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When you first move into your new home, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all that your new area has to offer. You’re likely getting set up in your new location trying new restaurants, meeting your neighbors, checking out fantastic sights, and settling into a new job. The go-go-go mentality of learning your new city can be overwhelming for the first few weeks after your move.

Then, reality sets in.

Relocating is by far one of the most stressful life events. A survey showed that most people find moving more stressful than a divorce, with more than half noting that moving was the most stressful thing they’ve ever done in their lives.

It’s clear: moving isn’t easy. It’s physically demanding, emotional, and it can take time to feel at home in a new place.

Manhattan psychoanalyst Ronnie Greenberg told The New York Times, “Panic can really set in around your home and your apartment. It’s a matrix of safety, so moving is incredibly stressful, and people don’t realize it — they mainly talk about the packing and the external part of moving.”

If you’re feeling down before, during, or after a move, know that it’s normal to feel this way. However, if the feeling continues for more than a few weeks, you may be suffering from relocation depression.

A 2016 study showed that moving creates what researchers dubbed “a perfect storm of unhappiness.” Many people amid a recent move feel lonely due to leaving the people they used to interact with daily, but they’re also too stressed out and tired to put forth the effort needed to get to know people in their new environment.

If you think you may be suffering from relocation depression, it’s essential to work closely with a therapist and your doctor to develop a treatment plan that can help you begin to thrive in your new home.

If you’re not depressed but still feeling down in the dumps in your new place, it’s important to put yourself out there. Know that at first, it’s unlikely that you’ll enjoy social outings as much as you did with your old crew. It can take time to develop the deep, meaningful friendships that you left behind. While making new connections is important, it’s also wise to stay in touch with those in your old city, and thankfully, technology makes that more accessible than ever. Setting up FaceTime friend dates to watch a movie together, enjoy takeout, or simply chat about your day can help you feel connected to those you love.

Moving Is Hard — We’re Here To Make It Easier.

Moving is always tough on a family, and we’re here to help make the transition to your new home a little bit easier. Reach out to us today for a quote on how our professional moving services can take some of the stress out of leaving your home and settling into a new area.

 

 

Are you thinking of moving out of your rental unit? While any relocation involves many quickly moving parts, moving out of a rental requires a bit of special attention. That means adding a few items to your moving to-do list.

After all, a landlord will be checking to make sure you leave the rental in an agreed-upon condition — and, of course, you want to get your full security deposit back. While each lease has its own specific requirements, these tips will help smooth your move from your rental.

Review Your Lease

Before making any moving decisions, review the terms of your lease or rental agreement. Here, you will find essential information about the terms you agreed to when you moved in.

These may include:

• How to end the lease
• The amount of notice you must give
• How to handle the transfer of utilities
• What condition you must leave the rental unit in
• Maintenance and repair obligations

Provide Vacate Notice

Once you know how much notice you must provide, let your landlord know that you’ll be moving out. While each contract is different, many require at least 30 days’ written notice.

That means you’ll need to write your landlord a letter within the specified timeframe. In most cases, your letter should include your specific moving date, your new address, a statement about the good condition of the rental unit, and that you want your deposit returned.

Assess Any Issues

Let’s face it: It’s almost impossible to live in a home without creating some wear and tear. But when you’re renting, landlords generally expect you to fix anything you break.

Most require you to leave the rental unit in the same state it was when you moved in. In addition, rental agreements often include a property condition report that details the rental’s condition at the start of your lease.

Before moving day, perform a walk-through of the space and identify any damage or potential problems. Then ensure you take care of any issues you’re responsible for under the terms of the lease. This may include:

• Patching or filling holes in the walls (including for hanging art)
• Repairing dents or scratches in the flooring
• Returning paint to original colors
• Fixing broken windows
• Making sure electrical systems, plumbing, appliances, lighting, and other fixtures function properly

Leave it Empty and Clean

After your belongings are loaded onto the moving truck, perform a final walk-through. Again, your goal is to make sure you’ve left nothing behind.

Don’t leave anything in the rental unit that wasn’t there when you moved in — and that includes nice items. Even if you think the next tenant will love that comfy couch or those glow-in-the-dark star stickers on the ceiling, you must take it all with you when you go.

Finally, leave your rental clean. Once you’ve got all your stuff out of the way, clean the entire unit. Start at the top and work your way down in each room. Clean from the ceiling to the floors and everything in between. The cleaner you can leave the unit, the better; landlords often charge high cleaning fees.

Schedule a final walk-through with your landlord. If they find any issues, ask if you can take care of them before funds are taken from your deposit.

