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Tips for Making A Winter Move Smooth

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It’s officially cold here in the Boston area. Moving seems like it’s not that fun this time of year, but actually, there are certain advantages. For one, prime moving season happens between May and September – which means that it’s easier to get movers on the times and dates that you want, and finding a place may be easier or cheaper. Of course, there are problems, too. A little caution, foresight, and flexibility will get you through! And Pony Express Moving’s guide to cold-weather moving will help.

Tips for Making A Winter Move Smooth

Take the weather into account

As your moving day comes near, make sure to check weather reports to make sure that you’re prepared. Of course, Boston weather is notoriously changeable and often unpredictable, so you’ll want to keep that in mind. Remember to keep your cold-weather supplies easily available. You may need your snowblower, coats, gloves, and scrapers. And lots of towels.

If there’s going to be lots of snow, plan your moving route to include main streets that are likely to be shoveled and salted. If the weather is going to be bad, avoiding busy streets might be the way to go. Clear your sidewalks and driveways so that moving your belongings is less dangerous. At your new place, make sure all the utilities are working before you move in. Do this a few days in advance so you can deal with any problems before moving day. Make sure your car is also ready.

Take care of your people and pets for winter move

Some sites recommend turning off your heat during a move; we don’t, as we think a couple of hours aren’t going to be that much of a hit on your utility bill, and Boston is no fun in icy temps. Still, it will be colder in your house because need doors will be propped open. It might be nice to provide warming alternatives for you and your helpers – a warm bathroom with a space heater, for example, or a carafe full of hot coffee in the kitchen (don’t forget cups!).

If you have small children and pets, do your best to keep them away from the chaos of moving. This will expedite the moving process and lower your stress levels – as well as theirs. Arrange care for your pets and kids in advance. Consider boarding your pets, so they don’t get underfoot or lost during the moving process. If you wish your kids to be part of the moving experience, let them pack and move their toys at the end of the move. This lets them feel part of the crew, but keeps them away while the big stuff is being done.



Take care of your things during winter move

Take shorter days into account, and get started early. Know what kind of action is likely to be happening on your street – will trucks come out to shovel the snow while you’re moving? Are there parking restrictions in place due to snow or season?

Snow, ice, and dirt may very well get into your car, your old home, and your new home. Make sure towels are available to wipe down furniture and boxes. Put mats or tarps down on your floors to soak up snow and water. Cover your boxes and furniture with blankets or sheets as you move them outside to minimize moisture and damage due to inclement weather conditions.

Be extra careful with fragile items and electronics. Electronics don’t like the cold, so know where you’re placing them and take care to keep them with you in a warm car. Fragile items can be packed with additional cushioning to avoid breakage. Remember that moving trucks may sit out overnight, so if your items can be damaged by cold you’ll want to make alternative arrangements.

Seriously, hire movers. Professionals know how to deal with this kind of weather. Listen to them. They have plenty of experience in moving, and they know what works.

Consider Pony Express Moving for all your winter move needs!

Part of our job at Pony Express Moving is to advise you on how to make hassle-free moves, and we’re good at it.

 We’ve been moving people in Boston for more than 18 winters now, and we know what we’re doing. The winter move of a two-bedroom apartment that may take you all day can be done by our professionals in just five hours!

If you’re moving in the winter, you’ll have to be careful and work out as many elements in advance as possible. You’ll also have to be flexible! Pony Express Moving can help – get an free estimate today.

Winter Moving Tips

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Winter is here and many people prefer to stay huddled up under the covers when it’s cold outside. This means that a move during the middle of the winter can seem like a nightmare. However, in some cases, you have to move when you have to move, so you might not have much choice.

Luckily, moving during the winter can actually be a good thing in some ways. Since so many more families choose to move during the summer, your moving company might not be as busy as it is during other times of the year. The truth is that many people choose to move when it’s warmer outside; plus, some families prefer to move during the summer, when their kids are out of school. This means that you may be able to enjoy more flexible scheduling, more personalized attention and even lower rates for services. However, there are a few things that you should know when packing up and moving during the winter time. You might even find that it’s not as bad as you thought it would be at all.

