Tag: moving day

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Move Planning

A Handy Guide to Tipping Movers

A Handy Guide to Tipping Movers

After weeks or months of planning, packing, and decluttering, moving day has finally arrived. You’ve got all your boxes organized and you have a team of helpful professional movers to help with your relocation. If they’ve made your life easier, you might be wondering if it’s okay to tip the movers and how much you should provide. After all, they moved everything for you from your furniture to your fragile items. So what’s the tipping etiquette and how do you make sure the moving crew knows you are satisfied?

Should You Tip?

So long as the movers did their job, you should provide a tip. It’s a great way to show your satisfaction with the job and appreciation for the efforts of the crew. How much you tip depends on you. In general though, you should tip around $4-$5 per person per hour. So if there are two crew members who work a total of 5 hours, you should tip each person around $20-$25 or around 10% of the total split between each person.

Of course, you can tip more if you felt they provided excellent service. Conversely, if the movers were rude or damaged a lot of your items, you can lower or forgo the tip entirely. You should plan to provide some kind of tip so make sure to work that into your moving budget. Set aside more than you think for the tip. If you don’t end up using it all, you can put the rest towards fun home stuff.

Calculating Your Tip

Quality movers provide ongoing training to their employees as well as custom services to their customers to stand apart from their competitors. That should hopefully translate to a good minimum level of service. Still, there are a few factors you should consider when deciding tip amount:

  • Professionalism – did the crew arrive on time? If they did not, did they contact you beforehand to let you know? Were they friendly to you and your neighbors?
  • Weather conditions – are your movers dealing with super hot temperatures? Or are they dealing with heavy snow, ice, rain, etc? You might want to tip more if they’re working in challenging conditions
  • Number of hours – An average move for a 3-bedroom house could take between 7-10 hours. Did your move take much longer than expected or did they finish early/on-time?
  • Oversized items – if you’re moving a lot of heavy and large items such as pianos, antique cabinets, pool tables, boxes of books, etc.
  • Tricky navigation – does your house or apartment have narrow hallways? Or perhaps the movers have to navigate up and down several flights of stairs?
  • Damage – always check your items before and after a move for any damages to the items. You should also check your old and new home to make sure nothing got scuffed.
  • Extra services – some moving companies offer free services with your basic moving service so long as you ask. This could include dismounting your TV, uninstalling your air conditioner, disassembling and reassembling basic furniture, and some packing of items like TVs, glass countertops, etc.

From there, you can increase or decrease your tip amount based on their job performance, amount of time they took, professionalism, and so on. Make sure you’re fair in your assessment. If they took longer than they expected but it was because you weren’t organized, then that shouldn’t be seen as an issue with the moving team.

Tipping Etiquette

While tipping your movers isn’t complicated, you’ll still need to do a bit of preparation beforehand. In general, most movers prefer their tip in cash so make sure to withdraw some money the day before your move. Keep this amount in a separate envelope labeled moving tip and put it in an easily accessible location like your purse, backpack, or wallet. Some movers do accept credit card tips so if you forget to take out cash, you can include the tip on the total. Just make sure to confirm with the moving company first and let them know that you want the tip divided equally.

For local moves you should tip after the crew has unloaded everything from their truck and you have made sure nothing is damaged or missing. Divide the tip evenly between all the crew members. Do NOT give it to the foreman to distribute as the total might just end up in their pocket. By giving each crew member their tip, you can ensure everyone is getting their share. If the movers try to haggle with you over the tip, call the moving company immediately to mediate the situation.

Cross-country moves are a bit trickier as you might be dealing with different people that are driving your belongings to your new home. If this is the case, it might make sense to tip your movers a set amount for each team beforehand instead of tipping just the final crew. If you’re unsure who is handling your items, ask the moving company and see how you can distribute your tips accordingly.

And while tipping is customary, it is okay to withhold a tip if the service was not up to par. Remember, a tip is meant to be a reward for a job well done and is NOT guaranteed. If the movers are unprofessional and generally did a poor job, you don’t need to tip. You should explain why you are not tipping and you should also call the moving company to explain the situation and mediate if necessary.

Other Considerations

The people you hire are moving professionals, but that doesn’t mean they’re superhuman! If anything, they appreciate it when customers show a bit of kindness towards them during the move. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture, but things like providing cold bottled water during the summer or hot beverages in the winter can go a long way. You could even have some snacks on hand to give the movers a boost of energy. Don’t offer any alcoholic beverages as most companies do not allow workers to drink on the job.

