Here are a few tips to make your move smooth and stress free:
Carefully Plan your move: Moving can be hassle-free and effective if planned carefully. Plan every step of your move and always allow extra time to avoid any unexpected delays. And always make sure you have enough room in your new place to fit all your belongings, as we have witnessed some cases where the new place was too small to fit everything being moved, and extra steps had to be taken to arrange storage. Its always a good idea to have available storage if you’re not sure about your move. Terra Star can arrange storage if you need any.
Packing: It is always good to have professionals do your packing to make sure your items are packed correctly and safe. Always make sure you pack your items in designated boxes, e.g. put books in book boxes, kitchenware in dish-packs and clothing in wardrobe boxes. And it’s very important to mark all your boxes, write clear with a black marker about the box contents, which room it comes from or goes into, and any other information (fragile, breakable, glass, etc). Another thing that should not be overlooked is – do not overload the boxes. Not only this will make boxes extra heavy for lifting, the packing may not hold the weight and rip apart, thus breaking or damaging your items. Terra Star can do your packing professionally, or give you specific advise on how to do the packing, if you decide to do your own.
IMPORTANT: Do not pack flammables, aerosols, bleach, corrosives or plastic squeeze bottles. Consult your mover on how to transport them.
Furniture disassembly: In almost every move, some furniture must be taken apart in order to move it safely and pack correctly. Terra Star can do all your assembly/disassembly needs in a professional manner, with correct tools and materials. When taking apart furniture, it’s important to keeps all the bolts/screws in a safe and marked place to avoid loosing them or mixing with other small parts. Always take apart large tables, glass surfaces, beds and other furniture that would otherwise be difficult to move.
Some items movers cannot take: There are some items that mover are prohibited from transporting in the truck, like gas tanks, aerosol, anything flammable or explosives, live plants and some others. Check with your mover of state on laws and regulations on transporting certain items
After the move: You should keep in mind that unloading and unpacking usually takes less time than packing and loading, but in certain situations, it can be vice versa, depending on accessibility, number of flights and other circumstances. Always plan beforehand how you want to layout your furniture to make the unloading process go smooth. Try to guide the movers or give instructions on where to put what, keep in mind that movers do not know what goes where, and it’s not advised to keep them holding a huge piece of furniture while you decide where you want to put it. Always first unpack what you need the most, and have the movers put together all your furniture to make sure it’s correct and no damage was taken.
Moving scams
Although there are a lot of reliable and honest moving companies, some still manage to pull various scams and tricks to come up with various extra charges and sky-high prices. Here’s some information and useful links on what to know about moving scams and how to avoid them.