By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
There are people who think it's a super idea to do a quick internet search and check "hire mover" off their to-do list in ten minutes. This is an interesting fact. That is not the best way to hire movers. You need to have a real human interaction with your potential mover, since these are the people you are entrusting with moving all your possessions in a safe and proper manner. These are a few of the basic questions a professional mover will ask on the first phone call.It is a huge help if you snap pictures of your rooms and have written down furniture dimensions when you talk with a mover. They'll need to know how many bedrooms and living spaces are in your residence, and how many floors your residence is on. You really can't be too specific about your rooms, since they are working from a standard template, and every house is one-of-a-kind.
If your house has a living/dining combo (popular in the sixties and again in the 2000s), do not neglect to include the dining table, china cabinet, and how many ever armchairs when you describe your "living room" contents. Formal dining rooms are more rare nowadays, so lots of movers do not even have that room on their standard list--and if you don't tell them, think about the overall damper on the ambience of moving day when everyone realizes the moving truck isn't large enough for all those chairs and a table.
Knowing the dimensions, and if things come apart, is also an important factor of an accurate estimate. Couches are commonly between 5 and 7 feet long, some have detachable cushions, and others are sleepers. A hardwood full sleeper weighs much more than a rattan loveseat, so be as specific as you can be with details. Some furniture can be taken apart, so be sure to tell the coordinator so the crew can bring the specific tools to disassemble and put back together.
At this point, you could be wondering why the moving company is asking you all of these questions. Well, they are attempting to calculate not only the number of boxes you will need for all of your belongings, but also how much space in the truck your possessions will consume. Movers will have approximates for boxes based on number of bedrooms and the square footage of the residence, but that's really rudimentary, and it assumes that you have purged a decent amount of old clothes and preschool art.
After you've chosen your moving company, and had one or two phone conversations, the mover will most likely schedule an in-home appointment to verify their numbers are accurate. People are stressed in the middle of a move and do tend to forget stuff like the gas grill or the lawn mower, because they are not being packed into cartons, and this is great example of out of sight, out of mind. However, these items will be caught during the in-home estimate.
Developing a working relationship with your mover is key to a smooth move. They don't judge your housekeeping, so contact your local mover, set your appointment date for your estimate and do not be anxious about the dust bunnies. Click here to get started today!
