The Movers.com Blog

We’re now coming to the end of a short week at Movers.com. Everyone in the office looks forward to spending some time with our family and friends. On behalf of Sean, Patrick, and myself, I would like to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving!

With one day to go, you can still check out our Thanksgiving guides for information about the holiday and some ideas on how to make the day even more special.

And, I’d like to share once again the video that Alex made for everyone.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Moving? Don't forget to bring your computer!

You’re going to want to take extra special care when packing your computer. Computers are expensive, and the information that they hold can be even more valuable than the machine itself. There are few simple precautions you can take when moving your computer to help ensure its safe journey to your new home.

The first thing you should do is back up all of your information. You can buy an external hard drive at any store that sells computers, but first check your computer to see how much storage you’ll need. Then you can buy a hard drive that’s big enough to hold all your information. Your best bet is to get one that’s the same size as the internal hard drive of the computer. So, if your computer has a 350 gig hard drive, buy a 350 gig external hard drive. You can also choose to store your information online by using an online storage website.

After all your files are backed up, you can start packing your computer. The first step is to power down your computer. If you unplug it while it’s still on, you could lose data and possibly damage the computer. Next you’ll need to unplug everything. If you’re afraid you won’t remember where everything is supposed to get plugged in once you get to your new home, you can either write it down or take a picture for visual reference. Wrap all the wires neatly, using twist ties, and pack them separately.

If you still have your computer’s original box and packaging materials, you should use them. If you don’t have the original packaging, you have two options. Either you can get packing material, made specifically for your model of computer, from the manufacturer, or you can pack your computer carefully into a standard cardboard box.

When cushioning your computer, make sure you use only non-static bubble wrap, foam, or packing peanuts. Materials that conduct electricity may cause damage to your computer. Put cushioning on the bottom of the box first, place your computer in the box, and then cushion the sides and top of the box. Then, wrap the whole box in plastic wrap; this will keep moisture from getting into it. Finally, label the box “FRAGILE”, so you and your movers know to handle it with extra care.

Refer to the instruction manuals that came with your computer to help you set it up again, once you’ve reached your new home. The process should be very similar to the first time you set it up.

If you’re moving, you’re going to spend money; there’s really no way around it. It is, like many things in life, an investment. If you plan on handling most of the process yourself, part of that investment is time as well. The likelihood that  you happen to have all the equipment you need just lying around is scarce (unless you are yourself a professional mover), so you’ll probably find yourself having to rent a few items to make this whole thing doable and efficient.

"This beaujolais is almost as well-balanced as my handtruck."

In all of these cases, use the resources you have available to you before you set out to spend your cash. If you have friends that have moved themselves before or used a particular rental company, ask their advice so you don’t end up paying for things you don’t need. You might even know people that have this equipment already. Just ask; it’s not something that comes up naturally at dinner parties (do people still have those?).

Depending on the size of your move, you may need a truck or van to transport all of your stuff. If it’s just a move to a dorm (not to belittle that headache of a process; I’ve done it a few times myself), you might be able to get away with using vehicles you have. If not, a van is probably sufficient, especially if you aren’t bringing any large pieces of furniture. Check out the different sizes of vehicles they have at the rental place.

In the case of using a moving truck (we’ll assume you’re moving into a new home from now on), get something 10-15% bigger than the actual volume of your stuff. Talk to the rental company about how many rooms you have in your house and the types of appliances you’ll be taking with you, so they can help you pick the right-sized vehicle.

Dollies or handtrucks are vital if you’re going to be taking a refrigerator or any other large appliance along with you. Make sure you find out exactly what the dolly is built for, poundage-wise, and try to find one with straps, especially if you’ll be moving these behemoths down stairs. You’ll also find that dollies make transporting boxes a lot easier. You can just stack a bunch on there and wheel it away. It’s very satisfying.

You’ll also need some blankets. If you like your furniture to look nice, that is. If you have a surplus of them, and you don’t mind them getting dusty and beaten-up, by all means use throw those over your bureaus, etc. Just remember that moving blankets are special for a reason: they’re thick, tough, and big.

All of these items will be readily available at a rental company. So, go to a few; compare prices. Last, but not least, don’t let pride result in injury. Get your friends to come help. Buy bagels and coffee for everyone: they’ll show up.

Hiding under a bag won't save you from identity theft. But recognizing a scam at the beginning can!

A few months ago, I was looking for a new apartment to live in. After searching on Craigslist, which can be a helpful, though somewhat risky, resource for finding anything, I found an ad for an apartment that matched my criteria. The location was perfect, and the price was within my range. Not wanting this opportunity to pass me by, I quickly sent an e-mail expressing my interest in the apartment.

Within minutes, I received a reply back from someone who claimed to be the manager of the apartment complex. I noticed something was amiss right away. In his response, the “manager” didn’t mention the name of the complex. On top of that, he supplied me with his cell phone number instead of an office line. If that weren’t enough proof that this guy was out to scam me, his e-mail address was from a generic mail service and not that of a rental property company.

At this point, I knew that I was being set up. I still found the whole thing somewhat entertaining (and figured it would make a great blog post in the future), so I continued reading. In the e-mail, the guy asked me to fill out the attached application and send it back to him. This was yet another sign of his true intentions. Why would the manager of an apartment complex ask me to fill out an application before I even saw the apartment?

Despite the risk of opening an attachment from someone as untrustworthy as this guy, I couldn’t suppress my curiosity about the application he sent me. The attachment itself didn’t contain any bugs or anything, but what was on the application itself was even more offensive. First of all, the document didn’t have the name of the rental company or the address of the property. It didn’t even have the name of the “manager” or anyone else. It was a completely generic application asking for some pretty specific information. Read the rest of this entry »

Can you handle the majesty?

This week at Movers.com, something majestic happened: I started working here.

In all seriousness, though, I could not be more pleased with the caliber of people that I have the privilege of working with. They are all incredibly kind and talented. At the same time! This rare mix is, I’m sure, what has brought so much success to the company.

I have learned a lot, and I know I have more of that to do, but I am excited for the road ahead. Hopefully, I will be able to add something to this website and earn my keep at this wonderful company. And you, readers, can look forward to the awesome content we’ve been working on this week going up pretty shortly.

So, to my new colleagues: thanks for taking me in. To the readers: enjoy your weekend; have a majestic weekend.