Fulshear-Katy Community Guide & Directory 2023-24

MOVING TIPS

GETTING STARTED Take it from someone who knows about moving – Dawda Khan, the president and founder of Eurmove LLC in Cypress. His firm has completed 90,000 residential and commercial moves in the Houston area and across the continental U.S. “Before you make any decisions whether to use a moving company or to do all the work to move yourself, just know that it doesn’t have to be chaotic. Be organized from the moment you make a decision to move, and keep it simple and under control,” he says. Here are Eurmove’s top 10 tips to prepare for as stress free a move as possible, especially if you are moving during the busiest season – from Memorial Day to Labor Day. 1. Budgeting: do all your homework to make sure which options you can afford. 2. Always call three reputable moving companies and compare costs. This will make your decision making easier. 3. Hire trustworthy professionals to get the move done. 4. Book their services early. Most reputable moving companies will require a deposit, which secures your choice of moving day. By law, these deposits are fully refundable if you cancel your move. 5. Get organized! Make a checklist of tasks that need to be done. Create a moving documents folder – both

paper and electronic. Keep paper copies of contracts and checklists with you during the move. 6. Sort through your belongings. Get rid of things you don’t use any more to reduce the weight to be moved, which will reduce the expense. 7. Do not wait to start packing if you are going to pack yourself. “Most people think they have all the time they need, but it sneaks up on you quickly. Whether you have a one-bedroom apartment or a 5,000-square-foot home, start packing, labeling and tagging right away so you’ll be set and ready to go,” Khan says. 8. Take time off work on moving day so that you don’t have to leave the handling of your possessions and other details to others. 9. Get started as early as possible. Movers prefer to start at 8 or 9 a.m., especially in our area where it gets hot early, so they can deliver and set up by early afternoon and finish at a reasonable time. 10. Be flexible. “Remember, things may not go exactly as you planned, but that’s okay. The unexpected happens, whether it’s a rainstorm, traffic or something else – things can happen. You just have to be flexible and let problems roll off. It will be less stressful this way,” says Khan. USING A MOVING COMPANY Using a professional moving company will mostly guarantee your belongings arrive intact and within

a certain timeframe. Begin your search for a mover by asking acquaintances for references and looking online at reviews of nationally known and local companies. To protect yourself as a consumer, one important task is to ask for the company’s U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) number and Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) number. Every reputable carrier that delivers to Texas will have these numbers. Use them to screen the companies by verifying that they have a license to operate and for any complaints filed against them. Confirm a company’s license at protectyourmove.gov, txdmv.gov and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), safersys.org. TYPES OF ESTIMATES Khan advises having three companies come to your home to give cost and time estimates and to discuss contracting specifics. Don’t go with an option to have an online estimate. “I think having the salesperson come to the house is most accurate way of doing it. And it’s a good way to acquaint yourself with people that you’re dealing with to handle moving all of your possessions to a new home,” he says. Estimates are usually free and are based on the distance to the new location and the weight of household goods being shipped. The estimate should describe the amount and type of items and their condition, where and how far your home is from Fulshear or Katy, additional insurance options,

46 FULSHEAR-KATY COMMUNITY GUIDE & DIRECTORY 2023-24 ISSUE