Make the Right Move

America is always on the move-literally. Experts estimate that one out of five households move to a new residence each year. If you do the math, that amounts to a whopping 1.5 million moves every month. Those are some amazing stats, especially if you consider how trying and stressful such moves can be. It's a wonder that one household-let alone millions!-can pull it off.

If you're part of this statistic and on the verge of a big move, though, don't be daunted by the whole process of packing up your stuff, loading it, and dragging it to your new home. There is a way to move without losing any valuables, too much money, or your mind, whether you're moving across town, or across the continent. With some common sense, some help from professionals, friends, and loved ones, and the essential "Do's and Don'ts" list in this article, you can be successful and avoid all of the mishaps and stress that usually come with moving.

We'll start with the positive-the Do's on our list. Make sure to check off all of these before you even start stuffing boxes with your stuff. Do:

Line up help for packing and moving your stuff. It depends on your budget whether you hire professional movers or call in the volunteer brigade (your friends and family). Either way, round up somebody.

Have a chat with your post office, making sure they know to forward your mail to your new address. In many cases, you will need to fill out a mail-forwarding form.

Purchase brand-new moving boxes from your moving company or truck-renting company. They're worth the money. Bugs and vermin can stow away in old boxes. No need to give them a free ride to your new digs.

Sort through your stuff for old valuables you don't need anymore to sell. Be honest with yourself, and you may be able to pay for your move with the money you make-especially if you sell them at convenient and easy marketplaces like online classified sites.

Drop off old valuables that aren't worth selling at a Goodwill or other charity thrift shop.

Think comfort and safety on move day. Pack a first-aid kit with medicines and hygiene products, as well as a change of clothes and light snacks.

Now onto the Don'ts. Avoid these missteps, and your move will feel like an exciting adventure, not painful torture. So don't:
Take on the entire move without any help and worse, without any planning.

Forget to find out your local post office's rules for transferring mail. And while you're at it, don't let it slip your mind to change your address, as well.

Move without your kids and pets or leave them home alone during trips to and from your old and new residences. For pets and small children, your best bet is a sitter.

Grab a few used vegetable boxes from the supermarket or grocery store. They may be cheap, but bugs and dirt may be hiding inside them. You want to start in your new home with a clean slate, not an infested one.

Haul old kitchen junk, like worn-out plastic containers and chipped glasses, with you to your home. You can save yourself a lot of heartache, and muscle aches, if you use the move as a chance to get rid of this kind of stuff.

Pack expired canned foods, leftovers, and perishables. Anything that can spill, go rotten, and cause a mess in any way is not worth the effort. Again, think clean slate.

Throw a garage sale, sell what you can, and save the leftovers for the garage sale you tell yourself you'll have next spring. Truth is, this stuff will probably be clogging your storage space for years to come. If you want to sell it, try an easier and more profitable way, such as online classified ads.

Forget to unpack box after box after you move in and then when you can't find something (because it's buried in a box somewhere), go shopping for it. Unpack as quickly as possible. You won't feel at home in your new place until you do.

These Do's and Don'ts will help you have a "moving" experience when you settle into your new home. But instead of tears of frustration and anguish pouring out your eyes, they will be tears of joy.

Article Source: http://www.articlegeek.com/ - Free Website Content

How to Select the Best Local Movers?

Most of us will be always in a confused state when we have the list of best products with us. We will be in chaos to select, which is best. Similarly today many local movers and moving companies have been started and definitely you will be in a dilemma to select the best one. Don't worry; we will see how to select the best local mover in your state or city.

Step no 1:
Select the best Chicago mover, if you are in Chicago. Have a conversation with your friends, neighbors and relatives about your move and about the Chicago movers. If you think that the realtor can help you, no issues, you can also consult them about moving.

Step no 2:
Have a list of best three moving companies with you and enquire about their service and experience in the market.

Step no 3:
Then, see whether they have the appropriate insurance and license to travel within the state or city you preferred.

Step no 4:
See whether they have any moving complaints, the reputable Chicago mover will not have any complaints and if they had so, see how they resolved the problem.

Step no 5:
Don't prefer the company that doesn't have the real address and website because they would have been scammers and will try to cheat you.

Step no 6:
From that, select the best two and then, see their online estimates and other services such as packing and storage facilities.

Step no 7:
From the selected two, select the one and see the wide variety of rates used by them.

Step no 8:
If you are interested in music and having musical instruments especially piano, see that they also act as piano movers. Sometimes the concern may first accept and then try to reject it. So intimate to them well before.

Step no 9:
Make sure that they provide you proper moving supplies and order boxes for your packing.

