Things to Avoid When Packing Electronics for a Move

Almost any home in the country will have several different pieces of electronics lying around: computers, televisions, tablets, DVD players, Blu-ray players, sound speakers, video game consoles, and more. You may have a couple of pieces that only cost a few hundred dollars or you have high tech equipment that costs thousands and thousands.

In either case, you need to make sure that all of the equipment is packed away very carefully before the movers arrive. Some people may be tempted to just throw all of the electronics into a box and hope for the best, but this is a good way for things to get broken. You certainly don’t want to unpack the Playstation to find that it no longer works. Here are a few things you need to avoid when packing up your electronics for a relocation.

Not Labeling Cords

One of the best tools you could purchase for moving with electronics is a label maker or even just label stickers and a marker. You need to make sure you label everything that you disconnect from electronics or you could have a big mess when you arrive at your new home. If you have to leave anything in storage for any amount of time, you will likely forget what goes to what equipment, and even a few days’ span can leave you scratching your head.

If you don’t want to actually mark the specific cords with a label, another option is color coding. Small round, colored dots can be placed next to the port on the equipment and then stuck to the corresponding cord.

Packing Computers in Bubble Wrap

The majority of packing materials you could use when moving your home often will create static electricity. That’s not a problem when wrapping up china or glassware, but it is a very big issue with computers.

Static electricity can actually ruin the hard drive in desktops and laptops. To avoid this expensive type of damage, be sure to wrap computers in towels or sheets. If you must use bubble wrap, look for the non-static kind (it’s usually pink).

Leaving Things Inside

If you are moving in a hurry, you may be tempted to just unhook that DVD player or video game and throw it in a box, but there is one thing you are forgetting. You should never leave a disc of any type in the drive. This includes in DVD players, video game consoles, or CD players. If you do and the equipment is shaken in anyway while loaded in the moving truck, the disc could be lodged into the machine and you may not be able to get it out. This can completely ruin the device itself.

When you are getting ready to move, you have a lot of packing to do before the movers arrive, but don’t get in too big of a hurry. Take special care of your electronics to ensure everything arrives at your new home safely. Avoid the things above and you can expect a much better experience.

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.

Gainesville and The State of Florida Moving Rights and Laws

Gainesville Florida is a college town and with this comes a rash of unlicensed businesses that prey upon the lack of knowledge most students have about the rules and regulations across all industries. The moving companies in Gainesville Florida and the rest of the state are regulated by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Most College age kids do not understand what this means. UF Mover Guys, LLC is licensed and insured to operate throughout the entire state of Florida. We thought it would be a good idea to put all of the information that is already out there in an easy to read and understand format. Searching government website after government website can be cumbersome and not always an efficient use of time.

Most people in the area know how busy the moving companies in Gainesville Florida will be this time of year. The national season is from May through September, and the fact there are close to 100,000 students between the University of Florida and Santa Fe College only magnifies the significance of this time of year. Every year a bunch of unlicensed and uninsured movers will swoop in to move unsuspecting people. The issue with using an unlicensed moving company is the fact that there usually is no recourse for someone, because often they disappear should anything happen. If worst case scenario occurs, nothing is insured and a rogue company not willing to play by the rules. The State of Florida regulates this industry specifically for this reason and has issued a set of guidelines. We have them outlined below, but they can be found in their entirety at the following website. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Who has to register?

Any person who intends to open or operate as an intrastate mover of household goods or moving broker shall, prior to engaging in such activity, register with the Department.

What documents are required to register?

Proof of insurance such as your insurance certificate and certificate holder and/or original surety in the amount of $25,000 bond. A copy of your policy, declarations page or insurance card will not be accepted. Coverage must include:
Cargo liability for loss or damage to household goods – not less than $10,000 per shipment.
Motor vehicle coverage, including bodily injury and property damage liability in minimum amounts of (auto liability is required even if you don’t own your own truck(s)):
- $50,000 per occurrence for commercial vehicle gross weight of less than 35,000 pounds.
- $100,000 per occurrence for commercial vehicle gross weight of more than 35,000 pounds, but less than 44,000 pounds $300,000 per occurrence for commercial vehicle gross weight of 44,000 pounds or more.

The above are the guidlines required to operate as a moving company in Gainesville Florida and anywhere else in the State. An intrastate mover number will be issued by the Department. Always ask the companies you are getting quotes from, the state recommends three, for their number to do a search for incidents HERE. You can search with a business name, or IM number. As you can see our company, UF Mover Guys, LLC IM:1847 has zero complaints. The rest of the information for consumers is listed on this government website right HERE.

Click on the following link to get their brochure on household moving in Florida.

Some of the information is below:

When researching a potential company to handle your moving and storage needs, find out the following information:

Is the company registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services?
How long has the company been in business?
Does the company offer extra services, such as packing, unpacking and storage?
What type of protection does the company offer against loss or damage (full replacement cost, depreciated value, or the basic 60¢ per pound valuation carriers are required to provide)?

Your Rights:

Prior to providing you with any moving services, your mover must supply an estimate and contract, in writing. The estimate and contract must be signed by both parties and include the following:

Name, telephone number, physical address and state registration number of the mover.
Date the contract or estimate was prepared and proposed date of the actual move.
Appropriate pick-up and delivery address, name and telephone numbers of the shipper.
Name, telephone number and physical address where the goods will be held, if necessary.
Itemized breakdown, description and total of all cost and services provided.
Acceptable forms of payment available.

Estimate and Contract

Intrastate movers are required to provide an estimate and a contract or service order for each move. Before signing this document, determine that the dates for packing, loading and delivery are part of the contract and provided to you in writing. Understand what the price is based upon:

Appliance Servicing
Cubic Footage
Hourly Rates
Stair/Elevator Charge
Number of Items
Packing/Unpacking
Long Carry Charges

There are some minor exceptions to the rule. This would be if all you are hiring someone to do is labor to help you move things around your home, or into your own rental truck. Other than that the movers must be licensed. This is designed to protect the consumer. We hope you found some useful information about moving in Gainesville and the state of Florida.

Gainesville Florida Moving Company, UF Mover Guys Launches Their New Blog

UF Mover Guys, a Gainesville Florida Moving company, is pleased to announce the official launch of their company blog. Inside you will find insightful articles on how to prepare for moving day when it comes. Over the years we have been asked by customers for our tricks of the trade, and now we are bringing it to the internet. We look forward to providing all of our customers, and internet visitors with the same high quality moving resources that we have been come to known for.

Our goal is to educate any and all persons interested in learning more about the moving services industry. Some topics that will be discussed are how to prepare for moving to Gainesville, and the state of Florida. How to avoid some of the most common moving pitfalls. The proper way to pack boxes for a professional moving company. Expect to learn a bunch while visiting our site. Also we will discuss some related topics such as how to get everything setup in your new apartment, home or office. Corporate relocation, and high value moving items and how to protect yourself during move day.

Many of the topics that UF Mover Guys blog will discuss are directly related to the Gainesville moving services industry, but we will also discuss some local favorites such as University of Florida Football. Local Alachua County News. How to get to and from Florida in the most efficient manner and many others.