The Moving Planner Blog

Moving house can certainly be extremely exciting, irrespective of it being near or far. Yet the reality is, that the further a field you move the more stress you endure. Long distance moves places us in the position of needing to undertake a whole lot more, than if the new residence was close at hand.
First and foremost, prior to committing yourself to the major upheaval, one really needs to do a little research about the new locality. If you are moving for work reasons how will you get there and how long shall this take each day? Will this move end up costing you more than if you stay put and not get that promotion? Will living here be a wise choice or a bad move (pardon the pun?)

Your local council can fill you in on the good, the bad, and the ugly in lieu of the new area. This will also include the crime rate, the equity increases and the best and worse areas to choose for your future residence. Insurance agencies can also tell you where the crime rate is the worse. The local police will do so also.

Secondly is this move rural or in the heart of a city? Living in the country does bring with it sweet images of white picket fences, sunflowers dancing in the breeze, and energetic sheepdogs. Yet the reality is that we are often ostracized from others, and at risk if our health is not good.
Thus we need to ensure that we know exactly where the medical centers are, as well as the emergency centers. Not only that, but please take into account that loneliness can and often does, lead to major depression.

Now having checked out schools, workplaces and so forth, another thing many of us tend to forget is insurance. Accidents occur every day and with that in mind note that these often occur as we are packing, and moving the goods to the new premises.
Therefore we need insurance cover while we are on the road. Many insurance policies which we have for our vehicles, do NOT cover damage to our furniture, or loss if we are involved in any sort of accident. Therefore we need additional travel insurance.
Moving is costly, and with that thought start preparing for this as soon as possible. Go to your fruit and vegetable store and start collecting boxes. Or better yet, go to the major electrical stores which sell Plasma TV’s. Often they will have numerous extra large boxes which once stored their display goods and are no longer in use.

This will save you a heap of money to spend on other important things such deposits on phone installation and the electricity or gas. Some moving companies supply these free of cost. Now while we are on the subject of gas, electricity and so forth, make sure that these are all taken care of.
In other words don’t wait until you arrive at your new address and then realize you have no telephone, electricity, or gas connection. Remember to square up all bills from your previous address. Don’t do a runner, as you will be blacklisted everywhere and there goes your good credit history!
Remember to leave the house as you would wish to find your new one, clean! Don’t leave it filthy for the next tenant to have to clean. You would certainly be irate if that happened to you. Remember that the larger the load you have the more it may end up costing you to move.
Therefore weeks ahead begin to make a list of what you do need, and what you don’t. If something has been stored in the shed for more than two years, chances are you don’t really need it. Do you really need that futon that’s broken, the record player that you can’t get parts for etc?
Charity stores are everywhere and as the old adage states “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Donate any items of furniture, toy clothes etc that you no longer use or need. Someone will be extremely glad you did!

If it’s a house you are moving from, ensure that there is no debris lying about and that the entire yard is spotless. Particularly if you have only been leasing the place. You won’t get your bond back otherwise!

Book your self-drive van or removals van, at least two months ahead. Ensure that the van will be big enough for all your processions and that it will only need to make the one trip. At times if you only have very few processions, you can actually. “Back-load” a removals van. This means that your goods are packed with someone else’s if it’s all traveling in the same direction. Not a good move,(pardon the pun once again.) I lost a hand carved bed head and a water-bed. I did get compensated, yet that does not replace sentimental value.

Remember too that many hands make light work. If you intend to join a new church in the area, ring and introduce yourself to the minister, priest etc. Often they will organize some help for you on moving day. Thus you meet new people and also move into your house quicker. You basically kill two birds with one stone.

Don’t forget that moving can be quite traumatic for children and with that in mind, attempt to be a little more patient with your children. They may feel as if they shall never see their friends again. It will take some time for them to adjust. The sooner you have them involved in sports or an outdoor hobby, the quicker they shall settle in. Remember that the children will need transfers for their new schools as well as new uniforms.

