Dear Tom,

I’m writing to you about a moving company which last week moved me and my family from New Haven, Connecticut to Dallas, Texas. The company, Reliance Relocation DOT 1505274, gave me a very low quote, comparing to other Moving Companies so I had my doubts regarding the move.

On the day of the move, I’ve got a call from the Reliance office and already thought to myself that they were going to cancel or give me some other bad news, but the lady just asked if it’s ok for the movers to arrive earlier. They worked very fast and within 5 hours were out of my house after I signed all the papers.

4 days later they were at my new home, I took a flight to meet them there and guide them on where to unpack everything from their truck.

Everything was in perfect condition, except a few things I’ve packed myself, but they were not important.

I want you to recommend this company on my behalf if anyone inquires about its services. I can only say good things about them.

Please see attached all the required documents you’ve requested.

Regards,

Regie Sweel, TX

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Have a great moving season.

Pre-plan - Visit the vet and make him aware of the shift. Get a thorough check-up done including all required vaccines. Most states have their own laws regarding the entry of animals. It’s a good idea to call up a good vet in the state capital if moving to a new state, and find out what documents you need. Procure the same from the local vet.

Moving by road: If moving by road, take your pet out on frequent short trips (like when running errands) so that your pet gets used to traveling in the automobile. This will also get your pet used to you leaving the car for short intervals. See if the animal feels more comfortable in a pet carrier or finds a safe spot in the car. In case you see signs of anxiety, consult the vet regarding sedatives. Make bookings with a hotel/motel that allows pets, and keep the numbers of vets in the area in case of emergencies. Keep all the things that you will need including pet food, water, bowls, and chews and don’t forget a first aid kit. Newspapers or sheets are a must to keep the car clean. Also make sure your pet has proper identification - tags with name, your address, cell phone number and rabies tags. You want your pet to be safe in case it gets lose.

If you’re flying to your new destination, try and book a direct flight. Enquire about counter-to-counter service if you can afford to spend a little extra. Your pet will be carried on and off the flight by an employee of the airline. Ask the vet if he can provide tranquilizers for the pet before you head to the airport.

Once you arrive at the destination, do the best you can to get your pet adjusted to the new environment. Try and set up the bed and toys in a location similar to the earlier home. The regular feeding and exercise routine should be resumed as soon as possible. Also introduce it to the neighbours and staff if any. If you can, hire a trainer who can be with your pet for some time.

Most of the above has been written keeping in mind mostly cats and dogs, but some part applies to all animals. So, if moving with an unusual pet, contact the local pet store for recommendations.

If you have children, it is but obvious that you will need to consider their school term and vacations. Most people try and wait for the term to end, so that they can comfortably move during the vacations. This is fine as long as you don’t move immediately after the term ends. Give your kids some time to get used to the idea of moving, to say their goodbyes to friends and neighbours. Also allow yourself and the kids some time to settle down. Take the kids to the new school, and introduce them to their new teachers if possible. Some people are of a different opinion and say the kids won’t have friends to spend time with during the vacation. I say that always holds true, and this way they would have time to adjust to their new home and be better prepared for the new school year.

The same applies to you as well.

Try and avoid moving prior to major holidays which is when you’re supposed to spend time with your family. These may include Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and so on. Same goes for birthdays, anniversaries and the like. Move some time before the starting of the holiday season so that you get a sense of belonging and being a part of the community by then. Even moving immediately after a holiday isn’t a bad idea. It’s a rather good time say your goodbyes to friends as well as family at get-togethers.

As for the cost, rates are bound to be high as summer is peak season for moving. Make sure you check with the movers regarding bookings, availability, and service. Often students wanting summer jobs replace full-time employees leading to a change in the level of service. Keep that in mind. It does cost extra to move during the summers, but then moving in winters is not easy. Travel is tough, and there is a risk of items getting damaged in case of sudden and/or extreme climate changes. Summers on the other hand provide near perfect weather, school is off, and help is easily available.

