Estimates. Get estimates from moving companies, moving pod companies, and hired muscle to do the heavy lifting. Decide which you would like to use considering what they cost versus how much of your time it would take. Some of us have more time, while some of us have more money to spend. Book your reservations as far out as 2 months ahead to insure availability, more if you are moving during the peak summer months.
2. Contact Who You Pay Your Bills To. Contact all of your utilities and other companies that you pay a regular bill to. Make a list using old bills with your customer ID numbers and the company phone numbers so that you can try to get them all in one sitting. Inform them of the date of your move to cancel or transfer your accounts. Keep this list so that after your move so you can check to make sure your information was changed in their systems.
3. Get a Change of Address Form. Use a moving form from your local post office or the online form to have your mail forwarded. It is a good idea to do this as soon as you have a new address to insure that your mail goes to the right place. You don’t want to have your personal information in a stranger’s hands, your mail stolen or missing a final bill. If you have someone that you trust, it would also be a good idea to have your mail forwarded to their address for a little while, long before your move, just in case your mail transfer does not go through the first time you submit it. I have seen this happen.
4. Get Your Kids Schooled. If you have school aged kids, contact their new school to inform them that you are moving into their area. This should make the transition smoother for your kids.
5. Boxes, Boxes, Boxes. Did I say boxes? Buying boxes for your move can really add up. As soon as you think you might move then you should go ahead and start collecting boxes. Sometimes you can get them from grocery stores, liquor stores, big box stores, toy stores, and (my favorite) hospitals. Just ask someone to point the way. Of course if you are at the end of the packing and no longer have a lot of time to go box hunting then moving companies are an excellent, but generally more expensive, place to get them.
6. Neither a Borrower or a Lender Be. Return anything that you have that is borrowed or rented. Library books, tools, toys, furniture, that CD that your kid borrowed from their friend at school. Also make a list of items that have been borrowed from you, and contact the borrower to get them back.
7. Pack Early. Start any early packing of items you know you want in the new house but you can live without before you move there. This is an excellent time to organize and label your boxes. Start early and continue until you simply run out of time. This will not only help you when you are unpacking, it will also help you keep your belongings in perspective.
8. Do I really Want This…Thing? If you are making a long distance move consider whether you really need to pay to have each item moved. Use this time to purge out duplicates and things you just don’t want to move. Plus, sometimes it is cheaper to buy that item after you move than pay to have it moved.
9. How Should Spot Run? If you have a pet decide what the most humane way of moving them would be. I mean both humane to the pet and humane to the humans. If you are moving long distance think about having a friend or relative keep the animal either in the town that you are moving from or the town that you’re moving to so you can use an airline to ship the tranquilized pet. If you want to take the pet with you on the trip, then consider where and how the pet will travel. Remember that you don’t want a pet under the driver’s feet even for a second. Also don’t forget to make hotel arrangements that include your pet.
10. Eat, Drink and Be Merry, for Tomorrow We Move. Use up as much of your food and toiletries as you can. These are usually items that would cost more to move than replace when you get there, so I would highly recommend giving what’s left over to a friend, relative, or, in the case of sealed packages, a charity.
When it comes time to move you have a lot of things you need to get done before you can head out on the road. One of the major considerations is whether to use a rental truck, like U-Haul, Ryder or Budget; or to rent a moving container, like Pods. Here are some things you might want to think about when making that decision.
Pros of using a rental truck
One advantage of using a rental truck is that you have control of what you are moving, and how it is moved. You can pack it like you want, which is great to be able to do. Another advantage is, compared to using a moving company that packs everything for you, it is fairly cheap. You can take your time moving if you need to as you drive across town or across country. You also know exactly where your stuff is all the time. That can give some peace of mind compared to putting it in a container and saying so long.
Cons of using a rental truck
You usually have a shorter time frame to pack a truck than you would a self-service container. Loading a tuck is harder because you usually have to take your stuff up a ramp to get it into the truck. As fun as it may sound, driving a big truck across the country can be difficult, and unless you have someone following in another vehicle, you are limited on space for passengers. Having a second vehicle can free you somewhat as you travel to a point on your trip, but paying for gas on two vehicles can be pretty spendy. Usually the truck needs to be filled far more often than the follow vehicle. Towing a vehicle sucks even more gas, and in our experience can mess up the alignment on your car.
You also will need to decide who is going to drive the truck, and how the driving will be split, if it will be. Finding a place to park a truck is also a pain, and you run the risk of annoying the other patrons at the local McDonald’s when you take up three or more spaces with your U-Haul and a possibly a car in tow.
