You Just Moved. Now What?

The hardest part is over. You've packed up your entire house and had it delivered to your new place. But after the moving truck leaves and the dust settles, you’re left with an unfinished home-and a LOT of boxes. So what do you do first?

1.  You want your new place to be safe and secure—start with the locks. If the previous residents or owners did not change the locks, make sure to do this first. And if the garage has a code, don’t forget to reset that, too! You can rest easier knowing that no one has the keys to your new place except you.

2.  Next, tackle the most important boxes first. Unpacking every room of your house will take a huge amount of your time, so make sure that you start with the most important rooms first—namely, the kitchen, bathroom(s) and the bedroom essentials. That way, you have everything you absolutely need ready to go while you take time to unpack everything else.

3.  Once you have those set up, make sure that you have all of your utilities in place. Test out your internet, electric, heat, etc. to make sure that everything is ready to go.

4.  Don’t forget to register your vehicle(s) if you’ve moved states, provinces or countries! Taking care of this ASAP will help you avoid hassles later down the road.

5.  Enjoy your new home!

For all of your relocation needs, call the premiere household moving company in Seattle—Pacific Movers! We can help you with every step of the moving process to make it quick and stress-free. Give us a call to get started or fill out our easy online form for your FREE quote!

12 Terrific Moving Tips When You're Moving Your Home:

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Make a list.
Write everything down! You'll thank yourself later. Before you pack even one box, create a simple record keeping system. Create a computer-printed list of numbers with a space to write the contents. Or have a spiral-bound notebook for the job. You'll place a number on EVERY box you pack and list the contents on your list. Don't put the list down unless it's in a place you'll call Packing Central. This is where you'll find your labels, marking pens, box tape, and other supplies. When describing the box contents, be specific -- "A-D files" is better than "files", and "Tulip dishes" rather than "misc. kitchen".

Have plenty of supplies.
Don't make me say this twice-- you'll need LOTS of boxes--probably more boxes than you think, and having enough boxes will make your life easier! (If you buy your boxes from a moving company, you can always return unused boxes for a refund.

If you got them free from the grocery, just toss any leftovers.) Have about 10 boxes set aside to use for last minute items on moving day, such as bedding, clothing, and cleaning supplies. You'll need strong plastic packing tape to close up the boxes securely. Use unprinted newsprint (newspaper can stain your items) or packing paper or bubble wrap to wrap and cushion household good. Again, you'll need lots more supplies than you think, so get extra so the packing can go smoothly. Return any unused supplies after the truck is packed.

Utilize wardrobe boxes.
These tall boxes are perfect for bulky, lightweight items such as comforters, pillows, and blankets, as well as clothes that need to remain hanging. Call your mover to ask the width of the wardrobe boxes they'll be bringing. Then measure the clothes in your closets (including coat closets) to see how many wardrobe boxes you'll need. You can also use them for closet storage boxes, shoe boxes, and other bulky items such as fabric bolts, large baskets, or gift wrap tubes.

Don't make the boxes too heavy to lift, however. One mover told the story of someone who put a bowling ball in a wardrobe box! When the box was lifted off the truck the bottom gave way, sending the bowling ball on a wild ride down the ramp, across the street to the gutter, then down a hill where it finally came to rest in a roadside ditch. (Is that a strike or a spare?)

Strategize wardrobe box use.
Moving companies will be happy to deliver boxes ahead of your moving day. Or if you're doing the move yourself, get things organized as early as possible. A few days before your move, fill some sturdy handled shopping bags with bulky closet items such as shoes, sweaters, belts, and jeans. On moving day, fill the bottom of the wardrobe boxes with some of the shopping bags, then add your hanging clothing. Pack hanging items tightly so things won't move around and fall off of hangers. Finally, cover the shoulders of your clothes (a dry cleaning bag works well), then add a few purses or sweaters on top. You'll have fewer boxes, and closet items remain together. Also, the shopping bags will make it easier to retrieve your belongings from the bottoms of a tall wardrobe box.

Color coordinate.
Designate a color for each room in the new home, such as yellow for kitchen, orange for dining room, etc. Apply colored stickers on the box near the box number. In your new home. Put a matching sticker on the door to each room. The movers will know where to put everything when they arrive at the destination. It's also helpful to post a big sign on the wall in the room where you want boxes stacked, ("Boxes here please") to keep them out of furniture and traffic areas.