Step no 10:
Tell them about your moving loads so that they can bring the moving pods depending upon your requirement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Johnson_McKenzie

Furniture Movers

Furniture movers assist in removal of the most tedious tasks that are shifting bases or moving out from home. Instead, of doing yourself, it is better if you handle such a task to professionals to avoid mishaps and loss. At least, hiring a reputable furniture movers firm assures you that you can commence and operate your business or your routine life normally, without any hindrances. At first glance, your home looks perfect, and everything seems to be in place.

The first step before you start taxing is proper planning beforehand. It can accelerate the process well enough. During this, you will find hassle-free environment. You need to determine which item you require in your new home and which you have to dispose. For disposing items, either donate to charity or arrange a sale. You must decide on how much packing you can handle by yourself and then inform the movers company about the items they need to handle. Make sure to collect your valuables and return the borrowed items such as library books.

These movers are professionals in their field, and their reputation depends solely on their work. Hence, before you select furniture mover firm, check their credibility in the market. Make sure to check their credential and other references. Prepare a tender document to be circulated in order to determine the reputed movers firm while stating your specifics of moving and your requirement clearly on that document.

Check the rates in selecting the best furniture movers, without interfering with the quality as well as their handling techniques. If at a reasonable rate you are getting superior quality of work, then it is nothing more than an icing on the cake.

Select only those furniture movers, which can guarantee, you of Insurance coverage if in case any material or item breaks during transportation. Insurance is also one of the most vital factors when dealing with such firms. Ensure to cover the whole furniture under Insurance because even the finest in the markets cannot preclude the slightest scratches to appear in the furniture. It is better if you obtain insurance coverage than feeling pain on loosing such valuable items.

The method of payment must be decided on one of the two factors, either on quantity of goods or hourly rates. Before negotiating on any terms and conditions, check that, all charges are clearly mentioned in the quote, to avoid any hidden charges henceforth.

A reasonable benefit or monetary compensation must be paid to these professional movers, if they do a rewarding and splendid job; it is must for boosting their efficiency. It is advisable to leave your entire shifting on these firms to make the work less laborious and less vigorous as these people know each and every aspect of their job.

Make sure that your furniture movers firm has enough packing material because packaging is the most frustrating role in moving the furniture. For transporting furniture without any scratch, appropriate packing material must be available from movers firm.

Now, you need to decide in advance about each and every detail of your moving furniture and fix the date and time of transportation along with fixed rate on mutual agreement. These firms ensure you of trouble-free state without finding yourself in shabbiness. Hence, deciding and hiring the prestigious furniture movers may be little arduous, but it is also less painful than the disaster which can entail pain on loosing expensive and valuable furniture.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wade_Frazier

Hiring Movers in the City? What You Need To Know

Los Angeles, the largest city in California is also the second largest city in the US. Home to around 4 million people, thousands of people move to this beautiful city.

Neighborhoods in Los Angeles

A big sprawling city, the city is spread out over 498 miles. The city is made up of several neighborhoods such as Downtown, Hollywood, the Westside, Eastside, Wilshire, Crescenta Valleys.

Finding, hiring and then reviewing movers in the city is just one of the aspects of moving. Hopefully, it can be one of the more pleasant aspects of a frequently unpleasant task that is still a necessary evil. Whether you are making a professional move or moving with your family, it is important that you find the best possible movers in Los Angeles so that you are not worried about your stuff during the moving process.

1. Movers in Los Angeles Should Be Available to Answer Your Questions

With email, cell phones, landlines, Skype, instant messaging and faxes, there should be no reason at all that you are unable to reach someone at the movers that you are talking to. If you leave a message, it should be answered promptly - no more than 24 hours should EVER pass before you get a response of some kind, even if it is to acknowledge the message and then to make a promise of a response. If more time than this is passing, do not pursue these movers. Never accept excuses: this is the age of communication and smart phones. Everyone is connected more than ever before.

2. Los Angeles Movers Should be Courteous and Respectful

After talking for several days back and forth, you finally schedule a walk through with one of the movers in the area. They come to your door, walk all over the carpet with less than clean shoes and one of the movers lights a cigarette in your front room! This should never happen and most of the movers in Los Angeles would never dream of allowing it to happen. If they cancel appointments at the last minute, treat your home like a bus stop or are just rude and nasty, they are not the right movers Los Angeles for you.

3. Movers Should Be on Time or at Least Call

As part of being courteous and respectful, the movers in the city should be on time to your home whether it for a walk through consultation or for the final move itself. If they cannot be there, there should be a phone call explaining why and giving a new estimated time of arrival for this appointment. Because Los Angeles is a city based on the movie industry, there are a number of reasons that there might be delays: roads get closed because of location filming, actors/movies get called for auditions. The mover should allow you to know what is going on in these situations.

