Moving reviews

Moving reviews

Thursday 28 November 2013

How to select the best Piano movers

Moving can be a very worrying time in a person's life, especially if he or she has not hired suitable help to move their furniture. Piano moves can be particularly stressful, because the mover needs to have special knowledge and skills to safely move the piano.

Why do I need to hire a professional piano mover?

Many of you may be wondering why you would need to hire a professional piano moving company to move your piano, relatively than using the household mover who is moving the rest of the contents of your house. The main reason for hiring a professional piano mover is that many family movers do not have sufficient training or tools to properly move a piano.

The average upright piano weighs between 400 and 900 pounds. Grand pianos can weigh between 650 and 1300 pounds. The value of a piano can differ from a few hundred dollars to 500,000 dollars depending on the make, model, age and condition of the piano.

The majority of piano moves involve moving the instrument through a tight space such as a small door frame or staircase. In some cases, the piano may need to be dismantled in order to get it out of your house. Using and experienced professional piano mover will radically minimize the risk of damage to the instrument and to your home.

How are pianos moved?

When you hire a professional piano mover, you can imagine 2-3 people to come to your home equipped with piano skids, moving pads, ramps, slings, and the knowledge of how to move your piano carefully. They will use special techniques to maneuver the piano out of your house. When the piano is put on the truck, it will be safely protected to the vehicle in order to avoid damage during transport. In the most difficult moves, 4-6 people may be used.

 usually when a piano is moved by someone other than a professional piano mover, this equipment, knowledge and these safety defense are not employed. While hiring a professional piano mover does not completely reduce the risk of damage, it will drastically reduce this risk. Furthermore, a good piano mover will assess the situation and inform you if there is a chance of damage before he or she begins the move, and will give you the choice of proceeding or not.

Are all professional piano movers equal?

Unfortunately, as in any trade, each piano moving company varies in their level of excellence and experience. Some piano movers are better equipped and more prepared than others and act with more care and honesty than others. The best way to find a good piano mover is to call around to your local piano stores, piano technicians and piano teachers to find out which company they use. Piano stores in particular have a high stake in ensuring that they use reliable, high quality piano movers who have the least risk of harmful their instruments and are properly insured in the event that the unforeseen does happen.

Are all piano movers similarly insured?


Sadly, the answer to this query is no.
There are 3 types of insurance to consider when hiring a piano mover:

1. Commercial/automotive insurance: Is the company insured against harm to property and or vehicles?

2. Cartage/content insurance: Is the company insured against damage to the piano?

3. Workman's protection Insurance: Is the company insuring its workers against injury?

Why is worker injury important to me?

You may be wondering why it is significant that you make sure that the piano mover you hire has Workman's Safety Insurance. When you contract a moving company, they are considered your employee for the time that they are working for you. If you hire a moving company that is not enclosed for Workman's Safety Insurance, you are accepting full liability for any employees who are injured while working for you.

Your liability will extend to medical bills, lost wages and possibly civil law suits. A company who is covered for Workman's Safety Insurance will take care of most of these problems for you. Some companies do not pay their necessary insurance premiums and are therefore not covered for all injury insurance claims.

 You may ask the company that you are hiring to provide you with an up-to-date workman's safety insurance clearance certificate, in order to ensure that you are properly covered. To be completely sure that the moving company's coverage is up to date, you can contact your local Workman's Compensation or Workman's Safety Insurance board to check on the company's status.

Does moving the piano affect the sound of my piano?

The real move of the piano does not affect the sound or tuning of a piano. Generally piano tuning is exaggerated by changes in temperature and humidity which cause the wooden and steel parts of your piano to expand and contract.

You will maybe need to tune your piano a few weeks after moving it, after it acclimatizes to its new location. Other factors that may affect the sound of your piano are the size and acoustics of the room in which the piano is located. Carpet absorbs sound, while hardwood reflects it. Sound reinforces in small spaces, seeming louder, while in large spaces the sound gets lost, seeming quieter.

