When you are moving house, one of the prime concerns in your mind is the safety of your belongings. And furniture features right on top of that list. After all, some of your most favourite possessions happens to be your furniture. Be it emotional or financial, they command high value in your universe. Stands to reason, therefore, that you must be extra mindful while moving these items. After all, carelessness in this area can lead to wooden pieces getting scratched and gashed, upholstery getting shredded and can cause glass to break as well. Here are some pointers therefore to keep in mind while moving your furniture.

Get the basics right

Make a list of all the items of furniture in your house before moving house or office, and create an accurate inventory of all the items that will be moving with you into the next destination. Follow this up with a detailed measurement of the bigger pieces. Jot down the width, depth, height and diagonal dimensions of each, and map them back to the floor plan of the new address that you are headed for. It is important to ensure that the two are ‘matched’. Then, you must make a note of pre-existing damages and imperfections in your furniture – old, outdated, worn out or outright damaged. Take photos so that you can compare them later. It is a good idea to remove as many knobs, drawers, castes and ‘pulls’ and pack them separately to save on storage space. Finally, wash (if possible) or dust your furniture clean before you move on to the next phase.

Keep the supplies handy.

Head on over to your local hardware store or log onto your favourite online shopping site and stock up on all the knick-knacks that you will need to pack and protect your belongings. Some of the things you will need are duct or packing tape, cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, ‘moving blankets’,  covers for couches and mattresses, plastic stretch wrap, corrugated cardboard sheets, packing paper, shrink wrap and sealable plastic bags (for screws and furniture parts – you can also use plastic garbage bags for this). That apart, make sure you have your measuring tape, markers, highlighters, post-it slips, pieces of paper (for writing notes), pencils, erasers, rule & scales, unused fabrics (such as old T-shirts, pyjamas, rugs, towels, aprons, bedsheets and curtains that you no longer use), newspapers and crumpled papers ready at arm’s length.

Dissemble with care

You must dissemble as much of your furniture and décor accessories as you can. Remove the covers from the cushions and other accessories. Take the bed frame apart one piece at a time. Dismantling makes the large and unwieldy items easier to handle and move. It will help you save space in the vehicle that’s carrying your furniture when moving house or office. And it will go a long way in keeping them out of harm’s way.

Wrap ‘em up gently

It’s time to ‘pack and package’ your furniture. This is the all important step in the process – what all your previous actions have been building up to. The idea is not to ‘stash’ your furniture into the moving truck, but to ensure that they get there with proper protection against dirt, moisture, dust and other similar hazards.

The first layer of safety, so to speak, when packaging is ‘Soft Packing Paper’. Once you have done that, plastic wrap (or plastic sheeting) and Bubble Wraps are your Go-To saviours. Use plastic wraps (or plastic covers) and specially designed sofa covers to wrap your furniture items, especially those that carry upholstery and those that have legs (tables, desks and chests-of-drawers, for instance). The clingy and tear-proof qualities make them an ideal candidate for the task. The other article that’s used for such items are ‘moving blankets’. Being thick, they not only buffer your furniture from damage and wreckage but protect your walls as well. If you don’t have blankets, you can use old items made of fabric or cloth  (T-shirts, rugs, towels and the like), big pieces of sheets and flat shaped cardboards. What about those bubble wraps then? Well, bubble wraps are used to insulate more delicate and fragile items of wood and accessories like table tops, mantle-pieces and mirrors. Corrugated cardboard sheets, on their part, will provide a great way to protect the glass surfaces of your furniture pieces. Finally, as you ‘wrap up’ your task, ensure that you have placed each item between two sheets of corrugated cardboard.

Move in sequence.

It can be a big help during crunch time if you have a ‘placement plan’ in advance. So move the square items (like tables and dressers) first, placing them against the corners of the box or vehicle to get maximum space and leverage for the remaining items. The mattresses can go in next – set them up on a bed of old clothes or blankets. You can now upload your upholstered items into the vehicle. Try to secure them against the hooks of the containers or vehicle wall for added security from jerks and shakes during travel.  After you reach your destination and are offloading your furniture from the truck or vehicle, make sure you mark your pathways clearly so that each furniture is taken to the right room. The longer it takes for your delicate and heavy furniture to settle down, the higher the risk of damage.

