Commercial or residential moving involves plenty of time, effort, and most of all, money. But the latter does not always apply in a negative sense. While relocating has its share of expenses, with the right planning, there are likewise a number of ways you can save up and earn a few bucks for your big move. Allow Desert Moving Company & Storage to ease your moving burdens with these terrific suggestions to minimize costs and even make profit.From moving house to moving businesses, local to international storage, the costs of your relocation highly depends on one thing: the amount of items you move. For long distance relocation, weight and distance play crucial roles, while handling time and added services are calculated for local moves.For ideas to significantly cut down weight and costs of your relocation, check out the following articles:20 Things to Leave Behind When You RelocateWhen to Sell or DonateItems that Sell a Better Home17 Things to Remember for a Hassle-Free Move10 Great Packing Ideas for an Easier MoveTax Savers
20 Things to Leave Behind When You Relocate
When you move into a new home or office, remember to sort out the items that are better left behind or thrown away. These include:
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- Items that won’t fit
Use a floor plan or a mock up of your future residence or office and try to see if the furniture would fit. If you know you’ll have great difficulty making it fit when you arrive, reconsider moving it.
- Items that won’t match
If the furniture won’t match the interiors of your new home, it may be time to let go. It often costs more to move and re-upholster items than to simply leave them behind and sell them.
- Items you won’t use
Avoid being a hoarder and learn to part with things you won’t have a place to use. You don’t need yard items when you move into an apartment.
- Books
Reduce your library as much as possible and then check out the cost of mailing volumes compared to the cost of moving them. Special postage rates for books may offer big savings.
- Plants
Check with Desert Moving Company & Storage when it comes to moving plants. It is illegal to bring plants into many states.
- Dirt and sand
For sandbox and outdoor plant boxes, fill them with miscellaneous material other than dirt. There will be sand and dirt where you’re going.
- Clothing
Now may be the time to reorganize your closet and make room for new clothing. If there are garments you won’t wear anymore, consider donating them instead.
- CDs and DVDs
They may be small, but all together can make for one heavy box. Consider burning your favorite songs to a computer and unload all the bulky CDs out. Sort out which DVDs are worth keeping, and which ones deserve a spot in the next yard sale.
- Toys
If you’re kids are old enough, have them think about giving away some of their old toys to charity or selling them for a small profit they can keep for themselves.
- Hobby equipment
If you haven’t used your treadmill in years, moving it won’t do much of a change. You may also sell weight-lifting equipment and replace them at your destination, to save up on weight costs.
- Food
Plan menus to use up food you have stocked. Frozen foods cannot be shipped, while canned goods mean extra weight. If you simply have too much, consider throwing a going away party with the neighbors or donating non-perishable food to Move For Hunger.
- Tools
If you’re one of those people who maintain a workshop full of tools, evaluate each of them carefully before deciding to relocate them. As with hobby equipment, it may be a cost-effective option to replace bulkier items at your destination.
- Rugs
Unless they’re valuable or would fit perfectly in your new home, leave these heavy items behind and replace them with new, clean rugs you can actually use.
- The swing set
It’s huge, bulky, and it will cost you. You might as well leave it behind and just replace it.
- Firewood
Does your new home have a fireplace? If it doesn’t, then you don’t need these heavy things. Use up the firewood prior to your move or give them away to friends and neighbors.
- The pool/ billiard table
A pool/ billiard table requires special handling. Your best shot might be to sell it and then replace it when you get to your new home.
- Musical instruments
Other items that need special handling are huge musical instruments like pianos and organs. Unless they hold great value and are part of your lifestyle, you may want to sell these instead of moving them.
- Holiday decorations
You’ll always have other times to replace holiday decorations. If your materials are too outdated anyway or you don’t see a future where you would still want to use them, don’t move them.
- Fuel
Do not, under any condition, relocate flammable items. Empty fuel from the lawnmower, power tools, and kerosene lamps. Don’t take oil-based paints, bleach, cleaning fluids, lighter fluids, matches, ammunition, or any other type of combustible items. Check the kids’ chemistry set. Unless they are certified as being professionally purged, butane tanks cannot be loaded into a moving van. If you have doubts, just leave it. It’s better to be safe than sorry
- Aerosol cans
Other combustible items that can endanger your shipment are aerosol cans. Discard all aerosol-related cans from your boxes, including hair sprays, shaving creams, deodorants, household cleaners, insecticides, tarnish removers, car cleaners, and others.