Decide on a tentative date for the sale and give yourself at least three weeks to prepare. Fridays or Saturdays are the best for a garage sale because its the weekend and people don’t have to go to work the next day. Avoid Sundays as your tentative customers might have plans for a weekend outing. Set a sale time that is convenient for you, and should get max customers, say 10am to 5pm.

You can host the sale in your yard, garage + driveway or the basement. In case you’re moving out of an apartment and don’t have these options, a friend’s yard or if nothing else, a flea market is where you need to go.

The success of any sale is dependent on the publicity it gets. So advertising, and good advertising, is very important. The more people know, the more customers you get and the more you sell. You could use any or all of the following methods to advertise the sale:

• Newspaper Ads
• Public Bulletin Boards
• Word of Mouth
• Signs showing the way

Give an ad in your local daily with a suitable title and your address. Depending on the charges, promote the best items in your sale to attract people. Libraries, laundry-mats, stores have bulletin boards where people can put up notices. Put up fliers there, and hand out more to the crowd at these places. Of course, tell your family and friends, and tell them to tell their friends. Word of mouth spreads easy, fast and cheap. Also, on the day of the sale, put up big clear signs in your area that lead to your place, or wherever you’ve hosted the sale.

The advertising is done, now to set up. Put price tags on every item. Categorise - put the furniture one side, electronics and appliances one side, the clothes one side. If you want to make it look more attractive, set up the clothes on a rack, stack the books neatly and so on. Also make sure everything is clean and shiny to enhance the feel good factor. Remember to keep lots of bags, boxes and newspapers for packing the sold items. Hopefully, things will be good.

Of course you won’t be able to sell everything (unless you’re super-duper lucky), so you’ll have some stuff left over. The best thing to do with this is donate. If it was in the sale, you probably didn’t need it anyways. So go ahead, do a good deed, and you shall be rewarded.

Research is the keyword when making this decision. Check the yellow pages, surf the web, talk to your friends or colleagues, get all the info you can. Do this and make a rough list of the supposedly good ones. The next stop should be the BBB or the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org). This is where you can check out the if the companies have any complaints registered against them, and most probably you will find some. Also, check with the Department of Transportation (DoT) regarding the companies’ licenses. The last thing you want is to be scammed by a new company with a name similar to an already established one.

Once you’ve done this much, relax for a while. You’re halfway through! Ok now, back to work. Whatever queries you have in mind, write them down on a piece of paper. Remember to include pick-up, delivery, expenses etc. Now call up all the shortlisted companies, put to them all the questions that you wrote, and note down whatever they tell you, so that you can compare later. Any good company will send an estimator to your place who will provide you with an estimate regarding the weight of your goods and the corresponding cost of transporting them. If a company is unwilling to do so, please willingly efface its name from your list.

Next, obtain a WRITTEN quote from the company. This quote would depend on the weight of the goods, the distance of the move, fragile items, pickup and delivery, and the day/date of the move ( weekend and holiday rates are usually higher than other days). You can choose from a variety of plans depending on what your movers offer, for example movers pack ‘n’ move, or you pack and they move. As such, a company cannot charge you more than 10% above the originally quoted price, but to be on the safer side, get a NOT TO EXCEED clause included in the contract. This protects you from being overcharged even if the cost incurred by them is more. All this must be documented in paper. This is your only scam protection.

Well, you’re almost done. You have the research, the reviews and the rates. Just see what suits you best, and come to a decision. Also, remember to make bookings a month or two in advance. You don’t want to be stuck at the last moment. Just keep all this in mind and you should have no trouble at all.