Parting tips.

Relocation services may sound easy (sometimes it doesn’t even sound that  way), but it actually isn’t. It is a good idea, therefore, to not attempt this potentially hazardous task all by yourself. Getting yourself the services of a professional packer and mover for moving house or office, ensures that they use specialized vehicles, materials, processes and technologies to get the job done. To sign off, it is always safe to opt for insurance. Consult your packer and mover on the type and size of your insurance. Make an estimate of the value of your furniture, and get sufficient premium to cover it adequately.

Shifting a home or office is a very ‘personal experience’ (after all, we are shifting the very roots that defined us over a considerable period), and not surprisingly, each of us approaches it differently. That said, there are some common ‘rites of passage’ everyone must follow, in order to ensure that the move – and in particular the post-move scenario – is as smooth as possible. Here, therefore, are a few tips to unpack your furniture and other items, after you have arrived in your new destination.

Unpacking begins with packing.

The first step in ‘unpacking’ happens even before your move has begun. This is the stage where you pack your essentials and other elements in appropriate boxes, colour-coding and labeling them, so that unpacking is easy. We have explained the packing tips in our previous blog.

Plan your space

Before you unpack, get a ‘sense’ and ‘measure’ of your new space. Discuss the new lifestyle with other members of your family or team and visualize how you want things to look. Now, retrofit your furniture and related items into this ‘blue-print’. This ‘plan’ should factor in every room of your new destination, and all the available space. At the end of this exercise, you must have complete clarity of what goes where.

Prepare the area

Once you have unpacked, preening and cleaning becomes a million times more difficult. Make sure you complete all dry-dusting, wet-cleaning, mopping, vacuuming, scrubbing and rug-shampoo-ing before you unpack. Don’t forget to include windows, wall-cabinets and shelves into this regimen. Make sure shelves, cabinets and storage areas are clean and in working condition. It is a good idea to do a pest-control, too, at this stage when the space is free to operate on. Finally, if you plan to paint the space in the near future, it may make good sense to prepone it and do it now.

Follow a logic-flow

In simple terms, this comprises a series of steps like deciding the function of each room, placing the right boxes in the right room (write the item-room combination on top of each box), rustling up a time-line and priority order for unpacking. This is a great stage to make things fun, so create games and competitions around these activities (with cool prizes like pizza) to get more members of the family involved.

Start with the essentials

You don’t have to unpack your entire home all at once. Start with the stuff you absolutely won’t be able to get by without – in other words, the absolute essentials first. For a lot of people, the sequence reads kitchen, kids’ room, bedroom, bathroom, dining room, living room and public spaces and ending with areas like storage, garbage, utilities, patio, deck, verandahs, garage and others. However, you may find a different order more appropriate for your specific situation.

Go from big to small

Once you have unpacked the big, heavy and unwieldy stuff – such as almirahs, beds, tables and other large items – it becomes very easy to shuffle the smaller stuff around. So, it is importantly to decide first – and quick – where the heavy stuff will go. The term ‘heavy’ includes ‘assembled items’ as well.

We hope these few tips to unpack your goods and items will be helpful for you when you shift your new home or office.

You love your prized car and most of the time don’t want anyone else to even touch the wheel. Even if you are not maniacally possessed about your car, you can’t but have a soft corner for it. Either way, when it’s time to move your home, you are faced with the uncomfortable question: Should you trust someone else with car shifting? Or move it yourself.

When you have to move your car, the first impulse is to drive it yourself. When that isn’t an option for whatever reason, you start to think seriously of getting professional help for your car shifting. As it turns out, it’s a great idea. The reason is simple: Cars – and all vehicles in particular – are ‘specialized goods’, so to speak, and need equally specialized expertise to handle a relocation seamlessly and scratchlessly.

The longer and farther you are moving, the more sense it makes to hire a professional to do the job. Be it road conditions to climatic situations to inter-state permits & legal compliances to refuelling (and, by extension, the ability to pick a route that will have adequate gas stations along the way) to potential break-downs to sheer fatigue, it makes plenty of sense to let professionals manage it all.