Moving Made Easy

Following these tips can help make moving from your rental less stressful. In addition, we can help make it even easier. Contact us for a moving quote today.

 

Moving to a mountain town will bring unique opportunities for those used to living in a coastal or Midwestern city. However, it might also present some new challenges. To help your move go more smoothly, here are a few things to consider about living in a mountain town.

Be Prepared for Awesome Beauty

The natural beauty of mountain towns is breathtaking. The peaks and valleys, trees and grass or snow are all around you. Natural beauty provides recreation opportunities and helps dissipate anxiety and stress. 

Take Altitude Seriously

Altitude sickness might be a factor. It occurs when your body cannot adapt to the low pressure, low oxygen levels that occur at altitudes above 8,000 feet. If you’ve lived at low altitudes for several years and suddenly move to higher ones, you may experience fatigue, headaches, nausea, and trouble sleeping until your body adjusts.

One way to lessen the possibility of experiencing altitude sickness is to move more slowly, taking time to stop for a day or two along the way at intermediate altitudes. Also, drink more water than you usually do when you arrive in a high-altitude city.

Plan Ahead

Running to the grocery store isn’t as easy in mountain towns as in a big city. So you’ll want to plan ahead for shopping excursions because the nearest store might be several minutes away.

You may also buy groceries for two weeks at a time or more. However, weather and road conditions can be harsh, so you’ll want to prepare for the possibility that you’ll be shut inside your home for several days at a time.

Making Friends

Mountain towns are generally tight-knit communities, and making a connection is often easy. You can meet your neighbors by regularly visiting coffee shops or diners, joining a club or gym, or volunteering for community boards.

Mountain folks tend to be loyal friends and to look out for one another. Sometimes they also carpool for shopping trips to the city.

Mountains Will Challenge Your Fitness

Jogging and walking in the mountains require a lot more stamina than doing so on flat ground. So if you anticipate a move to the mountains, start increasing your fitness level months before by jogging and doing resistance training.

Respect the Wildlife

From deer to elk to moose, you will likely encounter large animals on the road and in the wild. Stay safe by paying attention to the speed limits and signs posted in your area that warn about the wildlife. When you see these animals in the wild, be respectful and cautious by giving them space.

Also, you might need to adjust your habits in others ways too. For instance, you might experience bears in your mountain town. Respect the rules of your area. While most people don’t intentionally feed bears, newcomers may do so unintentionally. For example, putting trash in a dumpster outside without locking it or leaving food in a car can bring bears running for a quick meal.

Make Your Move to a Mountain Town

Generally, there’s less noise and light pollution in the mountains, which is beneficial if you struggle with insomnia. Mountain towns also tend to be more affordable than city living.

If you feel inspired to move to a mountain town, we can help with your move. Contact us for a free quote.

 

Moving a business isn’t easy, so having a commercial moving plan is essential. 

Commercial moving plans are multi-faceted. Your project should consider how you’ll communicate with clients; help employees change to a new location when the move will take place, have a packing plan, and so on. The more comprehensive your commercial relocation plan, the easier it will be to have an organized relocation. 

Establish a Timeline

Write a timeline for your upcoming relocation. The timeline should include:

• Deadline for finding a new location to move to
• Date your commercial lease ends
• Deadline for finding a moving company
• Dates when you will inform your employees about the relocation
• Dates when you’ll notify your clients and vendors of your upcoming relocation
• When packing will begin, what will be packed first, second, and so on
• When packing should be finished

Find a New Location

To find a new location for your business, you’ll need to have a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves, a budget for monthly rent and down payment, a specific location you’d like to target, and so on.

When you’re writing your relocation plan, put all these priorities in writing. Then, work with managers and supervisors at your business to ensure that you consider all the variables you should consider when deciding where to move.   

Establish a Committee

Unless your business is very small, you’re going to need many people working on this relocation. Establish a committee of managers, supervisors, and staff leaders who can work on your relocation together. Task the committee to create your moving plans and find ways to move forward with those plans in an organized manner.  

Keep Employees Informed

Create a communication plan to keep your employees informed about the relocation and their role in it. The more informed your employees are, the easier it will be for them to manage the stress of the relocation while integrating the move into their work plans.

Remember, a relocation can be disruptive to everyone in the organization at all levels. Your relocation will likely impact everyone who works in your company. Have a plan for communicating all information that people need to know to do their jobs. 

Give Employees a Role

Give your employees a role so they too can help, participate and feel ownership over what’s happening to them at your company. For example, you might make your employees responsible for deciding what gets packed and what they should dispose of, or you might make them responsible for packing their belongings. Write the employees’ roles into the plan.

