Tag: moving tips

Custom Boxes Are a Must for Certain Items

If you are moving, then packing can be a chore that you put off until you absolutely have to. However, this is a really big mistake since your belongings may get broken or damaged from not being secured away correctly. The best thing to do is start packing up nonessential belongings at least eight weeks before your move. You can slowly work your way toward the items you use the most one or two weeks before the day.

In addition to making sure you do take time and get everything stored in boxes, you need to pack in the right way. There are specialty boxes made for specific items that you should always use. If you don’t then you are taking risks with some of your more fragile belongings. You may not even know about some of the specialty materials that are available to you, but your professional movers will be able to help you out.

Plasma TV Boxes

Plasma televisions can never be laid on their side and they are extremely fragile. If you don’t take proper precautions with them, then the result could be disastrous and you certainly don’t want to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a new set after you have just moved. There is a specialty box that is made specifically for these televisions. They will include thicker cushioning and packaging to ensure no extra stress is put on the fragile front screen on the set.

Glassware

Glasses are extremely breakable to the point that they often end up on the store shelves cracked in their boxes. You can’t simply put them in a box and hope for the best and you certainly shouldn’t just depend on newspaper wrapping. Instead, you need to choose specialty moving supplies that are designed specifically for glassware. These durable and sturdy boxes will include dividers that will keep the glasses from clinking together and causing any damage.

China and Plates

If you have expensive china, you certainly don’t want to take any chances with it. That means knowing how to properly pack and store everything for moving. You can find specialty packing materials that are designed specifically for these items. They include cushioned dividers that will sit between each piece of china.

The vast majority of damage from moving comes when pieces clink together during rough patches in the road, so by keeping them separate, you can ensure the items have a much better chance of making it safely to your new home.

When you start packing to move, keep in mind that you have options that will ensure all of your belongings are safe. Not all things should be packed in standard boxes or wrapped in moving blankets.

Instead, talk to your moving company about options that will keep fragile items safe. These types of specialty materials include boxes for glassware and china as well as plasma televisions. Remember that the sooner you get started packing, the better you can take care of your belongings.

Make These Improvements Before You Move

When you move out of your old home, it’s important that you take proper steps to leave the place in good repair. If you are selling the property, making just simple improvements can make it so much easier to find a buyer. Even if the home will be sitting unoccupied for a while, you won’t want it to fall into disrepair. Before you get started moving, take some time and a little money to make just a few improvements.

The Kitchen and the Bathroom

Studies show that the two rooms that will bring the best return on investments are the kitchen and the bathroom. Little things you can do differently, like a new coat of paint or refinished cabinets will make a big difference in the price you can get for your home if you sell after moving.

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars either. A few ideas for renovating these two rooms include:

  • Refinish Cabinets
  • Paint
  • Resurface Counters
  • Replace Bathroom Mirrors
  • Replace Switch Plates and Outlets
  • Refinish Floors
  • Add Window Coverings

Cleaning Garages and Basements

In many homes, the garages and basements can be a little scary. They often have boxes that have been in storage for years and they can gather dust (and animals) very easily. You should always take the time to clean these two spaces out thoroughly when you are moving out.

Make sure to get rid of anything you no longer want to keep and clean out all boxes from the rooms. Then, inspect them carefully. You need to look for cracks in the home’s foundation, leaks in pipes, and other damage that will need to be cared for before you move out. All of these things can do damage to your home if it is sitting empty and they can also take away from the value of the property when you want to sell.

Landscaping

There is something very important to curb appeal when you are trying to sell your home. People want to know that the property looks nice before they buy it, so it is extremely important to do a little landscaping when you are moving out. If you don’t have the time to do the landscaping yourself, then hire a team to come in and do the work. It will only take a few hours to get the property in order and then your house will look very appealing to potential buyers.

Keep Up with Pest Control

Pest control is important, especially if your home may stand empty for a while. That’s because your house could get invaded and no one will know it until you show the property to a potential buyer. Talk to your local pest control company and explain that you are moving and then ask them to keep up quarterly control even while you are gone.

It’s important to do a little home improvement when you are moving out of your house. While you may be focused on your new property wherever you may be living, you cannot forget your old home whether you are selling it or not.

 

How to Protect Floors During a Move

If you hire professional movers, then you shouldn’t have to worry about your furniture being well taken care of. That’s because they have the training and know-how to ensure everything is protected properly.

However, even the most careful house moves could take a toll on your floors. You may pack things and slide them across the floor or the movers may scuff up surfaces as they get your belongings out.

It’s very important that you take extra care of the floors in your old home so that you don’t have to worry about making repairs or losing security deposits. Obviously, you don’t want to do any damage to your new home that you will end up repairing right when you move in.

There are a few different things you can do to protect the surfaces from scuffs, scrapes, and scratches.

Sliders

There are small disks that fit under the legs of heavy furniture that allow the pieces to be easily slid across the floor surface. You can purchase these sliders if you would like since they may come in handy if you ever decide to reorganize a room.