How much does it cost to move a piano?

Piano moving is generally billed in one of two ways:

1. The family mover way - hourly rate, with a minimum number of hours (usually min. = 3 hours)
2. The professional piano mover way - flat charge based on the following factors:
a. Type (upright, grand) and size of piano
b. Distance being moved
c. Difficulty level due to stairs, grass pulls, tight turns etc.
d. Time restraints place on the move
e. Waiting time that might be incurred.

The advantage of a flat rate system is that, barring any unexpected events, you be able to get an accurate idea of what the move will cost you before the movers arrive at your house and it is often less expensive than the hourly rate.

How much notice do I need to give the Piano Mover?

The quantity of notice needed will depend on when and where you need the piano to be moved. Most piano movers book their deliveries on a first come, first served basis. If it is a high transfer time of year, you may need up to one month's notice. In a lower traffic time of year, you may only need one or two day' notice. Normally, if you need your piano moved on a specific day, you should book the delivery well in advance to make sure it's available to you.

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Moving Checklist will keep you Cool on Moving Day

A moving checklist is one of the most significant items that you will ever make when it comes time for your relocation. Not only will your removals checklist keep you on path, it will hep you to keep in mind the numerous, tiny details that need to get sorted out before any moving companies show up at your door.

 In fact, having a moving checklist will make your life a lot easier and save you the problem and time of having to try to remember what needs to get done when and where. However, that said, there are a few things that you should keep in mind when either putting together your own moving checklist or if you get one online and then adjust it.

Among the things you want to "do" is to use your list correctly. What this means is that the minute that you remember something that needs to get done for your moving or someone advises you about something you need, write it down. The effectiveness of your list is only as good as your list. If you fail to write down all of the details you need to keep track of on your list, then it will not work as well as it could.

Another "do" is to make sure that you have your list on your person at all period. Often, people find themselves in situations where they could easily accomplish one or more of the tasks on their list, but cannot memorize what those tasks were. It is like going into a grocery store and forgetting what it was you needed at home. By keeping your moving checklist on you at all times, you can always consult it so that you can be proactive about what needs to get done.

The last "do" that you should always keep in mind when it comes to your moving checklist, is that it should be adapted to suit your needs as your needs change. No moving is a static thing - decisions change, moving companies get cancelled and new ones booked, your family pet might need vaccinations, your children's dentist appointments might get rescheduled - whatever it is, needs to be reflected on your moving checklist. The same holds true for a checklist that you down load from the internet, if there are items missing from it - add them on; if some items do not apply to you - score them off.

There are not many "don'ts" when it comes to your moving checklist. As long as you keep your list on you, it is updated frequently and you refer to it each time you need to do something or you get an item done, your list will be a victory. In fact, after all the dust has settled and all of the boxes have been unpacked in your new home, you will understand that the concept of a checklist worked so well that it can easily be expanded to work successfully in other areas of your life. After all, the more organized that you are, the better you will be able to keep on top of everything.

Sunday 24 November 2013

Choosing the right season when you are relocating

People who had relocated in and out of Los Angeles and other American cities can attest to the detail that it the moving dates decide the cost of moving in many instances. The summer season is frequently the peak period for movers because people usually prefer to move at that time due to children's schooling schedules.

You will enjoy some unique benefits if you decide to move at a time that is different from when every other person is moving. Picking the low season time of the year to move is proper but, you should also consider the time of the day and day of the week for your moving. This is essential because these dates has been proven to add to the smoothness or otherwise of many relocating activities.

Apart from the fact that summer seasons are frequently the busiest period for moving services companies, there are other difficulty you may meet if you choose to move at that time. Many of these moving companies hire short-term moving hands during these peak seasons to help them in the many moving jobs.

This simply means that the moving laborers these moving companies hire at this summer period may likely be less experience and casual to properly handling your belonging unlike their year-round counter parts who take the job more serious.

If you must moving during the summer period, you have to make sure that you set your moving date as far as you perhaps can to enable you get the moving companies agree on the date. This is because most of the moving services are over booked and too busy during these periods.