Moving In With Your Boyfriend – Your Ultimate Checklist With Tips:

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A move is a great new experience that can be tough and stressful to handle but after it happens there’s a new page in our lives we are looking forward to turning, right? And relocating with your boyfriend is a step that makes the move even more exciting than it already is. You probably already imagine what life will be like after the move – spending time with someone special for you, supporting and helping each other out. But how to make moving in with your boyfriend easier and what to expect when you move in with your boyfriend? It will be difficult to predict everything, especially if you are relocating with a guy for the first time. Although every relationship is different and unique, there are a few things to know before moving in with your boyfriend that are universal. What are they? Here is the checklist that will help you take a decision about what you need to know before you move in with your boyfriend to your new home.

Tips On Moving In With Your Boyfriend

Work out your goals together. Before moving in with your boyfriend, talk with him about what both of you expect from your relationship. For example, what if one of you wants to have children and the other one doesn’t at all, can a compromise be made and who will be the one to make it? What is important for you in a relationship? Do you want to get married? What if you do and your boyfriend doesn’t? Discuss how both of you see the relationship because if after 6 months or one year of living together you find out you want totally different things in life, then you may both end up disappointed. Talk about what both of you want and if your vision about your future together matches, then proceed to our next tip!

Is he the one for you? Ask yourself the questions in this article.
Are you certain that this is exactly what you want? Do you really know enough about him to take this decision? If you’ve only had a few dates, how will you know that he really is the guy for you? Are you feeling comfortable with him? Do you get along generally? Ask yourself about how you feel about your boyfriend. Before taking the decision to move in with him, make sure that you know enough about him and you are ready to say “yes” when the moment comes. Knowing you have a common vision about your life together is great, but is that sufficient?
Take your time to get used to each other’s presence and your new life in general. It is one thing to be dating and visiting each other at home and a totally different thing to live together. Even though you are still his lady, you will be expected to take a certain amount of responsibility for the home, the chores to be done and your relationship. Living together could work out if both of you do your part for it.
Make an agreement about the chores to be done after moving in to your new apartment or house. Even though it may sound like something difficult to discuss, it shouldn’t stop you from bringing up the matter. It does not go without saying who does what in a common home, so talk it through. You could make a list and set the duties for each one of you like paying bills, taking the garbage out, cooking, cleaning, etc. You could distribute some tasks, share some things and take turns or agree to do some things together. It is all up to both of you.

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In order to organize your move together, get a few quotes and arrange to help each other, if you can.
Sharing responsibilities means taking decisions together so make an agreement what what is important for each one of you and communicate it with the other person. In this way you are giving each other an opportunity to get used to each other’s way of life, habits, interests, etc. and know what is really important for the other person. If, for instance, Thursday evening is your cocktail evening with your girlfriends and that is important for you to have and keep, or you go to sports classes Sunday afternoon and you want to keep up with them, let him know. And encourage him to do the same. Being open about your needs will give you the opportunity to continue doing the things you actually like. Suppressing yourself and what is important for you will not work out in the long run because in the end it will make you miserable and you will wish to change that or end the relationship. Avoiding this stepping stone from the beginning is a good start of your common life together.
Be ready to see that he is not perfect. Every person has their not so good sides and just like you, he’s not ideal. Be patient with him and encourage him to treat you the same way. We all have the right to be ourselves after all, don’t we? If there is something that you want, be upfront about it and say it, most guys don’t take hints and appreciate it if a girl is straightforward. When you say what you want, you give a chance to your boyfriend to make you happy, and he surely wants that for you, doesn’t he?
Organize the relocation. Choose a neighborhood and a place together, a home, that both of you like, and plan the move. You may hire one moving company to do the move and help each other with the relocation process. He can help you with heavy things like furniture and you can help him wrap things in packing paper, for example. Also, agree on what will each one of you bring. You don’t need two toasters and two coffee machines, right? Optimize your luggage before the relocation. Get a quote to find out about the cost of your move.

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Tips on Tipping Your Movers:

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Consumers put a lot of faith in professional movers, which is why good ones are as prized as a competent and fair mechanic. As a customer, you are entrusting all of your possessions, prized and otherwise, to people you may not even have been introduced to before they started taking your stuff and loading it into a truck.

