Have you ever wondered how strong of a friendship you and your bestie have? You can gauge your comraderie by their level of help during a move. Let’s put it this way – if there was a ceremony for friendship the “friendship vows” would be ” in moving and in chillaxing.” Check below for our “Should You Help Your Friends Move?” guide – also an accurate evaluation of your bromance.
Everyone who has moved while in college or shortly thereafter knows how precious moving day help can be. Let us help you find out if you should help your friends move:
TYPES OF FRIENDSHIPS and RESPECTIVE MOVE SCORE
Enabling Friendship: Move Score 8 This friendship is a special bond between buds that empower each other to do the impossible. This friend will boost your ego and are definitely one of the best types of friends to call for a move.
Hot and Cold Friendship: Move Score 5 The Hot and Cold friend is like a corked bat. Your hot and cold friend may show up, show up late or not at all but they do, they will easily provide that extra umph to get you home.
Class Clown Friendship: Move Score 3 One of the worst friends to help with a move – this friend loves pranks and those are not appreciated while moving. Also, you will be so busy laughing – nothing will get moved.
Bromance: Move Score 9 You know that friend who completely admires you for whatever reason. This is the best friend to invite for a move. This friend will do the entire move for you – to show up and just to be around your awesomeness
Drinking Buddies: Move Score -10 Just. Don’t.
The Long Distance Friend: Move Score 6 If you are moving long distance and actually hiring long distance movers – the long distance friend is a great for moral support – mainly because they won’t actually have to do any heavy lifting.
Helping your friends move can make or break a friendship. Your patience will be tested but after all the back-breaking effort – you’ll become better buds after a move together. Just don’t forget the pizza and drinks.
Of course, you could avoid all of the moving drama by hiring local movers, movers within 100 miles of your original residence or long distance movers.
I am pretty sure this is going to be my favorite post about moving – ever. While I am not quite in the millennial cutoff, I feel a kindred spirit to the average millennial- and that’s probably why – millennials are never “average” – a blog about moving to these unique beings with elevated thoughts and feelings seems so basic.
I have read story after story from companies marketing to millennials and how they have to convey their “story” to this crowd. Well, most corporate “stories” sound like they are mixtures of Ferris Bueller meets Ernest. You’re too Young…Let it Go. Yet corporations still try to classify and advertise their so-called “stories” to these special snowflakes. I think not, I have a feeling most millennials can smell a B.S. marketing agenda a mile away.
Being part of a moving and storage company, not exactly the most buzz-worthy of industries but there are a few things that millennials are doing to affect this industry:
Millennials don’t move as many things as baby boomers, generation x, y and so on. Most millennials are super eco-friendly and we love it! Millennials are more content donating/giving away old furniture than paying for it to move across the country. The usual millennial move is a few pieces of really nice furniture, a computer, flat screen tv and about 40 boxes. There are many moving companies catching on to this and changing the way ( and the speed) in which they get shipments to their customers.
Millennials hate moving companies, and companies in general, that are scams. Slowly but surely, all of the rogue movers are disappearing. Millennials are great at exposing exposing scam companies – and writing about it. So movers – be good!
Most millennials will pay more money for a better moving service. We have found that millennials are inclined to pay for things like expedited service, same day moves from NYC to Boston/Philadelphia/DC/Providence. Essentially, millennials don’t like to wait and are willing to shell out a few additional dollars to avoid doing so. There is no better mover that feels the pain of waiting for things more than Monster Movers – with expedited shipments and advanced logistics – you won’t go wrong. They haven’t been called the “relocation innovators” for nothing.
Millennials move – a lot! Although millennial moves are smaller they move every few years or less and usually to other major cities. There are some major long distance movers that are really catching on to this crowd.
Having been a realtor way, way back in the day – I used to cringe when clients asked me for a referral. I know what you are thinking – that’s one of the most crucial parts to being a real estate agent – giving people good advice – right? Wrong! I had the pleasure of taking my real estate courses by a broker who scared the bejeezus out of me. In my dreams – I could hear him chanting his favorite phrase “displace responsibility, remove liability.” Essentially, explaining to us that referring a service/company/lawyer may find you in a defendant’s chair. Well, that broker is almost out-of-business now and I have found a new calling. I have been a part of the moving and storage industry for 15 years now and am excited to write the:
Realtors Guide to Moving:
Realtors Guide to Moving
To Refer or Not to Refer:
Referring a moving company these days – is actually pretty darn easy. There are a few moving companies that have really set themselves apart form the mistrusted industry. Another bonus – their movers will actually sponsor an open house for your broker tour! You can download a moving comparison sheet here – or send the link to your clients – it has all of the pertinent questions to ask your moving company.
