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Moving furniture can be especially challenging when you are moving to a new state or across the country. Even if you are relocating in the same city, moving heavy items can still be challenging and costly. Whether you are moving things around and rearranging to prepare for relocation or you just need to clear some space for house renovations, you need furniture moving services. It is better to hire movers than to strain your muscles trying to lift heavy furniture when you are not used to strenuous physical activity. Movers can help you avoid physical injury.
If you have looked for “furniture movers near me” and still did not find what you were looking for, it’s time to look deeper. There are reportedly 17,154 moving service companies in the US as of 2023 with an estimate of at least 2,670 moving businesses in California. For sure you will be able to find one. However, it is important to engage not only the cheaper option but hire the team you can trust.
What to look for when hiring professional movers
Engage only reputable moving companies on your next move to avoid making the relocation process more stressful than it already is. According to the Better Business Bureau, there are an average of 13,000 complaints and negative mover reviews every year. Reportedly, 40% of Americans have been scammed by moving companies and 14% have lost at least $3,000.
A good moving company will discuss with you its services and even connect you with reliable trucking services for the delivery of these items to your new apartment. Moving services usually include furniture movers and couch movers.
The following tips can come in handy when you are considering which moving services to hire:
While everyone would want to save up on costs, it is not as easy as looking for the cheapest rates available in the market. Affordability can mean different things for people from different economic brackets. When you have a lot of heirloom pieces and sentimental items, it may be more cost-effective to engage a professional mover instead of risking all your belongings trying to figure out relocation on your own.
It is not easy to find a reliable and trustworthy moving company. There is nothing worse than finding out there is no help coming on moving day. Check online and offline resources about the company’s track record. Ask for recommendations from family and friends who have gone through the moving process.
While the idea is saving money, hiring movers with no experience nor training can make the experience a hassle. Ask your movers how they plan to handle the moving process and how they have handled problems encountered by previous customers. It also pays to check what will be the weather on your moving date especially if you will be moving long distance. If there is an expected snowstorm on that day you might have to pay an additional cost to ensure everything will go as planned.
Not all moving companies have insurance coverage. Not all relocation journeys are smooth and problem-free. Although insurance coverage might cause the fees to skyrocket, if you have expensive stuff and you are preparing for a long distance move, these additional fees are actually a bargain. Piano moving or couch moving within the same city is already challenging. How much more if you need to move your piano out of state or out of the country? Delivery to a building with no elevator, requiring lifting bulky items above numerous floors and taking the stairs, this can easily pose a safety hazard.
Infographic provided by True Friends Moving Company
Planning ahead for your first relocation journey
If you are moving for the first time, chances are, you are going to get overwhelmed when you need to pack everything and relocate your whole house for a new job or other opportunities. Remember that you hire movers not just for moving furniture and chairs. You hire them to do the heavy lifting especially when you have no elevator and only a steep flight of stairs and expect pros to exercise care in handling your fragile stuff. Often these valuables are not just a single item. You could have a room full of breakables you cannot bear to part with.
Consider the following tips as a guide for hiring movers before you decide so you can find one that will fit your budget and expectations.
How much do you tip a mover?
If you are relocating for the first time, keep in mind that a good rule of thumb is to tip your movers for at least 15 to 20% of the total moving bill whether you are doing a local move or a long distance move. Be sure to tip in cash to avoid causing hassle to the mover. You can check out the moving companies’ website, review sites and other resources online to make an intelligent and informed decision. This way you will be able to evaluate more objectively.
Moving, especially interstate moves and long distance moves, entails a lot of hard work. You need to research about your new location and find where you can find essentials in the area. Packing is also important. A lot of household goods need to be wrapped carefully to avoid leaking its contents into other personal belongings. Contact a packing service that can also do loading and unloading of your stuff into moving trucks.
Aside from the actual work itself, since people are under pressure to complete the tasks, fluctuating emotions are common. In all such challenges, a mover is expected to maintain professionalism at all times. It is a good sign if the movers have a calm and collected demeanor. This means they can handle a high pressure high stakes situation like a sudden snowstorm while in transit to the new destination.
If you really have too many things and you cannot transport them in one go, you might want to entertain the ideas of renting a storage place for your personal belongings. Some companies rely on these spaces for rent when transferring to a new headquarters office. Note that this is often not part of moving fees and will incur additional costs.
What do you call a company that moves furniture?
These furniture moving services are often referred to as furniture mover. You can expect them to know the best approach in packing your entire home and wrapping everything meticulously so it stays in one piece during the move.
Note that not all moving companies offer furniture moving services. You may prefer to connect with local movers recommended by your family and friends. Remember that the best furniture movers would know how to take care of your belongings. Most people would rather pay the cost of high quality service to ensure that one item arrives in one piece than save on costs only to find out their collection of stemware did not survive the journey.
What is best way to move small amount of furniture?
It always pays to be intentional and minimal in purchasing stuff. It will save you from hours of sorting out and packing belongings to transport to your new home. You do not need to do all the heavy lifting. These workers can take over the loading and unloading of large pieces while being careful not to break any of its parts. Yes, you can bring your great grandmother’s piano with you.
Most people recommend using moving storage boxes and having your belongings shipped is the best way to move furniture, even a small amount of furniture. Of course, it will depend on the distance to be covered during the move and the boxes of belongings you are taking with you in your new life. Protect your inner peace.
Decide, Declutter and Donate non-essential items to the less fortunate
Have you tried out sorting through your belongings before letting reputable movers to help? Clothes are the easiest things to discard. You can always buy more clothes once you settle in your new apartment. If you are moving to a new state with a different climate than where you are coming from, you might even get an excuse for a new wardrobe.
Although not required, consider decluttering a room in your apartment before packing up. You might be surprised to find out that aside from that one item or a few belongings, you do not need a lot of stuff. This can help you manage the cost of packing, packing supplies and other moving-related expenses.
Engage professional packers and movers for fragile items and bulky awkward furniture
If you are a collector of antiques and highly-priced painting, the moving experience can be an anxiety-filled nightmare. Most probably, you have said your temporary goodbyes to Monet painting or a glass figurine from the turn of the century. You have done your best and worried constantly about packing and transporting your pool table and other specialty items in one piece.
There are professional experts who specialize on this service. They can pack your couch or sofa, your pianos while strictly adhering to a schedule. They can even carry these pieces down a flight of stairs in the event you building elevator decides to breakdown.
Hire movers, local furniture movers at an hourly rate
Evaluate which services you really need. Can you do the packing and unpacking on your own? Do you have friends and family who can do the loading and unloading of your boxes to moving trucks? If you have moved before, perhaps you still have a surplus of sturdy boxes and packing supplies. Allot a reasonable period of time to make an inventory of things you want to bring with you to your new apartment.
Another option is to choose an hourly rate if you are on a budget. This way you can gauge whether a 2-hour gig at $120 will suffice to move all your furniture, the average time you will need if moving within the same city.
Conclusion
Hiring a moving company and engaging furniture movers can be costly and time consuming if you do not plan beforehand. Rushing without getting to compare price points and costs can be expensive and frustrating when they lose your luggage. Imagine arriving in Boston for a new job that starts a few days after you get there and finding out your luggage is now in transit to another country.
Strategize your next move before engaging furniture movers. Aim to move light when you can. Look for moving services that offer to help you with other pre-move tasks such as packing and deep cleaning of your space and post-move tasks such as unpacking and organizing your new home.