Ready to move? Don’t wait until the last minute to get things ready. To avoid stress and complications, make sure you have these 10 things ready at least a few days before moving day.

1. Enough moving supplies, including cardboard boxes, packing peanuts and tape to seal the boxes.

2. Moving blankets to wrap furniture and fragile items.

3. A list of useful phone numbers for your new location, including your own, the movers’ local office, takeout food and a hotel midway to your destination in case you need to spend a night on the road.

4. A small moving box containing essentials, such as toothpaste and toothbrush, a towel, toilet paper, a first-aid kit, a cup and other things you might need on your first night at your new home. Having this available means you won’t have to dig in ten different moving boxes to get you through your first night.

5. A book or magazine to help you relax. It helps to take short breaks in between packing/unpacking to calm your mind and rest your body.

6. A large bottle of water. You’re bound to get thirsty with all the work you’ll be doing.

7. A sleeping bag if you’re moving in winter. Do you really want to sleep on the floor when you first arrive? Chances are you won’t be putting your bed together on your first night in the new place.

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Professional movers have an unwritten 30-pound rule. This means cardboard boxes should not weigh more than 30 pounds. Heavier moving boxes are more likely to break and cause injury to those moving them.

If you have lots of electronics, take a picture of how the wiring is connected. It might seem like a simple thing, but connecting 10 different colored wires can turn into a headache, especially if you no longer have the original manuals. So before you take the items apart and box them, get a digital record of their connection.

Mark your packing boxes with permanent markers. Pens, pencils and thin markers can disappear if the moving boxes get wet. Even if the words are still there, you won’t be able to read the words that easily. If you have moving boxes marked “fragile,” you’ll want movers to be able to see the word clearly.

File your change of address with the post office at least 30 days before moving. Then write your new address on all the boxes. If for some reason they get separated from the rest, they can still be delivered to the right place.

Start early. Don’t wait until moving day to finish packing boxes. The boxes should be done, sealed and ready to go at least a day before. Preferably more, so you have a day to relax before the movers arrive. On moving day, wake up early and take a walk around the house to make sure everything’s ready to go.

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1. Check with your insurance company to see if you are already covered by your own insurance. If you are, you might not need to buy additional insurance when renting a moving truck. Bring all related paperwork with you on the day of renting.

2. Take your driver’s license and a credit card with you to the rental office.

3. Buy insurance coverage for your goods. There are usually several types of insurance, of which total loss is the best, as it will cover you against anything that can happen along the way, including accidents, theft or breakage.

4. Find out what tools, if any, are provided with the rented truck. Moving blankets are essential to prevent scratches, for example. If you have your own, then use them; if not, rent or ask for some. The same is true of moving boxes and other needed objects. Your warranty might be nulled if your items are damaged because you didn’t take the proper precautions.

5. Inspect the moving truck for damages before taking it and signing the contract. If there are problems (both cosmetic and to the mechanics of the vehicle), have them noted in your contract so there are no misunderstandings.

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Before you finish packing those moving boxes for your move, you will need to deal with utilities in two ways: by turning off the ones in your old home and turning on the ones in the house waiting for you. While this may seem like a simple endeavor, it’s important to keep some things in mind during the process.

1. Arrange with the utility companies for a day to turn utilities off. Give them an approximate time of day (morning or evening) and make sure to call back a couple of days in advance to verify the appointment. You will either need to transfer the account you have with the companies (if you’re moving within the same city) or open a new account.

2. Start with the essentials: electricity, water and gas.

3. Move on to other bills and services, including cable/satellite, Internet and trash pickup. If you have subscription to special neighborhood services, such as security or renter’s insurance, you will also need to deal with those.

4. Don’t forget to file a notice with the post office to have your mail forwarded to the new address.

5. If you have kids in school, you should start the registration process early, even if you’re moving during summer vacation. You will need paperwork from the previous school and you should talk to the new school to find out if there are any specific forms they need in advance.

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As you prepare to pack and move, you probably are keeping track of the big things, such as buying moving boxes, contracting the moving company and getting your stuff packed. In the chaos of the move, however, it’s easier to forget the smaller things. Things that can make the move a lot less painful and the start of your new life a lot easier.

1. Let everybody know you’re moving. This includes the post office (so they can forward your email), magazines you subscribe to, friends and family members, and bill collectors and credit card companies.

2. Talk to your insurance company to inform them about your new address and to ensure coverage continues without interruption.

3. Call companies to schedule turning off your utilities at your old home and turning them on at your new address. You can arrange this in advance and simply give them a date and time (morning, mid-afternoon or end of the day).

4. Find out in advance if you need special paperwork to move your pets with you. If you are planning on stopping en route and sleeping in a hotel, make sure to call in advance and find out if they accept pets. Make a reservation if possible.

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Moving out of a rental place is a lot different than selling your house and moving. For starters, moving dates are usually not flexible. This means you will have to much of the prep work in advance and ensure that everything is packed in moving boxes and out the door by the time you’re meant to turn the keys in. Not doing so could result in penalties or problems with the landlord. Depending on your lease contract, you may need to give advance notice about the move. The requirement is usually 30 or 60 days and you may have to forgo the security deposit if you’re moving before your lease is officially over.

When packing household items in boxes, keep your camera out. It’s always a good idea to take photos of any damage you caused, so they are properly documented in case of a disagreement. This is especially important if you had previous run-ins with the landlord and have a reason to believe he may try to keep the deposit. If possible, arrange for the landlord to tour the place with you after you’ve finished packing all your boxes. That way there’s no mistake about what’s going and what’s staying.