Scenario: Your Clients Need Overnight Storage or Short Term Storage
In the case of a bridge loan or new construction, your buyers may need overnight storage or short term storage. This is one of the most common moving needs – and storage is tricky. First off, pods are not recommended. After a few years, their reputation has taken a serious hit and the amount of people complaining about stolen items is too much to risk. I suggest finding a mover in your area who will let you keep your clients items on the truck overnight – it’s called on-board storage – a quick search moving overnight storage should give you a good list to start with. On-board storage should run about $100-$200/night in the peak months. Short Term storage will require two separate moves as well as a monthly storage fee. It is very important to find movers that have clean, secure storage – you can always google map their location to take a closer look.
Scenario: Your Sellers are Moving Out-Of-State
This is your last chance to help your sellers out. The long distance moving industry is in the middle of a much needed overhaul. Long gone are the needs to wait up to 14 days for a van line to haul your customer’s belongings across the country. Private long distance movers are doing this much faster ( about 4 days MA to FL) and are even less expensive. How you ask? Private long distance movers don’t load/offload items into multiple storage units/trucks. They also don’t charge all of the typical van line fees like: fuel surcharge, mileage fee, taxes, tolls, fees for stairs, elevator and the biggest doozy – the shuttle fee. The shuttle fee is added if a larger 53 ft tractor trailer cannot access your storage facility/house/condo. Very common in Boston, New York City, Miami, Washington, DC and Los Angeles.
How to Get a Quick, Surprisingly Accurate Moving Estimate
Moving Cost Estimator
Here is a quick link to a quick yet accurate moving cost estimate form. You or your clients plug in the furniture they have and a vitally instant moving price is generated and sent to your email. This comes from a private company so your information is never shared or distributed.
Ultimate Moving Checklist
By now, if you have ever looked up moving checklists you will find thousands – maybe even millions. I think Martha Stewart alone has about 100 moving checklists. This moving checklist has everything your client will need – from who to call to what to pack. There are links as well to specific packing tips.
Best Closing Gifts
The best closing gifts are always gift certificates and/or experiences in your client’s new town. And no, not to a home improvement store. Think dining experiences, massage envy, etc. Another gift that keeps on giving is a subscription to a wine club, craft beer of the month club, etc. This gift keeps your name and great service constantly coming up.
It’s hard not to get sentimental when you are moving – thinking of all of those things you will miss and opportunities gone by – your favorite coffee spot, that neighbor you never got to know to well but seemed cool, the nuances of your place only you know about. Okay – enough about that – YOU ARE MOVING!
Adventure, learning new things, and hope for the unknown are right around the corner and we have the playlist for you – to get you in the mood to move!
Movin’ On Up is the #1 moving song on our list – can’t go through a move without this oldie. This theme song reminds us we are always moving on up! Here are the next songs on our list –
Another goodie that we have to add is Flo Rida’s 2016 tune – My House – a perfect tune for moving in:
Move on Up is a perfect moving song for that last minute in your old residence – time to say good bye.
And of course if you can always do what Elsa does and…
Also on our list of songs for moving has to be Take U There
What is the Most Effective Way to Move Cross Country
There are a few options when moving cross country – you could move yourself, use a van line or a private residential mover. Depending on the time of year you are moving, where you are moving to and from and how much flexibility you have will also be key factors in finding the most cost effective way for you to move cross country.
Cross Country Movers
Moving Yourself – Overall, the thought of doing a cross country move alone is terrifying personally. However, I realize there are some brave souls out there ( and hopefully those that don’t have a ton of heavy furniture) that are thinking about renting a truck themselves. An average truck rental from New York to Texas is right around $3,000 ( including insurance, taxes, fees) during mid-season. Here are other costs you will incur during any cross country move. These figures are for a move of 2,000 miles in a 20 foot truck with 5,000 lbs -longer moves are more expensive:
One-Way Rental Truck: $3000 – The prices online do not have insurance added on ( approximately $100/day) or taxes
Gas: $700
Hotels and Food: $600
Tolls ( much more expensive than a personal vehicle): $250
Labor: If you are hiring labor to help unload your truck – expect to pay $800-$1600 for the load plus the unload.
A few hints for moving yourself:
Always opt for the full insurance on a rental truck. Rental truck operations are notorious for charging extreme rates due to any damage.
