This saran wrap-like substance is used by moving companies to protect items that won’t fit in boxes and can’t be pad-wrapped (ie, protected by moving blankets).
First off, do your movers even charge for it? Many companies, particularly the van lines, do not. Moving companies don’t use much of it, so stretch wrap is a minor expense and they don’t pass the cost on to the consumer.
However, some companies do charge for this. And it can be hefty – I heard from one woman who said she got charged $1 a yard. Compare that to a large roll that you can buy yourself for 5 cents a yard.
If your moving company does charge, you can wrap items yourself to save on the expense (whether they charge for it should be broken out on your contract; I’d also ask specifically WHAT materials they charge for).
Hiring moving companies isn’t easy — or cheap. However, it’s generally easier than moving it all yourself, so if you’re hiring movers, here are some ways to save.
Pack It Yourself: A moving company’s packing services performed by the mover are often as expensive as the transportation cost itself. Even if you are having your goods packed by the mover, there are some ways of saving money. Items that are nonbreakable such as linens and bedding can be packed easily without the risk of damage — maybe pack these, and have the movers handle the breakables, it’s a good way to save money. This is called a partial pack of your goods.
Seasonal Considerations: You will save money if you can be flexible on your move time. Avoid June, July, and August – those are the most expensive months to move because of greater demand for full-service long distance moving companies. Year-round, try to play your move during the middle of the month — costs are higher at the beginning and the end of the month because of the large number of apartment leases that have month-end dates. If you have some wiggle room with your move-in times, that can also save you money because the moving company may be able to combine shipments; however, ask yourself how long you can go without your stuff.
Save on Packing Luggage and duffel bags are perfect for packing sheets, towels and clothing. Also, the bottoms of wardrobe boxes are great for bulky, lightweight items. Use that space. Be wary of packing tips that might save you money but won’t protect your stuff – for example, using wadded up newsprint instead of bubble wrap. You might save a few dollars, but in the end, is busting something worth it?
Stock Up Make sure you have plenty of boxes and materials so you don’t have to keep making trips to buy more. If you’re buying from moving companies, you might be able to return the boxes you don’t use. Most everyone underestimates how much they’ll need; don’t make this mistake, be sure to get enough.
Storage Notes: If you have stuff at a storage unit or at another location, move those items to your home to avoid extra pick-up charges. Most items that need to be disassembled can be done so by the moving company. However, other items such as exercise equipment, outdoor gym and play sets require extra labor, and will cost you more. Whenever possible, disassemble and reassemble these yourself.
Time is Money Color-code the boxes according to the room they belong in so they all end up in the same place, saving time for both you and your mover.
Taxing Times Your moving costs could be tax-deductible. Keep all receipts for the taxman.
Are You Insured? Moving insurance is cheap and usually worth the cost — the basic protection you get from the moving company is exactly that, basic.
Do You Really Need That? Most long-distance moving is based on the weight of your shipment, so do you really need to move those heavy items? Check areas of your home for items that have not been used for a long time and simply dump them – if you don’t use them, why pay for them to be moved to new place where you won’t use them all over again? Sell it on eBay, sell it at a garage sale, or donate it to charity and take a tax write-off.
Know What You Own: Decide what items you want to ship and what will simply be thrown away. And keep in mind that if you change the number of items you move, the total cost of your move will change. Inform the mover of any changes — effective communication is a key factor for a successful move.
Ask — Politely: If you want to save money, chat with your moving company when you get moving quotes. With the economy, many moving companies are pretty desperate for your business, and will suggest ways to cut your move costs. But don’t go crazy — scam moving companies will cut your costs to zero if it means they can get your job and scam you. Make sure the cost savings make sense.
It’s crunch time, do or die: You have to move this weekend and you haven’t done anything. You need to start packing but you don’t know where to begin, and the whole thing seems completely overwhelming. Take a deep breath — we’ll show you how to pack like a pro.
Divide your clothes into four categories:
1.) Clothes you will use before you move
2.) Clothes you will definitely be wearing in the weeks after you move
3.) Clothes that are off season
4.) Clothes that you are ready to donate.
Pack up the donation clothes first — be aggressive here, when was the last time you wore that ugly olive sweater? Purging your closet of the things you don’t wear anymore will give you a feeling of progress and the positive momentum to keep moving forward.
Pack up the clothes that are off-season and the clothes you won’t be wearing in the next two weeks next. Leave the clothes you will be wearing in the next two weeks in the closet and pack those the day of the move.
Order some affordable moving supplies that can be delivered for free the next business day. On average, somebody who is moving spends two and half hours trying to locate moving boxes, comparing prices and picking up the boxes. Save yourself this step get the boxes delivered for free.
