Steps For Transitioning From Your Parents’ House to a Dorm Room

Steps For Transitioning From Your Parents’ House to a Dorm Room

Making the leap from your parents’ home to a dorm room is one of life’s greatest steps. In the span of twenty four hours, your world will experience dramatic changes. College move-in day is sure to be one of the biggest days of your life. You spend years planning and preparing for college and the whole experience begins on day one. Moving, in general, is stressful. Imagine moving all of your belongings into a small dorm room with thousands others doing the same. Needless to say, the process can get hectic. The best advice is to be as prepared as possible; both physically and emotionally. The following are a few things to consider, well before move-in day arrives.

The Actual Move

In the months leading up to your move, do the research on your room and your school’s moving procedures. Each school approaches move-in differently; make it your job to know the details of how the day will unfold. Decide exactly what you need in your room and be sure all the furniture you are taking will fit comfortably. Rooms vary in size, but few are spacious. Talk with your family. If you are traveling a long distance, it may be in your best interest to hire a professional company to do the heavy lifting for you.

Laundry Time

Living on your own has its fair share of benefits; being responsible for your own laundry isn’t one of them. Gone are the days of mom or dad diligently piling through your laundry, it’s all up to you now. You’ll have ample opportunity to practice your patience while waiting on others in the communal laundry area. Welcome to dorm living!

Meal Time

Many students who live in dorms also enjoy the benefits of a meal plan. Chances are likely that some, maybe even most, of your meals will be provided by an on campus cafeteria but even the most disciplined students need to break the monotony every once in a while. Many schools offer rooms with micro-refrigerators to keep a small supply of food in your room. And of course, you’ll need to eat out at times. Eating at restaurants daily can add up quickly so be mindful of how much you are spending on food.

Shower Time

One of the most shocking changes you’ll experience is your new shower situation. Gone are the days of 30 minute showers or baths in your private bathroom at home. Bathroom sharing is difficult to get accustomed to; many just suffer through it and pray for better days ahead. Even the cleanest of dorm bathrooms don’t compare to home, so keep your expectations low. Also, be sure to purchase a comfortable pair of shower shoes, as well as a “caddy” to hold your bathing necessities.
Jumping from your parents’ nest into a dorm room is your first step toward real independence. It’s an amazing step but not the easiest you will take. Spending the summer in preparation will help your journey run smoothly, or at least as smoothly as possible.

Moving To Help The Community

UF Mover Guys recently helped AMIKids-Gainesville move to their newly built facility in Gainesville. AMIkids Gainesville is one of more than 50 programs across the country affiliated with nationally-recognized AMIkids, headquartered in Tampa, Florida. They are a non-profit organization dedicated to providing our community’s kids an opportunity to transform into responsible young adults. We offer kids a promising future through positive and motivating programs that inspire learning, leadership and personal growth.. The organization holds a special place in the heart of UF Mover Guys manager, Brad Stumpff. Stumpff said, “AMI was where I had my first teaching job and where I developed my love for helping at-risk kids.” While working there Brad developed a lifelong friendship with AMI’s executive director, Dan Bacallao. “When Dan called and talked to me about their upcoming move, I knew we had to get involved and help!” said Stumpff.

Here, Stan Travis and Kenny unload the items going into the new building.

UF Mover Guys donated over $1,000 in labor and materials to help AMI move from their former campus in Micanopy, to their brand new facility in Gainesville. We try to give back to the community when given the chance.

College Moving 1101

Gainesville is full of great apartment options.

College Moving 1101

Off to College
Are you getting ready for your college move? Whether going off to college for the first time or returning for another year, there are some well-known rules to live by when it comes to planning your move, otherwise known as College Moving 101. Everyone knows that funds are low for full time students, so finding ways to save money on your college move is of the essence. Whether fleeing the nest to a rental or nearby college apartment shared with other classmates and/or friends, or going the more traditional route and residing at a college dorm room, your college move will go more smoothly if you follow these few easy planning steps. They will surely help you on your way.Make A List
First, you will want to get together with your prospective roommate/s, if at all possible. If not, by phone will do just as well. Together, you should brainstorm a list of all of the things that you will need for your apartment or dorm living space. Include furniture, bedding, toiletries, cleaning supplies and anything else you can think of that might be useful or necessary to supply. This way, you will have a complete list to work from while gathering your materials between you and your roommate/s. Of course, you can always add to this list as you think of things you may have at first forgotten.