For one thing, you are assured of a ‘qualified’ driver – one who knows the in’s and out’s of this rather specialized job. An experienced relocating partner will provide you with a driver who is trained, possesses the knowledge and can be relied on throughout the journey.

When you get yourself a professional packer and mover, you also get to wash your hands (and mind) clean of all the tensions and worries regarding the safety of your vehicle. Professional vehicle relocation companies will carry the know-how, the technology, the right vehicle and the right insurance to ensure that your car receives top-class and all-round protection.

Not just that. When you choose to let a veteran packer & mover organization manage your car’s relocation, you  won’t be driving it yourself over unfamiliar roads and conditions. This way, you will be protecting your beloved car from all kinds of potential hazards – Be it wear & tear, unpredictable road accidents and even unsafe neighbourhoods and highway robbers.

Then, of course, you save big time on time and hassle. Not only do you not need to worry about the loading and offloading – both of which can be tricky territory given the sensitive nature of the ‘goods’ – you can focus on other tasks (such as moving all the other things that are going with you) if you have an expert and professional packer and mover backing you up. The thoughtful and ‘modern’ ones – such as ShiftKarado for instance – will have the technology, process, people and paperwork in place to ensure you have a truly breezy experience. Don’t forget, though, to ask the company whether they will pick up your car from your door, or whether you will need to meet them at a pre-agreed local spot.

The cost of relocating your car with a professional depends on factors like the size of your car, the distance you want to travel, your source and destination address and whether you choose an open truck or one that is enclosed from all sides.

Finally – and this one may surprise you – getting a professional team for your car shifting can work out less expensive than driving it yourself. Not all professional car and vehicle packers and movers charge a bomb, and some can be really reasonable. It’s best to take a decision only after you get a quote from them. In the case of ShiftKarado, all it takes is a swipe of your thumb, since they share an instant quote (with no hidden charges) over their mobile app, saving you the time of inspection, meeting and talks.

Your car is a true ‘valuable’, and therefore it makes sense to give it the extra care if you can. Study the relocator options you have in your city, compare their offerings, try to gather references and testimonials, and pick one that best fits your needs.

Moving to a new city or town is all about the joys of new beginnings. A new abode to get comfortable in, a new neighborhood to explore and new friends to make. Along with the thrill of discovery at every step, however, there may be frustrations and dangers lurking, too. Unfamiliar surroundings, after all, can sometimes spring unsavory surprises. Ticking these check-boxes can guard you against them, turn the experience smooth and pleasant, and help you to make the most of your ‘new universe’.

• Intimating your social circles, work connections and vital service providers (like telecom, internet, professional suppliers and businesses partners) about your move – and making sure they have your new address and contact numbers – is the first thing you should you do after checking-in to your new address. In fact, this is something you ought ideally to have taken care of even before shifting.
• Furnishing your new home is the next step to carry out after relocating to a new city. It may sound obvious, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of procrastination, and push it away for ‘the next weekend’. Not a wise thing to do. The faster you can get this ‘chore’ out of the way, the sooner you can start enjoying all the interesting new activities you had planned in your new house, and around your new neighborhood. Sorting out your belongings and keeping each stuff in its correct spot can also turn every activities hiccup-free.
• Get a feel of your new geography. This means getting a local map, checking out public sign-boards and exploring google maps – and making sense out the basic layout of your neighborhood. Roads and lanes (including short-cuts), local markets and shops, utilities like post office, clinics & hospitals, eateries, ‘take-away’s & restaurants, movie-plexes and entertainment squares, community clubs and zones for sports and recreation where you can pursue your favorite hobbies and activities (which, in turn, will make the transition to the ‘alien surrounding’ smoother) are all things to acclimatize yourself with quickly. If you have kids, find out all about schools, parks, and kid-friendly zones and activities nearby. As you do all this, remember to find out the network of public transport that runs through your new city as well.
• Knowing your locational co-ordinates and eco-system better will help you run errands easily, plan out your daily activities more efficiently, and even assist you in guiding friends and visitors with road instructions when they come visiting your new home.
• Collect the telephone numbers and email ID’s of local plumbers, carpenters, electricians, masons, key-wallahs, kabaddi-walls, press-was & laundromats, home-delivery joints, domestic help & security guard services, and other emergency helps in your neighborhood. Store it all in a notebook, and keep it handy.
• Perhaps the most important thing you should do after moving to a new city is introducing yourself to people. This doesn’t just mean your neighbors – for whom you must make an especially sincere effort to familiarize with, and maybe even invite them over for a small party sometime that’s mutually convenient – but also with people in the community like local business owners, local leaders and the like. From sharing ‘insider survival tips’ to acting as an informal ‘tourist guide’ to helping you out during emergencies, ‘local folks’ can be an invaluable source of support and comfort. They will naturally be curious about the new addition to their ‘family’ – that’s you, in this case. Taking the initiative of reaching out to them and introduce yourself – without having them to take the first step – is the more civil thing to do, and will endear you to them.

