The best home moving tips | All Jersey Moving and Storage

When you ask friends or family for moving assistance, you're relying on their goodwill and availability. Unfortunately, life can be unpredictable and commitments can change at the last minute. Your best friend might get called into work, your cousin might fall ill, or your sibling might have a scheduling conflict. This uncertainty can lead to frustration and even delay your move.

Another issue to consider is that the availability of your friends and family may not align with your moving schedule. You may need to move on a specific date due to lease agreements or other commitments, and if your helpers aren't available at that time, it can cause significant logistical challenges.

Picture this scenario: You enlist your close friend to help with your move. He initially commits to assisting, but on the evening before the big move, he calls to inform you that an urgent work emergency came up. He’s so sorry, but he can’t make it. Left with no choice, you scramble to find replacements, causing undue stress and chaos on what should have been an organized moving day.

At All Jersey Moving & Storage has fielded many calls from individuals and families in a panic because the help they thought they had in place for moving day fell through, or their DIY move wasn’t going according to plan. Here are a few reasons you may want to reconsider asking friends and family to help execute your upcoming move:

Lack of Experience and Expertise

Moving is not just about lifting boxes and furniture; it requires proper planning, organization, and expertise to ensure a smooth transition to your new home. Friends and family may lack the experience and knowledge to handle your belongings with the level of care needed to prevent damage. This lack of experience can result in a variety of issues, pitfalls, and unexpected challenges during the moving process.

*Inadequate Packing Expertise: Friends and family may not be aware of the best practices for packing various items, from furniture to fine China, gym equipment to artwork. They might hastily toss your belongings into boxes without proper cushioning or protection. This can lead to items shifting and sustaining damage during transit.

Inexperienced movers may not know how to handle delicate or fragile items correctly. Glassware, antiques, and electronics are particularly vulnerable. Mishandling these items can result in costly damage or breakage. 

Consider this situation: You've asked your cousin Mark to help with the move because he's willing to lend a hand. However, Mark is not experienced in handling fragile or valuable items. During the move, he unknowingly mishandles your vintage record collection, causing several records to get scratched and ruined. The sentimental and monetary value of the damaged records far exceeds any potential savings, leaving you frustrated and disappointed.

*Safety Issues due Lack of Heavy Lifting Know-How: Lifting heavy furniture or appliances without the proper techniques and equipment can lead to serious and costly accidents or injuries. Inexperienced movers may strain their backs or sustain other injuries, drop heavy items, or damage walls and floors during the process.

*Incorrectly Loading the Moving Vehicle: Loading a van or moving truck efficiently is a skill that professional movers possess due to ample experience. Inexperienced helpers might not know how to maximize space, resulting in multiple trips, which can be time-consuming and costly. Furniture and other items can also sustain damage if they are incorrectly packed into the moving vehicle. 

*Time Management Challenges: Lack of experience can lead to inefficient time management leading up to and on moving day. This could mean spending excessive time packing, loading, or navigating the moving route, which can delay the entire moving process.

*Furniture Disassembly and Reassembly Issues. If your moving helpers don't know how to disassemble and reassemble furniture correctly, you might find yourself with a jigsaw puzzle of parts and no idea how to put your furniture back together at your new home. Even if they do figure out how to disassemble the furniture, the process may take far longer than you anticipated, disrupting your moving schedule. These issues are not only inconvenient but can also result in additional expenses for repairs and replacements.

The lack of experience and expertise in handling a move can turn an already stressful situation into a chaotic and costly endeavor. It's essential to consider these potential pitfalls when deciding whether to rely on friends and family for your move. Hiring professionals like All Jersey Moving and Storage ensures that your move is handled with the knowledge, equipment and expertise needed to safeguard your belongings and make the transition as smooth as possible.

Tensions and Strained Relationships

Moving can be stressful, and even the closest of relationships can be tested during the process. Disagreements over how to pack, load, or transport items can lead to tensions and strained friendships or family bonds. It's not uncommon for arguments to arise, which can leave a bitter aftertaste long after the move is over.

Consider the story of Emma, who thought asking her close friends to help her move would be a fun bonding experience. Unfortunately, the pressure of the move took its toll. Differences in opinions on how to organize and pack led to heated arguments. After the move, some of her friends distanced themselves from her, causing lasting damage to their relationships. Emma regrets not opting for professional movers who could have prevented the tension and preserved her friendships.

