You sold the old place and bought the new one. Or you’re a renter and are moving in with friends. You got a new job and have to relocate. The possibilities are endless. Whatever the case may be, there is a very good chance that you will need help. Moving is difficult business. It requires an incredible amount of planning, effort and timeliness. Luckily, there is a type of company that does this exact combination of tasks. They call themselves removalists.

Moving Is Hard Work

You may find yourself in need of someone to lug all your belongings across town or across the country. It is, in essence, a difference of degree, not of kind. In other words, regardless, you need a removalist. As The Removalist, a removalist in Perth, explains, in the simplest terms, a removalist is a company that moves your stuff from one location to another. There is a whole industry of companies that provide this service, but they are not all created equal.

The best will have some specific qualifications, according to The Good Universities Guide. They will “enjoy practical work”. They will have a “mechanical aptitude” and a “safe driving record”. Also important is the ability “to cope with the physical demands of the job”. Last, they will need “good communication skills”.

You might think these sound like generic qualities. In some ways, they are, but in many important ways they are not. Keep in mind that you are entrusting your prized belongings to this group of people. You will want to do thorough research on them, read reviews, and speak to people who have used them before. The best removalists take care of you as much as your stuff.

Check out a review website. Learn as much as you can about the removalist company you’re considering. If they do not seem to have the above qualities, consider using a different company.

What Do They Do?

So, you’ve picked the removalist you are going to use to move all your stuff. You will want to know exactly what they do and how they do it, as well as how long it will take to perform their tasks. One point that people often forget is that moving can happen any day of the year. You will want to make sure your company is open and available on your moving date. Need to move on Christmas Eve? Definitely ask first!

If you are like me (and millions of others), the thought of packing all your stuff makes you nauseated. Removalist companies can actually pack your belongings as well. What a relief! When it comes TVs or paintings or fragile lamps, you will want to know that your stuff is safe en route. Whether it is across the city or from one coast to another, if it is not safe, it should not be moving anywhere. That’s simple common sense.

What if you have too much stuff for your new place? You will want to ensure it also has someplace to live while you aren’t in need of it. Removalist companies can also take care of this for you in a safe and secure fashion. A good removalist company will offer a range of furniture storage solutions. They know that sometimes people are moving into a smaller dwelling, or may not even know what they won’t need yet. If so, you’ll need somewhere to put it.

Hire a removalist company that can also take care of the storage hassles, if necessary. Using separate companies for the removal and the storage means more planning. That only means more things can go wrong.

Last, but not least, is insurance. Do not hire a removalist company without also preparing for the worst. To do this, you will want to buy some kind of transit insurance. If you don’t and your stuff is somehow damaged in transit, you will end up on the hook for those expenses. What a terrible way to begin a new chapter! Get the insurance and protect yourself from possible disaster scenarios.

Check These Resources Out

Besides reading reviews and asking around, you may want to watch a removalist in action. There are plenty of videos online that allow you do to exactly that, and they are very helpful.

This particular one, by Compare Quotes, gives a good sense of what kind of work they do and how they do it. Compare Quotes is a website that compares local services and trades so that you don’t have to.

Here is another one by Yellow Video that shows how some removalists use metal crates for relocation. If you’re moving a car across the country, this can come in handy.

Whichever way you decide to go, ensure that you have done your research before you hire a removalist. Make a list of your requirements and clarify any confusing details beforehand. The more work you do upfront, the happier you will be in the end.