Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Explaining the Self in Self Storage

I will never, ever understand why people with ask if they have to move their own items into self storage. On one hand the joke never gets old. On the other hand I want to bang my head on my desk every time I hear it.

Self Storage is just that, you store it your self. You rent the unit and you move it in all by yourself.

While the company will have someone working they are not there to move your items into the unit. This is for insurance purposes. No company is going to take liabilty for that.

Some might have workers you can hire to move your items but they will not be free. Even if you think htey are they are not. People cost money.

Also, no company pays people to stand around. Likewise they are not going to allow people to stand around and offer their services. Again it's an insurance thing. Insurance is very expensive these days and no one wants to be sued.

Friday, August 27, 2010

The hazard of online movers.

If you are thinking about online movers please reconsider.

First you will probably never get an accurate price for your move if they do not see it. In all my time in the moving business I have never heard of an internet based move having a happy ending. Second I have heard numerous horror stories of people having used an online moving company hold their items ransom. Or the price jumps into the stratosphere.

This is why you need to have an agent go out and take a look at your items in person. As in physically go to your house and look at what you have in it.

And no, using one estimate and asking other companies to give you a price based on that will not fly. Unless the company is either desperate or plans on taking you hand over fist, most will not do an estimate for you.

Why not? Because some people have a better idea of an items weight, will see all items or they might have different methods of calculating the weight. More importantly they will be able to ask questions about things they see or don't see(like a hidden crawl space).

Also, you are agreeing to a faceless companies terms and charges. I understand that this is the world of the web and faceless purchases.. But every time I make an online purchase on a new site I worry because you just never know for certain until you get your item/service if they were telling the truth.

And that's for sheep things like tea. I couldn't imagine doing that with a whole house worth of goods.

If you truly feel confidant in using an internet mover please check on them with the Better Business Bureau. They are your friend and are there to serve you.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Small Advice Article

I want to hug and send so much love to Better Homes & Gardens right now. The articles were posted some time ago but the advice still remains sound.

Countdown: 12 Weeks to Moving Day
this article makes me weep with joy. It lays out some very simple ideas for people that are moving to keep sane. I have seen and talked to several customers that would have greatly benefited from reading this article to lessen their stress.

Hiring a Mover: 5 Mistakes Even Smart People Make
these are five very easy to do mistakes when moving.

10 Biggest Moving Mistakes
This article expands on the one above it. It's still a good read.

It does sadden me that there seem to be more articles about moving mistakes the there are about advice.