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Five Ways To Save Some Serious Money On Your Move

Posted on April 11, 2018 in Local moving, Long-Distance moving, Moving Costs, Uncategorized by Ninja Movers Leave a comment
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Moving is expensive. We know this and the last thing we want to do is send you into debt for your move. That’s really not a good way to get repeat business. So, here are some tips that are guaranteed to save money.

1. Save Money by Packing Everything

Packing everything in your home can save you as much as 25 percent on the cost of your move. Talk to your moving estimator about packing materials and ask for tips. They can show you how to pack fragile items. Keep in mind that if it’s not furniture, it needs to be in a box. You need to pack pictures (or move them yourself), electronics and lamps.

2. Save Money by Cleaning

Movers don’t care if there’s a little dust, but you want to be sure that there is plenty of space to move, especially near the doors. Clear all debris and empty the trash, or the movers might move it.

3. Save Money by Labeling Everything

If you are doing your own packing, odds are, the movers won’t label your boxes. One of the best ways to keep things moving smoothly is to very clearly label each item with by room. Color coordination is even better. You can even map out your new home to show the movers where all the furniture goes.

4. Save Money by Moving Some Things Yourself

Moving a box or 10 isn’t going to make a whole lot of difference on the bottom line, but if you can move loose items like pictures, lamps and electronics, you can save a good bit of change.

5. Save Money by Reserving a Parking Space

If parking is a challenge in your neighborhood, contact the city and ask about reserving space. Plan on a truck that’s about 26 foot in length. Most cities will charge you, but in the long-run, convenient parking will save you a lot of time on your move.

If you live in a condo or apartment building that has a loading dock, ask your building management about reserving time. Note that most moves start in the morning, so you should reserve your current home for the morning and your new address later in the day. Your moving estimator can give you a better estimate of time.

Featured image CC2.0 401(k) 2012 via Flickr

What Not To Do While Packing

Posted on March 29, 2016 in Preparing for a move by Ninja Movers 1 Comment
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You found a new place to live. Now, it’s time to take a look at your old place and start packing. Where to start, though? Over the years, I’ve written several articles giving people packing advice, but most have been from a positive perspective. Usually, though, packing is trial and error, with a heavy emphasis on error if you don’t start soon enough.

  1. One of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming that everything will go into their new home exactly as it came out of the old home. That’s rare. It will be far easier to unpack if you go through each item and organize them by room, regardless of what room they are currently in.
  2. Don’t buy low quality packing materials. It might be tempting to check the back of the supermarket, but those boxes are often damaged and don’t have lids. Spend a little bit of money on materials. Never, ever use trash bags. They break and they take up too much room on the truck, since they don’t stack. Your mover or Home Depot can help you with materials.
  3. Don’t buy only big boxes. Bigger boxes means fewer boxes, right? Maybe, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have an easier or a cheaper moving day. Use appropriately sized boxes. Light things can go in big boxes, but heavy things need small boxes.
  4. Don’t pack your kitchen first. Your kitchen is the most used room in the house, with the possible exception of bathrooms. If you don’t use things every day, sure, pack them, but don’t pack anything you’ll find yourself needing before you move.
  5. Don’t go without a plan. Personally, I like to set a plan of 2-5 boxes a day (depending on my schedule and what I’m packing). I pack books, toys, out of season clothing and other non-essentials first. I begin hitting the essentials a few weeks before the move.
  6. Don’t neglect pictures on the walls and lamps. Odd shaped items often still need to be packed, especially if a mover is moving you. You can take them in your car, which is advised, or you can have the mover pack them. Just remember that come moving day, someone has to move them. Don’t be surprised if you get hit with a little extra on your moving bill if you forget.
  7. Don’t make arrangements for kids and pets. The last thing you want on moving day is to have your kids and pets underfoot. Send them with babysitters. The movers will thank you and you won’t have to be chasing after them all day.
  8. Most importantly, don’t over stress. Naturally, moving is stressful. Little can change that, but if you don’t get all your packing done, your mover can help. Just be aware that there will be a charge. It’s best to discuss this with them before the move.

 

Featured image via Pixabay. 

The Packing Advice You Won’t Hear Anywhere Else

Posted on April 8, 2013 in Uncategorized by Ninja Movers Leave a comment
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The most time-consuming part of any move is the packing. It’s generally recommended that you begin packing one to two months before the moving day. Personally, I like to set a goal of about two to three boxes per person per evening. At that rate, it’s not very daunting, but the results add up quickly. You’d be surprised at how often you’ll get momentum going and pack more.

In the beginning, packing starts with the best of intentions. It’s an opportunity to purge, you think. Then, as time starts to get crunched, the packing gets a bit more sloppy as everything in sight lands in a box. Now for the packing advice you won’t hear anywhere else – don’t throw things away.

For most people in the process of moving, purging is a very unproductive use of their time. Unless you belong on the show “Hoarders,” it’s unlikely a purge will save you more than a handful of boxes. You will, however, spend hours deliberating over whether items should stay or go.

You’d be amazed at how your new home will give you a different perspective. An item that looked out of place at your old home might have a perfect place in your new. On the other hand, something that seemed worth keeping might seem ridiculous in a new surrounding. More importantly, you won’t be under time restraints as you unpack.

In the same vein, don’t even open photo albums while you’re packing. Have packing paper in hand before you pick up a keepsake, so you’re less likely to mull over it. Wait till the unpack. If a box is already packed and stored in your garage, keep it sealed. One of the reasons that professional packers are so fast (other than years of practice) is that they have no sentimental attachment to your belongings. If it’s not furniture, it gets packed.

Of course, there are exceptions. If you do belong on “Hoarders,” purge away. Even if you’re moving locally, it might be a good idea to stock your new refrigerator with new food. Get rid of old paint cans and chemicals (check with your local municipality for disposal instructions). If you have papers that need shredding, rather than hand feed them through a home shredder, take the papers to a shredding company. For a small fee, they’ll shred your paper into a finer state than most home shredders and they generally recycle. If something is obvious trash, of course, get rid of it.

One thing that does make a difference in the cost of your move is furniture. If there is furniture you won’t be using in your new home, give it away or if it’s in horrible condition, throw it away (again, check with your local municipality).

Of course, you can always hire your mover to pack for you.

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