Tips Before Moving

Estimates

• Get three estimates from moving companies. Ask each company to itemize costs for packing, boxes and manual labor. Find out how many people the company will send to pack and load the truck and what size truck will be used. If you're moving out of state or long distance, get a confirmed date of delivery of your belongings. Compare all estimates and use the information to see whether you can negotiate prices without sacrificing services. Also compare the difference in cost for packing items yourself.

Selecting the Moving Day

• Try to schedule the move for a weekday. This way, if you have a problem with something, such as utilities, you have a better chance of getting the need corrected. Companies typically have "skeleton" staffs on the weekend, if at all. You will also be able to access your bank during the week for things that you cannot do at an ATM machine, such as cashing a check or opening an account.

Labeling Boxes

• The packing process can get tiring and stressful, causing people to skip steps. Proper labeling of boxes is one step that you should not skip. Develop a labeling system and format. Use abbreviations for each room, such as BDR (bedroom), KIT (kitchen) and LR (living room). Add numbers for each bedroom (BDR1, BDR2, etc.). Then assign an alphabet, for each box, so that a final label for a bedroom box would read: BDR1 -- A, and so on. Get an assortment of bright colored labels and select a color for each room. Place the label on each top corner of every box. This will give you an easy-to-identify color cue and the movers will know which box goes where.

  Use a clipboard and briefly list the abbreviated label code for each box and write a brief description of contents, such as "dress shoes" or "coffee maker." Then you will avoid frustrations such as not knowing which box has the coffee maker when you unpack. Hang a nail in the kitchen as the central spot for the clipboard so you know where to find it. Create a document on your computer and, at the end of each packing day, enter the same information on a computer file for backup.

Insurance

• Contact your homeowner's insurance agent at least three weeks prior to the move and ask about getting a special policy for valuables or adding to the policy offered by the movers or an air or ground freight company. Take digital pictures of jewelry and valuables and store them on a CD or flash drive that you keep with you at all times.