Paper clutter. It’s like death and taxes. We all experience it but no one seems to know what to do about it.

First, the bad news. Despite all the hype about how we’re all going to be paperless in the 21st century, the reality is paper is not going away anytime soon.

Here’s the good news. Most of what you keep, buried in your file cabinets or piled on your desk, you can probably toss. The challenge is knowing exactly what paper that is. In general the conventional wisdom states: keep the paper that would be difficult to replace if you lost it or if it’s likely you will need or want to refer to again. Everything else is optional.

If you still feel stuck,  I’ve created a little memory device to help you manage and organize your paper so you can more easily find what you need when you need it and feel less stressed or fearful of overlooking – or tossing –  something important.

Just remember the word ACT.

It’s actually an acronym for the guiding principle I use when working with clients overwhelmed by their paper piles.  Here’s what it means:

All paper, no matter what it is —  the bill from your plumber, last weeks newspaper, a grocery receipt, your Will — falls into only one of three categories: paper you act on, paper you contain, or paper you toss.  Action. Contain. Toss.  ACT for short.  So what does this mean?

1. ACTION: These are documents that prompt you to do something that’s worth your time and adds value to your life or protects you from consequence. It’s the paper that you decide is worth your time to attend to. Examples are bills to pay, checks to deposit,  invitations to respond to, applications to complete, contracts to send, receipts to total for tax purposes,  a document you need to discuss with someone.  If there is no action needed then it falls into one of the next two categories. Contain or Toss.
2. CONTAIN: These are documents you keep because you believe it’s likely you will read them, need to access them sooner or later or because they can’t be easily replaced. These can be anything from a business contract to a love letter.  It includes all of the following:
   • Assets such as property, stock certificates, receipts for high value items you own
   • Liabilities such as bills you owe or your tax returns and supporting documents
   • Insurance documents for your home, auto, other property you own or for you or your family’s health

Other than these you may also choose to keep the following but they are optional:

• Sentiments such as love letters, family photos, your children’s artwork or your 3rd grade report card
• Reading material such as current magazines, newsletters or books.
• Personal papers that are unique to you such as your lab results, articles about you or something you’ve written longhand

Everything else, TOSS. Be sure you safely toss or shred anything that has private or confidential information such as your social security number or an account number. The rest recycle: Examples include, empty envelopes, junk mail, old magazines and catalogs, expired coupons and anything not included in the first two categories.

The nice thing about this simple system is that you can organize your paper according to this same principle.

Paper you ACT on should be right where you can see it. In a tray or vertical file holder on your desk.  This is especially true for paper bills.  Keep your bills separate and visible. If you have paper that ‘s related to a larger project, such as an “Idea Book” for your kitchen remodel, keep that somewhere handy for quick reference.

Incoming paper such as mail should go into an “in-box” or tray big enough to hold it and small enough to remind you it’s time to look at it.

Paper you CONTAIN lives in different places depending upon how frequently you will need to access it – right away, sooner or later or rarely.  Keep your “right away paper” such as frequently called numbers, a coupon you want to use that expires soon or a blank note pad on your desk or in your top desk drawer.

Paper you need to refer to “sooner or later” such as recently paid bills or records of your insurance from the current year, should be kept in a nearby file drawer or rolling file cabinet if you prefer. Most of this paper will eventually get tossed so don’t bother scanning it. Condense it as much as possible into the categories mentioned above: Assets, Liabilities, Insurance, Sentiments, Reading, Personal.

Paper you need to keep but “rarely” refer to can be kept accessible but doesn’t have to be within arms reach.  This could be in a file box in your closet or even in another storage area of your home.

Finally, paper you toss should, be, well… tossed.

Keep at least one receptacle or trash can nearby for your recycled paper. Be careful to safely toss or shred any paper containing confidential information such as your social security number or an account number.  If you have a lot of paper to shred, put it in a box for destruction and take it to a local shredding company. Alternately use an ink stamp to black out your confidential information. Then just toss.

That’s it. ACT – Act, Contain, Toss. Apply it to every piece of paper you pick up and you will never be overwhelmed by paper again.

