Month: March 2017

Like many things in life, the moving process becomes much easier with preparation. If you prepare for your move well in advance by enacting organization and packing strategies, you’ll have a much easier and more efficient move. To take some of the burden off of themselves, many homeowners elect to hire professional residential movers during the relocation process. If you decide to hire a moving company, however, that doesn’t mean that you’re completely off the hook. After all, it’s your belongings that need to be moved. In addition to using your own common sense and planning skills, you can use the following tips and tricks to ensure the things you cherish arrive safely in your new space.

• Clean up – Before the movers show up on your doorstep, be sure to take care of the household chores like laundry, dishes, and tools. These items are easier, and more sanitary, to pack and move when they’re not dirty!
• Organize – In addition to helping you maintain your own sanity, keeping things organized will save time in the long run. You’ll be able to find things quicker if you keep them organized, especially in labeled boxes.
• Eliminate clutter – Comb through your belongings and purge items that you can donate, give away, or trash. You’ll thank yourself later if you place these items into their own pile labeled “Don’t move!” or get rid of them even before the movers arrive.
• Separate items that you’ll be moving – Items such as toiletries, medications, personal care items, and work stuff tend to be items that residential movers don’t need to touch. Pack these items and separate them from the rest ahead of time. Or if you’re short on time, clearly mark them so the movers don’t accidentally place them in the moving truck.
• Sort your items by room – keep all your kitchen items in the kitchen, for example, and use signs to clearly identify each room so the packers can label boxes accordingly. If you find that several items will be switching rooms in the new location, simply mark them with their own clarifying label.
• Utilize the cloud – With moving comes the need to relocate your electronic items. Even if you’re well equipped to set up your own computer in the new space, be sure to do a back-up to the cloud in advance. Do this for anything that has a hard drive – tablets, smartphones, game consoles, etc. Trust us, this extra step can be a lifesaver!
• Clearly label valuables – Whether you have a lot of vintage pieces, antiques, or items that are deeply meaningful, be sure to label them as such. This way the professional movers will know to handle them with extra care.
• Clear away the clutter – Though it doesn’t seem like it would save you a lot of time, de-cluttering makes the moving process go faster. If your residential movers have clean surfaces such as tables and countertops to work on, the packing and labeling process will be expedited.
• Lay out your expectations – Relaying your thoughts and guidelines to your professional moving team will make for smooth sailing on the big day. Make a pass through your home before and after packing takes place and make sure it’s done to your satisfaction. After all, this is a service you’re paying for, so the movers should be willing to make you happy.

One of the most nerve-wracking parts of moving can be the relocation of your antiques and collectibles. The anxiety you feel regarding this process may go up if you’ve hired a professional mover to assist with your move. Below are some steps you can take to alleviate your stress and guarantee that your valuable items will make it to your new space safe and sound.

Discuss your antiques and collectibles with your mover right away. A professional mover should offer to do an initial consultation with you as a way to evaluate what will need to be done before and on moving day. Take the time to discuss your fragile items from the get-go. Such items may include family heirlooms, porcelains, China, valuable antiques, and collectible items. Decide what items you will pack and what items the commercial mover can pack.
Follow instructions. Your professional mover should be prepared to assist you with your antique and special items. This means they’ll likely provide you with specific instructions for what to do during the relocation. Pay attention to what they say and follow their guidance so your vintage record player and grandmother’s dishes arrive safely.

Pack the items carefully with quality materials. Packing your collectibles and valuables yourself is completely fine. If you opt to do this, be sure to use quality packing supplies. Most commercial movers have packing supplies for sale and will sell them to you at affordable prices if you’ve hired them for your move. Though it may not be your favorite way to spend money, investing in double and triple-walled cartons, packing tape, bubble wrap, and properly sized boxes will keep your items safe. Since most antiques and collectible items cannot be easily replaced, you’re better off to spend the extra pennies on high-quality moving supplies versus reusing your Amazon boxes.

Be willing to move some things yourself. Though professional movers will help you as much as they can, there are some items they just won’t touch. Be willing to pack and move some items yourself including fine jewelry, coins, currency, certificates, bonds, important papers such as deeds or titles, prescriptions, and medical/dental records. These items are not easily replaceable either and some of them contain confidential information. If your moving company asks you to transport said items, be open to doing so.

Consider using packing crates. If you have special antiques that you feel need a little more protection than the standard moving box offers, consider having a custom crate made. Since most custom crates come with padding, decking, and stretch wrap, they will ensure that the item is moved with as much care as possible. Items that you should consider moving in crates are pool tables, unique antiques, and crystal chandeliers.

