subject: Tips For An Easier Move [print this page] There are a number of different moving and storage concepts on the market, and the best way to find the one that is best for you is to plan ahead. To an extent, we all plan out our move, reserving equipment and taking time off work. But by getting a little more serious about planning you will think through some of the issues that can end up costing time and money when moving day comes.
First, it's important to start as far in advance as possible. Most of us don't move suddenly; generally, we know at least a couple of months ahead of time that a move is going to happen. As soon as the possibility appears on the horizon, it's a good idea to start looking at possible solutions and doing research. The sooner you start, the better you will understand what's available, and the more able you will be to take advantage of promotional offers that can save you money.
Even when you aren't completely sure you're going to move, it does no harm to start planning. For example, maybe you're in escrow on a new home but you haven't closed. Or you nail an out-of-town interview but are still waiting for an offer. Especially in the latter example, it pays to start planning as soon as possible, so that when the move becomes definite you're ready.
In the early stages of planning, it's a good idea to work out two different scenarios in order to see how your different options look under each. The first scenario should be a "green light" scenario; in other words, this is how the move would look if everything goes right and there aren't any snags. The other should be a "red light" scenario: this is how the move would look if you ran into every obstacle imaginable.
All the different moving and storage concepts mitigate some of the risks implicit in moving. For example, a professional moving company drives the truck for you, eliminating the risk of getting stuck in a flash mountain snowstorm. If you look at what each option would cost under both the red and green light scenarios, you'll be able to see the strengths and weaknesses of each pricing model.
When you do price out options, it's good to follow the "rule of three," a procurement process that means you get three quotes for everything before making a decision. Getting these quotes for a truck rental, storage space, pod, boxes, labor, and everything else related to the move will save money and help you to avoid add-ons, which tend to cost far more than they should.
It is important to work out the details of each deal when you're getting quotes, rather than just looking at dollars. For example, some truck rental companies include insurance in their basic rate and others don't. If you get a quote on a three-day rental without specifying the details, you may discover that the extra point-of-sale costs dramatically increase the rate, making it higher than the other options.
By planning ahead, looking at both best-case and worst-case scenarios, and following the rule of three, you can be pretty sure that the moving and storage solution you come up with is going to be the best one out there for you. That doesn't mean that everything will go right in your move, but at least it will be a lot easier.
