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Moving Tips

The Most Useful Guide for NJ Movers

Moving day is here and you’re all packed up and ready to go. Hopefully, the moving crew has done their job and made the moving process as smooth as possible. While you’ve likely spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on your move, you might be wondering whether you should tip your movers, especially if they did a good job. The fact is, moving companies don’t factor or take gratuities into account in their overall estimate. And while it’s not required, tipping is common in the moving industry and your NJ movers will certainly appreciate the gesture.

Figuring out what’s fair depends on a variety of factors including:

  • Difficulty of move
  • Quality of service
  • Size of move
  • Number of movers

When hiring professional movers, you should set aside some money for tipping that fits comfortably in your overall moving budget. This tipping guide can help you create a ballpark estimate of how much you should tip.

General Tipping Guide: What You Need to Know

You’re probably familiar with tipping at restaurants. There, you tip a portion of the total and increase the tip amount based on the service. If you try to carry over that concept to moving, it will cost hundreds of dollars. An excellent place to start is to tip movers at $4-5 per person for every hour they work. Here’s an easy breakdown of how to tip movers:

  • Half-day move (generally 4 hours) – $20/person
  • Full day (8 hours) – $40/person
  • 12 hours or more – $50-60/person

While this is a baseline, you should also factor in the complexity of the move into the price. For example, if your movers are also packing all your things and moving bulky furniture like a pool table or piano, you might want to increase the rate.

Tipping on Moving Day: Should You Tip?

Most movers NJ residents trust should provide a decent baseline level of service. Most companies offer consistent training to ensure all crew members know best practices when it comes to moving things as efficiently as possible. Some factors to consider regarding the success of your move include:

  • Punctuality – did the movers show up on time and communicate their arrival beforehand?
  • Efficient – was your move completed on time or even faster than expected?
  • Helpful – did the movers answer your questions? Did they help with packing, uninstalling, and basic disassembly of furniture?
  • Friendly – while you don’t want your movers to be chatterboxes, you do want them to be friendly and respectful of you, your family, and your neighbors
  • Excellent work ethic – they didn’t dawdle when they go on-site and performed work without any complaints including navigating tight halls and stairs
  • Careful – Did all of your items arrive in the same condition as they left your old home? Did they damage anything including the walls or floors of your new or old place?

Of course, there might be times when you will need to adjust the tip downwards. Some things to look out for include:

  • Poor attitude and tardiness
  • Rude and loud during the move, shouting profanities around children and neighbors
  • Lack of regard for your instructions, especially with fragile items
  • Damaged belongings
  • Threatening or demanding a certain amount of cash as a tip

Since tips are meant to show movers appreciation for their hard work, you can withhold a tip if the crew you had were particularly egregious. In these cases, you should also call the company directly and make a report. In many cases, you might be refunded a portion of your moving fee as an apology.

When and How to Tip Movers

As with any other service provider, you should only tip after the job is done. That way you can pay attention to their attitude, how they treat your belongings, and their professionalism throughout the entire process. The exception to this is for long-distance moves as these are often handled by multiple crews. You should provide a tip to the crew loading your items and to the crew unloading them at the destination.

With that said, you can let the workers know beforehand that you intend to tip them for their hard work. That might motivate them to get the job done faster! When figuring out how much you owe, don’t forget to count non-monetary contributions that you provide during the move such as lunch, water bottles, coffee, etc. Something like a water bottle shouldn’t decrease the tip amount dramatically, but a lunch might replace a tip in its entirety.

Once the relocation is complete, put the cash tip for each mover in a separate envelope and hand them out individually instead of giving out the total amount to the foreman. It will limit confusion and prevent potential dishonesty where some movers take a higher cut than others. Also, by handing out the tip individually, you are showing that you are recognizing everyone’s effort. And while it’s customary to give each mover the same amount, you can give a higher one to someone who went above and beyond.

