Category Archives: Local Moving

Reasons You Should Always Hire Moving Company

Hire Moving Company

I dread moving. Every part of it. From the packing, to the lifting, to the unloading, to the sifting; moving is on my list of least favorite things to do right next to “have ingrown toenail surgery.”

Reasons You Should Always Hire Moving CompanyThankfully, now that I’m in my 30s and have a little more disposable income, I can afford to hire movers when I need them — and it’s money very well spent. If you’re not a convert yet, you should be. Here are six reasons you should always hire moving company.
1. There’s Less Chance You’ll End Up in the Hospital

I have one disastrous image in my head when I think about moving accidents, and it’s that huge piano free-falling from a high story of a tall building — and splat! It’s a totally valid nightmare in New York City, which is why I bump into lampposts all the time; I’m always anxiously looking up. Outside of killing somebody else with your ill-preparedness and overall negligence, you can hurt yourself pretty badly when you don’t know what you’re doing.

Moving heavy items like sofas, beds, and furniture is awkward, requires either multiple people or the right equipment, and it needs to be done twice — moving out of one home and moving into another, explains John Bodrozic, co-founder of HomeZada, a digital home platform for the homeowner lifecycle. “Hiring a professional mover eliminates the potential for injury.”
2. Your Friends and Family Won’t Regret Knowing You

One word: pivot!

If you’re a “Friends” fan you know what that means, and if you’re not, well, you should look up the clip on YouTube so you don’t annoy and alienate your friends on moving day like Ross did.

“No matter how much they say they will help, friends and family hate helping you move because it’s tiring and stressful,” Bodrozic says. “Keep your friends and family happy by just inviting them over for the housewarming party, not the moving bit.”
3. You’ll Free Up Time for Other Important Moving Day Issues

There’s a lot more that needs to be done on moving day besides the actual moving. Perhaps you need to set up cable and utility service, maybe you need to get a new driver’s license, or your time might be better spent readying the new place by making it move-in friendly. Professional movers can free up a huge chunk of time by taking that burden off your back — literally — so you can concentrate on other important tasks and exercise efficiency.

“Moving yourself will take you a lot more time,” says Bodrozic. “Having a company come in and do it for you with the right truck, the right hand tools, and the right resources gets the job done much more quickly.”
4. Movers Will Have All the Right Equipment

You know what’s worse than having to move your entire bedroom set down four flights of stairs? Realizing that you don’t have the IKEA-issued Allen wrench you need to dismantle the darn thing. Forget about breaking your back; that aneurysm you’re about to have will probably kill you first. But not if your superhero movers and personal saviors are on the job.

“Professional movers will size the contents and have the right sized truck and other hand tools to move equipment,” Bodrozic says. “Oftentimes, people who do it themselves will rent a smaller truck requiring more trips, and they forget about various hand tools are other things that make it much easier to move.”

5. All Your Valuables Are Insured With Professional Movers

I don’t trust myself with moving my own valuables. I don’t put all my faith in the movers either, but I’m at least comforted that if they break it, they buy it. On the other hand, if I break it, I throw a fit and cuss at inanimate objects.

Let’s face it, if you drop your TV, you can’t exactly collect from yourself,” “Licensed and professional moving companies offer various coverage options to insure your goods against damage. In shopping around and checking out reputable companies, it’s always important to ask what your options are for insurance as a consumer.”

I’ll take the gold package, please, and I’ll totally understand if some of my out-of-date appliances bounce off the concrete until they’re unrecognizable.
6. It Can Potentially Save You Money in the Long Run

The major hesitation of hiring movers, of course, is the cost. I’m always telling you that should cut corners where you can — and, granted, hiring movers is definitely not one of life’s necessities — but you may save money by letting a few jacked-up dudes do the heavy lifting.

Despite the initial price tag on a professional move, you could end up saving yourself time and money — yes, money — when you hire professionals,”  “Oftentimes we underestimate the costs of moving on our own: the rush that can result in breakage, injury, or loss of items; the refreshments and dinner for friendly helpers; the time this job carves out of your day. We forget about all the tools and equipment that are needed, how much gas for a moving truck costs, and, most importantly, whether or not we are insured if something goes wrong.”

Source

Apartment Moving: How to Move Out on Good Terms

Move Out on Good Terms

Move Out on Good TermsThere is a right way and a wrong way to do everything. Moving out of your apartment the right way ensures that you protect yourself from potential liabilities, while at the same time getting a recommendation from your landlord. A recommendation from a previous landlord is a key asset when you are searching for a new apartment. Follow a few simple guidelines to ensure that your move goes smoothly.

  • Clean up after yourself: Be honest with yourself. If you are not a tidy person, you probably have a lot of catching up to do in terms of cleaning. Block off a day or two in the weeks leading up to moving day to do some serious cleaning. Think of how your landlord, or the new tenants, would feel about how the apartment looks. Moving out means you should get your apartment to look like it did when you moved in.
  • Take pictures when you move out: Document the state of your apartment a day or two before you move out. If you’ve really cleaned it so that it looks like it did when you moved in, you should make a record of it. That way you have a time-stamped record of how you left the apartment.
  • Give a notice: If you are on a monthly rental agreement, let your landlord know in advance that you are moving. Give the proper amount of notice that is in your contract, likely 30 or 60 days. Staying within the bounds of your contract is a must in order to ensure a recommendation by your landlord that you can use in the future.

