RELO Roundtable…a gathering place

First, it’s a common misconception that summer is the best time to move if you have kids. The myth was debunked several years ago when many schools adopted the 12 month school year.

Educators and HR professionals now both recognize that children will assimilate into a new school environment easier if they’re given the opportunity to integrate during the normal school year.  Most families who now wait to move during the summer do it because it’s easier on the parents. 

Relocation costs generally rise during the warmer months of May through August.  If you’re looking for the cheapest way to move, get estimates for moving during on and off peak periods. 

The type of mobile/portable storage options that you mentioned are great resources to use when remodeling, de-cluttering or staging your home.  Unfortunately, their popularity has generated a lot bad publicity from local and state municipal authorities, homeowners associations and angry neighbors.  Many places have now passed ordinances restricting the amount of time and/or location for placement of unattended containers. 

Several vendors either can not or will not place their empty containers in your driveway because of limitations of their lift system and potential insurance risks.  Factors such as driveway composition, underlying drainage systems and pitch will dictate their policy.  Be sure to ask before you order!   You may find that you have to use several smaller containers instead of one large one. 

Your husband’s concerns are valid. Most of the national container companies offer solid, well maintained storage boxes. But they have no control over environment or climatic conditions.  If you instruct them to drop the box next to a storm sewer in April (shower season), it’s possible that moisture could become a problem.  If you think the stored furniture items are going to sit in the container for an extended period, it probably best to have the company pick up the container and store it inside.   

You didn’t state how you were planning to move.  Mobile storage options are excellent for local use, but can get pricey when the containers are being moved long distances.  Frequently do-it-yourselfers find that they need more container space than they estimated.  This miscalculation can destroy a budget.  Obtain several estimates from national companies with networks in both locations. 

If you’re considering using a full service moving company, be sure to get at least three on-site, physical estimates from reputable local companies BEFORE you start packing or putting anything in storage.  Otherwise you may have to settle for an actual weight estimate when it comes time to head to Virginny.  

The best way to pack is to purge. If nothing else, moving is a great reason to clean your closets. It’s OK to use the used packing material that you’ve collected as long as you understand its limitations.  If you’re going to move professionally, all of the boxes should have tops and be taped closed.  I would avoid using old newspapers to pack unless you don’t mind washing the ink off of everything it touches.  You can either obtain plain white newsprint from your mover or local packing supply company or wrap everything in clothes, towels and bedding.

It hard to say without knowing how (or who) calculated the estimate and what services were included.  The best way to validate a price is to compare it against the same service features quoted by other competing companies locally. Depending on the vendors you're talking to, you may have to compare the cubic capacity of several smaller containers against those of a single large box.

Indy's served by several national mobile/portable storage chains.  Some companies in the market dray the container from northern Indiana, Illiniois or Michigan. That round trip could add substantially to the price.  

Assuming the quote you received was to handle all of the contents of your home, you may want to compare it against physical cost estimates performed by full service moving companies.