It doesn’t matter if you are moving from an apartment, house or you are moving your office, the moving process is not easy and it needs your time and dedication. The moving process is not just the moving day, it is everything prior and after the move. Hiring apartment moves in San Jose will help you with the process, but there are certain things you need to know and do before.
If you are new in the moving and this is your first time moving out on your own or if you are moving in with your loved one, we prepared a special guide in order to help you with all of the parts of the process. It is not enough to only know what to do on the actual moving day, or how to pack prior to the move. Prepare yourself to get involved with the move a few weeks prior and do some research in order for everything to go as smoothly as possible.
When you are relocating, it is certainly one of the biggest changes in your life. But, the truth is, you can save yourself from the additional stress if you organize everything correctly.
What are we going to go through in this blog?
- What to do prior to the move
- How to proceed after you hired a company or rented a truck
- How to organize the packing process
- How to handle everything on the actual moving date
- How to unload a truck
Step #1 – Preparing for your moving day
If you prepare for the move correctly, you will have half of the work already done. Apartment movers in San Jose will move everything in no time, if the apartment is pre-packed and ready to move. In order to pack everything, you will need to prepare a packing list.
How to make everything ready for the movers? – There are few easy steps that you will need to follow in order to prepare everything for your move.
- Make a checklist – organize
- Set your budget
- Find a location to move into
- Find a moving date
- Decide are you hiring a moving company or doing it by yourself
Making a checklist and organizing the moving process on paper
Make time for this process. Organizing a move is a bit stressful, but it is better to go through that inevitable stress prior to the move and not on the moving date. Put everything on paper, what are you moving, did somebody recommend you the moving company they used, what are you going to do with your pets. Everything should be in one place. Make a list of things that you will be moving, since not everything will fit your new lifestyle or in your new home. You can find some helpful advices in the link below.
What is the cost you are willing to pay
Setting a budget is really important. If you do not make a plan, no matter if you are hiring movers or moving on your own, the cost may surprise you. We suggest you make a checklist for your moving expenses as well.
How much does moving cost?
- Average cost for an interstate move: $4,100
- Average cost for an in-state move: $980
However, there are a lot of factors to consider when you are trying to calculate the price of your move. Apartment movers in San Jose set their prices based on several factors:
- The size of the move
- The distance between the pick up and the drop off locations
- Do you have any stairs
- Do you need packing services as well
You can calculate the approximate cost here, but if you want a more detailed free quote, you can contact us.
Find a location to move into
Finding a new place to live is challenging. Especially if you have kids. You would need to find a place near a good school and the neighborhood that is quiet and safe. Suburbs are always more affordable and safer. But if you are not looking for suburbs, there are a lot of more places you can check out. Consider several things:
- The prices of the houses
- Safety
- Access to public and private schools
- How far is from your office
Find a moving date
You should choose a moving day based on your own flexibility. However, there are some things that can help you choose a cheaper moving date and can help you if you are looking for budget movers. Things to consider when choosing the moving date:
1. Which season is the best for moving? – The prices vary depending on if it is a moving season or not. The moving season usually starts in April/May and ends in September/October. During this time, there is a possibility that the price will be higher. You should consider the period between October and April, when hiring the movers.
2. What time of the day is the best? – We always recommend a morning arrival window, since professional movers are well rested and your move will be the first move of the day.
3. Which day of the week is the most preferable? – When people hire apartment movers in San Jose, they usually choose weekends, since they are working during the week and they do not have the time to move. However, Sunday is the least busy day, probably because everybody wants to be with their families. According to recent research, Friday is the most popular day, and the rates can be higher on that day.
4. Which month is the most suitable for moving? – Preferable months are off-season Months, from October to April. This is also more suitable weather, since it is not too hot, nor not too cold. But 680 movers can help, no matter which part of the year is. Our motivated movers are always there to help !
Decide are you hiring a moving company or doing it by yourself
You should compare both options in your head. Would you like your move to be less stressful ? Would you like to have more control or you would like somebody else to take care of everything. The pros of hiring movers are:
- No heavy lifting
- Special service during the packing, where your belongings will be packed in a safer way
- Less chance of damages
- More secure transportation of your belongings
- Quality packing materials and experience while packing
- Basic insurance coverage
- It will be less stress for you on the actual moving day
SPECIAL TIP : When you are looking for a moving company you should have several things in mind when you are inquiring for a quote:
- Provide the approximate list of items, for more accurate quote
- Check your written confirmation for the booking
- Ask for additional and hidden fees
- Inquire about the moving insurance
What should you do if you want to move on your own ?
