Moving requires good organization and knowing what to carry and what to leave is often one of the big dilemmas when moving. Moving companies will charge you per volume, which means that decluttering is a good cost-cutting measure. A garage sale is a good way of offsetting your moving costs, and many people with varying degrees of success. Here are a few tips to make a successful garage sale even as you engage a Portland moving company for the moving day.
Good timing is very crucial to holding a successful garage sale. This is because many people will attend a garage sale as a by-the-way thing out of curiosity, and friendliness. A garage sale on a cold rainy weekday is unlikely to attract many attendants. You should try to slot a garage day on a weekend with friendly weather. You can slot it for the whole weekend, which allows as many people as possible to come.
Go room by room making a list of what you don’t need. Start with the attic and shed where you have stashed unused items. You will likely feel emotionally attached to many of the items but you should be judicious about it. You can ask a friend to make the list, as there is no attachment.
If you feel that the items are too few, you can consider your neighbors to join in. A bigger garage sale will offer more variety and a bigger crowd.
A garage sale is largely a community thing. This means that your first customers will be your neighbors and friends. Let them know with word of mouth. Make nice posters and post them on the local notice boards at church, retail store, and other visible spots. Have digital versions of the posters on your Facebook wall and neighborhood groups.
Remember that the alternative to selling these items is giving them away for charity, or outright trashing. Be as flexible as possible, while avoiding to look like you are offloading trash. You could offer discounts as high as 60% on current prices. Have bulk deals as well, for whole sets, which helps clear the items quickly.
Get tables, racks, hangers, and other presentation aides to make your items presentable, and easy to pick out.
Remember to take care of the legalities. A successful garage sale can take a huge load off your list while putting a few dollars in your pocket to make the moving experience smoother.
It is almost guaranteed that you will move houses twice or thrice in a lifetime; after getting married, and then to a bigger house as more kids come, and finally to your permanent purchased or built home. But you may have to move more frequently because of your job or other factors. While moving may not be a yearly event, it makes sense to recycle moving supplies for cost-effectiveness and also as an environmental conservation effort. While moving companies in Portland will provide some of the supplies as part of the contract, it is cheaper and more convenient to have your own.
You should sort out long and short durability supplies. Cardboard boxes that come with electronics such as the TV or the fridge should not be disposed of. There are those that you buy from the bookstore, which you can keep for using the next time. But things like newspapers, napkins and biodegradable packing peanuts. What can you do with these moving supplies after moving?
Cardboard is a durable material that can last for years when properly stored. Avoid storing cardboard packing boxes in damp storage or outdoors. They will be good enough to last until your next move.
You can put these supplies to other uses. Large packing boxes can function containers for dirty clothes in the bedroom. Smaller boxes can be used to make playthings for kids such as mazes, castles and car toys. Newspapers and napkins can be used to light fires if you need to make outdoor fires.
You can ask your Portland movers to take away the boxes for their next customer. This can be deducted for a few dollars if you have the haggling skills. You can also post on the local notice board for anyone who needs moving supplies to take them away.
It is important to recycle moving supplies as your contribution to environmental conservation. It can also save you a few bucks.
Most people hate the idea of packing and even worse the process. Well, if you are planning a move, packing is not one of those tasks you can avoid, even if you hire a Portland moving company. You can make it easier though, if you got rid of all those things that do not have to come with you to the new house. How do you get rid of those items you choose to leave behind? Successful Garage Sale before relocation.
When is the best time to hold a garage sale? You want to catch the attention of as many people as possible to increase of chances of selling. Schedule your timing around summer to early fall when people are mostly outdoors and on weekends when people are less busy. It is best to begin the sale early in the day to take advantage of those who have not yet planned for their day. The following tips will help you to organize a successful garage sale;
Now that you have settled on an actual date, it is time to decide on the items you will be selling. Go from room to room and collect all the items that have not been used for a while since they might have gotten small or gone out of style. You might come across some items you are better off tossing in the trash so make sure these do not find their way to the garage sale. People will buy almost anything provided it is still in good condition. Full service movers might charge for the size of load – make is as small as possible.
