Tips and Suggestions from the Movers

I interviewed two movers last week, and am waiting for the final quote before making our decision. Both came highly recommended, which is very important in my eyes. You want to be sure that whoever is moving all your stuff treats it with the same care and respect that you do.

Out of both interviews, I gleaned a few good tips about moving that I'd like to share:

• if you aren't doing a relocation move, or a package deal with a mover, it is often much less expensive to purchase your moving supplies from Home Depot or Lowes rather than the mover, since their rates are higher. I checked prices, and found that I could get boxes for $.99 to $2.00 at Home Depot vs. $3.00 - $6.00 with the movers. That adds up quickly.
• The one kind of box that both movers recommended getting from a mover was a wardrobe box, since apparently the ones sold at the box stores were more cheaply constructed. This made sense, and I certainly don't want my wardrobe boxes to buckle!
• One mover made a suggestion for moving bedding - I asked him what to do about stripping the beds right before the moving day. He said to buy a box of Contractor's Trash Bags and use those for bedding and softer goods like blankets, duvet covers, etc. They won't break or tear like a large trash bag, and will be easy to move and identify in the new place.
• Buying a bunch of plastic storage bins is also a good idea, since it makes it easy to move them, and open and close if you need to get in them several times during packing and unpacking. I think this makes a lot of sense, and several friends have recommended this as well, especially for things like children's toys, etc. where you may need to get back into the box right up to the last day.

I'll continue to share more advice as I receive it!