Last but not least, if there was a swimming pool where you previously lived, ensure that the pool gates are locked. Make doubly sure that there is no way possible a small child could gain entrance.

Good luck, God bless and travel safely.

Moving long distance doesn’t have to be a pain. There I said it. I know you are shaking your head and maybe you even think I have lost my mind, but it honestly doesn’t have to cause you too much trouble. If you do it right that is!

A few months ago my husband and I, along with our four children, embarked on a 3500 mile move across the country. Being internet savvy, I searched high and low for moving tips and ideas to make sure everything went smoothly. It didn’t, of course, but it was not as bad as it could have been had I not prepared myself and the rest of the family beforehand.

DE-CLUTTER
The first thing you should do when you are moving long distance is to cut down on your belongings. If you are moving by moving truck, you are most likely paying per pound. Let me tell you from experience, 3200 pounds looks a lot smaller packed up then it really is. Make sure you only take what you need. Have a yard sale or donate the items you aren’t taking to a homeless shelter. It not only cuts down on your moving cost, it helps you to figure out what you have been keeping for years that you can really do without.

ADDRESSES
Get all the addresses you can. I grabbed a cheap day planner from the dollar store and started adding every address and number I figured I would need. Doctors, schools, previous employers and of course our friends. Then I duplicated it all into my regular address book so I would have two copies in case one was lost in the move. It’s easier to have too many contacts then to have to search for the one you need later and not be able to find it.

AT YOUR JOB
Make sure you tie up any lose ends at your job and give them your forwarding address for tax purposes. Take your closest co-workers out for a lunch before you go and have a few laughs. Let them know your new address and email address so they keep in touch. Get references and anything you need to take to your new job before your last day of work. You may very well be thrown a good bye party and important papers may get lost in the shuffle.

DRIVERS LICENSE AND INSURANCE
Check with your state or province as to how long you have before you need to change your drivers license. Some places allow you between 3 and 6 months, other places want you to change immediately if it’s a permanent move. Also you may need a drivers abstract from your last insurance company to give to the new company if there are any discounts for safe driving.

FRIENDS
A neat way to make sure your friends keep in touch is to take a picture of you and your family and go to your local printing company to get cards made up with your picture and new address on them. Put a photo card in an envelope along with a long distance calling card and give them out to your friends. This way they have no excuse when they don’t keep in touch!

UTILITIES
Make sure you notify the utility companies of your expected move date. Clear up any bills before you move as well. You may be able to use your good standing with your old utility company to avoid paying deposits at your new place. Some companies, like the telephone for instance, may require a security deposit of a couple hundred dollars when you are a new customer. Try not to have any outstanding bills in case they run a credit check.

MOVERS
If you are using movers or renting space in a moving truck, make sure you contact the company a few weeks before the move date. Just to make sure they are on schedule and everything is still planned for your move. We had a company change their quote by over $1000 and try to scam us 2 weeks before the move date. We ended up having to cancel with them and scramble to find a new company which thankfully squeezed our things onto their truck. Make sure you give them at least 2 contact numbers at your new city. Movers are usually on a schedule and they may only have a short time frame to deliver your things to your new place. If you give them a call, you will be sure of no surprises at your destination.

FLIGHTS
If you are flying, make sure you have your tickets and your flight information somewhere safe. Also you should arrive early to the airport since there are often long lines and there may be changes that you should be aware of well before your flight takes off. If you have a delay, try not to get frustrated, you’ll be on your way to your new place soon enough!

READY FOR THE ROAD
If you are driving it is a good idea to have your car serviced by a licensed mechanic 2 weeks before your date of departure. Take care of any problems, no matter how small they are, before you get on the road. It is also advised to get some sort of road side assistance insurance for the trip. It is relatively cheap compared to the cost of a tow truck in the middle of the night. Sometimes they also come with a few perks for travelers, like so much off certain hotel rates and coupons for discounts at restaurants.

