Americans often move from one residence to another during their lives, and this is most common among younger adults or among those who rent their residences instead of buying it. In fact, it has been found that nearly 33% of renters move every single year, taking advantage of the mobility of that lifestyle. Those who buy properties will probably settle down longer to pay off mortgages, but even they may move at some point. Every year, millions of American families hire moving services to relocate their residency to and from houses, condos, apartments, and more, and local movers can be found and for relocating into a new residence in one’s city or town. Moving services for a longer move, such as long distance movers, may be hired if going from one county another or one state to another. Florida is a popular destination, as is California, but Americans are moving in and out of many states each year. When looking for a moving service, what should a homeowner look for and how can they prepare for the big move? What will moving services do?

Who is Moving?

There are statistics that track how often Americans move, and to and from where. Recently, movers have often chosen to stay in their home city or county for a shorter-distance move. In 2017, for example, some 62% of movers stayed in their county after a move, but often, people may change states, too. The New England state of Vermont is one of the most popular states to move to, ranking eighth, below such states as California and Florida. Most often, people are moving out during the summer; nearly half of all moves take place between May and Labor Day, and December ranks as the least popular month for moving, possibly due to the unpleasant cold, snow and ice, and the business of the holiday season. All of this adds up to a big business for moving services of all kinds; as of 2016, the moving industry was worth a huge $85.7 billion. It should also be noted that not all who hire moving services are private households; smaller companies may also call upon a moving crew for a local move to a new office or headquarters. Companies will have desks and chair, computers, fax machines, copiers, and other furniture to relocate, and possibly some supplies too such as paper or binders.

Making the Move

A moving service can do a lot of work for the household that hires it, but there is plenty for the moving family to do well before the first moving truck pulls up on their driveway. The average American household today contains a sprawling 300,000 items, and it is likely that a family’s members will not actually want to bring everything with them, so this means downsizing. A lot of items may be given away, recycled, or just thrown away, and this not only makes moving much easier but can also de-clutter the people’s lives, which can be a real relief from stress. Clothing, furniture, kids’ toys, hobby items, sentimental items, books, and more are categories that should be looked over before the move starts.

Before a moving company sends over its crews and trucks and trailers, a moving family is urged to take stock of everything they own and be choosy about what they actually bring. Unneeded, damaged, or redundant items can be given away or recycled. Clothes can be gathered from across the home and into one huge pile that the family members pick from, and the same can be done for books, toys, and anything else. The sorting can be done by category rather than room, making for a more accurate inventory of what is owned.

Items can be packed into labeled boxes with bubble wrap or other packing materials, and boxes should be fitted into trailers or trucks, along with furniture, so that there is no room for anything to jostle around and get damaged. A good moving company will charge fair prices, and when looking for crews, a homeowner can call previous customers to get customer reviews to ensure that a moving company will do a good job if hired.