Pack dresses, suits, and pants that can’t be wrinkled in wardrobe boxes. This is important because if an important garment is thrown in a regular moving box, they can be so thoroughly wrinkled that they make become hard or impossible to un-wrinkle.
A common novice mover mistake is to purchase many extra-large boxes. This is a mistake because as you fill an extra-large box they often become too heavy to carry. A good rule of thumb is to use as small a box as possible and use more of them. Small boxes also won’t obscure your vision as you are going down stairs or walkways.
Make sure to put your mattress in a heavy-duty mattress bag. Mattresses tend to get very dirty and grimy during a move. They are dragged from spot to spot because they are difficult to carry.
Lastly, enlist friends to help you. Perhaps somebody can watch your pets and/or kids the day of the move and Don’t forget to keep your cell phone charger handy often this gets packed into a box early on and when you need to talk with your mover they can’t reach you because your phone is out of batteries. Good luck!
If you’re moving locally, you’ll pay by the hour for a certain number of workers – many local moving companies charge around $90 an hour for 3 movers, but that varies around the country, of course, based on local labor costs.
As far as how long it will take, a good rule of thumb is one hour per room, using bedrooms, living rooms, family rooms, kitchens, and other whole rooms. The other areas usually even out, with the main rooms not always taking the full hour. Loading generally takes twice as long as unloading. Please note: Transit time will count toward the total, so be sure to keep that in mind.
The only way you’ll know for sure how much you’ll pay is to call local moving companies for moving estimates. Based on the stuff you need to have moved, they’ll give you a better sense of the costs you’ll be looking at.
I’ve always been impressed by people who are more action than talk when it comes to moving environmentally — during the stress of moving, it can be easy to just take the easy way out and forego your green ethos.
That’s why I was so taken with some of the cool new environmental moving products out there, particularly those from Earth Friendly Moving, which is based in California (where else, eh?).
This company has gone beyond the reusable packing crates and found alternative products for just about anything you might need on your move. Most impressive of all, it says the products are cheaper than their non-green counterparts — which is key in an economy where price might trump environment.
When it drops off its reusable packing crates, Earth Friendly will create a bubble-wrap alternative called Geami Paper that it presses from something called ‘cardboard sludge ’ — which it does right on the moving truck into rolls of 100 to 200 feet. It claims the material is more protective than bubble wrap — and cheaper.
When you’re done with it, re-use it throughout the year, or Earth Friendly will take it off your hands and recycle it for another customer.
The other cool product is ‘Recocubes,’ which are a replacement for syrofoam peanuts. They’re made from newspaper sludge — only 40% of recycled newsprint is usable; this product uses the other 60%. Just as the name suggests, it’s pressed into a sturdy, card-board-like cube that will cushion your belongings.
When you’re done with moving, you can just toss the relocubes into the garden, water them, and voila! Compost for those new plants at your new place.
The video segment below shows the owner eating one, which I don’t know if I’d recommend in a daily diet, but hey, to each their own. Check it out for other cool product ideas for your move, and ask your own moving companies about ways to make an environmental move.
No matter how much planning, study and shoe-leather you put into it, moving isn’t cheap.
But there are some easy ways to save on your move. Relocation.com came up with 5 that could help you shave more than $1,000 off your relocation expenses (OK, that’s more than a shave, more like a full cut and trim). We also offer you some other resources for easy ways to save on your move. (Savings are based on someone making a 3-bedroom, coast-to-coast move, which carries a roughly $7,000 tab.)
1. Negotiate Your Move Date – Save $300 to $600
Many moves take place at the same times: end or beginning of the month, or Fridays or Mondays. Consumers who are able to move on “off” days might be able to work a deal with a moving company. You can save even more if you move during the off-season — essentially November through April.
After you get moving quotes, ask the moving company if you could catch a break if you agreed to move at some other time. They might be willing to give you a discount.
2. Dump 10% of Your Stuff – Save $250 to $400
It’s simple in theory — most less stuff, pay less for your move, and have less headache. In practice, it’s usually harder. It needn’t be. For every 9 nine things you pack, throw away 1 thing. Other tips:
• Only move stuff you’ve used in the past year. If you haven’t used something in the past 12 months, you probably won’t use it again, so there’s no point in paying to move it.
• Use two plastic bins in each room you pack, and designate a ‘definite’ throwaway bin and a ‘maybe’ throwaway bin. When finished packing the room, throw out everything in the ‘definite’ bin, decide on the ‘maybe’ items and then move on to the next room.
• In the months before the move, divide a clothing rod between ‘must-move’ and ‘not-to-move’ clothing. After an item of clothing is worn and washed, put it on the ‘must-move’ side of the clothing rod. When it’s time to pack, get rid of all the clothes on the ‘not-to-move’ side of the rod.