Although movers are considered part of the service trade, there is usually a lot more riding on their job performance than, say, a waitress or someone who cuts your hair. If the waitress drops your rye toast, she can quickly get you a new order and, hey, your hair will grow out.

If a mover, however, does a poor job packing, drops your family heirloom or drags your furniture across the wood floor, there is a lot more at stake. Besides, there are few people in the service industry that work as hard as movers.

Perhaps because consumers rely so much on a mover doing a good job that they don't consider them as a service professional. But they are and proper etiquette requires that they be treated as such. This means it is proper to offer a tip, whether it is cash at the end of the day or you buying the crew lunch or even both.

As with any other service provider, you would base your "tip" on job performance – a bad attitude and indifferent work habits would hardly be considered tip worthy. If, however, you think your crew was attentive, helpful and professional, then give what you believe is fair.

Movers usually don't expect a tip but is appreciated when given. More than anything, it's a sign that you recognized their effort and thought it worthy. You may think you're paying a small fortune to the moving company, but what trickles down to the guys actually lugging your stuff won't have them driving home in a Beamer.

Moving is a stressful life event overloaded with thousands of small details that need attention. One of those is how to treat the crew moving your life's belongings, so here's a quick reference that should keep the guys happy and moving:

• Moving is hard, back-breaking work so it would only be common decency to have cold bottled water, soda or sport drinks on hand.
• Some people prefer to buy the crew lunch in lieu of a tip and this is perfectly fine. Some do both. It's whatever you are comfortable with. If you do offer to buy the crew lunch, make sure to ask if they have a preference as to food choice. Many people think, "Oh, we'll get some pizza," so you can imagine how much pizza these guys might have had that month.
• You will hear varying advice on how much to tip. Percentages don't really work as they do in restaurant work. The difference between a $2,000 full-truck move and a $20,000 full-truck move is likely the distance the moving van travels, not how much time it took to load the vehicle. Basically, if it's a half-day (4 hours) move, $10 per person is considered appropriate. If it's a full-day move (8 hours), then $20 is the consensus. If you have a lot of heavy furniture, narrow or winding stairs, a steep lot, etc., you should consider adding to the amount. If the crew works 12 hours to get your belongings packed, figure $40 as fair.
• A tip about tips from movers themselves: Don’t give the lump some to the foreman or driver. Give each worker their tip. First, it shows that you recognize and appreciate their individual efforts. Second, there are some unscrupulous foremen, who will keep the entire amount for themselves.
• Avoid giving the guys beer at the end of the day. It's a bit stereotypical and most legitimate moving companies have rules against drinking on the job. It also opens liability issues. Make the tip cash and the movers can spend it how they wish.
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5 ways to keep your sense of humor when moving:

Everyone agrees that moving isn't easy. Studies say moving is one of the hardest things we have to go through in life. And while some people seem to take it in stride and even shine at relocating, I've talked to more than a few people who seem to have barely survived a move.

I've moved so many times that I've mastered the art of the move, particularly the part where you hang onto your sense of humor and learn to laugh instead of cry at the moving madness.

Here are five tactics you can use and abuse during your next move, to keep a smile on your face and a laugh on your lips when the boxes and bubble wrap become too much.

1. Every move needs a jester. It may as well be you.

Your neighbors are draping your front porch in black, your kids are threatening to run away from home because you’re ruining their lives, and it’s up to you to convince everyone that moving is awesome! This is an adventure! “Lucky you!” I’d yell after my kids, ignoring the daggers coming from their eyes.

When things get tough, start laughing and your family will follow suit.

When the box with the entire contents of their bedroom closet would go MIA, when we’d unpack to discover that the 72-ounce bottle of conditioner had broken open and saturated nine sets of sheets, when the first day of school arrives and you don’t have any shoes, if you don’t lead the laughter, no one will.

2. The Law of Opposites: Because if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry

During my most traumatic moves, I made up my own Law of Opposites. The more stressful my move got, the more goofy I’d get. Until, when Comcast tells me they need a 72-hour window to get us nine channels, instead of busting a vein, I’d make myself take a breath and just laugh. Forcing yourself to laugh through a tense moment will get you through the roughest spots and before you know it, you've come out on the other side - watching your favorite sitcom.

