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If it’s your first time moving for college, follow these moving tips to help make this important transition as smooth and successful as possible!

Plan Your Move

Figure out your housing arrangements first. Will you be living in a dorm, other on-campus housing or a non-campus sponsored housing facility (apartments)? Each housing arrangement will dictate what items you will need to bring. Most dorms and on-campus housing facilities will already be furnished with the essentials such as a bed, desk, and closet. Check with your housing management to confirm what furniture will be included.

Next, if you are going to have roommates, try and get their contact information before the move. This will let you coordinate moving times, who is bringing what additional furniture (you bring the microwave and your roommate brings a TV) and discuss any special concerns you might have.

Make a checklist, and write down all the items you will be bringing.

The Packing List

If you are staying at a dorm, your space will be limited, so it is important to plan accordingly. Aside from the basics of clothes and toiletry, some items that might come in handy (if your dorm room does not include these already):

• Microwave
• TV/VCR and/or DVD player
• Small refrigerator
• Phone
• Computer/laptop
• Alarm clock
• Radio/stereo
• Extension cords, power strips, surge protectors
• Laundry items (basket/bag/pop up hamper, detergent, clothes rack, quarters, hangers)
• Shower related items (towels, shower caddy, flip flops, robe)
• Bed linens/sheets
• Desk lamp
• Trash can
• Mounting items (tape, putty, squares) for your decorations
• Space saving items (bed risers, over the door hooks)
• Medication, first aid kit
• Dry-erase board or cork board
• A small set of multifunctional tools
• Plastic plates and utensils

The biggest part of starting your new college life is adjusting to transition- from living at home to being on your own,  from hanging out with old friends to meeting new friends, from high school life to college life, and even to living in a new location. Items that you can bring to help with the transition and personalize your dorm room:

• Photos
• Hobbies (guitar, bike, game consoles, music/DVD collection, etc )
• Posters
• Small trinkets from home
• Plants (bamboo or cacti do well in small, indoor spaces and require little maintenance)

Be sure to get a list from your housing department of items you cannotbring. Usually these include space heaters, candles, weapons, pets, air conditioning, etc.

Pack, Label, Move

Tips for the actual move:

1. Pack early. Pack the items first that you do not use very often, but are still necessary. As the move date gets closer, pack boxes accordingly.
2. Label the boxes by room or content. As you unload, it will be easier to place each box in the corresponding room.
3. Ask for moving help from your friends or family in advance.
4. Bring a handtruck and bungee cords for easy transportation (especially if you have a lot of ground to cover from the parking lot to your new residence).
5. Small boxes should hold heavy items while larger boxes should hold lighter items.
6. Don’t forget your tool kit should you need to set up furniture.

Moving away to college can be hectic, but with the right organization tips, it might make it a little less stressful.

link: http://www.suntimes.com

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Summer is a peak time for moving. Whether you’re packing your possessions to move across town or across the country, you can save time and money by taking a few tips from the experts.

“Clear the clutter and fill up the empty cabinet spaces,” said Dwayne Kaiser, operations manager for Circle Centre Movers.

If you plan to downsize, do it before the movers arrive. Sell, recycle or donate the excess to make room for loading and unloading.

If you want to help, disconnect appliances, like TVs and DVDs, and fill the console space with non-breakables such as linens. Don’t bother emptying drawers; instead make the most of available space on the moving truck.

Kaiser suggests packing heavier objects (like books) in smaller boxes and reinforcing the box’s seams with packing tape.

Kaiser notes that the beginning of the month and the end of the month are traditionally the busiest times. Call ahead to book a professional mover.

TheFrontDoor.com, an online real estate listing service of HGTV, offers a few more tips:

•  Pack like a pro — color-code or identify your boxes by room.

•  Disconnect and disassemble your computer and peripherals. Back up your computer files on a disk or flash memory drive. Remember to carry these files with you.

•  Pack a moving survival kit — organize medicines and other necessities in a “last-to-go” box.

•  Moving plants? Check on their special moving needs.

•  Map out the new floor plan — decide how to arrange furniture before moving to the new place.

•  Don’t forget to complete the change-of-address cards — prevent lost mail and late bills by sending out early notification of your move.

link:http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/1690894,HOF-News-EasyMove30.article

admin Moving News and Tips

Make a list.
Write everything down! You’ll thank yourself later. Before you pack even one box, create a simple record keeping system. Create a computer-printed list of numbers with a space to write the contents. Or have a spiral-bound notebook for the job. You’ll place a number on EVERY box you pack and list the contents on your list.

Utilize wardrobe boxes.
These tall boxes are perfect for bulky, lightweight items such as comforters, pillows, and blankets, as well as clothes that need to remain hanging. Call your mover to ask the width of the wardrobe boxes they’ll be bringing. Then measure the clothes in your closets (including coat closets) to see how many wardrobe boxes you’ll need.

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• Consider packing yourself. This may have insurance implications, so check with your mover.

• Buy your moving supplies online. Boxes, tape, markers, and bubble-wrap can be much cheaper when bought  online.

• Improvise with supplies. Newspaper makes fine packing cushions, as do towels and clothes. Just be prepared to wash everything when it arrives at your new place.

• Ask  mover how they’ll be packing your stuff. We’ve found that some movers try to upsell you to fancy packing materials where a plain moving blanket will work just fine.

• Ask yourself if you  need extra insurance, or raise the deductible. Remember that all 400N Tariff moving companies must offer 60 cents of insurance per pound per item as part of the basic package.
  

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The moving business is a bit like the airline industry: it’s a competitive industry and you can often find deep discounts if you are able to book early, but those discounts disappear if you wait and don’t book until the last minute.

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STORAGE-IN-TRANSIT (SIT) - The temporary warehouse storage of your shipment pending further transportation, with or without notification to you (this is DIFFERENT than temporary storage). If you (or someone representing you) cannot accept delivery on the agreed-upon date or within the agreed-upon time period (for example, because your home is not quite ready to occupy), your mover may place your shipment into SIT without notifying you. In those circumstances, you will be responsible for the added charges for SIT service, as well as the warehouse handling and final delivery charges.

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The degree of worth of the shipment. The valuation charge compensates the mover for assuming a greater degree of liability than is provided for in its base transportation charges.

FULL REPLACEMENT VALUE COVERAGE - Insurance coverage that fully covers the entire replacement value of your goods.

This is NOT standard and will cost you extra (generally quoted in dollars per $1,000 of replacement value).

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DECLARED VALUE - The (usually self-reported) value of all of the items that you are moving. It’s important to be as accurate as possible because the insurance will be based on this amount.

ESTIMATE, BINDING - This is an agreement made in advance with your mover. It guarantees the total cost of the move based upon the quantities and services shown on the estimate. Note: you should ALWAYS try to get a written moving estimate, even if it is non-binding!

ESTIMATE, NON-BINDING - This is what your mover believes the cost will be, based upon the estimated weight of the shipment and the accessorial services requested. A non-binding estimate is not binding on the mover. The final charges will be based upon the actual weight of your shipment, the services provided, and the tariff provisions in effect.

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