Archive for the ‘Relocation’ Category

When you are planning to relocate, you have to ask yourself one question. Can you do it by yourself or should you hire some outside help? Believe it or not, you are just one of millions that ask this question and the answer depends on certain factors.

The factors consists of time, money and the difficultly of the move. If you are moving to a new house in the same city, you don’t need a mover since this can be done on your own. But if the move is out of state or to another country, naturally you will need help.

Let’s expound more on these factors.

Everything we do depends on how much money we have in our wallet. When you move, how much stuff you have dictates that price. Relocation companies have a guide when they give you an estimate. U-haul for instance has trucks with space that could hold 10 to 26 feet of stuff. Their basis for this is the number of rooms in your home so if you have 2 to 3 bedrooms, you will be paying more to rent a truck compared to someone who lives in an apartment.

Distance is another factor. Truck rates are dependent on distance and this is packaged to the customer one way or round trip. What is funny is that a one way trip to rent a truck costs 50% more than a one way trip.

This does not yet include the gas costs and the mileage. Just like renting car, you will have to shoulder the gasoline expenses. To help you out, rental truck companies have a distance calculator which you can compute how much you will most likely spend to make the move on your own.

That is just one way to relocate. The other method is to hire a moving company. There are a lot of moving companies that you can find in the phone book and online. Before you call them, perhaps you should ask for referrals from friends and family since they can tell you first-hand how it was like to have hired them.

Once you have a list of moving companies, let them come over and give you an estimate. Compare the rates and then decide which of these companies will offer you a good deal and be able to do the job. Be careful when you are reviewing the quote because some moving companies that offer too good to be true rates sometimes have hidden charges.

To be sure, ask them again if this is all you have to spend rather than having the shock of your life later on with other bills that you have to pay. Find out also if they are licensed and insured since you only want to work with a company that is legitimate.

If you know that the quote is more or less what you will be paying, this is the time you compare this with the quote that tells you how much you will have to pay to rent a truck. Whichever is lower and easier to do will tell you what you should do next.

Relocation does not have to be expensive and also hassle free. You should just do the proper research so you could make the right decision that is good value for your money.

 

Feb 07, 2010
Relocation Tips
Author: admin

There are a lot of things you should know when you have to move. By knowing these relocation tips, you won’t have a hard time packing and preparing your family to move into your new home.

First, if you have just received word regarding your transfer, talk to you family about it especially your children because this will have a big impact on them when all their friends live nearby.

You should explain it to them in words that they understand or use some of their toys to make it clear to them while it is going on. Once they understand, get them involved with the packing because this will help them feel less insecure about what will life be like in the new neighborhood.

The next step is to find a mover that will be able to move your stuff from your old place to the new one. You can find a moving company by looking in your phone book, online or getting a referral from your employer. It is best to compare the rates and find out what is included in the package.

Ideally, you should get a mover that will be able to pack everything for you and then unpack this in your new home. Some even offer the added service of putting it exactly where you want it to go so your new home does not look like a mess once their truck pulls away.

It will also be wise to get some form of insurance from your mover so that in the event that they break something or an item was lost in transit, they will be ones held liable and they have to pay for it.

You don’t have to let the mover pack all the items for your move. You can do some of the things like pack your own clothes and some personal belongings. While boxes are the best way to pack it, you should also your luggage and duffle bag for the other items like jewelry and important papers.

If the cost of hiring a mover is expensive, the only thing to do is to rent a truck. Since you have to drive this yourself, you better take a few lessons so there won’t be any problems when you are on the road.

Should there be some items that you want to get rid of before moving, hold a garage sale. This will allow you to make some money which you can also use to pay for the moving costs.

In fact, one of the most delicate things to move from your old home to the new one are plants because there may be some federal or state laws that you have to follow. For instance, some states do not allow you to bring certain plants across the border or it has to be quarantined and inspected first to determine that it is pest free. If you want to avoid going to all that trouble, perhaps it will be better to give it away or donate it.

A relocation is a huge step and some people do that more than once in their lives. After some time, you get used to it already but for those who don’t, it is best to plan ahead so there won’t be any problems when you are looking ahead for a brighter future.

 

Feb 05, 2010
Relocation in New York
Author: admin

Relocation in or out of the Big Apple, does not have to be a hassle. You should just find a specialist who has been doing this for a long time so that they can take care of the leg work and you can put your attention to other matters.

When looking for movers, look at those who have been in the business for a very long time. You have to remember that there are some fly by night scam artists out there who have victimized people in the past and you surely don’t want to be one of them.

The best way to start your search is to ask a family member or someone from work for a referral and then see where it goes. There are some moving companies that will even take your call on holidays and weekends.

If you don’t have time to make a call, try out moving companies that have a website. There may even be a form that allows you to leave your contact number and name and they will get back to you shortly.

Although a lot of people say that moving should be planned at least 4 to 6 weeks in advance, there are times that your transfer will have to take place much faster than that so you have to move your stuff as well so you should also ask if they will be able to help you on short notice.

If you have fragile items, the moving company should be up to the task to make sure everything you have is safe. They must have different packing procedures that are able to prevent dents and scratching. If it can’t fit in the truck, they should know how to disassemble and reassemble it or create a customized container.