Make a Plan to Communicate with Customers

What will you communicate to your customers, and when? How will you communicate with your customers? Who will be responsible for doing that communication? Make a plan to share with clients and keep customers up to date on your company’s objectives. 

Work With An Experienced Commercial Moving Company

Your upcoming commercial relocation is too important to leave to chance with an inexperienced moving company. So instead, find a commercial moving company with experience, skills, and good customer service. To get a quote from an experienced, reputable moving company in your area, contact us.  

 

When you plan to move, you know there might be a lot of activity going on. And sometimes, you can’t be the one doing the activity.

If you’re moving after an injury or a severe illness, you need to take extra care of yourself throughout the process. These tips can help make it easier.

Create Reasonable Limits

Moving tends to make a lot of people very ambitious. That’s especially true during packing and the last few days before the move.

More than anyone else, you need to set reasonable limits that you can follow. You won’t help anyone if you injure yourself or relapse into a worse illness by overdoing it.

Instead, start slow and get a sense of the amount of packing or sorting you can manage. Feel free to scale back if you need to. You’ll still get there if you can keep at it each day.

Set Boundaries With Family and Friends

Family members and friends can be excellent sources of encouragement. But, unfortunately, sometimes that isn’t what you need.

If you live with someone or see them all the time, they might not recognize your limitations. As a result, they may push you beyond your reasonable limits.

That’s great when you’re trying to get a better time on a hiking routine, but not after injury or illness. Learn how to set boundaries and stick to your goals. You’ll be able to protect your energy and strength that way.

Prepare for Your New Home

Moving to a new home when you have a few different requirements is a little more challenging. So first, make a list of things you’ll need. You might even prioritize them into categories of things you can’t do without and things that would work better for you.

For example, you might need a conditioned space with a particular temperature or close access to a bathroom. In addition, you might need a place to store medications you take throughout the day. This area becomes your safe space in the new home.

If you have a rough layout of your safe space, you can plan to outfit it with everything you need. That way, you can arrive at a great place to rest.

Take Extra Time

If you usually push through tasks with boundless energy, it may not be surprising that they take more time now. You’ll be glad you took it.

Packing slowly and carefully makes it easier to avoid injury while moving. That’s even more important when you’re already dealing with illness or injury.

Start your task at a good time when you have good pain management. Take breaks and back off if you start to feel sick or very sore.

Hire Help

Hiring professional movers might be the best solution to a better moving experience. Movers can’t tell you what to keep while you sort, but they can pack it for you. They can also load it, transport it and unload it. Full-service movers can even unpack for you.

People don’t just hire these services because they’re too busy. They do it for convenience, to protect themselves, and to ensure it happens on time. You can, too.

If you’re getting ready to move after injury or illness, you deserve extra care. Call us to find out how we can make your moving experience less stressful.

Moving day is one that’s filled with excitement and a bit of dread. You’ve probably been working on a lengthy to-do list for weeks or months leading to your move. Our moving experts emphasize the importance of remembering an essentials kit for your next move.

A long-distance move may involve several days on the road. That makes the essentials kit even more important.

The following guide will help you create the perfect essentials kit for a long-distance move.

What Is an Essentials Kit?

An essentials kit is also known as a “survival box.” It includes the items needed to remain comfortable throughout the move, even if you’ll be traveling for several days. 

A complete essentials kit probably won’t fit in a single box, as families with pets and kids will need more items. However, the essentials kit, no matter how large, should always be easy to access.

Essentials Kit Checklist

A perfect moving essentials kit includes everything you need and a few additional items you hopefully don’t need, like first-aid supplies.

Toiletries

Pack basic toiletries for each family member.

• Toothbrushes and toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Soaps
• Contact supplies
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Hairbrush and comb
• Medications
• Toilet paper

Food and Kitchen Items

You will want some quick easy to access food items on your moving adventure. Add these to your list to pack:

• Snacks like granola bars, beef jerky, trail mix
• Non-perishable meals
• Water and drinks
• Disposable plates and utensils
• Paper towels

Electronics and Games

Phones and laptops should always be stored safely and easy to access along with their chargers. In addition, tablets and other entertainment items for kids can be essential for long-distance moves.

Clothing

Pack a change of clothing for each family member for each day you’ll be traveling. This should include pajamas, warm clothing, and even bathing suits if you’ll be stopping at a hotel with a pool. 

Pet Items

Anyone traveling with pets will need enough pet food, water, treats, and toys to keep pets safe and comfortable on the journey. Remember the waste bags too for easy clean-up.

