You need to read this if you are planning to move homes

Along with quotes and duration of transportation, ask each vendor the following set of questions: 

• Are they registered?
• What is their point of contact?
•  Do they have a branch in the city you are moving to?
•  Are your goods insured? What does the insurance cover? How much does it cost?
• What payment methods do they accept
• How much advance do they require?
• Can you track the moving truck with your belongings?
•  Do they have their own fleet of trucks/vans or do they hire them?
•  Will they be undertaking part-shipment (when they group part of your stuff with someone else’s in case of free space in the truck)?

While you can get a basic quote over the phone, always get the company to come home and conduct a survey of all your stuff before moving day. Once the survey is done, they will give you a final quote, which includes packing and moving everything. This will ensure that you have no surprises in terms of hidden charges.
 

3. Ruthlessly Purge

We collect so much unnecessary stuff or sometime even downright junk in our daily lives, that’s just human nature. Take the time to sort out what you need and want to move with you to the new home. Donate, sell or throw away the excess; a new home is chaotic enough without the unnecessary excess. If you haven’t used something in years or it’s broken, you’re probably not going to use it in the new home either. Remember, the more you have, the more time you will spend on packing and moving. Also, check expiration dates on medicines and groceries before packing them.

4. Dismantle Furniture

If you have furniture or items that need to be dismantled or removed from walls (like shelves, TVs etc.), always check beforehand if they provide these dismantling services. If not, you might have to call a carpenter a day or two prior to do this for you.

5. Update the Address

Update your new address wherever required like your electricity provider and banks. Cancel services like milk deliveries, internet and cable subscriptions and make all pending payments. Ask your old neighbour or security guard to collect any mail that might be delivered to your old address after your home move and have it picked up or sent to you.

Things to do on Moving Day

Rest well before packing and moving day because you will need to be alert and mindful of a lot of things.

1. Double-check the labelling on each box especially fragile ones.
   
   
2. Designate someone to check the packing list—and keep a copy—to make sure every item on the list is in the truck.
   
   
3. Ensure that either you or someone you trust is at your new home by the time the truck arrives to unload and check everything.
   
   
4. If anything is missing or damaged, get in touch with the company immediately. Registering a complaint as soon as possible allows you a level  of ease in claiming compensation and/or insurance.
   
   
5. Try having a general idea of what goes where in the new house so that you can have the movers and packers place the items in those roomsinstead pushing around heavy boxes or furniture yourself later.     

3. Introduce yourself to the building’s security guards as soon as possible. They are really helpful and are a fount of knowledge
    and necessary contacts.

4. It’s also helpful to introduce yourself to your neighbours.

5. From domestic help to milk and laundry services, use contacts from the community around you for trusted resources.

6. You might consider changing the locks of your new home for security.
 

Don’t throw away all your packing boxes. Recycle those in good condition that could be of use again. Use them for storage, give them to a scrap collector or if you know anyone in need of boxes for their own move of storage.

25 Helpful Tips you May Not Consider when Moving Homes

In no particular order of importance, this is a list of tips I have compiled from friends and family based on their personal experiences.

3. Keep in mind that old refrigerators need a day to defrost so clean out your refrigerator a day prior to moving and let it defrost.
 

4. If you can time your orders, have any new things you require for the new home delivered directly there. I managed to have my new refrigerator, mattress, internet and TV delivered and/or setup the day before I shifted in.
 

5. Instead of buying a carton of water bottles, buy one 20-litre cannister. You can buy a battery-operated water dispenser pump for under Rs. 500 and return the cannister once it is empty.
 

6. Keep a roll of garbage bags handy. You will need them.
 

7. Do not move in stages—say if you are moving out of your family home to your own place. The temptation would be to do it in batches but finish it in one go.
 

8. This is not so much about moving but while looking for a house. Call an electrician to check that the wiring of the house is fine before you sign the lease. Also, have them check that the breaker panel is working fine. Unsafe wiring especially in older buildings can cause electrical fires.
 

9. Know well in advance what you are going to sell before moving. It might take time to find a buyer so you need to post these ads online (Facebook pages, second-hand items websites, etc.) with enough time to get rid of these items before you move.
 

10. Whether you are moving within the city, to a different one or to a different country, always pack and carry important documents as well as expensive and personal items yourself to avoid the possibility of losing them.
 

11. Since I was moving close-by and didn’t need to transport heavy furniture and appliances, I packed and moved myself. I needed to buy a few big and strong cardboard boxes but most of the packing material I used was recycled. I saved packaging material like bubble wrap from my online orders, bought a stack of old newspapers and asked a few grocery stores for their old boxes they were just going to throw away.
 

12. Have a big roll of packing tape, a pair of scissors and a good marker ready before you pack.
 

13. Even if you are moving a short distance away, do not underestimate the importance of bubble wrap or old newspapers to pack glass or breakable items.
 

14. Instead of packing all glassware in a big carton, pack them in smaller boxes and fill the gaps with newspaper. Then put these boxes into the big carton so you don’t have a bunch of glass things rolling around when moving the carton.
 

15. If you have kids, keep some items handy to entertain them while you unpack. Try to involve them in the process and make it a fun experience but also know their limits. At the best of times, moving is tiring and stressful for adults, more so for kids.
 

16. For furniture that needs to be dismantled, pack all hooks, hinges and screws for each piece of furniture in a bag and label each bag. Have separate bags for each piece of furniture and click pictures of assembled pieces before dismantling so you know how to put it back.
 

17. The same goes for cables, remotes and wall-mount hooks for different appliances.
 

18. For seasonal items like blankets, winter clothes or even party wear, use vacuum-sealed bags. This will save a lot of space and they can go directly into storage in the new home until you need the items.
 

19. Take pictures of big appliances, furniture and/or your car before you move. If there is damage, you can show these pictures to the movers and packers and claim insurance.
 

20. The same goes for rented apartment—take pictures of the house before you move in and share them with the landlord.
 

21. If you have a vehicle, make sure there is a safe parking spot provided to you when looking for a new home. When moving to a new city, remember that changing the vehicle registration takes time, effort and money.
 

22. Make sure there is place for the moving truck to park as close as possible to the building’s entrance.
 

23. If you are moving with pets, bring them a day or two later, if possible. Animals can get very stressed out and disoriented in these kinds of situations. Have a friend or family member who they trust look after them for a day or two while you settle the chaos of moving.
 

24. Take a few days off from work if you are moving within the city and give yourself a day of rest after moving day, you will be tired.
 

25. If you have to, bribe friends and family members to help you move. While this can be done on your own, extra help is always a good thing.