When to Sell or Donate
- Once you decide which items to exclude from your office or residential moving project, figure out the best and profitable way to clear them out.
- Have a garage sale
The neighbors love a good old fashioned garage sale. Organize your stuff, advertise to the community, and carefully manage the sale as it goes.
- Sell valuable items online
For those items that hold a far greater value, take photos and post an ad in your local paper or create one online. You may find the right market for that special item and even online markets with free listings.
- Donate to charity
Some items are better off helping those who are less fortunate. Itemize each donation and keep the receipt. It may help you qualify for tax deductions.
Items that Sell a Better Home
If you’re putting your residence up for sale, consider items that you can leave behind to lower your moving costs and add value to your home. This allows you to sell your home with added appeal, leave behind bulky items unnecessary to your relocation, and cut down on your residential moving expenses.
- Chandeliers & Ceiling Fans
Heavy and fragile fixtures like these require special packing and handling. Unless you want to keep them for sentimental reasons, leave them where they are for the benefit of buyers.
- Appliances
These are very bulky items that usually require professional servicing before the move and special installation upon moving in. So if these appliances won’t fit or match your new home, perhaps it’s time to start anew.
- Hearth and home
Special fireplace screens and related tools are difficult to move and may not fit where you’re going.
- Shelving systems
If you have a built-in shelving system, leave it that way. No buyer will appreciate holes in the wall where the shelves used to be. And it probably won’t fit at your new home either, so go through all the trouble?
- Satellite dishes
- Will you be using the services of the same cable company? Check for compatibility before you move your satellite dish.
- Flag poles and basketball goals
You’re better off selling them with the house and saving yourself time, effort, and money.
17 Things to Remember for a Hassle-Free Move
Commercial and residential moving is not just about packing boxes and loading them up on trucks on moving day. Organizing your relocation may likewise offer you plenty of convenience and save you from a whole lot of headaches.
- Coordinate your move
Start the process in advance and, if possible, arrange and ensure occupancy dates in your new residence to avoid storage or delays.
- Notify utility companies
Set a specific date for service discontinuation of telephone, electricity, gas, and water utilities on a specific date. Request a final meter reading for due settlement. Likewise, don’t forget to ensure utilities are all working properly in your destination prior to your arrival. Do the same for cable and local newspaper subscriptions.
- Change your magazine subscription
Change the address on your magazine subscriptions in advance to avoid missing any issues.
- Cancel local services
Notify cancellation of security, lawn/ gardening, cleaning, and any other type of regular service.
- Check your bank and savings accounts
Make arrangements to transfer deposits so that you don’t lose interest and use your bank as a credit reference.
- Advise the post office
- Advise your Post Office, publications, and correspondents in advance. This will prevent a delay in service and avoid non-receipt of important mails/ parcels.
- Contact the necessary organizations
- For income tax purposes, inform former employers and the Social Security Administration of your relocation to simplify matters when obtaining future information.
- Collect any deposits
Whether it’s a landlord or a utility company, it’s easier to get deposits back in person than via long distance. Settle these matters while you’re still in town.
- Check with orthodontist, obstetrician, etc.
If any member of your family requires ongoing medical or dental treatment for which you have paid, arrange with the practitioner to pro-rate payments with a professional in your destination city.
- Check your homeowners insurance
See if it’s possible to have insurance applied to your future residence, or reassigned to the future owners and just pro-rate payments. If not, you may qualify for a partial refund. Be sure to coordinate insurance so that you’re covered in your new residence immediately.
- If you sold it, don’t move it
Check everything on moving day and make sure that anything which was supposed to stay with the home doesn’t go on the van. If these items are shipped by mistake, you may spend more money just to send them back.
- Membership fees
Depending on the clubs you belong to, see if you can sell memberships or get a partial refund on dues.
- Lockers and cleaners
Not everything is in the house. Be sure to collect all your belongings in club or school lockers and at the dry cleaners.
- Check on car or installment loans, and credit card organizations
Avoid default or unnecessary expenses. Notify the lending companies and credit card organizations of your move and change of address to avoid inconvenience later on.
