Tips on Moving Household Goods

Do it Yourself or Hire a Pro

• One of the biggest decisions you will need to make when planning your move is whether to move your household goods on your own or hire a professional moving company to do the job or you. The answer to this question will depend on a number of factors, including the type of vehicle you have, the kinds of items you have to move and of course your budget. Before making this important decision, be sure to carefully measure each piece of furniture you have to move. This will make it easier to determine what size vehicle you will need to move your entire household. If you are comfortable driving a moving van, you may be able to save a lot of money by renting a van and moving the items yourself. Just keep in mind that you will need to have help to move those large and heavy pieces of furniture and other household goods.

Protect Those Delicate Items

• It is surprisingly easy for furniture and household goods to be damaged during a move, even if the moving is done by professionals. Before moving any piece of furniture, it is important to prepare the item carefully in order to protect it from harm. Wrapping those pieces in old blankets is one of the best ways to pad them and prevent damage while the items are in transit. You may want to take a trip to your local thrift store a few days before your planned move to purchase some gently used blankets--most thrift stores will have at least a few on hand at very affordable prices. Wrap each piece of furniture in those old blankets and use ropes to secure them.

Take Photographs

• If you plan to use a professional mover, it is important to document the condition of each piece with a digital photograph prior to the move. Taking detailed photographs will give you valuable evidence in case a dispute erupts later on. If a piece is damaged in transit, the mover may try to get out of paying a claim by saying that the damage already existed. The photographs you took before the move can provide evidence that the damage occurred during the move.

Color Coordinate Your Boxes

• Anyone who has ever moved knows how hard it can be to find specific items after the move has been completed. One of the best ways to find those needed items is to color coordinate your boxes as you pack them up. For instance, you may want to use yellow labels for kitchen items, red labels for bedroom items, green labels for bathroom stuff and so on. This color coding will make it much easier to find those items once they have reached their new home.