Using Arbitration

Movers customarily take every precaution to make sure that while your shipment is in their possession no items are lost, damaged or destroyed. However, despite their efforts, articles are sometimes lost or damaged during the move.

If any of your household goods are damaged or lost,report the facts promptly and in detail on the van driver's copy (original) of the inventory sheet before you sign it. A claim for loss or damage must be filed within nine months after delivery (keep the cartons and packing material until the mover has inspected the damage). However,it is to your advantage to report damage as soon as possible. The mover must acknowledge receipt of your claim within 30 days, and must deny or make an offer within 120 days of receipt of your claim. When making a claim or considering an offer, bear in mind the amount of liability that you declared on your shipment.

If you are unable to get your claim with your mover settled to your satisfaction, you may want to consider using arbitration as a means of obtaining a resolution.

Participation in an arbitration program is a requirement of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for all interstate movers. Under the regulations, ALL interstate movers, including movers who are not members of AMSA, must agree to offer shippers neutral arbitration as a means of settling disputes that may arise concerning loss or damage and certain types of disputed charges. Your mover must provide you with information on the availability of its arbitration program, including how their program works and how much it costs, before your move takes place. If you don't receive this information - ask for a copy from your mover.

To maintain a fair and neutral position, AMSA's program is administered by the National Arbitration Forum (Forum). The Forum is a completely independent, nongovernmental organization that is not affiliated with either the American Moving and Storage Association or with any mover.The Forum has been recognized for many years as the leading independent arbitration organization in the country. It is a public service, non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the resolution of disputes of all kinds. All AMSA mover members participate in the AMSA arbitration program.

If you are not familiar with the arbitration process, or would simply like more information, our Web site is www.moving.org

8 Things to Do Right After You Move In:

So you’ve moved into a new home—yay! Maybe you’ve even celebrated with your first takeout meal in the middle of your fabulous (and empty) living room floor. But before you get too comfortable and go into a flurry of unpacking all those carefully labeled boxes, check out this list of things to do right after moving into a new place. It’ll set you up to be sitting pretty for years to come.

1. Take photos

Photos of bare and unadorned rooms? Yep. If you’re renting, these are essential when the time comes to get your security deposit back. Photos are also important if you bought a new home, since a fair amount of time may have passed between the inspection and when the previous owner finally took a powder. If any damage occurred in the interim, or the movers scratched a previously pristine floor, document it. A gallery of pictures taken before your furniture makes it inside will be worth a thousand words—and maybe more than a couple of bucks—should you need to point out damage.

2. Check your belongings for breakage

If you hired movers to either pack or move your belongings, “you have a limited amount of time to report any suspected damage or missing items,” says Kevin Gallegos, vice president of Phoenix operations for Freedom Financial Network. “Make sure that if a major appliance was moved”—such as a refrigerator, washer or dryer—“they still function as they should. Review your contract to determine liability coverage if you discover a problem.”

3. Figure out when and where to leave your trash

As you unpack, you’ll be eager to get rid of the trash, so finding out from your landlord, homeowners association or neighbors when and where you can do that is key. “You won’t want to miss pickup day when you’ve got piles of cardboard lying around,” says Desmond Lim, founder of Boston’s moving website QuikForce.

4. Change the locks

It’s your home now, but who else had the keys when the previous residents lived there? No one wants even the slightest question about safety lingering over a new home. This makes swapping out locks as soon as you can “one of the most important things homeowners can do when they are settling into a new property,” says Marty Hoffmann, vice president of marketing at Kwikset.

5. Register your car

Did you move from one state to another? If so, you’ll need to register your car within about 60 days. Each state’s requirements are slightly different, but penalties range from fines to impounding your vehicle if you fail to comply in a timely manner. You’ll also need to get anew driver’s license, usually within 30 days of your move.

6. Break out the drop cloth

Most people don’t have the luxury of painting prior to moving in, so, if possible, paint as soon as you regain your strength from the move. “The longer you wait, the tougher it is to paint,” says Steve Revnew, vice-president of product development at Sherwin-Williams. Most people “continue to collect and add furnishings, all of which make painting more difficult,” he says. “Moving heavy furniture or working around furniture isn’t easy, especially smaller rooms.” But with no obstructions besides neat, stackable boxes, painting is a breeze.

7. Check your credit reports

Your credit reports are usually accessed during a move, as everyone from new employers and landlords need to reference them for background checks. That’s why it’s important to “request a copy of your credit report within six months of your relocation,” Gallegos says. Besides ensuring that your address change was recorded accurately, Gallegos advises to “watch for inconsistencies that might indicate you’ve been a victim of fraud. During a move, a great deal of personal financial information is exchanged and forwarded via mail and email. It’s important to make sure your personal information wasn’t compromised.”

