The Moving Planner Blog

When moving into a new apartment many people will look for a storage space. If you have just moved into town and are renting an apartment you wouldn’t want to unpack everything in an apartment which is only temporary. Personally I would prefer to unpack only the important necessary things which are needed for living temporarily till I move to my permanent apartment. For more information go to: http://www.flatrate.com/nyc_movers/storage.asp

 Different people store many different things. Here are some pointers on what many people store. 

Self Storage

There are many reasons why people need to store goods away for a period of time to be used at a later date. In today’s world people like as little clutter as possible in their homes. What better way to remove this clutter and still hold on to your valued possessions than self storage. Self storage offers a safe, secure and clean environment to store your goods. Generally 24 hour access to your goods is allowed and on site security with many offering CCTV is fast becoming the norm in this highly competitive industry. Most storage warehouses offer climate controlled options to store such environmentally sensitive items as books and fur coats. Books and all paper products are highly sensitive to high humidity levels and furs generally nee to be stored in the cold to prevent fur degradation. Couple all of these with sound pest control programs and you are talking with the standard service warehouse offer today.

What can I store?

Almost anything can be stored for a certain period of time in the correct environment. Perishable food is an exception to this and will not be accepted by a warehouse for storage. The following list gives you some idea of what items can be stored in the correct environment with no negative effects.

Computers
Home furnishings
Antiques
Furs– You may want to store summer garments in winter and vice versa
Linens
Mattresses
Electronic equipment
Musical instruments
Pianos

Homes are getting smaller and smaller and real estate prices are increasing all the time and because of this many people are downsizing and putting extra furnishing in to storage. You may just need to store items that you do not want or can not have in your home due to space constraints and public storage can be an excellent option in situations like this

Sometimes when people move, their household goods may need to be stored temporarily for a period of time. This can be due to many reasons including not having located a permanent home in the new city or town or deciding to do some remodeling before moving in to the new home. Sometimes people will decide to build a completely new home in the new city and if you decide to take this route you will need to have your furnishings out of the way while this is going on and storage is an obvious choice. If you are moving and you have household goods you need stored, your moving company may have a storage option available to you which may mean you will not need to seek outside self storage. It is best to check with your moving company to determine if this service is available and what the cost would be. An advantage to storing goods with your moving company is that the company will then deliver your goods and any other possessions when you are ready for them. You should also ask if you can go and collect any items from storage at any time and if you have to give any notice to do this. This may be especially important to businesses where important business records are being stored. The truck your business or household goods are transported in may be another storage option especially if you only need your goods stored for a few days. Be sure to back the trailer up to a wall so nobody can break in and park in a safe area.

Families today frequently have more than one vehicle and may have a boat also that needs to be stored in the winter months. You may not have a big yard and even if you do you may not be allowed to store your boat on your property. In some cities the local ordinance does not allow boats to be store in a residential neighborhood.

Many storage units are climate controlled, have 24 hours security and pest control programs that are the best in the industry, all in an effort to provide secure safe storage for your belongings. Goods can be stored for as long or as short a period as you need and spaces very in size so you can pick a space that will hold all your goods and not have to pay for unused space. If you use storage a lot it is advisable to get a space a little bigger than you actually need as you will probably fill it up pretty quickly.

Many storage operations offer a multitude of other service including truck rental or even a free truck for a period of time in order to get your business. Many companies have workers who will come to your home and pack up your goods professionally, load up a truck and drive it to the storage unit. They will then unload your goods and pack them in to the storage space efficiently. Remember these people are professionals and can do the job more effectively and efficiently than you may be able to. Of course this convenience come with a fee however it may be worth it for the peace of mind.

Important Questions to ask yourself before deciding to spend money on storage

At the time when you are making a decision on whether to store or not to store your goods, think about the other options that may be available to you. Do you really need all the items you are planning to put in to storage? Can you get rid of any without any regrets? Remember if you are moving that everything you get rid of now is something you won’t have to move yourself or pay to have moved. On the other hand you may need it someday! Ask yourself some questions before deciding whether you want to store particular items or not.

Do I need the item?
Will I ever use this item again?
When did I use it last?
Has it got sentimental value?
If any of the items need repair will you really have them repaired?
Clothing items – if you have not use any item will you really ever wear it again?

Throw away, Give away or Sell!

You may decide after answering the question above that you do not really need some of the items. The next big question is what to do with all this stuff. There are many options available to you. You could throw the stuff out, give it away to charity or have a garage sale.

Household items could go to charity organizations such as St Vincent de Paul or the Red Cross and any books could go to a local library or school. Remember to get a receipt for tax purposes.

If you decide to have a garage sale be sure and price the items so they will sell, remember that making a profit is secondary in this instance and getting rid of your junk is the primary reason for the sale. Here are some important points to remember as you plan your garage sale.

You may need a permit in some towns to have a garage sale
Have the sale on the weekend when people are off work- Saturday mornings are best
Put up sign around the neighborhood a few days before hand to let people when and where the sale is
If someone makes an offer less than the advertised price barter to bring the price up
Remember to tell neighbors relative and friends about the sale
Source:http://www.vanlines.com/storage_guide/self_storage.html

Most people who move feel they don’t have time to set up a budget first. However, not preparing financially could cost you more in the long-run. Small items such as a new shower curtain, sheets or restocking your shelves all adds up. I recommend setting a budget first, before you do anything else. Know what the move is going to cost so you’re prepared and aware of what you’re spending. Note: Each item below should be listed as separate line items.
Software programs are probably the easiest way to create a budget template; Microsoft Word or Excel are the best programs to use, with Excel allowing you to use formulas for easy calculations. For your convenience, I’ve created a moving budget template in Excel that will provide you with everything you need, including formulas and and easy-to-use breakdown. Just contact me at Los Angeles Movers Organizaion here.

