Summer is the Busiest Moving Season of the Year
Tips to Reduce Stress When Moving

GOLDEN, Colo.- Moving is one of the most stressful events in a person's life, ranked as high as the death of a loved one or divorce. But with the right kind of planning and care, you can make your move a lot less stressful. ServiceMagic, Inc., (www.servicemagic.com), the nation?s leading online service that connects consumers with prescreened and customer-rated residential contractors and home service professionals, offers the following moving tips to help your move be as stress-free as possible.

Plan Ahead for Your Move: The first thing to remember is to get started and plan your move ahead as much as possible. Having a written plan or checklist is a smart way to stay organized, as well as having plenty of moving boxes, tape and marking materials before you begin. Write down everything in each room and how you'll deal with moving it. You'll also want to decide whether you'll do the packing and loading or whether you want a professional mover to do those tasks.

Packing for Your Move: Packing is an art form in itself. It takes careful organization ahead of the actual move. Most moving authorities say it's best to pack one room at a time and mark each box carefully so you know where things are. Basic common sense helps. For example, don't pack your books or other heavy items in large boxes that will be clumsy and difficult to carry.

1. Packing the boxes
- Put heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter, more delicate things on top.
- Try to fit items closely together in the box to prevent them from shifting during the move.

2. Packing breakables
- Line your box with soft padding material ? crumpled newspaper works well.
- Lay out a piece of bubble wrap or several sheets of clean newspaper. Place your item several inches below one corner and fold it over so the item is covered. Fold the item over so the backside is exposed. Wrap a side corner over, turn it over and wrap the other side corner over. - Repeat until the item is adequately protected.
- If you're wrapping dishes, you can stack four to five together, as long as there is bubble wrap between each dish.

3. Keeping track Write a code for what's inside each box on the box top and on an inventory sheet.

Picking the Right Moving Company: If you choose to hire a professional mover the best way to find one is through a company that prescreens all movers and guarantees they have the appropriate state licensing and insurance. One such company is ServiceMagic (www.servicemagic.com), an online matching service. Here are a few items to keep in mind when you interview prospective movers:
- Only deal with licensed companies. Ask the representative to demonstrate that it carries worker's compensation insurance to protect the company and its customers.
- Ask about the firm's experience and client list. Call a few clients to verify references.
- Ask the movers if they are members of any local or national moving trade associations. If so, contact the associations for further information.
- Check the companies out with the Better Business Bureau and the American Moving and Storage Association to see if they have information on them.
- Get a written estimate and determine whether it's binding or non-binding. The most accurate way to estimate your moving costs is to get an in-home, visual assessment from the mover. Decide whether you want full service (they pack, unpack and move everything) or self-service (you pack and unpack everything and they move it).
- When you're ready to sign the contract, insist on a guaranteed price in writing that includes guaranteed pick-up and delivery dates. The contract should include a guarantee of how many hours the job will take, allowing an overrun of no more than 10 percent.