As the moving season nears, a common question often comes to mind. Why is moving so difficult? Traditional moving companies operate on their schedule, not yours. Even worse, the prices can be outrageous. Prior to a move, the moving company will provide you with a rough estimate based on weight, labor and time. It is not until the move is complete that you get a detailed bill, often back loaded with hidden fees. Ultimately, you never know how much it is going to cost until you get stuck with the bill. If this sounds familiar, then you need to try SMARTBOX. SMARTBOX offers the versatility of both a portable self storage company and a moving company. We will drop off our storage containers at your address for you to pack and load at your leisure. Because of their size, SMARTBOX units are great for organizing your move. Each unit holds one to one and a half rooms of furniture, allowing you to compartmentalize your household goods for moving day. When you are ready for the big day, SMARTBOX will pick up your loaded units and deliver them to your new address. SMARTBOX is also the perfect solution for untimely delays in your moving process. If you cannot close on your new property, but need to leave your old location, have SMARTBOX store your possessions in there climate controlled storage facility at no extra charge. Then when your new house is ready, SMARTBOX is there to complete the moving process. Don’t forget, SMARTBOX is not only great a local moves, but we have experience with long distance moves as well, servicing nearly every major market in the continental United States.

When it comes time for your next move, there are many options to weigh. This decision is especially difficult for people moving or relocating from small homes and apartments. Because traditional moving companies are often too expensive for small to medium sized moves, many people turn to traditional rental companies like Budget, Ryder, or U-Haul. At first glance, U-Haul, Budget, and Ryder appear to be cheap and easy, but when moving day comes, the headaches begin. U-Haul, Budget, and Ryder offer their rental vehicles on a daily rate, often comparable to SMARTBOX’s monthly rental rate. Why not get a SMARTBOX and take your time packing, rather than trying to load and unload all in one day? U-Haul, Ryder and Budget rely on you to come to them both before and after the move. This means that you need to arrange for someone to both drop you off before the move and pick you up after. SMARTBOX takes all of the pressure off of you, allowing you to focus on the loading and unloading, not the transportation itself. Rental vans and trucks can be cumbersome to drive, and even worse, can be a challenge to park. Even if can master these tasks, you must take into account the constant problem of moving your possessions up and down the loading ramp from the truck. The entrance to the SMARTBOX unit sits only six inches off the ground, allowing for a much easier loading and unloading process. Also, U-Haul, Budget, and Ryder often bill you for an additional fuel surcharge or require you to fill the vehicle with gas before you deposit them at the local depot.

Whether packing for storage or moving, it is important to know that there are many various types of boxes available to you that can assist you in your task. Using the correct boxes can help ensure that your valuables will not be damaged while in storage or while being moved.

For clothing, medium to large boxes work well since most clothing items are relatively lightweight. Wardrobe boxes are an excellent choice for longer garments which you do not want to fold. These boxes have a rod built into them which can be used to hang up the clothes, preventing them from becoming wrinkled or ruined.

When moving, it helps to know where all your stuff is after you have packed it all away into boxes. Before you get to the point of rummaging through all your boxes just to find out where they belong, consider this; designate a color for each room in the new home, such as red for the kitchen, blue for the bathroom, etc. Apply colored stickers on the boxes you use for these rooms’ items. At your new home, put a coordinated sticker on the door to each room. This way, you and your friends/helpers will know where to put everything when they arrive at the new place.

SMARTBOX portable storage containers can provide a safe, secure place to store numerous household goods or business supplies. However, there are still some things to keep in mind when deciding what should be stored within these containers. Obviously, nothing alive should be kept inside these containers when closed, for any amount of time. This also applies to plants. In most states, it is against the law to have plants in the back of a moving truck, and these containers do apply to the same standards. Also, do not keep any perishable food items in the storage container, not even for a little while.

Moving can be a pain if not properly organized and planned. By taking care of all necessary moving tasks as soon as you can, you can be sure moving day will go much smoother. Consider how you will provide the necessary means to actually move your belongings. Decide if you will hire a moving crew, rent a moving truck, or use a portable storage unit, such as SMARTBOX. Have your reservation made at least one month in advance. Prepare all of your change of address materials about one month in advance. The post office, utilities, insurance, DMV, and anyone you do business with should be notified with a change of address form. Be sure your friends and relatives have your new address before you leave, unless, of course, you don’t want them to have it.