AT YOUR NEW HOME
When you finally arrive at your new place, make sure you check with your city hall or town center for anything you need and any bylaws you aren’t sure about. Make sure if you have a dog that you get a new license for it as soon as possible. Try to get a new doctor and dentist as soon as you have time. Some places are short on doctors and you may be put on a waiting list. If this is the case, make sure you know where the hospitals and medical clinics are located.
Well, if you’ve made it to your new place and the only thing broken was a couple ornaments, you have done better then a lot of others moving long distance. But don’t fret, you are all moved in now. After everything is taken care of, put up your feet, relax a little and enjoy your new community!

-New York Moving companies are beginning to homogenize considerably in the past few years. Any New Yorker searching online for a moving service will often find the appealing words “flatrate” appear when searching for a top notch, affordable company to relocate them to their new abode. If the name sounds familiar, or more importantly appealing, it’s due entirely to the well-branded service model that changed the way New Yorkers felt, and what they believed about New York movers. This service and pricing model was created by FlatRate Moving, and it’s allowed them to catapult to #1 status in the New York Tri-State area over the last 17 years because their [state-of-the-art]  local storage services, commercial relocation, Rapid delivery, luxury moving services and Eco-friendly Moving, are all priced following one final estimate void of fluctuation or shady last-minute added costs.

The single price that New Yorkers are given at point of final estimate, is the final, flat rate. For this simple yet remarkable pricing system, and consumer satisfaction model, FlatRate Moving and  Moving are Better Business Bureau members, Forbes Enterprise Award Recipients, Best of City Search category winners, and top choice for optimal Moving services in New York City.

Imitation has often been mentioned as a form of flattery, however for FlatRate, the brand name was built on an actual practice, developed to address cynical, dissatisfied customers  had written of New York movers as scam artist. Gaining the faith of jaded New Yorkers and building respect in the industry on a service that continues to own up to it’s name, is something FlatRate Moving has earned. By implementing a rigorous quarterly training program for our movers, crafting an efficient customer service program, or guiding an expert team of Relocation Consultants whose knowledge keeps the urban moving experience, seamless and efficient, FlatRate Moving is the real deal. –You’ll understand if we don’t take kindly to the mimicry of sub-standard counterparts. Ironically, it’s this same industry trickery that has kept us honest, smart and continues to build the FlatRate Moving brand.

The next time you’re ready to get orderly amid spring cleaning, are relocating to new apartment or simply moving furniture pieces from upstairs to downstairs, choose a service that has found its success in exceeding customer satisfaction; experience the authentic FlatRate way. 

Moving overseas can be an experience of a life time and a fantastic opportunity to not only immerse into another culture but embrace the different lifestyle of that country. Undoubtedly, it is also daunting, where do you start, how do you go about it, is it the right thing to do? As a single mother of a three year old boy, moving from Australia to Malaysia was a big decision but one I have never regretted.

Fortunately for me, I had travelled and holidayed in Asia previously, therefore, I knew a little of what to expect. My work ensured some of my personal belongings would be shipped over and my larger furniture type items were to be put in storage. I planned on staying overseas for three years, so I had to be careful with what I did and did not take.

The way I recall it, my main concerns were:

1) Would my son be ok and what schooling was there available?
2) What if we didn’t like it over there?
3) How were my family and friends going to react?
4) What about tax, banking and voting?

The months leading up to your move will be stressful, however, a little research and networking goes a long way. Firstly, to put your mind at ease contact your employer or a colleague who is currently working over there and ask them all your questions. Keep your communications open, they probably had the same questions before they left and so will be happy to help. If it is an organisation that is use to employing people from other states/overseas then they will probably have an information document which they will send you. They will most likely appoint a family to be your host for the first month to ensure you settle in. If your future employer doesn’t have this, then the Internet will be your gateway to further research. Remember, Google is your friend!

Once you have had all your questions answered and comfortable with your decision to move, think about how your friends and family will react and be prepared for some anger, tears and joy. Anticipate their concerns and have answers ready for them. For me, it was all about my son, how could I do this to them and him, who would look after him, what if he forgets his family? Fortunately, I knew my family and I had all the answers albeit they still weren’t 100% convinced it was the right move.

