Dare to De-clutter

It is one of the least favourite but most important parts of moving – de-cluttering. Whether you are selling a home and need to stage it, are moving your business/office or just don’t want to pay to move items your family doesn't need or use, it is step one in planning a move. Here are some tips to get you going:

1.As soon as you begin contemplating moving, start thinking smaller. Begin selling, giving away and throwing out your excess belongings. A clear clutter free home will be easier to “stage” if you are selling and will even help you think clearer. Even if you’re renting, as soon as you decide it’s time to go – start thinking smaller, smarter and leaner. Ask yourself: “What do I really need?”

2.If you are like most people your “paper work”, photos, bank statements, saved letters and important papers are stored in not one – but several places around your home. Again, throw out what you don’t need and create one home for all these papers and belongings. Then when you move they can all go into one easy to access box.

3.Be ruthless. Take serious inventory of the items you have in your home and if you really need them – right down to furniture, clothing, appliances, toys, books and the dreaded knick knacks. It costs you more money to move items you don’t really need or use. Also, when you arrive at your new home you’ll have that sense of a clean slate to begin in a new home.

4.Despite the hassle, sometimes it is worth it to try and sell your items. Websites like www.kijiji.ca are free and easy to use. You will be able to connect with people in your area looking for the items you are selling i.e. a used computer desk, a toddler bed (that you haven’t used in six years) or one of your three stereo systems. The extra cash will also help go toward the cost of your upcoming move.

5.Garage sales are the best way to sell small or “cheap” items. Again, you might not think it is worth it, but it is not difficult to make two or three hundred dollars in a morning in your driveway. In the end it will cost you to take these items to the dump. Not to mention, if you are sentimental about a particular item, sometimes it is easier to let it go when you see someone else enjoying it.

Dare to de-clutter, you’ll be glad you did.

By: Sharon Osvald in collaboration with Andrew Brown

Preparing Your Items for Storage

Last week I shared some tips about what to look for when putting your items into storage. This week I want to share some ways to “prepare” your items for storage. Again, some of these come from the Canadian Association of Movers which can be found at www.mover.net.

•Wrap sofas and large upholstered items in protective material. Place sofas on sofa racks to keep them safe.

•Wrap finished furniture to protect it from scratches and marks.

•Moth proof and wrap rugs and place them on racks when storing.

•Wrap anything fragile like mirrors, pictures and smaller delicate items.

•Leave fridge and freezer doors open (or have them serviced) to prevent mold and mildew from growing in them.

•Consider purchasing depository insurance or for if you are really concerned: full protection to value. This will cost you a regular monthly fee, but may be worth the peace of mind, depending on the items.

•Do not store dangerous or perishable goods.

By: Andrew Brown and Sharon Osvald

For more info on how we can help make your move a smooth move, visit www.movingagain.ca

Storing Your Stuff

With our world being so mobile, it is more common for people to need to place their belonging into storage. It is important that you are certain your items are being stored safely and securely.

The Canadian Movers Association makes the following recommendations when choosing a storage facility:

1.Find out the reputation of the storage facility you are considering.

2.Make sure you completely understand the services that the company is offering, what your responsibilities are, the liability of the company in the case of damage or theft, how the items are secured and if you have access to your items while being stored.

3.Ask what the additional charges are. Are there charges for wrapping or protective materials, moth-proofing, packing items like mirrors or servicing appliances to prevent the growth of mildew?

4.Keep complete lists of all the items being stored. Compare lists with the company storing your belongings to ensure it matches.

5.Visit the storage facility to see if it is clean, dry and rodent-free. Ask about climate control and security.

For more information visit www.mover.net
By: Andrew Brown and Sharon Osvald

Damages

Damages: What to expect when you’re moving?

Besides having a mover pack up your belongings and selling them on E-bay, damages are the biggest fear when choosing to move your home or office.

Even the best movers can cause damage or scratches to your property when moving. Since home owners insurance doesn’t usually cover your items while in transit, it is so important that you choose your mover carefully, ask lots of questions and get things in writing. You need to know: Who is responsible for payment or replacement of furniture if it is damaged in the move? Does the mover pay for damages to items that we packed or they packed?

