Moving into a new home brings countless changes. New schools, new neighborhood, new friends, just for starters. The last thing you want to worry about is the efficiency and integrity of your moving company. Here are tips to help you navigate the task of managing your move….

1) ELIMINATE UNWANTED ITEMS

Purge your home of old clothes, appliances, tools, furniture, or things you will never use again. Why pay to have them moved only to throw them out at a later date? Many of these items may be of use to the Goodwill, Salvation Army or a recycling center in your area.

2) START PACKING WELL BEFORE YOUR MOVE

You will be amazed at how much “stuff” you have. Packing nonessential items early will give you momentum and ease the stress of trying to do everything at the last minute. When packing, mark your boxes with colored tape, stickers or a felt pen to indicate which room the items belong at your new location. Simplify your unpacking later by boxing items together which all go in the same room in your new location.

3) CONSIDER MOVING SOME IRREPLACEABLE ITEMS YOURSELF

Expensive jewelry, artwork, antiques, collections of cards, stamps, coins, etc. or other items may be best moved in your own vehicle. While any mover would pay for a broken item, money may not be able to replace that item, or the value may be difficult to assess. Items with sentimental or one-of-a-kind value may be best left under your control.

4) GET MULTIPLE QUOTS FROM SEVERAL MOVERS

All movers in Michigan are required to be licensed through the Michigan State Police, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division (CVED).  Invite each mover from which you request a bid to visit your home, prepare an inventory of items to be moved and provide you a written estimate of the cost.

5) VERIFY THE AUTHORITY OF THE MOVER YOU SELECT

To check if a mover has the authority to make moves in Michigan of over 40 miles one way (an intrastate move), check with the Michigan State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division at  https://mspcapsearch.state.mi.us/. 

You can check the MMA Member Directory to determine if that company is a member of the Michigan Movers Association (MMA).  You are welcome to contact the MMA directly to verify the credentials of any Michigan mover. The MMA’s phone number in Lansing is 517-338-3031.

6) BE AWARE OF HOW PRICING WORKS

Moves of under 40 miles one way within the state are called “local moves”. The mover must be registered with the CVED and show they are registered by having an CVED sticker on each truck. Local moves are not regulated with regard to price, so your quotes could vary significantly. It will be based on the time needed to load, move and then unload your items. The price will typically be based on 2-3 men for X hours at X dollars per hour. Intrastate moves are moves of over 40 miles one way within the state of Michigan. All movers are required to use a “tariff” to compute the fee. That fee is based on weight of the items to be moved, distance traveled, plus a per mile fuel surcharge.

7) BE AWARE: SCAM ARTISTS LOVE THE MOVING INDUSTRY

You may have heard the term “rogue mover” in the past in reference to a dishonest or scam move.  Michigan licensed and regulated movers are among the finest in the nation. Unfortunately, sometimes unscrupulous individuals, who have no connection with the moving industry will advertise on Craigslist or other internet media, offering cheap or discount moves. They are often not licensed or insured. They may offer a low price, then hold your items, demanding a higher payment before unloading. Your quoted prices from 3-4 movers should all be similar as each mover used the same criteria to generate a quote. If three movers give you prices for an intrastate move which are similar, but a fourth offers a price half those amounts, be suspicious. Either they missed some items to be moved, or are operating“ outside the tariff” which is illegal. Also, if you are moving over 40 miles within Michigan and are given an hourly quote, that is also illegal. An intrastate quote must be based on weight, distance and the fuel surcharge.

8) THE DAY OF YOUR MOVE

Okay, the big day is here! Move pets beforehand or take to an offsite location so they won’t be confused or scared by the activity. Any young children should be taken elsewhere to avoid injury or distraction. Be home that day to supervise and answer questions. If you realize several days before your move you won’t have packing completed, contact your mover and they can send packers to help you finish packing in time for moving day.

9) IF THERE IS A PROBLEM

Should something break during the move, inform your mover immediately. Some insurance is included in your moving agreement, but replacement of some items may need to be discussed and negotiated. If you have concerns with their service, pricing or any other issues, please contact the MMA and let us help facilitate a solution. Our goal, like the goal of every Michigan mover, is to make your move a pleasant and positive experience.