As you get more comfortable with your new contacts keep the sense of healthy curiosity going, and don’t miss any opportunity of meeting the extended friend’s circle of your new neighbors and friends too. Try and get invited to parties, and throw a few yourself. As you become a more familiar face in your new community, who knows, you may get really lucky – and even end up striking lifelong friendships!

Moving to a new city or town can be one of the biggest decisions in your life. Plan and organize your activities correctly from day one, and it can also be one of your happiest.

During home shifting, the kitchen is the place that gets most people the most ‘worked up’ and worried. We shared many tips for home and office shifting in our previous blogs. But this one especially focuses on how to pack your kitchen stuff while doing home shifting?

Whether it’s an anniversary gift or the one you got from a festive sale, the emotions are attached with every dinner sets and cutlery inside the kitchen. Add to that the fact that they are fragile and delicate, and it adds to the whole complexity during home shifting. It’s a time-consuming job, something you just can’t rush through.

Sure, if you have picked good packers and movers company, their professionals can help you get the job done smoothly, but in case if you plan to do it by your own, this blog might be a real help to you on how to pack your kitchen.

If you plan in advance, have all the required materials handy, have a weekend to spare, and most importantly – think creatively to re-use and re-invent household items innovatively as packing material and thus save time and money – you can get it all in order satisfactorily, with a little help from your family members.

So here’s a quick run-down on how to tackle the kitchen area when you are shifting home.

Packing Appliances

Packing your kitchen electronics requires a little tack. Wash and dry them first, and then carefully remove parts like glass bowls and other fragile bits. It’ll help if you can have the user manual handy for quick reference. Tape the parts in the right sequence and order, so that you can re-assemble them easily when you reach your new address. Use bubble wrap to pack the delicate parts and a double layer of newspaper or packing paper for the metallic and plastic portions. If you still have the box they came in, put the main body inside first, and the smaller pieces on top.

Packing Silverware

Get boxes to pack them. Layer the bottom with bubble wrap, clothes and fabric or packing paper. Remember that you must stack them vertically, not horizontally so that they absorb less shock or impact during travel, and there are fewer chances of breakage. Wrap each individual item in a thin piece of packing paper, and for good measure, insert an additional layer after every three items.

Packing Glassware

This is perhaps the trickiest part in your household shifting. There will be bottles, cutlery and wine glasses that can break at the slightest impact. You can use a thick layer of bubble wrap for each item. Here’s an insider tip: Use your old sarees, t-shirts, aprons, and rags, and you can save some money.

Packing Pots and Pans

The best way to take care of them is to place them in boxes of various sizes. Try and fit the largest item diagonally (corner to corner) inside the box so that it holds steady in position and can support the other smaller pieces on either side. Place pieces of fabric or cloth after every 2 or 3 items to minimize gaps and movement. Protect glass portions with packing paper and place them in the gaps in-between so that they hold steady.

Packing Materials To Ease The Packing Process

Right packing materials are the real savior during the packing process while relocating your home. The first thing you should do, therefore, is getting the appropriate packing materials ready and handy – in sufficient quantities and well in advance. If you are purchasing them, buy in bulk so that you get a discount. However, there is stuff already existing in the home that you can creatively use for packing too and thus save money.

