Moving house is, without a doubt, exactly such a risky, challenging, life-changing event that needs A LOT of planning in order to have any chance of success. Most moving experts recommend that you start your moving preparations at least 2 months in advance, so that you have the time to organize all the aspects of the arduous relocation process and take care of all the laborious moving tasks.
Yet, you may not always have months (not even weeks!) to plan your move – you may need to leave your current within a couple of days or even today. In such a case, you have little choice but to find last minute movers and organize an emergency relocation – without the benefit of careful planning.
And still you may have a successful moving experience – provided that you find experienced and trustworthy same day movers to help you relocate.
There are two very different reasons why you may need emergency movers:
You may need to leave in a hurry because of a sudden change in your life – breaking up with your significant other, accepting a job in another city that starts in two days, etc.; or
You may need same day moving help because your relocation was scheduled for that day but your hired movers didn’t show up.
Depending on the specific circumstances in your case, things will be different, of course. But either way, you’re still going to need movers today.
Here is how to find a reliable last minute moving company and save the day (as well as your money and your sanity):
Know what you have for moving
If your move was planned, you would have sorted out your belongings way in advance and created a moving inventory of the items you intend to relocate to your new place.
If you’re faced with an emergency move though, you have yet to decide which of your items to take to your new home and which ones to leave behind. This is the first thing to do when preparing for a last minute relocation, as you need to know how many things you have for moving when contacting same day movers and asking for price estimates and emergency moving services.
You need to make a quick decision – you don’t have the time to dawdle and wonder. Just go through your possessions and make a list of the items you need or love so much that you would hold onto them at all costs – everything else can go. Keep in mind that the less stuff you decide to bring along, the cheaper and the easier your move will be.
To get rid of your no longer needed items (everything you haven’t used in over a year) quickly, you can:
post a message on Craigslist free board (or other similar sites) or Facebook (or other social media), saying that you’re giving away things for free (or at a very low cost) and describing the items and your location;
call your friends and ask them to come over and get those of your unwanted items that they need or like;
take your no longer needed items to a local charity or thrift store;
call a pick-up company that will take your things and donate (or recycle) them.
Bonus tip: Take photos of the items you’re going to ship to your new home – you may not have the time for a detailed inventory, so the pictures will remind you of what exactly you entrusted to the movers and will serve as proof in case some of your belongings get lost or damaged during the relocation.
Find reliable same day movers
Once you know exactly what you want to relocate, it’s time to find an efficient way to transport your belongings to your new home. Renting a moving truck is hardly an option as you won’t be able to arrange the details, prepare your items for moving, and make the trip to your final destination on your own in such a short time. Your best bet is to hire emergency movers to do the job for you.
Same day moving companies have the resources and ability to provide efficient protection to your belongings, load them onto the moving truck, transport the shipment, and unload your goods quickly enough to accommodate your limited timeframe. Yet, not all movers are the same, so you need to be very careful and choose a reliable and experienced carrier to hire:
Search around for short notice movers who can provide you with emergency moving services today. Not all moving companies can handle a same day move – most are booked weeks in advance (especially on weekends and during the summer months) and don’t have any trucks or moving crews available to meet your last minute relocation needs. It is, therefore, a good idea to fill out an online moving quote form – you will be contacted by several different movers within half an hour or so and will have a better chance to find a same day moving service real quick.
Research the emergency movers who said they could accommodate your needs. You won’t have the time for a thorough research, but you can find some important information about the companies very quickly:
Check their USDOT numbers to make sure the movers are properly licensed and authorized to transport household goods across the country;
Check the companies’ ratings with the BBB and find out if they belong to esteemed moving organizations or not;
Read moving reviews left by previous customers of the companies to find out if the movers provide quality services or not;
Call the FMCSA’s safety violation and consumer complaints hotline to ask about complaints against the movers or research the database of reputable consumer protection sites to check the complaint histories of the companies you’re interested in.
Look for:
Legitimacy and honesty – there are a lot of rogue movers who will want to take advantage of your situation, so you need to be sure you’re dealing with properly licensed and fully insured moving professionals who will readily give you all the information you need and will provide you with full and clear moving documentation;
Speed, efficiency, and safety – you need movers who will not only work quickly but will also take good care of your items and will ensure their safety. This comes with proper training, rich experience, and genuine concern about your move;
Affordability – you need to find a moving company that offers high quality services at a reasonable price. Keep in mind that hourly rates for same day moving services can vary from as low as $100 to as high as $400.
Get estimates from three or four same day moving companies that seem to meet your needs and requirements.
Ask the movers how long they have been in business, what kind of liability coverage they provide, if they have appropriate moving equipment and experienced moving crew available for the time of your move, what they consider extra services and how much they charge for them, what payments methods they accept, when you’re going to receive your items, and any other questions you may have concerning the moving company and the details of your move.
Compare the offers and make your choice – consider not only the final price, but also the included services and extra conditions. Be wary of estimates that are considerably lower than the rest – oftentimes, offers that are too good to be true are signs of moving fraud and people end up paying more than they were originally quoted.
Confirm the details of your move with your chosen same day moving company – confirm not only the time when the movers will arrive at your home, but also what size moving truck will be necessary, how many people will come, what moving equipment they will bring, what extra services will be required, how long the move will take, etc.
Bonus tip: When hiring emergency moving services, make sure you opt for full-service movers – there is a lot of work to be done and not enough time to do it, so full service moving is your best bet in this situation. It is a good idea to have your items professionally packed as well – packing is extremely laborious and time-consuming and needs to be done with utmost care as the safety of your belongings depends on it (unless your items are already packed, of course, which would be the case if you were expecting movers on that day but they didn’t show up).
If you can’t find full-service movers who can accommodate all your needs, try to ensure partial moving help at least – same day long distance movers to transport your belonging across the country, same day small movers to take care of specialty items you can’t relocate on your own, professional packers to prepare your items for shipment, etc.
Pack your essentials and valuables yourself and take them with you
No matter how pressed for time you may be, make sure you prepare a box of essentials that will help you survive for some time without the rest of your possessions. Also, collect your important documents and most valuable possessions (precious jewelry, expensive electronics, family heirlooms, etc.) and keep them with you all the time – your first-night box and your valuables should travel with you.
Double check everything
Take a last look at your old home to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything important. Don’t forget that you need to leave the place in good condition – if you don’t have the time for a final cleaning after the movers depart, you may need to hire professional cleaning services to do the job for you.
If you didn’t have the time to change your address, cancel utilities, and take care of all the other relevant paperwork before your emergency move, do so as soon as you find yourself in your new home. (See also: What to do after moving to a new home)
Moving is always difficult, but it gets even riskier and more stressful when you have such a limited time to perform it. To ensure a successful relocation, you need to stay calm, keep your focus, and make the most out of the available time. And most importantly – ask friends and relatives for help and find a reliable same day moving company to take care of your relocation needs and ensure the favorable outcome of your moving adventure.
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