Pros of a self-service storage container
One major advantage of a self-service storage container, like moving PODS, is that they sit on the ground and are pretty easy to load. You usually have up to a month to pack the thing, and once you are done, you just have it picked up and you don’t have to deal with it until you reach your destination. You also can have the container stored indefinitely so you can take more time traveling and even sight see more easily. You don’t have to worry that something will happen to your stuff while you are driving. You don’t have to unpack a truck and then repack your stuff into storage if you don’t need it immediately. You save money on fuel because trucks are gas guzzlers. If you are moving with more than about three people, such as a family of five, a regular car or truck or whatever is much more comfortable than a big 20 foot tuck.
Cons of a self-service storage container
You may not be able to have a container sitting in your apartment parking lot or, for business use, outside your business for a month as you pack. You can’t just move the container if the landlord or another tenant doesn’t like it or needs to access the parking spaces. If you own your own home, there may be a Home Owner’s Association and they may not allow a container to sit on your lot, even if it is your own driveway. For short distance moves, a truck may be a better bet since you may end up paying less than you would for a container rental. Once the container is picked up, you have a harder time getting to your possessions.
Conclusion
Basically, to decide whether to get a U-Haul or a moving PODS container, do your homework. Check prices for the size of the truck or container you need, the distance of your move, and the cost of other things, like gas, and how fast you need to move, vs. how much freedom you need if you want to explore as you move to your new home.
Posted in Moving Pods, Moving Truck Rentals | 
Tags: moving pod, moving truck rental | 
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Whether you have to move across town or across country, a self-service storage container may be a good way to go. Moving containers come in a variety of sizes to fit your needs, and can be used for short or long-term storage. They can also be shipped most anywhere in the country. You usually have up to a month to complete the packing of the container, and can pay for additional time if you need it.
The average container holds a room to a room-and-a-half of furniture or 40-50 medium-sized moving boxes. For larger moves, you may need more than one container. You can store the container in a facility provided by the container company, where your stuff will live in a climate controlled and secure environment. It is always a good idea to check with several companies to find the best match to what you need for storage.
Every business needs to manage costs to stay profitable. Overhead can be a killer and reducing that expense can add to the bottom line. Business moving and storage needs can vary from month-to-month and year-to-year. A very effective way to reduce costs, improve efficiency and increase revenues is with a moving pod. In addition to traditional uses you normally think of for residential moving and storage, businesses can also benefit from moving pods. Businesses can simply call and request a pod be delivered, fill it and have the moving pod company pick it up and store it. That way you can spend your time focused on your business and not on where and how to get items into and out of storage like in a self-storage facility. You also reduce the need to use valuable floor space saving on lease fees or allowing more showroom space.
Pod Tough
Probably the best known company providing this service is PODS. They have become an industry leader partly because they designed a hydraulic lift system which allows them to deliver the pod to your site while keeping the pod level. PODS also has two different container sizes and either short or long-term storage. Pods can be stored on your site or at a PODS facility which provides added security. Moving pod containers are very strong, weather proof, and can withstand high winds. Check around for the best prices and services available.
If you have decided to move, there are four options available to you: Rent a Truck, do a U Pack Truck Rental, use Moving Pods, and use an Unpacking Service. A popular approach that has become popular in recent years is the Moving Pod. Moving pods are best described as “portable storage containers”. You see moving pods these days in a variety of colors all over the country. The nice thing about moving pods is that you don’t have to rush the move because you are given up to 30 days to pack the container at you home, which allows for a more flexible schedule. And you don’t have to drive a large truck. You can also have your moving pod company store your stuff and get it later. By having access to your belongings, moving pods are great when you need long term storage. The downside is that moving pods can’t remain outdoors too long. You can save money on moving pods by not booking your pod during the summer months when rates will be at their highest.
Moving is easy
You’ll find this a superior solution to mini-storage units and moving van. Most companies have moving boxes of all kinds, blankets, tape, dollies and tie downs. Many also offer some kind of insurance while moving your stuff, and storage insurance once it gets there. Best of all, they can deliver your moving supplies when the moving container is dropped off. Try to avoid moving at the end or beginning of a school year. All the companies offer free quotes for moving only, storage only, or both. With the use of a moving pod, you’ve got yourself several weeks to finish packing all of your possessions, and you can arrange them yourself inside the container.
Storage is convenient
Pods are a lot easier than a storage unit, although a little more expensive. You can store items for any amount of time for a fee which varies by company, although most are competitive. Shop around for your best deal.
No matter what option you choose, you’ll have to decide who will help you to load and unload the moving pod. If you plan well you should have plenty of time to organize and pack your pod and get the most out of the money you spend. Shop around for the best mix of price, shipping flexibility and delivery locations on both ends of the pod’s trip. Most companies seem to give about a month to pack the pod, and you can store the items indefinitely for a small amount each month.