3. Hang with the happy people

Staying positive and keeping your sense of humor during a move requires a flat-out refusal to let others bring you down. When your move starts to get edgy, be careful who surrounds you. Avoid people with negative attitudes, neighbors who start to tear up every time you talk about your move date, and anyone who doesn't have a sense of humor.

Keep farewells and going-away parties positive affairs, and if anyone starts to drone on about all the things you’ll miss, pop his helium balloon.

4. Mantras and maxims

Moving is much like a competitive sport. So take a tip from athletes and others who need a jolt of inspiration and find cartoons, funny YouTube videos, quotes, and anything that will lift your spirits and improve your mood.

Keep a reminder on your desktop, put a sign on your nightstand or headboard, whatever it takes. However you choose to remind yourself that “this, too, shall pass” and “we’ll laugh about this someday,” keep reminding yourself that you’ll get through this move intact.

5. The old standby: Picture everyone naked

Not much explanation needed, here. It works for public speaking anxiety, it could work for moving stress. Note: Don’t tell your Realtor. We could get into trouble.

Moving Locally Tips & Local Moving Costs

Organizing a relocation could be very stressful, even if it is a short distance one. How does a local move differ from long distance relocation and what do you need to know to make it a smooth move? There are several factors that define the local moving prices and we will explain them to you plus all you need to know about having a smooth local relocation. To begin with, what is considered to be a local move is a relocation that is taking place at a distance of no more than 100 miles. The smaller distance of the move is an advantage in many ways – less travel for you (and your family), lower moving costs, no need for an overnight sleep for you or the moving truck driver, etc. Let’s see what preparation you need to have for an easy and successful local relocation.

Preparing Local Moving Supplies & Packing

If you want to organize your local moving yourself, you will need the right packing materials. Those are packing paper, bubble wrap, packing tape, moving or home blankets, boxes, markers and labels. You can use dishpack boxes for dishes and wardrobe boxes for clothes that come with hangers on the inside. Local moves take less time and travel than moving interstate and yet they shouldn’t be underestimated. Pack breakables carefully using packing paper. Be especially careful with electronics – it would be best to pack TV, computer, kitchen appliances, etc. in its original boxes. If you don’t have them, look for similar sized ones. For special items like a piano, it would be best to have professional movers pack them and move them.
If you will be moving your home on your own on a short distance, you could take some things in your car, use a trailer or hire a small van. For larger homes using a truck is very convenient – you fill it up with your household goods and just move them at one time. Make a floor plan so that you could easily arrange the furniture in your new home. In all cases, using a full service moving company is very convenient as it leaves just a bit of the work to be done on you (switch utilities, cancel subscriptions, find a new home to rent/ purchase and so on). Consider enough time for everything – packing, finding yourself a new home, looking for a job, etc. It is better to have ample time than get stressed in the last minute cause the movers you want to hire are already busy on your desired moving date. We have detailed instructions on changing your address when moving.

Approximate Local Moving Costs

Make your short distance move even easier by planning where to place furniture.

The local moving rates will vary based on the size of your home (number of rooms), type of items that are to be transported and the distance of the move. As for the cost per hour, you can expect to pay about $30 for a man and a truck. For two men and a truck the price could go up to about $120 an hour, for 3 men and a truck it will be $135 on average, and for 4 movers and a truck – up to about $160 – $170. If you want packing as well, add up another $30 an hour for the work approximately. The standard valuation is $0.60 per pound. Moving a studio apartment with 2 men would take no more than 3 to 4 hours and would cost you around $300 to $500 totally. A large home with 4 or more bedrooms and more than 5 moving men working on it would take about a day and a half work and a total cost of around $2,000 – $2,500. The expected tip rate for movers is about 10% of the total moving cost. Look forward to higher prices for moving during weekends and in peak periods like summer. If you want to know a more precise cost for moving short distance, you can get local moving quotes online here and find out.
But besides the moving estimate, you will also have other moving costs. Have in mind that whatever your moving quote states, you better separate about 10% of it extra for unexpected costs and such occur almost for every move. Spare money for your rent, daily expenses, utility bills, travel expenses to your new residence, and deposits you have to make. It is good to have enough savings before your move so that you can cover any extra expenses that will come up.

