When you’re planning a move a long distance, it can be a bit intimidating.  Do you bite the bullet and pay a moving company to pack and move your stuff, or do you rent a truck and move it yourself.  You might just find that it can be surprisingly cheap to rent a one way moving truck.

When you use a full-service service moving company, you can often get them to pack most everything, inventory it, load it in the truck, and unpack it for you on the other end.  However, this can be a very expensive way to go, especially if you don’t have enough to fill a full truck.  This can be really painful, since you usually pay for the entire truck, even if what you’re moving only fills the truck two-thirds of the way.

A great alternative is to pack and load everything yourself.  While it may not sound fun, having done it myself, it isn’t as bad as you might think.  It is a cheap way to move compared to a full-service moving company, and you can control your schedule more than when you set up a time with a mover.  You’ll also always know exactly where your stuff is.

You can usually choose from several sizes of trucks, from a pickup truck to a 21 foot truck, and can even get something to tow a car behind the larger trucks.  One recommendation I would make is to get the car carrier trailer if you’re towing a car.  On one move, I used the car dolly that only hooks up to two wheels.  Towing that car cross-country by the front wheels actually messed up the alignment of the rear wheels, which added to the cost of the whole move.  The car carrier does cost more, but may end up saving you money at the end of your trip.

Keep in mind that if you use the blankets that usually come in the trucks, you’ll be charged for them, and may even be charged to use the dolly to put your items on the larger trucks.  In most cases, you’re charged by the mile or the number of days you keep the truck.

You may have to park in a strange way to be able to load the truck, which can sometimes cause problems if you’re only allowed to use a certain number of spaces, like at an apartment.  You may want to check with management first to prevent inconveniencing other tenants.

Driving the truck across the country, or even across town, can be an adventure if you have the right attitude, and keep in mind that you’re probably saving a ton of money compared to having someone else do all the work for you.

Technorati Tags: moving cheap, One way moving truck rental

While thinking about moving cheap I came across an article about a company that sells boxes that can be used as moving boxes and then as a book case. If you have moved a lot then you can probably see the advantages to multipurpose things. Using your boxes this way after a move is so much better than breaking them down and storing them, or trashing your moving boxes and then spending money to buy more the next time you move. The bookcase looks pretty neat to. Go to “Shelf System Built from Boxes Makes Moving Easy” to see for yourself.

You might be thinking that I have lost my mind with these boxes since they are so expensive and you would probably need to order them from Europe. I would completely agree with you, these boxes are not for those of us that need inexpensive solutions to our problems.

I am only showing you that article so that you can start to get ideas. What else could be used in a similar way? I know many of us have used crates as book cases and moving boxes back in collage, and they do work well if you are a kid. If you are not going for the dorm look then finding neat wooden boxes from the craft store or maybe the flee market could work really well.

Of course we need to remember that these types of shelves could fall easily in an earthquake or if a child tries to climb them, so we must always keep safety in mind.

Technorati Tags: Moving boxes, moving cheap

Why are so many of us in need of moving cheap? So much has happened in the last few years that have changed the way we see our homes. Times have gotten so tight and look like they are just going to get tighter before these hard times are over. Is your home a comfortable place to live or is it a financial black hole.

If you are moving to make your budget stretch farther than getting a full service moving company is also going to be out of the question. Moving cheap is the only answer. If you are getting ready for moving cheap this year then here is a list for you to get started with.

Moving Cheap How to List

1. Schedule your moving truck rental early. Don’t wait for the last moment to try to get a moving truck. These days moving trucks are going fast. If you call a rental truck company and they can’t guarantee a truck for you at the location you want on your dates then you need to call another company until you have your guarantees. There is a well known moving truck rental company that is now keeping their customers guessing. They won’t tell you where to pick up your truck until the last minute and you could end up driving an hour each way to get it. Don’t use this company unless you have no other choice. You will pay extra in miles and gas.

2. Exhaust all sources of free boxes first. There are so many ways to get free boxes, you just need to ask. Go to all sorts of stores, hospitals, and neighbors that have recently moved. I have extensive posts about where to find moving boxes on this site to give you ideas.

3. Get friends and relatives to help you pack the truck. Sometimes it can be hard to ask for help, but if your money is tight you are going to have to do it. I have moved several times with just my husband and I doing all of the heavy lifting and I can tell you that moving this way isn’t as much fun as it sounds. Even if you can get a few people to help for an hour or two with your heaviest furniture it is worth it.