This Thanksgiving, I’m doing something a little different. I’m not cooking. My husband and I are still hosting this year’s “gratitude feast” at our home. There will be ten at our table and I’ve asked each person to bring an assigned dish. Instead of making a turkey, one of our friends inspired me when he said he was hankering for a smoked turkey. Having no inclination to smoke a turkey myself, I am having a popular BBQ shop smoke our turkey for us. I am making a few traditional favorites and we’re supplying the libations but other than setting the table, I’m feeling pretty relaxed.   Knowing that I don’t have to dedicate an entire day to cooking and then cleaning afterwards makes me feel like I’ve just kicked off a pair of tight shoes. The lesson in this for all of you is that preparing for the Holidays need not be an ordeal. Here are 3 other tips for having a stress-free Holiday Season.

1. Delegate: Hosting the big holiday meal doesn’t have to mean stressing and missing out on all the festivities, even if that includes all the drama of your family.  Why not finally take up the offer you’ve heard your guests ask time and time again, “What can I do to help?”  Ask your friends to bring something to share or help with set up or clean up. Why shouldn’t you be able to have your smoked Turkey and eat it too?
2. Do a clutter-check: Have you seen the commercial where the mother uses a leaf blower to blow all her household clutter into a back room?  Funny and probably not a bad idea, during the holidays.  Scan your kitchen, dining and living areas for clutter you would be uncomfortable having on display when guests arrive. Instead of sorting through it all now, plan on tackling it early next year. Did you know January is the official Get Organized Month?  Check back on our website for our special Get Organized savings in January.  For now, simply toss all those loose papers in a box and hide those extraneous items in a room or closet your guests don’t see. Then make it a New Year’s resolution to Get Organized in 2015 and add it to your to-do list!
3. Create an action list.  Feel like you have a jumble of to-dos in your head that are adding to your Holiday jitters? Sit down for 5-10 minutes and write down everything you think you need to do between now and December 31st.  Include your one-time tasks such as pay bills and order Thanksgiving Turkey as well as bigger projects you have planned such as buy a new car or do Christmas Shopping. Then assign an A, B, or C priority to each item. A items are both important and time-sensitive, B items are important but could wait and C items are time-sensitive but not important to you (though they may be important to someone else). Don’t do any of the B’s or C’s before you do any of your A’s. If you get stuck, just ask yourself, “Is this really worth my time?”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Editor’s Note: In almost every home we organize. we come across literally hundreds of printed photographs, both old and new, and our clients always tell us how important they are and that “some day” they will get them organized. We are delighted to feature a guest blog from Nikki McKenna, the founder of Storytag who offers some fabulous tips on how to finally get your photos organized once and for all. Read on…

If you are like millions of Americans, you have boxes and boxes and boxes of pictures in a closet somewhere. You know they contain thousands of precious memories of your family through the years but you may also know that as time goes on so does the risk that pictures are lost, memories fade or disaster strikes to damage them. Digitizing these images is a must if you want to pass these memories on to generations, but where to begin? The cost of digitizing 1,000 images is around $500 and many families have more like 10,000 or even 20k. That can be a bit prohibitive. So, then, let’s start by recognizing that you will get just about ALL of the value of your pictures if you pare it down by a factor of 10. If you need some helping being convinced of that, please reach out! But then, how do you decide to pass on 90% of those precious pictures? Here are a few tried and true tips:

1. Start with some focus on what you really want from that “pile” before jumping in. It makes a difference in how you organize! Do you see these images as a way for your story to live on? Are they precious memories for your family to share? Are they pictures that you know you will want for future projects (e.g. scrapbooks, slideshows or wall space)?
2. It will help to think about three (3) categories: Album, Box and Can (e.g. trash can). We call these the ABC’s of photo organizing. I borrow from a William Morris statement often used by many traditional organizers that encourages us to keep only that which is beautiful or useful. Beauty, as it pertains to our images, refers to those that strongly evoke the feelings of a memory we want to remember. Useful, as it pertains to our images generally means they document facts of our past we want to remember. Roughly speaking, the beautiful falls into A and the useful usually falls into B. Otherwise, it’s the trash can.
3. We take pictures to remember, so as you cull them down, think about what the image actually helps you to remember that other pictures don’t. Is it the one picture that has all of the people at your wedding? Keep it. It’s useful. Is it your favorite picture of your grandpa and you when you were on the boat together on that camping trip? Keep it. It’s beautiful. Are there 20 other pictures of your grandpa and you on that same boat on that same camping trip? Consider tossing those.
4. When deciding to keep an image or not, think about whether you could have remembered the image before you saw it. Pictures that stood out in your mind even while being in a box very likely captured something important in your life. They very likely have beauty for you. If you didn’t remember it, and it doesn’t document something specific, consider tossing it.
5. Notice that you can’t capture everything with any number of pictures and decide to write your memories down! Just ten pictures that have the story are worth more than 10,000 with no description or names. As you are sorting, quickly write down those stories. Then, keep the momentum by keeping a journal for your present.
6. Take your time. You can only eat an elephant a bite at a time; so set aside a manageable chunk of time every week to do a bit. I assure you, you will get there.
7. Have fun! You are reliving old times. And, rest assured that it’s a project your whole family will love you for.