Watch for low bridges on the way to your new residence – Boston, NYC, and even the back roads of Florida are full of low bridges. Stay off the Merritt Parkway in CT – half the time I am driving on that road I see a rental truck that attempted this low bridge road causing traffic.
If you are staying in a hotel ask if they have truck parking – some hotels will not let your truck park there overnight.
Rental trucks get pulled over just for being rental trucks. The DOT pulls them over all the time. Make sure your rental location has put the registration in the truck for you. If you have loaded your truck overweight – the DOT will shut you down and you will have to hire another mover/friend to get the weight legal. Expect heavy fines if this happens to you.
Rental truck operations are not responsible for anything if your truck breaks down. FYI – if the truck looks old and scary I would ask for a newer one especially if you are moving cross country.
Rental truck agencies do not have any repercusions if your rental truck is unavailable on your moving day – I suggest leaving a few flex moving days just in case.
2. Hiring a Van Line – A van line will be the most cost effective option for moving cross country for those who have a small amount of items and are very flexible. Van lines are a network of moving companies that book moves and trade and/or sell to others in their network. 15 years ago, moving companies across the country were begging to be a part of a van line – much like drivers for uber used to do. Motivated by avarice, most van lines lost the exceptional moving companies in their networks. Many went bankrupt and some still exist with lower standards. An agent for a van line will be hired ( less 30% or more ) to pick up your items and bring them to a storage facility. Eventually your shipment will make it cross country where another agent will deliver it. Here are the approximate fees a move of 2,000 miles in a 20 foot truck with 5,000 lbs:
Line Haul 5,000 lbs x .80/lb = $4,000
Labor $500
Fuel Surcharge – $400
You may have to pay for hotels/food while waiting for your shipment
Additional fees van lines can charge:
Taxes, Tolls, Shuttle Fee, Elevator Fee, Stair Fee, Long Haul, Packing ( if your boxes are not up to par)
3. Using Private Cross Country Movers – Using professional residential cross country movers is definitely the most stress-free option for moving cross country – but is it the most cost effective. Private cross country movers should have your shipment to its destination in 5 days or less if you are moving 2,000 miles. The absolute convenience of rapid shipping and displacement of liability is priceless – nonetheless – here are the fees for using a private cross country mover:
Line Haul: 5,000 lbs x .80/lb = $4,000
Labor: $800
Most private cross country movers will not charge the following fees but they may try:
Fuel surcharge, mileage fee, taxes, tolls, shuttle fee, long haul, stairs, elevator
Moving Cross Country
Overall, moving cross country is not cheap – either way you will have to pay thousands of dollars to relocate. Monster Movers are private cross country movers that have transparent, affordable pricing for any cross country move.
Piano Moving requires a special skill set aside from moving boxes and basic furniture. Most movers will sub-contract another moving company to handle your piano move which can cost hundreds and even thousands of dollars in addition to your moving bill. Monster Movers staff are highly trained piano movers – every mover is required to move our own upright piano and grand piano before even going on a move. Our piano movers carry the best piano moving materials including: piano boards, straps, steamed moving blankets, tools and shrink wrap.
Piano Movers
It is highly suggested that you hire professional piano movers for any type of piano moving. Injury, damage and inability to reassemble the piano are common issues of those who attempt to do this alone or with a moving company that is not used to moving pianos. Below is our crew moving a baby grand piano. Although it looks easy enough, for those who haven’t done this before – it is much, much harder to move a piano than it looks
Monster Movers is a mover you can trust to move your piano. Approximate piano movers cost:
Upright Local Alone: $425
Upright When Moving Entire Residence: $200
Baby Grand Local Alone: $450
Baby Grand When Moving Entire Residence: $225
Grand Local Alone: $500
Grand When Moving Entire Residence: $300
Monster Movers also offers long distance piano movers to MA, CT, RI, NH, ME, NY, NYC, PA, NJ, OH, IL, MD, DC, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, TX, CO, CA, AZ, UT, and WA. Please fill out a moving estimate form for a long distance piano move quote.
Here are links to our most common piano movers needed:
#Move4Edu is our way of giving back to some special people who have helped us become who we area and who are helping us grow and learn. Monster Movers offers a 5% DISCOUNT OFF OF EVERY MOVE to any educators and teachers.
You teach 7th grade? Swimming Coach? Daycare Provider? Cub Scout Parent? Leading a Robotics Club? We support all those who educate others – young and old. We celebrate you…every day!