4. Plan everything perfectly. Make sure you are packed before you get the truck and you can move straight from one place to the other with as little hotel stays as possible.

Find the cheapest ways of doing everything at all times to keep your move cheap.

Technorati Tags: Moving boxes, moving cheap, moving truck rental

Click here to go see the Moving Boxes Kits

It is nearly impossible to move without moving boxes. If you don’t believe me then try it. You will have a really frustrating day. I suppose if you are the ultimate minimalist then you might be able to carry all of your belongings in your arms, but I don’t know anyone that has that few items.

I have talked about all sorts of ways to find moving boxes. Here is another source of moving boxes if you have a little money to spend and a week or two to wait for them to arrive. I like this moving kit from Smooth Move. If this isn’t what you are looking for you your next move don’t worry you can find all sorts of moving boxes kits if you look around a little bit. Click on the colorful words to find out more.

Technorati Tags: Moving boxes, order moving boxes

Moving across country is exciting and a whole lot of work.  When you move long distance you have a lot of options. Some of these options are less expensive, time consuming and take a lot of elbow grease on your part. I am talking about getting a moving truck or moving container that you would pack, drive, and unpack yourself. If you have some time and need to save the money then doing it this way is a great way to move long distances. If not that you need to get some national movers for your move. What are the best things about these full service national movers?

They do the Heavy Lifting

Save your back, you can pay your movers to do all the heavy lifting, and the furniture taking apart to. You can also buy there boxes and have them pack them for you. Just find out what your national moving company is willing to do for you.

They do the Driving

Have you ever tried to move your entire life in the back of a moving truck that you are driving? If you haven’t let me tell you what you are missing. You get to drive a truck a few times larger than what you normally drive, you get to look for gas stations that can accommodate your trucks size, you get to find other transportation for your personal vehicles, you get to park your rental moving truck in such a way that it cannot be broken into or even stolen.

They can Store Your Things Until you are Ready

If you need time to get all your ducks in a row before you can unpack belongings than many of these moving companies will store your things for you in there warehouse.

Technorati Tags: national movers

The first place you should looked to find information when relocating to New Hampshire is the real estate offices. You can find a long list of them online to choose from. If you are just information shopping I would recommend just stick to the sites of the big firms at first. Not only can you find out what the type of home you are looking for is going to cost but you can usually find a free relocation brochure to either down load or have sent to you. These agents specialize in relocation and investment properties so they will have plenty of information to help you. You can often sine up to have e-mail sent to you the minute new properties come on the market. These sites can have wonderful maps and directions to the homes for sale, so you will get an idea of where the best neighborhoods for you will likely be. 

It would not be wise to make a decision of where exactly to live if you haven’t actually visited nor have someone local to steer you in the right direction. Realtors also tend to know where the safest and most dangerous parts of town are, so if you will not have any time to look around before deciding on where you will begin your life in New Hampshire then they can help you make the best decision. You will want to find housing for safety and easy access to work to make your life easier. Real estate sites can also help you find a place to rent. If you don’t see any rentals on there web sites than you might want to call the number and ask.

Apartments are great places to start if you are unfamiliar with the area so that you can get used to a new city. If you live alone, moving to an apartment community of people like yourself may help you find a new circle of friends. Apartments tend to be less of a long term commitment then a house. Just watch out for apartments that do not have a lease of more than six months because they tend to be in the less desirable parts of town.

Technorati Tags: full service moving companies, Moving Pods, moving van rentals, Relocating to New Hampshire

The number one thing that if you forget to do while moving from one home to another home that can really come back to bite you is in the end is

Forgetting To Forward Your Mail!

Do I even need to remind you that people have gotten there identity stolen because of what is in there mail?

It is important to take every precaution with your personal information, so don’t forget to get you mail forwarded to a safe place as soon as you read this. You have several great ways of doing this.

1. Forward your mail to your new home if you have the address and you know that the mail would be secure waiting their for you.

2. Forward your mail to a PO Box close to your new home, if you can get one set up.

3. Forward your mail to a trusted family member or friend, if they tell you it’s OK. Just keep in mind that when you are ready to unburden them of your mail it won’t be a good idea to use a post office forwarding form from their residence because it might mess up their mail.