Even if you don’t have the money to provide these extras, one of the best things you can do is leave a positive review and recommend the company to friends and family. It’s a quick and free way to show your appreciation.

Categories
Moving Tips

Quick Survival Tips for Moving Over the Holidays

Survival Tips for Moving Over the Holidays

The last thing you want to do during the holidays is move house, but sometimes it’s inevitable. What should be the most wonderful time of the year quickly becomes the most stressful time of year. While it’s not ideal, there are tips for moving you can follow to make your move easier over the holiday season.

Give Yourself Plenty of Time to Prepare

If there’s one thing you don’t want to do, it’s wait until the last minute to move. That’s true whether you’re moving during the holidays or not. However, the stress ramps up even more when you’re dealing with the holiday season. Not only do you have to worry about all the intricacies of moving, but you also have to deal with holiday events and planning.

Normally, you would want to give yourself at least a month to organize your move, but you might want to bump that up to six weeks or more. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to declutter, pack, and find professional NJ movers.

Include a Change of Address on All Your Cards

Whether you’re sending out digital or physical holiday cards, you can use the cards to serve a dual purpose by also announcing your address change. Of course, that all depends on whether you know your new address or not! If you don’t have one yet, it’s still a good idea to mention that you’ll be in a new place over the holiday season. That way, your friends and family members can wait to send out their own holiday greeting cards.

Speaking of holiday cards, make sure to let friends and family know to save the gifts until after you have moved! That way, you’ll have less stuff to move. If you do end up getting presents before then, keep everything in its original packaging until you’re in your new home.

Plan an Amazing Outdoor Gathering Before the Move

There’s no reason to skip the holidays entirely. You’ll need some time to relax and celebrate with friends and family. With that said, you might need to scale back a bit or, at the very least, reconsider the venue. It might not be possible to have your entire family over to your home since you’ll probably be in the middle of packing. Try to get someone else in your family to host for this year and then host the next one at your new place.

Even if you don’t have a big family gathering, you should still set expectations for your partner and/or children. Let them know that you’re going to pack most of the holiday decorations and that they can pick one or two ornaments to keep out to put on the tree. Even with minimal decor, you can still make your house festive with a few simple items like a wreath, some lights, and a small tree. When packing your holiday decorations, make sure to pack them separately from the rest of your belongings and label them accordingly.

Take Advantage of Holiday Sales to Buy Moving Essentials

While there are a lot of benefits to moving during the holidays, one of the few advantages you can get are the amazing after holiday sales. You can save quite a bit of money by scouring online and in-person at stores for some amazing deals. Sure, it might not be as fun as scoring a $50 flatscreen TV, but it’s better than spending full price on boxes and packing tape! Not all stores will have discounts on these items so do research ahead of time. Or, if you don’t want to deal with the lines and throngs of people, go online. You’ll have several opportunities to save money. If nothing else, there will be a lot of shipping boxes you can pick up from friends and family for free!

Ask for a Holiday Discount

Not too many move during the holiday season for a variety of reasons so most moving companies will be more open to giving some discounts. With that said, most won’t give you one automatically. In order to get this discount, make sure to book your moving company early on and also ask for a discount. You’ll probably be able to shave off a couple hundred dollars from the total. Plus, since there aren’t as many people moving during this time, you’ll have more freedom when it comes to choosing your move date.

Consider the Weather

Unfortunately, you can’t control the weather on moving day. If you’re relocating to or from colder parts of the US you should be prepared for cold temperatures as well as icy roads, snow, and more. The holiday season can usher in some very dangerous weather conditions, which can make it challenging to move. While reliable movers should have experience working in a variety of weather conditions, you should take steps to protect your belongings. That means:

  • Placing electronics in weather-sealed bags and/or weather-proof plastic bins
  • Using sturdy moving boxes
  • Wrapping furniture in plastic wrap
  • Placing your mattress inside a mattress protector

Don’t forget that you need to prepare yourself for inclement weather. Make sure to wear warm clothes during the move as well as a pair of waterproof boots and gloves. While you’re at it, winterize your car by changing to snow tires, changing your oil and antifreeze, fixing your heater, and replacing your battery if necessary. It might cost you some money upfront, but you’ll be glad you spent it once the colder weather comes.

And don’t forget to turn on the utilities in your new home! You don’t want to be freezing when you move so make sure to call to get these turned on the day of your move. On the same note, turn off your utilities at your old place so you’re not wasting any extra money.