Welcome special arrangements. If you have a unique item such as a wine collection, and extra care needs to be taken to transport it, remain open to the possibility of special arrangements. Your professional mover will have your best interest in mind, so if they recommend a special arrangement, it’s likely coming from a place of honesty and professionalism.​

Is your office preparing for a move? Whether you’re moving across town, to another part of the state, or cross-country, moving can be a bit stressful and time-consuming. Below are some tips designed to help make your commercial move easier and reduce downtime.

Donate office equipment you no longer need.

If your office is still using outdated equipment such as phones, printers, PC’s, copiers, and supplies, now is a great time to part with them. There’s no point in paying a professional moving company to move your unused equipment when you can recycle or donate them and get a tax break. Find a local registered charity you want to support, perhaps your employees can even vote on the charity, and lighten your load by donating the equipment.

Start preparing now.

Much like residential moving, you never truly realize how much stuff you have until you go to move. If you’re moving your own office, start packing items you use on a semi-regular basis as soon as you set the date. If you have a large inventory of items and supplies to go through, start packing boxes weeks, if not months, in advance. Just remember, it’s better to start too early than too late!

Choose your commercial mover ASAP.

If you plan to hire a professional commercial mover, book one at least two months in advance. As with residential moving, try to get multiple price quotes and proof of insurance. Doing this part early will give you time to prepare and choose the best company possible

Take care of perishable items.

If you’re working with a commercial mover, be sure to take care of trash and perishable items ahead of time. Movers don’t make decisions for you, nor do they clean up along the way. If there’s trash in the trash cans and food in the refrigerators, they’ll move it all to the new space. Spare yourself the hassle of opening up a refrigerator in the new space with spoiled food by throwing out perishable items and trash before moving day comes.

Label your boxes clearly.

Even if you have a mid-sized office, you’ll probably end up with hundreds of boxes. Be sure to clearly label the tops and sides so you can locate and get into them quickly when you need items. Consider using a number system as well to make it as easy on you as possible. This will be highly beneficial if you’ve hired a commercial mover. Number your boxes and write up a brief description of what’s inside so in the event of a loss, you will have an easier time making an insurance claim.

Take extra care when packing computers.

When moving computer towers and monitors, take the time to wrap them individually in thick bubble wrap and/or moving blankets. Be sure your computer monitor is not placed in a box with packing tape as the monitor should never come into contact with the tape. Also, take the time to “park” your computer’s hard drive during the move. This won’t guarantee that your data will survive the move if it was jostled around too much.

As we exit the colder winter months and the warmth of spring eases in, we enter the moving season. With spring and summer comes many distractions – yard work, vacations, barbecues, the kids being out of school – that make move preparation the last thing on your to-do list. Though it’s tempting to leave everything for your move until the last minute, you shouldn’t. Below you’ll find some expert tips regarding how you can avoid procrastinating for your move and how to make the moving process as stress-free as possible.

Start by creating a moving checklist. Prior to packing your first box or hiring a residential moving company to do it for you, you should put together a general timeline. Creating a timeline will help you get and remain organized as well as prevent any last minute scrambling. Try something like the following:

Two months before moving day:

• Get estimates from three residential moving companies
• Hire chosen moving company.
• Clear away the clutter in your home.
• Start the moving process (see below).

One month before moving day:

• Purchase packing materials, possibly from your residential mover.
• Measure your new home or apartment.
• Schedule any updates such as painting, installing new fixtures, etc. in the new space.
• Request and take time off from work.
• Complete a change-of-address form on usps.com.
• Begin packing your least-used belongings.
• Start setting aside your valuables like (jewelry, passports, certificates) that you should transport yourself during the move.

One week before the move:

• Pack the rest of your items with care and label them by room.
• Complete a deep clean at your new home, if necessary.
• Reconfirm details with the residential movers.

One day before the move:

• Gather and pack the items you’ll need the first night such as cups, plates, coffemaker, cooking utensils, and bedsheets in a box.
• Pack your personal overnight bag with a couple changes of clothes, toiletries, and other daily essentials.
• Go to bed early and get plenty of sleep!

Moving day:

• Make one final pass through your old home. If you’re renting, be sure everything is clean and that there’s no damage left behind.
• Walk through your new home and inspect for damage. Take pictures if you’re renting.
• Carefully clean any areas in your new home that will be difficult to get to once furniture is in place.

2. Get some prep work done in your new space before you move in. If you have the opportunity, try to knock out any prep work for your new space before the moving boxes arrive. It’s much easier to paint, resurface floors, and install new fixtures without having a castle of boxes in your home.

3. If you elect to do some of the packing yourself, try to avoid some of the most common packing mistakes. Heavy items should go in specially made book boxes or in plastic totes – both of these are made to hold a lot of weight whereas most regular boxes aren’t. Protect your linens or softer belongings like pillows by placing them in plastic grocery bags. This will prevent random spills from becoming an issue. And for your fragile items, don’t be afraid to utilize a hefty amount of bubble wrap.