Month: September 2017

When you’re getting ready for a move and are working with a residential moving crew, it can be tempting to want to pack everything up and throw it on a moving truck. However, most moving companies will give you a list of items they won’t move. You should also take into consideration that there are some items that are dangerous and should be taken care of before you move.

A good rule of thumb is to always check with your residential movers to make sure you’re not packing and transporting anything that shouldn’t be. If you’re questioning how something should be packed, ask them for their expert opinion as well.

To save you some headaches, below are some categories of items that should be handled with care or not moved at all.

Hazardous items

Dangerous and hazardous items are anything flammable, corrosive, or explosive. They’re not just dangerous for moving, though, they’re actually illegal. If you have things that fit into this category, reach out to your local recycling or pick-up service, fire station, or the closest EPA office. The staff there should be able to provide you with information regarding proper disposal. If you’d hate to see the items go to waste, ask your neighbors or family members if they could use them.

Some residential movers do move hazardous items if they’re packaged up properly. If you have full propane tanks, for example, ask your movers the best way to pack them up or move them. The best thing you can do for your moving company (and yourself) is to avoid any surprises on moving day.

Other examples include:

• Acid
• Pesticides
• Motor oil
• Gasoline
• Lighter fluid
• Fertilizer
• Paint
• Car batteries
• Charcoal
• Matches
• Nail polish and remover
• Ammunition
• Pool chemicals
• Batteries
• Loaded weapons
• Lamp oil
• Propane
• And more

High-dollar and personal items

Homes collect a lot of items that are important to us either because of their emotional or monetary value. The items that would fall into this category would be the ones you can’t live without, you know, the items that you’d grab if your house was on fire.

When you start packing personal items, be sure you want them to be in the moving company’s hands. Take the extra step to make copies of all important documents you have in your possession including identification, insurance records, licenses, etc.

Items you might want to transport yourself:

• Personal documents such as marriage licenses, passports, birth certificates, wills, and insurance papers
• Home videos
• Flight tickets
• Pictures and photo albums
• Financial statements
• Keys for the house, car, safety boxes, and safes
• Deeds
• Tax records
• Check books
• School records

Throughout the moving process, it’s normal to experience anxiety, especially when it comes to selling your current home. You’re probably a bit overwhelmed with research, planning, speaking to your residential movers, and rearranging that the thought of turning your current home upside down seems like too much. Everyone knows how important it is to stage their home. In an attempt to make things easier on you, we’ve gathered some tips and tricks you can use to stage your home so it sells.

Clutter be gone

No potential buyer wants to walk into your open house and see a bunch of stuff everywhere. Clearing away the clutter is one of the most important things you can do when staging your home. To keep this as painless as possible, make a house rule for everyone that requires one item to leave anytime a new item is brought in. Another thing that can make your home look cluttered is having too much furniture. In fact, most professional stagers remove as much as half the home’s furnishings, so get ruthless! Once you do, you’ll find that your home looks much bigger. Now, keep in mind that you don’t have to give up everything, but you should seriously consider what you can and can’t live without.

Fiddle with everything

There’s no rule that says once you put an item somewhere it has to stay there for eternity. Allow yourself to move artwork, furniture, and accessories to different rooms when you get the idea. For instance, if you think about moving the armchair you bought for the living room to the sitting area in your bedroom, do it! Once you start experimenting with placement, you’ll discover what looks more appealing to potential buyers.

Strike a balance

As we said before, when you attack the clutter in your home you don’t have to eliminate everything. Buyers need to visualize their own lives in your current space and having too much around can throw that off. That being said, you don’t want to remove everything in your home. Try to shoot for a balance between clean and lived-in. Think of ways to make your home’s space more appealing such as placing a bowl of farmer’s market produce on the counter or place a vase of fresh flowers on the kitchen table. Such elements will make the space inviting and clean without being too empty.

Now that you have some ideas for staging your home, it’s time to finish the rest of the process. Take some of the stress off of yourself by working with a residential moving company such as White Glove Movers. We specialize in residential moves and would love to make the transition process a smooth one for you. Give us a call today.

