Tag: cheap moving

How To Move On A Budget

Budget-Friendly Moving in Gainesville, FL

The moving process can be quite expensive due to packing supplies, moving services, the down payment on your new home and the first month’s rent. Fortunately, there are some concrete steps that you can take in order to cut down on the costs. If you’re in need of a Gainesville moving company that’s trustworthy and dependable without breaking the bank, be sure to reach out to UF Mover Guys.

 

5 Moving Tips To Save Your Money

Before you make the big move, it’s helpful to know how to best prepare for the process, so you don’t spend too much money. Here are five easy ways to move on the cheap.

Cut Down on Your Belongings

When it comes to transporting all of the things you own, the more stuff you need to take with you, the more expensive it will be. One of the fastest and most effective ways of reducing your moving costs is by getting rid of everything that you don’t need to take with you. You can either give the stuff away to friends, donate it, or even sell it on sites like Craig’s List. What’s more, by hosting a garage sale, you can significantly cut down on your belongings and earn some cash in the process.

Don’t Buy Boxes

Boxes are essential when packing for a move, which is why the price for them is often quite high at many packing stores. But there are many other ways for you to get boxes without having to pay for them. You can ask friends or family for boxes, save boxes from packages you’ve received, ask local stores for boxes or bring home empty boxes from your workplace. Reusable plastic storage bins can also be used and reused whenever you move, eliminating the need for boxes all together.

Move in the Off-Season

While not everyone is able to move during the off-season due to their individual circumstances, if you have the ability to do so, it is highly recommended. The off-season is between fall and winter, and Gainesville movers are usually much less busy then than during the summer. This not only allows you to have more dates to choose from for the moving company, but it can reduce the cost of a Florida moving company by as much as 30 percent!

Plan Your Utility Shutdown Dates

Many utilities have a billing cycle, meaning that they will not stop charging you whenever it is that you decide to move. If you don’t want to pay for an extra month of utilities that you won’t be using, plan your moving date accordingly or cancel your services early. While some utilities such as electricity are necessary up until the day you leave, you can do without others, such as cable, for a couple of days or weeks.

Use a Professional Moving Company

People often believe that by forgoing a professional moving company and doing everything themselves they will save money. Oftentimes, however, this is just not the case. Professional companies have the necessary experience and materials to pack your belongings as fast and efficiently as possible, while ensuring for their safety. Since well-packed belongings take up less space and use fewer boxes, you will save more money. You can also choose a moving package that includes multiple services for a lower price to further reduce the overall cost.

Moving Company Gainesville, FL, Residents Can Trust

The moving process is often considered quite time-consuming and stressful, but it doesn’t have to be that way. At UF Mover Guys, we can provide you with all of the moving services you need to make the process a snap, including packing, unpacking and transporting your items. Contact us today for movers in Gainesville, FL you can trust.

Using Social Media to Help Plan a Move

When you are preparing for a move and seeking out moving companies in Gainesville, you are no longer limited to traditional searches and local listings. Using social media is one way to find Gainesville movers that can help you to prepare regardless of whether you are moving to a new city, out-of-state or even internationally.

One method of searching for well-known and trusted companies using social media is to simply search for them and read real life testimonials and reviews. Asking family members, friends and even co-workers for referrals is also another way to ensure you are going with the right company wherever you are planning to use.

 

Why Use Social Media to Help Your Move?

Using social media is one of the quickest methods to learn more about various companies regardless of whether you are shopping for a new bed or seeking international movers who are willing to work with you. With social media, getting updates, responses and results is possible within a matter of minutes when reaching out to the proper channels. Using the official Facebook and Twitter page of various cleaning companies and other businesses near you is also a way to find more information about the business itself: hours of operation, days they are open and services provided are all listed.

If a user has a complaint, social media is often the preferred route to share their feelings, especially as others are likely to see it. Many companies who have active social media profiles respond to their customers and clients immediately, helping to offer additional guidance and support when moving or if in need of services. It is important to seek out companies who are actively involved in engaging with customers and providing support through the means of social media before choosing a mover near Gainesville you can trust and rely on for the day you plan to move to a new home.

Review Portfolios of Work

When you use an official social media page of a moving company who services Gainesville, it is possible to view albums of photos of properties and the type of work that is provided by the movers themselves. Showcasing staff, movers, homes, trucks and certificates of licensing and insurance can help to boost professionalism for anyone seeking the right movers. Using social media properly can have a drastic effect on the overall performance of of a website or a brand altogether. Ensuring you have a formal social media presence with branded and professional logos is essential, especially if you are a new company or looking to find new clients who are interested in your services.

