The liability coverage that movers offer isn’t actual insurance. It is cargo vaulation coverage, and the basic coverage carried by all licensed moving companies in Texas only pays you 60 cents ($.60) per pound for any item that is damaged or broken. So even though your Waterford goblet is worth $80, if you were to make a claim for it, you’d get less than a buck because it’s lightweight. It is extremely important to be aware of this when you are moving. If you would like full replacement value insurance for any or all of the items in your shipment you must purchase this coverage from www.movinginsurance.com at least 3 days prior to your move in order to be covered. If no additional insurance is obtained, your items are covered at 60 cents per pound and only 60 cents per pound!
Please be advised: your premises are separate from the goods we transport and are not covered by the cargo valuation. Elephant Moving’s liability is limited to $50.00 for damage to floors, walls, doors, and painted surfaces.
Questions about insurance? Ask your Austin movers for clarification on anything you don’t understand. We’re here to help!

One of the most important steps before you move is getting a moving estimate from your home or office mover. In order for the estimator to provide you with the most accurate quote possible you will need to provide him with the best information you can. You should have complete knowledge of your new neighborhood, apartment/house/office, and the route to your destination (including construction). With local moves, time is everything. You can sometimes save time if you can recommend a quicker route to your destination than the one your mover was expecting to take. Other helpful tidbits that your Austin mover needs to know in order to give you an accurate moving estimate:

• Check your new area for the availability of suitable parking for the moving truck – one that will allow the movers to comfortably load and unload your items. Double-parking means the truck has to round the corner every so often and you may incur additional charges. A long carry will add to the time it takes to load or unload.
• Know all of the restrictions and requirements for your building. Most big buildings, especially in city areas, allow moves only between 9am and 5pm for residenatial moves, or only after hours and weekends for commercial moves. Remind your movers to provide the necessary certificates of insurance. These documents protect the building against damage. Building superintendents will not allow entrance without them. Check what other requirements the building may have regarding floor/wall protection and elevator usage.
• The availability of suitable elevator units for apartment moves is very important, especially ones large enough to hold your biggest pieces of furniture. This will definitely save you time and money. But it will also save the movers the time and effort of carrying heavy furniture up the stairs, where damage is more likely to occur, and also from disassembling your furniture.

If you are unsure about access, parking, or elevator sizes don’t hesitate to request an on-site estimate! Your Austin movers will gladly take a little time to check things out to ensure there are no unpleasant surprises on move day and everything goes smoothly for your move!

Get an Austin residential or commercial moving estimate now!

ONE MONTH BEFORE YOUR MOVE
* Clean out storage spaces & discard unwanted items
* Make inventory of items to be moved
* Use up refrigerated/frozen items
* Notify post office, subscriptions, and correspondents of address change. This includes: Charge Accounts/Credit Cards, Friends/Relatives, Medical Offices
* Verify with veterinarian any travel accommodations for pets
* Register children for school and transfer school records
* Purchase packing materials
* Begin packing household items that you do not use on a regular basis

TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOUR MOVE
* Contact utility companies to schedule disconnect and reconnect of these services: Electricity, Gas, Telephone, Water/Sewer, Cable
* Contact Newspaper carrier
* Call to confirm moving date with your moving company

ONE WEEK BEFORE YOUR MOVE
* Drain fluids from lawn equipment
* Prepare a box with essential items necessary for your first day in your new house, including: Bedroom Linens, Toiletries, Medications, Telephone Book
* Purchase any additional packing materials necessary
* Continue packing – Pack all items not used on a daily basis

THE DAY BEFORE
* Pack valuables (we recommend you take your valuables in your own vehicle)
* Be sure fragile items are appropriately packed and labeled
* Be sure all loose items are packed and secure
* Confirm all utility connections
* Clean the house to the best of your ability

FOLLOWING THE MOVE
* Test all smoke detectors and find fire extinguishers
* Make a new list of emergency contacts
* Register new address with the department of transportation, obtain an update for license and registration

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Depending upon your agreement with your Austin mover, you may be doing some of the preparation for the move. If you are doing your own packing, be careful about overloading your moving boxes. Be sure to use appropriate boxes so your goods will arrive safely. Box tops should be flat and taped securely for easy handling and safe stacking in the truck. Never pack liquids with other items - be sure to label the boxes as liquids to ensure proper handling. To avoid damage, do not pack fragile items and heavy items in the same carton. Clearly mark fragile cartons. DO NOT pack valuables (such as jewelry, money, etc.), medication, or important papers to be taken on the moving truck. The mover is not responsible for these items. Remember, it’s first in, last out when loading any truck. Keep items such as toiletries, medicines, and other necessities with you. Be sure to check out our other helpful hints and tips to help you with your move.

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Moving is a great time to clean out and organize. If you get rid of those unwanted items before your Austin movers arrive to move you, your move will go faster, smoother and end up less costly than if your movers need to move all the junk you don’t want!

Check out this link for a list of items you can recycle and where to take them:
http://www.ecology-action.org/what.html

You can recycle just about anything you have, from appliances to clothing and all the other unwanted clutter in your home.