Kids’ Kits

Each kid should be prepared with their own essentials kit. If the child is old enough, pack their stuff in their own backpack. Include electronics and games, clothing, snacks, and toiletries. Properly preparing kids’ essentials kits can save you from major headaches on the journey. 

Documents

Moving day is a time to ensure all of your family’s important documents are in one place. Important documents may include the following plus any others that may be specific to your family or home.

• passports
• birth certificates
• social security cards
• titles
• registrations 
• important financial documents
• moving company contract

A Pen and Paper

While old-school, pen and paper can be especially handy when moving long-distance. You may need to write down directions, contact info, or other essential information while on the go.

We’ll Take Care of the Rest

Make moving a fun adventure. You take care of preparing your essentials kits, and our expert movers will handle the rest.

We’re professionals at making every part of your next move as stress-free as possible, from packing and loading to unloading and unpacking at your destination. Contact us for a free quote today.

Often, the logistics involved in a working family completing an out-of-state move prove overwhelming. Enrolling children in a new school system, transferring vehicle registrations, and staying on top of mail deliveries rank among the seemingly endless minutia you have to juggle.

While some of those things falling through the cracks for a few days won’t upend the move, others can set off a domino effect of mounting frustration. That’s why it may prove fruitful to consider missteps that can disrupt an otherwise smooth transition. The following are common setbacks people experience when moving out of state and ways to avoid them.

1: Forgetting to Measure Your New Space

New living space may not accommodate your furniture in a fully functional fashion. Dining room tables, couches, and bedroom sets rank among the large items that sometimes don’t fit. Even when rooms appear to possess adequate square footage, the layout of the living space may not be conducive to free movement. That’s why it’s essential to measure the furniture and the room dimensions and get a sense of placement. 

2: Placing Heavy Items in Large Boxes

People who don’t work as professional movers sometimes operate under the misconception that heavy items should go in big boxes. In a conceptional way, that seems to make logical sense. But the reality is that large boxes have wide bottoms and are more likely to fail. So, you should pack heavy items like books in small boxes and lighter items like pillows and blankets you should pack in larger containers.

Imagine moving day arrives, and the bottoms start falling out. Having to repack your belongings not only disrupts your timeline. It can also prove a little embarrassing. Heavy items require sturdy boxes and packaging that can handle the weight. If you are unsure about the strength of boxes or how to pack them securely, you should leave this task to the professionals.

3: Forgetting to Label Boxes

It’s not unusual for people to focus on wrapping fragile items and neatly packing them in boxes. While that aspect may help ensure successful transport without damage, labels matter. Unlabeled boxes don’t allow moving professionals to separate fragile items from others. This means that glassware might be placed at the bottom and the weight of other cartons could damage otherwise securely packed things.

In addition, proper labels allow the movers to place the boxes in the appropriate rooms at your new home.

When packing belongings yourself, remember to label each side of every box with a permanent marker before sealing it. Include the box contents and the room location. Also, indicate if the contents are “fragile.” This strategy could save hours of delays and an unnecessary headache.

4: Getting Over-Extended With Moving Tasks

One of the more common things that happen to busy families is that they simply have too much on their plate. Regular work weeks, family commitments, and socializing already fill up busy schedules. Planning a move and all the small tasks that come with it is challenging. Without a to-do list, the unfortunate result is people rushing to get packed, tossing things randomly in bags and boxes as the moving trucks pull up.

The fact of the matter is that out-of-state moves require families to handle so many additional issues that basic moving tasks take a backseat. That’s why enlisting the help of a full-service moving company is essential. Vehicle transportation, proper packaging techniques, and setting a detailed moving itinerary can take the worry out of moving. If you are planning an out-of-state move, contact us for a quote and avoid setbacks.

 

You find yourself having to make a residential move, and your budget is pretty slim. While moving can bring along some extra expenses, there are also a few good ways to save money. 

1. Get creative when sourcing packing supplies.

The cost of large moving boxes, packing paper, and quilted pads can add up. Not to mention the other packing supplies you will need like tape and bubble wrap. If you have a lot to pack, the cost of moving supplies is something to consider. Look for budget-friendly options: 

• Some grocery stores give away boxes that you can easily use for packing
• Check with local businesses for newspapers to use as packing paper 
• Use your own heavy blankets and towels to protect your furniture

As an adage, some moving companies provide discounted moving supplies like gently-used boxes for free or for a discount when you hire them for help. 