Storytag is a full service solution to help our clients get their stories booked. We employ a unique interview process, image selection, custom design and book printing using only the most qualified suppliers to combine story with images into a memoir that will be enjoyed for generations. Our mission is to help families all across the country preserve their stories with respect and artful aesthetics so that they can all experience more often their own legacies of joy and love and loss and each and every one’s unique meaning of life.

www.storytag.com
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Helping people get organized and decluttered at home, as someone said to me recently, is a “first-world” problem.

It’s true. Much of the so called “third world,” representing 80% of the world’s population, couldn’t even imagine having a cluttered home, let alone pay  to have it organized and cleared of unwanted items.

I work with all kinds of people. People who live in large homes and small apartments. People who are moving in and moving out.  People who are downsizing and people who are “resizing” or remodeling. The one thing each of these people have common is their desire to simplify their lives. Not one of them says, “I want more!” It’s just that having less is not as easy as they think.  It requires time, and often physical as well as mental endurance to decide what is truly essential.

I am rarely surprised by what I find when I first meet with a client. What surprises me is how much people believe what they own is “essential.”  I have always held that clearing our physical space helps us to discover what’s truly meaningful to us and opens up the space in our minds to discover who we really are. In thinking about simplifying your life, I invite you to ponder these questions that speak to why getting organized is never about our stuff and really is more about ourselves.

1. How do you decide what’s essential?
2. Do you believe what you own defines who you are, at least to the world?
3. How do you find value in your life other than through the things you own?
4. Are you willing to let go of what’s usable when you have no use for it?
5. How will you overcome your reluctance to purge what no longer serves you?
6. Do you assign meaning to objects that remind you of people, places or other experiences just to hold onto those experiences and if so, what would it take to let them go?

Have you read Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown?  If not, I recommend it. Especially if you feel like you are never able to catch up or you find yourself asking, “is this all there is?”

I’m reading it now.  So much of the book’s three-word message — less but better — is resonating with me that I’ve turned almost every page of my e-book a bright shade of green from all the highlighted sections.

I was fortunate to have heard Greg speak at a conference of Professional Organizers a few years ago, before he became a New York Times best-selling author.

I was only a couple of years into running my own business but the memory of the daily grind I experienced in my previous corporate job was still fresh in my mind.  At one point, I recall, Greg explained that most of us use about 10 percent of our potential in our jobs when we are desperate to use so much more. That certainly rang true for me.   Then he asked everyone in the audience to raise their hands if they thought they were using 100 percent of their talent now. My hand shot up like a rocket.

Using 100 percent of your brain’s potential doesn’t mean spending 100% of your time in activities that leave you exhausted, overwhelmed and stressed.  It means spending your time doing things that matter most to you even if it means having to say no to things that matter most to others.

“It’s natural not to want to let go of what we wasted on a bad choice,” Greg writes, “but when we don’t, we doom ourselves to keep wasting even more.”

We all make bad choices or mistakes that we later regret. This is human. but it’s the act of realizing and then doing something different, changing course, or eliminating that choice altogether that makes us wiser.  He reminds us that “there should be no shame in admitting to a mistake; after all, we really are only admitting that we are now wiser than we once were.”