Winter Moving Tips

Get Started Early With Winter Moving

Since it gets dark so much earlier in the winter, you might be lacking in daylight hours during your move. To take the most advantage of the daytime hours, get started with packing early in the day so that you can call it a night fairly early, before it gets too dark. This will allow you to stay safer, since you won’t have to worry about taking loads outside when it’s slippery and dark. Plus, the temperatures are sure to be more comfortable during the daytime hours as well.

Keep Your Walkways Free of Snow and Ice

The last thing that you want to worry about is slipping and falling while carrying a box full of your best China. Even if you tend to slack off on it the rest of the time, it is imperative for you to keep your walkways free of snow and ice. Walking on slippery walkways is dangerous enough as it is, and it becomes even more dangerous when you’re carrying heavy boxes. Along with keeping the walkways free and clear at your old home while you’re packing, consider hiring someone to scrape at your new home so that you won’t arrive to dangerous conditions.

Dress in Layers during Winter Moving

While you’re packing and transporting items from your home to the moving truck, consider wearing layers of clothing. You’ll want to stay warm, but you probably won’t want to wear a big and bulky coat when you’ve got so much work to do. Dressing in layers will help you stay warm without being as bulky. Plus, you can take off a layer or two if you get hot while you’re packing.

Make Sure Your Car is Ready

You don’t just have to worry about the moving truck; you presumably also have to worry about your car making the trip to your new destination. Make sure that it’s ready for the trip by checking the tread and air pressure in the tires and scraping away any ice and snow so that you have better visibility. Stock your car with an emergency kit and plenty of blankets so that you and your loved ones will be safe in the event of an emergency.

Keep Your Winter Supplies in the Car

You might need your various winter supplies, such as your windshield scraper or your mittens, so don’t pack them away in boxes. Instead, consider tossing all of your winter supplies into one storage container or laundry basket and keeping them in your car. Keep them in a place where they can be easily accessed if you need them.

Keep an Eye on the Weather – Winter Moving

In the weeks and days before your move, keep an eye on the weather reports. You’ll want to know about any incoming winter storms that you might have to worry about. You may need to be flexible about changing your plans if there is particularly bad weather coming your way; in particularly bad weather, it could be dangerous to continue your move as planned.

Keep Something Warm to Drink

You, your family members and your moving crew will probably be craving something nice and warm to drink while packing, moving and unpacking in the winter weather. Consider packing your coffee maker and supplies last so that you can make coffee, or use your slow cooker to keep a batch of hot cocoa or apple cider on hand. You can always use disposable coffee cups if you have already packed all of your mugs away.

Hire a Professional for Winter Moving

Hiring a professional to assist you with moving is always a smart plan, but it can be especially smart when you’re moving during the winter months. If you have never driven a moving truck before, driving one might turn out to be more challenging than you think. This is especially true if you’re going to be driving in snowy and icy conditions. A professional mover, however, will be better able to drive the truck in the winter weather conditions while staying safe and keeping your packed possessions safe as well.

Take Precautions in the House

You will probably be tracking ice and snow in and out of your old house and your new one while moving. Consider investing in carpet remnants to throw down in a path through each house. If you have extra cardboard boxes lying around, you can also bust them open and lay them flat on the floor. This will help keep some of the melted mess under control and will provide some traction for you, your family and your moving crew.

Protect Your Possessions – Winter Moving

The winter weather can lead to damage to your possessions if you aren’t careful. Snow can cover your boxes and melt, causing them to be soaking wet. Extreme temperatures can damage more items than you probably think. For example, even your plates and glasses can crack when they are exposed to extreme temperatures, and the last thing that you probably want to arrive to your new home with are a bunch of broken or otherwise damaged items.

The idea of moving during the cold winter months can be a pretty miserable one. However, if you and your family need to relocate now, you might not have much choice. Luckily, you can help your winter move go a lot more smoothly if you follow these helpful wintertime moving tips. In no time, you’ll be able to snuggle up in the warmth and coziness of your new home.