You’ve been offered a job in a new city! Perhaps within the same company or maybe a new organization, either way, congrats! Now what? For some, this is an instant yes. For others, there are a few questions that need to be asked.

The most important question comes in two parts – Living arrangements.

Where am I going to live and who is paying for the move?

When you have an offer to move to a new city, you may or may not have done some research about that city. If you have been seeking employment or waiting for your company to open up an opportunity there, then you likely have some knowledge. Use that to your advantage. Hire a realtor and get involved in as many programs as you can. Most importantly, visit a few times before actually moving.

Who is responsible for the expenses?

This is a question that should be asked as part of the negotiation prior to acceptance. Some companies will provide for all of the expenses, while others will split a percentage with you. Others still may offer housing, or provide closing cost fees. Get clear on your options to avoid unexpected expenses.

Cost of living, how will it affect my long-term goals?

This is as vital as relocation fees. If you are moving from the Midwest where the cost of living is low, to one of the coasts, where a house just like yours is four to five times more expensive, everything changes. Reversed, you may feel like you just won the lottery! Be aware of what things will cost you and be sure the pay is enough for you to live and save for your future.

Culture, is this a good match?

Company culture is vital for personal happiness, but so is making sure the culture of a city matches you. Will you be able to find and make friends outside of work. Are there family-friendly events, if that is important to you. Are there things to do and see and experience? Do the vision and mission of the company resonate with you and can you see yourself learning, growing and advancing.

Opportunities for my significant other?

If your partner is moving with you, how easily available are jobs in his/her field? Will your income be enough to support your family until he/she finds a job?

Have you made a pros/cons list?

This may sound silly for some people, but you are making a major change in your life that will have effects for years. Be honest with yourself about why to move, why to stay and how it will affect all aspects from parents to children and friends.

What is the weather like?

You’ve heard that Seattle is the rainiest city and Chicago is the windiest. Weather is an important factor when deciding where to move. If you hate blistering cold winters or can’t stand sweltering heat, be sure to include this on your pro or con list.

Your movers are a talented group of people. They can pivot your furniture around any corner, dismantle the kids’ outdoor playland and even carefully wrap your grandmother’s china. Making everything they touch safe and secure for your new adventure. However, there are some things that any mover should not have in their truck.

Let’s first address chemicals.

If you are an avid gardener and keep fertilizer and weed spraying companies in business, it is not an item to include on the truck. High heat and possible spills make these items less than ideal for your movers to transport. Should the inside of the truck reach extremely high temps, these chemicals are flammable.

Movers contact information

This may seem like a no-brainer, but let’s be honest; notes were written on the desk and the contents of the desk were packed. In the digital age we live in, it is possible to find this information, but do you want to search for it while you’re on the road? Take a photo of the business card, or program the number into your phone. Just do not let it get packed on to the truck.

Tools

While loading the contents of your garage it makes sense to load tools and miscellaneous things we think we won’t need, until we do. Keep a small tool kit with both a Phillips and flat-head screw driver, nails and screws. While doing reassembly of furniture the last thing you want to do is go search the freshly unloaded boxes for the tools you need.

Important documents

What constitutes and important document? Well, birth certificates, social security cards, vehicle titles, insurance documents, passports, medical information and any financial documents. You may keep these items in a safe already and think leaving them in there during transport would keep them, well safe, but let’s not take any chances. Keeping these items in your possession during your move will provide an extra layer of relief. Gathering them all and putting them in their own file in their own box is a good idea.

Food

Perishable items should be transported in a cooler in your own vehicle. Your movers shouldn’t have to be responsible for ensuring those items stay fresh. Dog food too. If your move is cross-country, Fido will want that along the way.

Necessities

Necessities are things like morning routine items, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, etc. This is also clothes, prescriptions, chargers, and devices. We usually think to take our laptops and ipads, but we may inadvertently pack a couple we decide we need when we arrive. And if you get to your destination before your moving truck has, you will certainly be glad you had all of these.