Communicating With Your Relocation Specialist

When working with your relocation specialist, make sure that you don’t forget to share with them all the details of your move.  Not sharing certain information can make your move less than ideal.  Below are a few things that you will want to communicate to your relocation specialist in order to make sure your move goes as smoothly as possible.

Access To Your New Home

Your relocation specialist will determine if a large truck can access your current home just by looking at it.  However, if you are moving out of state or across the state, your relocation specialist will need information from you in order to determine if a large truck can access your new home.

Are there small roads leading to your new home?  How long is your driveway?  Can a truck access your driveway?  Are there low hanging trees?  Are you moving to a city or location that requires the truck hauling your shipment to have parking permits?

Giving this information to your specialist will eliminate the frustration you and your driver will face on day of delivery.

Contact Information

Make sure that you provide your relocation specialist with a cell phone number, your new home number, or the number of a close friend or relative.  Your driver will need to contact you prior to delivery.  Problems can arise if your driver cannot reach you on the day of delivery. 

After two hours of trying to contact you, your driver has the option to put your household goods into storage.  This allows him to continue on with his trip and make his next delivery in a timely manner.

If your goods are put into storage because your driver cannot reach you, you will be responsible for paying to get your goods out of storage.  To relieve any undue stress and to prevent a pricey mistake, make sure that you are reachable in order to avoid unnecessary and costly fees.

Additional Items

The estimate that your relocation specialist provides to you includes a shipper inventory sheet.  When your driver comes to load your household goods, he will use the inventory sheet to verify that additional items are not added to the shipment.

If you add additional items to your inventory, make sure to let your relocation specialist know.  If you don’t communicate this to your relocation specialist, your driver may refuse to load your goods until your relocation specialist comes out to re-inventory and re-price your move.

Following the above tips should allow for a smooth and stress-free move.  And of course, please don’t hesitate to visit our website in order to learn more about the services we can provide to you or your company, as we service local, out of state, corporate, and commercial moves. 

http://www.sorensen-allied.com/

You can also reach us toll free at 1-800-926-2770 with any questions regarding our moving services.

Importance of a Parts Box

Whether you are moving yourself or you have hired a professional mover, you will want to make sure that you use a parts box for your move.  A parts box will keep all of the smaller items in one place and will ensure that hardware, cables, wires, and remotes are easily accessible at your destination.

If your mover is disassembling furniture or any of your belongings, request that they use a part box if you notice that they have not set aside a box specifically for parts.   A small book box will work just fine at keeping all of the small parts and pieces in one place.

Missing hardware or parts can be difficult to find among the vast amount of boxes in your new home.  Do you really want to unpack every single box in order to find your TV remote?  Hardware and parts can also be difficult and expensive to replace. 

What’s more annoying than not being able to find that one bolt that ensures your TV console is safely assembled?  Also knowing that you’re likely not going to find the missing piece of the console until you unpack your very last box.  What about that TV remote?  After a big move, all we really want to do is relax.

If you are looking to move in the near future please don’t hesitate to visit our website in order to learn more about the services we can provide to you or your company, as we service local, out of state, corporate, and commercial moves. 

http://www.sorensen-allied.com/

You can also reach us toll free at 1-800-926-2770 with any questions regarding our moving services.

Moving With Pets

There’s a lot of planning involved when preparing for a move.  It’s simple to overlook an important step in the moving process.  It’s always important to make a checklist for your move so that you can ensure that you are fully prepared for the big day. 

There are plenty of obvious items for your checklist. Even though we love them oh so much, it’s very easy to overlook Fluffy the cat or Spike the dog.  Of course they are moving with you, but have you made necessary arrangements for Fluffy and Spike during the move?

Make sure you have a safe place for your animals during the actual moving process.  Not only will your pets get in the way of the moving crew, they will also be very nervous and likely upset.  Could you imagine someone coming into your home and moving out all of your belongings, without any prior knowledge?  This is likely how your pet will feel.  The same goes for moving into your new home.  If you don’t know anyone who can pet sit for you, use a spare room of each house to keep the dog in until the moving process is complete or look into kennel services.

When traveling with your pet, make sure that all of their tags are up to date with your contact information.  And of course, the best way to travel with your pets is to keep them in a crate to avoid the chance of them escaping.  Leave a favorite toy or blanket in the crate with them for comfort.

Of course you want to bring enough food and water as well as any medications with you on the day of the move.  If you are traveling by plane, make sure to make arrangements with the airline well in advance of your move.  Also, you may want to check with your vet to see what can be done to ease the stress of traveling.