Why Reading Reviews Matters

Official social media pages for companies, brands and businesses allow customers to leave comments, reviews and testimonials. If you find a company that is deleting reviews or posting highly-suspicious and fake views, it’s important to look elsewhere for a potential moving service. Reading real testimonials from past clients is also a way to gain insight into the work ethics, friendliness and professionalism from each company near Gainesville, regardless of the type of move you are planning.


Once you have located the official page of the Gainesville moving company you are interested in working with, it is also possible to review services, photos and in some cases even videos of showings of various homes they have represented in the past. Taking the time to review each company you are interested in hiring thoroughly is a way to reduce stress prior to the big moving day required. The more you trust your movers in Gainesville, the less worry you are likely to have once the big day arrives.

Things You Can Do Two Months Prior to a Move

Planning to move without prioritizing what needs to be done in a specific order can lead to a lot of stress and worry. Two months isn’t a long time to take care of what material possessions to keep, possibly leaving one job for another and business related areas that must be taken care of. Making an outline of everything that needs to be done can help ease those unnecessary worries. You most trusted Gainesville moving company is here to help you prepare for the moving day.

Eliminating Clutter From Your Life

Everyone has clutter surrounding the area they live in. Some of the items they value might be keepsakes, clothing, furniture, electronics and dinnerware. The best way to organize what is special and what can be tossed away is by making a list of everything that is packed. Once it has been boxed, the hardest part of packing is over. Anything that isn’t stored can be given away or sold.

Selling Is Easy

Many of the items you don’t want to haul can be sold in a yard sale or garage sale. One man’s junk can be another man’s treasure so always keep that in mind before you decide to trash anything. Organize and label all the items you want to sale with a price label and check off list so you can keep up with what is sold. You might decide to list a few items online at popular selling sites, like Craigslist.com, to make more money.

Deciding Who Will Be Helping You Move

The distance you will be moving will have a heavy impact on the cost and the people that you hire to do the move. Long distance requires the help of professionals that cost money. Short distance moves might require nothing but a large pickup and a few friends. For longer distances, you will have to shop around to find a local company that will give you the best rates.

Smaller Is Better

Having a few friends over to help you take items apart can make the process much easier. Tables, electronics and outdoor furniture are among some of the items that can be broken down to box. Moving boxes are easier than trying to move heavier items that can be bulky and awkward. Simply make sure that everyone keeps up with all the parts that go with each item. Gainesville movers would rather load nice packages over large items that needed separating.

Paper Or Plastic

You can use plastic shopping bags to store items that you feel are too delicate to store inside cardboard boxes. You can find enormous supplies of broken down cardboard boxing at dollar stores. They are notorious for having a large amount of them. Your best chance is checking these types of stores first since they won’t bale the cardboard with wiring.

Research Where You Plan To Live

This really should be the first thing that you do to see what kinds of opportunities are available where you plan to move. Things you might think about are the crime rate, population, school districts, recreation and public facilities. These are very important features that will mean the difference in your happiness in the new area.

Give Away What You Don’t Need

The very last thing you should do is make sure that everything packed is going to have a useful purpose once you do move. If you decide to leave a few extra items, you can always donate them to charity. After all, giving is a great thing to do to help those less fortunate.

Deduct Moving Services from Taxes

Would it not be nice to subtract your moving expenses from your taxes?

You potentially could if you are moving because of work. These deductions include the cost of hiring a professional moving company.

Obviously you cannot subtract the entire expense of your move from your taxes. You need to research what you may be eligible for.

UF Mover Guys has provided a checklist of where to begin your search. Following our advice can help you deduct heavy moving costs from your taxes to help you reduce the amount you have to pay and increase the amount you get back.

The two factors that determine whether you can subtract moving expenses from your taxes are time and distance.

You need to have worked for a minimum of 39 weeks after you have changed locations to be eligible. You are only eligible for a deduction if the move is solely for the purpose of business relocation.

Moving to deal with the death of a family member or to be closer to a family member due to medical issues does not warrant  a tax deduction. Also, divorce and other forms of involuntary separation do not count either.

The second criteria is the new workplace needs to be at least 50 miles from where you previously lived in order for it to count. You cannot merely pack up your possessions  and buy a house a few blocks down the road.

As long as you pass these two tests, you should be good to go. If you have satisfied these two requirements then you have several types of deductions you can make for the move.

These deductions include the cost of you and your family’s trip to your new residence. The trip counts as a moving expense because  you are investigating where to buy a house and the neighborhood.