#Move4EDU
It’s actually really simple to access this 5% off coupon – just tweet @monstermovers or Facebook #move4edu and tell us your story with a few words or a picture and you will instantly get 5% off of your moving costs!
Monster Movers also donates 1% of all income to educational charities including local non-profits, sponsoring educational pursuits and awarding funds to other educational endeavors.
Nobody likes spending a bunch of money on moving and storage. Moving is one service where a little information can save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Lo and behold – I have a lot of information about moving and moving with overnight storage in particular. There are a few cities and metro areas where moving with overnight storage presents a specific set of challenges, and those cities would be Boston, NYC, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Austin, Portland and other “college towns” will have date-specific issues – let me explain below:
Most apartments in major cities have a lease date that end on the last day of the month. These same leases usually begin on the first day of the month. Essentially, you will literally have until midnight on the last day of the month to move your items out and then at 10am-2pm you can move to the new apartment. Moving companies in metro areas listed above usually book up completely on the first and last days of the month because of this. College towns will have issues on 8/31-9/1 and May 30-April 1.
Residents that have bridge loans will also require moving and overnight storage. A bridge loan is when a resident is selling a house and using the cash from the sale to purchase a new house. This is very common and usually requires 1-2 days of overnight storage.
Moving and Overnight Storage
Moving and Overnight Storage Options
Renting a Truck and Parking it Overnight – Unless you plan to sleep in or with your truck – this isn’t the best option. First off, the truck rental facility will charge you for two full days which can be $$$$. Also, they do not cover anything should your items be stolen, wet (if the truck leaks and it’s raining). If you do decide to move and store your items in a rental truck – get a lock for the back – rental trucks in a driveway or parking lot overnight are sitting ducks.
2. Hire a Moving Company to Move You with Overnight Storage – In the past, moving companies used to charge customers per hour to store there items in a truck overnight. Although it was a reduced weight while the moving crew wasn’t physically moving furniture – it was still not very economical. Since then, there have been private moving companies that offer on-board overnight storage – or overnight storage that stays on a truck. There is no need to hire a mover that will offload your items into a storage facility overnight. The expense can be twice as much as it should because the crew will be doing two moves. Monster Movers has locations in many major metro areas and charges $100-$150/night per 26 foot moving truck. Hiring a mover that will do this is much more economical than paying per hour or paying for two days of a rental truck.
There are many different ways that moving companies estimate the cost of a move. The most accurate moving cost estimates are obtained by your moving company getting a 100% complete inventory of what you are moving.
Moving Cost Estimator
Here are the ways that your moving cost estimator will do that ( and my 2 cents):
A verbal, over the phone moving cost estimate – This method is typical to your common bait a switch movers. Let me explain, a person at the end of the phone writes down all of the contents in your home in 30 seconds while as you spew out every piece of furniture. There is a lot of room for error in this method. I would only suggest it if you are moving less than 10 pieces or boxes. Local and long distance movers alike can easily give a low ball moving cost estimate by staying they didn’t “hear” everything going and/or “you didn’t tell me you had all this stuff.”
An on-site estimate – Essentially a moving cost estimator comes to your home to look at everything going, being packed, etc and will provide an accurate moving estimate for your move. On-site estimates are usually pretty accurate. However very, very time consuming. First, you have to take approximately 30-45 minutes out of your day multiplied by however many moving cost estimates you receive. This usually requires scheduling – if you have kids it cannot be during practice/dinner/etc.
An accurate, online moving cost estimator – With current innovations in the moving industry, it is really easy to obtain an accurate moving cost estimate completely online and virtually instant. There are a multitude of sites that can provide this to you but none as accurate and quick as this moving cost estimator. Essentially, you fill out pertinent information ( don’t forget cities and/or zip codes) like email, where you are moving to and from, as well as any additional services you will need. Another, second form will pop up with the easiest moving cost estimation form you will find available. This secondary list is a comprehensive inventory list where you can add the items in your home. The list will be calculated with an advanced algorithm and will generate a completely accurate quote directly to your email. There are other online moving cost estimators but they are extremely difficult to navigate. Bonus: You can update your items list at any time for a new quote!
A moving cost estimate app – There are a few moving apps out there that require a video of your home. The apps I have seen are not accurate unless moving a few large pieces. Some moving cost estimator apps are used as information gatherers so don’t be surprised if you have a bunch of moving companies call you after downloading the app.
As an aside, if you feel like you cannot accurately go through your home and add your inventory to a moving cost estimation form, your local movers and long distance movers should always offer an on-site moving cost estimate. If they cannot or won’t, it’s not usually a good sign.