Save money with Pony Express Winter Moving Services. Lower prices than traditional moving companies and you don’t have to drive! Free moving quotes.

Tips and Benefits to Moving in the Fall

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Summer is the most popular time of year to stage a move. Kids are on break from school so you don’t have to worry about uprooting them mid-year, and you can usually count on sunny—albeit hot—weather. However, if you have some flexibility in selecting your moving dates, there are several advantages to the fall season that can actually make it the most ideal time of year to move, especially if you follow a couple tips for making the process smooth and problem-free.

Tips and Benefits to Moving in the Fall

Benefits to moving in the fall

– Fall is the most cost-effective time of year to move. During summer, moving companies are in peak demand, and their prices reflect that. Demand decreases after the summer moving season tapers off in September, and you’ll find it easier to secure moving services at a more reasonable rate. You’ll also have more control over dates and times, since schedules aren’t as full.

– Summer may have more reliably sunny days, but fall’s cooler temperatures make for much more pleasant moving conditions. Move in July and you’ll be soaked with sweat after the first trip from truck to house and back, but move in the fall and you’ll enjoy crisp air and a fresh breeze to keep you cool throughout the day. The process will also be more efficient, since you won’t be exhausted by the heat and dragging your feet before mid-afternoon.

– Because fewer people are moving during the fall, you’ll have more buying power when house-hunting. There may be fewer options, but a smaller market has its advantages. For one thing, a less crowded market is a less competitive market. You won’t feel pressured to make an offer on a home before you’re ready just to avoid losing it to another buyer. You also run less risk of becoming involved in a bidding war, and sellers will be more responsive to negotiations, especially if they had hoped to sell before summer ended.

Tips for moving in the fall

– Fall foliage will make your moving day a beautiful one, but leaves on the ground can be a safety hazard when you’re lugging heavy boxes and furniture up and down the front walkway. Make sure to clear fallen leaves off the lawn and walkways before you give your movers the go-ahead to start unloading your truck. A slip and fall could result in damage to your possessions or, worse, injury to you or your movers.

– If you have kids, the primary downside to moving during the fall is missing the start of the new school year. Plan ahead to make this transition as easy as possible for them. Talk to your children about the move so you can answer any questions and soothe any worries. It will also help to contact the school to ask for information about your children’s new teachers and to request any assignments or material they can work on in the meantime so they are up to speed on the curriculum when they arrive.

– As beautiful as fall is, the weather can be unpredictable during this time of year. Be prepared to postpone moving day if the weather is too inclement—heavy rains will risk damaging your furniture and increase the likelihood of dangerous slips and falls. If the day is only overcast or there’s a light drizzle, have warm layers and rain protection on hand, including ponchos for your valiant moving team!

Save money with Pony Express Moving Services in the Fall. Lower prices than traditional moving companies and you don’t have to drive! Free moving quotes.

7 Other Things Your Movers Wish You Knew

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7 Other Things Your Movers Wish You KnewBecause, let’s face it, moving is stressful. And expensive. And did we mention stressful? It’s no wonder most people eventually decide to ditch the DIY approach and hire professionals. But that doesn’t mean the stress goes away. There are plenty of things that could go wrong.

To make the day go as smoothly as possible, you need to know how your movers work best—which includes when you should be there, when you can pitch in, and when you need to get the heck out of the way.

We quizzed some movers on their biggest pet peeves when it comes time for moving day. Here are seven things you need to know.

1. Don’t be afraid to do your homework—in person

“Our industry has a horrible reputation, and we’ve earned it,” says Aaron Steed, “There are good guys and there are bad guys, and it’s really hard to tell at the time of estimate.”

Every company is going to put its best face forward during the estimate process, but when it comes to finding out which companies will move your stuff and make you feel comfortable in the process, Steed recommends stopping by the office. In person.

“Some moving companies are the real deal, and then there are a lot of others where you just have a guy running it out of his apartment,” he says. With other companies, “the trucks have graffiti all over them and the guys look like they just got out of 10 years of solitary.”

Price is only part of the equation. Take some time to consider which movers have your best interest in mind and which are solely looking for a one-time paycheck.