Before the tour, make sure you clean the apartment. You don’t have to shine the floors or shampoo the rugs, but make the place presentable. And always place all the cardboard boxes (already sealed with tape) in a single room, so you can move around freely and inspect every corner.

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Your moving boxes are packed, your house is clean and the movers are booked. Is there anything left to do before leaving for your new home? Most than likely, the answer is yes. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you close your door for the last time:

• Do you have any books that need to be returned to the library?
• How about DVDs to the local Blockbuster?
• Do you have clothes at the dry cleaner or local tailor that need to be picked up?
• Does anybody have a spare set of keys for your house that you need to get back for the new owners?
• Have you written down your new address on a piece of paper? Is that piece of paper in your wallet? Don’t rely on your memory to remember the location, especially if you’re moving to a neighborhood you’re not familiar with.
• Do you have a printed map or a set location in your GPS to help plan your route?
• Did you notify the post office of your change of address?
• Are all your medical and financial records stored away in a folder? Is the folder securely stored inside your handbag? Never pack important papers in boxes to be shipped.

With all the stress of packing and moving, it’s easy to forget the little details. Keep a running list of last-minute things that need to be done in order to make the move as stress-free as possible.

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While it’s true that you have rights when it comes to contracting a moving company, it’s also true that some things are considered standard across the board. Understanding how moving companies operate will make it easier to know what to expect and help you prepare for the unexpected.

1. Moving companies are obligated to provide written estimates upon request.

2. Estimates are not binding, which means that actual charges may be higher or lower than what you see on paper.

3. Guaranteed pickup and delivery dates are usually possible if you talk to the company in advance and arrange for it. Otherwise, delivery times may vary.

4. Companies are responsible for the safe shipping and delivery of your packing boxes, but they may not be responsible for everything that’s inside. Before you pack your stuff away, request a list of forbidden items so you know what NOT to pack.

5. You can request to be present when your moving boxes are weighed.

6. Non-binding estimates require you to pay when you receive the shipping. Make sure you check in advance with the company to ensure what methods of payments are accepted: credit card, cash or money orders.

7. Additional charges may apply if movers need to carry moving boxes up or down stairs, move pianos and other heavy furniture, pack or unpack items or other extra activities beyond simply transporting the boxes.

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Keep Packing boxes dry on rainy moving day

We can’t control the weather forecast on moving day but what we can do is be prepared for bad weather. Rain and cardboard boxes are not best friends but we can help them get along. If you are self packing your moving boxes or if you have the movers do it for you, just remember to use one of the below helpful tricks to keep your stuff dry and protected from the rain.

1) Stretch wrap. Using moving supplies such as stretch wrap to cover your packing boxes is a great trick to keep your cardboard boxes and everything within them dry. The great thing about the stretch wrap sold on DirectMovingBoxes.com is that it comes on a handle which makes your wrapping very fast and easy to do.

2) Garbage bags. If you happen to run out of stretch wrap you can use garbage bags as a secondary backup solution.  Now a very important thing to keep in mind is the size of your packing boxes vs the size of your garbage bags. If your garbage bags are to small then you may have to cut them and use more then one to cover your cardboard boxes. Remember to use some packing tape to hold them on to your moving boxes. 

The reason that stretch wrap is better then using garbage bags is because it is clear and if you label your moving boxes on the box itself you will still be able to read it. So to protect your stuff on those rainy moving days, keep your cardboard boxes covered and use stretch wrap.

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Homeowner issues that could affect your moving, get discount packing supplies from Direct Moving Boxes.

With the alarming mortgage crisis that this nation is going through right now, remaining apathetic about the upcoming election will only increase our consequences. By now you have probably selected between McCain and Obama but nevertheless the majority of individuals still remain uninformed. Those of you who own homes should be especially concerned about what these candidates plan to do to alleviate this predicament.

John McCain plans to enact the Homeownership Resurgence Plan to steady the housing market. He believes that mortgages should be simplified and reordered in order for homeowners to have more manageable mortgages. This will be available to primary residence homeowners that will be able to demonstrate credit worth at the time of the original loan. The latest mortgage will be a FHA-guaranteed fixed- rate mortgage with conditions that are manageable for the property holder. According to the McCain official website, “the purchase of mortgages would relieve negative equity for some homeowners.”

This blogger remains unbiased to the upcoming election but believes that McCain brings a fine position on this issue. Because of our current economy, it has been very difficult for many families to make payments on their heavy mortgages. These new mortgages for the qualified homeowners will make it easier to pay their mortgage as well as help avoid foreclosure. It is essential that those who have been fortunate enough to buy homes not lose them due to the recent financial situation in this country.

Barack Obama has an entirely different take on the matter. He wants to provide homeowners with a 10% universal mortgage credit who do not receive tax relief. This might aid us initially but in the long run families still have those high mortgages that still need to be paid off; 10% is a nice break but won’t keep us from breaking the bank. Obama will also create something called “Homeowner Obligation made explicit (HOME)” score. This will provide possible borrowers with a basic standardized metric for home mortgages. He states that it will allow property owners to more easily compare mortgages and better understand expenses for the long term. This measure can prove to be effective for those that purchase a home in the future but doesn’t support individuals currently owning a home.

It’s a tough call to choose between McCain and Obama. After doing my research for this article I realized that I agreed more with McCain on this particular issue. Although I am not a homeowner, a family member of mine is looking at foreclosure in the near future. These decisions affect us head on or indirectly; which can be just as important. Even if you are unhappy with our 2008 candidates, don’t vote, and feel that our nation has a gloomy outlook, know the facts and where our country will be heading.

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