How To Avoid Last Minute Moving Complications, And What To Expect If You Can't
It's easy to lose track of time when you're preparing for a move, even if it's just across town. Planning ahead and knowing what areas to prioritize can help, but that isn't always enough. If you do find yourself facing a move out deadline, you should be aware of what to expect from hiring last minute help and services to complete the move that snuck up on you.
Start Preparing Early
Within a month of your move out date, you should already have secured a home to move into and should now begin the process of locating and hiring moving services. Start by reserving any vehicles you might need, as these are often in shorter supply than moving assistance. Avoid three-day weekends, such as Labor Day or Memorial Day, as rental vans tend to be reserved at a higher rate at these times.
Use your the month leading up to your move date to start moving smaller items early. This will free up time to focus on more important issues like cleaning a rental unit in preparation for a move-out inspection. You can also start the tedious work of packing boxes for later transport, ideally ending up with just the bare essentials in your home the week prior to your move.
Last Minute Expectations
If moving day has crept up on you and caught you unprepared, be ready to pay a premium price for any last minute moving help you might end up needing. This may simply be a higher hourly rate for movers, or it may end up resulting in a higher cost in fuel because the larger moving van you needed wasn't available, making for more trips back and forth. Make sure you have the budget on hand to absorb these higher costs, or you may end up falling back on whatever friends or family you can rally on short notice.
The good news is, moving companies that offer last minute services, such as Modern Movers, Inc., should be accustomed to operating on a limited time table. This can mean a more efficient move, getting the most out of the space available in moving vehicles to minimize travel time, and other tricks of their business that can simplify the process. If labor is what you need though, make sure you're hiring at least two people so that they can handle the heavy lifting in your home while you focus on smaller items, boxes and other important details.
It's up to you to make sure you're doing everything possible to prepare for your move, but when time runs out you need to be aware of what to expect. A good moving company can handle most homes on very short notice, but there will be an associated price for that level of service and the limited time table. If there's a chance that you might run out of time before help can be scheduled, make sure you can afford to pay for that oversight.