We all handle things differently and obviously you will have your own way of dealing with friends and family. For me, I ensured my family got to see my son as often as possible prior to leaving. I had a final dinner with them two nights prior to leaving and a final celebration night the night before. My friends and family were all invited to see us off at the airport and there were certainly tears. Ensure you get lots of photos of friends and family just before you leave, this is especially important if you have young children. Remind family and friends that you are about to embark on an awesome opportunity and they are more then welcome to visit whenever they want. Communication is much easier in this day and age, so make use of it!

Contact your banks, accountant, and government regarding your long distance moving and get their advice as to what to do in regards to banking, tax and voting. This should be done at least a month prior to leaving. Make sure you redirect your mail to your new address or a family member. Make sure prior to your removal you make it clear to the removalists what you want packed and not packed, ensure you watch them as sometimes the piles get mixed up. For example on my return to Australia I discovered 3 year old cereal which had been packaged, not a good thing!

Most of all remind yourself and your loved ones how much this opportunity means to you and reassure them you are prepared for the change. Keep in contact with them regularly. If phone calls are too expensive then ring them regularly in the beginning and then start to leave it one extra day until you normally contact them. For example, if you have been ringing every Tuesday then ring them in 8 days time and after that 9 days time. This way they won’t expect a call each week or worry when you don’t ring on that same day each week.

If you are worried about getting home sick remember to take some treasured belongings and keep reminding yourself it will all be worth it. Lastly, enjoy the ride, it will be an opportunity of a lifetime.

This is not a promotion! This is a real email sent by Joe Symmes few days ago.

Moving day is coming soon and you’re ready to pull your hair out. Call FLATRATE and relax, we have you covered. Equipped with a modern fleet of reliable trucks, our hard-working movers are here to take care of the stress for you. From our impeccable track record to our experienced staff, we’ll get all of your stuff there and leave your worries behind.

Our modern, efficient SoHo office is fully stocked with a comprehensive line of moving supplies. No water damaged boxes and weak tape here, we use high quality supplies that work. FLATRATE knows that its details like this that make a successful move. It doesn’t make sense to cut corners when it comes to handling your worldly possessions. Let experienced FLATRATE movers show you just how easy it is to do it right.

What about your antique player piano? FLATRATE can handle it. Deluxe regulation-size pool table that weighs a ton? FLATRATE can handle it. Backyard play ground set with double swing? FLATRATE can handle it. Hope Diamond? We recommend you keep take that one with you when you move Believe it or not, you are not the only one in SoHo with unusual stuff. We love a challenge and have the tools and experience to get all there and in one piece!

Your moving experience will start with a comprehensive assessment that allows us to evaluate things like your total shipping weight, the supplies we will need to bring, and the size truck and crew to provide for your move. You will then be given a detailed explanation of the process from start to finish and we will answer any questions you may have. Sure our competitors do not bother with this level of detail. The claim to be saving you time while we believe in taking the time to provide you with the best possible one on one service.

A few days before your actual move, a highly skilled team of “packers” will arrive. FLATRATE packers are the best in the business. Efficient and conscientious, you will be amazed at how carefully your belongings will be packed. Within our team of packers we even have room specialist who will get right to work in the area they know best. Who better to pack your china hutch and all of its contents than someone who does that for a living?

FLATRATE packers are truly the foundation of our superior customer service. Their attention to detail in both packing and inventorying your belongings is essential. By starting the moving process off right, we set you on your way to a successful move right off the bat.

On the day of your move a modern, clean truck will arrive with a uniformed crew of some of the most respected movers in the business. These are the heavy lifters of SoHo who will begin carefully removing the packaged boxes and furniture for loading on to the truck. At this time, you will probably notice an FLATRATE inventory specialist monitoring the entire operation with a detailed inventory control log provided by the packers. This is part of our procedures to ensure all items are accounted for and to provide you with a complete line item inventory of everything in being shipped. This document will help protect you and provide another level of security for your move.

