• Start calling around early, especially if you plan on moving during the busy summer months and you’ve got a no-compromise moving date. It’s best to start looking for moving companies at least eight weeks before the move to get the best deals. If you’re staying in the same city, you can probably get away with calling 2-4 weeks in advance.

• If they don’t show up for a consultation, you don’t want them. It’s impossible for a moving company to determine a fair price quote without seeing what you’ve got, and any company that gives you a flat rate over the phone should be written off right away. Remember, you don’t just want your stuff moved, you want it moved in one piece and hiring a few guys to throw everything in an unmarked truck isn’t the best way to do that. As with most things in life, be highly suspicious of the low-ball moving estimate too.

• Never give movers a deposit. Professional moving companies will ask for money before unloading the trucks, once you’ve reached your destination. Additionally, well-established moving companies will charge by weight, not by cubic feet or man-hours worked.

• It might be easier to do it yourself. Consider your resources—do you have helpful friends and time to pack? Are you comfortable driving a rental truck? Moving yourself is not for everyone, and potential property damages could exceed the cost of hiring movers. If you decide to go the DIY route, make sure you leave yourself plenty of time. One compromise, especially if your friends don’t all have gym memberships, is to pack things yourself and hire movers for transportation.

• Keep a room-by-room inventory notebook of your possessions. This will be invaluable when it’s time to unpack.

• So after a long day, how much do you tip the movers? Tipping movers should be based on service. If you feel they went out of their way to help out, give them a larger tip, and if you feel you got terrible service, don’t tip at all. With that in mind, figure on tipping $40-$60 if their were one or two movers. If there were more than two, tip $20 per person and give all the money to the foreman or crew leader. It’s also nice if you have cold drinks and coffee on hand for long moves.

So you’re moving? You’re hardly alone! Here are some fun moving statistics:

• 20% of the population of the USA moves every year. That’s one out of every five Americans, or approximately 43 million people!

• In census surveys, “New job” is the #1 reason for moving.

• The average American will relocate 11 times in their lifetime.

• After buying a new home, homeowners reinvest an average of 40% of their equity.

• Half of all moves take place in the summer, between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

• In surveys, Americans say it takes them an average of two years to feel “at home” in a new house.