Double walled dish packs or china boxes are great for anything fragile. Use layers of crushed packing paper to cushion your china, dishes, glasses, mugs, small framed pictures, breakable knick knacks, delicate lamps/lampshades and other fragile items. Be sure to wrap everything in 2-3 pieces of paper before placing items on the crushed paper cushioning. Fill the box this way, laying down a layer of crushed paper between layers of your breakables, and fill up unused space with more crushed packing paper. Never lay pictures or plates flat in the box – always be sure they are standing on their edge to avoid breakage! If you are unsure how to pack fragile items don’t hesitate to ask your friendly Austin movers!

Wardrobe boxes are very tall boxes with a metal bar for hanging clothes. About 2 feet of hanging clothes will fit into a wardrobe box. If space allows, the bottom of the box is good for cushions, pillows, a few pairs of shoes, comforters, and anything else lightweight or fluffy. The following items should never be packed in wardrobe boxes: books, bowling balls, weights, bricks, power tools or large amounts of canned goods! If you are renting wardrobe boxes for the day, your Austin movers will place your hanging clothes in the boxes the day of your move – no need for you to touch a single hanger!

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Packing can be a daunting task. There are so many sizes and types of packing materials to choose from. Where do you start?! Here are a few helpful tips about boxes and packing to keep your move going smoothly!

Small boxes are also called book boxes, for good reason. They are well suited to holding books! Filling boxes larger than the small/book box size with books is a recipe for disaster! They are difficult to lift, hard to stack in the truck, unwieldy to maneuver up and down stairs, and most importantly, very difficult for you, the customer, to move should you need to do so before or after your Austin moving company relocates you.

Use book boxes for books, CDs, DVDs, files, office supplies and anything else that will fit in the box! If there is space left over at the top fill it with some crushed packing paper so the top does not cave in when it is stacked in the truck. Your Austin movers do their best to put heavy boxes on the bottom and lighter boxes on top. Always label fragile items so that they are stacked on top and treated with extra care.

Medium boxes are good for clothing, small pillows and bedding, shoes, non-fragile kitchen items, small appliances, bathroom items (always be sure that fragile or liquid items are separated from everything else!), toys, games, oversized books that do not fit in the smaller box (but try not to fill the whole box with those unabridged dictionaries!), garage items and anything else that is not extremely heavy. Once again, fill unused space with crushed packing paper and label any fragile items to help your Austin movers keep your things in tip top shape!

Large boxes can be filled with linens, towels, pillows, clothing, shoes, plastic kitchen items, small appliances, board games, toys and other lightweight items. As always, fill any unused space with crushed packing paper so that your Austin movers can stack the truck most efficiently and be sure to label fragile items so they do not get crushed or broken.

If you have any questions or concerns about packing feel free to call the friendly office staff at Elephant Moving Company in Austin. Stay tuned for additional tips on dish packs and wardrobe boxes!

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Summer time is the busiest time of the year for movers. In addition, the beginning and end of each month are traditionally busier than mid-month, regardless of the season. If you are planning to move during one of these times, plan well in advance so your mover’s schedule can accommodate your requirements.

If you have the flexibility, try not to move during the summer months or at the end of the month. Most movers charge higher rates for moves made during these time periods (your friendly Austin movers do have high- and low-season rates but we do not charge more for moves at the beginning/end of the month or weekends). Try to move during the middle of the month. (The first and last days of each month are always a mover’s busiest times.)

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Your Austin movers do not expect to pack any loose items, including garage tools, dishes and other kitchen items, clothing, books, knick knacks, etc. This is not to say they won’t! We are here to help and if you need a little assistance with some last minute packing your Austin movers can certainly take care of whatever you need. However, this may add to the time your move will take and could go over your estimate since this added service was not part of the original moving estimate. If you need additional packing materials there is always some extra on the truck – just ask for a price list or tell the crew foreman what you need. If you have any questions or concerns the day of your move ask your crew foreman or call the office. Our friendly staff will make sure your move goes as quickly and smoothly as possible!

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Your Austin movers are here to help! On the day of your move your Elephant Moving crew expects to disassemble larger furniture and disconnect washers/dryers. All furniture will be wrapped in heavy duty moving blankets secured with tape. Televisions, stereo components, VCRs, DVD players, printers and other electronics that have not already been packed by you can go into large bins padded with heavy duty moving blankets at no extra charge. Pictures, paintings, mirrors and glass table tops, shelves and doors will also be placed into bins and padded. Lamps and potted plants are dealt with in a similar fashion. If you have rented wardrobe boxes, your movers will place hanging clothes into the boxes at your origin and hang them in closets at your destination. Everything will be unwrapped, reassembled and reconnected at your destination. Furniture and boxes will be placed wherever you direct your crew to place them. If it’s not in the right spot, tell your crew! Your Austin movers will shift anything around according to your instructions. After all, you are paying for our services. Why should you need to move everything around once your movers have gone? Leave the heavy lifting to us.

Get an Austin residential or commercial moving estimate now!