Alternatively, you may be able to get them from your movers. Either way, keep in mind that these only work when you are moving heavy pieces across an even floor. They won’t work when moving furniture up or down stairs.

Rugs

If you don’t have the sliders, then you can also place old rugs under furniture to move the pieces and there are several safety precautions you need to take, especially if you are moving the furniture without the help of trained movers.

  • Never try to slide the piece by grasping the rug and pulling. Tall furniture could tip over and cause injury.
  • Be careful to not step on the rug when sliding the furniture. This hitch could injure the person helping you.
  • Don’t use sheets that may be very thin. The furniture could still scratch the surface of wood floors through the material.

The best approach is to use the materials provided by your mover. You can discuss different options for getting large pieces out of your home without causing any damage to the flooring.

Remember that if you do damage the floors in a rental that you are moving out of, you will likely forfeit your security deposit. If you have already sold your home, then you will need to repair the damage to the state the house was in when the buyers signed the contract.

Professional movers will do their best to never cause damage in your old or new home, but accidents can happen when so many people (including yourself) are working to get things in or out. It’s a very good idea to take extra steps in protecting your flooring so that you don’t have to worry about repairing or paying for repairs on scuffs and scratches to hardwood surfaces or pulls to carpets. Simple tools like furniture sliders or pieces of old rugs can make all the difference in protecting those surfaces.

 

 

Great Tips for Packing When Moving

Moving can be a stressful experience, but it does not have to be that way. When you use the tips included here, your move is much easier.

 

Begin Packing Early

 

Even if it is a few weeks before your move, it is important to start your packing as soon as possible. When you have more time to pack, you can do it the right way. Rushing around at the end, or when your Gainesville movers are on their way, is a surefire way to break things cause things to break. You want to have everything packed long before the big day arrives. It will reduce your stress levels.

 

Remove Items from Drawers

 

Sometimes, it might seem as though it would be faster to leave some of your items in your dresser drawers and nightstand drawers. This will increase the weight of the unit, though, and the drawers may fall open and cause a mess, even if you tape them. Remove the items and pack them in their own boxes with the appropriate labels.

 

Large Appliances

 

If you are taking your larger appliances with you, such as your refrigerator, you need to prepare them. Remove all of the food and defrost the fridge at least a day or two before the move. Clean the refrigerator inside and out so it is ready to set up and plug in at your new home.

 

Lighten the Load

 

Books are some of the heaviest items you will be moving. This is often because people overpack boxes. Keep the boxes to between 30 and 50 pounds maximum. It will be easier to move a few more boxes rather than move ultra heavy boxes. Keep this in mind when packing other items as well. If you can disassemble an item, such as an entertainment center, it will be easier to move. Do your best to make every trip as light as possible.

 

Your Kitchen Table and Other Furniture

 

Remove the table legs and tie them together. Make sure you add some padding between the legs so they aren’t scratched during the move. It may be a good idea to wrap some towels or bubble wrap around the legs and sides of furniture. This can help keep them in good condition during the move.

 

Always Label

 

No matter what it is you are packing, you need to label it properly. It will make it much easier to put your house together when the Gainesville moving company puts the boxes in your new home. It also makes it easier to put your own electronics together.

 

Whether you are moving across the country or you are simply making a move across town, the preceding tips and tricks should help to make things proceed smoothly for you. Many moving companies will offer professional moving supplies for those who need them. Some of the companies out there will even take care of the packing for you.

Simple Steps to Long Distance Moving

For most people, moving across the street or down the block is not a reality. Instead, you are much more likely to relocate hundreds of even thousands of miles away. The long distance makes the whole move all the more complicated and you do have to take special precautions and make specific decisions for this type of relocation.

Talk to the Insurance Company

You need to ensure that your belongings will be safe during the whole move, so you need to take to your insurance company about your current homeowners’ or renters’ policy. In some cases, your belongings will be covered until you reach the new home, but it is always a good idea to check because your items will be much more at risk during long distance moving.

Label Everything Properly

If you are just relocating in the same town, you probably will remember where everything is packed because the short time that elapses from home to home. However, when you will be spending several days on the road, you may forget where things are and this can make setting up your new household all the more difficult.

As you start packing boxes, make absolutely sure you are labeling everything properly. If you want to make things all the more easy, purchase an inexpensive Polaroid camera, and take a picture of the room in which the box belongs and tape it to the top.

Use the Right Moving Supplies

Because your belongings will be on the road for much longer, supplies matter all the more because you need to ensure everything is packed carefully. Moving blankets should be used to protect furnishings from scratches. Proper boxes and packing materials should be used to protect valuables and breakables.

Hire the Right Company

If you are hiring a moving company, then consider one that specializes in residential/household moving and that has a good reputation. You need to ask quite a few different questions before hiring a company, like how they hire their employees, what type of insurance they have, how they calculate fees, and whether or not they guarantee move in and out dates.

