We will be moving from Wisconsin to Massachusetts. How do I choose a moving company?
I feel like we have a lot of clutter. Should I try to get rid of as much stuff as possible?
Arrgghh, it is so overwhelming I do not know where to start!
Any experience and suggestions would be appreciated
You pay by the pound so getting rid of things you don't need will save you lots of money. Call the major van lines (United, Atlas, Allied, Mayflower are the ones i can remember) and set up times for them to come to your house and give an estimate... But clear the clutter first. Be sure to book as far in advance as you can so you get the day you want.
Get bids from several companies for the move. Also some companies code the items they pack from the items you pack in the move for insurance purposes. So beware of that. Yes it might cost more to have them pack it but at least it is covered. Do pack up your values and put them in your car out of the way so that they are not lost or packed and you don't find them for a month after the move same goes for medicines.
The more "junk" you can get rid of the lesser the amount of the move. The actual move is based on weight. Besides you don't want things you haven't seen in 10, 20 or 30 years showing up that you didn't know you had and can't use or wear at the present. You want your move to be as smooth as possible.
Since you know you will be leaving, start eating up the food you have in your home so that you won't have to give it all away. Of course some of the meals might seem strange to family members but it reduces weight. Don't pack flour or sugar as such as they attract bugs as you furniture might be crated and put in a warehouse until you arrive at a scheduled date. Not nice having bugs in the new home.
Sit down, relax, make a list of each room and go room by room and declutter. If you have a freezer, clean it out and let it air dry. Put in a box of baking soda to eliminate odor or a couple of bbq briqets in a bag so that the black does not get all over the inside. Do the same for the washer and let it dry out. The worst thing is to move the washer and water come running out the hoses.
Once you have decluttered your home and have decided what you are taking, take pictures of everything and keep them separate on a disk or on cd in a briefcase with your other papers while moving. Should you need to make a claim you will have a picture to show them of what it looked like before it was damaged. This way you have a leg to stand on with the moving company.
Depending on the size of your home and the items in it it could take a day or two to pack and load your home on a van. We usually had three people pack two for the whole house and one for the kitchen.
While packing have a lunch of pizza and drinks for the packers it also helps with moral.
Good luck on your move.
The other S.
PS We had orders and once and when my husband got the shipment he found that we had a cement blocks in it (from our former home). I know military moves are a bit different but we have a weight allowance and anything over that you pay out of your pocket for it.
If you have small children have them stay with a friend or at the daycare while the house is packed up. One less thing to worry about.
When we moved (though across the metro area) we had a P.O.D. (Portable On Demand Storage) delivered. We were able to pack it as we had time, clear the items we wanted to keep but didn't want to clutter for listing the house, etc. When we were done, we called and they stored it for us at their warehouse until it was delivered on our requested date at the requested location. It was fabulous! I highly recommend it. I also agree- it may be tedious to go through things now, but when you unpack in Mass. you'll be glad you did... you most likely won't have stacks of boxes sitting in a random location a year from now that you never got to! Check it out! http://www.pods.com
Less is more!! We moved a few years ago, and I threw away everything that I hated, or thought, hmm, maybe I won't use that at the new house. I got rid of everything my kids hadn't touched since Christmas. I went through all my Christmas decorations, anything I hadn't used in a few years, gone. My husband and I had a contest, it was let's see who can make the most trash. I always win. I hate clutter, and I still have some but it is manageable, and it feels so good!! Good luck to you on your move!!
go through your stuff if u wanna keep it then keep it or put it in storage if it isn't that important than through it away donate or put in storage if your not sure