8. Update your voting address

Whether it’s the upcoming election for president or your local school board, don’t forget to update your address so you can vote. Most states allow a 60-day grace period during which time you can use an old address at your new polling place. For elections beyond that, register at least two weeks prior so you don’t miss out on swaying any important issues. After all, what better way is there to plant a foot in your new neighborhood than exercising this all-American right?

Boxes & Supplies:

We offers a wide selection of competitively priced moving boxes and packing supplies including tape, packing paper, markers, paper pads, bubble wrap, and stretch wrap (please refrain from popping bubbles until your move is complete!).

Free local box delivery is also available at many locations with a minimum $50 box and packing supply order. We'll give you a full refund for any boxes you don't use (or keep them and construct a totally awesome fort for your kids!).
Remember as you pack — the heavier the item, the smaller the box.
Moving boxes

Use the box guide to figure out how many you need to pack up for your move.


Standard moving boxes

1.5 cubic foot moving box: The smallest box sold at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, it's often referred to as the book or record box; best used for small heavy objects like books, records, cans, jars of food, utensils, flatware, shoes, etc.

3 cubic foot moving box: Referred to as the lamp or lampshade box; frequently used interchangeably with the 1.5 cubic foot box

4.5 cubic foot moving box: As the box gets larger, use for lighter objects such as pillows, bedding and stuffed animals

6 cubic foot box: Use for light objects; if you pack heavy items in this box it will be difficult to move
Picture or mirror moving box
A four-piece box that can come in large or small sizes (small shown); can be customized by telescoping in and out; use crumpled packing paper in the corners to add cushion and make sure to wrap your mirror or picture with bubble wrap before placing it in the box
Wardrobe moving boxes
Allows clothes to be transported on hangers; includes a metal bar along top of box to hang clothing
Boxes for moving dishes
Also called a barrel, dish barrel or dish box; it's the strongest box available; pack fragile, breakable items such as china; usually used for kitchen items
Dish pack inserts
Cardboard that goes inside the dish pack boxes to form individual cells for fragile items; inserts adjustable; extra cardboard piece included to be used as springboard to cushion
Packing supplies

Packing paper/plain newsprint – used to wrap everyday items to prevent scratching; when crunched up it can be used as cushioning.

Tissue paper – softer than newsprint, used for wrapping very delicate items; also provides cushioning and fills in small spaces when packing fragile figurines and china.

Bubble wrap – plastic packing material made up of hundreds of tiny "air cushions" or bubbles used to over-wrap small, delicate items after they are wrapped in tissue; also helpful when wrapping larger fragile items such as lamps and pictures.

Pink anti-static bubble wrap – used to wrap electronics including stereos and computers. It is similar to traditional bubble wrap but does not cause static electricity. If traditional bubble wrap is used to pack these items, a static electric charge could be created, damaging the item.

Packing tape/sealing tape – plastic tape, 1.5 inches (3.81 cm) to 2 inches (5.08 cm) wide; best for packing, test to see if it ruins finish before taping up drawers and canisters.

Permanent marker – used to label boxes with contents and destination in new location; mark boxes "fragile" and "this side up" when appropriate.

Re-sealable plastic bags – used for nuts and bolts as you disassemble items, tape bag to disassembled item

Smooth Move: Packing your stuff in preparation of moving day:

I recently wrote a page on my website for clients to read after having shown up one too many times to a person's house who had previously expressed concern for the time / cost they feared the move would take - and yet were totally unprepared when I got there.

My girlfriend suggested that this information would help many people, even those who don't hire me (I assume it is because you don't live in the area, so I forgive you).

In my 5 1/2 years of experience, I have found that a small, one-person, studio apartment move can take anywhere from 30 minutes all the way to 4 hours, all with the same amount of total stuff.

It all comes down to preparation.

Step 1: Pack everything in advance!!

Do not try to pack on the day of the move!

Do not pack just the "main things" - literally everything that you don't need to use the next morning should packed (at least) the night before; otherwise, expect to be making extra trips on your own to get all the little stuff.

Any furniture which will not fit through the door or down the stairs (i.e. bed frames, large tables with removable legs, etc) should be disassembled in advance.

36 Things You Should Know Before Moving to San Francisco:

http://blog.estately.com/2015/09/36-things-you-should-know-before-moving-to-san-francisco/

Deciding On A Moving Date:

The moving day is a factor that matters in many aspects. That is why it is important to know what can and should influence your decision about setting a moving date. Perhaps you are wondering when exactly to move. Setting a moving date should not be done randomly and there are very logical reasons as to why. Here are a few factors to take into consideration before making your choice final.

How Do You Decide On A Moving Day?

Deciding on a moving date should be based on several factors:

Cost. Choosing a particular moving date is directly related to how much you are going to pay for your relocation. There are specific days which are more expensive – this is when the movers are busier, and thus moving costs could go up with as much as 20%. Those busy periods include weekends, holidays, beginning/ end of month, and summer months in general. If you wish to avoid paying more for your move, move in winteror just avoid weekends and holidays in summer.

