Help-U-Move, Inc. 3412 North Swallow Avenue, Building #60 Pasco, WA 99301 (509) 547-2212 www.help-u-move.com

Moving Help Center

Moving Timeline

Preparation is the key to a successful move. Are you ready to go?

4 Weeks Before the Move...

Call HELP-U-MOVE to schedule your move

Tour your house and decide which items, if any, might be discarded donated. Consider a garage sale.

3 Weeks Before the Move...

Arrange to have major appliances serviced before you move them.

Movers cannot take aerosols, flammables, corrosives or ammunition. Use them up or give them away. Propane tanks and lawn mower fuel must be emptied.

2 Weeks Before the Move...

Notify the Post Office and get change of address forms for each person receiving mail at your address. Notify subscription services of the address change.

Protect your shipment from damage by disposing of cleaning fluids, acids, caustic drain cleaners, etc.

1 Week Before the Move...

Arrange cable TV disconnection.

Arrange connection of utilities in your new home.

The Day Before the Move...

Defrost, clean and dry refrigerators.

The Day of the Move...

Strip the beds but leave them intact. The movers will dismantle them.

Tour your home with the movers so they can assess the shipment and determine the most suitable routes from the house to the truck.

Be available all day to answer questions, direct the placement of your furniture and boxes, sign the bill of lading, etc.

Pack Like a Pro!

Packing Tips from Professional Movers

Have packing tape and a permanent marker on hand to seal and label each box.

Use plenty of tape. When labeling, write on the tape and not on the box. Note the contents of the box and which room it should be placed in at your new home.

The heavier the items, the smaller the box. Don’t overpack.

Always pack heavy items on the bottom and lighter items on the top.

Heavy items and breakables do not mix. Box them separately.

Make good use of packing paper. When packing glass, use a sheet to wrap each breakable item, then stuff paper between each breakable item in the box. Always line the bottom of breakables boxes with a layer of crumpled packing paper. Do the same before you seal the box. This provides the essential cushioning within the box while it is loaded and transported.

A properly packed box will not rattle. As you pack, fill in any voids within the box with crumpled packing paper.

Towels and linens can function like packing paper.

Clothing may be left in drawers. Breakables, loose items, or valuables must be removed.

Disconnect all electronic equipment. Pack them in their original boxes if possible.

Pack an “Essentials Box” for things you’ll need right away at your new home. See that this box is loaded last on the truck so you’ll have it immediately upon unloading.

Box Breakdown

Moving Tips - Choosing the Right Box

Rule of Thumb: Always use professional moving boxes.

Small/1.5 cubic feet

This is the book carton. Books are packed in a small box because a box full of books is like a box full of bricks - heavy! Lay your paperbacks flat, hard-bound books upright or flat. The Small box is also ideal for records, CD's, canned goods and other small, heavy items.

Medium/3.0 cubic feet

Non-fragile and moderately heavy items like pots, pans, games, small appliances, knick knacks.

Large/4.5 or 6.0 cubic feet

Use a large box for lightweight and bulky items like pillows, blankets and lampshades

Dish Pack/5.2 cubic feet

These are extra thick cartons. Remember, glass is heavy and the box could soon become too heavy to lift. Pack the bottom half with heavy dishes; then fill the box with plastic ware.

Wardrobe Carton

Clothes hang as if in a closet from this carton's metal bar. Fill the bottom of this big box with other closet articles like shoes, sporting equipment, etc.

Mirror Pack/Picture Box

Use two or more of these boxes to build a box for your pictures or mirrors. Thoroughly protect your picture or mirror first by wrapping it securely. Fit the cardboard to your wrapped item and fasten with plenty of tape. Pad the inside corners of your fitted box with crumpled packing paper. Items of similar size may be packaged together.

Tape

Use professional moving tape. Three strips secure the bottom of any box, two or three seal the top. Beyond the box flaps, allow four inches of tape to extend down the side of the box. Tape should be used generously.

Packing Paper

Professional packers use blank newsprint for cushioning. You can get this directly from Help-U-Move. Do not use newspaper. News ink smudges and leaves a very stubborn stain.

Reduce Your Moving Cost

Reduce Your Local Moving Cost

The 4 factors that determine local moving cost are

1. Volume
2. Access
3. Preparation
4. Travel Time

You can cut down the cost of your local move by following these simple steps.

Volume: Reduce the volume of items to be moved. Have a garage sale or donate to charity. You often hear "less is more," but in our case, "less is less!"

Access: Improve the access for the movers. Clear any obstacles inside or outside the house. Get any vehicles out of the way - yours and your neighbors. That ensures that the moving truck can park close to the house.

Preparation: Be prepared! The best thing you can do is get everything packed in sealed, stackable moving boxes. Nothing eats up more time than when the movers have to box up the odds and ends that you did not pack. ** By "stackable," we mean the box is full and its contents are snug. A properly packed box will not cave in under the weight of items stacked on top of it. As for "moving boxes," movers prefer conventional moving boxes (not grocery or liquor store boxes) because moving boxes have standard dimensions which make it faster to load securely on the truck.

Travel time between your location and our headquarters factors into the hours billed for your move. For our part, we will print a map to your location and take the straightest route.

Contact Us

Help-U-Move, Inc. Tri-Cities Local & Long Distance Moving Pasco, Kenewick, Richland & Vicinity (509) 547-2212