What Packing Materials Do You Need?

In general, packing materials you will need are tape, gum, scissors, rope, household clothes & fabric (such as old rags, towels, socks, t-shirts & tops), newspaper, packing paper,  Styrofoam, bubble-wrap, straws & hay, buckets, boxes of all sizes, and the like.

In case you are friends with a local restaurant or eatery, you can ask them for an old professional dish rack – one they are thinking of disposing of and will be happy to offload with you for a small token price.

Household shifting can be a big deal, but not if you get the basics right and organize things with patience.  Plan right, seek out constructive advice and think ‘out of the box’ so to speak – and you’ll stay sorted when it comes to packing your dishes and tableware.

Hopefully, these tips will help you in managing packing your kitchen stuff efficiently and causing least or no damage to your stuff.

However, it always helps if you have taken the time out to find the best packers and movers company for the job – as per your requirement and budget. A relocation outfit that is professional and puts the convenience of their customers first, will be happy to step outside their strict boundaries and help you out with tips, advice and maybe even materials, to ease the burden from your shoulders.

And heading on over to your new kitchen.

Shifting to Mumbai???

Whether you are relocating from New Delhi, Bangalore or Pune, you can look forward to an experience like none other. After all, no other city brings together work, play, and entertainment together quite like Maximum City Mumbai (the Maya Nagri).

But even as you look forward to the joys of vada-pao with extra maska, chuski by the beach and a bracing walk along the marine drive, there are certain nitty gritty to take care of. The most important ones are:

• The task of relocation,
• Finding packers and movers to help you with the task,
• Unpacking and settling in the new city (that never sleeps)

Whether you are moving your household (home), office or vehicle, shifting to Mumbai carries its own set of complexities and considerations. And the best way to get around the challenge is to locate the best packers and movers for the job.

In this blog, we are offering traditional tips on how to pack your stuff, how should you plan and schedule your move or the tips to choose the best packers and movers to help reduce your worries. Instead, we will talk about the simplest yet mandatory parameters specific to the city you are going to be a part of.

THE TRAFFIC

For one thing, there is the Mumbai traffic. It is said that every day nearly 1000 new vehicles hit the streets of Mumbai. Add to the fact that the streets aren’t as sprawling and spacious as it should be in a metropolitan like Mumbai. Only experienced movers and packers with experience of nationwide relocation and first-hand and on-ground exposure to the conditions of Mumbai can handle the hurdles.

THE TERRAIN AND TOPOLOGY

Then, there is the peculiar terrain and topology of Mumbai. Undulating plains and lingering potholes (that inevitably spread after the rains and continue till the next shower season) make it a gargantuan task to negotiate when it comes to shifting. Only an experienced mover and packer who knows every nook and corner of Mumbai and understands the dynamic conditions of the city can take care of the task with ease.

GET RECOMMENDATIONS

If you are planning to relocate to Mumbai, one big favor you can do to yourself is talk to someone who has undergone the same journey in the past. It is always a good idea to get ‘direct feedback’ and ‘testimonials’ from offices or families who have ‘gone the distance’.

If you are looking at online ratings and reviews, look closely about the pattern of reviews and the users writing those reviews, as in today’s marketing world you might not get the actual idea by roughly looking at them. You need to filter out the promotionally done paid reviews or reviews done out of rivalry or competition and then judge the best for you.

As an entity with proven expertise in supply chain and relocation, we share our long-term experience and wisdom with people who need it the most when they decide to relocate. Look at our other blogs on relocation for traditional tips to help you with the task of relocation.

Office shifting should be treated no differently from your office projects. After all, it is highly critical, needs to be completed within a deadline, there are a million ‘hassles and headaches’ to take care of, and yes, potentially, a gazillion things can go wrong. Relocating an entire organization – including teams, infrastructure and related utilities – from one geographical co-ordinate to another is usually a huge ‘exercise’ that requires detailed planning, a streamlined strategy and most importantly, expert execution. Not surprisingly, most offices leave the entire shebang to experts.

Here are 7 boxes you must tick, if you are shifting your workspace.

Have a focussed packaging strategy.