Transfer Your Kids to a New School

If you have kids, then moving with kids during the holiday season means you’re uprooting them in the middle of the school year. Before you move, make sure all of the important documents and school records are transferred to the new school before they start. That means transcripts, report cards, immunization records, any academic testing, and other files and records. Try to get this done before the holidays as the administration department will likely be on holiday for the last week of December. Call the new school to make sure they have received everything and if anything else is required.

While moving in the middle of the school year isn’t ideal, there are some benefits. In many cases, the teacher might give your child more attention to make sure they’re caught up or understand the current material. If your child was struggling at their previous school, this is a great opportunity to get them up to speed. As well, it’s a fresh start for children who might not have liked the kids at their old school to make new friends.

Don’t Stress During Your Holiday Move

Which one is more stressful: moving or spending time with family during the holidays? While we can’t do anything about your family, we can make your move a lot easier! Once you’re ready to move into your new place, give us a call and we can walk you through the process. After that, sit back and enjoy the holidays in your new home!

Categories
Moving Tips

How to Move with Kids the Easiest Way

5 Easy Steps for Moving With Kids

Moving is already complicated. When you add kids to the mix, it can be downright harrowing regardless of how old they are. Whether you have a toddler, tween, or teenager, moving can be emotionally draining on everyone regardless of if you’re moving across the country or the next town over. Luckily, there are a couple of steps you can take to make the move easier on your kids. Of course, every child and family situation is different, but the below tips can make relocating easier for the entire family.

Talk to Your Kids About Moving for a Smooth Transition

Unless your child is still a baby, you should have an age-appropriate conversation with them to explain why you’re moving. Toddlers might not need to know all the details, but they should still be informed. Maybe you’re moving for work or perhaps you’re moving to be closer to friends and family. Whatever the reason, it’s better to let them know as soon as possible. After all, children seem to have a sixth sense when the household vibe shifts. Plus, it will be difficult to hide things like packing supplies and moving boxes!

At your next family meeting, include the topic of moving to the agenda. Moving is a big change for kids, especially if they’re already in school so they might need some time to absorb the news and process the information. Try to give them a bit of space in the beginning as their entire world has just changed. Some kids might take the news in stride, of course, but make sure to check-in periodically during the days leading up to the move to make sure they’re okay.

Get Everyone Involved for a Smoother Move

Sure, your kids might not be able to veto the move, but they can at least be involved in the process. Whether you’ve already closed on a new home or not, there are plenty of ways you can get them involved in the process. This will give them a sense of empowerment and make the move more attractive as they’ll be helping with the decision. Of course, their level of involvement depends on their age and their enthusiasm. However, even if they’re not particularly excited about a move, you can still get them involved by doing the following:

  • Give them a vote when looking for a new home. They might not want to spend days looking at homes in person, but many will be more than happy to look at online photos and point out specific amenities they want like their own bedroom, a backyard, a pool, etc. Take their opinions into consideration when making your final choice.
  • Take them on shopping trips. While younger kids might not enjoy trips to the hardware store, they may like going shopping for fun stuff like decorations, new furniture, and the like. You can also help them decide on the look of their new bedroom by choosing paint colors, pillowcases, toys, etc.
  • Let them pack their room. Giving your kids ownership of their part of the move can help them feel like part of the process. Of course, the tasks you give them should be age appropriate. For toddlers, you might simply ask them to pack their toys in boxes. Teenagers, on the other hand, can pack their room by themselves.

Research New Schools Early

Switching schools is a big deal for kids. They’ll have to make new friends, deal with new teachers, and figure out the rules of the new school. It’s one of the biggest changes for your kid and the older they are, the harder the transition can be. While your child will likely feel anxious regardless of how much research you do, the more they know the better! Compile a little report of everything you know about the school and include things like photos, school mascot, colors, extracurricular activities, distance from your new house, etc. For yourself, you should also see if there’s a parent group for the schools where you can ask questions about bullying, school policies, and so on.

After you’ve done that, see if you can schedule some time before the move for an orientation. While you can’t control when you need to make a move, you would ideally move during the summer to avoid mid-year transfer. That way, your child can also check out the school during the summer and potentially get a walk-through from the guidance counselor, principal, or vice principal and get any lingering questions they might have answered.

Check Out the New Neighborhood

If you’re moving for work, see if you can negotiate a visit to the new area as part of your relocation package and take your child(ren) along. You can use this time to explore the neighborhood and find kid-friendly places such as parks, playgrounds, nearby restaurants, and so on. If your child is younger, going to a park or playgrounds is a great way for you and your child to make new friends.