Other Common Ways to Show Your Appreciation

Yes, cash is king, but there are plenty of other ways you can thank your movers. While not necessary, these can go a long way and help future moves go smoothly if you choose to use the same company. Some ideas include:

  • Leaving a good online review using their names
  • Provide refreshing cold or hot drinks (depending on the time of year). Just make sure these are non-alcoholic drinks!
  • Offer small snacks or food to help keep their energy levels up!
  • Write a thank you letter after they have completed the relocation and include it with their cash tip
  • Offer a meal. This might not work for very busy movers, but you can always offer a quick meal of pizza, sandwich, etc. that they can take to go. Also, make sure to check if they have any dietary restrictions before putting in the order!
  • If you have items like furniture or decor you no longer need, offer it to the movers in case they want it. Many will gladly take it off your hands either to keep in their own home or sell

How to Improve Moving Efficiency

While you’ve hired the NJ movers to load and unload your items, you can make the job go a lot faster by making sure you’ve fully packed everything. Some movers will recommend you leave large and/or expensive items like glass tabletops, TVs, etc. to them as they know how to wrap them up properly.

While they will disassemble and dismount your AC units and furniture, it’s always a good idea to do it yourself. That way, you know exactly where all the screws, brackets, and nails are. Also, make sure to empty all your drawers and shelves. It will reduce the weight of these items and the movers don’t have to worry about your belongings flying out of the shelves during the drive to your new home.

Another step you can take to make your and your mover’s life easy is to label each box appropriately. A well-labeled box includes the room name and a basic inventory of what’s in the box. You should make sure any boxes containing fragile items are labeled accordingly. That way the movers will know to handle them with care.

Moving is a tough job and any action you can take to make it easier helps your assigned crew out alot. Once the NJ movers have completed their job, show your appreciation by giving them a well-deserved tip and great review!

Categories
Moving Tips

Essential Items You Need to Pack for a Relaxed Move

It’s all too easy to forget about the small details when you’re planning your NJ move. After all, there’s a lot to keep track of from finding the perfect NJ movers to making sure your utilities are turned on when you move into your new home. With so much long-term planning, many people forget to plan for the short term. However, remembering these small essentials can make a huge difference on moving day and the days after.

After all, you don’t want to spend hours after your move digging around boxes trying to find your phone charger or toothbrush! Even if you get your movers NJ to pack for you, you should always make sure to pack essentials on your own that will be easy to access.

If you’re not sure what to pack, below is a comprehensive list of essentials you should have on hand to make your stress free move.

Essential Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need After Moving

You don’t need to bring all your cleaning supplies with you, but you should pack away a few items. At the very least, you’ll want to bring an all-purpose cleaner, cleaning rag, and garbage bags. If you have a bit more room you might want to bring:

  • Paper towels
  • Small vacuum
  • Sponges
  • Dish soap
  • Laundry detergent
  • Broom
  • Toilet bowl cleaner

Before you pack these items up in a box, spend a bit of time giving your old home a deep clean so that the new residents won’t have to do too much work when they move in. Once you’re done, put these items in a separate box so you can access them easily once you move to your new place. Many movers will not allow certain cleaning supplies on the truck as it is considered hazardous so make sure to ask beforehand whether they will allow it on the truck or not.

Even if the previous owners of your new home cleaned the place before they left, you’ll probably have to do some light cleaning as you’ll be tracking in dirt during the move. Before you unpack you should spend some time cleaning every room. Sure, cleaning isn’t really the first thing people want to do after a big move, but it will make unpacking a lot easier. While you’re at it, take this time to inspect every inch of your house for any cracks, holes, etc.

Bedding for a Relaxing First Night After Moving

It might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people forget these! Your bedding includes more than just your sheets. It also includes your pillows, pillow case, and some extra blankets if you’re moving during cooler seasons. Before you leave your old house, make sure to wash all your bedding, including your pillows. There’s nothing quite like sleeping on clean sheets in your new home!

You don’t need to pack all your sheets, pillows, and blankets together. In fact, just save one set of each per person. Use the rest to wrap your fragile items such as glassware, vases, mirrors, etc. That way, you’ll save on the amount of bubble wrap you’ll need to use.

Essential Toiletries You’ll Need After Moving

There’s nothing quite like taking a shower after a long day of moving. You get to clean off the dirt and sweat from the day and relax a tad before you have to start the grueling process of unpacking. There’s nothing worse than realizing at 10pm at night that you have to go through all your boxes to find your toothbrush, soap, towels, etc. And let’s not forget the toilet paper!

You don’t need to have every single bathroom item in your toiletries box, but you should include the daily necessities such as:

  • Hand towels
  • Toilet paper
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Bath towel
  • Shower curtain
  • Contact lens solution and case
  • Medication
  • Shampoo and conditioner
  • Bath soap
  • Hand soap

If you use any beauty products on a daily basis, pack those away in the same box/bag as well. You want to have these items as easy to access as possible. Remember, you don’t need to put all your spares in the same place, just what you will need while you unpack. Chances are your bathroom will be one of the first rooms you unpack so you won’t go without the other items for too long.