It is not always desirable to move at the first day of the month or the end of the month though it is fairly unavoidable in some situations. Most of the moving services companies experience more demand for their services at these time of the month because of the end of many leases.
Mornings are always better than afternoon on the real moving day particularly if it is a move that will take less than one full day to complete.

Apart from having more hours of daylight to sufficiently complete your move if it is started in the morning, the entire moving crews will be fresh. For local movers, Fridays are far busier than the early stages to middle days of the week. This is because many people prefer to move during the weekend so as to have more time to fully settle in their new site before Monday.

While it can rightly be argued that one can move at any time, day and date of the year, it is critical to point out that you would get more right moving service if you choose your date properly. The proper dates are when there won't be too many people moving and drawing the attentions of the moving companies. This is important because during the low season, the moving companies will most likely offer you more acceptable moving services than the period they would be rushing to move other people's things.

Friday 22 November 2013

Important Things You Should Know Before Selecting a Moving Company

It is true that relocating can be fun and thrilling, as you can look forward to enjoying a brand new environment for you and possibly a friendlier area. However, the fact also remains that moving and transferring every valuable belonging effectively to another location, can be quite a daunting task to accomplish.

Every now and then, a lot of people are faced with the challenge of having to move to a different location.

When choosing the right moving company, you have to keep in mind that you are not just after the affordability of their services. The most important thing you have to consider above all other aspects is the company's status.

The best way to find out about a moving service company's status is doing a little research about their background. And the easiest method to conduct a background study is by contacting them directly and then prepares a real good set of questions that they need to answer in order for you to have a basis when finally deciding if they are indeed the right moving service to hire.

If you have no plan what set of questions will be most appropriate to ask during your interview with them, here are some very significant things you certainly need to know about:

•    First, you have to find out how long have they been in service as a moving company

•    Know their present business address and then verify that the address is indeed theirs

•    Find out if they are still keenly on business, don't hire a company whose been inactive for quite sometime previously

•    Ask about the name of the company owner. If possible, go ask for him and better talk with him directly

•    Know about how they conduct their service. Do they handle packages well? And how do they protect precious belongings?

•    Find out what sort of client and company accord do they have in order to guarantee you they can be trusted

•    And last but not the least; ask for the person's name who will be assigned to assist you. Make sure he really works under the company

Although the above is a very short list of questions you can ask while conducting a background check, these are very significant things you need to find out about, before finally deciding to hire a moving company. There are so many movers available to offer you services, but not all of them would be able to pass the standards of a real honest and professional moving service.

Budget Moving Tips

Moving is never an easy skill for any of us. Let's face it- most of us have to watch our budget cautiously when planning a move. But cheap moving doesn't essentially mean that you have to sacrifice excellence. The key to planning a successful move while saving money is to plan your move forward. The following tips for moving on a budget are designed to help make your move as smooth as possible without sting your pocket.

First and foremost, start preparation your move well in advance.

Decide up-front what your budget will be and make every attempt to stick to that budget. If you are traveling by airplane, book your flight and hotel accommodations as soon as possible to get the best fares. If you plan to travel by car, be sure to plan your route intelligently and don't forget about the cost of fuel, tolls, meals, and hotels on the road. Some moving expenses that people often forget include: home repairs, rental expenses, pet deposits, storage fees, and tips for moving crews. make a "moving file" and keep records of all your expenses and receipts. Many moving expenses are tax deductible, so keep good records and check with your accountant to see what can and cannot be deducted.

The first big choice you will need to make when moving on a budget is to decide whether you will hire a moving company, rent a moving truck, or hire a self service moving company. If you don't want to drive a hire truck, self service moving companies or containerized moving companies offer a cost-effective choice to higher-priced movers. Regardless of how you plan to move, be sure to request multiple quotes and schedule on-site estimates whenever possible as they are the most accurate. Be doubtful of low-ball estimates and be sure to ask for references from the movers.
The next step for a cheap moving knowledge is to begin packing well in advance. With the exception of large or expensive items that will need particular attention from professionals, try to do as much packing on your own as possible. Begin collecting moving supplies and be on the lookout for discounts.

