Tipping your removals guys

Not many people would think twice about the movers on the moving day amidst all the chaos but that goes without saying that a simple gesture like a “Thank You” would go a long way for us to show appreciation for all the work we’ve done!

Nevertheless, we wouldn’t want to make you feel obligated about tipping because that should be done out of your own will. Here are some ideas if you are thinking of showing us your thanks!

You don’t have to give us money
Tipping is a gesture and we honestly don’t expect anything from our clients. However, a simple thank you wouldn’t hurt as it lets us know that we’re not some lowly worker who helps you with the dirty work.

A cold drink or even some snacks work just as well too!
Some refreshments would definitely be welcomed after a hard day’s work but no alcohol please as it is against company regulations to be drinking while on the job and it takes away our focus.

And if you do decide to tip…
Take a little time out to tip every worker individually instead of to the leader – to show that every worker is just as important.

Our movers might not have diplomas or degrees to do their job but they are most certainly certified with various competency classes so as to enable them to work to their fullest ability.

By showing us appreciation, it helps us to continue giving our best in the work we do.

Tipping your removals guys

Downsizing – How to move into a smaller home

Moving companies know just how tough it truly is for customers who are downsizing as there are so many things to get rid of! Hence, Platinum Removals has consolidated some useful tips whenever you need to move into a smaller living space.

Check out your new space
It’s important to know how much space you’ll be dealing with so you get to maximize it effectively. Else, all your clearing out efforts might just go to waste.

Look around
The key to reduce the number of things you have is to basically get rid of most of them. Check storage rooms which are often used to hoard things. If you don’t remember having or haven’t used anything in the last year, get rid of it.

Get rid of it!
Though we often loathe this part here especially for things we have grown sentimentally attached to, it’s important to do something about them even if you’re not downsizing. A garage sale or charity organizations are some of the effective ways to get rid of the junk.

Multi-purpose items
It may be a good idea to look at all-in-one machines to replace previous equipment in the garage or kitchen. This will help you save a little space!

It’s fine if you aren’t able to clear things out. Just continue looking out for things that you don’t seem to be using after moving in. Good luck!

Downsizing – How to move into a smaller home

Some Handy Packing tips for the imminent Move

In all the years of people migrating from one place to another, gathering one’s belongings and shifting these precious items from one place to the next, there has never been a set standard for how things should be done. What we’ve found is that there is never a right way to do things, but we often receive inquiries for the best way to go about packing.

We’d like to think that there’s a bit of common sense in packing and we’d just like to highlight some pointers for you if you’re clueless about where to start!

When you’re ready to start putting things aside, our very first piece of advice to you would be to start packing from room by room, starting with the one that you least use the most. Chances are that this will be your storage room, followed by the guest room and then the living room and finally moving towards the bedrooms and kitchen.

Get a variety of sizes of boxes for packing too! Having the right sized box is really important because they can be flimsy! Aim to get double-reinforced boxes when you can so that there is less of a possibility that a box may burst. Check with your moving and removals company what sizes they have and get enough for yourself and your family.

Do try to pack boxes to the brim and have them sealed well to ensure that dust and dirt doesn’t get it. But heavy items, like books and documents should be kept to the smaller boxes so that they do not exceed the capacity of the box. Lighter items like clothing and other linen and cloth items (bedsheets, pillows and comforters) can go into the bigger boxes. And while you may think you may be able to get away with a lot of heavy items in a big box, being conservative in your packing makes it easier for the moving and removals company to carry your packed boxes around and get them loaded up the truck!

When you start out trying to pack, we’d just like to put it out there that it is really important for you to set aside some items that you’ll need up until moving day itself! You don’t want to finish packing to realise that you need something and worse still, that you’ve packed it already and that you’ll now have to go hunting for the item if you need it urgently - if there’s anything worse than packing, it’s unnecessary unpacking!

That being said, do also stand by an “overnight pack” for when you’ve reached your new home. Chances are that by the time the moving and removals company has gotten all your things safely transported, you’re not really going to want to be unpacking just yet. Take a quick breather and relax a bit. And just in case things get delayed, or you’ve chosen one of the later slots for moving, you won’t have to rummage around for your toothbrushes and pajamas and bedsheets so that you can get a bit of a rest before starting on those boxes fresh the next day!

Things to do for a Smooth Move

So everything has been set up, and all that’s left is the move itself! Use our handy moving checklist below to double check if you’ve left anything out to the last minute.

HAVE YOU...

Notified everyone of your new address?
Now we’re not really talking about EVERYBODY like your family and friends. Surely your neighbours will find out when the big trucks come in on moving day itself too, but what about the utilities, credit card and other companies that normally only communicate with us by post? It’s really important to make sure that your mail gets forwarded to your new location as well so that the companies that you’ve left out can be informed in due time too! These include the insurance companies and any other membership subscriptions that you may have. You can arrange a redirection service with your post office or arrange with the new owners when you can come by to pick up any leftover mail that is still being sent to the old address.

Set aside boxes for loading?
In the chaos of moving day, sometimes boxes from different rooms get messed up and confused with boxes from other parts of the house. You may want to colour coordinate some boxes so that their origins are easily recognizeable when they reach your new apartment or house and this will help you to sort things out when you’re about to start unpacking. You can also choose to number them, to make sure that no box gets left behind either! Keep a list of what you have too and that will definitely make the job easier!

