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How to Choose the Best Moving Company in NJ

best moving company in nj

Are you planning on moving to a new place in New Jersey? A cursory Google search will turn up dozens of options which can lead to analysis paralysis. The more options you have, the harder it can be for you to decide which one to choose. While this might not be an issue for non-pressing purchases, choosing a reliable NJ moving company is crucial if you want a seamless transition to your new home. After all, you’re trusting them with your belongings! In order to find the best moving companies in NJ, it’s important to set aside some time to do proper research and vetting if you want to avoid potential issues and scams down the line. Not sure how to start? This handy guide walks you through how to choose the best NJ movers.

Ask People You Know

Word-of-mouth is still king. Before you even look online for NJ moving company reviews, ask your friends, family, and coworkers for their first-hand experience. White you don’t need to give them the third degree, you should ask them about what it was like working with the moving company. Were they communicative, on time, and professional? Did they damage anything and if they did, how did they resolve the issue? Did their initial quote match the final bill? All of these can help you narrow down your choices before you start doing your own online research.

Of course, just because one of your friends had a good experience doesn’t mean that other people felt the same way. Even bad moving companies can get it right sometimes! But asking for referrals is a good start so you can narrow down your choices.

Check for Licenses and Insurance

All professional NJ moving companies must have the appropriate licenses and insurance in order to legally operate within the state. These include mandatory registration with the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to receive a USDOT number, a unique identifier that allows the government and consumers to Current and new address

  • Estimated size of move it or access the company’s compliance, inspections, crashes, etc. In order to receive the USDOT number, companies must have proof of up-to-date insurance. On top of this, NJ movers must be licensed by the Division of Consumer Affairs, which supplies standards that companies must abide by including minimum insurance coverage, fitness standards, contract requirements, and claims procedures.

Most reputable NJ companies will display their USDOT number on their website so you can easily look them up. If they don’t have the information, you can call them up and ask or you can call the NJDOT or New Jersey Warehouse and Movers Association for updated details on the company.

Hire Local Movers

Experienced NJ movers can make the process seem easy. They will know exactly how to navigate the crazy New Jersey traffic as well as all the laws for parking and moving into apartment buildings and/or homes. Need to deal with a flight of stairs? The best NJ moving companies have got you covered. More importantly, hiring local movers means you’ll be less likely to be tricked into a scam. On top of that, if you can find something local to either your new or old address, you’ll also save money. Local moves charge by the hour and they start charging you the minute they leave their warehouse and will stop the clock once their trucks are back on site. That means the further away they need to drive in either direction, the more you will need to pay and the more chances there will be for the movers to run into traffic or other issues. Narrowing your search to more local companies can save you a hundred dollars or more!

Do Your Research!

Even if you get recommendations from other people you still need to do your due diligence. Luckily, you can perform most of this online by looking at various online review sites like Google, Yelp, and Facebook. If a company has been in business for a long time, they will have hundreds of reviews from satisfied and not-so-satisfied customers. Read as many as you can and pay special attention to the negative reviews to see if there is a trend in the complaints. If a lot of people are complaining about poor service, damaged belongings, or surprise fees you might want to move on to the next company.

In addition to online review sites, check out the Better Business Bureau to see if the company has a report. Check out the letter grade and read any complaints, reviews, and government actions. You can also review the company’s complaint history on the USDOT website by entering the USDOT number in the search bar.

Call the Company

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices to three options, give them a call to discuss their services and rates. Do NOT send them an email as the purpose of the call is to assess their professionalism and communication skills. Pay close attention to how they answer their phone when they pick up. They should say the company name, not their name. From there, walk them through what you need for the move including things like:

  • Moving date and time
  • Additional services
  • Bulky furniture/times
  • Flights of stairs they will need to walk up
  • Your budget

The more information you can provide the more accurate the mover’s estimate will be. While talking to them, don’t forget to ask questions! This could be from terms they use that you aren’t familiar with to the types of services they provide including providing packing materials, plastic bin rentals, and so on. Trustworthy NJ movers will be more than happy to answer any of your questions and will work with you to find a way to match your needs and budget. If the person on the other end seems annoyed, avoids your questions, and/or tries to pressure you into handing over your credit card information, move on. It’s a clear sign that the company is not professional.

Book Your NJ Movers

Finding a moving company can be daunting, but with these tips you should be able to narrow down your search. Always get an estimate from each of the companies to compare the prices and services they offer. If one seems significantly cheaper than the others, chances are you’ll be hit with a lot of hidden fees at the end. Most companies should be around the same price give or take a few dollars. If it’s still out of your budget, ask if they can provide some kind of discount. This is especially effective if you’re moving between October through April as fewer people move during this period. Once you’re happy with your research and the estimate, make sure to book as soon as possible so you don’t miss out on your preferred date and time.

If you’re looking for a reputable company, give NJ Great Movers a call! We have an almost 5-star rating on all review platforms. Our crew will work with you to make your move as easy as possible.