If you have a friend or associate who recently moved, see if they would give or sell you their boxes and leftover supplies. People sometimes sell their used moving supplies and boxes through the classified ads of the local newspaper. Instead of buying bubble wrap, use crumpled newspaper or use your own rugs, blankets, or other linens to pad your breakables.

As your moving day approaches, a great way to make some additional cash is by holding a garage sale. If you plan well and advertise locally, you could make a nice profit which you can use towards paying for the move. A garage sale will help you get rid of unwanted items at a income while at the same time reducing the number of items you will need to move to your new purpose. Take an assessment of your belongings and decide if it's worth the cost of moving them. Donating items to charity is another great way to lighten the load while helping others in need.

Last but not least, don't be afraid to ask friends and family to help you move. You can save money on child care or pet care by asking your friends to loan a helping hand. Recruit "volunteers" to help you on moving day and be sure to provide them with snacks and beverages. A home-cooked meal or a nice thank-you card is a great way to show your friends how much you be grateful for their help.

With cautious planning and a little creativity, you too can save money on your move. Keep these instructions in mind while planning your move and benefit from cheap moving that is efficient and even pleasant.

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Moving Checklist: Just a elegant Reminder

Inventories and Quotes

• Vital: set a list of existing goods, especially where there are often a lot to check. E.g: the basement or the attic.
• Be sure to have ready packing equipment.
• If you have pets, find out about special vans for them if needed.
• Get 2 or 3 quotes from moving companies and ask what it built-in in the price and what is not. If you will make the move, hire moving trucks in advance, especially if you will move during the weekend.
• If you need it, sign up a temporary storage company.
• Have your new home ready previous to your arrival: get all the painting done, as well as the plumbing, decoration, etc, if needed.

Paperwork

• Make address changes in your services bills: electricity, gas, etc. Don't forget to ask for likely last month deposits.
• Also send your new address and telephone number to your family and friends by email or normal post cards.
• If you have luxurious objects to carry, it is good to get them appraised prior to move them to your new house in case they get damaged by the moving company or truck.
• Find out what costs does your insurance company cover in case your belongings get broken.
• Keep all your quotes, receipts and similar papers all together for when you need them.
• Keep all your individual records together: medical, legal, school and veterinary records and label them carefully.
• Get information from local news papers to know what it is going and future events in your new home town.
• At your new place of residence, find out where the important institutions are located: banks, hospitals, police station, etc.
• Do you know if you need moving permits?
• It is strongly recommend checking about property restrictions with the local authorities.

Precautions

• If you are moving to another state, make auto register for transfer.
• For the moving day, have someone ready to take care of your children.
• Get rid out of items you don't need anymore for any reason: you could organize a moving sale.
• If you’re new goods is an apartment or if you are leaving it, let your neighbors about elevator's use.
• If you are traveling by car, check with your mechanic everything is working properly so no surprises arise during your trip to your new home.
• Take your pets to the veterinary prior to the trip to your new house and give him/her all the necessary vaccines. This will prevent possible local diseases.
• Pack any kind of supplies that might be needed as soon as you arrive.
• If you take any type of medicine, make sure you take it with you during your trip.
• Get your important stuff in your hand bag: identity card, credit cards, keys of your new home, a medical kit, etc.
• Disconnect all the appliances from electricity before you leave your old house.
• 1 day before leaving, call your moving company or truck and confirm their arrival time just in case.
• Traveler's checks could be useful for security reason, especially for long journeys.

Things to memorize While Moving to a New State

The professional moving company has qualified staff who would handle the moving and packing efficiently. However there are certain things that you need to think before relocating to a new state.

The first thing that you need to do would be to make a checklist of all the things which are essential and which are unnecessary. Keep the things that you need and arrange the unwanted items. This would give you more space as well as monetary benefits.

