Moving to a new home or office can be both exciting and overwhelming. There are numerous logistics to manage, from packing up belongings to coordinating with professional movers. One of the best ways to ensure a smooth transition is to prepare in advance. Whether you are moving across town or across the country, having a well-thought-out plan can make all the difference. This guide will provide you with essential insights to make your move stress-free and well-organized.
1. How Far in Advance Should I Book a Moving Company?
The best time to book a moving company is at least 4-8 weeks before your planned move date. The earlier you book, the better, especially if you are moving during peak season, such as summer or the end of the month.
2. How Much Does It Cost to Hire Professional Movers?
The cost of hiring professional movers varies widely. Local moves are typically charged by the hour, while long-distance moves are based on weight and mileage. Additional services such as packing, storage, and insurance can also affect the total price.
3. How Do I Choose the Right Moving Company?
Checking for licensing and insurance is essential to ensure the company is legitimate. Reading online reviews and ratings can help gauge customer satisfaction. Requesting multiple quotes allows for better price comparisons and service evaluations.
4. What Items Cannot Be Moved by Professional Movers?
Some of the common items that movers may refuse to transport include hazardous materials such as flammable liquids, explosives, and chemicals. Perishable food items may spoil during transit, making them unsuitable for transportation. Important personal documents, cash, and valuable jewelry should be carried personally for security reasons.
5. How Can I Reduce Moving Costs?
Decluttering before packing is an effective way to reduce the number of items being transported, which can lower overall moving expenses. Packing belongings independently instead of using professional packing services can save additional costs. Choosing to move during off-peak times, such as mid-week and mid-month, can result in lower moving rates. Utilizing free or recycled packing supplies from grocery stores or friends can further reduce expenses.
6. Should I Get Moving Insurance?
Standard moving contracts usually include basic liability coverage, but this may not be sufficient to cover the full value of your belongings. Basic liability coverage is often provided for free but offers minimal protection based on weight rather than value. Full-value protection covers the actual value of your items, ensuring better compensation for loss or damage.
7. How Can I Make Packing Easier?
Starting early by packing non-essential items weeks before the move can help reduce last-minute stress. Using high-quality packing materials such as sturdy boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape prevents damage to fragile items. Labeling boxes clearly with content details and room destinations simplifies the unpacking process. Packing items from the same room together keeps things organized and efficient. Wrapping fragile items securely with padding ensures their safety during transit.
8. What’s the Best Way to Move with Pets?
Keeping pets in a quiet, secure area on moving day helps reduce their stress. Transporting them in a pet carrier ensures safety and minimizes anxiety during the move. Packing their essentials, including food, water, and favorite toys, keeps them settled. Updating their microchip and tags with the new address ensures they can be identified if they get lost.
9. How Do I Change My Address Before Moving?
To avoid disruptions in mail and services, updating your address in advance is essential. Notifying the post office to forward mail to your new location ensures you do not miss important correspondence. Updated addresses with banks, insurance providers, and utility companies prevent service disruptions. Informing subscriptions and memberships about your move keeps your services uninterrupted.
10. What Should I Do on Moving Day?
Confirming details with your moving company ahead of time ensures everything is on schedule. Packing a moving day essentials box with snacks, chargers, and important documents provides easy access to necessities. Doing a final walkthrough helps check for any forgotten items.
Hollander Storage & Moving is a leading name in the relocation industry, offering seamless moving solutions for residential and commercial clients. Whether you are looking for reputable Chicago movers, Hollander is a top Chicago moving and storage company, providing top-tier services including packing, secure storage, and logistics.
Relocating doesn’t have to be stressful. If you’re searching for dependable Chicago moving companies, Hollander Storage & Moving is your go-to solution for Chicago commercial storage and moving services. Our experienced team is committed to making your move seamless and hassle-free. Contact us today for a free quote and experience a smooth relocation!
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Great experience with Hollander’s crew: Dominic R, Alex P, and Chris C. They were contracted (military move) to deliver some of our things that had been packed up and stored for a year, in a different location. They were professional and worked without complaints in the heat, placing our items carefully where I requested. They maneuvered a large, deep freezer down a tight staircase easily. They were thorough in helping me check to make sure all our things were accounted for, since it had changed locations/companies a few times before making it here. They were so helpful and courteous – I am very happy with my experience and would definitely recommend them!
-Timm.
The driver was the head of the crew, and he was on top of everything. He made the experience working with Hollander Moving a pleasure. We have used others before but it was our first time using Hollander. Everything turned out great.
-Eric Y..
Every employee I worked with was courteous, professional, and exceedingly competent. I was nervous about the packing and long distance move (from Illinois to New Mexico, October 2009) and Hollander helped make the move as smooth as possible. Not a thing was damaged or broken
-Kay S..
I would recommend Hollander to any company thinking about switching vendors, and any family making a move. A Hollander rep even stopped by my new place when they were unloading just to check on things.
Wonderful service – first class!
-Julia C..
Everything Hollander has done was over the top. It was courteous people, polite, caring. Their friendliness was over the top. There was one member of the crew who’d been a friend for 30 years, and the rest was family. I couldn’t say enough about them.
-Jerry M..
I recently moved from Chicago to Tampa and expected a few road bumps along the way but was pleasantly surprised when everything from loading to delivery was flawless. Everyone I came in contact with was very professional and knowledgable. I highly recommend Hollander Moving and Storage as they are a class act.
-Sandy C..
This move envolved packing and delivery to four different destinations. Attention to detail and coordination were vital and effectively executed by Tony R driver and his crew. Ardene did a great job coordinating everything. The entire group were both extremely pleasant and efficient.
-Gary T..
1801 Pratt Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