Do an Inventory
Next, you and your roommates should take an inventory of what you already have and can provide from home. Each roommate should check off the items they can contribute from home and at no cost. Then those items can be removed from the master list, and whatever is left is what will need to be purchased for the big move. This master list and inventory can truly save you a bundle. Moms and dads will be happy to contribute things they do not use that are just hanging around the house collecting dust, especially knowing that the more they can provide from home, the less money they will need to put forth for store bought items.

Research Back-to-School Sales
If you were able to find everything you needed on your list, good for you!!! But more than likely, there will be many leftover wants and needs that still need purchasing. Your best bet is to then hit the back-to-school fliers and find the best deals. Bargain stores are all in competition with one another at this time of year and there are fantastic savings to be taken advantage of. So look up your leftover items and find the best deals that save you the most money. This step will be well worth the effort.

Divide Cost Of Final Expenses
Once you decide the best places to shop for the leftover items, add up the cost and divide it between the roommates. This of course, only goes for those items that will be shared in the apartment or dorm living space. Any individual picks that you find along the way will have to be paid for at your own expense. Moms and dads usually come in handy for those extras and are more than happy to provide for their little scholars.

College Moving Tips 101 will certainly save you both money and time. You will not have to about duplicating anything or buying anything unnecessarily; and with everyone involved in the planning, you will be less likely to forget something or spend more than anyone else in the living space. Going off to college is an exciting and memorable time in ones life. It can also be a bit overwhelming for some. Following the steps of College Moving 1101 will ensure a fair distribution of both funds, time and effort. This way no one roommate is left with the brunt of the cost and labor. It is also a nice way to begin to get to know your new roommate/s before the hustle and bustle of Move In Day.

How to Load Your Rental Truck

If you will be using a rental truck and loading it on your own, you must know how to load it the right way. Loading a truck incorrectly is inefficient, and you may be wasting valuable space without realizing it. An improperly loaded truck could be dangerous as well. You need a truck that’s the right size first. Determining the size you need is not easy. Getting a truck that’s a bit larger than you need is better than getting one that’s too small. The staff at the rental company may be able to assist you in choosing the right sized rental.

Start Big and Work Your Way Down

The smartest way to load the rental truck is with the largest items first. If you plan to move appliances, such as a refrigerator, washer, and dryer, they should be the first items into the truck. Balance the load by placing heavy items on opposite sites. For example, one side might contain your refrigerator. The other side should have the washer and dryer.

Once the appliances are in the truck, other heavy items will follow. These include sofas, tabletops, headboards, and mattresses. Tie the larger items in place so they do not shift as much. Then put in the dressers, bookcases, chairs, and other bulky items. To make the dresser lighter, remove the drawers while carrying it to the truck. Put the drawers in place after the body of the dresser is loaded. When you have these items in the truck, there is a chance they could shift against one another. This could cause scratching. A good way to avoid this is with moving blankets. They provide that added bit of protection you need.

Next, you can start bringing in all of the boxes. Utilize the space properly. If there are gaps beneath chairs, coffee tables, or nightstands, place boxes beneath them. It’s a smart way to use the space. The heaviest boxes should go onto the truck first. Place the heavy boxes on the bottom and go lighter with the boxes as you pile them higher. Fragile items should be on top so nothing happens to them.

A moving dolly can help with heavy items. They also make it easy to move several boxes at once. You can often rent them from the same place you rent the truck.

Why This Order?

Placing all of the heavy items into the truck first offers a couple of benefits. First, it means you get the hard and heavy work out of the way. Second, when the truck brakes, the items may shift forward. If the heavy items were put in last, they could crush your boxes and other items. When you take the time to pack properly, your items are sure to be safe during transit.

Make the move even easier by having professional movers come and help. They know how to load a truck and they can probably do it in less time than you and your friends!

Tips to Help You Choose the Best Gainesville Moving Companies

Getting ready to move? If you will be moving to another area of the city, or even to an area outside of Gainesville, you want a professional company that can help you do it. The right company to help with the move can make things much easier on you.

