How to choose a Long Distance Mover

Couple helping each other unloading the truck

Relocation can be a stressful task for various reasons, such as packing, planning, and finding the best long distance movers.  According to public relations professionals, searching for a long-distance moving company can present challenges and has an average cost of $1,500.  Many people experience this expensive problem; however, it is possible to find moving companies without too much difficulty.  This article discusses few of many factors to consider when choosing long distance movers.

1. Using A Local Moving Company

In many cases, using a local moving company can be more cost-effective than finding one from out of town.  Due to people relying on the internet to find moving companies, there is a chance for unscrupulous businesses to trick people into paying large sums.  According to the CEO of American Moving and Storage Association, Scott Michael, trade groups representing moving companies are more efficient than non-represented businesses.  It is always worth one’s time to visit the company’s office and review their equipment.

2. Obtaining Estimates

It is recommended that you get a minimum of three estimates to ensure that you receive the most cost-effective moving service. This will help you determine your budgetary requirements and which company is the most suitable. While you may be tempted to use the company with the lowest estimate, you should research if the quote is unusually low.  If an estimate is sent via email or over the phone without people viewing your boxes, the job may likely be a scam.

3. Verify The Business Credentials

If you are planning a long-distance move between states, the mover must be registered with the Department of Transportation. A company’s registration number acts as a license to identify commercial transport vehicles. If the moving company is licensed, the professionals need to place the DOT number in advertising and on their website.  According to the spokesperson for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the carrier number ensures the moving company is legitimate.

It should be noted that the requirements for moving companies vary according to jurisdiction. This means that intrastate movers can be unregulated and considered legitimate within certain states. Always check the state information at the Department of Transportation; however, it is always safer to use a company registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

4. Reading Reviews And Complaints

One of the best ways to identify a reputable long distance moving company is by reading testimonials or reviews. Many of these companies include testimonials on their websites, but it is advised that you read reviews on third-party sites as well. The Better Business Bureau has reviews of over 20,000 transportation companies. The efficiency of the company is marked using a letter grade, along with reviews and complaints about the professionals.

5. Be Aware Of Large Deposit Requirements

Moving both short and long-distance should not require an initial deposit of over 20% of the overall estimated cost. Many companies will not require any payment until the delivery is made; therefore, you should always research companies asking for deposits.  You do not want yourself to lose money without any service. If you have a problem with a mover, you can file complaints with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Better Business Bureau.

6. The Experience Of The Company

Effective long distance moving professionals do not gain a reputation overnight – they need to spend many years fine-tuning the process. A company with experience offers knowledge, trained staff, licensing, and cost-effectiveness. While people can use new companies, older and more experienced movers are always a better choice.

Final Words On The Matter

As it can be seen, there are various considerations to make when choosing a long-distance moving company ranging from professional experience to finding estimates.

Cross Country Moving Tips

Couple moving across the country

Are you making plans to move cross country? Maybe you have been relocated, or you need a change in scenery. It doesn’t matter. You still have to go through the process of packing your things and moving everything to the new location. In other words, there is a frustrating time waiting ahead, regardless of how excited you are about moving. But luckily you found this article. It is going to share some cross country moving tips to aid you in reducing the stress typically associated with this frustrating process.

Call On Professional Movers

The first tip is going to be to call professional cross country movers. Not only do modern moving companies load and unload the truck, but they also offer additional services. For example, you can hire experts to do your packing for you too. They can even help to unpack if you feel like saving additional time. In cases where furniture has to be assembled, this can be arranged as well.

If you want to make this cross country move as quick and painless as possible, budget for professional movers, they can make all the difference when you really don’t feel up to doing all the work yourself. Because even if you are moving furniture for a small apartment, all your stuff begins to add up once you start packing. Then you realize how much work goes into relocating.

Give Yourself A Few Weeks To Prepare

Assuming you have the time and energy to handle the move yourself, it’s time to get into the other tips in this article. And one of the best moving tips you can get is to start a good time before the actual moving date. Avoid leaving everything for the last minute if you do not have people to help you. And even if you do have people helping, begin the cleaning and packing process early. For instance, start packing things you know you will not be using until you are in the new house.

Get Rid Of Clutter

People don’t really notice all the useless stuff they gather up over time. Saving one or two things here and there eventually leads to a big storage problem. Even worse, the clutter hits you the moment you decide to move. This can be downright overwhelming, so do yourself a big favor. Get rid of the clutter and all the small things you think won’t take up too much space.

Try To Stay Organized

It is natural to care about your belongings. Chances are you worked hard to pay for the stuff you have, which also means you probably don’t want to lose anything during the cross country move. Hence the reason for going into this process as organized as possible. Make a list that prioritizes the most important items. And when moving day comes, work according to your list. Then you ensure nothing gets left behind, given that you don’t want to drive all the way back.