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General

Local vs. Long Distance Moves – What to Expect

Local vs. Long Distance Moves - What to Expect

If you’ve worked with professional NJ movers at all, you’ve probably heard the term local or long distance moves. While the words might seem obvious, there’s a bit of nuance to it when it comes to the moving industry. More importantly, a local and long-distance move can change a lot in terms of pricing, consumer protection laws, moving crew, and more. So what makes a move local or long distance? Below is a breakdown of their differences.

Distance

The main difference between a local and long-distance move is the distance between your old home and new home. Local moves typically are within a 50 mile radius and anything over that would be considered long-distance. Of course, some moving companies are happy to make a concession if the move is just outside the local range and some even consider any move within the state to be local. Before you sign any paperwork, make sure to know how the NJ movers qualify a local move. Since New Jersey is 166 miles long and 65 miles wide at its widest point, some companies might consider a move from North New Jersey to South Jersey a long-distance move.

And what about interstate moves? While it might seem obvious that moving to another state would be considered a long-distance move, that’s not always the case. For example, if you’re moving from Brooklyn to Hoboken, most NJ moving companies would consider that a local move. Similarly, a move from Stamford, CT to Jersey City might also be a local move. Not all local moving companies work between states, so you should always ask beforehand.

Pricing

In general, most local NJ moves will be charged based on the number of hours it takes to complete the move. This includes loading, transportation, and unloading. For the most part, you can expect to pay for at least 4 hours of work depending on how much stuff you have to move and whether you decide to add-on a packing and/or unpacking service. The hourly rate starts when the crew leaves headquarters and ends when they bring the truck back to the parking lot. That means any delays due to weather or traffic during this time will be added to the final bill so you could end up paying more than you expect. However, the benefit of an hourly rate is that you can include a couple extra boxes or items without significantly changing the final bill.

Long-distance moves, on the other hand, are typically priced based on the weight of your belongings and the distance of the move. The more you have, the more expensive your move will be. To reduce your financial burden, get rid of as much stuff as you can, especially heavy items like furniture. Only keep items that are in good condition and you know will survive the long trip. And remember, any additional boxes or items that you bring with you after the quote will increase the price of your move so triple-check you have included everything you plan on bringing with you. You don’t want to be surprised by a much higher bill at the end of your move.

Speaking of saving money, if you have a tight budget opt for consolidated shipping. As the name suggests, you will be sharing space on the truck with other clients. It’s a perfect option if you don’t mind getting your items delivered between a time range of 6-10 days. Just make sure to look over your inventory carefully to make sure there are no boxes missing once the long distance movers deliver your belongings.

Packing

You can get a local move done in a few hours, which means your belongings are only in a truck for a short time. While you shouldn’t just toss items into a box, you don’t need to be super vigilant when it comes to packing. Of course, you should make sure to protect fragile items during your move as any little bump could lead to broken glassware or plates. 

However, with long distance moving to NJ, your boxes will be in the truck for several days or even weeks. That means more opportunities for your boxes to get jostled and its contents to suffer from damages. To avoid that, you should definitely take your time and pack everything with the utmost care. Invest in higher quality packing materials like boxes, tape, and bubble wrap. Or, better yet, see if the NJ movers you hire offer packing services. If they do and you have the money for it, hire them. 

The benefit of having professionals pack for you, besides saving you time, is that if your belongings are damaged during transit it will be covered by the valuation coverage you choose. Our suggestion – spring for the full valuation option. It will cost you money, but if an item is lost or damaged, the movers will have to pay to repair, replace, or pay a cash settlement for the current market value of that item. If you pack yourself, the movers are not liable for any damages unless you can prove that they were negligent in the handling of your boxes.

Planning

Moving requires a whole lot of planning and organization. Even for a local move you have to stay on top of a lot of little tasks like scheduling and transferring your utilities, planning your travel arrangements to get to your new place, getting your kids and pets ready for the move, packing, changing your mailing address for all your bills, updating your IDs and so on. If your kids are changing schools, you also have to notify the schools of the move and transfer their records. It can be overwhelming, which is why it’s a good idea to schedule some time to get all of these little things done. Set aside 30-40 minutes every day in the lead up to the move to check off one or two items on your list. By the time moving day rolls around, you should have everything moved over to your new address.

A lot of the same principles apply to moving long distance moves, just with double or triple the amount of tasks you need to do. In addition to everything mentioned above, you also have to change your driver’s license to a new state, transfer any professional licenses, cancel or transfer all your memberships, and more. Getting everything in place might take longer so make sure to set aside at least a month and a half to get through everything.

Moving to New Jersey

Whether you’re making a local or long distance relocation to New Jersey you’ll want to hire professional NJ movers. NJ Great Movers can help you with every aspect of your move whether that’s providing you with high quality boxes or packing and unpacking your possessions. Whatever you need, we’ll be there for you! Reach out to us once you’re ready to make your NJ Move.

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!