As your items begin the first leg of their move, one of our load specialists will be stationed aboard the truck to supervise the careful loading of your belongings. As you can imagine this is one of the single most important steps. There are absolutely no short cuts here. FLATRATE does not believe in compromises, making it fit, or just good enough when it comes to packing thousands of pounds of your hard earned belongings in a truck for shipment. An experienced eye and a careful touch are absolutely critical to get your things safely down the road.

Before you know it your residence will be empty and your worldly possessions will be in the process of being carefully whisked to your next destination. No heavy lifting, sweating, or stress on you; just careful and efficient work by our skilled teams.

FLATRATE moving teams stay sharp by attending annual training where we cover everything from the latest in moving innovations and technology to job safety. We consider it our honor to train our employees as they give more back to the company than we could ever repay them for. Our people are the best at what they do and we go out of our way to recognize that. The people of SoHo deserve nothing less.

What about short notice requirements? FLATRATE maintains flexible work hours to better accommodate you. Weekends, holidays, or last minute, we won’t let you down. Hey, we realize you don’t have complete control of your work/family/life calendar, the last thing you need is to have to flex to someone else’s schedule. You’re the customer and it is our job to meet your priorities.

Sure you could always call your buddy with the old pickup truck. For a six pack, he’ll probably be glad to throw your valuables in the back and probably will even help “dump it off” on the other end. You don’t want to risk belongings and your relationships during this inherently stressful time. Calling FLATRATE will not only save you time and stress, but won’t jeopardize your friendships either.

SoHo is a great town with lots of wonderful people, but what about your stuff? It’s natural to worry about security when moving. Our movers will make sure your belongings are delicately packed in our secure, weather proof fleet of trucks. Rest assured all of your items will make it to their destination with no loss due to theft, vandalism or other security concerns. We treat each load like it is our own and maintain a vigilant watch over your things while in transit. We know that you are placing your trust with us and we do not take that responsibility lightly.

Our employees are some of SoHo’s most upstanding citizens. We employ the best to take care of you better than you expect. No other moving company can match our dedication, service, and reputation.

Feel free to shop around, not all movers are the same. FLATRATE takes pride in our hard earned reputation. We know the people of SoHo and they know us, we won’t let you down. Reputation is more important to us than making a quick dollar, we are ready to go the extra mile to make sure you are happy and your things are safe.

WebSite is www.flatrate.com

There is only one thing more alluring than the thought of moving to Los Angeles, and that is the hope of conquering the big city. But in moving there, you realize that it’s not you who conquers, but LA. It is an entirely new world, ‘for sure’. You realize that in order to adapt, let alone thrive, in the concrete jungle, you have to learn the rules. Nobody owns LA; LA is in charge.

While many other metropolises have their own quirks and nuances that you must learn about, LA seems to take these to another level. The City of Angels has its own mystique. Here are some pointers to help you transition in your first few weeks after relocating.

1) Don’t become awestruck. While LA has great vistas - Santa Monica, Hollywood, San Fernando Valley, the northern mountains - it will flag your newness. Angelenos are not taken by their surroundings; they are more impressed with life in general. The ocean will always be there. It’s living on the ocean that’s cool.

2) Learn to navigate the roads. The freeways command respect, being addressed as “The” (”The 5″, “The 101″). Know where you’re going at all times. Get directions, preferably a Thomas Guide Atlas, which is more valuable than a gun or a GPS. Know how to ask directions, especially what the nearest cross-street (intersection) is. Do your homework. Especially downtown, there are many one-way streets that you may not know of until you’re down them. Plan ahead.

3) Learn to drive the roads. LA drivers know where they’re going, and want to get there fast. If you don’t know, then move out of the way; this is their unwritten road code. You need to be confident out there, and any hesitancy behind the wheel will cause more accidents than driving fast and being alert.