Use Obvious Tags/Colors

You can make things more manageable by using obvious tags and colors when marking boxes. More specifically, you want to be able to tell which boxes go where, even if they are stacked. Then, after reaching your new home, the boxes can go directly to the appropriate rooms. Anything you have to do in order to help you stay on top of things, use it to your advantage.

Arrange The Right Sized Truck

Do not make the mistake of arranging a truck too small or too large. The former will see you leaving valuable stuff behind, while the latter can get pretty expensive. Especially if you only fill half of the truck, because you are paying for space.

Still Thinking About Professionals?

Nobody will blame you for sticking on the idea of calling professional movers. Seeing as they might even offer to clean the place up after you are gone, it is something to consider. The best part is that moving companies are more affordable than you think. Because when you combine the time and effort, it will no doubt require, it just makes sense to get experts in. They handle the cross country move a lot quicker, and without hassles.

A Moving Day Checklist

Women-Working-With-Moving-Checklist

If you are finally looking to make your big move, you will want to be certain that you have thoroughly prepared for it. Having a moving day checklist is one of the best things that you can do to prepare for a big move effectively. In this article, we will be going through some of the key things that you should be looking to do when you are getting prepared for your big move. A Moving Day Checklist:

1. Give Yourself Plenty Of Time

Once your big day has arrived, you want to give yourself plenty of time. No one wants to have to rush the last minute on the day of the move. Therefore, you should wake up early and start prepping for the move long before your movers come. This will give you enough time to go over your checklist to ensure that you have done everything that you need to.

2. Go Through Your Boxes

You should have created a list of boxes that you will be taking with you along with your move. Do a final run-through to ensure that you have all of the boxes that you will be taking. This is going to give you the chance to ensure that you are not missing anything. By doing a quick run-through, it is going to allow you to get the peace of mind that you need to ensure that you have everything with you. Moving is stressful enough as it is. No one wants to have to worry even more throughout the process by being unprepared and not giving it a final look over.

3. Meet With Your Professional Movers

You will want to welcome your movers and tell them anything that they need to do to facilitate the move. If you have packed your items on your own, you can go through the items with them to ensure that they know which boxes contain the fragile things and which boxes don’t. This is going to give them all of the information they need to plan out the logistics of packing your boxes to ensure everything arrives safely. You also want to go over any special requests that you have to manage your move better.

4. Pack Any Items Last Minute

Whether you have items that you didn’t want to pack until the big day or if you have items you forgot to pack, you should look to pack them at this time. You want to pack up anything and everything that you have leftover to minimize the chances of forgetting them.

5. Do A Sweep

You want to go room by room and do a thorough sweep once everything is cleared from your home. After all of the boxes have been packed up, you should be going through each room thoroughly to ensure that you are not missing anything. Check under your beds and other furniture to ensure that nothing got missed during the packing process.

6. Unpack

The unpacking process might be more time consuming and tedious than the actual packing process. You want to look to save a lot of the unpacking for another day. This is why you should have stored your essentials into their specific box. That way, you will be able to avoid having to go through the entire unpacking process at a time when you are likely exhausted. Having an essentials box can speed up the process entirely and allow you to go to sleep that night feeling at home and comfortable.

7. Do A Boxes Check

Once you have all of your boxes moved into your home, you should begin completing a box check to ensure that everything is there. You will be able to go through your list one by one to ensure that you didn’t forget anything and that you didn’t leave anything during the entire process. This will give you the peace of mind you need that everything went as smooth as possible.

8. Sit Back And Relax

Once you have completed your move and you have unpacked your essentials, it is time to relax. You should sit back and unwind after a long and exhausting day. However, as long as you properly prepared and followed your checklist, you should have had a relatively smooth process. By following the tips above, you should be able to go through the entire moving day with minimal stress. You want to do everything that you can to reduce the stress throughout the move. By having everything fully prepared and by giving yourself plenty of time to handle the move, you should be able to get the move completed without much hassle. Be sure to tip your movers if you feel they deserved it. Keep in mind; moving is a tough job.

Rollen Hills Moving Is Back!

Rollen Hills Moving Company Photo

Rollen Hills Moving is back with a brand new website. Myself Tim Russell, I am the founder and CEO of this company.

We are happy to announce the launch of our new website, now users can easily request a moving quote online in few seconds. At RollenHillsMoving.com our aim is to provide moving tips along with the best industry practices. We are committed to provide our users with the latest moving trends, tips and advice.

Feel free to get in touch for any moving-related suggestions or feedback!