What to do Before the Movers Come!

What to do Before the Movers Come!

What to do before the Movers Come!

It’s Moving Season! Summer is the busiest time of year for transition. At T-N-T Moving Systems, we are well prepared for this time of year. Recently, a friend on Facebook asked about what they should do before the movers come. She had never used professional movers before and was stressing out about what she needed to have prepared. We thought that some others might have the same questions. 

What you need to get done before the movers come depends greatly on what type of service you want. If your company is paying for the moving service, be sure you understand the details of the service. 

·         Are the movers going to pack and unpack your belongings?

·         Are the movers just going to load, transport, and unload your belongings?

Tips on Using Professional Movers

Move and Pack Valuables Yourself- This includes jewelry, cash, guns, photographs, important documents, medicine, and of course, Pets. Consider packing these items separately and take them in your own vehicle.

Know what Can and Cannot Be Moved- Most movers will not pack or move opened items like food, household chemicals, paints, or liquids because they could spill during the move and cause harm to other items. If moving specialty items like pianos or large safes, be sure the movers have agreed to move these before the day of the move.

Packing- If you are packing up the small stuff yourself, use plenty of newspapers, bubble wrap, towels, and blankets for breakable or fragile items. If you do the packing, the movers may not be responsible if items in boxes break during transport.

Pack Smart- Pack one room at a time and label or designate a tape color for different rooms. Be sure to get rid of unwanted items before the move, so that you are not wasting time packing stuff you don’t need or want. Avoid putting packed boxes on furniture because movers usually load the furniture into the truck first.

Get Insurance for the Move- Most professional movers, like T-N-T, can provide insurance for the move. You can usually choose from insurance by the pound or comprehensive insurance. By the pound is cheaper, but if you have a lot antiques, comprehensive coverage is a better bet.

Have Drinks and Snacks- During the busy summer season, movers are often booked back to back. It is difficult to take a break or stop by the store, so think ahead and have cold drinks like water or Gatorade handy. Also, provide portable foods like energy bars or fruit for a quick boost.

Pack an Overnight Bag and Essentials Kit- Keep the first night in your new home simple. It is sometimes impossible to remember where you packed essentials even if you labeled everything! Pack your pajamas, a change of clothes and toiletries for each member of the family in a suitcase. Also, pack in a box or plastic tub, clean sheets for each bed, toilet paper, towels, cell phone chargers, pet food, and paper plates and cutlery. After a long day of moving and setting up furniture, you will want to eat, take a shower, and sleep in a clean bed.

Have Cash on Hand for Tips- Moving is a tough job, show your appreciation for their hard work by giving them a tip. It’s not expected, but appreciated.

T-N-T Moving Services can handle your whole move from across town or across the country. Depending on your budget, we offer a variety of services. If you want a full service move, we can pack, load, transport, unload, and unpack. If you only need help moving the heavy stuff, we will help with that, too. Get a free estimate today or call us for more information.

Kelly Bladl

Google Author and CCP Web Design Writer

Saving Money on Your Next Move

Moving can be expensive, however, there’s a number of ways to save money depending on a few variables including time, money and support. One area to save money is in the transport. Renting a truck on your own for a day or two, versus hiring a moving company’s truck, can not only save you money, but also gives you some flexibility with time.  TNT Moving Company Todd Koepke says, “We provide support for all types of moves, including just providing labor services for packing, loading and unloading.”
If time is on your side, pack yourself and consider renting a POD, or a moving container to store your belongings until the actual move. These containers can be placed on your property and will allow you to pack at your own pace.  It will make it easier to pack the truck, whether it’s one you rented or a moving company’s truck, right from the POD on the property.

If you do choose to rent your own truck, there are a number of truck rental companies to call in your local community.  Call in advance for pricing and scheduling.  To get a sense of the size truck you might need, below is a chart that estimates the size truck available based on the amount of things you are moving.

Truck Sizes to Consider

10’ Truck	14’ Truck	17’ Truck	20’ Truck	24’ Truck	26” Truck
Studio/Apartment	Apartment up to 2 Bedrooms	Home with 2 Bedrooms	Home with 3 Bedrooms	3-4 Bedroom Home	4+ Bedroom Home

 Before you decide to rent a truck yourself, make sure you have a skilled, confident driver in mind to drive these big vehicles. All rental companies require a driver’s license and a credit card and will keep a security deposit.  Make sure the chosen driver is comfortable and skilled to drive and maneuver a bigger vehicle on tight roads and on and off highways. 

