Moving day can be a stressful experience moving into a new apartment and while it is exciting, it is also a great undertaking and not something that everyone looks forward to. The physical part of moving is not only demanding but stressful and involves many moving pieces. Mistakes are bound to happen during the process and therefore, we have put together some tips of things to make sure that you cover to avoid making the process more painful than it needs to be:
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Hire a Good Mover
Finding the cheapest mover is not necessarily the best route. Make sure that you get multiple bids from different moving companies. Make sure to ask them if they are insured and bonded. Moving companies will provide different prices based on the level of insurance of your belongings as well as the level of insurance of their employees and trucks. You must weigh the pros and cons of each company as well as your comfort level with the foreman and who will be coordinating the job. It is a good idea to check referrals, reviews on websites and shop around for multiple quotes.
In the event that you are looking to hire college students, spare workers or friends and plan on renting the truck yourself, you should also make sure that you have a truck that is big enough to fit all of your belongings and that you obtain the proper insurance for whatever vehicle you rent. You should also compare the time, effort, and energy of moving yourself versus hiring others to assist you. Many people believe that they will save money by doing it themselves but in fact, it takes them much longer to complete the process. All these factors must be weighed out in advance of the move.
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Make sure you pack well
Boxes, packing supplies and hiring a mover or renting a moving truck all involve significant cost. There are many opportunities for you to obtain extra boxes from grocery stores, pharmacies or save up boxes from Amazon or other deliveries to avoid having to purchase those yourself. Wardrobe boxes are extremely expensive as well; you should compare the cost of that versus loading hanging clothes in your car or on a rack as part of the move.
If you are hiring a professional mover and want them to assist in packing your belongings, they will charge significant additional expense not only for their boxes and packing materials but also for their time to do it. While they are much more efficient, it is imperative that you purge and go through your own belongings rather than just show them a pile of your stuff and expect them to pack it. You may be able to purge items that you do not need and any pre-packing that you can do will again reduce the cost and reduce the volume of items that you have.
Another good idea is that if you have things that you just do not use or extra clothes that you do not need, you can look at donating those items to charity. This will help avoid the cost and time to pack and move those items and may provide a tax write off for you as well. Not to mention you are doing a good deed in donating items to those in need.
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Do not procrastinate
Moving requires advance planning. This process is not an overnight, one day deal. Start early with your packing and your planning. Make sure that you label all your boxes clearly so that when you go to unpack, you can find what you need easily. Items that you do not use daily, you can pack in advance and save only the necessary items for the day before you move.
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Make a moving checklist
A moving checklist is a key guide to make sure that you do not let anything slip through the cracks. If you are moving with family, significant others or roommates, divvy up those responsibilities accordingly. This would include not only securing a mover or moving truck, but also the setup of utilities, cable, phone, internet, dealing with the transportation of pets and anything else that is involved in your relocation process. When it comes to moving, it is much better to be organized than to fly by the seat of your pants.
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Purchase renter’s insurance
At Saywitz Properties we require all our tenants in their lease to purchase renter’s insurance. We believe that this helps insure your belongings in the event of any unnecessary and unforeseen circumstances. This would include any electrical outage or power surge that might affect any of your electronic equipment, any theft, water damage, fire, stolen bikes, or any other unforeseen event that would impact your belongings. While, as a company, we carry more than ample insurance for all our properties which includes damage to the property and the building itself. Unfortunately, our insurance does not cover tenant’s belongings and our insurance carriers will not pay out any insurance proceeds for damaged items for tenants. We have had instances in the past where a water leak has damaged clothes, shoes, bedding, etc. and those tenants which carried renter’s insurance were more than fully compensated and those that did not were stuck having to replace the damaged items. The cost for renter’s insurance is nominal in the realm of things especially considering the value of your belongings. You can insure the most minimal amount of coverage which would still provide some protection and would still be cost effective. We strongly recommend it. You can shop different insurance companies to obtain the best price. It is important that if you are getting renter’s insurance that you obtain the policy in advance of your move to ensure that you are fully covered.
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Put together a “First Night Box”
Once you move, you will not be able to unpack everything in one day. Therefore, it is imperative to label all of your boxes clearly and put together a “move in box” of essential items. Those clothes that you would need immediately, toiletries, medicine, essential cooking utensils, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, toothbrush, and toothpaste. This should be the last box that is packed so that you can unload it quickly and put it in a safe place to have easy access to it once you move in.
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Pack correctly and safely
Make sure that you are not packing your valuable items in a box with something that could get thrown away or damaged easily. Also make sure that you are not packing your dishes without wrapping them individually or putting them at the bottom of the box where they could break easily. When in doubt, use additional newspaper, bubble wrap and packing materials. It is better to be safe than sorry especially if your items are of value. You would not want to get to your new home only to find out that several items have been broken. This will put you at odds with your mover and if you have packed your own boxes, you will ultimately be responsible for it.
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Clean your old apartment and remove all belongings
It is important to make sure that you remove all your belongings from your previous apartment. You do not want to be charged any removal or hauling charges from your security deposit by leaving items behind. Please keep in mind that any items left behind will cause your previous landlord to incur additional expenses and one large item may require a hauling truck and dumping charges which could be several hundred dollars. Additionally, you cannot load up the trash dumpster or trash area at your previous apartment and assume that the trash company will take extra trash and bulky items. In the event that you do so, you will be charged additionally by your previous landlord for the removal of these items. Many of these items can be hauled away at little to no cost by contacting the city in which you live to remove them or if they do have some value, you could call Salvation Army or other charity organizations to remove those items. The most expensive process would be to leave them for your current landlord to deal with as you will be charged for sure.
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Transferring of utilities
It is important to make sure that when you move out of your previous home and if you are terminating utilities that you do so after you have vacated the property or that you set a termination date for the day that you are leaving. Do not terminate your utilities prior to your move out. In the event that you do, you may be charged additionally by your current landlord. You are responsible for the utilities up to the expiration date of your lease or your move out date, whichever is later.
As for your new home, make sure that you have contacted the utility companies in advance and make sure that you also know which utilities you are responsible for turning into your name. There may be a lag time between the time that you call to set up the utilities and when these services are turned on. In some instances, it could be up to a week to turn on utilities. You would hate to get into a new apartment and not have heat, hot water, or electricity as a result of not planning ahead. Additionally, if you are setting up internet, cable, phone, or other services, they may require a physical appointment to come out and set up those utilities and there may be lead time there as well. You may also need to be present for these appointments and so you will need to coordinate that as well.
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Make sure your furniture fits before you move
It is important to ensure that if you have large beds, furniture, desks or couches, that this furniture will fit into your new apartment or home. You would hate to get into the new apartment only to find out that those items physically just will not fit. If you need to get into the apartment in advance of moving or before you sign the lease to make sure that you have double checked so that you are not disappointed later on.
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Prepare a move-in punch list
In some instances, you may move into your new apartment or home and there may be items that are either slightly damaged or not working correctly. It is important to make sure that you notify your new landlord immediately and take pictures of these items so that you are not charged for them when you move out. The landlord may elect to repair or replace them or may elect to just note your file so that you are not charged in the future. This will help ensure that both landlord and tenant are on the same page with regards to the condition of the property when you took possession. If there are items that need to be repaired or attended to, the landlord can set up a work order and coordinate to do that sooner versus later.
The stress of moving can be an overwhelming proposition. Our recommendation is to avoid making mistakes in the moving process and, to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible, by planning ahead. We wish you well in the moving process and hope that these tips are helpful.