The Professional Movers Blog

Moving families across the globe move for a reason: A worker seeking employment somewhere else to jump start his career or for greener pastures finds it necessary to have a long distance move or perhaps an international move; A growing family may want to move to a bigger house just down the road to accommodate the demand for more space; Students will find it necessary to temporarily move out of the house and find an apartment in close proximity to their school to save on transportation costs; Senior citizens experiencing “empty nest” syndrome will find a suitable home for them somewhere else. Unfortunately, moving breaks the wallet and no matter how hard we try to grab the best bargain in the market, it will always cost us something.

A reliable moving company is heaven-sent to moving families-that is, if you have the money to hire them. For some of us who lack funds, we do the next best thing, a DIY move. DIY is Do-It-Yourself moving and it doesn’t cost as much as full-service moving from professional movers but of course, this type of moving entails hard work and effort exerted on your part. At times, DIY moves can be traumatic for families.

For Do-It-Yourself moving, you should prepare ahead. Moving preparations include packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, moving vehicle and driving.

1. Packing. You should use the right moving materials to support your belongings during the move such as moving boxes or crates, bubble wraps, packaging tapes etc. Buy your packing supplies from local moving companies. You can also use substitutes, just be sure they can deliver the same effect.

2. Loading. Enlist your friends and families for help. This can be very tedious and tiring job but if you all work together then you can accomplish this task in no time.

3. Moving vehicle. Some moving companies offer self-move where you can rent their trucks with driver and they drive your belongings to your destination. However, if you prefer doing it on your own without any third party help, consider using a moving vehicle that can carry your things all at once to save on gas.

Best moves are those planned well, whether you opt for full-service moving or self-move. The ability to anticipate things will prevent you from making mistakes. DIY moves can certainly save you money; just plan well to make it as smooth as it can be.

The world is in crisis recently. The shortage of oil has made people around the world consider walking and riding bicycles as an alternative to automobiles. And it’s getting really hard because of rising gas prices everywhere. Each barrel of oil is costing more and more each week it seems and a long-term solution to the problem seems so far off. So you’re lucky if you’re one of the countries on this list! Or at least to some degree.

The following are just a few of the countries that have the top ten oil reserves in the entire world in terms of number of barrels. Some of these countries may not be the richest in the world but they surely are blessed with the gift of black gold! A lot of the countries that just import oil can only dream of the natural resources these countries have. So the next time the oil prices start skyrocketing, the answer why may lie in one or more of these countries:

* Saudi Arabia: If there’s a country that’s synonymous with oil production it’s definitely this one. Turbaned sheiks and vast deserts aside, this is the first country most people think about when they think ‘oil’ (apart of course for the notoriety of Iraq in the same aspect). But Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of oil and petroleum products in the world. It’s a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which has 11 members in total. Saudi Arabia is so into oil that 75% of their total revenues come directly from oil industries while 90% of earnings come from exports.

* Iran: Every time Iran’s economy goes up, the prices of oil are usually up with it. It’s because Iran’s economy is so reliant on export revenues. Iran is third when it comes to oil reserves but second when it comes to natural gas reserves. Its peak was in the 1970s where Iran used to produced about 6 million barrels per day-which is absolutely huge!

* United Arab Emirates: Though it comes a really respectable sixth in the top ten, the UAE is one of the countries that does really well in the oil industry but has little other natural resources. They have been trying though to shake that fact and to try to be less reliant on the revenues they get from processing their own resources. It is still a major mover in their economy and will likely remain so in the near future.

Moving a car is a major concern while relocating to a new address. Moving services take care of all the formalities and handle all the problems involved with moving a car. Depending on the distance to be covered they recommend how the vehicle must be transported.

Most automobile shippers offer a door-to-door service. It is always better to give some advance notice to the moving service. This is to ensure timely pick up and delivery. The moving services have carriers to suit every size of car. The car can be delivered to the door or picked up at one of their terminals. They have an auto tracking system. This system can track the location of the vehicle en route.

While searching for a good moving company on the Internet, it is best to view several Web sites and compare prices. Most car movers pick up cars from pre-determined locations. This procedure proves economical for both the vehicle owner and the mover.

Car movers provide a certificate of insurance with full cover during transit. They issue a written agreement with terms and conditions of payment and delivery. They may have their own trucks or engage a truck belonging to other haulers. A company that has been recommended by someone is the best option. In case there are no references from anyone it is fine to go by instinct. But just be sure they are reliable and safe.

Roll on-Roll off is another cheap way of shipping vehicles. The car is put on to a Ro-Ro vessel and moved from the departure port to the destination port. A more expensive but secure method is to put the car into a container and then have it shipped to the destination.

Moving a car may sound simple, but it is not so. Driving down the car to a new location is not easy, especially when there are a lot of other moving hassles. It is more sensible to hire an auto transporter. The vehicle will be loaded into their truck and transported safely.

A piano is an expensive and valuable investment. For as large as they are, they are surprisingly fragile when you want to relocate it either to a different room or to a different building. There are so many delicate and intricately designed working parts that are responsible for the beautiful music. It is not as easy as simply rolling it on its wheels or having enough manpower to handle the weight.

Because of this, hiring professional piano movers to do the job could save you time, money and of course the integrity of the instrument. There are a few basic issues to consider when choosing the right heavy musical instrument movers to handle this big job:

1. First of all, you should find out what your state’s laws are when it comes to licensing moving services. Most should require that a company be licensed. To receive this permit to work, they must show that they have the appropriate moving equipment and that they carry the minimum amount of insurance. This amount will vary from state to state. If they are not licensed, then you lose protection in the event something gets damaged because the company is operating illegally.

2. Next, find out how much the piano mover’s cargo insurance will cover for your particular instrument. If you have a valuable antique or new piece, you will want to purchase your own insurance to cover what the company will not. This is easy to do through your regular insurance agency. This way, you know for sure that your precious cargo is covered in the event of an accident. You also want to make sure that they carry their own workman’s comp insurance in case someone gets hurt on the job.

3. It is also important to ask them up-front how they figure their rates. Some businesses charge per pound, some charge a flat rate per move and others may charge an hourly and mileage rate. When you are comparing prices, take the above two issues into consideration as well. One company may offer a great rate, but skimps on the assurance cover or is simply not licensed.

4. Ask other people for references if you still have a lot of choices. Find out how long the piano movers have been in business and how experienced their employees are. Remember, this is a delicate and expensive asset and you want it to be handled with care and experience.

When all is said and done, experienced and reputable heavy musical instrument movers are the best choice for this type of job. You may think that you and some buddies can get it done with no problem, but what happens when you turn it the wrong way, set it on the wrong side or it tumbles down the stairs? Don’t expect it to play like it used to without some major repair and tuning. You and your friends can also get really hurt attempting this task.

Let the people who have the equipment and the know-how do the job right. Professional piano transporters reduce the risk of damage to the piece and they do everything they can to make sure you will be enjoying its music in the new location for years to come.