Month: May 2017

Sometimes the most stressful part of moving isn’t coordinating all of your tasks, sometimes it can be the act of literally moving your belongings. Now doubt you’ve spent plenty of time scheduling service changes, booking the rental truck, reaching out to people to help you, and more. Next will come the actual moving.

When you look around your current space and assess all of the pieces of furniture you need to move, consider the following tips for making the process a smoother, easier one.

Double up – When moving bulky pieces of furniture such as shelving units, hutches, and filing cabinets, be sure to grab a buddy. It will be much easier to tip the item backward at an angle so one person can carry the bottom and the other carries the top. Not only will this be easier on both of you, but it centers the weight of the piece and keeps it from moving beyond your control. It will be much easier to move items up and down stairs this way too since the angle will almost match the slope of the stairs.

Curl chairs around corners and door frames – Maneuvering furniture around corners and through doorways can be one of the oddest parts about moving. When moving chairs in and out of rooms, consider “hooking” them. To do this, turn the chair on its side so it looks like an “L”. Then move the chair back-first through the doorway or around the corner. You’ll then be able to curl (or hook) it around the door frame so it slips clearly through.

Stand sofas up – Ahh, the dreaded sofa. One of the trickiest parts about moving. Most of the time it will be stressful and impossible to move a couch horizontally into the room. Consider standing the couch on end before you enter the hallway. You should be able to hook it through the door and if it’s a little bit taller than the door frame, start the top away from the door so you’ll have plenty of clearance.

Use lifting straps on heavy objects – For your particularly heavy items such as safes and cabinets, be sure to track down a pair of lifting straps. Such straps can be adjusted to different-length objects and for different-sized movers. Take a look at Amazon to see what’s in stock or at your local home center. These straps will take the pressure off your back and other large muscle groups so you don’t have to worry about injuring yourself or helpers.

Avoid lifting when you can – There’s no point in lifting heavy pieces of furniture when you can slide or drag them. While you’re out and about (or shopping online) looking for lifting straps, be sure to locate the furniture slides. If you can’t find any, make your own out of plastic container covers, moving blankets, towels, and other objects. Place the sliders under each corner of the piece of furniture and slide it to the desired spot – no lifting required!

In the midst of planning for your move, you’ve probably been thinking of the different sizes of boxes you’ll need. Though you’ll likely be able to fit most of your belongings into regular square cardboard boxes, you’re likely to come across household items that are not regularly shaped. If you’re wondering how you’ll pack cylindrical, triangular, and very long items, then you may find the following solutions below helpful.

Packing round items

Round objects such as extra car tires, wheels, and footballs. These items should be moved in packaging containers that are proper sizes. As with any other object being moved out of your home, wrap round items with a flexible packing material such as bubble wrap, Kraft paper, or foam sheets before putting them inside the boxes.

After you’ve placed the round object into the box, fill the empty space with extra material to prevent it from shifting around in transit. It’s also recommended to place some cushioning material on the bottom of the box so the item is completely protected.

Keep in mind that the longer the item, the more fragile its midsection is, therefore the risk of it snapping and breaking increases. If you’re working with a professional residential mover, be sure you know the dimensions of their moving truck in case you have to make special arrangements for your oddly shaped items.

If you’re concerned about your unusually long items breaking, take note of where the halfway point is between each end. These middle points are fragile and need extra support, bracing, and cushioning. Take time to cover the entire item with a thick layer of bubble wrap, and then wrap an additional thick layer around each of the ends and the fragile points. This will ensure maximum protection from any jostling that occurs on moving day.

Packing unusually shaped furniture

Chances are you have at least one oddly shaped piece of furniture in your home that’s coming with you to your new space. Whether it’s a bed, table, sofa, chair, bookcase, or hutch, you should decide how to protect this item ahead of time. During your preparations, take a few minutes to look it over and determine if and how it can be dismantled. It if can be dismantled, wrap each piece carefully before placing it onto the moving truck.

A great way to reduce your moving day stress is to work with a team of professional movers. Not only to they have the experience necessary for making the moving process as smooth as possible, but they also know the best ways to pack all of your items to ensure a safe and secure move.

As folks living in the technological era, no doubt many of us have many electronic devices that need to be considered when moving. From computers to video game systems and stereo equipment, it’ important to ensure your high-dollar investments are packed and moved properly. After all, the cost of moving is high enough. Tacking on the cost of an electronic replacement would be enough to break anyone’s already stretched wallet.

Below are seven tips that will help you prep your electronics the proper way before moving day.

