Few things are more exciting than moving into a new home. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® works hard to make sure moving day is as smooth and stress-free as possible.
However, there are some things you as a homeowner or renter may need to know ahead of time to avoid any messy hang-ups when the big day comes around. We are invested in making sure your experience is perfect, so we've provided you with a handy checklist of the most commonly overlooked tips every customer should know:
Empty Your Drawers and Dressers
It may seem more efficient to leave clothes in dressers, but the weight adds up and can make the whole item incredibly heavy. We don't want you to have a slowdown in your move because of filled-up dressers. And during transit, if dresser drawers come open, your clothes may end up scattered all around the truck. We recommend packing clothing into boxes either in advance or letting our crews do that packing for you. We can sell you those boxes at competitive prices and deliver them to you ahead of time, not just for clothes but for any other household items you may need packed.
Defrost Your Appliances
Imagine our movers have just arrived at your new home with a truck full of your prized possessions, only to find that all of your boxes and furniture are sopping wet! What happened? If your freezer or refrigerator was not properly defrosted before transport, all that ice could have melted onto your precious items. Water or ice on the truck floor is also a potential slip hazard for our movers. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK recommends fully defrosting your cold appliances 24 to 48 hours ahead of time to ensure your safety and ours.
Contact Your Utility Company
In order for us to safely move gas-powered appliances like stoves, ovens, or radiators, these appliances must be safely disconnected from the main gas line. However, therein lies the problem: if your gas is not properly shut off, you run the risk of a dangerous leak when these appliances are moved. And when we move dishwashers and refrigerators, you don't want to risk a loose water line flooding your floors because your water was still turned on. This is why we recommend contacting your local utility company as soon as possible so these hazards can be safely avoided.
Contact Your Building or H.O.A.
Sometimes our movers are halted due to unforeseen restrictions. Perhaps you are moving into a condominium that requires movers to have a Certificate of Insurance submitted ahead of time, or maybe your current H.O.A. has restrictions on the times movers are permitted to work in your neighborhood. The last thing we want is for you to receive a fine or be turned away on moving day. If you are unsure whether you have any restrictions, we encourage you to reach out to the appropriate authorities for both your current and new homes and let us know about any potential roadblocks so we can take care of them for you.
Use The Right Boxes
The variety of boxes we provide has a range of uses for all your household item needs. While it might appear more intuitive to use large boxes for everything, especially if you have a lot of items to move, there are scenarios where smaller boxes are better. Packing smaller but dense items, such as books, videos, or albums, into large boxes can result in the box collapsing under its own weight when lifted. We don't want that hassle for you. This is the exact reason TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has such a wide range of boxes for purchase. We recommend packing those tiny-but-mighty items in smaller boxes to avoid any accidents, and our professional movers can even help you with any step of the packing process.
Label Those Boxes
If you have a garage, attic, or storage locker full of boxes, you have likely labeled them to make it easier to remember what's in each one. It saves you a lot of time when you go to look for exactly what you need. This is also an advantage when you move between homes. Taking the time to open each box and investigate what is inside and where it should go can significantly slow down unloading and therefore increase your final bill. We recommend labeling boxes during packing so we know exactly where to put them and you can start enjoying your new home sooner.
Keep Us In The Loop
Let's say you've just submitted a request for a free estimate over the phone, but as soon as you hang up, you realize you'll need more boxes for the hall closet you forgot about, or maybe you remembered the freezer in your garage. Don't fret! Give us a call, and we will be able to quickly adjust that estimate for you and give you an updated quote, all still complimentary. Something may also cause your ideal moving date to change. We account for that, too. We understand moving can be difficult sometimes, and things can change at every turn. With over 40 years in the business, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is able to overcome a variety of obstacles to make our service right for any situation.
We hope these tips have given you some new insight into what it takes to move. If you need us to elaborate on any of these tips or if you have any additional questions about the moving process, we are always happy to take your call and guide you through it. Happy moving!