I love this idea so much that I found myself using it in a conversation I had with a young woman designer I met recently who was berating herself for getting into a project she quickly discovered was over her head.  I said to her, “how wise you are to know this now.” Not surprisingly, she had a hard time taking this in. Sometimes it’s easier to blame ourselves than it is to recognize the wisdom in our mistakes.

The same holds true for the “stuff” in our lives.  So much of what we surround ourselves with is the result of out-dated choices.  When those choices cost us, we tend to hold on to them longer. Greg refers to this as the “endowment effect” meaning our tendency to overvalue things we already own.

So much of our daily lives is spent in the act of making choices – both trivial and essential –  that mistakes are inevitable.  How many times have you bought or acquired something that later you discovered was the wrong choice but couldn’t let it go anyway?  This happens because  we force ourselves to find value in the thing, even when there is none, to justify our choice in the first place.  When I work with clients.  I often ask them, “if you saw this today, would you buy it?” Even when they say no, the pain of learning that the original choice no longer has value is sometimes hard to bare.

I believe the clutter in our lives (and in our minds)  also comes from having too many choices to begin with. We have so much already coming at us that the very act of choosing is exhausting.   There are simply too many other “more important” choices to make.  This is in essence what creates clutter.  Too many choices, too much saying yes, or simply not choosing, when we really want to say no.

But living an essential life, a life that Essentialism defines as “the space and the time to think, time to look and listen, permission to play,” invites us to ask ourselves not, how can I do it all or have it all but instead how do I recognize the essential from the trivial? It takes awareness about our motives for choosing this over that and then consciously AND deliberately asking ourselves, “is this essential to me or can my life be just as good, if not better, without it?” By choosing what is essential, we discover how life can be better, even with less.

Click the thumbnail image below to read this special letter of recommendation we received. It made us smile.

Letter of Recommendation

Are you planning to move yourself or someone else this year? Moving is one of life’s most stressful and time-consuming events but it need not cost more than it should. Here are 10 tips to help you prepare for your move that will also help you save on your moving costs.

1. Lose The Weight. Get rid of heavy items you no longer use, need, or love. Long distance movers charge by weight.   Every other charge including fuel, origin and destination fees are based on a percentage of that weight.  A small box of books you haven’t looked at for years could cost you anywhere from $20-$40. Other heavy items to think twice about include: old appliances, the piano never played,  boxes you haven’t unpacked from the last move, older model TV/stereo stands and entertainment centers.
2. Get Onsite Estimates. Don’t ever accept a quote over the phone. Ideally obtain at least two estimates from reputable movers with active licenses so you can compare. Don’t forget to show them everything you are moving – easily forgotten areas include attics, detached storage sheds, basements, patios/yard,  balconies.
3. Consolidate.  If you plan to move items that you’ve long since kept in outside storage, consider consolidating with your existing items instead.  Long distance movers charge extra for second stops and why pay to move something you haven’t missed or used anyway.  If you need to, hire a local hauling service, at a much lower price, to move your stuff out of storage and back to your home for the movers.
4. Donate, Sell or Consign. If you have items of furniture that you no longer love, or won’t fit into your new home (the garage doesn’t count), consider donating them or if they are in good condition, you may be able to consign or sell them privately.  Beware, however, you will still need to pay to have heavy items hauled to a consignment service so factor this into your asking price otherwise you could end up losing money.
5. Get a Reality Check. If you are downsizing into a smaller home, don’t try to guess what will actually fit into your new home. If possible do a site visit and take measurements.  Otherwise, obtain or create a floor plan of your new home so you can visualize where you will place your furniture which will help you “get real” about what you need to let go of.
6. Protect Your High Value Items. It seems counter-intuitive but if you have your movers pack your most fragile items, they, not you, are liable for any loss or damage. In other words, the liability rests with the packer.  Damage and loss to items you own adds to the overall cost of a move.
7. Ensure your move is insured. If you are moving a long distance or have high value items to move, it makes sense to pay an additional fee for insurance against damage or loss.  Most established moving companies will offer insurance through a third party vendor. By law, all movers are required to insure their customers at a minimum .60 per pound of coverage but opt for the “actual value” or “full replacement value” options if you have items valued over $1000.
8. Pack Non-Breakables Yourself. If you don’t want to pay movers to pack everything, pack non-breakables such as books, pots and pans, clothing and soft home furnishings yourself. This will help lower the cost of packing which is usually charged by the hour. And remember, heavy items such as books should go in smaller boxes as you may have to lift them yourself.
9. Be Ready.  Or if you can’t be there on move day, consider hiring a move manager to help you plan and execute your move.  Most local movers charge by the hour.  If your movers have to wait around while you finish that “last minute” load of laundry, the meter doesn’t stop running.
10. Purchase gently used, clean boxes – if you are moving yourself, this is a big cost and time saver. Don’t waste time scrounging around for boxes at the grocery. They can sometimes carry insects or mold which could damage your other items.  Also, avoid purchasing boxes at storage facilities where prices are typically higher.   If you are hiring professional movers, check their supply prices first and get them to agree to charging you for only what they use, not what they bring.

