Moving Yourself with Portable Containers

Moving on Monday

One way to save money when moving is to use portable containers, or pods.  These are units that are delivered to your home and you fill yourself.  They come in a variety of sizes and styles.  Some are made of corrugated steel, some are soft-sided, and others are wood. If you are moving a long distance, wood or steel containers would work best.

Some containers are small and only hold about 1 ½ rooms.  Others are 10-12 ft long and hold several rooms.  Companies can help you estimate the number of units you will need for your move.  You should make a detailed list of the furniture and contents of your rooms, including basement, garage and attic for an accurate count.  They will also need to know how many boxes you will be packing with the contents of your cabinets. 

Once you know how many units you need, you can set up delivery of the units.  Check with your local government agency to see if they have restrictions on the number of days a unit can be in front of your house.  You will also have to let the company know of any possible hazards, such as low-hanging wires, narrow streets or steep driveways.  This may limit the size of containers you can have delivered.

When the containers are dropped off, start filling them, using every inch of space so things don't move around.  Use bungee cords to hold your furniture against the sides of the unit.  Be sure to cover breakables and furniture with moving pads so they don't break or get scratched.  Place heavy items on the bottom, and lighter items on top.  Never put flammables or hazardous materials in the containers.

Once they are loaded, the company will pick them up and take them to the new location.  They can also hold them in storage for you if you won't be going directly to your new home.  After unloading them at the new house, the company will pick up the empty containers. 

While this is a money-saving option for you, it requires strength, patience and skill.  You will have to move all heavy furniture yourself—no experienced movers to help.  So be sure this is something you can handle before signing the papers.

Items You Shouldn't Move Yourself

Moving on Monday

Moving can be expensive.  With supplies and packing and movers, the costs add up.  You may decide to save money by borrowing boxes and packing yourself.  Or you may decide to rent a truck or portable storage units you load yourself.  But there are some items you shouldn't move yourself because of their intricacies. 

One of these items is pianos.  Whether yours is an upright or baby grand, you should never move a piano yourself.  The inner workings of a piano are delicate and complicated.  Professional piano movers are skilled at knowing how to handle them.  They know how to maneuver uprights through doors, and disassemble and reassemble grand pianos without damaging the inner workings.

Another specialty item is grandfather clocks.  These should never be moved with the weights and pendulum intact.  Clock retailers often have staff who come to the house to disassemble your clock and pack up the pieces correctly.  Call well in advance of your move, as they may be booked, or only visit neighborhoods on specific days.  Schedule the reassembly at the same time.  Do not have the movers pack/unpack your clock.

Other items that should be left to the professionals are pool tables and fish tanks.  Pool tables must be disassembled in order to fit through the doors.  They are also extremely heavy, and if dropped can be destroyed.  Smaller fish tanks can be moved by you, but anything larger than 20 gallons should be left to professionals.  They must be emptied, the fish transported separately, then re-filled and the fish re-introduced. 

Anything expensive (like art) or extremely heavy (like exercise equipment) should be left to professionals also.  If you drop it, the item is a loss.  If movers drop it, then it is covered by insurance. Check with your moving company for adequate coverage.

While it may be tempting to do the entire move yourself, consider the consequences if something is damaged.

Moving Cross-Country

Moving on Monday

Moving from one town to another can be difficult.  But moving cross-country is even more difficult.  Neighborhoods are unfamiliar, climates are different, restaurants and stores are all new.  So what can you do to make the move easier on everyone?

·         Research your new neighborhood.  What are the schools like?  Would your place of worship be nearby?  What stores are in the area? What is the demographic—young, old, children?

·         What is the cost of living in your new neighborhood?  Can you afford gas, utilities, food and clothing in addition to housing?

·         Hire a relocation expert to assist in the process.   They can help you find your way around your new neighborhood.  The cost will be worth it in the end.

·         Find the right movers.  Make sure they are insured.  Negotiate their terms if you can.  Also, check your homeowner's insurance to see what they cover that the movers may not.

·         Negotiate with your employer to purchase your home if it doesn't sell before you have to move.

Here's to a smooth move!