Where to Look for Companies

You can look for these companies in a number of different places, including through referrals and online. Even if you have referrals from friends or family, do your own research into the company’s history. Know how long they’ve been in business, for example.

What Type of Service Does the Company Offer?

Do you need a company to help move your home or are you changing locations for your office? Are you moving out of state? Look for companies that can offer the types of services you need for your move. Some companies can handle any type of move. They may also offer packing service or even storage service if you have items that you will not be taking into your new home. Consider the types of service you need so you can get an accurate quote.

The Reputation

What type of reputation does the company have? It should be easy to find information about Gainesville moving companies online. Look for any issues or complaints customers might have had with the company. Did they damage items? Were they too slow? Did they show up late? Look for positive feedback and testimonials from the company as well. Know the good and bad about a company before you choose them.

Licensed and Insured

Always check to see that the movers you hire are licensed and insured. The company should have this information on their website and in any literature that they offer. This will protect you as well as the company during the move.

How Much Does It Cost?

You always need to know how much the service will cost. Get a quote from at least three different companies. Make sure you understand what the quote encompasses as well. Check to see if they include tax and other service charges. Choose the one with the best price, the best reputation, and the services that you need.

Get in Touch

Once you choose your company, it’s important to get in touch and set a date for the move as soon as possible. Even if the move is more than a month away, set the date early. This ensures they have enough trucks and workers to be there for you. Contact the company the day before the move to make sure that everything is still on schedule. When scheduling your move with Gainesville moving companies, make sure you read your agreement completely. Read the fine print and make sure you agree with everything on the contract before you sign.

When you work with a great company, a move does not have to be overwhelming. Just put in the research and choose the best.

Buying a House when Moving to Florida

Moving to Florida

Buying a home and moving from your old place can be exciting, but it’s also very stressful. You will suddenly be responsible for a very large mortgage payment every month. At the same time, though, you will have a place of your own. If you are planning on a move to Florida, then there are several things you need to do before you sign any paperwork.

Get Your Finances in Order

You need to have your finances all sorted out well before you start looking for a new house. If you have been previously renting, then the cost could be dramatically different. Additionally, if you are moving from out of state, you have to factor in a change for the cost of living. Take the time to consider every expense that will be involved in your new home purchase to determine how much you can afford to spend. Keep in mind that there is much more to it than just the mortgage payment itself. The new expenses include:

The mortgage (there are calculators online that will help you determine the payment you can afford).
Homeowners’ insurance
Home upkeep and maintenance
PMI (private mortgage insurance may be required depending on the lender and the loan).
Utilities (they will be more expensive than in an apartment)
Homeowners’ association fees

Remember that when you close on the loan, you will be committed to paying for that house. Before you even begin packing boxes and preparing for a move, you need to be absolutely sure you are financially prepared to buy a house.

Finding the Right Neighborhood

Whether you have children or not, you will want to choose the right neighborhood to move into. By narrowing down your options, you will find it easier to shop for the different houses for sale. You can do so much research online, but if you have a particular area in mind, then you can write to the chamber of commerce and ask for welcome packets. Keep in mind that even if you need to do business in the city, you could choose to live in smaller outlying areas. For example, if you wish to move to Gainesville, you could live in the metro area or choose from many of the small towns nearby depending on the convenience and way of life you prefer.

Find a Realtor

If you are moving to Florida from out of state, then you won’t be able to spend time touring houses and hunting down options you like. You need someone working for you who is familiar with the area. A realtor will be able to find properties that fit your parameters so that you don’t have to sift through the hundreds that are available.

Moving to Florida can be a fun; exciting experience and you will definitely want to find the right property to call your new home. Make sure you spend some time determining what type of house you could afford to buy and then research your different options to choose a property you will love.

Before Moving to Gainesville

Moving to Gainesville

When you decide to move to Gainesville, FL, make sure your apartment or house is up and running as soon as you arrive. As soon as you know where you will be moving and have the new address, it is time to start looking into hooking up your utilities. The sooner you make arrangements, the sooner they can hook up your service. If you do not get in touch with the utility companies until a week before you move, you could face delays. Call the companies, or arrange services online, at least a month before your Gainesville relocation.