2. Prep the move beforehand

Before you get out the bubble wrap, figure out what needs to happen for the day to go smoothly. Do you need to reserve your building’s elevator? Will the truck be parking on a busy street? If so, save a spot ahead of time. If you’re moving in or out of an apartment complex, make sure you know the rules—designated moving hours can cause major complications.

Don’t forget to inform your movers ahead of time if they’ll be transporting a particularly large or heavy item such as a washer, dryer, or piano. It might require extra help, and time spent looking for a third pair of hands is money wasted, says Mike Dahlman.

3. Get your packing done before moving day

If you’ve elected to do your own packing, make sure it’s finished. That doesn’t mean boxes untaped and scattered throughout the house. That means boxes filled, taped up, and ready to go by the time your movers show up. Ideally, everything will be located in a central room, which speeds up the process and keeps your possessions safe.

Even better: Stack your boxes against the wall, giving your movers “the freedom to move (around) and bring things in,” Dahlman says. “We don’t want to impede the entrance. The guys need to move quickly and easily.”

And yes, you really need to finish taping up your boxes beforehand.

“People don’t like taping their boxes, but if a mover does it, it adds a significant amount of time and money to moving day,” Steed says.

4. Label everything

You don’t need to write down the specific contents of every box, but noting where in your new home it should go is essential.

“It’s easier if the movers know where to put it as opposed to trying to delineate where it goes on move day, when we’re charging our hourly rate,” Steed says.

Also, make sure to keep your movers in the loop. If they don’t know what “Humbert’s room” means, it’s the same as if you hadn’t labeled it at all. And now’s the time to decide what area is your “great room” and which is the “den.”

“We can’t have the movers standing around during negotiations,” Steed says.

5. Tell us what’s valuable

Try as they might, movers aren’t psychics. They don’t know that the blue vase cost you $2,500, or that your grandma gave you that crystal decanter, or the retail value of your crushed velvet couch. Let them know beforehand what items they should keep a careful eye on.

“The best way to deal with damage is to avoid it—by communicating about things that are fragile and meaningful,” Dahlman says.

6. Get out of the way!

You might think you’re helping when you hop in the truck to sort items or help lift the piano, but you’re not. Really. Stop.

“We’re professionals and it’s a skill. We have a plan on how things can be done best,” Dahlman says. “Have respect for that.”

That means getting out of the way and letting them work. You’re better served directing the movers to the right rooms or reassembling furniture in your new home. (Movers prefer that you disassemble and reassemble your own stuff, so if you’ve been hoping they’ll take on the task of putting your Ikea bed back together—you might want to think again.)

Not only can an eager homeowner slow down efforts, but he or she can also be an insurance liability.

“It jeopardizes work safety and our insurance,” Steed says. “We can’t let customers on our truck or carry things with customers.”

7. Tip the movers (and maybe buy lunch)

Yes, you need to tip your movers—between $20 and $50 is standard, according to Steed, but more is always welcome.

“We’re in the service business, and what we do is incredibly hard,” he says.

Want even better service? Try tipping at the beginning of the day, something Steed says is “pretty intelligent.”

If it’s a long day of moving, consider buying lunch as well.

“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” Steed says.

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City To City Moving Tips

City To City Moving Tips

There can be plenty of reasons why you’re contemplating a house move right now. There will probably be one major reason to trigger the household move (like the end of a lease or a new job offer out of town, for example), and sometimes that main culprit may be accompanied by a number of smaller yet still significant reasons (like dissatisfaction with your current job or problems in your personal relationships).

But whatever the primary cause for the big change ahead of you, the final result is that you’re moving to another city soon and you still need to get ready for the Big day. And by getting ready, you should understand completing a ton of important tasks if you wish to have a successful move.

As you will find out soon enough, careful planning and meticulous preparation are everything when it comes to city to city moving – EVERYTHING! Don’t leave anything to chance but organize your time perfectly and make your new city move one for the books.City To City Moving

City to city movers: why you need the pros

Whether it’s voluntary or largely circumstantial, the decision to move to another city is the very first thing in a long line of pre-move jobs that you will be tackling one by one. A good job offer in another city is reason enough to get you to start packing up your stuff, as is the irresistible desire to follow your heart after having met someone special in another part of the country. What matters right now is that the day of your move is approaching fast and you will need to figure out a relocation strategy that will actually work.

