moving terms Archives | Olympia Moving & Storage

Move day can be crazy. The weeks moving up to move day can be hectic and stressful. Making a moving checklist and checking it twice is always a good idea, but how do know if you have what you need on your list? In order to make your move as smooth as possible, we made a timeline moving checklist leading up to the big day.

8 to 9 weeks to move-in day:

Begin to look at your home, start sorting, and get rid of anything you don’t need anymore. If you know that the place you’re moving to is smaller than your current home, be sure to plan an aggressive declutter.
Sketch out a general floor plan of your new home including furniture placement so you know if there’s any furniture you can’t bring with you.
Research your packing options! Do I have the time to pack myself? Do I need help from the movers? How much are materials?

7 weeks to move-in day:

Purchase moving supplies
Call a dumpster service, it’s time to cull the forgotten items in the attic and basement.
Plan a yard sale, sell things you don’t want to take with you, and make some extra cash. Check out our blog on planning a successful yard sale.
Research moving companies and schedule in-home or phone surveys in order to obtain pricing.
Call Olympia Moving & Storage to book your move! Booking a moving company 5 to 6 weeks in advance will allow you to have your choice of moving time and day.

4 weeks to move-in day:

Begin packing. The earlier you start the better. Add packing services to your move to have us check off this item for you!
If you are renting your current home make sure you notify your landlord, neighbors, and whoever else may need to know.
Make sure you have a primary care physician and schools set up for your kids and request a transfer of your records.

3 weeks to move-in day:

Now is the time to contact your insurance company, car, and any other billing agencies that need to know that you are changing your address. If you move with Olympia you can use our free address change tool to help with this.
Schedule transfer or set up of utilities for your new home, including electricity, gas, water, internet, TV, and phone.
If you are traveling far to your new home make sure your car is in good shape or your flights or hotels are booked.
If you’re moving in or out of an apartment building, reserve the elevator for your move and check if the building requires a Certificate of Insurance from the moving company.
Confirm whether your current or new home need a parking permit for the move. If so, ask your moving company to order one.
Look at the food and perishables you have in your kitchen. Start to eat what is open, throw away what you can, and plan what you will need to buy for the last few weeks in your home.

2 weeks to move-in day:

If you are packing your home yourself, step on the gas. It’s close to go time and the last week to moving day is hectic.
Keep track of electronics and valuables. Don’t lose sight of them in the rush of packing.
Feel free to call Olympia with any questions you may have, we’re here to help! Be sure to let us know if the scope of your move changed, or if you think you need to add packing services.

1 week to move-in day:

We will be calling you to confirm your moving day and time.
Pack your overnight bag for your first night in your new home.
Towards the end of the week empty the refrigerator and freezer. The earlier you do this the easier and cleaner it will be to move.
Disconnect your appliances, or schedule a service to do so.
Confirm again that you have electronics and documents handy, we cannot stress enough that you don’t want to lose your essentials.

Moving day!!!

Communicate with your movers. They are there to help you! Make it clear to them what is fragile. Since everything is clearly marked the delivery will be a breeze!
Walkthrough your home make sure everything is out.
Leave behind cleaning products for the post-move clean, or schedule a maid service, many have move-out cleaning specials.
Lock up
You are on your way! Congratulations!

Moving checklist complete!

Enjoy your new home!

Ready to get started on a major item on your moving checklist? Call us for a free moving estimate at 800-222-4744 or request an estimate online.

Moving is hard enough without all of the confusing industry moving terms that can be thrown around.

Here are some common moving terms defined to make your search for the perfect mover a little bit easier.

Click on the links throughout to learn more about each topic.

COI – A COI, or a certificate of insurance, is used to give proof of insurance to commercial and residential buildings in case damages to the property occur during a move. *Always make sure your moving company is properly insured to protect yourself from personal loss.

Access – Access refers to how the crews will be entering/exiting the property at origin and/or destination. Long walks, narrow stairs, and parking are all things to consider when telling a surveyor about your move in order to give you the most accurate estimate.

Shuttle – A shuttle might be used to transport your goods if the planned truck is unable to make a normal pickup or delivery because of geographical or urban planning (think: low bridges, narrow roads) constraints. The shuttle is the smaller truck used to complete the pickup or delivery. There are separate charges for this service, depending on the size and location of the shipment.

Binding Estimate – If your mover gives you a binding estimate they are guaranteeing the total cost of the move based on the quantity of items and services shown on the estimate. This type of estimate means that you will pay the agreed upon amount regardless of the difference between the estimate and the actual cost of your move.

Non-Binding Estimate – Non-binding estimates charge you based on the actual cost of your move, regardless of the initial estimated cost. This means you could end up paying less or more based on the actual amount of work necessary to complete your move.

Bill of Lading – If you hear the term bill of lading don’t get nervous! The bill of lading is an important part of your move that is actually a service agreement detailing terms and conditions of your move and the receipt for your goods. All moving jobs have a bill of lading attached making it easier to review services agreed upon.

PBO / PBC – here’s an easy one! PBO / PBC just means that the items were packed by owner (you, the customer) or packed by crew. No sweat.

OA/DA – Everyone loves a good abbreviation but they aren’t much fun when you’re stressed! Don’t worry if a salesperson mentions an OA or DA during your conversation. These abbreviations refer to the origin agent (the company at the origin of your move who will service the first half of the move) and destination agent (the company at the destination address responsible for completing the move.) If the company you’re getting estimates from is part of a van-line then the agent on the other end of your move will also be a part of the van-line and you can rest assured that your goods will be handled in the best way possible.

Class 1 Move – A Class 1 move, also known as crate and freight, have your belongings move from one dock to another in shipments. Crate and freight may be a better option for those with smaller moves and can be handled by preferred agents outside of a company’s regular van-line network due to travel restrictions during peak season.

Hoist – In the case of large or heavy items that need to be handled in or out of homes through windows, you may need to use a hoist. Hoists are auxiliary services offered by movers using specialized equipment, such as a hoisting crane and a moving platform.

Valuation – The amount of cash value assigned to the items in a shipment is called valuation in the moving world. When purchasing valuation, the customer will pay a certain amount of money for their items to be covered at the assessed value in the event of damage. There is a required $0.60 per pound minimum for all moves, but for an additional charge you may purchase other levels of valuation options.

Full Value Protection – Full value protection is a valuation option where the moving company is liable to repair or replace any lost or damage items at their full value minus any deductible amount on the valuation option.

Not seeing the moving term you’re puzzling over? Check out the ultimate moving terms dictionary, which includes definitions for over 458 moving terms, from our friends at Olympic Moving in Washington state: http://www.olympicmovers.net/moving-terms/

Have more questions about moving terms, or want to book your move? Call us today at 800.222.4744 and we’ll get you started or request an estimate online.

Tag: moving terms

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