Setting Up Service with Gainesville Regional Utilities

Gainesville Regional Utilities, known as GRU to most of the area locals, offers many different services you will need for your home or apartment. They provide electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, garbage, and Internet services to homes and businesses. When you call to start any services with GRU, make sure you have the address of the new location, your SSN, and driver’s license number on hand. They need to know the date you want to start service too. Start your services at least a day or two before moving into the new property. Instead of calling, consider setting up the service over the web. It’s faster and easier.

In some cases, you may need to provide a security deposit to start service. This may happen if you’re new to the area and if you do not have any history with GRU. The amount of the deposit varies. Visit their website GRU.com to set up the service. Use the same site to pay the bill, check usage, and more.

Getting Cable or Satellite

Cox Cable provides service to the area and is one of the primary choices for those looking for cable, phone, and web service. Satellite companies such as Dish Network are available too. The best way to get service with these companies when moving to the area is with bundles. Bundled service offers a nice discount, and they have many different options that change with some frequency. Since they offer Internet service, they rent and sell modems if you need them. Visit their site to see what bundles are available in Gainesville.

Before choosing cable, make sure the home or apartment has wiring for cable. If choosing a satellite service, make sure you can have a satellite dish in your home. Some apartments and condo units prohibit them.

The Lay of the Land

Check out some online maps of your new neighborhood to get a better feel for it. Using Google Street View is one good option to explore your neighborhood virtually. Find places to shop and dine in the area before you even move there. Having some knowledge of the area’s layout will make getting around quite a bit easier. If you will drive a rental truck to the new place, knowing the look of the streets and the easiest way to get to your new place will be quite a relief.

Be Safe. Consider Your New Home’s Locks

When you move into a new home, you have so much to think about, like where the living room furniture will be placed, who will get what bedroom, and how you will decorate your brand new spaces.

However, there is something important you most likely haven’t thought about: moving means making your new home in a residence that once belonged to someone else.

You have no real idea of who has keys to it and how many have been handed out, lost, or misplaced. While this may not have even occurred to you as a safety risk, it could be. You have to consider the locks on your home and think about either getting them rekeyed or replaced.

The Evaluation

After the movers have left, take the time to go through the house and take inventory of the different locks used in the home. Keep places like these in mind:

The front door
The back door
Doors leading into the garage
Decorative doors (French or sliding)
Doors on utility buildings or sheds

This evaluation period is a good chance to determine whether you feel comfortable with the locks already used in the home or you want to make some replacements. If you don’t feel like you need to actually change out anything, then you can make a quick call to a locksmith and ask them to rekey the locks already in place. This service will cost different amounts based on where you live and how many locks you need altered.

Changing Locks

If you would like to change locks altogether or you want different types of safety systems, then you have some research to do. Before you even start unpacking after you have finished moving, try to determine what types of locks you would like to add to your new home. Some of your options include the following:

Spring Latch. Also called slip bolt locks, these work with the doorknob and lock it into place. They are considered to be the most minimal of security but are usually included on front and back doors.
Deadbolt. This lock bolts the door to the frame and has to be manually opened either by a key on the outside or a knob on the inside. They can be placed horizontally along the doorframe or vertically at the top.
Double Cylinder Deadbolt. This type of deadbolt works in the same way as the one above, but requires a key to unlock from the inside or out. This is ideal if your door has glass panes since it will deter thieves from simply breaking the glass and reaching inside to turn the bolt.

As far as outdoor buildings, you should consider replacing locks only if you have to store expensive equipment in them. Most people don’t even think of locking their tool shed or utility building, and if you don’t plan to, then there is certainly no reason to change the locks.

When you are moving into a new home, there is certainly a lot to think about, including safety. Think about any changes you want to make to the locks throughout your home for security purposes.

An Easy Moving Timeline

If you know you will be moving in Gainesville months in advance, you may be tempted to put things off. After all, you have plenty of time, right?

You may be surprised at how quickly things can sneak up on you, and if they do, then you could become overwhelmed and stressed out very quickly. Instead of waiting until the last minute, follow this quick and simple timeline. It is guaranteed to make your life much easier. Remember that it is never too early to start planning for the move.

