Preparing your houseplants for moving

From recent Bekins Van Lines Blog

How to Pack Your Houseplants for a Move

First thing’s first: if you can, transport your plants with you in your own vehicle—don’t ship them. Oftentimes, if you ship them, they won’t receive enough airflow, water or sunlight.

What You Need to Get Started

To set yourself up for success as you pack your plants, make sure you have these items on hand:

• A sturdy moving box for each pot (small boxes are best so the plant doesn’t move around too much)
• Plastic pots to replace clay pots during transit
• Sterilized potting soil
• Packing paper or newspaper
• Bubble wrap
• Plastic bags and ties
• Paper towels
• Flea collars

How to Prep Your Plants for the Big Day

Houseplants are living and sensitive; they will need time to adjust to the transition. Start prepping your plants approximately three weeks before moving day. To prep your plants, take these steps:

• To make your plants easier to carry, repot them into plastic, lightweight pots with sterilized soil.
• Prune the plants a week before moving day. Remove dying pieces and cut back additional foliage, for example.
• About three days before moving day, water your plants.
• Unfortunately, houseplants often harbor pests that states won’t want you bringing across state lines. Put a flea collar around each pot to draw any critters out. If you live in an area with the , there are more steps you’ll have to look into.

How to Pack Your Potted Plants

Step One:

Put a plastic bag over the plant and pot and tie it at the bottom. This is done to keep the soil in the pot.

Step Two:

Put the plant in a box. Make sure the box is taped on the bottom to keep the plant secure.

Step Three:

Fill any extra space in the box with newspaper.

Step Four:

Allow for airflow by putting holes in the box.

Step Five:

Label the box as “plant.” This is especially important if you’re getting help from friends, family, or a moving company so they know to be extra careful with that particular box.

If you need help with packing or transporting your belongings to your new home, get in touch with the expert movers at Bekins today! We can get you and your family to your new home smoothly and quickly.

Getting ready for your vehicle to be shipped

Taking some simple steps to prepare your vehicle for shipment will help make your experience smooth and trouble free.  

A couple things to remember.  

You will get a call from the driver the day before pick up and delivery to set up the time for pick up/delivery. Sometimes this carrier will call you early the morning of pick up if they are located near you.  The trucks are large car carriers and may not be able to get close to your house safely.  If this is the case the driver will arrange with you to meet at a location where the truck may be loaded or unloaded safely.  At origin and destination the driver will inspect your car for any damage and note the bill of lading.  You will be asked to sign off on this on the bill of lading.  Please be sure to review and agree or comment on any notations made on the bill of lading with regard to the vehicle's condition, and note any discrepancies or changes at destination.  This will be the basis for a claim if necessary.

You should have alternate arrangements for a contact if you plan not to be at either location.  It is your responsibility to be or have someone be present if the truck arrives early or is delayed.

Please have no more than 1/4 tank of gas in your car

Please remove all ski and bike racks

You will need to supply the driver a full set of keys that work to start your vehicle and lock/unlock it.  

Please remove any electronic toll devices so that they are not charged going across the US

Please remove all personal items from the inside of the car.  You may put things in the trunk of up to 100 lb total with some carriers or below the window level in the way back if there is not trunk.

If you need to put lots of items in your vehicle please be sure to get this cleared with the carrier ahead of time.  If they allow extra items you will most likely be charged extra.  You will not really know how much until the driver arrives and assess' the amount of things in the vehicle. 

Real Life Move with a dishonest Moving Broker- still no delivery of the shipment

 

The Story

I got a call from a friend's friend today who was desparate for help.   He contacted a company he thought was A Major Van Lines; same colors and similar logo.  Well guess what- they were not!  A broker who charges a large deposit up front and a large amount when picked up.  A warning sign.  They based their estimate on cubic feet of space on a truck rather than weight which can be audited.   The delivery window was anytime during a 30 window after pick up.

They provided a price which was attractive to the customer and he scheduled the pick up. They charged 1/3 of the estimate at booking, 1/3 at pick up and  the balance at delivery.  The move was assigned to a mover, for pick up and delivery named HM (abreviated).  Since pick up it is now 30 days and no delivery, just demands for more money.  The price has gone up from $3800 to over $6000 based on the company's claim the cubic feet went up.  Neither the mover nor the broker are calling their customer back and he has no idea where his belongings are. 

The warning signs...

Large deposits paid to the broker in several payments. Large deposit due carrier at pick up.  The legitimate Van Lines agents may charge a deposit but it is paid to the mover itself not to a broker. It is usually a couple hundred dollars if charged at all.  

Estimate based on cubic feet not weight.  There is no way of auditing the size of the actual move using cubic foot measurments.  When weight is used by a legitimate mover/van line; weight tickes are required from a certified weigh station before the household goods are loaded on the truck and after resulting in the net weight of  the shipment. 

No specific delivery spread- in this case the customer was told delivery sometime in a 30 day period for a relatively short distance- Oregon to Arizona.  Vanlines will provide a specific delivery spread in dates and will pay a penalty to the customer for late delivery. 

Unlimited amount of money due to deliver the household goods.  Most Van lines will limit the amount due to unload the shipment, then a balance due afterward.

No visual survey or video survey by the mover it self.  Estimate not written on the movers document or Order for Service

Types of terms to watch out for:

The carrier reserves the right to collect up to 50% of the balance due prior to the goods leaving the origin state. Subject to federal law, payment in full of all charges is required before delivery and prior to unloading.

Upon pickup carrier, will collect up to 50% of the remaining balance

Should the customer’s estimate come in under the predicted cubic feet, XXXXX Broker will refund 50% of the customer’s price for cubic feet up to 1000 cubic feet. It is the shipper’s responsibility to pursue the carrier if they are looking for additional reimbursement beyond 50% of the price per cubic foot.

The carrier who is responsible for picking up and delivering the household goods of the customer has up to 30 business days to deliver the household goods of the customer

First available delivery dates (FADD) are not guaranteed delivery dates. The first available date is the 1st date you are ready and willing to accept your delivery. The carrier has 30 business days from the FADD you choose to deliver the household goods

If you see any of these warning signs or feel uncomfortable that you may be getting into an uncertain agreement to move your belongings- call your Moving Consultant at Consumers Relocation before you sign.