This is because most of the moving companies allege for the move based on the amount of items that have to be elated. If you dispose unnecessary things, the moving charge would also be reduced.

Moving to a new state means new area and you would surely need a large amount of money in hand. Before relocating to a new place, it is better to have finances for a minimum of three months in hand so that you don't have to bear any hardships at the new abode. If you already have a job before moving, check whether the company would pay the moving expenses. If they are paying, it would be well and good.

On the other hand if they are not paying, then you need to make correct estimates on how much money is required for relocation and settlement. Here you need to consider all possibilities like credit card payment, taxes, car insurance and the like. Try to compile a list of all the fixed cost and the money you need to carry. Find out if you are really able of handling the relocation or not.

If you are relocating to a new state on your own and are not common with the place, it is necessary to get the route map or driving instructions so that you would not be lost in the way. There are many options open to you like Google map, GPNS which would help you in finding the location. So make use of such systems.

You must be moving because of the job and then it is sensible to carry the required legal statements stating that you have been selected for this job. Make sure to carry any text that you have signed with the company. Keep an eye for fake companies who would withdraw the offer letter as soon as you reach the new place. Proper inquiry is vital before really relocating to a new state.

Moving to a new place means roaming for a long distance and there are chances that the battery in the mobile may run out of charge. So keep in mind to write all the important phone numbers with contact details in a diary. Less luggage more comfort and this applicable for you as well as for the moving company that you hire. Don't pack everything but only what is essentially needed.

Monday 18 November 2013

Moving cover, Are The Elapsed Essential

A furniture cover, parallel to a moving blanket, will protect your valuable furniture throughout your next big move. Whether you are an traditional dealer or simply love and collect antiques, you should already know the dangers of moving them. Many antiques are invaluable and cannot be refinished, and for those that can be it can cost a small fortune to do so.

Your antique furniture is just as precious as your Great-Grandmother's dishes or your Grandfather's war medals. So why would you be so careful to wrap them up and not your historic furniture? Using a furniture cover will not only save your furniture from becoming injured, but it will save you from the heartache of seeing one of your antiques ruined.

Using a furniture wrap to cover your, let's say, antique bookcase, will avoid it from being injured or poked by something while in the moving truck or on its way there. One hard slam on the brakes or a sharper turn than you expected could cause boxes to shift and furniture to move, either of which can run directly into one another cause irreversible damage to your furniture.

When moving with antiques, you need to be rather careful so that they do not suffer from the rage of the moving truck. Furniture covers can help you with just that. These handy moving basics come in all sorts of shapes and sizes to fit you and your furniture's requirements. If you are looking for a little bit of additional padding for the trip down to the moving truck, there are padded covers for the moving dollies, regardless of the shape or type of dolly you have. So remember, for you subsequently move, make sure you invest in some furniture covers.

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Corporate moving Checklist

If you want to have a thriving corporate move, you should have a solid, fool-proof action plan. You should make a whole relocation checklist so that you can track that action plan. A relocation checklist will also provide additional responsibility and cut through the complication and confusion. Moving a company can be a torture even for some expert corporate relocation companies. So, if you keep a relocation checklist you will get rid of some possible mistakes.

It is obvious that a relocation checklist should have a definable flow that organizes each part of the group relocation process into several steps that maintain every important point of progress in proper union with the rest. Inside every phase, various activities are delineated. Often this is done in a pre-defined order but it does not always follow a rigid schedule. Rather, the checklist can is like a outline that can be modified if required.

These details may differ considerably depending upon the kind of business that is being relocated. Also, there are significant aspects that will apply in many cases. Accordingly, you will have to cope with the same facts in the same hierarchy no matter what the business checklist. Relocation of corporate or personal businesses will follow the same basic guidelines.

What are the broad points in the checklist?

* Listing down your necessities


* Finding out about particular relocation companies


* Preparing the relocation site


* Organizing the real move


* Regular updation of the checklist to manage with changes in budget and progress


* Installing basic necessities like phone connection and electricity etc.