Block the date in your office calendar and make sure all your employees, partners and vendors know about it well in advance. This involves tackling the packaging mandates one zone or area at a time, and giving each enough attention to make sure you don’t miss out on anything. First, identify and demarcate all your office ‘stuff’ into categories. Colour code your boxes as per their contents, label them correctly and use the right packaging material and technology. Ask your teams to take as many photographs as you can – it will act not only as a proof of their ‘condition’ (should you need to show it to your relocation partner or insurance company), but also serve as a quick reminder and useful guide of ‘what goes where’ when you are re-arranging and decorating your new place.

Make sure your valuables (like petty cash, important papers, discs & drives, ID’s etc) are locked away securely in a handy locker under the watchful gaze of a team member specially assigned to this task. Don’t forget to book your relocation with the building management well in advance : Check with the authorized personnel about regulations & limitations such as car parking at loading dock, whether premises (such as floors) are to be covered and protected by you, the use of elevators, time-limits beyond which relocation work cannot be done, any outstanding tax or financial dues and so on. Have two teams ‘on duty’ while the shift is on: The first at the old premise, and the second one at the new office.

Create teams & delegate tasks.

Treat your office relocation as no different than just another office project. Set the ‘big goal’ (which is basically the safe relocation of every item against a reasonable cost, with as little disruption to daily work as is feasible, and in the minimum possible time-frame), break down the exercise into smaller tasks and assign the ‘best talent’ to each job. Demarcate different areas of your workspace and do the packaging in phases, so that ‘everyday tasks’ can still carry on in other areas while the packing in one phase is going on. Organize an ‘Emergency Readiness’ meeting and discuss in detail what to expect at every step of the journey, things that can potentially go wrong, and an ‘Emergency Plan’ outlining what to do if they do.

Intimate contacts about your change in address.

Be it your utilities (such as electricity, internet, landline and others) or professional associations (work partners and clients), it is critical that you intimate everyone about your impending change of address well in advance. Not only will this help you move on to your next phase seamlessly, it may pre-empt major losses both in terms of cost, convenience and reputation, and ensure that you can resume work in your new location with minimum disruption.

Plan your destination.

Don’t land up at your new office without having had a ‘measure’ of it first. In other words, create a space plan which includes where your items will go in your new destination. Size up your available space vis-à-vis your current possessions and create a plan that optimizes every inch, while at the same time allowing you the freedom of expression of designing your new space in a brand new ways – which is what a new beginning is all about. Make sure all utilities like electricity, water, AC points, computer terminals, cleaning teams and security is in place before you ‘move in’ (get in touch with the General Management or the ‘Facility Management’ teams for this).

Get insurance.

It’s a wise idea to take an insurance of the items you are moving. There are several choices in the market today. You can ask your packer and mover partner to provide options, too. Opt for an appropriate valuation protection plan and make sure you clearly understand all the terms and conditions.

Keep last-minute supplies ready

Keep cash and chillers ready – you will need to dig in for them from time to time, so keep them handy. Get refreshments at hand as well. Hunger pangs may strike your team every now & then, so make sure you have your supply of bites and sips ready. It’s hard to predict everything accurately at the outset, so make sure you keep sufficient ‘packaging’ stuff at arm’s reach as well, such as bags, tape, adhesive, bubble wrap, scissors, rope, etc at hand.

Let professionals handle your office relocation.

Office shifting can be a potentially hazardous task. Your expensive gadgets and machineries will need extra precaution. You will need expert hands and minds on the job. Most office equipments are heavy, and any kind of dislocation requires the support of strong and seasoned hands. These are traits and abilities one doesn’t normally associate with an office team. You will have to procure and purchase the materials to protect your valuables, which means not only scouring the market in search of the right supplier and bargaining hard for a reasonable deal, but also last-minute customizations and on-the-spot improvisations since the materials may not be readily available in the exact form and shape you need.