The thing is that you will need the right approach to handle the house move because city to city moving is not to be underestimated. The question to answer here is whether or not you will resort to the services of professional new city movers. And if it turns out that you do, you should follow the logical steps of finding and hiring a city to city moving company that will be 1) agreeable to your moving budget, 2) responsive to your individual relocation needs, and 3) showing professional attitude toward the entire moving process.

Here are the some reasons you can end up making that first crucial contact with the moving experts:

Time. Do you have to move out of your place fast, and if yes, just how fast? Lack of sufficient time to prepare properly for moving out is one of the common reasons why people choose to go with a professional moving company. The so-called emergency moves or short notice moves cannot be usually handled by non-professionals simply because the latter have not been trained to pack, protect, carry, and load heavy, large and awkwardly-shaped household items around the clock. When you do something on a daily basis, you tend to get good at it, don’t you? The majority of city to city moving companies know just how to keep a very high level of efficiency throughout the move by maintaining unrivaled speed and safety at the same time.

Safety. The safety of your possessions and your own health should be a big concern – something to seriously think about before moving from city to city. Safety is especially crucial during the packing stage where fragile and easily breakable items could get damaged or ruined forever unless they are professionally packed and adequately protected. Also, if you own things that are extremely valuable /antique furniture/ or exceptionally difficult to transport /a piano or a pool table/, then you won’t have much of a choice but to hire experts who know what they are doing. Risking irreparable damage to your prized items or risking your own health cannot possibly justify your informed(?) decision not to contact city to city movers.

Affordability. Moving locally to a place located just a short distance away from your current home, or moving within the same town or city, is usually a prerequisite for organizing an affordable self-move. However, if you plan to move to another city hundreds or thousands of miles away, then it’s good to remember that the right way to go is to hire city to city moving services. The numerous hidden costs of self-moves will prove, once again, that sometimes it’s much better to trust professionals than to risk your time, money, and health only to make a pointless statement.

The cost of moving from city to city

Without a doubt, you will be very interested in knowing the cost of moving from city to city before the arrival of moving day. This is so because

  • you will want to know if you have enough money saved to cover the moving costs in the first place,
  • you will want to exert control over the move-related expenses by creating and adhering to a relocation budget, and
  • you will want to avoid any unpleasant surprises when it’s time to pay for the services of your new city movers.

Be mindful that trying to guess by yourself how much the new city move will cost you simply won’t work. With the exception of the move distance that remains a constant value even if you wish it weren’t so, there’s no possible way for you learn how much all the stuff you’re moving will weigh, let alone how much you will be charged for the additional service of packing.

Failed attempts at guessing the cost of city to city moving can only lead to unmet expectations and general disappointment. Instead, complete the cost calculation the right way: first, know what factors will influence the final moving price, and then learn your own relocation cost with a good level of accuracy.

  • Due to the future transportation costs, the distance between the two cities will influence the final bill. You can’t expect little or no difference in the cost when moving from New York City to Salt Lake City on one hand, and when moving from New York City to Boston on the other one. After all, the difference is around 2000 miles!. But it’s also true that you won’t be able to do anything about the move distance so you don’t have to really worry about it.
  • Your city to city moving company will charge you for the overall weight of your items for moving unless you’re moving locally, in which case you will be charged by the hour. After all of your household items have been loaded into the moving truck, your items will be weighed at a licensed weigh station and you will be informed of the precise weight of the stuff you’re tasking with you.
  • What and how many extra services you request will affect greatly the cost of moving from one city to another. Just think about packing – the job that takes the most time to complete – and you should be able to understand why each additional service will burden your set moving budget even more. Even if you haven’t asked for some of those extra services, they may be needed for the successful completion of your new city move.