4. Movers in the City Should Give You an Exact Route

If you are thinking of where your items are at any given point, it would be nice to be able to have a location. Good movers in Los Angeles will give you a route and a timeline for your items as they move them from Point A to Point B with alternate routes and reasons why those alternates might be taken. An estimated time frame should be given and explained carefully so that there are no panicked phone calls when the truck has not arrived at a specified time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katie_Stevenson

Why Do You Need Professional Movers?

While one needs to carry a couple of trunks the other one needs to take care of multiple boxes and heavy furniture. My childhood memories kept sensations and emotions associated with moving to another city. People, belongings, door bang and rattle from furniture, endless going up and down stairs. And at the end, indifferently how much trouble you take, anyway you either forget or lose something during moving. Twenty five years passed from that moment. Are there any changes in the organization of moving? Yes, of course! There are a lot of changes. Professional moving companies, such as miracle movers, Toronto movers appeared.

Office moving - it is a difficult problem, especially when you are in rush. When moving from one office to another, you first of all think how to save time, since time is money! All works must be carried out in a relatively short time and with maximal care in order to avoid furniture and office equipment damage. This is not a big deal for modern companies which provide moving and storage services, for example such as miracle movers, Mississauga movers. Moving companies undertake to complete local office moving within one working day. Which is your task in case of office moving? The only thing you have to do to communicate to miracle movers, Toronto movers office addresses and to settle time for moving. And the rest (packing, loading, moving, installation of the equipment and furniture, as well as cleaning) is on the moving company part. And at the end you only have to accept the work.

Moving house. I've mentioned above that when moving from one house to another a lot of problems appear. It is very difficult to stay calm in this situation. It is necessary to verify once again that you have forgotten nothing, to take care to damage or lose nothing. Today you should not worry, at least about the integrity of your belongings during moving, since companies which provide high quality moving services, including miracle movers, Mississauga movers, as a rule guarantee that they will be especially careful with precious things.

Furniture transport is a physically demanding job. However movers from miracle movers, Toronto movers are skilled and will carry easily any kind of furniture. Furniture will be dismantled and packed in a proper manner, without scratches or other damages. One additional problem is insurance. Employees of miracle movers, Mississauga will help you to obtain insurance. In other words, organization of moving has reached new, more effective and professional level.

Let's define what moving services include. First of all this service evolved into new business branch, and in such a way enhanced professional qualities of the moving companies' employees. Secondly, employees of moving companies are aware of particularities characteristic for each moving type: office or house. They take into consideration all niceties. Companies like miracle movers, Toronto movers use only high quality packing materials and modern equipment. Kinds of services rendered by moving company have been diversified: lifting works, movers' services, cleaning services and many others. That is why I advise you to contact professional miracle movers, Mississauga movers and your moving will be hassle free!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_S._Smith

Searching For Self Storage Online Saves Time

If you're reading this article then it's best to say that you are a digital native and a pioneer of the World Wide Web. Anything that you can imagine can be accessed by you from the privacy of your home. Consumers can now search for products during their time, eliminating having to call during business hours when most people are at work themselves. No matter what you are searching for you are bound to come across information giving you the knowledge on how to access this item either by purchasing it online or where to find it in local stores.

At some time or another everyone has Googled or searched for some type of item along with a description of the item such as a thermal winter jacket with weatherproofing or a particular book or recipe that you saw on television. When the search results were presented to you most likely you scanned the first view results and choose one that appeared on the first page.

Finding this information on the internet is relatively easy; you carefully choose your keywords, just like the thermal winter jacket with weatherproofing. The internet is a convenient way for you to shop and explore. Soon enough results will appear right in front of you and with over millions of pages of information waiting to be explored. With this amount of information it's hard not to be overwhelmed, which is why most people make their selection within the first page of results. Anything you are searching for can be accessed within seconds.

If you're using the internet to search for things like winter coats, books and recipes why not use the internet to search for a self storage facility. Maybe you are downsizing your home, looking to do some home renovations or you've acquired some extra possessions in the last couple of months. Chances are that you will need to find somewhere safe and reliable to hold these extra belongings. As we've stated before self storage units are the perfect solution to your storage needs, you can affordable house the items you no longer have use for until you decide to donate the items, sell them or find that you need them again. It's a cheaper solution than repurchasing items that you have disposed of after you find the space for them in your home. By exploring the World Wide Web and search engines you can find a self storage unit that suites you and your needs.