Aside from that, do think about gathering the house keys and door keys in one place as well so that everything will be ready for handover when you leave.

Double confirmed details with you moving and removals company?
Most moving and removals companies should be pretty on the ball when it comes to getting their job done, but it doesn’t hurt for a bit of a confirmation the day before moving day just to ensure that everything has been settled. This includes making sure that pick up times have been finalised and that addresses are clearly noted. You may want to ask about the route that the moving company is intending to take and whether you will be following their truck or their truck will be following you. And at the same time to ensure that the necessary equipment like tools for disassembling furniture and dollies and protective padding is all taken care of.

Packed for your first night in your new home?
Once everything is ready for the move, you’ll want to make sure that you have some things left out and in an easily accessible place for the first few moments when you reach your new apartment or home. In the hustle and bustle of the move, you may even be too tired to start unpacking straight away and a good idea is to have some essentials like bathing toiletries and a spare change of clothes packed in an overnight bag. You may also want to think about what you might do for dinner on the first night that you’ve moved in too!

How to Save Money when you Move by Clearing things Out

When it comes to moving homes, the whole event can cause a big hole to magically appear in your wallet! Besides the costs of setting up your new home, there is the question of new furniture and furnishings and not to mention hiring good moving and removals guys to help you bring things over from your old place to your new!

How CAN you keep moving costs low? We’d like to offer you some tips to save money especially when it comes to the actual move so here goes!

We know how tedious it is to get rid of things that you’ve had in your home. But it’s a really good idea to start decluttering BEFORE you move as opposed to when you arrive at your new home and start unpacking! Most moving and removals companies will offer you a quote that is based on the amount and volume of items that you have and want to move. That means that when you whittle down the amount of items you’re bringing to your new home, the less the costs will be from your moving and removals side of things.

Now we suppose it goes without saying that when you get a head start on clearing items out that you need to be efficient and meticulous in sorting. Don’t get sidetracked by other things and do your best to finish what you’ve started. Besides having a lovely clean and organized room to show for it at the end of the day, all the work that you’ve cleared today means less work and clearing to do closer to the moving day itself. And having lots of things to do at the last minute really isn’t good for the nerves - which can cause errors in judgment and possibly cost you precious time scrambling to get things in order. Save yourself the stress by starting out early!

You can also save a bit of money from trashing your items and bringing them all the way to the dump by having a garage sale once you’ve sorted out the things you do and don’t want to keep. You never know if someone else may find a use for that old telephone or cupboard that you’ve decided to let go! At the end of the day, think of giving back to the community too, if there are items that remain unsold. Donating your castaways may really benefit others, and while it won’t recoup any money for you, the good feeling that you’ll get from helping others is pretty awesome too.

And finally when you’ve finished sorting things out and have your items ready to be surveyed, don’t cut corners with your removals company! While you may want to get some friends to help with some heavy lifting so that things can move on smoothly on moving day, it’s a good idea to bank on a reputable moving and removals company that come with good references and reviews whether online or otherwise as well as a good insurance plan to keep the value of your items protected.

A good moving and removals company will be able to give you the peace of mind that the items you’ve chosen to keep are in safe and capable hands and that will save you from having to go through unnecessary repairs and replacements for damaged items.

What do you need to know about your Moving and Removals Company?

It’s that time again, time to make a move and give yourself a change of environment. You’ve settled the property and you’re getting ready to tie up loose ends. Moving to your new home is closer than ever. All that’s left, is settling the company that’s going to help you pack up and move your life from one place to another...

One needs to be cautious when it comes to getting a good removals company for the job and we’d like to list out a few things that you may just want to take note of when you’re scouting around:

For starters, it’s important to find out how much you’re going to be paying to get your things moved around. Most moving and removals companies will have somebody come down to your house and take a quick inventory and survey of the items that you have, taking special note of the bigger and more bulkier items - because more manpower will be needed, and also for the items which are a little more fragile or may require special handling - like artwork, statues, pianos and glassware including mirrors.

It’s always a good idea to ask about whether their staff have good qualifications as well. There are accredited bodies that train people to be able to handle all sorts of items that a moving and removals company will come across at every move. And the more well-qualified the company and its staff are, the better the chance your items will be in safe hands throughout the move, and arriving intact at its destination too!

Do ask for a hard copy or official quotation from the moving and removals company when the surveyor is done looking around so that you can use it to compare across companies if need be and also for you to have a good idea of just how things are going to be carried out. It’s also a good idea to get in touch with a particular person who can help walk you through the procedure so that you can ensure that everything is settled every step of the way! And that includes ensuring that you need interim storage space while waiting for your new home to be ready, down to any other additional services you may require like packing, or stocking up on supplies and other materials.

Speaking of whether the eastern suburbs removal company provides you with boxes and packing material, you should also check to see if they supply any other form of equipment like dollies and protective padding and coverings! Having to acquire these on your own can be quite expensive, and some companies may charge a premium to supply these to you.

At the end of the day, don’t take chances and have a look at different content insurances that you can take up to ensure the best protection for your items. And when in doubt, do a quick search on the internet for reviews of the company that you’re looking to hire, this will help you get a good insight to exactly what you’re signing yourself up for!

Whatever your choice may be, take a time out to think about what YOU want from a moving and removals company. Be comfortable with who you’ve chosen and have been speaking to because these are the guys that will end up handling personal possessions.