In any case, because of the excess of question marks surrounding the new city moving rates, the only way to know how much you will pay in advance is to get a Free Quote online or call Pony Express at 617-983-8700 .

Four Moving Tips You Should Remember

You’ve just rented or bought your new place and are ready to start the next chapter of your life. You can see the finish line, and it’s almost there! Now you just have to cross it. With so many different aspects involved with moving, it’s easy to forget about something here or there. These bits of advice will help ensure that your moving day is a smooth one, void of any unnecessary last-minute headaches and heartbreaks.

1. Removing heavy and fragile items from dressers

four-moving-tips-you-should-rememberIt’s the day before the move, and you still haven’t finished packing. Putting away the dishes are taking way longer than you expected. But at long last, you think that you’ve finally finished packing up your whole house. You breathe a sigh of relief, as you pour yourself a glass of celebratory wine. You walk around your place one last time, and notice a dresser in the corner, full of stuff. You are too tired to care, and figure that it can be moved as is.

What you didn’t realize is that your dresser doesn’t like change. Its frame and legs are not used to moving around, especially with drawers full of odds and ends. The move finishes and there is only one casualty- that poor dresser, along with all the broken items inside. Now that late night judgment call is all you can think about. Items need to be replaced or repaired, and that time you saved last night, is coming back to haunt you.

This is a frustrating moment that could have easily been avoided. If it is a lightweight dresser, remove everything before the move. It is simply not worth the risk. For sturdier dressers, it is usually fine to leave items like clothing inside, while fragile items should always be removed.

2. Make sure there is a parking spot available for the moving truck at BOTH locations.

four-moving-tips-you-should-remember-parkingIt’s the morning of the move, and the moving company calls you to say they’re on the way. They ask you where they can park their big truck, and that’s when panic sets in. You dash outside, only to find cars lining the streets as far as the eye can see. The closest parking spot is 2 blocks away, and you sheepishly inform the movers of the situation. They let you know that this move will now need to go late into the night, and cost triple the amount that you had anticipated.

Reserving a parking spot at both locations is essential for an efficient move. The onus is on the customer to provide parking for the moving truck. Any parking tickets incurred are also the responsibility of the customer, so by securing parking spaces at both locations, you will not have to incur any additional fees/fines. It will make for a shorter and easier move.

3. Reserving elevators

The movers have arrived, and they enter your apartment. They lift and carry your couch to the hallway. One of the movers presses the button for the elevator, and then waits 2 minutes for one to come. The doors open, and there are 6 people and a dog crammed together, with no chance of even getting a lamp in there.

If you live in an apartment building or high-rise condo, you will need to reserve an elevator, and coordinate the times with your moving company. Buildings usually equip and protect the service elevator with padding/blankets before the start of the move, and most places will not even allow you to move without reserving one. Many buildings also require a “Certificate Of Insurance” from the moving company. This COI usually needs to be received before the day of the move. To obtain a copy, it’s as easy as requesting one from the moving company via email or fax.

4. Label boxes, according to each room

You did it! The move is complete, the movers have left, and now you’re alone in your new place with all your possessions. But then you look around the house, and there are boxes everywhere. You open the first box in the living room, and see that it’s full of dishes. You go to the kitchen, and find out that those boxes are full of blankets and clothing. As tired as you are, you realize that this move isn’t close to being done.

To help alleviate this problem, there is a simple process that can be done while packing – labeling each box as it is packed. By doing this, your movers will be able to place the labelled boxes in their desired room. The last thing you want to do on moving day is to spend unnecessary hours dedicated to finding items all over the house, and then having to place them where they belong. A simple label on each box will make it that much easier to set your new place up and have it feeling like home in no time. The movers will also be able to figure out the safest way to stack the boxes on the moving truck. Writing “fragile” on boxes of delicate items will also let the movers know how to stack the boxes, thereby preventing your 100lb weights from resting on top of your antique china set.

As stressful as moving can be, there are simple steps you can take to ensure your move goes as seamlessly as possible. A little preparation goes a long way, and in this case, it will save you time and money- something we can all get behind. Contact Us if you need any help moving.

