The Movers

Movers and packers are frankly the only silver lining I've discovered in this whole posting ordeal. When your movers come the first tip I'd give you is be prepared. Prepared means have things organized is order of how you want them shipped. Have piles for sea, storage, and for the love of god hide everything you don't want moved. We had but one ordeal and we now have a telephone in storage that we wanted to take.

The other strange thing about movers is one I didn't expect. If you're not used to other people packing your stuff you may get a strange sense when they show up. I think the sensation comes from feeling useless (since you really don't do much while they're packing) and a sense of violation (because a bunch of strangers are touching your stuff). From what my movers told me:

A. Being around is good, but staying out of the way is also good. It may be boring for you, but at least your not packing and lifting.

B. They don't care about your stuff, it's just stuff and it means nothing to them except a weight and a shape.

C. You're leaving the country, they will never see you again, no matter how many strange toys they pack they're not going to send a letter to folks wherever you're moving to just to make you look like a weirdo.

Spread Sheet VS Inventory Software

For those of you starting out on your first post, I have one question for you, why are you reading this and not working on your inventory? It's pretty much the worst thing you'll have to do and it will take you 10 times longer to do than you think it might. If it's not your first posting and you're familiar with inventory then I have one question for you, why are you not updating your inventory with the latest purchases you've made?

The only other advice I can give on the subject of inventory does not come from experience as much as computer common sense and something I heard from another person. I heard that SERV regularly changes/updates the inventory software that they provide. The problem is I've also heard that the old saved inventory files do not work on newer software. You can pretty much figure out the problem already. SERV does however except inventory as a spreadsheet file, and spreadsheet files have not changed formating for more than 10 years and I don't think they will soon. So my advice is don't use their software and set up a spreadsheet yourself. Now if I get a good spreadsheet file that works well for inventory I'll post it on this blog.