With social media, it is a lot less tasking to announce a upcoming event. In addition to posting it on your neighborhood’s social media pages, make posters to pin up on strategic locations around the area. If you include the date, hours and a rough list of what you will be selling, you are likely to receive a stream of rather deliberate buyers.
You need to get the sale area as organized as possible and this is only possible with some effort. Get a basket to place all the toys in, a garment rack to hang the clothes, tables on which to place cartons with various items and tags to display the prices. It is also important to keep in mind that some buyers may come with currency denominations that require you to give change – get at least loose change for the largest denomination possible.
Decide on the sales price for each of the items you are selling and put a tag on it. If items of the same type are priced the same, you can go ahead and place them together. For instance, all blouses costing a certain price can be put in one rack or basket.
By the time the sale is over, you will have made some money and gotten rid of most items – the rest can now be donated to charity or recycled depending on their condition.
Moving is a process that requires proper planning. Some people take months to prepare while others don’t have adequate time for preparation. They will hurriedly pack their stuff before starting to consider going through the certified moving companies in Portland. Such people don’t mind hiring commercial movers Portland or residential moving companies for moving help as long as they can accomplish their goals conveniently. Moving in a short period of time comes with its pros & cons.
Hiring a credible Portland moving company to relocate you to a new destination can cultivate new opportunities for you. People move abruptly in search of greener pastures. The lucky ones end up with exciting new experiences in new environments. In other words; moving puts you in a better position to find better working positions, career growth and even greater educational opportunities for your little ones.
Are you seeking a Fresh Start? Well, hire moving company Portland and get started. Relocating to a new environment might be what you need to declutter your life and start life afresh. Sometimes, leaving your past life behind is a great idea. You don’t have to stay in a place where you’re finding it difficult to beat negative old habits. Moving in a short period of time doesn’t have to be a stressful affair if you can find a reputable local moving Portland company. It’s time to discover new places, experiences and exciting things that will help you improve the quality of your life.
Moving in a short period of time allows you to declutter your space. You’ll have made up your mind on what stuff is important or not by the time you’re scouting Portland movers. This adrenaline-generating task allows you to only pack valuables thus giving you very limited time to be emotional when letting go of the useless things you’ve been clinging onto yet don’t need them.
Relocating to a new location in a short span of time can be a blessing in disguise. In fact, moving urgently pushes you out of your comfort zone by encouraging you to do more within the shortest time possible. Resultantly, you’ll be able to deal better with pressure and stress. Additionally, and you’ll have the confidence to focus on achieving your goals successfully even when under pressure.
With the help of Oregon movers or not, moving in a short period of time can be quite stressful for many people. You’ll be required to pack all your essential stuff carefully to avoid damaging or breaking them. Prepare for major emotional breakdowns when moving with a short timeframe.
With limited time to pack your stuff, you’ll find it difficult and stressful doing it alone. In such events, hiring professional full-service movers is the only option. As a result, you’ll end up paying shelling out higher moving rates to Movers Portland for moving help as compared to someone else who has all the time to book for Oregon Portland local movers beforehand.
With the help of moving companies in Portland, moving doesn’t have to be a nerve-racking, frustrating and time-consuming affair. For a hassle-free moving, you should take care of certain essential tasks on move-in day. Here are 10 tasks that should be completed on move-in day:
Consider sorting through your stuff before moving out of your current home. Start by separating the important things from the junks. Make extra cash by hosting a yard sale right before you start moving. Alternatively, you can donate the things you don’t need to charity as a prudent way of doubling your blessings.
With the right packing supplies such as boxes, cushioning materials, scissors, tape, newspapers and bubble wrap, moving can be an exciting and stress-free experience. Interestingly; you can also acquire high-quality second-hand boxes and additional packing supplies from commercial movers Portland.
