Moving into your new MCL home is an exciting experience.  It’s the first step towards making the new space truly yours.  At MCL Companies, we want to help make that move-in experience as painless as possible.  While there’s no way to plan for every contingency in a move, following these steps can do a great deal to prevent some of moving’s most typical problems.

Calendar

Make a calendar dedicated exclusively to “To Dos” for the move into your MCL home.  Post the calendar in a prominent place at home (even consider keeping a second calendar at work) and consult it regularly to make sure that your move is on track.

Moving Company Tips

From simply renting a van to hiring a whole crew of movers, most people enlist some type of professional service to help transport their belongings.  Whatever your needs, arrange your contract with them shortly after you determine your MCL home’s move-in date to provide enough notice.  And don’t be shy about following up to confirm your reservations a few weeks before and again two or three days before your moving date—you’re better off safe than sorry.

If you are working with professional movers, the best way to prevent the unexpected is to make certain everything you agree on in person or over the phone is included in your written contract.  Most moving companies have a basic contract that they start with, but important items to add to your individual contract include: the number of stairs (inside and outside, for your old home and your new MCL home), a guaranteed time limit for the move, and even gratuity costs for your movers.

It’s also helpful to create an inventory of your belongings indicating which boxes they were put in, and their destination room.  Use this inventory to make sure everything is accounted for in your new home. 

Supervise the transport of your belongings to and from the moving truck and then inspect their condition once unloaded.  Sign off approval on your payment receipt with the moving company only when the placement and condition of your things meet your satisfaction.  After you sign, you’ll be hard pressed to raise objections for problems you may find later.

Packing Tips

All packing materials are not created equal.  The better the materials you use, the less likely they’ll be to fall apart in the midst of your move.  Opt for clear plastic packaging tape (the kind you need to send packages in the mail) over masking tape or duck tape, which tear easily. 

You want sturdy boxes that secure tightly across the board, but they don’t all have to be the large, cardboard variety.  Ideally, you want to keep each box at 50 pounds or less—this makes them both easier to carry and less likely fall apart.  Smaller boxes work better for heavier and more fragile items.  Electronics travel most reliably in their original packaging if you still have it.  If not, put a layer of bubble wrap around each piece of electronics before packing it tightly in its own box.  Also consider special boxes like plastic bins for items like dishes and expensive clothes.

Once a box is packed don’t forget to label it.  Identify each box on the top and at least one of the sides with the room it’s going to in your new MCL home.  Refer to rooms on the labels in a way everyone involved in the move can understand.  Instead of writing, “Allison’s Room,” a description that will mean nothing to professional movers, something like, “Middle Bedroom” on a box label will probably make more sense.  Including a brief description of a box’s contents on its label is also helpful.  If there is other writing or printing on the box, cover it to prevent confusion.  Opaque tape is usually easiest, but coloring over it with permanent marker also works.  If you’ve created an inventory of your moving items, make sure you note in your inventory list which items are in which boxes and where those boxes are going.

It’s also a good idea to keep all valuables on you during a move, and not packed away.  This can include jewelry, items with highly sentimental value, and personal identification such as passports and birth certificates.

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