Your office will have a host of sensitive documents and confidential files as well, and they will need to be handled with extra attention.  Shifting expensive office infrastructure safely and scratch-free also involves the right choice of vehicle. ‘Normal’ vehicles – which don’t have the right permits, space or technology (such as ‘shock absorbers’) can prove harmful to the health of your critical office belongings. You must know the ‘best routes’ and have the right legal permits to make the journey (from your old office to your new workplace) in time, and without hurdles. Office relocation can be expensive. Often, there are costly hidden expenses as well. Veteran relocators have the advantage of insight, volumes and bandwidth, and the best ones often pass on the benefit in the form of competitive pricing, and customized price-levels to match your budget and need.

From making sure your expensive equipments and important work-items are shifted without a hitch or scratch to deploying the right vehicle fleet and on-ground teams to take care of every little detail of this very specialized job to even helping you save precious money and time by their knowledge of city rules, traffic routes and official processes, a packer and mover team that has the right expertise for office shifting – with the right technologies, teams and work-ethics in place – can help you relocate with minimal disruption to the regular work schedule, and make sure you are in the right mood and shape to start your new business journey.

Relocation isn’t like grocery shopping – it isn’t something we do everyday. Which is precisely why it is important to pay greater attention to every little detail when you do decide to change your address of your home, office, car, bike or other valuables. And that includes comparing packers and movers minutely from all available choices.

The first reason is safety. You goods carry special significance, and often that goes well beyond monetary terms, such as personal moments and memories. This is where the involvement bit makes a big difference. While a lot of packers and movers will flaunt  technology, fleet and resources, where many will lag is the level of individual involvement. While the first part is indeed important (and must receive your close review), what should tilt the final decision is whether every little step is carefully monitored and apprised at a personal level. Only a team that understands the true value of your belongings – and the attachment you have with them – will go out of their way to prioritize this issue.

The second reason is professionalism. This goes well beyond just a flawlessly ‘choreographed’ relocation exercise where every little piece of the assembly line runs like a well-oiled machine (which, of course, is important) – and covers areas such as on-ground networks (expedient contacts that can iron out and smoothen hiccups along the way), compliant systems (papers and registrations in accordance with all legal and misc frameworks), intimate knowledge of traffic, short-cuts & geography and the option of insurance – to name some. Only relocators who have been around for a certain time in the space and are experienced enough to know the elements that can potentially go wrong – will be in a position to address and pre-empt these issues adequately.

Then there’s the matter of personalization. As you compare their services, you will find that relocators and packers and movers can, broadly, be categorized into two broad buckets: One – those who like to dictate things and be ‘in command’. The other – who are happy to adjust a little so that your specific needs and conditions can be accommodated to the best possible extent. Goes without saying that all other things being equal, it is always better to go for a relocator who is flexible with factors like budgets and packages. It is relevant to mention at this point that ShiftKarado – a tech driven packer & mover – is taking the aspect of flexibility and personalization to never-before highs by letting their customers customize their move.

Fourthly, remember that versatility counts. As you pick and choose between packer and mover options, try to figure out who has the widest repertoire. This means dexterity across the spectrum: Be it moving house, office, cars, bikes, precious valuables or any other genre. While you may not need to move all these at the same time for your next relocation, the very fact that the company is versed in all these different areas tells you that they possess the priceless feature of ‘inter-domain exposure and experience’ – something which comes in handy during unexpected contingencies and uncommon challenges, or when cross-category insights need to be combined to address a crunch situation.

Finally, there’s the matter of cost – an area that is closely related to transparency. Being an ‘unregulated’ or ‘unorganized’ industry, shady deals and unscrupulous contracts aren’t too uncommon. Almost all of us know a friend, a colleague or a contact who’s had an unsavoury financial experience with packers and movers at some point. Insist, therefore, on a relocation company that provides a single, inflexible price estimate right at the outset – one that doesn’t keep changing during the journey and ensure that it is a reasonable and transparent offer.

In this connect, it may be useful to note that new generation players in the space – such as ShiftKarado – have decided to take up this issue head-on. ShiftKarado, in particular, is changing the rules of the game single handedly by offering potential customers a quick, up-front quote that is accessible at the simple swipe of the thumb, thanks to their cutting-edge app driven process.