* Making the new location ready


* Making sure all certifications and inspections have been taken care of

A relocation checklist should also look after the employees. Sufficient care should be taken to ensure proper arrangements for accommodation and education of the families of the employees.

With any significant process, it is vital that you set a time frame to your relocation process. Start planning well in advance. Allot enough time for planning and study. Also give enough time to your employees to settle their personal commitments. You should know before hand how long will it take for you to shift, and how long will it take to actually set up your new site. Having such time-bound plan will ensure better efficiency and you will not waste time on things that do not matter much. Having a time frame will give proper responsibility and will help you in proper relocation within stipulated duration.

If you follow all the above points your relocation process will go very comfortably. Your stress level will be low, and confidence will be high. The result? A hassle-free, smooth relocation!

 

Friday 8 November 2013

How to Pack For a Move

Packing is one of the most significant yet one of the most difficult things to get right when you're moving. Although most people pack their belongings themselves some hire a moving company to pack for them.

Perhaps that's because not only will they not have to contract with what may seem to be an overwhelming venture, but this also makes sure that their cover policy will be honored should something go awry.

Let's assume, though, that you going to pack for your move. The hardest part of packing for a move is when you begin to pack. It could seem crushing, but it doesn't have to be. To make it as easy and resourceful as possible start in one room and pack everything there before moving on to the next room.

The first things you'll need are a packing book and packing equipment. A packing book makes it much easier to unpack after your possessions are delivered because you will label every box you pack with a note and a number and write a brief description of the contents in the book next to the same letter and number.

This way the movers will be able to put the boxes in the regarding rooms and you will know where to go for what when you unpack. If you want to make it even easier get colored stickers and also color code the boxes.

So, for example, red might mean the box should go into the kitchen and blue could mean it should go in the master bedroom. Upon entrance at your new home, put the apropos colored sticker on the door that the boxes belong to.

As far as packing itself goes, make sure to pack all your suitcases, drawers, wardrobes, travel bags, etc., with things. It adds ballast and will exploit the use of space.
You're also going to need boxes. As a guideline you'll want to buy strong boxes in various sizes. Some boxes are designed specifically designed to grasp books. You'll be able to pack enough books in each box so that one person can carry it.

All of your boxes should be fully packed because they will be stacked one upon another and will need to be structurally strong enough to hold up the weight above them. This precludes recycling old boxes because cardboard deteriorates. And if you're thinking about filling up trash bags - well, trash that thought. They rip easily and can cause you more grief than the money you could save.

Usually you'll want to put the heavier things on the bottom of your boxes. Wrap most of your items, especially your fragile items, in either packing paper or simmer wrap.

Although some people recycle their newspapers it could end up being more of a pain than it's worth because the ink can come off and you may have to use an awful lot of time crackdown it off after you've arrived in your new home.

When packing fragile items make sure to line the bottom of the boxes with bubble wrap, wadded up packing paper, etc. And don't forget to write FRAGILE in big, bold letters on the top and sides of boxes that have brittle items in them.

Remember to cover the legs of all of your furniture to avoid it from being damaged. And, as far as larger appliances are anxious, refer to your owner's manuals and follow their advice. For example, you'll have to defrost your refrigerator and drain your dishwasher well before the move so water doesn't leak over everything..

Wednesday 6 November 2013

Moving in the Winter Time

The winter time is often the best time for a family to move due to the low service requiring, thus falling the moving costs. Even though you most likely will save money on your relocation, you will have to put in additional effort to prepare for the actual residential move because of the difficult and cold weather. There are several significant details that individuals must consider and place while planning for their move.
 
Since families engage in the moving skill, it is critical that all family members are dressed warm whether they are assisting with the household move from inside or outside the house. You wouldn't want a child or yourself to grab a cold at this significant point in one's life; not only would you have to make sure everything is running easily at the time of the move but would also have to take care of helpless person. Not to mention you would lose man power and extra help. Therefore, make sure that you bring warm garments for everyone and keep them in the family vehicle, that way everyone can have easy access to the extra scarf or sweater that they need.