Want peace of mind? Hire a trustworthy local moving Portland company that offers high-quality service at an affordable rate. Consider comparing quotes from different Portland movers until you find the right full-service movers.
Planning your journey makes life much easier for you when moving to your new home Consider choosing an appropriate moving date, confirm the time of arrival with your movers, know the route to your new address, and check the traffic routines beforehand for your convenience.
Change your address before moving out of your current home. You can contact your local post office via call, email or even notify them of your new address in person to avoid unnecessary inconveniences. You need to maintain your communication with your insurer, bank, credit card companies, and even friends/relatives/colleagues.
Consider starting packing your belongings early enough if you want a smooth moving. Sort your stuff early, fill those boxes with what you need and label them accordingly to avoid a stressful moving out day. Being organized is an excellent way of making your life easier when moving in or out.
Don’t call your local moving Portland Company before ensuring that all the utilities in your current home including gas, electricity, TV, internet, and water are disconnected. Contact all the relevant utility companies as soon as possible to make the necessary arrangements to avoid unnecessary hassles with them.
Residential moving companies will take you wherever you want, but will not check your utilities. It is your responsibility to ensure that the home you are about to move into has running utilities such as clean water, heat/AC, electricity, gas, phone, internet and TV connections.
Don’t ever start unpacking your stuff before cleaning your new home extensively. You can either do it yourself or seek help from cleaning service companies at a fee. Cleaning makes your life stress-free after moving.
You’re finally home at last. Now, start unpacking all your most essential stuff including beddings, foodstuffs, toiletries, clothes, and cleaning supplies for easy accessibility.
The holiday season is quite a hectic time of the year. You have to make time for shopping for gifts, putting up holiday decorations, and visiting friends & family. It’s safe to say moving during the holidays can be stressful, if not downright overwhelming.
Lucky for you, we have got some holiday moving tips up our sleeves. Keep reading to make your holiday move a breeze!
Professional organizers recommend that you get rid of all the junk from your house as soon as you plan to move. It’s not rocket science. The more unnecessary things you remove from your place, the fewer the items you’ll have to pack. According to expert Portland movers, anything that has not been used for the past twelve months should go. Doing a thorough purging of all items you don’t need can do wonders for the ease and efficiency of your packing.
The beauty of a moving checklist is that it ensures that you make a smooth and organized move. It will act as a reminder for you to do everything correctly. Clear the driveway, check. Buy boxes, check. Hire the right Portland local movers, check. Do you catch my drift? The value of working off a moving checklist to a winter move is absolute.
The last thing you want is to rush to a home improvement store for more boxes at the last minute. If you think you need 20 boxes, for example, it’s best to get 25. Trust me; it can save you plenty of headaches.
You can always snag good deals on moving boxes. Heck, you can get them for free. Check out our earlier post here on where you can garner moving boxes for free!
It’s crucial that you start packing several weeks before the moving date. You can use your garage as the central packing spot. Go from room to room, picking essential items and decluttering.
Whether you are moving across the street, to a neighboring town, or out of state, it pays to know the best travel route. Without this, you can end up in a gridlock of traffic, and delay your move-in day.
Hire the best Portland local movers to make your holiday move easy. Read online reviews and get recommendations to hire the right moving company in Portland. Get a few references too. They will help you ascertain credibility and reliability of the said moving company in Portland OR. Even better, you can hire full-service movers to help you with everything, including packing.
Making a move to another place can be quite stressful. And packing is a crucial part of that move. Some say it’s as easy as a walk in the park. Others cringe even the thought of packing for a move.
Either way, packing without a proper plan can make your move a colossal headache. But we’ve some trade tricks and tips poised to make the whole process manageable – or even quite joyful!
Professional organizers recommend that you get rid of all the junk from your house as soon as you plan to move. It’s not rocket science. The more unnecessary things you remove from your place, the fewer the items you’ll have to pack. According to expert Portland movers, anything that has not been used for the past twelve months should go. Doing a thorough purging of all items you don’t need can do wonders for the ease and efficiency of your packing.
