Moving Tips
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So you’ve done all your research to find the right moving company for your needs and budget, and you’ve decided on Big League Movers. Good move. However, what you do now before the truck arrives is just as important. That’s why we’ve provided you with moving tips and some of our favorite moving and packing resources to help make your experience as painless as possible.
MOVING TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS
PREPARATION
- Use the move as an opportunity to clear out old belongings. Have a yard sale or a carport sale with anything you don’t need or want. Or give your local charity shop a boost. Either way, you can purge some items and even make some money!
- Think about the space in your new home before you move, and start to imagine the best way to arrange your furniture in it. You can even make sketches or use online home-styling tools. This will make moving in much easier and help you feel more at home.
- Take any staples out of boxes before you pack them. Stray staples can scratch floors and surfaces, as they’ll probably move in transit.
- Buy LOTS of packing tape. It’s great for strengthening boxes, will prevent accidental opening in transit, and can be easily opened when you want to with a knife. Go the whole hog and buy a tape gun. It makes taping much easier, and it’s fun, too!
- Plan where your movers can park to load and unload. The further they have to walk, the longer it will take. Clear your driveway of any vehicles, basketball goals, or clutter. Having the shortest route possible to the truck will cut down on your move cost.
- Teach your kids your new address and phone number as soon as you have it.
- Don’t use any special cleaning/maintenance products such as wax or oils on antique furniture for a couple of weeks before your move. They can make the wood softer for a few weeks and leave it more likely to get damaged.
- Unplug your TV a day before your move so that it will settle down to room temperature. If you unplug it just before you move it may retain heat when wrapped or packed; this can actually cause internal damage.
- Write down instructions for any systems in your home such as central heating, air conditioning, etc., and make sure the people moving in know any alarm codes. If you have brochures, guarantees, or any paperwork relating to systems or appliances you’re leaving behind, make sure to leave them somewhere obvious. This will make their move much easier, and keep them from bothering you during yours! Also, call the previous owner of your new home and ask them to do the same.
- If your new home has an alarm system, ask for the code before you move.
- Try to get a good night’s sleep before your moving day. It’s going to be a long day!
PACKING
- Packing starts out being fun but can soon get boring and tedious. Make yourself feel better about it by setting deadlines (i.e. a week to pack up the garage, etc.) and keeping to them. No time to pack? No worries. Our team at Big League Movers can handle the packing for you. Just give us a call to provide a packing estimate.
- Under packing is almost as bad as over packing and the contents of under packed boxes are MUCH more likely to be damaged. Make sure you fill boxes with a mix of heavy and light.
- Don’t leave all your packing to the last day. You’ll be up all night and still not get it done right. But don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get everything done. If you’re pushed for time, it doesn’t matter if you just box up non-fragile items quickly or even just stuff them in bags. If this happens to you, do make sure you ask your movers to take extra care or just transport these last-minute packed things yourself. Pack your fragile items first. This way, your best boxes and packing materials go towards your most valuable items, and it ensures your fragile items will be packed in advance.
- Don’t use foam ‘peanuts’ to pack a computer – they can generate static electricity and cause damage.
- Try not to wrap fragile items in newspaper, as the print will come off on them. You’ll just have to wash everything before you can put it away. And, newsprint doesn’t generally come off well in a dishwasher so chances are you’ll be washing them by hand. If you don’t want to buy wrapping materials, save up magazines for a few weeks beforehand.
- Don’t use newspaper to wrap lampshades – chances are you will not be able to get the newsprint off again!
- Get one of your movers to do a last walk-around of your old house with you before you leave. A fresh pair of eyes can often spot things you’ve left behind.
- If you’re in the habit of hanging clothes or stuff behind bedroom doors, remember to check them as well. This is one of the most common places people forget things.
- Write OPEN FIRST on boxes of essential items and DO NOT MOVE on boxes you’re not planning on taking with you!
MOVING
- It’s easier to clean your new home before you move in. If you can’t do it yourself, consider hiring professionals to whiz around for a couple of hours before the moving truck arrives.
- You don’t need to take drawers out of chests of drawers for the move – even if they can’t be locked. You can use masking tape to hold in drawers that do not lock. Masking tape is specifically made not to leave residue, unlike duct, electrical, or box tape.
- If you’re carrying heavy boxes, bend with the knees and not with your back!
- Before your movers arrive, try to make sure that all boxes, containers, etc. are stacked neatly in the room (ideally around the walls) and leave the movers room to maneuver. This will speed up the process.
- Make sure someone is at your new home to meet the movers and to tell them where to unload stuff.