Eight to Six Weeks in Advance

If you can, then get started at least two months in advance of when you will be moving. This will give you enough time to do plenty of research and then make the right decisions. Start by learning about where you will be relocating. If you are relocating a long distance away, you will need to learn more about the community. Many towns and cities offer a relocation package that will tell you about utilities, schools, and much more. Other things to do during this time period include:

Put together a file on your computer to keep track of your moving information and receipts.
Start determining how much money it is going to cost to relocate and then start saving.
Begin gathering tips and information for choosing movers, packing your belongings, and finding a new place to live.
Make sure your children’s school records will be transferred.
Contact any clubs or groups you are members of and find out if you will have to pay to end or transfer your memberships.
Start planning how you will use each room in your new home. Get a floor plan if you can.
Start making a list of everyone that needs to be notified that you are moving.
Inventory each room and determine anything you don’t want to take with you.

Five to Four Weeks in Advance

About a month before your move, you can really start making progress so that you don’t find yourself doing everything a week before the movers will arrive.

Find boxes, whether you purchase them or ask local businesses for them.
Pack up anything you don’t need to use between now and your move. Donate or sell anything you don’t want to keep.
Determine if you need a storage unit in your new location and start looking for one.
Contact the post office to file a change or address. You can do this online or in person.
Get your pets’ veterinary records.
Arrange to have the utilities disconnected at your old home and connected at the new one on moving day.
Cancel your local newspaper subscription.

Three Weeks to A Few Days in Advance

In the last three weeks, you will have a lot to do before the movers arrive.

Get your car serviced.
Dispose of poisons or flammable materials.
Make arrangements to close your bank account or transfer funds.
Notify creditors and subscriptions of your move.
Finish packing.
Prepare a box or suitcase of essentials you will need before unpacking.
Empty your refrigerator.
Give friends and family your new address.

If you stay on track for your move, then you will find everything much less stressful. Remember that the more you can get done in advance of moving day, the better.

Moving Companies vs. Moving Brokers

Knowing the difference between a Gainesville moving company, and a moving broker in Gainesville can make a big difference when choosing the right fit for your next move. When looking on the internet it can often be hard to distinguish between the two, and sometimes for a customer it is hard to tell the difference all the way up to move day. While both offer free online moving quotes, the difference ends there.

The main difference between a moving company in Gainesville and a Gainesville moving broker, is the fact that only one of them actually moves furniture, while the other is essentially a lead generator for the other. Moving brokers will normally offer to give you quotes from multiple different companies. [message type=”warning”]Note: They will also be selling your information to multiple companies. [/message] Not all of those companies are going to be a good fit for you. A licensed and insured moving company will offer you a free quote and never sell your information to another company. So to compare the two please look at our user friendly table we have set up for you to make sure you know which one will be the best fit. Maybe a moving broker is someone you could use, often times, they are more of a hassle.

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Moving Company	Moving Brokers	Better?
Uses your information and will never sell to another company	Will sell your information to as many as 10 companies	Moving Company
Licensed and Insured to move household furniture	Licensed and insured to contract a mover for your job.	Moving Company
Often more expensive.	Often Less Expensive	Moving Broker
Liable for anything that goes wrong with your move.	Not liable for anything that happens during your move	Moving Company
As you can see with the above chart, unless the cheapest move possible is what you want, it’s advised to use a moving company, and not a broker

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To expand on what we have discussed above. With a moving broker they are not actually liable for anything that may go wrong with your move. Sometimes the moving broker may even act as a moving company, and take your payment, only to sub-contract out the work to the lowest bidder. Think government work gone wrong here. What normally will happen though, is they sell your information to multiple companies, often ones that are willing to give any lowball price just to get the job, only to raise the price at the last minute. If you are unsure if the company you are using is reputable or not, look for Moving Scams, an online resource for scammers in the moving industry.

By choosing a moving company you have the assurance that you can research into their license with the state regulatory body, and see if there are any complaints against the company. It is advisable to not go with the lowest price when preparing for your move. Often what you initially thought you were saving, will come back to haunt you in the form of damaged items, late delivery, and just an all around bad experience. Most legitimate moving companies will do what it takes to make you happy from beginning to end.