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THE TROUBLE WITH MOVING – PART 2 – I’VE LOST ALL MY NOTES!

September 5, 2023
Posted by:
Jim Henderson

So, you’re moving. You’ve gotten the call and you’re moving up to the majors! (Or down to the minors. Or you’ve decided that you just can’t deal with the humidity in the summers. Ultimately the reason for the move is irrelevant for the purposes of this discussion.) You've worked out who is going to pack and all of that fun stuff. You’re feeling pretty good about everything! Is it time to kick back and crack open that bottle of wine you got at your wedding from Uncle Bill? Not just yet. There’s still plenty to do! Today we’re talking about ORGANIZATION. Staying organized is paramount to a happy moving experience. As much as I’d like to tell you that staying organized is as easy as keeping track of only the phone number of your moving company, I can’t say it’s that easy. While most of what we’ll talk about today is common sense, in the throes of a house move, it’s easy to overlook things. On the paperwork side alone, there’s house-sale documents (both the old house and the new house,) utility sign-ups and shut-offs, financials/bank records, contact info for the important people in your life, medical records, insurance information and all of that really fun stuff. These things are all important and should be readily available throughout the moving process. (Trust me, from the standpoint of a mover, we’re happy to unload three quarters of a truck’s worth of your goods to get to your office desk to get Fido’s paperwork from his last visit to the vet. You, however, will likely not want to pay for the extra expenses incurred while we unload and then reload all of your stuff.) Important Documents We suggest that when you first decide that you’ll be moving that you start by putting together a folder with all of the important documents that you may need throughout the move. (You may not need everything that you’ll put in the folder, but it’s better to have them handy and not need them then to need them and not have them.) The same can be said for any medications that you need. Make sure that you have an extra stash of prescription medications available so that you can stay nice and healthy until you’re moved into your new home. Budgeting Come up with a budget for your move and keep a copy with your other important documents. Moving can be an expensive undertaking, especially if you’re not prepared. If you know that you’re not able to pack up your own items or that you simply don’t want to, your moving company can certainly help, but it will cost you. Unpacking works in the same fashion. So take some time to think about what services you want and what you’re comfortable paying for before talking to a moving company. Most moving companies are flexible and willing to help with unexpected changes, but often you’ll be met with a scheduling issue. (We’re more than happy to assist with additional packing and unpacking, but it takes time and unless it’s scheduled ahead of time, we may have to come back a few days after delivering your items. If your family is like mine, when we move we like to unpacked and living normally in a house within a day or so of moving in. On the other hand, if you’re comfortable living in a sea of boxes and getting dressed out of suitcases and wardrobe boxes, then feel free to disregard this section and fire up Netflix for some Game of Thrones binging!) Laying Out Your New Home It’s also a very good idea to have an idea of how everything will be laid out in your new home prior to all of your earthly possessions showing up on your new doorstep. Take the time to plan out where you’d like everything to land in your new home and your delivery will go much quicker and more smoothly. Our teams are well versed in working with interior designers and consequently are quite good at offering up thoughts on where any given piece of furniture might look good, but I suspect you’ll probably be happier having that sorted out ahead of time and not paying the movers for that. (HOWEVER, if you’d like to roll your moving and interior design needs into one process , we’ll be sure to send Mitch Elfreth to your home. He’s our most senior crew leader and we’re fairly certain that he’s been moonlighting on weekends as Stephen Bruce, interior designer to the most discerning clients in and around Naples. You could say that he’s got an eye for that sort of thing…) Our team is great at handling the unexpected! Another note regarding moving your existing furniture into your new home: Take note of the size of the doorways and entrances in your new home. Are you sure that your larger items will fit through? We often encounter situations like these, especially in condominiums and apartments. It’s not only doorways that can pose a problem. Will that extra-long sofa make it up the staircase or around that tight corner in the hallway? Many clients have been surprised to find that there’s no way to squeeze a 48” wide item through a 36” door, no matter how it’s turned or rotated. As you can see, without touching on all points in this post, there’s plenty of things that need to be taken into consideration when planning a move. Take the time to get (and stay) as organized as possible before things really get going. Your move will be smoother, more efficient and problem free. (And you’ll get to that wedding wine from Uncle Bill that much faster!) If you have questions about an upcoming move please feel free to call our office at any time or to peruse the rest of our website. We’re here to help!

William C. Huff Companies is committed to simplifying the complicated maze of moving and storing your priceless possessions. With over 40 full-time, tenured, and highly trained staff, you can be assured that your move will be handled smoothly and professionally, from the first phone call until the last box is unpacked.