Once you are ready to settle into your new home with your pets, place some of their familiar items around the house to put them at ease.  Don’t leave your pet outside unsupervised, even in a fenced yard, until your pet is settled in.  If you give your pet the opportunity, they may try to find their way home… to the old house, that is.

Pets are like family, and it’s important to make sure that they are safe, comfortable and secure during your move.  Following the above steps should allow just that.

If you are looking to move in the near future please don’t hesitate to visit our website in order to learn more about the services we can provide to you or your company, as we service local, out of state, corporate, and commercial moves. 

http://www.sorensen-allied.com/

You can also reach us toll free at 1-800-926-2770 with any questions regarding our moving services.

Preparing Your Family for a Move

Moving in general is stressful, but what about moving your entire family across the country? Moving your family can be difficult and everyone in the family, including your toddler will likely experience anxiety. 

Your children will not want to give up their friends and they certainly don’t want to be the new kid in school.  Does your spouse have to give up his/her current job for the move?  Moving the family is going to be a difficult transition but there are ways to cope.  With a little time, and the below tips, your family will eventually settle in to the new home.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

Even though you may feel that your toddler or preschooler will do fine during your move, they may feel just as much anxiety as the rest of the family.  The only difference is that they may not know how to express their fears in words. 

Reading the following books to your children may allow them to understand their feelings on moving and help them to cope with the change.

·        We’re Moving by Heather Maisner

·        Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day by Stan Berenstain

·        I’m Not Moving, Mama by Nancy White Carlstrom

·        Who Will Be My Friends? By Syd Hoff

·        Alexander Who’s Not (Do You Hear Me?  I Mean It!) Going to Move by Judith Viorst

·        A Tiger Named Thomas by Charlotte Zolotow

Make sure that you discuss the move with your child.  Allow them to ask questions about the move and ask them how they feel about the move.

School Aged Children

Research schools in your new area as well as programs and sports for your school aged children.  Have your child to pick an after school activity or sport to join in order to allow making friends a bit easier.  This will also keep them occupied and help ease the anxiety they may feel from the move.

When you pick out your new home, allow them to see the home with you before the move.   Most children feel like they have no control or say over the move.  Allow them to make suggestions on colors, decorating, and arranging the furniture in their bedroom. 

Drive around the new town and show them restaurants, amusement parks, movie theaters and other family fun places that you will visit together as a family, give them something to look forward to.

Your Spouse

Your spouse knows that the move is good for your family, just as much as you do.  But it’s still going to be a difficult transition for them, especially if they have to quit their job in order to move for yours. 

If your spouse doesn’t have work lined up in your new town, there are many things they can do in order to keep busy and make new friends.

·        Volunteer work will help your new community as well as introduce you to new people and could possibly lead into a new job.

·        Joining your child’s PTO will allow you to be a part of your child’s new school and meet their teachers and other parents.

·        Another option is taking classes at a local college or even taking up a new hobby such as painting or crafting.

Even though your family may not be excited to move, there are ways to make the move more tolerable and less stressful.  If you are looking to move in the near future please don’t hesitate to visit our website in order to learn more about the services we can provide to you or your company, as we service local, out of state, corporate, and commercial moves. 

http://www.sorensen-allied.com/

You can also reach us toll free at 1-800-926-2770 with any questions regarding our moving services.

Preparing for an International Move

Moving within the United States is stressful; moving internationally adds a whole new element to your stress.  If you are planning on moving overseas, make sure that you complete the below steps to allow your move to go as smoothly as possible.

In Home Estimate

The first step to preparing for any move is to set up an in home estimate with a moving company.  If moving internationally, make sure that the moving company you choose is capable of handling your move.  Not only will the in home estimate provide you with the cost of your move, but your estimator will be able to help you determine what items can not be shipped overseas as well as which items need special packaging, such as crating.

Documentation

Make sure that you keep all important documents on your person during your move.  Although it’s unlikely, it is possible that these items could be lost or destroyed during your move.  In addition, you may need some of these items in order to get into the country that you are moving to. 

Banking

You will also want to have your checking and savings accounts transferred to an international or online bank so that you will have access to your funds before, during and after your move.

Medical Insurance

Check with your insurance provider in regards to coverage overseas.  Find out if you are covered when outside of the United States or if you will be covered for a trip to a foreign hospital or in the event of a medical evacuation.  If not, you will need to find adequate coverage.