Moving Short Distance Tips

Do some research of the area if you don’t know it. Look for where the local shops are, hospital, doctor, auto repair shop, etc. No doubt you’ll find this info useful if you need it. Organize the cleaning after movers as well. It would be useful to prepare an open-first box as well. A last tip – try to make your move stress free as this would help you and everyone close to you relax and be more confident about the upcoming change rather than worry. Relax, focus on the positive side of moving and try to make the best of the situation.

Movers F.A.Q. – Frequently Asked Questions when Moving:

Moving is one of the most difficult things in life and lots of people get stressed by it because they have little or no knowledge about the process. The key to success, so to speak, comes with information and understanding of the relocation process. In the midst of preparing your move, there are plenty of questions you may wish to ask the movers. The most common ones provide the basic information that everyone should know before a move. We’ve selected the top movers FAQ that will come to your mind when relocating. What are they and what are their answers?

Moving Companies FAQ

1. How much will my move cost?
2. What is a quote and how do I get it?
3. How do I know if I have hired reliable movers?
4. Can I get a moving discount?
5. What is the best time to organize my relocation?
6. When should I book the movers?

How much will my move cost?

How do you estimate moving costs? Check out this article for the answer!

This is perhaps the most common ones of all moving company FAQ. Determining the budget you set for your moving will define when you will move (when you will have sufficient funds to do it), what you will move (the more things you want to take, the higher the cost for the relocation), what moving crew you will hire (the more the moving men, the higher the moving cost), etc. That is why understanding what forms the cost of your relocation is so important. There are several factors that mainly determine the cost of your move: the distance (locally or long distance), the amount and type of things to take (for example, moving larger furniture may be more costly), the services you want to use removals for and the prices of the moving company. This is what you need in order to be able to estimate moving costs.

What is a quote and how do I get it?

A quote is an approximation of your moving costs. It is based on the factors explained in the previous paragraph. Once you give this information to the movers, they will answer back with information about the price of your move. The more precise and accurate you are when providing information to the removals, the more precise the estimate will be. If you want to get a quote, you can find here the form to fill in. The more detailed information you ask for, the better.

How do I know if I have hired reliable movers?

There are several details that you should be aware of before hiring removals: what is their moving experience, what reviews do they have (you can check that up in our database with removal firms), what is their policy on losses or damages, and are they members of the American Moving and Storage Association, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Knowledge is the key to avoiding moving scam. All these will surely help you get the best moving company. All you have to do is keep yourself well informed.

Can I get a moving discount?

There are different discounts like coupons you can get from the moving company website, discounts for students, elderly people, the military, etc. Plus, you can check how to deduct moving costs from taxes. You can find reliable movers and at the same time get a quality move on an average cost. Of course that paying the highest possible price for a move does not guarantee 100 % that you will get the best moving service. That is why look for a moving company that has reasonable prices.

What is the best time to organize my relocation?

The best time to move in terms of cost is the off peak season. The summer months, weekends and weekdays tend to be more expensive because they are busier for the industry itself.

The best time to organize your move depends of course on the first place on your own needs. When it comes to moving cost, if you want to save on expenses you should avoid the peak times for moving when most people relocate. These are the summer in general, holidays, weekends, and beginning/ end of the month. This is the time when the movers are busier and they may place higher price for hiring. Always be informed on the movers’ tariffs for the day when you want to move so that you won’t get to pay more than you have expected.

When should I book the movers?

Begin your moving organization as soon as you know you will be moving. Book movers as soon as you can so that you have ample time to do it all. If you contact a moving company in the last minute, they may be already busy or charge you extra and you don’t want any of that, do you? So, the sooner, the better. Especially if you want to hire a more renowned company, you will have to contact it sooner. With some movers a week before your moving date could be a late notice; that is why try to arrange your moving company at least 2 weeks before your desired moving day.

What else do you need to know?

Besides the moving companies FAQ, stay aware of all the details of the move. Learn which are the question to ask movers as they will also assist you in defining which company to hire for your move. Asking questions is very important as no single article can cover all the important topics of moving and give you complete information. That is why use this article with packers and movers FAQ as a guide to a good start in your moving search.