The All Jersey Moving and Storage Advantage

Instead of relying on the goodwill of friends and family, consider hiring a professional moving company like All Jersey Moving and Storage. We offer a wide range of moving services designed to make your move as smooth and stress-free as possible. Some of the services typically offered by professional movers include:

Efficient Packing Services.

Professional movers have the expertise to pack your belongings securely and efficiently, reducing the risk of damage during transit. All Jersey Moving & Storage offers partial and complete packing and unpacking services, which immeasurably reduce the stress of moving. These services are beneficial to individuals for whom packing up their home is too difficult or impossible. Packing and unpacking services are also beneficial to those who must move on short notice or are busy with other professional, familial, or moving-related responsibilities, and don’t have time to pack without assistance. 

Secure Transportation.

Professional movers like All Jersey Moving & Storage have the right equipment and vehicles to transport your furniture and other belongings safely, whether you're moving locally or long-distance. DIY movers don’t have expertise in how to secure delicate or bulky furniture or exercise equipment, artwork, pianos, Fine China, etc. for transport. Seasoned movers at All Jersey Moving & Storage specialize in moving fine art, pianos, and antiques.

Reliable Storage Solutions. 

If your new home isn't ready yet, All Jersey offers short and long-term secure containerized storage options to keep your belongings safe until you're ready to move in. Our New Jersey-based facility is clean, brightly lit, and secure. Our storage solutions are also beneficial for individuals and families who are downsizing but are not ready to part with items they can no longer accommodate in their new living space. Short or long term storage permits individuals to sell items at a respectable price – something which often cannot be done in a pressurized or last-minute move. Alternatively, it allows for the storage of valuable or sentimental items such as heirloom furniture until they can be used by a loved one.

Move on Your Schedule. When you’re relying on friends and family for moving assistance, you may run into scheduling conflicts. Understandably, your friends and family have their own commitments and responsibilities, and may not be available on your preferred moving date. Even if they say they will help on your scheduled moving date, emergencies may arise that affect their ability which can disrupt or delay your moving plans. 

If you choose to work with a professional moving company and sign a contract, you can rest assured that your move will take place as scheduled. Be sure to contact your preferred moving company well before moving day to ensure you can move on your date of choice. This is especially important in the spring and summer, the busiest months of the year for movers. 

At All Jersey Moving & Storage, we understand that sometimes individuals and families need to move quickly, with little opportunity for advance planning. We do our utmost to accommodate last minute moving requests and weekend moves, and offer packing and unpacking services as well as containerized storage services to those who have to move in haste.

Insurance Coverage = Peace of Mind. Professional licensed movers provide insurance coverage for your items, giving you peace of mind in case of any unexpected mishaps. Insurance protects you in case of damage or loss of your belongings during the move. Uninsured “rogue” movers may be less expensive, but the costs can be astronomical in the long run if items are damaged, lost or stolen. If you aren’t sure about a moving company’s licensing status, you can verify it by checking with your local government or through websites that track licensed movers.

Another thing to consider is that when you hire a licensed and insured residential mover like All Jersey Moving & Storage, they will quote a definite price at the start and will honor that quote at the end of the move. On the other hand, getting an unlicensed mover can not only put your possessions at risk, but also lead to a much higher price at the end of the move compared to what was originally quoted.

Does it EVER pay to have friends or family help you move?

There’s no disputing that having your friends and family help with your move may be more affordable. However, the stress of reliability and risk of items being damaged during the move may not be worth it. This is especially true for larger moves as well as long distance moves. There may be times when you may not have much to move, like into a college dorm. In such situations, having your friends and family help you may be the most practical choice. But overwhelmingly, the benefits of working with professional moving teams like All Jersey Moving & Storage outweigh the considerable risks of moving with the help of friends and family.

In conclusion, while the idea of enlisting friends and family to help with your move may seem cost-effective, it often leads to unpredictable situations, damage to your belongings, physical and emotional strain, and strained relationships. All Jersey Moving and Storage offers a reliable, stress-free alternative, ensuring your move is handled by experienced professionals who prioritize the safety and security of your belongings. When it comes to moving in New Jersey, All Jersey Moving and Storage is the ordered choice you can trust. 

Weary of moving without a professional moving team? Have doubts as to whether your friends will really be able to move your belongings securely, without causing any damage to your old or new home (or your relationship!) in the process? 

Contact All Jersey Moving & Storage for a complimentary moving quote.