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Are you planning to hire someone to help you with a home organizing project?

Do you know how to find the right service or individual for your needs?

Since this person will most likely be working with you in your home, do you know how to find someone who is both qualified and experienced as well as someone you can trust?

The blunt truth is that anyone can call themselves a “professional organizer.” There are no laws governing the use of the title.   However, there are a few ways you can increase the chances of finding a trustworthy, qualified and experienced organizer who is also a good “fit” for you and your goals.

Even though I own a a residential organizing and move management business,  we don’t work with everyone and not everyone is a great match for us.  Usually when someone calls us to ask about our services, it’s to ask what we charge or whether or not we do a particular kind of organizing. Both good questions. However, there are several more questions you should be prepared to ask when considering the services of a home organizer.

Whether you’ve finally decided to tackle getting your garage, kitchen or office organized, or you need help getting, packed or unpacked before or after a move (or remodel), or you simply are overwhelmed by the piles of paper and other clutter in your home,  finding the right company or individual for the job will mean the difference between feeling frustrated and disappointed or knowing when it’s all done that it was money well spent.

I recommend scheduling 20-30 minutes to chat with 2-3 organizers you are considering. Most should offer this type of consultation by phone, at no charge. Here are some suggested questions to ask when you have decided to hire an organizing or productivity professional.