2. Sell what you don’t need. 

The fewer items you have to move, the more cost-effective your move will be. If you have things you don’t need, consider selling them instead of carrying them to your new place. You could post the articles on local classified groups online or even host a garage sale. As a side note, some items that you may consider trash you might be able to recycle for extra cash. For example, a lot of metal recycling centers will pay money for old metal appliances. With a bit of sorting and effort, you may even make some money to put toward your moving costs. 

3. Cut your utility usage where possible and split deposit payments when you can.

When you are in the process of moving, utility costs can change. You may have to pay for whatever you use before leaving your current address and paying a deposit to get service at the new place. Cut utility usage before moving day not to find yourself financially overwhelmed with the final bill. You may try: 

• Raising the thermostat a few degrees to prevent the AC from kicking on so often 
• Lowering electric heat settings a bit while you’re up packing or while in bed 
• Unplugging electronics when they are not in use 
• Scaling back on limited internet usage 
• Opting for showers over baths to save water usage

Keep in mind that some companies will allow you to split up deposit payments throughout your first few bills, which may help you save a bit during the move. 

4. Create a meal plan to save money on eating out.

When you’re in the middle of a move, it can be tempting to eat out and grab food on the fly instead of cooking. However, restaurant meals can be 325 percent more expensive than a meal you prepare at home on your own. Even just making your coffee at home could save around $40 in 30 days. Create yourself a meal plan, make your coffee at home, and you could save quite a bit to put toward your move. 

5. Enlist help to avoid time off of work.

While it may seem counterintuitive to hire professional movers to help you move, doing so can mean you have more free time, and you may not have to miss much time from work. If you are ready to tack down your moving budget and need to get an idea of the cost, reach out to us for a free moving quote today. 

 

What if you have found the ideal new home — but the kitchen is a bit dated? 

Many people dream of a new kitchen but can’t afford the costs of expensive remodels when they move into their new home. With the average kitchen remodel costing anywhere between $12,000 to $35,000, even a minor remodel can easily set a new homeowner back at least $4,000. 

Here are a few low-budget ways to refresh a dated kitchen and give it a newer look. It’s not a full remodel, but these small changes can make a huge difference.

1. Add a Fresh Coat of Paint

A coat of new paint can shave years off a dated kitchen. Painting is one of the most affordable and easiest ways to refresh a kitchen when moving into a new home. All it requires is about 1-2 gallons of paint and a few hours to get the job done. In the end, the kitchen will look refreshed and inviting.

2. Update Kitchen Cabinets

New kitchen cabinets can cost thousands of dollars. However, many vintage kitchen cabinets are well-made of solid wood and will continue to last decades.

• Sand and re-stain
• Paint
• Add new cabinet pulls and knobs

Sometimes, all kitchen cabinets need is a little TLC, and you can make them look refreshed and new without the hefty price tag.

3. Upgrade to a Modern Faucet

Many people are surprised after they realize the dramatic impact a modern faucet makes in a kitchen. Old, outdated faucets are often hard to keep clean and aren’t as functional as newer models. Yet, it’s one of the things most new homeowners overlook. Traditional chrome models show water stains, whereas brushed nickel and other versions repel water and leave it looking clean all the time. More contemporary faucets also add height and have built-in spray features making pots and pans easier to clean. Good-quality faucets are very affordable and can give your sink a whole new look.

4. Change Drawer and Shelf Liners

A low-budget refresh that you can do before your residential move or quickly before you unpack is to place new shelf liners throughout the kitchen. It’s a great way to give the interior of cabinets a clean look. It provides an opportunity to do some reorganization and perhaps even some downsizing to make cabinets more functional. Depending on how many surfaces need re-lining, this job, on average, costs anywhere between $25 and $75.

5. Install New Switch and Outlet Plates

Switch and outlet plates are often overlooked items for replacing. Homes often contain the original metal or white switch plates and then can look dingy. Try installing decorative or at least newer metal ones to provide a “cleaner” look—it’s surprising to learn what a big difference this small change makes. Nice-looking switch and outlet plates can cost anywhere between $3 and $15 per cover. It’s an easy fix that doesn’t take away much time from unpacking.

6. Add New Lighting

Older kitchens often have dim or inefficient lighting, which makes the room look dark and dank. Swap out the overhead fixture for an updated fixture that accommodates LED light bulbs. Homeowners can find inexpensive fixtures. If you need to have them professionally installed, it will increase the cost, but they’ll do it safely and correctly. 

New Home Refresh

Moving into a new place with a dated kitchen doesn’t have to bring down the excitement; even minor changes can equal significant differences.

Are you planning an upcoming move? Contact us today for a free estimate or to learn more about our moving services.