1. Read the product manual – Though you likely recycled the original box ages ago, hopefully you still have the product manual for your electronic devices. Be sure to following the manufacturer’s advice when packing and storing your item. Though you probably feel like you know everything there is to know about your electronic device, it’s important to remember that the manufacturer knows everything it takes to protect the device. If you no longer have the owner’s manual, visit the official website for the product as most manuals can be found online. If you have trouble locating the moving and storage guidelines for your item, reach out to product support to be sure you’re good to go.
2. Use the original box when moving – When purchasing a new device, try to save the original box as it will contain the most appropriate packing materials to use when moving. Plus, it will be easier to distinguish your electronics when they’re in their original boxes.
3. Pack them with quality packing materials – If you no longer have the box your device came with, start with protective packaging such as cartons, newspaper for wrapping, moving tape, scissors, and markers to label each box.
4. Distinguish cords with colored stickers – Taking your items down before the big move is the easy part, it’s putting them back together that can feel like an impossible game of Tetris. When disassembling devices such as computers, game systems, and stereos, put small colored stickers on every cord and the same colored sticker where that cord connects with the device. This will save you many headaches for reassembling the items in your new space!
5. Use climate-controlled units when necessary – Certain electronic devices such as TVs and computers are sensitive to temperature. Though it might seem like a pain, you may need to look into getting a climate-controlled unit for storage. Turn to your manufacturer for recommendations on this and remember that the price of storage is far cheaper than replacing one, two, or more of your devices.
6. Avoid unwanted attention with unmarked boxes – Hopefully you won’t be a victim of theft during your move or at any point beyond, but taking extra precautions never hurt. Consider placing expensive electronics such as TVs, cameras, and stereos in unmarked boxes. If you’re using a storage unit, put these items toward the back so they’re not easily spotted.
7. Become a wrap artist – It’s important to minimize potential damage to your electronic devices, wrap them with linen or clean paper. Doing so will prevent damage from happening and dust collecting inside of them.

Moving to a new space is exciting. Whether you’re moving for the fifth or first time, you’re probably dreading it just a little bit, though. The thought of packing all your items in boxes, having to coordinate service transfers, and physically moving your belongings can be overwhelming to anyone. The truth is that moving doesn’t have to be a complete hassle. Below are some tips to make your moving day a smoother and, dare we say, enjoyable process.

Spread out your packing.

Assuming you don’t have to pack up and leave in a hurry, it’s best to pack up your belongings slowly. Give yourself a daily box quota in order to prevent a weekend of non-stop packing. If you’d prefer to start in one room to keep yourself organized, you can start that way. Or it can be beneficial to pack up the items you’re not using right now so you’re not overwhelmed later. Make sure to allow yourself plenty of time and energy to unpack once you’re in your new space.

Use sturdy boxes to pack your items.

Instead of wasting time rounding up spare boxes from work, packages, or from friends and family, turn to your moving company. Most moving companies have shipping supplies including high-quality boxes in a variety of sizes that you can purchase. Swing by their storefront or ask if they can deliver them to you ahead of time so you don’t have to sweat it.

Skip packing your closet.

Ask your professional movers to bring several wardrobe boxes the day of your move. This way instead of stripping all of your items off their hangers, you can simply take them out of the closet and put them right on the bar in the boxes. Plus, you won’t have to iron your clothes when you get to your new home!

Switch your utilities right away.

This one seems obvious, but timing is everything. As soon as you know your closing date, call your utility companies and set up the switch. This is particularly important for those moving into new homes or homes that were previously empty. Keep in mind that arranging a maintenance call to reestablish service might be necessary.

Move your basic items early.

If your new home is a manageable distance from your current space, take basic supplies over the day or night before. Unpacking your bathrooms in advance and having pajamas and clothes for the next couple of days will make the transition smoother.

Imagine yourself in your new home before you get there.

If you put a game plan together ahead of time, you could be hanging pictures while the movers are stacking up their boxes. As soon as you can get unpacked and organized, the faster it will feel like home. If you prefer to move at a slower pace, plan out spots for your favorite pieces of furniture, art, and decor. Even though you may be moving at a slower rate, having a plan will help you feel accomplished nonetheless.

We’re going to let you in on a little secret: moving day doesn’t have to be stressful. Though managing moving tasks properly seems difficult and challenging, you can obtain a positive outcome while maintaining your sanity throughout the entire process. Below are some ways to help you create a moving day that’s calm, collected, and quick.

Plan in advance so you don’t have to do any last-minute scrambling. As humans, we can be our own worst enemies. If you’re a person who typically procrastinates, now is not the time. Get started with your moving tasks as soon as you have a date, if not sooner. The more tasks you complete in advance, the smoother moving day and the days that follow will be.

Hire a professional moving company to help you. As Americans, we often think that we have to do it all ourselves, and if we can’t, then we’re unsuccessful. But here’s the thing, there are professional companies out there who will make moving day so much easier. If you can afford to work with a residential mover, you’ll find that you’ll be saved a lot of time and unnecessary headaches.

Go to bed early. Getting enough sleep the night before moving day will prevent you from being irritable and exhausted. If you find that you’re anxious, go to bed extra early so you have time to fall asleep. Don’t be afraid of drinking some relaxing herbal tea before bed too.
Take good care of yourself and your family. Though it may feel like a time to rush about, it’s important to not skip any meals and to stay hydrated. Proper nutrition will allow you to do the heavy lifting that comes with moving (if you’re moving yourself) and it will help your brain stay focused.

Moving has the potential to be stressful for the whole family, especially your children. To ease your kids into the moving process, spend some quality time with them and try to have a conversation about the days to come. Keep open communicate with your children so they’re not blindsided by the severe uptick in home activity. If they’re like most kids, they’ll ask a lot of questions, so be sure you’re attentive to their concerns, doubts, and questions.

If you have pets in your home, consider boarding them for the day or having them stay with a friend. There are steps you can take to make your pet more comfortable in your home on moving day, but in order to take the burden off of yourself, you may want to consider taking your furry friend to a pet day camp. This will allow you to be free of the worry of your pet escaping, getting hurt, or having anxiety.

Maintain your daily routine for as long as possible. As people, we’re often resistant to change. Therefore, if you can maintain the same routine, including your children and pets, for as long as possible, then do so.