There are several variables when it comes to packing and moving. While having options is great, make sure this ‘problem of plenty’ doesn’t confuse you. Make a thorough and analytical study of your available options, don’t be swayed by emotions and hearsay, and trust your instincts to make an unbiased judgment that works out best for your specific project or task.

Moving your home or office signifies the cusp of change. Many consider it an auspicious event, and often the start of grand new beginnings. Stands to reason that you should go out of your way to ensure that the experience is meticulously planned, and flawlessly executed.

While you can – and should – play your part in the former, the standard practise is to leave the latter in expert hands. After all, with a host of financially valuable and emotional precious materials on the move, the margin for error isn’t much. To ease matters, we have created a broad list of important mileposts you need to keep in mind while making your next big move.

Plan your exit well

Be it unhinging your belongings carefully from their current fixtures and positions, packing them with attention and care they deserve (which means allocating the right containers and packaging material to the correct item or equipment being moved – and securing your valuables and important documents with extra care) or colour coding boxes for easy un-packing at destination point, you need to plan your departure down to the last detail. Break up the process over a series of weekends if the weekdays are busy, involve as many family members as possible to make it easier on you (and generate extra excitement about the ‘move’), and make a To-Do list that you can add to and check-off from, everyday.

Plan your entry perfectly

Before stepping inside your brand new home or office – make sure you have intimated all your contacts, utility-providers and associates about the change in address so that there is no major disruption in the flow of routine. Design your new space in advance so that your belongings can be placed in their appropriate places quickly. When you unpack, make a priority of rooms and areas you will tackle first, and those that can receive your attention later. If possible, do a recci of the neighbourhood, should you need last-minute emergencies, or have to home deliver dinner.

Leave everything between exit and entry to experts

Relocation comes with it a million uncertainties that only experts who deal with such issues day in day out are equipped to handle. Be it using the right packaging technology, employing the right fleets and vehicles, following the correct legal compliances or providing extra care via insurance, it pays to take the help of professional packers & movers when moving.

Choose your relocation partner wisely

Scan the market for available options, compare each feature and benefit being offered with a fine toothed comb, and finally make a choice that makes the best sense in your specific situation. Some of the major factors you must keep in mind are : Is the pricing fair and transparent? Does the packer & mover company have the right fleet and teams? Do they have the depth and versatility to relocate everything from homes to offices to vehicles and beyond? Are they thoughtful enough to offer customized budgets and flexible options? Are they responsible and involved enough at every step, or do you have to remain by their side, constantly micro-managing things? And finally, do they have sufficient history and legacy – including the insights and experiences that come with that – to secure your relocation exercise fault-lessly from all angles?

Moving is a mix of art, craft and science. Move with a partner who excels in all three, and you’ll be ‘safely home’.

Shifting your home to a new address within a metro like delhi entails several challenges. Most of the time, handling or managing these successfully, lie outside our reach. And that is where a professional packers and movers in delhi can chip in.

The best packers and movers in delhi will, first and foremost, offload the entire concern regarding the safety and security of your stuff – from you, to them. They achieve this in the following ways : Orchestrating the entire journey with close attention to every little piece and elements. Ensuring only appropriate and top-notch quality of packaging material is employed by keeping in mind the nature (fragility, perish-ability, angles and orientation) of the goods. And ensuring that all relevant is in order paperwork.

The diversity and plurality of our metros means that each move needs to be appropriately customized. A good packer and mover will be sensitive and mature about offering bespoke services tailored to each specific need and niche- such as commercial shifting, home shifting, furniture shifting, car shifting and beyond.

The geographical terrain and infrastructural peculiarities of metro cities bring their own set of complexities, and this is another hurdle that a mover-and-shifter (with deep and specific domain expertise in metros) can help you cross with ease. Be it road conditions where nothing less than a specialized fleet will do… statutory complications that need to be addressed down to the littlest detail… or transportation logistics that must be mastered with the right equipment and vehicles… such relocators can anticipate every contingency well in advance, and tackle them accordingly.

Metros like Delhi NCR carry their very own set of mandates. And it’s best handled by partnering with the professional packers and movers in delhi. Make a list of packers and movers in delhi and compare them before choosing the right relocation partner. Here are the reasons why you must compare packers and movers before relocating.