The process of moving is already complicated so there’s no need to make it even more confusing. There are a lot of misconceptions about moving that can lead to unnecessary stress and complications. After all, it can be hard to figure out what to do and with so many conflicting posts and advice online, you might not know what information is useful. Luckily, we’re debunking these common moving myths for you so your next move can be stress-free. And if you need more help, make sure to reach out to NYC Great Movers!
You Have to Move Everything Into Your New Home
While the ideal situation is that you are able to move into your new place on moving day, that’s not always the case for everyone. Maybe you had to move out in a hurry and the previous owners/tenants are still living in your new place or perhaps you don’t have the time to move everything in at once. Luckily, you can plan your move-in whenever you want as long as the other residents have already moved out.
If you don’t plan on moving into your new place immediately, you’ll need to do a bit more planning since you need to figure out where you’ll store all your stuff. Luckily, many moving companies offer short and long-term storage solutions. The best part is that they will move your belongings into and out of storage. If you plan on slowly moving your things out of storage, a self storage solution might be the better option as you can drop by whenever you want.
You Have to Do Everything Yourself
While there are plenty of steps in the process that only you can do, there are plenty others that you can outsource. Naturally, you can hire professional moving companies to do all the heavy lifting for you. Going the DIY route might seem like the more cost-effective option, but if you’re moving a lot of furniture or other heavy items, you might be better served leaving to the pros. Plus, reputable moving companies can get their truck loaded and unloaded in record time. What might take a normal person 4-5 hours can take movers 2 hours. On top of that, you don’t have to worry about handling a large truck through unfamiliar streets and roads or worry about parking.
If that’s not enough, most moving companies also provide other services to help you out. For example, they can take over packing and unpacking, which is a major source of stress for most people. Of course, it will cost extra, but you can always opt for partial packing. As the name suggests, you can have the movers only pack certain rooms or areas. It’s a lot cheaper and it’s still a great way to reduce your workload. On top of that, if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of buying packing materials and lugging them to your house, ask your moving company if you can purchase them directly. The materials you get from the pros are the same ones they use for their business so you know they’re good quality.
All Moving Companies Are the Same
On the surface, it might seem like all moving companies do the same thing. After all, they’re just loading and unloading your belongings from their truck, right? Wrong! Like any business, moving companies come in a variety of sizes, operations, products, and experience. Hiring a man with a van won’t get you the same level of service as hiring a professional moving company with 10 years of experience. Not to mention there are also huge legal differences between a regular person and a company. Most importantly, a reliable moving company will have to register with the United States Department of Transportation and get a DOT number that keeps track of their moving license and potential complaints. In order to get this number, the company must have all the appropriate insurance.
Don’t wait until the last minute to hire movers. Take your time and do some research beforehand! Look up customer reviews and make sure they have all the appropriate licenses and insurance. And don’t forget, if a quote or offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Released Valuation Coverage Fully Covers My Belongings
Regardless of the size of your move, all professional moving companies will automatically protect your belongings with their released valuation coverage also known as basic liability insurance. This comes at no extra cost to you, which is great! Unfortunately, it doesn’t fully protect your stuff. Should something get damaged or lost during the move, you will only receive a payment of $0.60 per pound per item. While it might not be a huge loss for cheaper items, if your TV or computer happens to get damaged, you’ll only get a couple of dollars for it.
There are a few ways you can protect your belongings. You can spring for the full valuation coverage, which means the movers will be responsible for any loss or damage to your items. That doesn’t always mean they’ll give you money. In some cases they might choose to repair the item or replace it with a similar item. And make sure to claim high value items, items valued more than $100 per pound, in your shipping documents. Otherwise, they won’t be held legally liable if these get damaged.
You Must Move During the Summer
There are a lot of factors to consider when moving. For example, you might have children who don’t want to switch schools in the middle of the year. Or perhaps you’re moving from somewhere warm to somewhere very cold. Before deciding on your move date, consider these options first. From there, start narrowing down your time frame. Of course, you might not have that kind of flexibility if you’re moving for work. In that case, you’ll have to work within those constraints.
The reason why so many people move during the summer is because of the warmer weather and, of course, because school is out of session. For working adults, summers also tend to be a bit slower since many people are out on vacation. Because warmer months are so popular, you’ll also have to deal with more competition when it comes to finding a house and a moving company. If you are able to, consider moving earlier in the spring or in the fall. The weather still tends to be nice but there are less people moving.
Make Your Next Move Stress-Free
No one said moving was easy or fun. However, that doesn’t mean you should be stressed out with your move. Instead, give NYC Great Movers a call. We’ll walk you through the moving process and create a customized plan to suit your needs and budget. And we’re always more than happy to answer any of your questions.
FAQ
Should I get an online quote from a moving company?
It’s always a good idea to get a quote from a moving company. This can give you some bargaining power when you call other movers and it allows you to compare prices to see if one company is too cheap or expensive. You don’t have to get the quote online though! You can call the movers up directly and have them email you the information.
Can I ride in the truck with the movers?
For insurance and legal reasons you cannot ride with the movers. Always take your own transportation to your new house.
What happens if I have to cancel or reschedule my move?
Make sure to read the moving contract carefully as it gives you information on the lead time you need to give for canceling or rescheduling. Most companies require you to call at least two days in advance to not incur a fee.