First, you would need to rent a moving truck. DIY moves with a rented moving truck are very popular. Around 1 million people move on their own each year. You should also have in mind the most common mistakes when you are moving.
Moving by yourself has its pros and cons:
✔Lower cost at the end of the move (prices for renting moving trucks are lower than the ones that apartment moves in San Jose provide)
✔You will have more control of the process
✔Nothing will be stolen
✔You will be more flexible with packing and moving process
🗙It is more time consuming
🗙You may not pack everything correctly
🗙More possibility of lost or damaged items🗙Heavy lifting
Step #2 – What to do after hiring a moving company?
Even if it does not seem like something you need to do, one of the most important things prior to the move is decluttering. You are probably not sure what to keep and what to throw away. There is a golden rule – if you have not used it in a year, do you really need it ? Try to be honest to yourself. If the items are of great importance or they have a sentimental value, you can put them in storage. 680 movers provide storage services as well.
You can always organize a garage sale and even earn some money prior to your move.
Getting correct packing supplies is also really important, especially if you order labor services and not movers and packers. If you will pack by yourself you would need:
- Quality boxes (in several sizes)
- Tape
- Plastic and bubble wrap
- Moving blankets
- Dollies or other equipment for heavier items
What a lot of people forget to do is to prepare a moving kit. This kit should include essentials for the moving day, such as water, snacks, charges and things that you use every day. You should prepare this a day prior to the move.
The most boring part of the move is transferring services to a new address. You should do this beforehand, to make sure that everything goes smoothly. You should also:
- Inform post offices to change your delivery address
- Cancel your utilities, phone and other providers
- Inform your bank
- Cancel your monthly subscriptions, if you have them
For more advice on how to change your address when you move, read here.
Packing or pre-packing can help you save a bit of money.
- Make a packing list – Start room by room and make a packing list.This is helpful no matter if you move on your own or you are hiring movers and packers. You should figure out how to start your packing process and what to pack first.
- What to pack first – We would suggest you pack some items that you do not use every day. Kitchen and bathroom supplies should be packed last. Do not forget to empty your refrigerator !
- How to use your belongings to pack – You can use suitcases in order to pack books or other items that you usually transport in boxes. Towels can be used to double protect your belongings or you can put them between fragile items to avoid damages. Using pots for packing other kitchen items can be useful as well.
- Label the boxes – Labels should be boxes room by room, for better organization. This will make the move easier and more efficient. Not to mention that it will help the unloading process, since everything can be unpacked room by room.
- Disassemble the bigger pieces of furniture – If you move by yourself, this would be mandatory, so you can move the items without any issue. If you are hiring movers, you can disassemble everything in order to help your local movers. If you do not have the time for that, professional movers will disassemble everything on their end.
Step #3 – Moving day – now what?
If you are moving on your own, this will be the hardest part of the process. You will need to load a truck, secure everything with tape, transport it safely and unload it at the new destination. If you are moving with a company, your work here is basically done. However, there are some things that we would advise you to do:
- Vacuum your new place before moving – In other words, you should prepare your new home for your furniture. Everything should be clean and ready ,so you can unload everything directly where it is supposed to be. You would like a clean start at your new home.
- Take a day off and fully commit to a moving process – Moving process can prolong, no matter if it is a small apartment or a 3 bedroom house. You should focus on the move and fully commit to the process.
- Have a plan if you have children and pets – If there is a possibility, ask your friends to help you and babysit or watch your pet during the move. It would be better if they are not included in the process, since it can be a bit stressful for them.
- Don’t forget to eat and drink – Making sure that everything goes smoothly and without problems can make you forget other things. For example to stay hydrated or to eat. Do not forget to pack some food and water in your moving kit.
You prepared everything prior to the move, but did not hire apartment movers in San Jose?
680 Movers can help you with all different kinds of moves. If this blog helped you, a call with our representative can help you even more. Our dedicated specialists are always happy to answer your questions and help you with scheduling your move. Contact us and find out why we are one of the best local movers in the country!