Quick Tip Planner
Here are some things to think about as you prepare for a move:

• Summer is "peak" moving season. If you can be flexible about when you move, don't wait until the summer. Also keep in mind that the first and last weeks of the month are extra-busy for all movers.
• Specify the exact date you want to move and when it will be convenient for an agent to visually survey your household and prepare an estimate.
• Tour your house before the agent arrives. Check from attic to basement, and determine what will be moved and what will be discarded. Show your agent everything you will be moving.
• If you plan to do the packing yourself, start collecting suitable containers and packing materials. Set packing goals and deadlines. Have all packing complete by moving day.
• If you are being relocated at your company's request, find out what portion of your moving expenses will be paid by the company. If your company has a written moving policy, ask for a copy.
• Dispose of all flammables such as cleaning fluids, aerosol cans, fireworks and matches. Drain the fuel from your power mower and other machinery. Discard partly used containers of any substance that may leak. Empty the water from your steam iron.
• Obtain a written appraisal of antique items to verify their value. Don't wax or oil wood furniture before moving, because some products may soften the wood, making it vulnerable to imprinting from furniture pads.
• Unplug all electronic equipment such as television sets, home computers, stereos, etc., 24 hours in advance of a move so they will be at room temperature on moving day. Moving a TV set and other electronic equipment in which heat is still retained could cause internal damage.

Packing Tips

• Start with assembling packing materials including sturdy cartons of different sizes (always with good tops), tape for sealing cartons, clean paper and tissue paper for wrapping china and fabrics, newspapers to be used as cushioning material, and marking pens.
• Only soft items such as clothing and bedding should be left in drawers.
• Small appliances, radios, etc., should be wrapped individually before being placed in a carton.
• Large appliances have to be disconnected and sometimes serviced before they are moved and connected again in your new home. Movers are not allowed to do this, but they can suggest a reliable company that can do this for you.
• The refrigerator should be defrosted a day or two ahead of the move and a carton set aside for refrigerator contents on moving day. Take all spillables by car. Refrigerator shelves, just like the stove shelves, should be held securely in place with masking tape.
• Books should be packed on edge in small cartons so as not to make any carton too heavy.
• Brooms, Curtain Rods, Mops should be tied or taped into bundles.
• Clothing will be kept clean when moved in wardrobe cartons. One carton will hold about 30 garments on hangers and save on expensive cleaning bills.
• Flammable substances such as gasoline in cans or lawn mowers must be disposed of or taken in your car.
• Flowers and Plants will be accepted for shipment only at owner’s risk. Ensure all plants are packed in cartons taller than your plants. Use lots of paper between pots to keep them upright or cut cardboard inserts to hold pots in place.
• Frozen food will be accepted for shipment only at owner’s risk. Wrap all frozen food separately and place in small cartons in the freezer. The freezer will be loaded last and the cartons of food will be removed and wrapped in pads for loading. The freezer is moved empty to protect its delicate liner. At your new home the freezer comes off the truck first and the cartons of food can be unwrapped and replaced in the freezer.
• Linoleum may crack and the carrier cannot be responsible.
• Mattresses and Box Springs can be kept clean in mattress cartons at an extra charge. Ask us for details about these.
• Pictures and Mirrors should be packed. Metal mirrors, backless mirrors and marble slabs should be crated.
• Plates and Records should be wrapped separately, then in bundles of four to six and placed on edge in a carton.
• Power Tools and Outdoor Equipment such as TV aerials, children’s swings, and garden sheds should be dismantled before moving day.
• Table lamps and shades should be packed separately in cartons, covering shades with tea towels or tissue paper and handling them only by the wires on shades.
• Valuables (jewels, furs, important papers etc.) should be sent by security carrier, or carry them with you. We cannot accept responsibility for their shipment.