Another thing they offer so you don’t have to worry is insurance. With that, they will pay you for any items that were damaged or lost during transit.

If this is your first time to move, you haven’t yet experienced how difficult it is to move all your stuff from the old place to the new one. You might be able to ask your neighbours for some help but the truth is this is not enough because packing stuff takes a lot of work and you could even strain yourself in the process.

For those who want to rest easy, get a professional moving company to do it because they have the manpower as well as the logistical support to get the job done.

The best way to do that is to get a few referrals, get an estimate and then compare their rates. You should also ask if they are licensed and insured so if there are any problems, they will be able to pay you back for any inconvenience caused.

If what they are offering is within your budget and the feedback from previous customers is good, you will probably be satisfied with the service that they offer.

How many times will you have to move is hard to tell because this is dictated by your line of work or simply a decision you have decided to do. Regardless of the reason, relocation does not have to be done alone when there are professionals just a phone call away willing to help.

 

Feb 03, 2010
Relocation in California
Author: admin

Relocation in or out of California can be done. While you can do this by yourself, there is another way to do it and that is with the help of a moving company.

There are a lot of moving companies in California. You can easily find them in the phone book or online but if you have never worked with them before and don’t know who to trust, ask help from friends and family that may be able to recommend someone.

The next step is to give them a call and then get an estimate from them. Some companies can give you an estimate over the phone but you should never rely on that when comparing rates.

It is best that the mover sees how much stuff has to be moved and from there, you will an exact figure which you can work with.

You won’t feel rushed in choosing a moving company if you start looking for one way ahead of time. This will give you time to do some research like find out if they are licensed and insured as well as get the feedback from previous customers.

Since you are the customer, don’t be afraid to ask questions because they are the ones servicing you. It is only right that you know how they will be packing the items and what will they do if some of the items you have do not fit in the truck.

After reading this, you might be overwhelmed with what you have to do when you are about to move but if you take it one step at a time, you will see how easy it can be and the lessons from your first experience will make it easier the next time you will move again.

If you feel that you can do a better job moving your stuff on your own, the alternative will be to rent a truck. This sounds logical if you are only moving within California but not when you are moving somewhere in the mid-West or all the way to the East Coast.

Again, you will have to call a few rental truck companies and then get an estimate how much it will cost to borrow one. The rates are either for a one way trip or a round trip so just compare the rates before choosing which rental company you will be getting the truck from.

Once you have that, the only thing you have to do is pack all your stuff and then load these all in the truck.

If there are items that are old and can be left behind, why not hold a relocation sale? This is the same as a garage sale because the set up is the same except that you won’t be around anymore after the sale is over.

The benefit of doing a relocation sale is that you are able to sell some of your stuff and make some money. Who knows? How much money you can make here may probably cover half or even the entire cost of renting a truck or even paying for a moving company.

Relocation takes time and money. This can be done on your own or with some help. You have to decide for yourself which is better depending on your financial situation.

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Feb 01, 2010
Relocation Woes
Author: admin

The mere fact that you are thinking of relocation means that the reason for doing so is pretty important. If that is the case, make up your mind fast and weigh the pros and cons already because trust me, the process of relocation is not anywhere easy. It is stressful as hell and you are not even stepping out of your old house yet.

Just ask anyone who moved from one place to another after staying for so long in one town and they will tell you that the last two weeks in the old town and the first few weeks in the new town can be pretty hellish. Here are some of the relocation woes that you need to face before you can actually rest and relax in your new place.

1. Stuff, Stuff and more stuff

If you are a veteran mover and are used to moving from one place to another, it would not be a problem as you will have the sense not to purchase and keep so much stuff, but if you are someone who did not even think of moving until the opportunity presented itself, you will probably tons of things that you don’t know what to do with.

Usually, the first order of business is to determine which should go to the trash can, which will be sold and which will be packed. This can be heartbreaking as you are in a way throwing away or selling decades of memories. Most people would not want to part with their things and would want to bring all of them to the new location. But this cannot be.

2. Movers

After segregating the stuff, you now have to pack the stuff that you need in cartons and hire a reliable moving company to bring them to your new relocation. This however should mean that you already have a place on the other side of the atlantic. If you still do not have one, this is one problem that you need to take care of as soon as possible. Leaving town and moving to another without a place to stay is just idiotic.

In hiring movers, make sure that you gave them the right address. If you can, go with them when moving your stuff. Or if you know somebody with a big truck, let them do the moving. You can just pay a small amount as well as the gas. This is especially true if you do not have much stuff with you.

3. Paper works
Changing address is not as easy as you think especially if you are moving to another country and not just another town. Moving to another state even requires some paper works like registering to various government agencies to update your record. Remember that each state will have different laws and therefore need different sets of records for them to be imposed.

International relocation is even more complicated as you need to secure either a working visa or a working permit as well as the permit to stay in that country.

Relocation may be a hassle but at the end of the day, if all the stress is well worth the new life and the new opportunity that it provides, then you have not lost anything at all. You, in fact, will be gaining a whole lot.