- If you’re moving with kids, let them loose on their new bedrooms with a couple of boxes of stuff they can unpack to keep them occupied. You may also want to give them fun jobs to do. Anything to keep the kids out of the movers’ way will allow the movers to work at full speed and keep your kids safe from accidents.
- Give your movers your cell phone number. This way, they can get the answers to any questions they may have and get back to work as quickly as possible.
- Big League Movers has a two-hour minimum and charges in half-hour increments. Ask your Crew Leader what time they marked as their start time and make the best use of your time with the 30-minute increments in mind.
AFTER THE MOVE
- Tipping. It’s a nice touch to tip your movers all individually if they’ve been really helpful. Otherwise tip the Crew Leader and he will sort them all out. Just like any service, a tip is not expected but definitely appreciated. We are often asked what the standard tipping rate is; $5 to $10 per hour/ per mover is a good ballpark figure.
- Give electrical items a chance to get to room temperature before you plug them in.
- Expect to feel a bit ‘blue’ for a couple of days after the move. It happens all the time and doesn’t mean you hate your new home – just that the move and the thought of unpacking has taken its toll on you a bit. Although “move day” is over, the whole moving process is not. It generally takes a few months for everything to be in order. Keep this in mind, and don’t stress out.
- Call your friends and family to let them know you’ve moved safely.
- Keep your kids occupied and give them lots of attention. They’ll probably feel unsettled by the move too. Make time to have some fun!
- If you feel up to it, throw a housewarming party!
Big League Movers is here to help! If you have any questions after you get settled in your new place, or just need a recommendation on a good restaurant or nice park in the area, give us a call at 888-677-6553.
MOVING RESOURCES
United States Postal Service Change of Address Form
Our Clients Feedback
The crew of Malone, Edward and Young did a wonderful job moving me from Cooper Young to Downtown. Very prompt, great communication and fun to interact with. Appreciate you guys
Jordan Abidor1 week agoThe crew of Malone, Edward and Young did a wonderful job moving me from Cooper Young to Downtown. Very prompt, great communication and fun to interact with. Appreciate you guysJordan A.1 week agoMy 3 Man Crew of Torion, Damien, Z Bow and Jesse were Friendly, Professional, and Efficient. We were able to completely move out and in across town within the 3 hour Minimum Estimate. These guys went the extra Mile to remove the stress and strain of moving and ddI the... read more Daniel S.2 weeks agoWhat an amazing job! Michael, Kyle and Denzel were amazing!!! they were friendly and courteous! They made this move as painless as possible. Items were placed exactly where I needed them to be, so now there is minimal work for me to unpack. Thank you so... read more Pamela H.2 weeks ago- I have used moving companies many times during my life time and I honestly have never seen a moving company that went over and beyond to make sure the furniture was protected from any damage during the moving process like Big League Movers. I was totally impressed by the two... read more Michael T.3 weeks ago
This our third time using Big League Movers for a local move. The prep staff is amazing! I've been lucky enough to work with Brandon each time and Dominque was very responsive. The day of our move went very well, despite some light rain. Our moving team consisted of Tommie,... read more
Dawn Gaines3 weeks agoI was very pleased with the entire team from Big League. The service quote from Branson was done very thoroughly. Dominique followed up before the move to verify all things were ready. Our 2 day move went right as planned. The guys were extremely respectful and careful with our items.... read more Mindy S.3 weeks agoThey were great and very professional. Jessie was wonderful and very helpful. He was very friendly and willing to help with anything I needed.Tiffany B.3 weeks ago - Reviewed and received estimates from several local movers before making decision to employ The Big League Movers Team. Not one second thought in making decision.Starting with phone call for estimate. Communication is key and they delivered a Home Run!Crews gave advance notice of their arrival to begin packing. Showed up... read more Randall L.4 weeks ago
The team that came and did our move was very good and I am glad we ended up hiring movers. They were referred to us by our realtor which gave us a 10% savings. Would use them again.
