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CMSA’s Tips for Avoiding Moving Scams

Apr 30, 2021 | Agents, Commercial, Residential

Summertime has traditionally been the busiest moving season.  Longer daylight times and summer breaks for children make it a prime time for people to move. It is also a prime time for scam artists to prey on unsuspecting consumers.

The California Moving & Storage Association (CMSA) wants to make sure that consumers know how to avoid being a victim of a moving scam.  Here are some helpful tips:

  1. Don’t book your move on-line or over the phone without verifying that the mover has a location in your area.  Drive by the location.  Go in and meet the company’s personnel.  Use your instincts to discern if the company’s personnel appear to be professional and trustworthy.  Let your common-sense guide you…  but don’t stop there!
  2. Verify the company’s license.  All movers are required by law to demonstrate their legitimacy on all their documentation.
  3. Verify the license number with the California Moving & Storage Association (CMSA) or the Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS).
  4. Obtain written estimates for moves of three or more rooms.  Legitimate movers are price competitive.  Make sure the estimates are based on the same factors (i.e. move and pack; move only, etc.)  If a company provides an unusually low bid … beware!  The company could be illegal, or they may have made an error while estimating the move.  If the latter is the case, the price will likely escalate on moving day.
  5. Illegal movers may charge by the cubic foot.  Legal movers charge by the hour (local moves), and by weight/mileage (distance moves).
  6. Bandits “rip off” innocent consumers by charging exorbitant fees for extensive and unnecessary packing on items that should be pad wrapped.  Furnishings should be wrapped with shrink wrap or protected with special moving blankets.
  7. Bandits will intimidate consumers to tip the crew.  Tipping is not customary but it is accepted when the customer has received exceptional service.

*The CMSA is a nonprofit trade association representing over 385 licensed and insured movers operating in California.

Decluttering Before You Move

Apr 20, 2021 | Residential

Why Declutter Before A Move?

Save money – The scale of your move will likely be quite a bit less after you declutter, which saves you money in moving supplies, equipment, and time on the clock. You might even make money by selling some of those items!

Clean less – You’re going to want to enjoy your new place as soon as possible. Transporting fewer dusty knick-knacks and household goods means you can spend more time exploring your new neighborhood and home and less time cleaning those space-taking items.

Feel organized – When you start to declutter, you may run across things you thought you misplaced or lost. Having a better grasp of where your things are as you prepare to move your belongings into your new home will make all the difference in settling in.

Gain freedom – Whether you’re moving across town or to another state, clutter can tie you down, emotionally and physically. In addition to cutting down on the logistics of your move, you’re likely to find that letting go of items you thought you couldn’t give up is quite liberating.

Start new – Unpacking fewer items makes it much easier to decorate. You can start to visualize more functional furniture placement and see each room through a fresh lens.

United Van Lines’ guide has tips on efficient ways to declutter before a move.