Services Moving Companies Offer

When an individual decides to relocate, he or she might want to contact moving companies to help them with the task. Relocation can be a grand adventure or a big load of stress. It all depends on how it’s done and who is doing it. An important step to take is to be extremely organized. This will be a complex process that should be broken down into stages. Here are some things to think about:

- Stage 1: Deciding to move: There are many reasons that people relocate. Sometimes they need a bigger or smaller house; sometimes they want to live in another town or neighborhood; and sometimes their job requires that they change addresses.

Stage 2: Deciding where to live: This will take substantial homework in order to look at apartments, houses and communities. Where a person lives is a huge decision that will affect the quality of life for every member of the family, including the pets. Checking out school districts, crime rates and real estate prices will help in assembling a list of potential homes.

- Stage 3: Do-it-yourself or hire professional movers: Once a person or family knows where they want to live, the next decision is how to get all their furniture and belongings to the next place. Renting a truck or trailer is one way to accomplish the chore. Grabbing boxes from the local grocery store and packing everything with your own muscles is the cheapest method. It is a lot of work, however, and creates a ton of stress. Hiring professionals to do the whole job or part of it might be a good idea if budget allows.

- Stage 4: Getting an estimate from the pros: It’s wise to get two or three estimates from different moving companies in order to make a comparison. An estimator will arrive at your home and make a list of all items to be transferred to the new address. He or she will give a written estimate and a wise homeowner will make sure of every detail of what’s included. Who will pack? Who will unpack? Is insurance included? Is mileage included? Be sure you’re comparing apples with apples when you compare the competing bids.

- Stage 5: Contact all magazine subscriptions, bill collectors, schools, doctors, dentists and lenders as well as the post office to change the address as well as to forward records. The post office will usually forward mail for one year but it’s best to let each party know individually.

- Stage 6: Pack up or have your professional moving crew do it for you. Clean the old place and hit the road. Wave goodbye to the old house and get ready to say hello to a new chapter of life.

Many moving companies have additional services to offer in order to simplify the process. Some examples are cleaning crews, pet relocation services, “to do” list reminders via email and more. Let’s face it; relocation can be stressful. But it can also be a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view other regions of the country or even the world.