Any item that could be used by someone else should be donated. Do you feel it’s unusable? Thrash it.
Sorting items by category – and not by room – is a no-brainer when prepping for packing. For instance, you can sort all articles of clothing in your house, instead of clearing out an entire bedroom.
The last thing you want is to rush to a home improvement store for more boxes at the last minute. If you think you need 20 boxes, for example, it’s best to get 25. Trust me; it can save you plenty of headaches.
You can always snag good deals on moving boxes. Heck, you can get them for free. Check out our earlier post here on where you can garner moving boxes for free!
Movers can make or break your move. Read online reviews and get recommendations to hire the right moving company in Portland. Get a few references too. They will help you ascertain credibility and reliability of the said Portland local movers. Even better, you can hire full-service movers to help you with everything, including packing.
Whether you are moving across the street, to a neighboring town, or out of state, it pays to know the best travel route. Without this, you can end up in a gridlock of traffic, and delay your move-in day.
A packing list (or better yet, a moving checklist) can help you stay on top of your packing. It’ll guide you on what, how, and where to pack your items.
Moving to a new home is stressful as it is. There are so many things that go into the planning to make the move a success. One of the best ways to make your move manageable and enjoyable is to hire a moving company.
Sure, there are myriad of moving companies in Portland Oregon and out there. But, it is crucial that you know your rights and familiarize yourself with terminologies used in the industry.
That being said, there are two types of movers – the interstate movers and the intrastate movers. It’s essential that you know the difference so you can choose the right one for your move. Picking the wrong type of a moving company could potentially cost you money and cause you lots of headaches.
Interstate movers do what the name says – they move items across state lines. In some cases, interstate movers conduct international moves. Since interstate moving companies move goods out of state, they are typically not regulated by state local agencies. Instead, they are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, popularly shortened FMCSA, regulations, and rules.
If you enlist the services of an interstate mover, it’s considered an interstate move even if the moving company doesn’t actually cross state lines. Interstate movers are, naturally, used for long-distance moves which often mean passing through many states. More often than not, it costs more to hire interstate movers than intrastate movers.
FMCSA requires that all interstate movers be registered and licensed with them. Every interstate mover has a unique US DOT number that you can run by FMCSA database to get all the information about the moving company.
Unlike interstate movers, intrastate moving companies in Oregon complete a move without crossing state lines. You can say they are Portland local movers.
As such, FMCSA regulations and rules don’t apply to intrastate movers. Nonetheless, local US Department of Transportation offices and state agencies provide precise terms and conditions these movers must abide by. Some states like California have stringent regulation and licensing guidelines for intrastate movers. The good thing is that most Portland local movers usually cost far much less than interstate movers.
That being said, there are things to keep in mind about intrastate movers. For one, they can charge you additional fees for long distance intrastate moves. That is why you need to look deeper into the charges and costs that every intrastate moving company charge.
Bringing in a moving company in Portland OR can make your move manageable, and (dare I say?) enjoyable. However, finding reputable movers who will show up and do a bang-up job is no picnic. You have to do some due diligence.
One of the best ways to ascertain the credibility of moving companies is to check their credentials. That means you’ve to check if the said Portland local movers have insurance, proper licenses, certifications, and so forth.
It’s somewhat laughable how some people are still scammed of their hard-earned money by online “movers.” Some hire moving companies from Craiglist and end up losing their money as well as their valuables. Don’t fall prey to these conniving thieves – check basic info like address, phone number, email or even the name with a simple Google search. Such a trivial move can save you a massive headache.
Better Business Bureau is a god-sent when it comes to cross-checking a moving company’s credentials. They have an easy to navigate website where you can find everything about BBB-accredited movers in Portland. You can check out their standing, complaints, reviews, and an array of other credentials. This should be your first stop.
FMCSA website boasts a snazzy tool that can help you locate licensing information for any interstate moving company. You will need the movers’ US DOT number to key into the search bar. And with a click of a button, you will be availed with all the details you need.