According to the Canadian Association of Movers, the liability for loss or damage is shared between the consumer and the mover. By law, a mover’s liability is only 60 cents per pound per article moved and the consumer assumes the rest of the risk. This is not something many consumers know.

The CAM says, “This means that for a 50-pound TV the mover’s liability is $30. This coverage is obviously not sufficient to protect the customer. Your household goods, on average are worth $10 per pound or more. A reputable mover will offer to accept the customer’s risk for a fee or include this coverage in the price of the move.” Make sure you clearly understand what you are getting and that it covers your needs and protects your belongings.

ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS!!

Get all your agreements in writing.

Choose your mover carefully and get lots of references.

By: Sharon Osvald and Andrew Brown

Winter Moving Tips

Moving in winter months creates a few more obstacles than during the warmer summer months. As movers we must be extra careful to ensure that we are safe and that nothing of yours gets damaged in the process.

Along with Moving Again Inc., here are some tips to make your winter move run safe and sound.

1. Reduce the chance of slipping. We must be extra careful for our safety that we do not slip on wet and slippery floors. We also need to be certain that the furniture we are moving doesn't get damaged when we are slipping. It is important that you clear the pathway of ice and snow.

2. You may need to reserve adequate parking for the moving truck to park closest to the loading door. Again, please clear a pathway from the truck to the door we are entering into that is wide enough for the widest appliances we will be moving.

3. We lay down floor runners in the house to protect the floor from dirt and abrasion caused from movers who are still wearing their boots.

4. We always will put your bed into a mattress bag, but it is even more important in the winter time so that your bed doesn't come into contact with any dirt or snow. Your furniture is also blanket wrapped to protect the finish and to stop any doors or drawers from swinging open while they are being carried.

5. Please turn down the thermostat; the door is open anyway, and the movers go from freezing cold in the truck to hot and sweating in the house.

6. If you are happy with your movers then offer them a hot coffee, it goes a long way in showing your appreciation of the hard work they are doing.

Wishing you a wonderful winter move.

By: Andrew Brown and Sharon Osvald

Packing - Part Two

When preparing for a move, packing is a very important part of planning. Whether you hire your moving company to pack or decide to pack yourself, here are some important tips to keep your items intact when travelling from A to B. This is a continuation from last week, Packing Part Two.

The Basic Rules for Packing:

1.Large boxes should not contain heavy articles. Not only could the boxes tear but also they are extremely difficult to carry.

2.Standard-size cartons should be used for stacking.

3.Heavier items should be placed in the bottom of boxes, on their strongest side with items separated by cushioning material.

4.Boxes should be filled completely so they don’t cave in.

5.Cartons should be secured with tape and clearly marked. Properly calculating the required packing materials is a challenge. Movers estimate a standard number of containers for a move and then adjust for the customer's needs, such as for doctors who often have a great quantity of books.

6.Special items – statues, gun collections, crystal chandeliers – may require custom-made containers and special packing.

7.Movers cannot transport inadmissible items like explosives, ammunition, aerosol cans and flammables like gasoline, paints or cleaning fluids.

By: Andrew Brown- Taken from the rules of packing from the Canadian Association of Movers.

Packing to Move - Part One

When it comes to moving most people understand their need to enlist in some kind of help. However, you may not know the importance of having a professional pack your belongings, as well as move them. Packing is a bigger part of the move than most people would expect.

When hiring a moving company, people can pay to have everything packed, nothing packed or some things packed – depending on your arrangement. However, the Canadian Association of Movers (CAM) recommends customers get at least some of their belongings packed by professionals. Here is why:

•Since movers are not responsible for damage to items packed by owners, professional packing eliminates worry about damages to their belongings.
•Items like breakables, china, artwork and mirrors are very fragile and can break easily if not packed properly.
•Movers use special-purpose packing materials.

Based on the CAM’s outlines and my own experiences, If you choose to pack yourself, these are the items I recommend you use:

•China Barrels for breakables such as dishes
•Wardrobe boxes for clothes
•1.5 cubic-foot box for books, canned goods and heavy items
•4 cubic-foot box for bulky items like kitchen items and lampshades
•Picture cartons

Come Back next week for more tips on packing and wrapping for your upcoming move.

By: Andrew Brown and Sharon Osvald