I've been away from the computer for the better part of a week while helping three clients move on from old houses and into shiny, new lives. I always tell clients I'll do whatever I can to help with a project, and adding "professional mover" to my list of accolades isn't necessarily something I'd like to keep on the menu. A few years ago I stepped in to help a depressed widow move on from the trappings of a house heavy with sad memories and into one full of possibilities. To ease some of the pain, I offered to manage the move when I observed overzealous movers prepared to take advantage of my clients giving, lovely spirit. Movers are like used car salesmen (at least those I've dealt with). In most cases the polished, well-spoken individual that arrives at your home to quote the move, offering the world once you sign on the dotted line, is nowhere in sight (or reachable by phone) the day of the move. I've dealt with moves on many different levels and the heavy lifters are usually always the same; tough, tired, careless and focused on one thing...getting paid. No matter how organized you think you are, when the boxes leave your old house, making sure they land in the right spot at the new one is often as tricky as getting a politician to tell the truth. One little tip I use often makes a big difference when guiding those valuables in for a landing at the new pad...I attach a detailed blueprint to each box.
X MARKS THE SPOT:
Most moving companies use two different crews; one to pack and one to unload, so wasting your breath on directing the packers is, well, just a waste of breath. I make several copies of a blueprint of the new house (if you're moving into a planned community most likely the blueprint is part of a sales brochure) Or I just do a rough sketch of the house. If movers can't read "KITCHEN" (and many can't) they can just look at the plan and figure out where to go from there. With a yellow highlighter I mark the room where the box is headed. So far I'm 9/10 in the success category!