Consulate Guides

Before making the trip overseas to your new home, check out current travel advisories as well as what to do in an emergency situation with the State Department at http://travel.state.gov/travel/.  This website will provide you with consulate guides that include information on entry and exit requirements of US citizens, natural events such as earthquakes, hurricanes and cyclones, criminal penalties, and traffic safety and road conditions in the country that you are moving to.

Following the above steps should reduce the stress of your international move.  Whether you are moving out of the country, out of the state, or out of town please don’t hesitate to visit our website in order to learn more about the services we can provide to you or your company, as we service local, out of state, corporate, and commercial moves. 

http://www.sorensen-allied.com/

You can also reach us toll free at 1-800-926-2770 with any questions regarding our moving services.

Claiming Your Moving Expenses

Tax season is here again, and you’re either waiting until 11:59pm on April 16^th  (the 15^th falls on a Sunday) to file, or you're diligently seeking deductions to claim on your return.  Don’t wait until the last minute, make sure you are taking advantage of each and every deduction available to you. 

Tax laws are difficult to understand and interpret, and sometimes extremely boring to read.  So, most people don’t know what they can and cannot claim on their tax return.

Good news is that if you’ve recently moved, you may be able to claim some or all of your moving expenses.

The IRS does have three requirements that you must meet in order to claim your moving expenses on your tax return. 

1.  Your move is closely related to the start of work.  Closely related in IRS terms is 12 months.  So if you move to a new location and start work within 12 months of your move, this requirement will apply.

2.  The new job you take must be 50 miles from your old job, not from your prior residence.  So, if your old job was 15 miles from you prior residence, your new residence must be 65 miles from your prior residence.

3.  You must work for at least 39 weeks during the first 12 months after you arrive in the new location in order to claim your moving expenses.  This does not include work you do while self employed.  You do not have to work for the same employer for all 39 weeks nor do you need to work 39 weeks in a row but you must work full-time within the same general commuting area for all 39 weeks.  If you are self employed, you must work 78 weeks.

Visit www.irs.gov for more information or meet with your accountant. 

If you haven’t moved yet, but plan on moving and meet the above requirements, make sure that you save your receipts.  And as always, please don’t hesitate to visit our website in order to learn more about the services we can provide to you or your company, as we service local, out of state, corporate, and commercial moves. 

http://www.sorensen-allied.com/

You can also reach us toll free at 1-800-926-2770 with any questions regarding our moving services.

What To Look For When Hiring A Professional Mover

For most, moving is enevitable.  Whether you are moving for work, school, or to be closer to a loved one, you are likely to make at least one large move in your lifetime.  Moving is not an easy task, it can be very stressful and there are many decisions that you will need to make when planning your move.

If you decide to hire a professional moving company, make sure that you get your money’s worth by hiring a reputable, honest, and dependable mover.  Hiring the wrong mover can be avoided with a little time and research.

Find out what previous customers have to say about the moving companies in your area.  You can find moving company reviews online at websites like yelp.com or angieslist.com.    Reviews written by pleased or disgruntled customers can provide a lot of insight on what you can expect.  You can also visit the moving company’s website in order to find information on the company as well as customer testimonials.

Make sure to take advantage of a free in home estimate.  Take the time out of your day to meet an estimator in your home.  It can make all the difference in the estimate you receive.  It’s important for the moving company to see not only what you are moving but where you are moving from.  An estimator will be able to determine if a large truck can access your home or if you will need a shuttle, which is a smaller truck used to transport your goods from your home to the larger truck that will be hauling your shipment.     

When comparing multiple estimates, make sure you are comparing apples to apples.  Just because one estimate is lower doesn’t mean it’s the best way to go.  Make sure that the lower estimate includes the same costs as the higher estimate.  If you don’t compare the estimates accurately, you may be unpleasantly surprised by extra charges, such as a shuttle.

If you are moving out of state, make sure that your mover has provided you with a copy of Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move.  Your mover is required to provide you this literature by federal law.  This book will help to ensure that you understand your rights and responsibilities as well as the terms and conditions of your contract and how to handle questions and complaints.

Even though moving is stressful, hiring the right mover will allow to ease some of the stress.  Follow the above tips and of course, please don’t hesitate to visit our website in order to learn more about the services we can provide to you or your company, as we service local, out of state, corporate, and commercial moves. 

http://www.sorensen-allied.com/

You can also reach us toll free at 1-800-926-2770 with any questions regarding our moving services.