For tweens and teens, your best bet is to look for locations and clubs that match their interests. Many towns have a local 4-H club where kids of all ages can work together to complete various projects in the fields of health, science, agriculture, and civic engagement. For more active kids, go to a recreational field and see if there’s an open game they might be able to join. Many places have more informal youth sports activities.

Ultimately, the more familiar you get with the area, the more your child will feel at home when you make the move. Plus, it will also help you out when you move as you’ll know where all their favorite places are!

Give Yourself Plenty of Time to Ensure a Stress-Free Move

There’s nothing worse than having to rush through the moving process and it can be overwhelming even as an adult. Imagine what it must feel like for a child or teenager having their whole world turned upside down in a couple of weeks! In order to avoid emotional turbulence and tantrums, take the move slowly. If you’re moving for work, see if you can get two months to move. This way, you don’t have to cram everything into a single month and, instead, can do a little bit every day. It will also give your child time to adjust and get used to the idea of moving to a new place.

If you really want to save time, you should hire professional movers. If you’re moving to or from NJ, there are dozens of options to choose from, but you should always look up reviews to find movers NJ residents trust. When hiring movers, make sure to let them know what services you need such as packing, storage, plastic bin rentals, and so on. Hiring NJ movers can free up time you can spend hanging out with friends, hosting a going-away party, or dealing with the occasional meltdown of one of your children.

Visit Your Favorite Places Before Leaving Your Old Town

Carve out some time every week before you move to visit some of your and your child’s favorite places in your old neighborhood. Visit restaurants, attractions, and catalog everything! Heck, you can even create a digital or physical scrapbook of your old hometown so you and your child can look back fondly on these memories. Don’t forget to check in on old friends as well and get their contact information including phone number, email address, social media connections, and home address so you can stay in touch.

Don’t try to cram everything into a single day. Instead, spread out your visits over a few days. That way you can still get some moving necessities done while treating yourself to something fun in the middle or end of the day. Plus, your child will be less likely to be overwhelmed if you sprinkle in some fun things to do over the course of the move.

Establish a Routine as Soon as You Move

People in general thrive on routines. Once your move is done, you should do something familiar as a family to unwind after. Maybe that’s a family movie night or perhaps playing a board game together. Whatever the routine is, stick to it!

If you have younger children you’ll want to stick to your daily routines as much as possible once you move into your new home. It will provide a sense of normalcy for your children and will help keep you on track as well! Of course, you might have to make some exceptions as you’ll need to unpack, but you try to stick to your bedtime and nap schedule as much as possible.

Make Moving Easier with Your Children

Moving is stressful at any age, but for children, it can be a hugely disrupting life event. While these tips can help manage their stress, don’t forget to regularly check in with your children to make sure they’re doing okay. If it looks like your child is struggling, take some time off from packing or unpacking and go outside or maybe just relax with a family movie night. These short breaks can help your child and you feel better!

Categories
General

How to Manage and Reduce Stress During Your Move

How to Manage Stress During Your Move

Moving to a new home or apartment is equal parts exciting and stressful. You get to finally move into your dream place (hopefully) that you can decorate as you see fit. However, after a couple of days of packing, organizing, and cleaning, the excitement starts to fade as you realize that the tasks you need to complete will take hours if you want it done correctly. Moving day is no exception. Even if you hire professional NJ movers, you still need to make sure everything you packed arrives in one piece and then go through the arduous task of unpacking.

It’s no surprise that with all the moving parts you need to manage that moving can be an incredibly stressful experience. Add kids and/or pets into the mix and moving can feel like an impossible task. Luckily, there are some things you can do to manage stress during your move.

Start with a Complete Moving Plan

One of the first and best steps you can take is to break the task of moving into several smaller steps. Take a couple of hours and write down everything you need to do to make the move successful. Don’t rush this part! The more detailed your plan is, the easier it will be in the long run. A few items to include on your to-do list include:

  • Creating a budget
  • Researching nearby movers
  • Getting necessary documents from your doctor’s office and vet’s office if you have pets
  • Finding/purchasing packing materials
  • Organizing your belongings and selling and/or donating them
  • Packing everything up
  • School transfer information if you have kids
  • Scheduling utilities turn on at the new location

And so on Once you’ve created this list, you can start scheduling everything out and setting deadlines for each of the items. You can also organize the list by urgency and leave some of the smaller details like mail forwarding until after you settle into your new place. There are a lot of moving pieces, but having a master plan you can refer to when you feel overwhelmed can help manage your stress levels.

Start with Small Tasks to Make Moving Easier

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Unless you have to move suddenly, you should start planning your move at least a month before your actual move date. This way, you can get at least one or two things done a day. While it might not seem like much in the beginning, every task you complete in advance means one less thing you need to worry about on moving day.

