Planning a move but overwhelmed at the prospect of hiring the right mover at the right price? You’re not alone. The U.S. Census bureau estimates that, each year, about 12 percent of the country’s population moves — that’s more than 30 million people relocating from one home to another in the next 12 months. Needless to say, while movers want your business, if you don’t know your rights and use the resources that are available to you, it’s not likely you’ll get the best possible deal. Since knowledge is power, we’re arming you with a smart, quick rundown on choosing a mover that’s right for you.

Understand that timing is everything

The moving industry is a fast-paced, mileage-accruing mega-machine, relocating up to 12 percent of the U.S. population each year. That’s an awful lot of people, so imagine the extra work and expense required to accommodate last-minute requests — particularly where cross-country moves are concerned.

For the best rates and greatest amount of options, start your planning process early — several months is ideal — and free yourself up for the opportunity to work with whatever mover you choose, rather than letting your last-minute circumstances choose for you.

Get fair, accurate quotes

The inventory process is a make-it-or-break-it element of any moving budget. While you may estimate, for example, that you need 30 boxes and a couple hours of professional movers’ time to get the job done, that super-affordable-sounding quote won’t be so super if you ultimately wind up needing 60 boxes and twice as many hours of moving time. In fact, the cost can more than double over a simple, honest miscalculation.

That’s one of the many reasons we founded Moveline — to take the guesswork out of moving and save everyone a little sanity. We’ve developed special software to demystify the inventory process and obtain reasonable, relevant quotes that won’t change (i.e., spike) when moving day finally arrives. Take a spin through our homepage and watch our short video to learn about our Move Captains, our use of video to avoid in-person consultations with movers, and the general process of working with Moveline.

Know your rights & responsibilities

First and foremost when it comes to moving, while the customer may always be right in theory, the law can sometimes state otherwise. The good news is, learning your rights doesn’t have to be a murky process.

Although moving companies are require to share a rights & responsibilities booklet with you (published by the US Department of Transportation), you don’t have to wait on them; you can read it beforehand and get familiar with the basics of movers’ rights.

Don’t get swindled

Although Moveline is free for customers, should you choose to go it alone, be sure to check out the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s tips for choosing a reputable mover.

Most importantly, make sure you work with a company that’s licensed by the proper authority: for state-to-state moves, the FMCSA is the licensing authority, while within an individual state, licensors vary. And although it may seem a bit overwhelming, this comprehensive glossary of moving terminology may come in handy, too.

Whether your move is just a few streets over or all the way from one coast to another, Moveline can help. Praised by The New York Times, Forbes, Lifehacker, TechCrunch and more, we take the headache out of moving by acting on our customers’ behalf to get fair, accurate quotes and oversee a seamless, hassle-free moving process. Don’t go it alone — let us lend a hand and help you #movebetter.