Moving Tips

Moving tips from the moving experts

We recommend you begin planning your move at least three months before your move day. To get you started, MoveBuilder™ compiled a list of helpful moving tips and moving advice to help manage your move with ease.

Your "Get Organized" Moving Tips

Create a "Household Move File" which might include:

• Receipts for moving-related expenses
• A moving checklist
• Packing Tips
• Moving tips and moving advice specific to your move
• Household inventory
• Moving estimates
• Important contact information
• Other contact information for special moving services you might need

Moving Tips - Research

Visit the websites for your new city and state. You'll find information on driver's licensing requirements, voter registration, employment information and moving advice for your area.

Request a relocation packet from the Contact the Chamber of Commerce in your future hometown. Sometimes these include helpful information, coupons and moving tips for your new city.

Request a local newspaper. Most news providers will send a complimentary issue to prospective customers.

Research the local schools, daycare centers, utility services, dog parks, vets, banks, grocery stores and other vital services that you might need soon after your move.

Moving Tips – Pare Down

One of the best moving tips we can offer is to pare down. Since moving companies charge for the amount you move, decide if each item is worth the cost to move it. This is the perfect time to get rid of the extra "stuff" you've accumulated. Take it one room at a time and prepare to make tough decisions.

Ask yourself:

• Does this have sentimental value?
• Is it replaceable, does it need replacing?
• Does anyone really use it?
• Is it worth lugging around?
• Is there room for it in our new home?
• Is it worth the cost of moving it?

If the item in question doesn't make the cut, ditch it!

Then, have a yard sale or post an online auction to sell items that do not make the cut. You'll earn extra cash to help pay for your move or purchase something nice for your new home. If a sale sounds like too much work then donate the items for a nice tax deduction.

Moving Tips - Use What You'll Lose

More moving tips that save you money: To avoid a surplus of items you're unable to ship, start using them up now. Then wait until you move into your new home to replenish your supply. For a list of items you shouldn't move, download the complete "Do not ship" list. Then, follow these additional moving tips:

• Eat all foods that are frozen or stored in glass jars
• Properly dispose of flammable or potentially hazardous chemicals including anything in an aerosol can, cleaning fluids, lighting fluids, paint, matches and ammunition.
• Live plants will not survive shipping, plan to carry them with you.

Moving Tips – Take Inventory

Sorting through your home gives you the opportunity to take inventory of your belongings.

One of the smartest moving tips is using a digital camera to take photos or video of your items and their serial numbers. This is an easy and efficient way to take inventory. For insurance purposes you can speak the replacement value while you video or you can label photos with their value. Then just put the disk or tape in your "household move file" to travel with you.

If you do not have access to a digital camera, make a written inventory list with the replacement values. Noting available serial numbers is helpful, especially for electronics.

Moving Tips – Moving Special Items

For items that are difficult to replace it is better to carry these items with you or ship them by insured or certified mail. Such items might include:

• Photos and home videos
• Birth certificates, wills and other legal documentation
• Jewelry, rare coins and special collections
• Stock certificates, insurance policies and financial records
• Computer diskettes with backups of important files
• Prescription medications

You can also request custom crating for items such as large plasma televisions or collectibles. Custom crates can be built on location to specifically accommodate an item for shipping. This moving tip costs a little extra but can be worth it for items that are expensive or impossible to replace.

Moving Tips – Your Essentials Box

Since you may arrive before your shipment, great moving advice is to plan ahead and make a moving checklist of things you will need to pack in suitcases and in an "essentials" box.

Your essentials box should include things you'll be scrambling for upon arrival.

Additional Moving Tips

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the "do not ship" items that should be discarded or transported another way.

Take advantage of tax deductions. Contact the IRS or visit their Web Site to determine what expenses can be deducted on your next tax return.

If you are using MoveBuilder services for loading and moving but plan to do some packing yourself, be sure to see our packing tips.

"Do Not Ship" List

Your shipment should not include anything that is poisonous, flammable, corrosive or perishable. Such items include, but are not limited to, the following:

If you ship used outdoor household articles from a federally regulated gypsy moth area into the state of California, you must certify that the used outdoor articles have been inspected in accordance with the California Food and Agriculture Code and does not contain gypsy moth egg masses. Any questionable items should not be shipped. A completed USDA Gypsy Moth Self-Inspection Checklist must be provided to MoveBuilder prior to trailer dispatch.