PREPARING KIDS FOR THE MOVE

• Make sure that your kids meet all their best friends before leaving town…if possible, arrange a small party for them. You can get some presents for them to make them feel special. It would also be a good idea to create a photo album for them so that they can cherish their dearest memories…
• Getting the kids to psychologically accept the move is very important. Sit down and talk with them frankly and on a regular basis before the move. Make them understand the necessity of the move, and how your new place will be better for them to grow.
• To get your kids excited about the move, it would be a good idea to make your new home beautiful and enjoyable for them. Decorate their rooms with posters and paintjobs based on their favourite characters…get their favourite toys for them…basically create an atmosphere in which they feel welcome.
• Before the move, try to get acquainted with some of your new neighbours, and if possible get your kids introduced to their new playmates. It would also be a good idea to take them to visit their new school, and some of the best sights of your new neighbourhood.

MISSION: MOVING!!

• Ensure that they are satisfied with the way their belongings are packed, and comfortable with the idea of the move.
• Don’t expose them to the hardships associated with moving… If possible send them to a friend’s house when all the rough work is being done. It’s essential that they stay comfortable all the time.
• Do something special to make them feel special during the actual travelling… you could take some special mode of transport which you normally wouldn’t.
• Once in your new neighbourhood, try to make settling into the new atmosphere as easy for them as possible… get them their favourite things to eat, and take them out often.

Make sure that your kids are in their comfort zone before, during and after the move. Don’t let them loose their cheerfulness. Try to make life more colourful for them!!

High fuel prices are causing Moving Companies a lot of damage. Diesel has gone up by almost fifty percent at $5 a gallon, and gasoline is at $4 a gallon. House sales are down, and the real estate industry is also going through a slump, which is having an adverse effect on relocation firms. “What is happening is that not as many people are moving. They’re staying put,” said economist John Husing.
The companies are not allowed to add fuel surcharge, which is turning out to be a big problem. Companies that do only household moves are struggling even more. Some are putting off their paychecks, and some are even selling their assets to take care of them.

Sirva Inc., based outside Chicago, suffered net losses of $750 million over the past three years, and filed for bankruptcy protection last year. Says Jill Longo of Andy’s Transfer & Storage, “At a time like this, we cannot overprice due to the competition and declining business. We just hope we’ll be able to pull through.”

It is very important that you have a clear idea regarding all the places you would want to get your address changed. It would be a good idea to sit down a few weeks before your planned move and think of all such places… Make a list of everything that comes to your mind. The first ones would be mobile phone service providers, magazines and banks… but you’ll discover that there are many others as well.

Visit your local post office and have them change your address officially. It would be a huge bonus if you can get your mail redirected too. This procedure is generally not too difficult, and if the officials happen to be cooperative, it can be carried out with relative ease.

Sequentially arrange all the subscriptions you currently hold. Apply to have the important ones transferred to your new address (This facility is easily available these days…). If you have some business concerns (such as stocks, etc.) then get in touch with the people you deal with and get your mail redirected.

Next comes your cell phone. If you intend to keep your current connection, apply to have the billing address changed to your new place. Otherwise, you can get your connection cancelled. Its very easy to procure a new one these days, you should face any problems on that front.

If you’re not changing jobs, ensure that your residential address is modified in their records…else you might miss some important correspondence. Also, if you intend to have your kids study in the same schools, then have your address changed with them so that all report-cards and the like are delivered safely.

Last but not the least, get in touch with your bankers and have your address changed with them. It’s really important that you receive your bank statements and credit/debit card bills at your new address (otherwise the fines are really hefty…)

If you follow these simple steps, you shouldn’t face too much trouble in getting your mail at your new home… But despite your best efforts, it’s possible that some of it might still creep into your old mailbox ;-P. It’s advisable to get a friend of yours to check your mailbox at some convenient interval and redirect it to you…!!

Lincoln moving and storage is a local moving company working in Ohio since 1904 which was purchased in 1975 by Parma Movers.

This news adds up with more & more merges that are taking place in recent years by huge corporations over small, local Moving Companies.

Bekins already has about 300 agents all over the USA which guarantees they can take any job, but the big question that we will see in the near future is if their clients are happy with their service as the move is not done by bekins, but only with local small companies that had decided to affiliate with Bekins Moving in order to try and save themselves with the costs of advertising.