4) Smog impact fee. If you purchase your car outside California, then you will have to pay a smog impact fee when you register it in the state. The fee is generally over $300. Cars sold in California have California emission, and are relieved of this fee. Smog checks must be done yearly, and if you fail, you must pay the inspection, get it fixed, and pay to have it inspected again. California Movers.

5) Know someone who knows their way around. Important in any city, but Angelenos are tough nuts to crack. While portrayed as concerned only for themselves, they are very cautious. If you say “Hi” to someone in Rochester, NY, you’ll get a kind response. In LA, you’ll get a look akin to “What do you want from me?” Not rude, but cautious. Having someone who knows people is not only a good way to meet other and start to integrate, but to get to understand the inhabitants of which you’ll become.

6) Be prepared to learn Spanish, or at least pronounce it. Cities (La Puente, El Monte) and roads (La Cienega, Los Feliz) abound with the Mexican culture. About one-third of the radio stations play Mexican music. Restaurant menus, aspirin bottles, and trash cans are all bilingual. You don’t have to speak the language, but coming to terms with it will enable you to have a leg up in not only living, but in job skills as well. There is a premium on bilingual job candidates.

7) Don’t expect what Hollywood shows you. LA is a rugged city. Yes, smog is prevalent. Yes, there are some really run-down areas, such as Skid Row. Even Hollywood is not as glitzy as shown on TV. However, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica, Ranchos Palos Verdes all have great views and nice areas. LA is a pretty city, you just have to look for it.

Realize you are a small fish in a big pond. If you come from an area of 100,000, it is likely that your odds in the job market are pretty good. In LA, where everyone drives 1-2 hours from all over, you are now one of over 5 million. The competition for jobs is strong. If you’re interviewing, you need to differentiate yourself. Don’t just show what you did in Minneapolis, show them how you can impact Metropolis. Do your homework, and sell yourself. Confidence, backed with results, usually wins out here.

9) Ignore life as it happens. During our eight years out there we’ve had break-ins, walked into police stakeouts, seen a Rolls Royce on fire explode, have robberies happen next door, and seen drug deals happen outside our window. Life out here is rough and fast. If you let the LA lifestyle affect you, you will not sleep at night. However, if you just do your thing and keep your nose clean, you’ll survive quite nicely.

10) Enjoy what LA has to offer. Oceans. Mountains. 4 hours to Vegas. Deserts. Attractions. Shows. Restaurants and nightlife. Diversity. The list is endless. Los Angeles has much fun, much opportunity, and offers a great way to change your way of life. Drink it in. As with any city, you have to endure the good with the bad. While LA’s rough edges are hard, there is a wealth of great living to be had in the basin.

What’s that old phrase: “If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere?” Clearly that fella had not yet experienced the adventure known as “Moving to Los Angeles.” As a native of Massachusetts, I moved to LA in the spring of 2003 to discover that navigating this sprawling landmass can be the single most flustering experience known to man. But fear not my westward travelers; as my mistakes and blunders will prove to be the ultimate survival guide in your move to this fascinating town called Los Angeles.

PACK LIGHT. I made the rookie mistake of bringing a large majority of my furniture with me. Always remember, the bigger your moving truck, the more problems you will have navigating and parking in LA. I know this may sound a bit extreme to some folks, but you’ll be much better off taking only the bare essentials with you. Try to sell as much bulky furniture and belongings as you can prior to your trip. Sleep on an air mattress and get your bed later, sell that old computer desk and have a new one delivered after you’ve had time to measure out every inch of your new place. Keep in mind that if you’re moving from the Midwest or a suburban town, the square footage of homes in LA will be far less than what you’re used to. So always, always pack light and figure out the bulky stuff later.

THE EARLIERTHE BETTER. Knowing when to move in LA is key to surviving your first few weeks in this town. I make the dreaded mistake of moving during the mid-week traffic rush and ended up parked along the 101 freeway. I should have moved very early on a Sunday morning because the freeways and surface streets tend to be less crowded in the early hours and particularly on the weekends. Traffic during the week can be as unpredictable as it is dangerous. Trying to navigate a moving truck through mid-day Hollywood traffic is absolute chaos and the locals have little patience for newbies. Several drivers would swerve within inches of my truck to get by and another truck driver even gave me a friendly “nudge” with his truck, I kid you not. LA drivers don’t kid around so it’s best to stay off the road during peak travel hours.

