Moving terminology and common phrases

Use following guide for better understanding of the most frequent moving-related terms. Make sure you are fully prepared for the relocation process and familiar with some of the most common terms in the moving industry, especially if you are hiring professional movers to assist you. Dumbo Moving and Storage terms are sorted according to the moving phases.

Terms related to the moving company/movers:

– Additional services – services you are charged for additionally like disassembling and reassembling furniture, packing, unpacking, moving some special items like pianos, appliance servicing,…

– Additional charges – extra charges for additional services.

– Advanced charges – fees for the third-party services.

– AMSA – American Moving & Storage Association

– Appliance Service – preparing and securing appliances for the move.

– Auxiliary service (shuttle service) – if customer’s home is not easily accessible, movers sometimes use a smaller vehicle for transport.

– Broker – middleman between the customer and moving company.

– Carrier – the moving company in charge of transporting your belongings.

– Commission – certain amount of money paid for the services of a real estate agent or broker.

– Container – large moving boxes supplied by movers used for storage.

– Delivery data – the exact date when customer’s belongings are released.

– FMCSA – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

– In-home estimate – an inventory of customer’s goods

– Fuel charges – when fuel charges are not stable, movers are likely to charge additionally especially for the long-distance moves.

– Full service move – a move including additional services like packing, moving special items,…

– Interstate move – a move to another state/country.

– Intrastate move – a local move within one country.

– Inventory – a list of all customer’s belongings that heed to be transported.

– Local move – an intrastate move within certain country, area.

– Long-distance move – moving to another country/state/overseas.

– Moving cost – the total amount of money that should be spent on the move (including the cost of the insurance and extra charges).

– Off-season – in the moving industry it is a period between September and May when people are not moving frequently.

– Perishables – frozen food, plants and other products likely to decay are not to be transported by movers.

– Permanent storage – customer’s are stored for un unspecified period of time.

– Peak season – high season, a time of year when most of the moves are performed. In the moving industry the peak season is in summer. As a result, moving companies are likely to charge more during that busy period.

– PU – pick up

– Rate – applied charges for the moving services.

– Registration number – ID number used to track the shipment.

– Real estate – property

– Realtor – a real estate licensed professional

– Relocation – moving

– Self service movers – movers providing limited services (driving the truck and providing moving containers are usually included).

– stair-carry charge – an additional charge for carrying goods upstairs and downstairs.

– Storage in transit – a temporary storage of customer’s items.

– Shuttle service – smaller vehicle used if customer’s location is not easily accessible.

– Tenancy – occupancy of the property or land for a rent or under a lease.

– Tenant – a person who pays rent to a landlord for a land, apartment, building or some other property.

– Wardrobe moving boxes – special boxes equipped with a metal or wooden bar designed for moving hanging clothes.

– Warehouse – a building where customer’s items are stored.

Packing-related terms:

– Anti-static bubble wrap – packing material, cushioning used for packing fragile items and electronics.

– Disassembling/assembling – dismantling, taking apart pieces of furniture in order to make them easier for transport and putting them together at the new place.

– Dolly – moving supply on rollers or wheels.

– Pads – packing material used to protect items, especially furniture during the transport.

– Sealing tape – a tape for sealing and securing moving boxes.

– Shrink wrap – stretch-wrap

– Stretch-wrap – material used to protect pieces of furniture from damage.

– Unpacking – act of removing packing material once the goods are delivered.

Paperwork-related terms:

– Binding estimate – a guaranteed rate quote for the moving services provided in writing before the moving day.

– Bill of lading – an original moving contract containing agreed services, charges and dates and receipt for customer’s belongings.

– Claim – a statement that should be submitted if customer’s belongings are damaged or lost during the transport in order to have them covered.