And while this doesn’t fall under toiletries, you should also pack a general first aid kit that includes rubbing alcohol, bandages, gauze, antibiotic cream, and ibuprofen. Accidents can happen and you want to make sure you’re prepared.

Focus on Packing Kitchen Supplies

After the bathroom, the next most important room is the kitchen. Sure, ordering a pizza the night of the move is fine, but you won’t want to do that for a whole week. Plus, what are you going to do for your morning cup of coffee or if you want a bowl of cereal?

You don’t have to pack everything, but you will want to set aside some room on your essentials box(es) for items you’ll want immediately. Of course, that depends on your habits. If you’re okay with ordering takeout, you’ll probably only need to pack a mug, fork, spoon, knife, a sponge, and dish soap. However, if you enjoy cooking, make sure to pack away other essentials like a pot, pan, knife, cutting board, and spatula.

Speaking of the kitchen, you’ll also want to pack away some snacks to have on hand like trail mix, fruit, granola bars, and plenty of water. That way you won’t be starving during or after your move!

On that note, a great way to show your appreciation to those who helped you move, whether your friends or pros, is to provide some food. Pizza is a great option for friends. For pro movers, offer something they can take on the go such as bagels, water, etc. Of course, they also appreciate a cash tip for their hard work and stress free move!

Pack Chargers and Batteries Separately

Smartphones are ubiquitous and most working adults depend on them for almost everything including work, banking, calendaring, and more. With so much important information on your phone, the last thing you want is for it to die on moving day and not be able to find the charger. Along with your phone charger, make sure to pack away other chargers for your laptop, watch, etc. in your essentials box. If you’re really worried, bring a power bank for your devices just in case you’re far away from an outlet.

And what about batteries? While most electronics run on rechargeable lithium ion, your standard remote controls, flashlights, etc. still run off regular batteries. So pack a few AA, Ds and AAA batteries so you can use items that aren’t rechargeable. When packing them up, make sure to take out the batteries and pack them separately from the items you removed them from. Wrap them up in paper, tape it up, and then mark them well so they don’t get thrown out accidentally.

Change Dirty Clothes for Fresh Ones

You don’t want to wear the same dirt moving clothes a few days on end! Instead of rummaging around in your box, put a couple outfits aside for the next few days as well as a pair of pajamas. That way, you can focus on unpacking your boxes without worrying about what you’re going to wear. When packing clothes, don’t forget things like underwear and socks! For families with children, make sure you have a bit more options available to your child in case they get their first outfit dirty.

If you’re not able to take a few days off work and have to go back immediately, make sure to set aside some work clothes as well. For office workers, you might also want to pack away an iron to ensure your clothes are nicely pressed. Don’t forget other important items like hangers and your dress shoes while you’re at it!

How to Stay Organized During Your Move

Organizing a move is a stressful ordeal as you’re juggling numerous priorities. While it’s easy to get caught up in the big ticket items like whether to rent a truck or hire movers NJ, there are plenty of smaller details that fall between the cracks.

Don’t let your essentials box/suitcase/ bag/whatever be one of them! While this should be the last thing you pack, it’s a good idea to create a list of items you know you will want to use immediately after moving in. That can help guide your packing and make the process of unpacking much easier.

FAQ

Should I keep my essentials box/bag with me or put it on the moving truck?

If you’re driving to your new home, it’s better to pack your essentials with you so you have immediate access to them. Otherwise, let the movers handle it and just let them know where you’d like the box to be placed. In general, you’ll want the box in your bedroom or, at the very least, separated from the other boxes so you know which one has all our essentials.

How many boxes should I pack?

You don’t want to have too many essential boxes. In general, it should be 1 box per person and maybe a separate box for kitchen and cleaning items.

Is there anything else I should pack separately?

Yes! You’ll want to have a separate file for your important documents like the bill of lading from the movers, medical records, vet records, school transfer information, etc.

Categories
Moving Tips

How to Find the Best Reliable Movers in NJ

Moving requires a lot of planning and multi-tasking. You have to find the perfect come, consider your budget, potentially change schools for your kids, pack, and find the right professional movers NJ. If you’re already dealing with all the other aspects of moving, searching for movers might be your last priority. After all, aren’t all movers the same? The answer to that is a resounding no!