1. How many years have you been in business? This is a good way to gauge how much professional experience an organizer has working with the public – not just friends and family.  There is a real difference between someone who just launched their organizing business and someone who has been operating for 5 or more years. This doesn’t mean a less experienced organizer lacks the skills to help you but it could mean they don’t yet have in place things like insurance, policies to protect both you and them or processes to be responsive to your needs.   It could also meant they don’t yet have the experience to assess the scope (time and labor) of your project. This is important to know if they are charging you by the hour.
2. How do you charge? You will want to know in advance if an organizer charges by the project or by the hour and whether or not they charge for an initial onsite, consultation.  You will also want to know how they charge if they bring in crew or extra help.  Yes, it is possible to find someone who can do certain types of jobs for $25/hour but it may cost you in the long run.
3. How long is your standard organizing session? Many organizers won’t work for less than 3 hours since they want you to see results, which will in turn make you happy. They know if you’re happy, there’s a likelihood you will hire them again.  Keep in mind that no matter how long you think something will take, chances are it will take longer.  This is because it is more than just the physical task of organizing. The rate at which you make decisions also plays a part in how long it will take. The more decisive you are about keeping vs. letting go of items, the quicker items can be staged for organizing, removal or disbursement elsewhere.
4. Do you work alone or with others? Having a well managed crew will probably mean the work will get done sooner and more efficiently.  Larger jobs, such as unpacking an entire home take more people. A smaller job like organizing a bedroom or closet may just take one organizer.  An experienced organizer will advise you on your options.
5. How do you work with clients who have a lot of sentimental attachments to things?
   This is one of the most important skills an organizer can have.  Most people, whether they admit it or not, are attached to possessions for various reasons. How the organizer responds to you may make the difference between you hiring them back or not.  Most professional organizers will not dispose of items without your explicit permission. Even if you believe you want to be told “toss it,” an experienced organizer will be able to guide you toward a decision you can live with and not regret later.
6. Will you donate items for me? This is a great added service.  Often, the very act of removing items from the home, is what that keeps people stuck in clutter. Don’t fall into the trap of saying, “I will take them myself.”  At the very least make an agreement with yourself and your organizer that if you don’t remove something by a certain date, that you will allow someone to move it for you.
7. Do you recommend and/or shop for organizing products and if so how much do you charge for your shopping time?   Experienced organizers are experts at finding just the right organizing product or tool for their clients, quickly and often for less than retail.  It’s a huge convenience to have someone pick out the right solution for you, much the same way an interior designer can find the right piece of furniture or even a plumbing contractor can find just the right fixture. At LET’S MAKE ROOM, we include shopping time in our packages.
8. Can you provide me with recent client references? Get at least two.  Ask the organizer to provide you with references for the same type of project you need to get done.
9. Do you have a contract or letter of agreement?  It’s always a good idea to have something in writing that confirms your mutual understanding and expectations.   Be sure you understand what the organizer’s process, timeline and fee structure is, including their cancellation policy, before you agree to work with them.
10. What is your cancellation policy? Most likely they will volunteer this ahead of time but if they don’t, ask. Most organizing companies or individual organizers will commit to doing your project to the exclusion of others. This means they are expecting to do work on a particular day and time for which they will be compensated. If you change an appointment at the last minute, it’s difficult if not impossible to reschedule that work at a similar scope and thus they lose income.  To protect themselves from this income loss, most organizers, LET’S MAKE ROOM included, charge for cancelled appointments with less than 48 hours notice.
11. Are you insured or bonded? Insurance for organizers is expensive which is why many don’t carry it. We do. It is there to protect both the client and the organizer from loss in the event of accidental damage to a client’s personal property. Bonding is important if the organizer is subcontracting for other services for which they are responsible in cases of theft.
12. What credentials do you hold? Since the field of professional organizing is not licensed by any State, the industry has become self-regulated, primarily by the National Association of Professional Organizers or NAPO.  NAPO was established in 1986 as a 501C-3 non-profit organization to promote and protect the integrity of its membership as well as the public who benefit from their services.  In 2007, NAPO created a process by which highly experienced organizers could be certified through a separate governing Board. The Board for Certified Professional Organizers or BCPO^®  recognizes and raises industry standards, practices and ethics through independent certification. An organizer who is a member of NAPO must meet a minimum standard before they can claim membership.  An organizer who is certified through the BCPO^®  is entitled to use the CPO^®  designation as evidence that he or she has met specific minimum standards, and proven through examination and client interaction that they possess the body of knowledge and experience required for certification.  Incidentally, I am both a member of NAPO and a Certified Professional Organizer.

Finally, if you are looking to hire an organizing professional the best place to start is by asking people you know who they recommend. You need not say why, you can just simply say, “I have some organizing projects I need done around the house.  Can you recommend someone?”

If you can’t find a personal recommendation, check out these three websites that can help you find a qualified professional in your area:

National Association of Professional Organizers

Certified Professional Organizers

Institute for Challenging Disorganization

Do you know what it will cost you to move your home? If you call a mover for a quote, don’t be surprised when the final cost far exceeds what you were quoted over the phone.

The cost of moving, especially if you are moving out-of-state and even just across town, can easily add up. Moving is stressful enough. Don’t be sticker-shocked.  Here’s what you need to know when hiring a professional mover:

1. Get an onsite estimate – not just a quote over the phone.  Most established movers will provide a one-hour window of time during which you can expect to meet with their estimator.  Even if you are just moving across town it is worth your time to schedule an onsite estimate.  Quotes over the phone are typically under-estimated because they don’t include other hidden costs such as “long carries” – an extra charge for when a mover has to walk a long way between their truck and your front door. They also don’t include extra charges for stairs or fuel surcharges.
2. Review and compare the estimates carefully. Long Distance moves are estimated based on weight. Local moves are estimated based on time.  Tariff’s for long distance moves are set by law but estimates can still vary if a company over-estimates the weight of your items. Get at least two estimates but three are ideal. I recently had a client who received two estimates that were roughly the same but a third was significantly higher. Compare extra fees such as the cost of boxes, labor time, fuel surcharges and even sales tax. Other fees for disconnection of appliances and crating are generally extra.   Since some of these extra fees are often based as a percentage of the weight – having an accurate weight is important.
3. Decide what you are moving ahead of time. Take the time before you meet with movers to decide  what furniture you are moving.  Don’t schedule the estimate until you’ve done this because the estimate will depend on either the quantity of items you are moving (for local moves) or the weight (for long distance moves).  Go through your house room-by-room and don’t forget your storage areas – garage, basement, attic, shed – as well as your patio or terrace. Place a bright colored label or sticky-note on every piece of furniture and large item you are moving. Don’t worry about deciding what you want to do with the things you are not taking. Just focus on the things you want. Don’t forget large lamps, speakers, artwork, fixtures, shelving units or exercise equipment.  Here’s another reason to do an onsite estimate:  A couple I know relied on a phone estimate but because they had so much stuff, as a result the movers had to return for another run since they estimated the move (by phone) for a smaller truck size. It ended up costing them almost double what they were quoted.
4. Opt for added insurance. This is the most frequently overlooked cost of moving and yet for a relatively small amount it can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars, particularly if you are moving a long distance.  By law all professional movers must offer “Basic Coverage” which currently only insures your possessions at a rate of .60 per pound. This means that from an insurance standpoint, your valuable crystal china bowl will be valued at the same rate as your frying pan if they weigh roughly the same amount.  Insurance is especially important if you are moving high value items such as original artwork, expensive electronics, fragile fixtures, antiques or valuable china.  Make sure your movers provide “actual value” or “full replacement value” insurance options to you before hiring them. Expect to pay a few hundred dollars extra for insurance and compare quotes across movers. Even if your furniture is not high value, consider the cost of replacing it. You’ll still need furniture in your new home even if it’s furniture you’ve owned for years.  Moving trucks have been known to break down. If your household goods need to be moved from one truck to another, mid-stream, during a rain storm, you’ll want to know your possessions are insured. (This is what happened to me on one of my three, cross country moves. Fortunately I had full replacement value insurance that covered my losses completely).
5. Decide whether you will pack or whether you want the movers to pack for you. The cost of having professional movers pack is roughly the same as what they charge for labor time which can add to the cost but it may make sense if you are pressed for time, need to work or be at your new home or are physically unable (or unwilling) to pack your whole house.  It also makes sense from a liability standpoint. If you pack a box and one of the movers accidentally drops it, they are not liable for the damage to the contents if it’s determined by the insurance adjustor that it was packed inadequately.  If you can afford it, take advantage of your mover’s professional packing services , especially for your high value or fragile items.  You can always save money on labor time if you pack your non-fragile items such as books, office supplies, kitchen items, linens, nicknacks yourself.
6. Don’t pack your clothes. Most professional movers will move your dresser or wardrobes, clothes and all, if you just leave them there. Be sure to remove any fragile items however as these could be damaged during transport. Also, you don’t need to pack your hanging clothing as most professional movers will pack these for you, typically at no extra charge.
7. Ask for discounts. Several professional movers will offer a variety of discounts. One company I worked with recently offered a senior discount which covered the cost of the “fuel surcharge.”  Others have discount arrangements with real estate companies or other businesses.  Ask your employer or real estate agent for a recommendation.
8. Be ready to move! In general, local movers charge by the hour. Don’t wait till moving day to finish your packing or to defrost your refrigerator if you were planning on taking it with you. This will cost you!  If you are moving long distance,  this will add to the stress of your move day if you are not ready when the movers arrive or if you schedule something else to occur on moving day.  Don’t water your plants on move day or pack wet laundry – movers wont take them.
9. Don’t be afraid to negotiate. If you get two estimates and one is higher from your preferred mover, let them know you want to work with them. If they want your business, they will try to work with you. Know who the local agent/represen
   

   My favorite moving crew

   tative is for your moving company and keep their number handy in case of any problems.  The estimator is the sales person but it’s the local agent/owner that has the authority to correct any problems.

10. Tips are permitted. While it’s not expected, the move experience you have often comes down to the driver and the moving crew.  Generally these people operate on a thin margin. They are not getting the money you pay the moving company but they work the hardest. Set aside some extra cash to tip your movers and drivers for good service. I recommend tipping movers $3-$4 for each hour they worked and tip the driver/lead a little bit more.

If you would like other tips on how to have a stress-free move, call us! We’re not movers but we can manage every step of your move, including unpacking and home-setup,  so you can step back into your new home like you’ve been there forever.