Prepare a “Ready Kit”

Since you won’t have access to your belongings for several days, you need to have important supplies readily available while you are moving. This ready kit should include toiletries, basic kitchen and food items, medications and anything else you will need easy access to when you are on the road and when you first arrive at your new home.

Long distance moving is quite different from just heading across town, but for many people, it is a necessity. Whether you are relocating for work, for school, or for any reason, going for thousands of miles brings its own set of difficulties. There are certain steps you can take to ensure the whole process goes as smoothly as possible. Follow the steps above and you can get to your new home with your belongings still intact and ready to be unpacked.

What You Need to Know About Holiday Moving

You already most likely know how stressful moving can be. It takes so much time, work, money, and thinking; you will definitely be worn out in the end. Moving during certain parts of the year can be even more complicated.

For example, if you have a family, relocating during the holidays is a very serious hassle. It’s one that you will most likely want to avoid if at all possible. So, before you make the decision, take some time and think about it. Do you really absolutely have to move during the holidays or could you put it off for a week? If you have no other choices, then here are some tips that you can use to retain normalcy and still enjoy a celebration even when everything is in boxes.

Hire Movers Early

Many moving companies will actually only work with a half-staff during the holidays because so many people want time off to spend with their families. That means they can get booked up very quickly. Because of this, if you wait until the last minute, you may not find anyone available. If you know you are going to have to relocate during the holidays, then be sure to find a company as early as possible and get them booked right away.

Find an Empty Space

You will obviously want to still celebrate the holidays even though you are in the middle of moving. This is so important for families, especially with small children. If you want to still have that experience, then find a spare room that is away from all of the boxes and packing materials. Make sure you know where the tree is with at least some of the decorations. You can get everything set up in the extra room and you and your family can have a mini celebration right there, away from the rest of the activity.

Feel Free to Splurge on Food

If you are following a healthy diet, then it may be time to fall off the wagon for a few days. If you try to celebrate the holidays, stick to a diet, and move all at the same time, this is a recipe for a bad mood. Enjoying those holiday foods can boost your mood and help you feel more in the spirit of the season even if your decorations are packed away and loaded on a moving truck.

Get Someone to Stop By

Moving to a new house can seem so empty and cold, and you may have trouble making it feel like a real home when everything is still packed up. Try to find a friend or family member who could stop by for a cup of hot cocoa or to watch a seasonal movie with you. Just having someone else familiar in the house for a short time will make it feel more like it’s your place.

Moving on its own is so stressful. Dealing with the holidays makes it even more difficult. If you have a family, make sure you take simple steps so that you can still celebrate the season even when you are in the middle of relocating.

How to Move Affordably

Moving isn’t cheap. In fact, if you have to pick up and relocate several states away, you will likely spend thousands of dollars just getting into your new home, and you may not have that kind of money.

When you have no choice but to relocate, you need to start finding ways to save money while still getting everything moved properly. There are small things to do that can save cash, and you don’t have to break the bank.

 

Choose from the Right Moving Companies

There are some moving companies out there that will tack on all sorts of hidden fees that can add up quickly. When you start searching for the right movers, take the time to pick the right one and you can save hundreds of dollars. A few things to consider include:

  • Ask the company how they will determine the cost to move your belongings. Some calculate by room, but if you don’t have heavy appliances, this should be a factor.
  • Ask about insurance, travel fees, and other expenses that could be added to your final bill.
  • Make sure you only pay once for a gas fill-up instead of at the beginning and end of the move.

If you don’t want to use movers, then you also have the option to rent a truck. However, when you factor in gas costs, mileage, and your own ability to drive the vehicle, it may be more cost effective to bring in the professionals anyway.

 

Don’t Overspend on Moving Supplies

When you can, find ways to save money on the boxes, tape, newspaper, and other materials you will need to pack up your belongings. For your valuable and breakable items, it’s a good idea to buy sturdy boxes, but for other things, you may be able to find them for free by contacting local businesses.

Ask your friends and family for newspapers to use for filler, but again, make sure you do purchase the right materials for your breakable items. For long distance moving, you simply cannot take chances with valuables or you could spend so much more than the cost of materials just to replace things that were broken.

 

Have a Yard Sale

Before you pack up everything, be sure to go through all of your belongings and get rid of things you don’t need anymore. Likely, you have quite a bit and there is no sense in taking those items with you. Instead of packing them away, consider having a yard sale. You could raise some extra cash that can go toward the move and you won’t have to pay to bring along so many unnecessary items.

 

Handle the Cleaning

Don’t hire a cleaning company unless you absolutely have to. Instead, clean your old home on your own or get the help of friends and family. This way, you can save hundreds of dollars.

If you are careful, you can save quite a bit of money when you are moving. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg when you take simple money saving steps.

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

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.

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.

[custom_table]

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

[/custom_table]

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.