Aaron Goodwin4 weeks agoThe absolute highlight of working with Big League were the movers Jessie & Cal. They helped move my dad from Memphis to Nashville and worked SO hard every step of the way and did everything with the best attitude and a smile. Couldn't recommend Big League more -- and BL,... read more Devin R.1 month agoLeo and BA were the best! Awesome job. They were fast, courteous and wrapped everything with blankets. This is my second move with them!Linda C.1 month ago - The staff helped moved my entire business recently. Everything went as smooth as possible. And the rates were completely reasonable. Highly recommendBrian M.1 month agoMovers were on time, professional, handled my items with care, had a truck with lots of space, and moved very quickly. Would definitely recommend!Toneia M.1 month agoGreat team who were on-time, quick, clean and great to work with. No damages and the whole experience was perfect.Dennis F.1 month agoTerrance was a great as a mover. He had a very positive attitude and will to work hard to get complicated pieces to fit. Thanks for the move to South Carolina!Cindy L.1 month ago
- Love everything about this place. Moving, packing, the people, the brand. Customer service is the priority and that's obvious.Steven B.1 month agoBest experience ever. In a time of stress and our family uprooting normalcy (in a COVID world), we used BLM to get us home. Jordan, Jim, Tommy and Leo were absolutely incredible. The family's stress was at an all time high, but these fellas seriously know what they're doing. Moving... read more Tyler P.1 month agoI just got done with my move. George and team did an amazing job! This is my first time using a moving company, but if I have to move again, I will definitely use them! Awesome job!Justin T.1 month agoCJ and Terrence were great yesterday. They were very friendly and concerned about some especially delicate pieces of furniture. They had their work cut out for them as they had to navigate a small and narrow freight elevator at the new location and a tricky parking situation at... read more Robbie J.1 month ago
- My crew was T. Wright, B. Davis, & A. Harris, the guys did an excellent job and I am very thankful for their help!Davin C.1 month agoThese guys were great! Terrence C.and Brad A. Took good care of me. Nice guys, professional, and know their craft. I will ONLY use Big League Movers from now on. The whole processes was seamless from the quote to booking to close out. They took care of everything for... read more Marie S.1 month agoAs with every time we've used Big League Movers, they were on time, friendly, and efficient. Everything was moved without incident or issue. I have no intention of using any other movers when needing moving help.Jeff B.1 month ago
Easy to initally get a quote from and the crew they sent were professional, hardworking and competent. I highly recommend Big League Movers. They came recommended to me and proved themselves.
Johnathan Todd1 month ago - Big League Movers did a great job with our move and clearly communicated throughout the entire process. Terrance and Jimmy were excellent to deal with. Thank you Big League Movers!Trey A.1 month agoI've used Big League Movers twice this summer. Both times, they were great to work with. From the person I spoke to on the phone to arrange the move to the two movers that came on moving day, everyone was easy to deal with and very accommodating. They called me... read more Beth D.1 month agoI had a great experience with BigLeague movers, from Memphis TN. Donald and Steve we both professional, courteous, and went above my expectations. They called to give me an update on delivery time and arrived pretty much to the minute. I highly recommend these guys!Trish L.1 month agoI had a mattress set delivered through this company. No issues at all. It took a little while to get the shipping arranged due to coronavirus (no fault of the shipping company), but once arranged, they were on time as agreed. I'm always frustrated when a company tells you a... read more John V.1 month ago
Made an in-town move this week, and Big League Movers were excellent! Professional and efficient movers got our stuff from point a to point b without a hitch. Highly recommended.
Michael Monahan1 month agoFriendly, fast and frugal. They don't charge you for the ridiculous stuff that 2 men and a Truck does. Great people and quickest move ever.
Liz McC1 month agoThese guys made this the smoothest easiest move I've ever dealt with. In 4 hours they had everything done and even stopped by my storage unit to pick up a washer and dryer. They were pleasant, courteous, and very productive. No lolligagging at all!! 100% will use again and recommend.
Craig Nicholson1 month agoThis was a great choice. From the inital consultation by Dan to the pickup and backout performed by Thurmis and his partner in Memphis went smoother than you can imagine. Then on other side in Myrtle beach the unload and set up agsin by Thurmis was fast clean and perfect.... read more Anthony K.2 months agoI had movers Curtis and Michael and they were on point! They were very professional and for it to only be the two of them, moved pretty fast. Before they arrived, they called me to tell me they were 30 mins out and even asked if I needed anything before... read more
Candice Grose3 months agoWell! I was wrong the customer lies to me. And gave big league a one star. But I will leave a 5 star for them. I’m sorry for the hassle.
Junk It4 months agoBig shout out to Big League Movers for moving all of our stuff and furniture (including piano) out of our old house and into the new house in FOUR HOURS. They sent very strong and courteous gentlemen who knew what they were doing and had equipment and a big truck.... read more
Larisa4 months agoBig shout out to Big League Movers for moving all of our stuff and furniture (including piano) out of our old house and into the new house in FOUR HOURS. They sent very strong and courteous gentlemen who knew what they were doing and had equipment and a big truck.... read more Larisa A.4 months ago