The cost of moving your belongings from a storage unit and the cost to connect or disconnect utilities is also covered by the deductions. These deductions apply to both your current and new homes.

You can also subtract the cost of shipping a boat or vehicle. You likely can deduct the cost of moving other business material as well as the cost of packing and unpacking.

In most cases, you have 30 days to deduct the cost of using a storage unit or locker. If you miss the 30-day mark, however, you will have to pay for it yourself.

Mover’s Guide to Storage

Most professional movers recommend looking for a storage company eight weeks prior to moving. Image is from handydandymoving.com.

Moving is an excellent time to consider downsizing.

Downsizing makes moving easier because it decreases the amount of stuff you have to move. Having less junk gives you more space in your new home.

Having less also means having less to unload and reorganize into the house. Downsizing contributes to giving your home a less cluttered appearance.

You probably have items you do not need but cannot bear to part with. However, you may not have room for them if you are moving into a smaller space.

Never get rid of an item with significant sentimental value. Instead, get a storage unit.

You may question whether purchasing a storage unit is necessary if you have a spare room, basement or attic. Storage rooms need to be cool, dry and dark to avoid mold and insects.

Basements that are not insulated well suffer from drafts and water seepage during the winter and heavy rains. These conditions make your belongings vulnerable to mold and water damage.

Attics are slightly better than basements, especially if they are sealed and insulated. However, insects and small animals could sneak in and cause damage.

Storage units, on the other hand, offer guaranteed security for your items. Companies that specialize in storage have the experience and the equipment to protect your things. Most companies usually provide insurance for your belongings.

If you decide to use a storage service, you should begin contacting companies early. Most professional movers recommend looking for a storage company eight weeks prior to moving.

UF Mover Guys  understands many people in Gainesville are relatively young or otherwise unaware of this fact. Our company now offers climate-controlled storage.

Climate-control is an important storage feature to have in Florida because of the humidity. The heat and moisture breed bacteria and can damage delicate items like fine wood and paper.

Letting your moving company handle your storage has unique advantages. You do not have to pack your belongings and drive them to the storage facility yourself.

Instead, you can simply pack the items you plan to put in storage with the items you plan to move into your new home. The movers will take them to the facility for you.

Just be sure to separate the items going to storage from the items going with you. The last thing you want is a mix-up.

Next time you are planning a move, ask about UF Mover Guys storage as well!

Moving into Off-Campus Housing

Students are typically eager to leave the dorm and move into their apartments. Image is from jumpoff.tv.

Every University of Florida student probably knows someone who lives in off-campus housing. Gainesville caters to students with a wide variety of hip and affordable housing options.

Students are typically eager to leave the dorm and move into their apartments. They view it as a part of gaining independence and becoming an adult.

As with any move, students often run into pitfalls. These pitfalls can sometimes be more than they bargained for.

Complications can be categorized into locating a property to rent, issues with the property owner and moving belongings.

Gainesville has a competitive renting market because of the abundance of students who choose to live off-campus. Students search for housing as early as the first few weeks of the semester before they move.

To compete, you have to find roommates and living quarters before the semester is over to ensure you have a place to live. Too many students wait too late.

Do not let the pressure interfere with caution, however. Thoroughly inspect the property in question before signing a lease.

Look for damaged or broken elements in the house. These elements include peeling paint, broken appliances, non-working light switches and health hazards.

Document any of these issues at the beginning. If you do not, your landlord might try to deduct them from the security deposit at the end of the lease.

Landlords oftentimes attempt to reduce the money returned from the security deposit for natural wear-and-tear. Do your shopping and try to pick a landlord that will treat you with respect and consideration.

Another big dilemma is actually moving your stuff into your new apartment. This part is where UF Mover Guys comes in.

Our company aims to take the stress off your shoulders. We will pack everything into our truck and transport it for you. The only thing you need to worry about moving is yourself.

You can drive to your new place with the assurance that your things are in good hands. We are careful to pack all of your things away quickly and without any breakage.

You might not think using a moving company is necessary. You may also think hiring a moving company is too expensive.

While it is true hiring a moving company is not necessary, being able to move with comfort and ease is well worth the price. And our prices are set with the goal of being cost-efficient for a college budget.

Despite some of the challenges presented in this article, one should not hesitate to move off-campus. Moving into an unsupervised, off-campus residence is a great adventure for any student.

The personal responsibility living off-campus teaches is excellent for any adult and the freedom it grants contributes greatly to personal growth and cultivates new relationships.

Whether this is your first or fifth time moving, living outside the dorm and in the community can be a rewarding experience.