- Transfer insurance records
Rates on car insurance vary from city to city so verify that it’s adequate before relocation.
- Close accounts
Close and settle any revolving charge accounts with department stores or specialty shops that don’t have locations in your destination city. In the same vein, close any other legal matters before relocating to avoid the trouble of having to make return trips just to take care of them in the future.
- Arrange for payment of your driver
Unless the commercial/ residential moving charges are to be billed to your employer or charged to your credit card, payment by cash, certified check, or money order is required at your destination.
10 Great Packing Ideas for an Easier Move
When it comes to office or residential moving, letting the professionals handle the packing comes as added convenience rather than expense. With years of experience in relocation, Desert Moving Company & Storage movers & international storage has all the expertise necessary to pack your belongings while providing it utmost protection. If you’re determined to do the packing yourself, here are some useful and cost-effective tips:
- Do not use newspaper for wrapping
Newsprint fades and the ink runs easily, which may ruin the items it was supposed to protect.
- Pack toiletries separately
Ideally in small containers. Be sure corks and caps are closed tightly.
- Don’t pack too compactly
Give fragile items breathing room to avoid breakage. Leave clothing in drawers, but do not overstuff to keep drawers from warping.
- Proper servicing of your appliances
Contact a professional or trusted mechanic or ask your local Desert Moving Co. & Storage representative to arrange such service for you.
- Right side of the bedding
Leave fitted sheets on mattresses to protect them.
- Spread your linens around
Don’t have enough bubble wrap? Instead of putting linens all in one carton, use them as fillers to cushion other items.
- Heavy items on the bottom
Place heavy items first on the bottom of the carton and then fill it up with lighter stuff. Use smaller boxes for special items like books.
- Electronics
If possible, pack stereo equipment and plasma TVs in their original packaging or have them serviced by professionals.
- Labels and lists
For added convenience, indicate contents on the outside of the carton. Designate which room the box should go in. it will surely simplify things at your destination. Be sure to make necessary indications as well if the contents are fragile.
- Unload first
Put together items you’ll need immediately upon arrival in one box. Label it “Unload First.” Include necessities like toilet paper, paper towels, cups, a can opener, soap, etc.
Tax Savers
They may not be a lot, but these little things may offer you big savings on taxes at the end of the year. So pay attention to these details that might help you at the right time.
- Keep track of donations
Keep an itemized receipt when you donate to charity. This may help qualify for tax deductions.
- Detailed records and receipts of moving expenses
- Make sure that transportation, lodging, meals, etc are included in your receipts. If you are moving because of a change in principal place of employment, such reasonable expenses are deductible. Check with the Internal Revenue Service or your accountant for more details.
- Record improvements
Keep a clean record of the expenses made for improvements in your home through the years and any other expense associated with its sale. These include realtor fees or classified costs.
- Insurance and inventory
Your possessions are worth as much in transit as they are in your home. Make sure they’re insured accordingly before relocation. Talk to your insurance agent if you have any questions. When you organize your move, list your possessions and their approximate value. Photograph or videotape your items by room and keep your inventory in a safe place. Should you encounter household damage in the future, you can establish accurate and complete insurance claims.
- Pick your moving company very carefully
You of all people would know the immeasurable value of your possessions. They are a part of your life and difficult to replace. Be sure to trust them in the hands of professional movers to guarantee the success of your relocation.
- Don’t be deceived by low estimates
Estimates are exactly that, mere approximations and not final. The actual cost of relocation will be determined primarily by weight and distance, with the cost of any added services you require. So if you find one estimate is substantially lower, double check to be sure to avoid surprises on moving day.
- An estimate is only as accurate as you are
While you need to be sure of the actual cost of your move, you also need to provide the exact information needed by the movers to make the right estimates. To be sure, ask Desert Moving Company & Storage for in-house estimate services.
- Do a background check
When you look for the right movers, don’t just go for those who offer low cost relocation without having the right history to back the service. Look for reputable movers with experience and commendable professional records, ensuring your property would ultimately be in good hands.
- Look for referrals
One great way to understand how professional movers work is through past and recurring clients. Look for customer testimonials and referrals for a more concrete idea of what to expect from any moving company.