Simple Self Moving Tips from our Newest Employee

Sometimes it's not so easy for long term employees and industry professionals to think like a customer. After all, our job is to know everything there is to know about do-it-yourself moving. From moving labor to DIY move planning and transportation solutions, it is our job to be experts. While this can be a great thing, it can also hinder our ability to see the relocation process from a customer's point of view.

This has never been more apparent than this past week when our newest employee Michelle began working for us. As someone without much relocation experience, Michelle asked a lot of questions during her training and also observed a lot about our customer interactions. We felt that her lack of relocation experience could actually be used as a learning tool to help us see things we might not otherwise have seen. In addition to helping us analyze our processes, Michelle also noticed a lot of customer-oriented trends which she has written about to help you successfully plan, prepare and execute your move.

Moving Blankets

An inexpensive way to protect your household items during a move would be by renting furniture pads. It is a great preventative measure to protect your belongings and there is no limit to how many can be used. Most people (including myself) don't think about this when planning their move.

DIY Moving Is Affordable

Many people underestimate just how affordable a DIY move really can be. Having friends help could add up when paying for drinks, lunch, etc. Time is also a key issue when having a DIY move done with friends. An experienced mover can get the job done in half the time and the right way.

Extra Fees

Some rental truck companies purposely place a hand truck in the moving truck so you can use it, but it comes with an additional fee. Prices for these 'add-on' expenses can quickly add up and eliminate your DIY savings. Many of the moving companies listed on MovingLabor.com will provide a dolly for free. You can see hourly rates for local movers near you, as well as which provide a moving dolly, simply by searching your zip code.

Planning Is Important

When moving it is important to have a plan and stick to it. Reserve the truck early, order any additional moving supplies, and make sure any last-minute errands can be done prior to moving day. Waiting until the same day to rent a truck and hire movers only causes added stress. We receive many last-minute requests for movers to load and unload, even though we were able to service about 99% of them, it would be nice if we could help everyone. Giving the proper notice can help the movers and the customer make moving day go as smoothly as possible.

In-Home Moves

I once tried moving heavy furniture by myself and it didn't go very well. I wish I knew that I could hire movers by the hour to do the heavy lifting for me! That's right, you can get in-home moving help from furniture movers on MovingLabor.com. You don't have to be moving from one home to another to hire moving labor. Our movers can help stage your furniture if you're trying to sell your home, clear out an old couch for a new one, move heavy furniture up or down stairs, and even help pack your old items when spring cleaning or downsizing.

Renovating is also very common and we can accommodate the homeowners by moving their items to the garage, basement, or a storage container in the driveway. When the renovation is complete, just give us a call and we will put all of the furniture back in the proper places.

Moving A Piano Is Hard

A lot more goes into moving with a piano than most people realize. Stairs, for example, play a huge role when moving a piano and I don't think most people really put much thought into it. How many steps must the piano be moved up/down? This includes any steps outside to get to the home which many people forget about.

Another issue I have witnessed is that some people really underestimate the weight of their piano. Most pianos are at least 250 pounds, many are much heavier. Often times a customer will assume that two movers can move their piano, but that's not always possible. For example, a baby grand piano requires at least four movers.

Fortunately, when searching for moving help on MovingLabor.com you can easily indicate if you have a piano. Depending on the type of piano you have, our search results will show you which movers are able to move your piano, and we'll tell you how many movers they require to move it. This is just another small way we're helping make the process of moving easier!