Tips for an easier move

Moving can be an unsettling ordeal. It entails enormous decision making, planning, packing, unpacking and countless other details. Here are some tips on how to make your move a little more palatable:

* Familiarize yourself with your new neighborhood by visiting city & state websites. Inquire ahead of time about local food markets, dry cleaners, entertainment, shopping, restaurants, and in general try to get a feel of the place you will soon call home.
* File a change of address form with US Postal Service.
* Call your bank/credit card company and ask about changing/closing/moving your accounts.
* Close any accounts you will not be transferring (saving, checking, empty out safe deposit boxes, etc).
* Contact your family physician for medical records and possible referrals. Also call your Health Insurance Provider.
* Contact current children’s schools and arrange for transfer of student records.
* Make sure all library books have been returned and all dry cleaning/repaired or altered items have been picked up.


* Contact your utility providers and have your utilities such as phone, water, power, cable/ satellite etc. canceled - leave a gap of a day or two between move-out day and disconnection of service to allow for unforeseen delays in moving out.
* Cancel / transfer magazine and newspaper subscriptions.
* Create a "move file" to keep track of moving company estimates, receipts and other important information.
* Begin packing of less frequently used items as much as 6 weeks prior to moving day.
* Work your way through each room taking inventory and deciding on what to keep and what to throw away.
* Properly dispose of all flammable and/or hazardous chemicals, as those will not be moved by your household mover.
* Make a list of all-important items/documents, which you would like to personally carry with you on moving day. Such items may include.
* Legal documents such as birth certificates, passports, wills etc.
* Jewelry, money or collections (coin collection, etc.).
* Stock certificates, deeds, insurance policies and other financial records.

Packing Tips
Start packing at least 4 weeks prior to moving day. Arrange all packed boxes in one designated room. Mark each box with its contents. Follow this link for a great packing tool: www.nackit.com

* Place heavyweight items towards the bottom of the container and lightweight items on the top.
* Use plenty of crumpled or shredded paper to protect your belongings in the boxes.
* Label boxes indicating what they contain. For example - if they contain fragile items, label “Fragile - This side Up”.
* After cleaning out the refrigerator or freezer, you may place pieces of charcoal in them to prevent mildew.
* As air causes silver to tarnish, all silver pieces should be wrapped in clean tissue paper or plastic wrap.
* After removing the light bulbs or lamp harps, wrap the lamp base, harp and bulb separately in newsprint/unprinted paper.
* Do not pack lamp shades in newspaper as the ink may rub off and stain them - use unprinted paper which may be provided at cost by your moving and storage company.
* It is advisable to let moving company pack furniture and artwork, as it will be done in professional fashion.

Essentials Checklist
Pack one box/suitcase to be transported with you. In it, should be items you may require at your new home, until you begin your unpacking process, or in the event your delivery is delayed for any reason.

* Scissors, masking tape, utility knife, can opener.
* Coffee cups, paper plates, paper towels.
* Instant coffee/tea, bottled water.
* Toys and snacks for kids.
* Plastic forks, spoons, knives.
* Flashlight, light bulbs, hammer.
* Dish soap, trash bags, towels.
* Toilet paper, toiletries.
* Prescription drugs, aspirin or other pain relievers and first aid kit.
* Phone books, pencils and paper, your "move file".
* Telephone, batteries, cell phone charger.

On moving day

* Check to ensure that closets, cupboards, attics and basements are empty -- it's easy to forget stuff in these places.
* Take note of utility meter readings.
* Leave a note with your new address in the house so that future residents can forward any ‘straggler’ mail pieces to you.
* Provide your contact number to your moving company rep., truck driver and family/friends, so they can contact you in case of an emergency.
* Relax…. If you’ve done your homework properly, it’ll all work itself out.

About The Author:
Steve A. Hadar is the owner and CEO of Alpha Relocation Services, an award winning relocation company based in Jersey City, NJ, providing Local, Long Distance, Commercial, Residential and International Moving and StorageServices.

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7 Tips to Make Your Move into a New Apartment Easier

Be Organized

A move isn't something you can simply prepare for over a weekend. Always plan ahead and never, ever, start packing the day before, as you'll find that you have a lot more stuff than you initially thought. Make sure all of your boxes are labelled appropriately - it will save you a lot of hassle when you're unpacking if you know what box goes in what room.

Donate Your Old Junk

In the process of packing, you might discover that you no longer need, like, or have room for old clothes, furniture and knick-knacks. Don't toss that stuff away, though - donate it to a worthy cause, such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army or the Canadian Diabetes Association. It's a win-win situation - you'll have fewer things to haul over to your new apartment and you get to help a charitable organization in the process. Plus, you might get a receipt for your donation, which you can use to lower the amount of taxable income you have to claim on your next tax return.

Van and Truck Rentals

A nice, empty apartment awaits you, but there's just one problem - you still have to get all of your stuff over there. Unless you have friends or family with large vans or trucks who are willing to help out, chances are you're going to have to rent one from a company such as U-Haul. Demand for these vehicles is always high, especially between April and October, so it's always a good idea to book out a van or truck several weeks in advance. Wait until the last minute and you might discover they don't have any trucks available, and if they do, they might not be available during the time you had hoped to make the move.

Get Some Help

Ideally, you should recruit a personal army of friends and family to help you move, as the only cost you'll have to pay might be pitching in for a pizza after everything is done. However, what do you do if all of your friends are busy or out of town? Unless your idea of a fun weekend is hauling box after box into your new apartment all by yourself, perhaps it's best to hire the services of a moving company. Whether you need them to do the entire move for you, or you just need them to help you load up the truck, a moving company has well-trained staff and all of the necessary equipment that will keep your valuables intact and make your move fast and hassle-free. Be sure to check the insurance policies of the moving company you hire - some offer different levels of coverage than others. You may want to invest in some form of moving insurance, especially if you have lots of rare and breakable items that could get damaged during a move.

Hold That Elevator!

Regardless of what floor you're moving into to, getting all of your items up to your new apartment - especially those big pieces of furniture - isn't going to be easy. Luckily, most apartments have large service elevators that can be used specifically for this purpose. However, during the busy times of the year, a lot of people are going to want to use those elevators at the same time. That's why it's wise to get those elevators booked in your name as far in advance as possible - some apartments will let you reserve an elevator a few months in advance. If you don't, it might be a long night of waiting in the apartment lobby, waiting for an elevator to be free. Be sure to always check with the apartment manager to see when you can use the elevators, as some buildings have restrictions about what times of the day the service elevator can actually be used. Get all of the information you can, as far in advance as you can, and plan your move accordingly.

Forward Your Mail

Try as you might, there's bound to be somebody that you forgot to tell about your change of address. Luckily, you can register your change of address with Canada Post, and for a small fee ($36 for six months), they can redirect any mail sent to your old address to your new one. That will give you plenty of time to make sure all of your contacts are up-to-date regarding your whereabouts without having to worry about whether an important package will arrive at your new place or on the other side of town.

Transfer Your Services

Apart from your mail, it's important to have any monthly services, such as existing cable, phone, Internet, gas and hydro accounts, transferred over to your new address (or cancelled at your old place, if you won't need them anymore). This can be extremely important, especially if you're the type that depends on things such as the Internet for work or school.

These tips should help your move go as smoothly as possible - but like anything in life, you should always expect for the unexpected. But as long you've prepared as much as you can in advance, you should be resting comfortably in your new apartment.

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