If you want to choose a moving date that will allow you to spend less on your move, you could relocate in winter.
Saving money. There are a few ways to save on moving, if you have money issues, and one of them is your flexibility which is directly related to the moving day. In other words, if you want to pay less for your relocation, you can combine your moving date with someone else’s. In this way you will share one truck and pay less. The negative side is that there is a small risk for the movers to mix items between different owners. In order to avoid such an issue and solve it on the spot, if it occurs, make a list with all the boxes you’ve packed and their content, so label the boxes well: for example “kids’ clothes”. And keep a list with all of them. In this way on delivery you will be able to tell immediately if a box is missing. It takes some time to prepare such a list but as you can see it is worth it. It is advisable that you do it while packing.
Your needs.This is the most important factor for selecting a move-out/ move-in date along with forming your moving budget. Do you want to start a job in a particular time? Are you expected to go to your new job in a particular period of time? Do you want your children to finish the school year and then move? Do you want to avoid snow, winter and blizzards and move in the summer? Generally it is up to you to decide what moving period suits your needs and will be a convenient choice.

What is important when it comes to selecting a moving date: to wait till your children's school year ends?
Movers availability. Setting a moving date is also up to the moving company. Usually reliable movers have more work – naturally, which means that you may have to book with them 2 or 3 weeks in advance to make sure they will be at your disposal whenever you want them to. Otherwise your move-out date will be up to when they are available. You may be able find movers in the last minute but there is no guarantee that as a customer you will be satisfied with the services you get. Don’t wait till the last minute to hire movers is a good general advice.
Time of the day. Besides specifying a move out date, consider also what time of the day to move. Generally it is a good idea to start early in the morning – you will have more time through the day if the movers are late because of traffic, or the relocation takes longer for whatever different reasons. You will have sufficient time to do what you’ve planned, if you start early through the day, and will be able to take your time and get a break, if you need it, rather than worry that you have to rush the work or hire more moving labor in the last minute because you want the job to be done quicker.
Rent. This is the last factor in our list but it is not less important than the others before it. If you are renting a place, check out the contract that you have. You may need to send a month’s notice for leaving and have the landlord’s approval before you go. Often rental contracts are for a certain period of time and if you wish to leave sooner you have to pay the rents until the contract expires or find a new tenant to pay them for you – not an easy task in any way.

A 101 primer: Self-Storage With Home Pick Up:

Self-Storage with Home Pick-Up : How It Works

You simply select a provider from our Storage With Home Pick Up area. If you'd like more detailed information about a particular company, just click on the "more info" button on your results table. But in a typical scenario, each company should:

• Tell you immediately if they service your area.
• Assist you in estimating how many containers you'll need (containers often vary in size between companies).
• Arrange for a time for the containers to be delivered.
• Discuss packing supplies (assuming that they deliver them) and any related fees for their purchase and delivery.

After you've covered the basics, it's time to get to work. You can either load your containers on your own or arrange for professional loaders (for an additional fee). If loading them on your own, take a glance at our quick tips on how to properly pack your belongings. If, upon inspecting your belongings, you suddenly realize that you've been a closet pack rat for the past several years, take a moment to consider the benefits of a garage sale before storing your stuff.

Once you're all packed, make sure to lock the containers with your own padlock (for extra security), call back your storage company and they will pick up the containers and take them away. When you want them back, simply call or email the company and arrange for the time and place. If you anticipate an ongoing - or even infrequent - need to access your belongings during the period when you'll be storing them, make sure to check in advance with the storage company. Access times vary from company to company and some facilities may charge for any related labor needed to retrieve your goods.

Choosing a Company that offers Self-Storage with Home Pick-Up

It's best to select a company that guarantees your satisfaction in writing. The storage company with home delivery & pick up is handling many of the logistics of your storage and/or moving process. You'll want to make sure they will stand behind their work. And ask for actual studies of customer feedback on their service. Don't settle for "our customers really like us." When considering schedules, ask for a guaranteed delivery time frame on your selected delivery date.

Delivery Areas

Usually, a fifty-mile radius in a city is a minimum. But if you're moving within a similar radius, make certain that you ask your storage company if they can redeliver to your new address. Since many storage users don't know their new address when placing items into storage, the broader the re-delivery area, the better. Also, check to see if they'll ship your goods - in your current containers - to another city or state.

Pricing Structures

Most storage companies offering Home Pick-Up charge two basic fees.

• Delivery and pick up of the containers.
• Daily or monthly storage of the containers.

Extras such as insurance, moving blankets, professional packing labor and packing supplies are an additional charge. Depending on where you live, the service may actually be less expensive than renting a truck and doing it all yourself!