4. And my favorite, forward you mail to a service like earth class mail. You can use this online PO Box type service no matter where you move or how many times you move. They will receive your mail and scan it for you so you can see it on your computer, and then you can tell them to forward that piece of mail to you or destroy it.

Technorati Tags: moving relocating

If you have been looking around on this blog you will already know that I have moved a lot in my adult life. An affordable moving company is the best way to move if you are cheap and/or you are broke. 

There are numerous posts here to steer you in the right direction when you are ready for that cheap move. Instead of making you read them all here is a list of the best suggestions I have. 

1. The Less You Have The Less You Will Need to Move. Streamlining your belongings to those things that you really need and really love will make your move easier and cheaper. Less boxes to carry, less hired help, less rental truck, and less gas you will need to spend money on. The best part is that you can sell many of your discards to make some moving money.

2. Get Your Friends and Family to Help. Whenever possible get those closest to you to help with the move. They can carry boxes and furniture to a rental truck, lend you there truck, or watch your kids while you are doing the heavy lifting. I know it can be hard to ask, just make sure you help them out when they ask. Don’t forget to supply some refreshments during the move and a party when all is done. Of course going overboard here could use up all of your savings.

3. Hire Locals to Pack and Unpack Your Truck for You. You would be surprised how inexpensive the teen age boys down the street are if you just ask them. Just be prepared to supervise when not hiring professional movers. O.K. You need to supervise the professionals to if you want everything to go well.

4. Rent Your Own Truck or Moving Pod. Full service moving companies are really convenient and you pay a lot for that convenience. If you are trying to save money on moving then you are going to have to go to the hassle of renting your own truck or pod from an affordable moving company.

I know most of these tricks are fairly obvious, but sometimes we all need to be reminded of them when saving money with an affordable moving company.

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Before deciding what overseas moving companies to use you need to consider how much your belongings are worth. Moving overseas can be very expensive. Often if you do the math you will find it is less expensive to not take your things with you and go to yard sales and thrift shops to get what you need instead. I know most people that move are unwilling to part with their things. If you are one of those people then here are some options in overseas moving companies.

Full Service Overseas Moving Companies

In most cases I would say that you should choose the cheapest option to move your belongings from one place to another. In this case choosing the extra expensive full service movers is going to be worth it. When you are moving overseas there are extra things that need to be taken care of. You will have costumes and depending on where you are moving a language barrier to deal with. The paperwork will need to be filled out perfectly or else there will be a really big problem. An international full service moving company will help you jump over all of the hurtles as well as pack up your belongings properly for the journey. I personally don’t think I could handle this all on my own. 

Take Just a Few Extra Boxes of the Necessities

Another option is to take as little of your things as possible and just use the post office to send what you absolutely have to have. Pound per pound this is more expensive than hiring movers. But the point is that you aren’t taking that much, so this ends up a lot cheaper. 

If you are just taking a few boxes then why not check into companies that ship luggage for people going overseas on vacation. If it is a good way to get luggage there for a week or two then why not for a move. 

Don’t forget to also check with your airlines to see how much extra it would be to take additional luggage with you.

Just be very careful to know what you can and cannot transport to that particular country and if there are going to be extra taxes involved. You don’t want start your overseas adventure breaking laws and getting into trouble.

Technorati Tags: overseas moving companys

Some times a business needs to move from one location to another and you find yourself needing business movers. Deciding if time or money is more important to you is the best place to start. Once you have that figured out it is time decide what type of business movers you will need. Here are some options. Since large companies would already know exactly how they will move I will be talking about moving small businesses.

Hire Professionals

If you decided time is more important than money then you should hire professional business movers. This type of mover should understand the needs of businesses and be able to accommodate you well. Be sure to ask around to find out witch ones are the best in your area. Also make sure that they are professional and organized when you make your reservations. As you well know, if your first impression of the company isn’t good than there is a really good chance your entire experience isn’t going to be good either.

Use Your Staff

Do you have some sort of staff? If so you can offer to pay them extra to move the business or you can have them move during there working hours. You know what your staff is capable of so only you will know if using them for your move is a good idea.

Hire Individuals

Have you heard that unemployment is up? Finding individuals to hire for your business move should not be a problem and you could save some money to. Try employment agencies, friends, family, friends and family of your staff, or even your local Boy Scout troop.

Technorati Tags: Business movers