While it might add one more item to your ever increasing moving to-do list, it’s important to find reliable movers in NJ if you want to ensure all your items arrive at your new place intact. So how can you find reliable movers NJ? Check out the tips below.

First, Do Your Research

Thanks to the internet, you can easily do some vetting of companies before you even make a phone call. Your first line of defense is to do some research on your own of moving companies in your area. A quick search of ‘movers near me’ should provide you with a decent starting point. Narrow down to around 10-20 movers in the beginning and then look at reviews and complaints on places like Yelp, Google, and the Better Business Bureau. While business owners can challenge negative reviews and potentially have them removed, it would be hard to get rid of all of them. If you notice inconsistent reviews on multiple sites, you should cross these movers off the list.

After you’ve narrowed down your list, look at their site to see if they list their department of transportation number listed. Some states, like New Jersey, also require movers to register with the state’s DOT. Registered moving companies will list their number directly on their website. You can then use this to look them up on the corresponding DOT sites to make sure they are still in good standing and properly registered.

Prepare Questions You Want to Know in Advance

Once you’ve narrowed down your options to around 5 companies, it’s time to start calling. Before you call, make sure to write down a list of questions as well as a general idea of what kind of service you would like to utilize. When you come prepared, you’ll be more likely to spot potential red flags and keep your cool if the movers on the phone try some hard-sell tactics.

If you’re not sure what questions to ask, here are some options:

  • Is the company licensed through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration? This government agency regulations commercial vehicle operations to guarantee safety for companies and consumers.
  • Is the company a broker or carrier? Brokers outsource their work to other companies while carriers handle your moving services with in-house staff. In general, you want to hire carriers in case something gets lost or broken during a move.
  • Is the company insured? This is important in case the movers do any damage to your new or old building as they will be held liable for the damage.
  • What is the cancellation/rescheduling policy? Life happens so it’s important to know exactly what will happen if you have to cancel or reschedule and the general timeframe. Most moving companies require around 2 days or so to cancel/reschedule without incurring a penalty.
  • Are there any hidden fees? Reputable moving companies will list out all the fees in the initial quote so there’s no surprises. However, you should always ask if there’s something you need to consider. For example, if the movers will be going up and down flights of stairs they might charge a stair fee. Make sure to provide as much information as possible during the quote phase so you have an accurate picture of the total costs.
  • Does the company provide the services you need? Not all moving companies offer the same services. Some might have more options while others only offer simple moving services. It’s important to know exactly what each company offers so you can make the most informed choice. Some services NJ moving companies might offer include:
    • Loading and unloading
    • Packing
    • Furniture disassembly/assembly
    • Specialty item transportation (piano, billiard table, etc.)
    • Storage
    • Moving supplies
    • Plastic bin rentals

Watch Out for Red Flags with Moving Companies

There are many horror stories of people using a moving company only to realize after moving that many of their precious items were broken during transit or, even worse, they aren’t able to even get their belongings because the moving company is holding them hostage. If you notice the representative on the phone is dodging your questions, seems unprofessional, or is pressuring you into other services you didn’t ask for, consider it a red flag. Reliable and reputable movers are more than happy to answer any questions and will do so in a simple, easy to understand manner. They also won’t pressure you with aggressive sales tactics.

Speaking of red flags, a common one is asking for a large initial deposit. While most moving companies will ask for some form of a deposit in order to confirm your move date, it will generally be around $100-$200. If they ask for half of the quoted rate or more, it’s most likely a scam! Likewise, if a moving company quotes you a number significantly lower than other moving companies, it’s probably too good to be true and they’ll tack on plenty of hidden fees at the end.

Finally, a good rule of thumb is to check the website for information on their address, company name, and how many years they have been in business. Not all new moving companies are bad, but many scam companies change their name often to avoid a trail of negative reviews and legal issues. While you’re at it, verify their address by looking it up online. Make sure the moving company’s address is properly listed and registered under the company name. Avoid any address listed under a residential name.

Prepare for an Easy NJ Move

Finding reliable movers NJ takes some planning, time, and research, but it will be worth it at the end. Yes, it might be more expensive than using a ‘man with a van.’ However, when you hire professional movers you can rest easy knowing that they will treat your belongings with the care they deserve. If you’re still in the research phase, why not give NJ Great Movers a call and we can answer any of your questions.