 

Moving Your Elderly Parent

Moving Elderly Parent

Moving Elderly Parent

Maybe you saw it coming or it hit you like a ton of bricks – your parent is growing old and role reversal is beginning.  The time has come when your parent needs to move out of their “forever” home and start their next life chapter by either moving in with you or into a retirement community.  In order to make this challenging time easier, you must assist them with decisions like hiring a moving company and offer them support when they’re adjusting to their new lifestyle.  Transitions can be tricky, but here’s how to smooth them over.

Support Them Emotionally

Giving up the home where they lived most of their adult life, with memories permeating every corner, can be traumatic.  Your parent chose this home to build a happy life, carefully selecting the right furnishings and creating a welcoming family haven.  Leaving this place may be the right solution, but that doesn’t make it any easier.  Listen to their concerns and let them vent their frustration and sadness.  Even though moving may be ideal, they fear loss of control over their circumstances, says A Place for Mom .

Where Will They Live?

Where will the movers deliver your parent’s possessions? Figure out what your parent needs along with your close relatives and decide what’s best for your parent – moving in with you or to a retirement community or other facility.  Ask them what they’d be most comfortable doing and who in the family can handle the responsibility.

Discuss Changes With Family

When decisions have been made and moving services arranged, talk with the family about how the move affects everyone.  Then you can discuss what house rules need revision and what new routines must be implemented.  Ensure family members including your Moving Elderly Parent are aware of the changes, who is responsible for what, how it will work and that everyone is on board.  Work out any kinks before the move occurs.

What to Keep vs. What to Give Away

One of the hardest parts about downsizing, especially when sentimental objects are involved, is deciding what to keep and what to dispose of or give away.  You parent may need a sensitive hand to hold while sorting through the furniture and possessions they collected through the years.  If they decide that some items are too precious to get rid of, but they do not have the space to store them in their new home, investigate what storage options we offer through FlatRate Moving.

What Do They Need?

In considering what your parent needs to stay happy and healthy, many factors arise.  Will they require supervision during the day or are they self-sufficient? Will they need to be driven to daily activities or doctors’ appointments or do they still drive well?  Will they have enough companionship in the area? Are activities they enjoy readily available and local? Are their favorite stores in the neighborhood? How can you help them acclimate to their surroundings?

Modify Your Home

Another consideration to make is how your house will accommodate your parent if they move in.  You may need to modify your living space, so that they’re comfortable and free from dangers like falling or climbing stairs.  What are their privacy needs, says Caring.com, and do you need to remodel an attic or another room for them?  Will your finances cover the extra expenses or will they be able to contribute to your home expenses and their personal care?  Before you contact the moving company, decisions must be finalized to benefit Moving Elderly Parent.

How to Move During Major Holidays

Move During Major HolidaysHow to Move During Major Holidays

When you decide to move, you never know when your actual moving day will be.  If you’re selling a home, it could be snatched up by a buyer within a month or take over a year to find the right person.  Unexpectedly, you could end up moving around a major holiday or celebratory event like a birthday or graduation.  This complicates things if you wish to celebrate, and the moving company is scheduled to arrive during the festivities.  No disappointment necessary – you can celebrate and move simultaneously without missing the fanfare by following these moving tips.

Talk to Your Moving Company

Check with your moving company regarding moving rates during major holidays and holiday weekends to ensure it doesn’t cost more than anticipated.  If you absolutely must move around that time, you can budget for more money.  Also, make sure that movers are available at that time.  Packing in advance or hiring movers to pack for you will relieve extra pressure.

Traffic Report

Ask your municipality about changes and delays in traffic patterns due to previously scheduled parades and other holiday events.  Finding out at the last minute that a road is closed could interrupt the route chosen for moving.  Inform your movers of possible snags in transporting your furniture which they may or may not realize and let them know your concerns.

Hire a Sitter

If you have younger children who are disappointed in missing out on holiday festivities because of the move, find a sitter.  A sitter could take your little ones to a Halloween Trunk-n-Treat or the fireworks.  It will enable you to move into your new place and keep them amused.  Although they will miss their parents in the beginning, they’ll return with happy holiday stories to share.