If your moving company operates intrastate, you will have to contact a local US Department of Transportation office to get information above. Even so, you will still need the moving company’s US DOT number.
Most people would shy away from contacting an insurance provider, but it can be a huge lifesaver. The insurer can tell you if the movers’ policy is still genuine or not. You can also confirm with the insurance company what’s covered and what is not.
If you don’t want to go through all the trouble with the insurance company, you can still view the moving company’s insurance information from the FMCSA website under “Insurance Data.”
These are just but a few ways to confirm movers’ credentials. You can also contact their references to ascertain their credibility.
I won’t lie to you; not all movers are created equal. Reputable Portland movers will show up and do a bang-up job, leaving you with a big smile. Then there are the fly-by-nights, the shady folks who just want to get paid.
So how can you tell them apart? After all, you are paying top-dollar to get the best Moving company Portland.
Check out our trade tricks below for choosing the perfect moving company in Portland (or any other place, for that matter).
You want movers who’ll deliver a fabulous job. That is why it pays to ask how long they have been in the moving business. Don’t fool yourself; experience matters and a track record reveal a mover’s capability to deliver each time. For example, you want to know if your potential movers have dealt with vintage paintings or delicate furniture.
The best way to know if a moving company is experienced is to ask past clients, read professional reviews, and check out credentials. Don’t settle for just anything – go for the most experienced movers in Portland Oregon.
If you are moving out of state, it’s crucial that the moving company is registered and licensed with the FMCSA (Federal Motor Car and Safety Administration). The last thing you want is for your stuff to be impounded on the road. Ensure that you movers are licensed by searching their US DOT number in US Department of Transportation or FMCSA database.
Licensing can also be paramount for some intrastate movers. In fact, some states may also require moving companies to acquire state licenses. Check with local US Department of Transportation office to see if the movers are duly licensed.
If you don’t want your move to be a disaster, it’s best that you don’t make a substantial down payment. It’s a big no-no. After all, good Portland local movers won’t demand a large deposit or cash.
Most scammers who parade online as moving companies usually ask for a huge deposit and never show up for the move. Don’t fall prey to these conniving online scammers; don’t pay any down payment to a company that has not conducted a pre-move survey. Even better, you can remit the deposit using a credit card to keep fraudsters at bay.
Don’t hesitate to ask for recommendations from people your trust. There’s a good chance that your friends, colleagues or relatives know or have worked with a reputable moving company in Oregon in the past. Collect at least five recommendations; they will come handy when choosing the right movers for your job.
Information at your fingertips – that’s the beauty of the internet. In the digital era, it’s easy to know what others are saying about a moving company. Does the moving company have reviews online? Movers without reviews online are undoubtedly inexperienced. Check out the mover’s rating with BBB (the Better Business Bureau). A good standing with BBB shows that the company is reputable and delivers a good job each and every time.
You can also check out online reviews from social media websites such as Google, Yelp, Citysearch, TrustLink, Angielist, and so forth. These sites will give you a glimpse into other customer’s experiences with the movers. Yelpers can be your best friend when looking for genuine reviews. Needless to say, moving companies in Portland with bad reviews should be avoided at all cost.
Good movers often offer a free estimate or an accurate quote. In fact, the estimate or quote should list all charges involved clearly, without any ambiguity. Hidden fees or questionable charges are a tell-tale sign of a bad moving company. A good moving company should be able to explain each charge or fee in great detail.
Before presenting you with an estimate or a quote, each company should visit your home and assess your belongings. This way, they can take inventory of your stuff in order to offer you an accurate estimate. You can use estimates to choose the moving company, plan, and budget for the move without much hassle.
Have the movers won any award or accolade? If a moving company has not been recognized with an accolade, the chances are that they are not going to win you either. Don’t forget that great credibility and recognition are vitally important when picking the right Portland local movers. After all, no one gives an incredible review to a moving company that does a shoddy job.
There you are – top tips on how to choose the right moving company for your move. With these handy tips, you can rest assured you’ll find the right guy.
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