How to ensure moving day help?

If planning a residential move and feeling overwhelmed with relocation preparations and tasks, you’re very likely to get one very specific recurring nightmare – the big day comes, everything goes wrong, and your relocation endeavor ends in complete disaster. Such horror visions are hardly a surprise considering the number of well-grounded reasons people have to dread moving day (just think of all the risks and uncertainties, hardships and challenges, stress and anxiety associated with the peak moment of your move).

However daunting and unpredictable moving day may be though, there is something you can do to reduce the stress and avoid major mishaps at the time of your move – ensure reliable and effective moving help. But how to get moving help, you may ask. Where to find trustworthy moving helpers? Who will be willing to provide you with the necessary moving assistance?

If you’re looking for moving day helpers, all you need to do is look below:

Professional Movers

You can find no better moving helpers than professional movers (of course!) – the experts have adequate training and extensive experience in handling all kinds of residential moves, so they are certain to do a good job and ensure a smooth and trouble-free relocation. All you have to do is:

1. decide on the type of moving help that will be most appropriate for your particular needs and requirements; and
2. choose the best movers for you.

1) When it comes to professional moving assistance, you have several options:

• Full-service moving – The movers will handle your move from start to finish – they will pack your items, load the moving truck, transport your goods to your final destination, unload your belongings and take them to their rightful places in your new home. If you choose this option, you’ll have very little responsibilities on Moving day – to be present when the movers arrive, tell them your specific requirements, ensure the safety of your family during the moving process, double-check to make sure nothing has been forgotten and everything has been done according to plan, and lock the door for the last time. As easy as that;
• Partial moving services – Under this option, the movers will load your goods on the moving truck and transport them to your new home, but it will be up to you to pack your items, ensure the good condition of your old property and the safety of your family, take your belongings inside your new home after delivery and unpack them, etc.;
• Moving with portable shipping containers – If you go with this option, the moving containers will be dropped in front of your home and you will have some time (a couple of days or a couple of weeks, as previously agreed on) to pack your belongings and arrange them inside the portable moving containers. When ready, the containers will be picked up and transported to your final destination. You’ll have to take care of everything else.

2) When you decide on the kind of professional moving help you need, you’ll have to find the right movers for you:

• Ask for recommendations, read online moving reviews, visit different movers’ websites, and gather as much information as possible in order to find out which moving companies offer great customer services and which ones you need to stay away from;
• Fill in a moving quote to get contacted by several reputable moving companies and interview them briefly on the phone to narrow down the list of movers that seem to be appropriate for your specific relocation circumstances;
• Get three or four in-house moving estimates to see what different movers offer;
• Compare the offers (prices, included services, available extra services and their rates, special conditions, etc.) and choose the movers that best suit your needs, preferences, and available budget;
• Research your chosen movers very carefully before hiring their services and signing a contract with them (SEE ALSO: How to avoid moving scams).

Professional Packers

Using professional packing services is another efficient way to simplify your move and reduce the risks, stress, and hassle on moving day. Professional home packers will help you ensure the safety of your belongings, move out in a fast and organized manner, avoid moving accidents, and set up your new home quickly and easily.

Packing is the most laborious, time-consuming, and risky moving task you need to take care of. If you hire professional packers to do the job for you, you will save yourself plenty of time, effort, and nerves, will ensure your peace of mind, and will make moving day much less stressful.

The pros will come to your home at the pre-agreed time, organize and pack your smaller items in the safest and most efficient way possible, prepare large household items for shipment (disassemble furniture, disconnect appliances and electronics, wrap everything in moving blankets, etc.), take your goods out of your home in a safe and quick manner, load them onto the moving truck, and secure them for transportation. You will be able to supervise their work and will have the time to take proper care of all the other important things that will require your attention on moving day.

Reliable Friends

If you have set your mind on a DIY move and prefer to do without professional moving assistance, you’ll need the help of your family and friends in order to perform a successful relocation:

• Make sure you ask your friends for help well ahead of time – they will probably have plans of their own, so you’ll need to coordinate your schedules;
• Once you find out which of your friends will be available (and willing) to help you with your move, ask those of them who are not very strong physically but have good organizational skills to come earlier and help you finish packing, covering the floors and walls with protective materials, and taking care of some other important pre-move details. The ones who will be lifting and carrying heavy items can come a bit later, so that they don’t get tired and/or bored until the loading process can begin;
• Let your friends decide in what way they would like to help you, but provide clear instructions and make sure everyone knows exactly what they are going to do on moving day;
• Prepare a list of all the tasks that need to be completed on moving day (in their chronological order) and hang it on the entry door, so that everyone can see it and refer to it whenever necessary;
• Stay calm, don’t rush things, keep your sense of humor, and maintain a cheerful, friendly atmosphere all the day long;
• Provide plenty of snacks and drinks for your friends, play everyone’s favorite music, and try to turn it all into a game;
• Don’t forget to reward your friends for their moving day help – get them small gifts, organize a thank-you party, etc.

SEE ALSO: How to get friends to help me move

Good to remember: Even if you have hired professional movers for your relocation, good friends can still provide a lot of help on moving day – one of your pals may bring some home-made food for you, your family and your movers; another may help you clean the house when the movers depart; a trusted friend may take care of your kids or pets when the movers arrive, etc.

Babysitters/ Pet Sitters

Unless a relative or a reliable friend of yours can look after your young kids and/or pets on moving day, you’ll need to hire someone to take care of your children and your animal friends during the most critical hours of your move. The sitter will keep them safe and happy, away from the moving chaos and the escalating moving stress. Your little ones will be able to follow their usual daily routine and have some fun and you will be able to give your full attention to the arduous moving process.

RELATED: Should I hire a babysitter on moving day

Other moving help options are also available, although not so commonly used:

1. You can ask your neighbors (provided that you’re on friendly terms, of course) to look after your children and/or pets on moving day, especially if they also have kids or pets that your little ones can play with;
2. You can hire individual laborers to assist you with your move and pay them by the hour;
3. You can hire an experienced driver who has an appropriate vehicle to transport your belongings to your new home; etc.

So, as you can see, moving help is not as difficult to get as you may have thought – just make sure you evaluate all your options and pick the moving solution that best suits your needs. Happy moving!