It blends perfectly with this article.
If you’d rather have something more portable or if you don’t want to spend the time setting up a document on your computer, purchase a bookkeeper’s record book at your local office supply store. You may need to make a few adjustments to the column titles or entry boxes, but it will provide you with the basic outline of expense tracking that you’ll need. Also, make sure you have a good calculator or adding machine on hand.
If you’re hiring a moving company, say LA Movers you’ll need to include the following amounts:
1. Moving Company Fee: Includes fuel charges and labor. Ask for estimates from three and even if you haven’t decided on which moving company you’ll choose, add the highest quote to your budget.
2.Other Insurance: If your items are worth more to you, you may need to add this on to your total moving costs.
3. Other Services: Could include preparing appliances, moving a piano, etc. Ask the moving company for quotes if these services apply.
4. Extra Charges: These may include accessorial charges, expedited service charge, flight charge, longhaul charges, long carry charges and shuttle service.
5. Claims and Other costs: you may not need to include an amount here, but to be safe, add in a 5 percent occurance rate based on the total moving company fees.
6. Professional Packing: This is an optional service.
 

3. Moving

If you’re moving yourself, these are the items you’ll need to include:
1. Truck Rental: Rates vary according to size and whether you’re moving one way or return.
2. Mileage/Gas: Ask the rental agency how many miles to the gallon you can expect from the van or truck that you’re renting. If you’re moving any distance, find out the cost of fuel along your route. Do this by going to the Fuel Calculator, a service offered by AAA.
3. Insurance: Before you purchase insurance, contact your credit card companies to find out if you’re covered under their service. This could save you some extra money. If you’re not covered, make sure you include an insurance fee.
4. Extra Equipment Rental: This may include a dolly, a loading ramp, mattress and furniture covers, etc. Before you add this item into your budget, ask the rental agency if they’ll throw these tools in for free.
5. Incidentals: Add in an extra contingency amount, just in case the price of gas goes up again or in case you need to make some extra stops along your route. It’s better to build extra costs in up front.
Travel to New Home
1. Transportation: If you’re moving a car in addition to a moving van, add in the costs for fuel and maintenance fees, such as oil, fluids and a pre-move check-up. If you prefer, divide these costs into separate line items.
2. Lodging: Research your stops along your moving route and find out how much lodging will cost. Determine the number of nights and the room rates ahead of time. Use a tool such as Expedia.com for rates and availability. You can even book online, too.
3. Meals: Calculate an average cost per meal per person. Include drinks and snacks.
4. Child/Pet Care: If you require any additional services to care for members of your family either before or after your move, include those fees here.
5. Temporary Housing: Include this line item if you and your family require temporary shelter.
5. Packing and Storage Fees
1. Boxes: Determine the number of boxes you’ll need and add that fee here.
2. Bubblewrap/Newsprint
3. Tape/Labels/Markers
4. Mattress Covers/padding: If you’re using a moving company, they usually provide these supplies at no cost.
5. Storage Fees: Call a few storage companies and use the highest price if you haven’t yet decided on which storage facility you’ll use.
6. Extra Insurance : If you’re storing valuables, include extra insurance to make sure your goods are covered.
7. Moving Costs: These are costs to move the items from your home to the storage facility. This may be included in a line item above or the moving company may allow you one additional stop at no extra cost.
Selling Home/Moving from Rental
1. Commission: For selling your home.
2. Lawyer/title fees
3. Inspections/Appraisals
4. Advertising
5. Cleaning/Repairs
6. Misc. : Include items such as additional purchases, paint, etc…
7. Lease Cancellation Charges: If you are unable to give enough notice to a landlord, they may charge you for canceling your lease or they may withhold your initial deposit.
Buying or Renting Your New Home
1. Lawyer Fee
2. Title Search Fee
3. Survey Fee
4. Other Fees
5. Inspection/Appraisal
6. Home or Apartment Insurance
7. Redecorating Costs: This is hard to calculate.
1. Look at the largest room in your house and the one which requires the most work or items, breakdown each cost (paint, curtains, rugs, lamps, garbage containers, etc…), then add it up. You can either do this for each room or calculate an average cost for the entire home.
2. Property Taxes
3. Utility Deposits: You’ll need to contact the utility companies for these costs, or contact your current providers and ask what they charge. Make sure you include telephone, cable, water, electricity, heating and any other services you currently have. If you’re renting, ask your landlord if these costs are included in the monthly rental fee.
4. Apartment Rental Deposit
5. Apartment Damage Deposit
6. Apartment Pet Deposit
7. Misc.: This could include items such as parking permits, garbage disposal, etc…
Total Costs
1. Add up the total costs. This will be your subtotal line.
2. Multiply the subtotal by 5 percent (contingency).
3. Add the 5 percent to the subtotal to get your total moving cost.
Now that you’ve created your moving budget, you may want to check out ways to save during your move and the real costs of moving before and after for tips on what to include in your budget and how to scale back.
That really wasn’t so hard, was it?