Look for Holiday Activities

Before you move to your new town, find out what holiday activities they offer residents or what nearby festive events are happening.  Although you may cherish your typical holiday traditions, here’s your chance to create new ones, make new memories and meet new neighbors.

Host a Themed Housewarming or Holiday Party

How much fun would it be to host a holiday-themed housewarming party or in celebration of family milestones like an anniversary?  In fact, with a ready-made theme, a joint housewarming/holiday party will be memorable, highly anticipated and easy to plan.  If you need assistance from friends and family, ask them to bring a paintbrush to help paint, food for a potluck party or wear comfortable clothes for an unpacking party.

Don’t Stress Over Decorations

Yes, decorations are part of the magic of the holidays, whether it’s for Christmas, Independence Day or a special birthday, but is it the most important ingredient? Absolutely not! Adding to your stress by worrying that you didn’t hang graduation balloons on the mailbox after you just moved is unnecessary.   Furthermore, don’t beat yourself up that your furniture isn’t perfectly arranged or a trash can temporarily lurks in the living room.  With time, your home will assume its welcoming aura.

Postpone the Party

Maybe moving wiped you out so much that you just cannot fathom celebrating.  A holiday or birthday celebrated on a different day does not diminish the fun or its importance.  Postpone the party until after your moving boxes are empty and your energy returns.  Then you can party hearty and celebrate in style in your new home. Remember, moving is hard work and all you need for a perfect holiday is your favorite people.

Moving into a House with a Pool

house with a poolBuying a home with a pool brings the luxury of a resort or club right to your own backyard.  Imagine sunning yourself by the side of the pool, then taking a quick dip to cool off – it’s a vacation every day.  While the fantasy of owning a pool appears ideal, the reality is that owning a pool requires a lot of work.  More than you probably anticipated when the moving company started unloading boxes into your new home.  If you never owned a pool before, read below for pool maintenance pointers.

Daily Pool Care

Some daily pool maintenance is self-explanatory like putting pool toys away and sweeping around the pool’s exterior.  Other jobs like skimming the pool should be done often, says How Stuff Works, to keep it clean, and strainer baskets should be emptied, too.  Jobs like vacuuming the pool, brushing the walls, checking the water, PH and chlorine levels as well as looking for leaks should be done on a weekly basis.  Add baking soda into your pool to maintain the sparkle.

Safety and Security

If you don’t already have fencing around your pool or the fence needs repairs or replacing, you must install a proper fence with a locking gate immediately in case any animals or small children wander into your backyard and visit the pool area.  Go over pool rules with your children and any guests you host, children and adults alike, so there’s less chance of an unfortunate accident happening and everyone is aware of your expectations like no food while in the pool, for example.  Either way, you must remember that your homeowner’s insurance fees will rise with the addition of a pool to your property.  Energy bills will also increase, so be aware of this fact.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Consistent upkeep of your pool will increase your enjoyment, so monitor your pool for cracks, check the pool filter, test the water for proper levels and keep bugs away from your pool area by planting lemongrass which contains citronella, for instance, suggests Trulia.  Trulia also recommends putting tennis balls in the pool which will absorb oil from things like sunscreen. Once pool season is over if you live in a cooler climate, you will need to winterize your pool by tending to the following issues, says How Stuff Works, including “disconnect[ing] the heater, pump and chemical feeders,” cleaning the entire pool and then “superchlorinating” it.  If you complete all these tasks and remember to cover the pool, your pool is ready to close.  When the long winter is over, give yourself a few days to prepare the pool for the next season because everything that you unplugged must be restarted, and the cycle begins again.

Hiring a Pool Person

If the thought of all this work beyond checking pool levels and removing debris from in and around the pool overwhelms you more than all the work that the moving company performed for you, hire a pool person and/or company to open your pool and provide periodic maintenance.  Although the expense may be greater than if you tended to the maintenance yourself, you may not have the time or expertise to follow through with it.  Companies specializing in pool maintenance will know right away if your pool is in good shape or needs repairs or a chemical adjustment to the water.

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.”

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