You can save money by renting a truck, but still get the assistance you might need to load and unload.  These services are particularly helpful for moves involving seniors, people with health issues and for folks that just don’t have physical support to help in the move.  Getting professionals loaders will also ensure the concept of load balancing – keeping the weight of the truck balanced so the cargo doesn’t shift in transit. Call TNT for a quote on Labor Services for not only loading and unloading, but for packing too.  We can send anywhere from 1-3 movers to help get the job done, and done well.

As the official movers of the Carolina Panthers, T-N-T Moving Systems has 19 years of experience moving people and businesses locally, regionally as well as nationally.

Cynthia Schick
CCP Web Design Staff Writer and Google Author

 

Managing Your Kids Emotions for the Eventual Move

Moving is Emotional For Children

We all know that moving is hard on all of us, and not just physically, but emotionally as well.  But children, who can be very reliant on routine and tradition, have no idea what may lie ahead of them.  This uncertainty can affect their emotions and behavior.  Some kids, like some adults, can handle change without a problem.  They have personalities that tend to seek out challenge and change, and thrive on it.  But others may fear the unknown.  Here are some tips to help you prepare your young ones for a smooth and healthy transition.  And who knows?  Maybe talking it out and addressing it as a family will help the adults manage the move better as well.

1 You Are In It Together – As you begin to talk about the move with your children, make sure they understand that each member of the family will have their own reactions to moving.  Encourage conversation about what you are looking forward to in the next home/town, and what you’ll miss in the town you are leaving. Express member of the family should feel comfortable about expressing their emotions, including the adults.  But it’s important for the adults to remain positive in front of the children.

2Shop Together – When a move is inevitable, and you know where you are heading, make sure the kids feel like they’re a part of some of the decisions.  Getting their buy-in early will help them accept all the newness that is coming their way. After you’ve identified the neighborhood based on schools and other criteria, bring them along to help you pick the specific house.  This will help them get excited about the features and highlights of the house you are buying.

3Recruit Their Help – As you begin to pack, host your yard sales and basically pack and purge, make sure they are participating.  Get them to give away some toys to Goodwill.  Give them a small box and let them pack some stuff.  It will give them a sense of ownership and control over the moving process.

4Access Information – The internet can give you a ton of information on a new town.  Let’s the kids explore the sites that provide ‘things to do’ and ‘family fun’ events so the kids have something to look forward to. Drive by the school they will attend and ask for a tour so your child knows where he/she will be going, can ask questions themselves and  feel more comfortable when they first attend.

5Resources - Depending on their age, there are books that can help keep the conversation going about your impending move.  Books are a great starting point for discussing concerns and questions.  There are book that help children say goodbye to friends, how to meet new friends and how to manage anxiety they might be feeling. 

Cynthia Schick,

CCP Web Design Staff Writer and Google Author

 

4 Tips For Moving in Cold Weather

In the event Mother Nature moves in on your moving day here are a few tips from TNT Moving Systems that will help you combat the elements.

If This is Your Moving Day Call T-N-T Moving Systems, We Can Handle It!

We all know that there’s so much to think about when moving.  It can be both physically and emotionally draining when all goes right.  But when an unforeseen circumstance, like bad weather, interferes with the actual ability to move on your scheduled day, things can get rough. T-N-T Moving Systems suggests you have a Plan B in place just in case Mother Nature gets cranky on your long-standing date to move you precious belongings.






T-N-T Moving Systems owners, Todd Koepke and Tom Tulowiecki are cold weather seasoned.  Both are from the North and used to the cold weather.  Moving people in bad weather is nothing new to them and their crews.  Additionally, Tom and Todd travel with the Carolina Panthers 365 days out of the year.  If they don't get there the Panthers don't play.  They are well seasoned travelers that know how to get things moved when they absolutely have to be there.  You can count on Todd and Tom to get you to your destination but here are some tips that you can do yourself to help "smooth the move".

Plan in Advance for Cold and Icy Days

1.      If the forecast calls for a cold and icy day, have on hand some salt, sand and a shovel to melt the walkways that your movers will be using.  Keep in mind you’ll need to do this on both sides of the move – the old dwelling and the new one.  Ask your moving company about extra wrapping materials for anything not packed in a box. If you can’t get extra wrapping, you can do this yourself in advance with old sheets, towels and blankets that easily wash up.   

2.      Protect your floors and rugs with a drop cloth, tarp or cardboard boxes to lay down on the high traffic areas to protect them from salt, sand and water damage.  And remember you need to do this on the property you are moving from and the one you are moving into as well. 

3.      Check traffic reports for any kind of road closures or accidents that would prevent the truck from getting to your new place. The last thing you want to happen is to see your stuff all over the highway because of a weather-related accident.

4.      And finally, in the event of one of these 100 year storms or the next hurricane Sandy comes barreling in towards your hometown, ask T-N-T to schedule an alternate date to handle your move. 

Kelly Bladl
Google Author