Be respectful when moving out of your apartment to ensure that you get a good recommendation in the future, and that you protect yourself from liability.

Final Moving Out Checklist

Moving Out Checklist

Final Moving Out ChecklistThese are the final few steps that you should take when you are moving out of an apartment or home. This ensures that you don’t leave anything left over when you leave, and that you are protect yourself financially from potential squatters.

  • Check the utility meter. Make note of the levels of the utility meter for your home as you leave. The best way to do this is to take a picture of the meter with a date. That way, if you are billed for the next tenant you have evidence of your last use of the utilities.
  • Leave a note for the tenants moving in. Give them your new address just in case of any incoming mail you hadn’t redirected yet, or if someone calls you at your old house number.
  • Check all of your rooms and closets on your way out. People often leave things high up in their closets, tucked away and forgotten. Check your wall cabinets in the kitchen as well; high cabinets also end up having left over items as well.
  • Check behind furniture you are leaving behind. If you are leaving an apartment with furnishings, check behind couches and tables for extension cords, phone chargers, and whatever else may have fallen back there.
  • Unplug your fridge and leave the door open so that no mold collects.

Moving is a struggle, but with the right preparation the process isn’t so bad. For questions about packing and moving services in your area, contact us today !

 

Five Tips for Moving in the Winter

Five Tips Moving

 

Five Tips Moving in the WinterThe winter can be a great time to move. Apartments can be found at better rates and moving companies tend to have more open schedules as the majority of moves happen during the spring and summer. But, moving in the winter comes with its own risks. Here are a five tips moving to consider during the winter.

  1. Clear the snow from walkways at your old house and your new house. Get plenty of salt if the walkways are icy so that you can avoid the risk of falls.
  2. Don’t pack winter clothes and supplies. Have some shovels, salt, ice scrapers, and ice picks easily accessible when you get to your new place. You should also bring along extra warm clothes that you can pull on quickly.
  3. Protect your floors with broken down cardboard boxes. Moving in the winter is pretty messy, but you can spare some of the mess by putting down cardboard or plastic in the entryways of your home.
  4. Check the weather forecast and have a back-up plan. If the weather is too rough, make sure you and your moving company are on the same page and have a back-up day planned. If there is someone moving into an apartment that you are leaving, make sure to get in contact with them. If the weather is so bad that you can’t move, they probably aren’t moving either.
  5. Make sure that your utilities will be turned on by the time you get to the new house. In the winter season, sunlight is limited. You’ll need to have your electricity turned on before you get there. You’ll also want your heating to be going before you get to your house.

At Pony Express we are committed to helping you with a smooth transition into your new home. For questions about packing and moving services in your area, contact us today

What should I pack last before move?

What should I pack last before move?

What should I pack last? Before you move, you probably want to get everything stored away as quickly as possible. But you can’t forget about the things you’ll need to have accessible for the last few days in your old place. Here are a few things you should avoid pack till the last day, unless you want to go digging back into your perfectly packed boxes.

–          Toiletries including toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, and toilet paper.

–          Snacks and coffee. A lot of people will order food out for the last few days before they move, but you may want to keep some light snacks and your coffee maker around.

–          Box cutter or pocket knife. You’ll be happy when you start to unpack.

–          Tape measure. This will come in handy when you are moving into the new place.

–          Phone charger, both for your car and a wall charger.

–          Extra extension cords, a flashlight, and batteries. In the off-chance of an emergency, you won’t want to have to sift through all of your packed things.

–          Trash bags. You’ll want to keep a couple bags to clean anything up on your way out.

–          Medications. This can go along with your toiletries. Keep these handy and throw them together with your toiletries as you leave.

If you keep these things handy, you’ll probably be in good shape for the last few days in the old apartment or house. Good luck!

Where to get Moving Boxes and Supplies for your Move

Moving Boxes and Supplies

Moving Boxes and SuppliesFor some of your more delicate and fragile items, you will want to buy Moving Boxes and Supplies for your move. However, for other bulk items, there are many places that you can get free boxes and other moving supplies that would otherwise get thrown away.

  1. Grocery stores – Ask the produce section for boxes. They have lots of wooden boxes that are great for medium weight items. These boxes will probably be very dirty, however, so use them for garden and hardware items you need to move.
  2. Bookstores – Ask your local bookstore if they have any extra boxes. Boxes for books tend to be better quality and good for heavy objects.
  3. Bars and restaurants – They will also have good quality boxes for heavier items you need to move.
  4. Craigslist – A quick search in the free section will often produce quite a few boxes and other moving supplies that people are trying to get rid of. Don’t forget to pass them on when you’re done with them on Craigslist.

For all of these places, the gracious thing to do is to call ahead and check if they have any boxes they are trying to get rid of. That way, you save yourself time and they will know that you are coming ahead of time.

At Pony Express we are committed to helping you with a smooth transition into your new home. For questions about packing and moving services in your area, contact us today.