 You may also want to change out of your moving clothes once you arrive at your new home without having to search through endless wardrobe boxes for your clothes, hence you should pack a bag of extra clothes that you can put in your car. Make sure that your new home has operational heating; you wouldn't want to waste time fixing the furnace instead of focusing on moving.

Whether it is slush, hail, ice, or snow, any winter barrier will always delay the pickup, loading, and delivery for any person. This is why, before your moving crew arrives at your current home, you should shovel all walkways and driveways for easy access. You can also cover all walkways with salt to ensure that nobody will slip and fall while carrying your luggage; you wouldn't want any accidents that could become your charge on this already stressful day. Also, if there is plenty of snow on the road in front of your home, you may want to consider shoveling the snow there as well just so that the moving truck can conveniently access your driveway

During the loading process, it is a nice gesture to offer a warm beverage to your moving crew who are working in the cold weather. This would probably result in even better service as well. You could prepare some hot tea, hot chocolate, or even offer warm milk to the moving professionals. The crew would probably consist of only 2 or 3 members; therefore you won't spend a lot of money by performing this appreciative gesture.

Once all of your belongings are loaded onto the moving truck and you are ready to drive to your new home, make sure your vehicle is fully serviced and maintained to avoid any mishaps on the difficult roads. Always keep a spare tire, first aid kit, bottled water, maps, and a flashlight in your car; you should always be prepared for any emergency. Use local radio stations to keep informed of any road conditions.

There are many moving companies that will inform you of any extra procedures or considerations when scheduling a move date. No matter the obstacles, their moving crew will always handle all possessions with care and precision and are knowledgeable in making the right decisions when faced with weather barriers.

 

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Plan Your Furniture Moving with care

Whether you innate a few nice pieces before antiques, or plan to move your entire household, moving is a difficult task. There's planning concerned you're never quite ready for, and there are unexpected considerations that can trip you up. Unfortunately, some of those things can break your valuables.

Start by talking with several moving companies that come to you with strong referrals from friends, coworkers, or relatives. If you must cold-select a moving company, don't be fearful to ask for references - and call them! It's important to know how the company treated other people's belongings, because it's a suggestion of how the furniture moving companies will luxury yours.

Once you've chosen a furniture moving company and kept a date, take stock of your pieces .Make note of any existing scratches, discolorations, or loose pieces. You may believe you know what it all looks like already, but until you're on your hands and knees you may be amazed.

Take close-up photos of those items you deem most precious or frail. Politely let the furniture moving company know you've recognized the present condition of everything for his safety and yours.

Find out their approach to handling precious load. Do they use moving blankets? What about furniture pads? Even better, do they use furniture covers which are semi-fitted and provide better protection against accidental slippage? Moving bands can be used to hold covers and blankets in place.

Find out how the furniture moving company really transports items from home to van and back. Do they use furniture dollies or hand trucks? What about moving straps?

Make sure that the cartons are passably sealed by the ropes and packing bands. And don't disregard to mark each carton either with your initials or surname or any other sole identification mark. Lastly, do not forget to inform your future address to important agencies like your bank, post office, Telecom Company, Internet provider etc.

Saturday 2 November 2013

Enjoy Your Move

Moving can be a bittersweet experience for a number of reasons. On one hand, you may be moving away from your family, friends and loved ones, or even the neighborhood that you grew up in. On the other hand, you may be moving to a more exciting city with more activities and better employment opportunities than were available to you before. You may even be staying in the same city but simply moving to a different home. Either way, moving is an exciting experience.

There are many things that you can do to make your move more fun and less stressful:

Hire professional movers. Mishandled belongings, not having enough moving boxes, loading and unloading the truck, getting to your destination on time -- these are some of the things that can wear you out if you are trying to move on your own. Let go of some of the stress by hiring a reliable moving company to help you.
Send out new address cards.Send out a note to family and friends to let them know your new address. The people who care about you are likely to be curious about your new home, so why not include a picture as well? You may even receive a few cards and letters in return from friends congratulating you on your move.