3. Pack Half of Your Stuff– Save $400-$600
Roughly 50 percent of what you need to move is breakable, such as dishes and glassware. Let the movers handle packing these, since they are the most difficult to pack safely. Also, moving insurance usually will not cover items that are not packed by professionals, unless there’s clear damage to the outside of the moving box. You want coverage on these items.
The other half – items that won’t break, like toys and books – can be loaded into boxes relatively easily and don’t require special handling or supplies. Not using packers for these items can some money, it just requires a bit more work on your part.
4. Disconnect It – Save $150-$200
If the moving company provides any third-party moving services to handle disconnecting electronics and appliances, you will pay for it. Eliminate these fees altogether by learning how to safely dismantle any electronics systems and how to disconnect/connect appliances.
5. Don’t Move Large, Breakable Items – Save $200-$300 There are certain items a moving company won’t move without special crating, such as glass tables, flat-screen plasma TVs and specialty artwork such as pottery or big oil paintings. Here are some options to cut down on the need for expensive crating services.
• Glass items like shelves or tables, are generally cheap to replace compared to how much it costs to ship them. Consider the costs of moving them versus buying a similar type of shelf or tabletop at the new home.
• For a flat-panel TV, the least expensive method is packing it in the box it came in. If that’s not an option, search online for boxes designed specifically for TVs, which contain special foam inserts for extra protection.
• If you’re moving long distance, you can also pack fragile or valuable items in your car, rent a separate small moving van, or rent a trailer in which to tow them. You will pay more for this, of course, but you might have greater peace of mind about damages, and if you have enough that would require crating by the moving company, you might come out even.
If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you have to move fast – the house closing happened more quickly than you expected, or you just procrastinated because the thought of packing filled you with as much joy as visiting the dentist — you know the awful feeling.
* You’ll never have enough time to find a mover
* If you do find a mover, you’ll pay through the nose (or other uncomfortable body part)
While it’s true you might end up paying a bit more, you shouldn’t assume you’ll have an awful experience. Here are some things to keep in mind to make your move go more smoothly, at a price that won’t shock you.
1. You Probably WILL Pay More. Just accept that fact. Organizing the moving process, especially for longer moving, takes time and money on the part of moving companies. They don’t come together easily.
2. Be Explicit With Move Dates. Your mover needs to know what he’s up against. If you must be out by a certain date, make that crystal clear.
3. Even If You’re Desperate, Don’t Act It. When talking to moving companies, make it clear you’re talking to several firms that want your moving business.
4. Get Organized. This is important for a nonrushed move; it’s crucial for rushed moving. Stated simply: If you’re organized and prepared, you’ll get a more accurate quote and you’ll have a smoother move to boot.
Get your stuff ready to move as soon as possible, even before the moving company estimator comes to your home to give you moving quotes. Get rid of any goods not going and have everything as organized as possible. The more clear it is what needs to be moved the more accurate your estimates will be. On moving day, it will ensure everything goes more smoothly — the No. 1 cause of moving day stress is a discrepency between the estimate and the final cost.
5. Don’t Just Choose the First Mover That Can Handle Your Move. Take a few minimal steps to ensure you hire a trustworthy mover:
• Get 3 estimates. If you can’t have the movers in your home (which is always preferable), be as thorough as possible when describing what needs to be moved, and ask about extra costs if you happen to underestimate how much stuff you need to move.
• Don’t take a low bid. It’s a sign of a mover that’s just trying to win your business now, only to raise the price later with lots of little (and big) charges.
• Deal with movers that have a local presence. It makes everything easier.
When you move, everyone tells you to get rid of stuff, but it’s easier said than done.
There are the usual ways – try to sell stuff on eBay or Craigslist, or hold a garage sale to hopefully make some cash.
However, most people when they’re moving just don’t have the time (or energy) to organize a sale of their stuff. So most of it just gets throw away. (I love when people say, ‘Just hold a garage sale! There’s really no ‘just’ about it.)
Whatever you do, the end result for a lot of stuff you have is the dump – you’ll need to throw away a lot of stuff.
Here’s a tip to making it easier. Many people will be rent a dumpster if the job is huge. It ain’t cheap. And the neighbors might not like it. In fact, some homeowners associations won’t even allow it. And you could lose a kid or two in there.
The solution: rent a truck. Keep all the stuff to throw away in a garage or in a room, and when you want to haul it away, toss it into the rental truck and away to the dump! If you’re renting it for the day, you’ll probably have time to do other chores associated with your move, and if you’re moving yourself, you can just keep the truck to move all the stuff that you want in your new home.
Ah, the humble stretch wrap.
I’ve always been impressed by people who are more action than talk when it comes to moving environmentally — during the stress of moving, it can be easy to just take the easy way out and forego your green ethos.