Larger tasks like decluttering can be done over the course of several days or even weeks so don’t try to cram both of these into one day. When it comes to decluttering, try to get a room done a day. Areas that you use as general storage (garage, basement, etc.) might require a few days as you’ll probably have to sift through a lot of stuff so break these up into two or three days. Decluttering can be a tedious process, but it will make packing a lot easier. Separate everything in the room into three piles: keep, donate/sell, throw out, and then organize every item into one of the three piles. Once you’re done, put the donate/sell items into a box and put them somewhere out of the way. After you’ve decluttered everything, you can host a garage sale to get rid of all your unwanted items. If you still have items left over, give them away for free. If they’re in good shape, drop them off at your nearest Goodwill store.

Like decluttering, you should do your packing over a few days. Start with rooms/areas that you don’t use often like a guest bedroom or attic and create an inventory of everything in these rooms. Make copies to keep on hand in a moving binder and to give to movers if you hire them.

Seek Help from Friends, Family, or Hire Professional Movers

You don’t have to move by yourself! Enlist the help of friends or family when it comes to packing or moving heavier things if you’re going the DIY move. Even if they won’t help with the move itself, they might be able to help in other ways such as:

It’s never easy to ask for help, but know that your good friends and family members are usually more than willing. Just remember to return the favor by providing some food and drinks after the move and answering their call should they need to move in the future.

Of course, the other form of help you can enlist is that of the professionals. There are plenty of NJ moving companies that can make moving day a breeze and many offer a variety of services from the standard loading/unloading of your items to full-service packing and storage. While hiring pros will be more expensive than going the DIY route, it can save you a lot of time on moving day and you won’t have to worry about getting hurt because you were lifting heavy items. Just make sure you have enough money in your budget to cover these costs. Many movers will do their best to work within your budget. Even if you’re only able to afford the most basic service of loading and unloading, you’re still saving yourself some time on moving day.

Research Thoroughly About Your New Neighborhood

Sure, it might be exciting to move to a new neighborhood, but it can also be a bit scary especially if you’re not familiar with the area. How will your commute change? Where is the grocery store? Where’s the nearest gym? And the questions keep piling up. Before you know it, you might be more anxious than eager at the prospect of your new place.

To ease your mind, start doing some research ahead of time when you have a few moments. This can be as easy as plugging your new address into google maps and searching around the area to find points of interest such as laundromats, grocery stores, restaurants, home improvement stores, etc. If you live a reasonable driving distance away, consider taking a cruise around the neighborhood and familiarize yourself with the local streets, stores, and parks. Introduce yourself to your future neighbors and get to know the locals beforehand. By the time you move in, you’ll feel more at home.

Don’t Forget to Say Your Goodbyes

With all of the logistics of moving, it’s all too easy to fill up all your available time with packing, decluttering, and so on. However, carve some time out in the last week or so before your move to say your goodbyes. The best part is that you don’t need to plan anything elaborate. A simple barbecue or potluck would be a great option and you can invite your friends and neighbors. If you’re planning to move far away, you might want to set aside a full day for family members and close friends so you can really spend some quality time with them. Goodbyes are hard, but setting aside enough time for them can help you and your family not feel so overwhelmed.

If you have children, saying goodbye is especially important. You want to make sure they get a sense of closure and are able to see their friends one last time. Make sure to also check in with your children during the move to see how they are doing and what they would like to do to say goodbye to friends, family, and even the house. This might mean having play dates at their favorite park, going to their favorite restaurant, and maybe even taking some pictures of the old house and creating a scrapbook. If doing the latter, make sure to leave some empty pages at the end so they can take pictures of their new home!

Eliminate Stress on Moving Days

As you can see, planning is at the heart of all moves. The more time you have, the more you can split apart tasks into more manageable chunks. Speaking of planning, don’t forget to plan some downtime as well! This might mean taking a bath, eating a meal at your favorite restaurant, reading your favorite book, or having a family movie or game night. Taking the time to unwind and take your mind off the impending move can help melt away the stress.

Don’t neglect basic necessities either during your move. Create a healthy meal plan and stick to it! There are plenty of meals that you can cook in under 30 minutes. Also, make sure you get some exercise, stay hydrated, and get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. You’ll need as much energy as possible during this time.

Moving house is an adventure so make sure you enjoy the ride. As stressful as it might be, there are a lot of positives to moving. Write them all down and remind yourself of them when you start getting anxious. If everything still feels overwhelming, consider bringing in professional NJ movers to help out!