Throwing a housewarming party.

Soon after you move into your new place, everyone you know will be asking you, "When are you going to have a house warming party?" Although you may still be adjusting to your new environment or even still in the process of trying to settle in, a housewarming party is a good way to break your new house in and make it a home. It is also a great opportunity to get to know your new neighbors. Showing friends around your new home will help you feel even more proud and appreciative of your new place.

Your home doesn't have to be picture perfect before you plan a housewarming party.

 Your guests will understand that you've just moved in and that you need time to fully settle in. If you have a few close friends in the area, you can even invite them over for an unpacking party first! Either way, everyone will have a good time, and you'll enjoy having the chance to show off your new place.

Moving to a new home can be an exciting time. Get started on the right foot by hiring a professional moving company, and don't forget to celebrate with a party once the move is complete!

Friday 1 November 2013

Careful Consideration - An Office Move

Your average family move is a breeze compared to moving your business office. Although there are similar steps, your office move requires additional administrative preparation and protocols to protect your business and any essential information stored on the premises-such as customer and employee records. Business owners tend to forget the serious privacy, legal, and monetary issues connected with moving offices that can end up costing them much more than money. Let's take a closer look at some of the things businesses often forget when they move their offices.

Appointing a Move supervisor

To make a move as professional as possible it's important for businesses to have one person in charge. Whether this is physically, a manager on-staff, or an employee, someone from your company must manage the move. Even if your mover has an selected manager, this manager oversees the office moving company and its processes, but who is monitoring the move on your side to verify that your staff are in obedience or that the moving company is doing what it says it does?

Planning Well in front of the Move Date

Planning in advance is the best way to a booming office move. In addition to giving yourself time to study the new location and review the floor plan to ensure it's the right fit for your physical property, it is just as important to research movers to make sure you decide one that is also an experienced records manager. This will ensure secure chain of custody actions are followed for your records. Office moves that are planned too quickly often leave out very important steps and open the door to legal, theft, and compliance issues when it comes to proper records management.

Ignoring retreat Risks

Safeguarding special information is not only the right thing to do; your company, management, directors, and stockholders have a responsibility to protect receptive data. Your company records all have some sort of personal in turn that if breached can carry harsh penalties and loss of good will. Customer and patient records, for example, must be protected under HIPAA and FACTA laws. Since these contain personal information about customers, they must be treated as any other assets before, during, and after your office move-throughout the secure chain of custody. Ignoring privacy risks will make your business exposed to identity theft or a personal information breach during your office move-all of which can cause costly legal

problems for your company.

Forgetting About Downtime Depending on the size and character of your business, you will have a certain amount of downtime between send-off the old location and entering the new one. It is very important that you plan in front for the downtime with employees and customers. While records are in transit, decide how the business will run without all equipment and records on-site. Provide your company and employees with enough planned downtime for the move and any possible bumps in the road that may lie ahead-such as electricity being unavailable at the new site on time.

Hiring the incorrect Mover

The office moving company you hire for your office move will either open the door to isolation and legal risks or protect you from them. You should provide yourself enough time to research your mover and make sure that:
• They have strict employee policies for office moves, with how equipment and records are managed .they provide a safe chain of custody moving process
• Employees are not provisional workers and all go through extensive background and drug testing
• They have wide knowledge of all privacy laws and regulations, and will ensure your company and the movers are in compliance

Complicating the Move

An office move requires a great deal of help. Several contractors and individuals are typically involved in the procedure. Adding too many hands to the pot produces litigation risks, especially if the companies you hire do not work to comply with state and federal regulations. Rather than hire a separate record moving service, combine the office move with your record move with the help of a hybrid moving company. These companies offer safe, confidential moving services that help relocate your entire office-including records-without the need for additional vendors.