GET THE BEST ROAD MAP MONEY CAN BUY. It’s called a Thomas Guide and you’d be hard pressed to find an Angelino without a copy of this navigating bible tucked under their driver seat. I stopped to ask a local for directions and in the midst of her explaining where I needed to go she said: “Oh wait, you don’t have a Thomas Guide or anything?” Just remember, before you move to LA you need to familiarize yourself with the freeways that are closest to your neighborhood. Also, having a basic knowledge of which surface streets connect to the main thoroughfares such as: La Cienega, Highland, Cahuenga, Santa Monica etc. is an absolute necessity. The key to navigating around LA is having alternate routes picked out just in case your freeway plan should fall apart as it did for me.

BEWARE THE SUMMER TIME TRAFFIC. To add another layer of madness, I ended up getting stuck in the evening traffic due to an event at the Hollywood Bowl. The summertime concert scene in LA is absolute chaos and it can turn an already hectic traffic situation into a complete nightmare. I highly encourage a quick online search for the summer time concert schedules for the major venues in LA such as: The Wiltern, The Greek, The Hollywood Bowl, Staptles Center etc. This will allow you to pick the better days for travel and help you plan your navigation to and from your new place. Another handy online tool to check is www.sigalert.com. It gives you real time traffic reports of all the major freeways and will become your best friend before and after you get situated in LA.

So after several hours of near misses, traffic violations, and wrong turns I finally arrived at my home in Burbank. The move itself was a complete disaster as I arrived at 10pm and had little energy left and no extra hands to assist me with the final stage of my move. I was bruised, strained, exhausted, and hating life. This brings me to my final rule of moving in LA:

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. If at all possible, book a vacation and rent a car out in LA. Fill up on gas and drive around till you get a sense of the freeways, the neighborhoods, the concert venues, the businesses. Try to soak up as much of the LA landscape before you arrive to help add context to this expansive metropolis. Remember, maps are good, but visuals are better.

In the end, the move to LA is a right of passage no matter how prepared you are. In this town the shortest distance between two points is rarely a straight line. This is a place where miles & minutes have absolutely no relevance when it comes to getting to your destination on time. Sometimes you will have to take a 10 mile detour to avoid sitting in 5 miles worth of traffic. However, if you have the gusto to survive the move and give LA Movers a chance you will discover a city that is unlike any other.

When Moving Your SoHo Office, Use A Professional Mover.

Moving your home is stressful; everything has to be packed up and boxed and inventoried, and nothing ever packs the way you’d expect it. At least you can rely on going back to work once the move is taken crare of, secure that, aside from an aching back, and a few days of frantic unpacking, your work life won’t be disrupted.

At least, that’s the way it used to work. If you have a small or home office (SoHo), that security that your move hasn’t disrupted your paychecks isn’t there. In particular, moving your home office runs the risk of a lot of potential disruption to your work-flow, and keeping your clients happy, if you’re not careful.

Now, as a SoHo business owner, you’re indoctrinated into the idea of “do it right, do it yourself”, and probably can think back to moving in and out of dorm rooms and apartments, and have tagged this, mentally, as a “do it yourself” job. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hire a professional, and hire one that has direct experience in moving an office.

Movers with office experience understand the importance of documenting what everything is, and where it went in relation to other boxes. Particularly with movers that do “store and forward” moving, having a paper trail is critical to tracking down anything that went astray or awry. Nothing can be quite as disastrous as discovering, at the end of the move, that two cartons of tax records are missing, because the store and forward place didn’t set them together.