Maybe you're wondering why we're not telling you to open the phonebook, that's because according to Inside Self Storage over 75% of self storage customers, meaning you have access to the internet. So self storage companies know that a lot of their customers are coming from a search engine meaning Google, Yahoo or Bing. Websites also contain much more information than the phone book could ever give you access to. Once on a self storage facilities website you will have access to their address, phone number, fax number, hours of operation, storing unit sizes, featured amenities and rate plans. This information about their property could save you from thumbing through the phonebook calling each self storage facility asking the same mundane questions. You may even be able to request a free quote over the internet or reserve your self storage unit that very day.

There may also be a map view of the location in reference to your house, photos or online virtual tours of the self storage facility. Some websites may also provide you with information about truck rentals, packing supplies such as boxes and even packing tips. Facilities often offer web only discounts that save consumers some extra money on a rental or even a self storage unit free for a month.

Let's say you're searching for a self storage unit in Brooklyn New York, so you pull up your favorite search engine Google and type in Brooklyn Self Storage, which will pull up a handful of local searches and a map identifying their location. Further down you will see the broad based search engine results, out of those results it's best to chose one that clearly matches what you're looking for. If some of your keywords Brooklyn + Self + Storage aren't showing up then chances are you won't find what you're looking for there.

Once you've chosen a site make sure it's easy to navigate with links for customers to find contact information, information about self storage unit size and the different types of self storage units that the facility offers. Depending on what you want to store will depend on the types of self storage unit you'll be interested in renting. Remember that self storage is not just for storing furniture and household items, wine storage is very popular along with, truck, boat, RV and car storage. This type of self storage can range from garage style parking, covered parking or outdoor parking lots.

All self storage facilities offered standard security features such as an access controlled gate, good lighting, a fenced in area and on-site managers to watch for any suspicious activity. Some facilities even take extra precautions with video surveillance, alarms, and on-site security. Most of this information can be accessed on the business' website.

Self storage facilities also offer amenities to their customers to protect you and your belongings; features such as drive up facilities for easy loading and unloading, 24 hour access, and climate controlled units. If the facility does not offer drive up, some self storage units provide dollies and carts to help make the move as easy as possible for their customers.

Surfing the web in search for a self storage unit in Brooklyn, New York has advantages beyond just accessing information about the self storage facility. Some facilities allow their customers to pay their bill online or give special deals and rates to online customers. Just remember that once you've found the perfect self storage unit online nothing beats calling and speaking with the facilities' manager. Self Storage managers are always happy to answer any questions you might have. If this is your first time renting a self storage unit, ask to stop in for a quick tour of the unit before making your final decision. You want something that is convenient and safe for you and your belongings.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allyson_Summers

International Moving Guide

If you are planning to move internationally, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed. If you want to make the transition easier, make sure you come up with a good plan. This will help eliminate some of the stress so you can enjoy the process. Here are a few ideas to help you out.

Get a Local Contact

Work with a local realtor when buying or renting a home. They will know the area and local customs. The help they can give you will be immeasurable. They will know the phone numbers to places you will need like the local phone and electric company. They can also give you the exact sizes of the rooms in the home. This is important because overseas homes tend to be quite a bit smaller.

Bringing Your Vehicle
Plan carefully if you want to take your vehicle. Remember that your vehicle will need to be shipped before you actually leave so you will have to plan to do without a vehicle for a while. If you have lien on your vehicle, you will need to check with the lien holder and make sure they will allow you to take it out of the country; most will not. Shipping a vehicle costs quite a bit, you may be better off selling your vehicle before you leave and purchasing one when you get there.

Selecting A Mover
Make sure that you hire an experienced international mover. The cheapest quote may not always be the best quote. Read your contract carefully, movers tend to include a lot of loopholes in their contracts. Get references from previous clients. You should also look into insuring the belongings you plan to move.

Don't Pack Everything
A huge mistake made by those moving internationally is that they pack too much and send it with the movers. Take advantage of the maximum baggage allowance given to you by your airlines. The more you have with you, the less you have to do without while your waiting for your belongings.

Personal Documents
Carry all your personal documents with you. This should include social security cards, birth certificates, marriage records and wills. Make a copy of each item and give it to a trusted family member or friend, just in case you lose them. Keep bank records and credit cards with you, don't pack them where they can get lost or stolen.

Taking you Pets
Check with the country you are moving to, they each have their own requirements for allowing pets into their countries. Most just require recent proof of vaccinations.

Bring Money with You
Before you leave, make sure that you have plenty of cash on you to be able to live a few days while you set up your bank accounts. You should have both US currency and the common currency used by the country you are moving to. This will save you a lot of headaches trying to exchange money when you first get there.

Moving With Kids
To help make the move easier on your kids, try contacting the school several months before your moving date and seeing if they can fix your child up with a pen pal. This way, they will know someone when they get there and it won't be as scary for them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Idan_Lavi