Just as important, a business mover with SoHo experience understands office equipment and palletized goods. Most SoHo offices rely on a few critical pieces of hardware. If you’re an architect, working out of a small office, your $22,000 plotter is a vital critical need. A good mover with SOHO experience will note not only that you have a big, awkward, fragile plotter moving, but they’ll ask for the make and model number so they can research exactly how to pack it and unpack it at the destination.

Speaking of unpacking at the destination, a good mover with SoHo experience will ask you lots of questions about that as well. As someone doing a well prepared move, you should have your floor plans already in place for the destination. Ideally, you’ll even have the utilities turned on by the time you arrive. Go over the floor plan with the movers, and let them know where everything should go when you get there. Large companies planning office moves do this, and it’s an exercise in forethought and planning that will have at least a week, and possibly more, off of the disruption of your professional life and client contacts due to the move.

In particular, knowing where everything goes at the destination makes it easier to figure out what order to load the trucks at, on the point of departure.

One company with an excellent reputation for small office moves is Flat Rate Moving. They’ve done this for decades, and were one of the first companies to specialize in moving home offices, and later small offices. They’ve moved companies ranging from law offices (with more filing cabinets than you care to name) to small home based publishers (with industrial laser printers and a book bindery setup) across the country.

In addition to their experience in moving businesses, Flat Rate understands the need to do staged moves, and to prioritize what moves when and where they know that every hour spent packing or unpacking a box is an hour that you’re not solving a problem for a client. As small business owners themselves, they understand how much that pains you in maintaining your business. An Flat Rate estimator will personally look over your existing office setup, tally up the inventory, ask you what’s the most important, and help you build a priority list, so that what gets packed last gets opened first, to minimize the disruption of your work-flow.

Flat Rate, like any other mover, carries insurance against loss or breakage during the move, and Flat Rate’s movers know exactly how important your office equipment is. They’re also organized, and will make sure that everything is packed, labeled and annotated correctly, using a double-check system, where every item is assigned a label, a contents sheet and a packing number, making sure that you’re good to go when your goods get there to restart your life.

If you’re running a home office, as opposed to a small office, you may want to talk to your mover about the differences between moving your own items, and having them pack up the rest of your house. For one, this can make your entire move tax deductible, if done carefully. For two, it gives you a lot of freedom to focus on what’s important those extra days where the movers are packing up the house could be extra days where you’re generating revenue because you aren’t playing Napoleon with a tape gun in your hand. If you have a business with a high “per day” take, or one that’s deadline driven, completing one more job can more than offset the additional costs of packing up the rest of the house.

Flat Rate movers offers the following timetable for moving your business.

1. Get the floor plan for where you’re moving to, first and foremost. You want to have this two weeks before you start packing boxes, and three or four weeks is better.
2. Build a priority list label each of your filing cabinets from most important to least important. Your office records are the sinews that direct your business’ motions.
3. Inform your clients about the move again, two weeks notice is the minimum, a month is probably better. Make sure that any projects being done for clients are scheduled around the move, and make a list of what projects start at what priority level once you’re relocated.
4. Two weeks before the move, have any maintenance people look over your equipment before it gets packed. Get a “full bill of health” on any equipment, so that if something gets damaged you can assert your claim for insurance purposes.
5. One week before the move, contact your new landlord about getting keys, and getting business essential utilities (telephone and internet) turned on.
6. Five days before the move, wrap up your last client projects. One or more of them will ALWAYS run late make arrangements to handle what you can electronically, from a laptop, during the move. Start packing up your personal belongings five days before the truck arrives, going from least used items to most frequently used items.
7. Make a hotel reservation at your destination. Trust us on this spending a night at the hotel and tackling unpacking when you’re well rested is far better than trying to do the Office Move Death Slog.
8. When you’re unpacking, take the time to check every single box off the master packing list. Any box that looks dinged, open up and check the contents against the master packing list.
9. Once you have bare bones business functionality up again, talk to your clients and let them know you’re ready for them. It’s better to unpack while you’re getting up to speed on your clients issues than to unpack and let them linger good client relationships are built on communications, and the reason you’re hiring a professional mover is so you can focus on client relationships, not packing tape.

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