Monthly Archives: August 2013

Back to School Safety

For the last couple of weeks, McGuire Moving & Storage has been sharing our resources and ideas for college students moving away to school and younger students starting a new school after a move. In keeping with the back to school theme of August, we would like to bring up the topic of back to school safety.

Back to School Safety is important for all children and their families but if you are recent St Louis movers and your child will be starting a new school, you will want to focus in on this more than usual as you get used to your new community. Just as you would develop safety plans and precautions in your new home, you want to have an understanding of safety procedures in and around the school.

McGuire Moving & Storage is always on the lookout for information to share that could be useful to St Louis movers looking for ways to prepare to move or settle in after a move. We found some great information to share with you regarding back to school safety. Take a look at these great school safety resources.

  1. The National Safety Council provides a Back to School Safety page on their site that provides links to areas dedicated to all matters involving school safety including school transportation safety and school safety. They even have a Back to School Safety Checklist so you as the parent of a child starting a new school can look over the list together and be prepared.
  2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide a Safe Youth. Safe Schools page on their site that includes a long list of resources and articles that cover a multitude of youth safety topics. We found it to be a great page for St Louis movers concerned about keeping their children safe in and around a new school environment.
  3. College Students also have safety procedures and practices to consider. We found a resource for them too. Protection1 Campus Safety Matters is an entire website dedicated to Campus safety. On their Campus Safety Tips page you can find a list of fabulous articles covering all topics having to do with college safety. Be sure to link this one to your son or daughter so that they have it to refer to again and again as they protect themselves at school.

Of course the best resources you have about your particular school can be found at your new school. We suggest you give the school a call to discuss that school’s specific safety practices and programs.

August is always an exciting buzzy time of back to school preparations for families. McGuire Moving & Storage is always on the lookout for tips and tools to help St Louis movers prepare for a move and settle into their new homes. We hope you enjoyed our post on Back to School Safety and the resources we found for you. We wish you and your students a fabulous new school year!

Moving to a New School

It’s that time of year again! Students all over the country have already started their back to school shopping. Whether with excitement or dread, they are going back.  Students returning to the same school pretty much know what to expect but starting a new school equals a big bunch of unknowns.

Are you a St Louis mover with children getting ready to move or just settling in? Will your children be starting a new school? McGuire Moving & Storage know from many years working with our St Louis Move customers that this can create feelings of uncertainty and a bit of dread. Settling into a new home and neighborhood is a huge adjustment, but add the adjustment to a new school on top of that and that is a lot of change for a child.  However, it can be a very positive experience and one we would like to help you with.

McGuire Moving & Storage is happy to provide tips and resources for our St Louis Movers to help their kids adjust to a new school.

  • Make a memory scrapbook-Before your child begins the new school, make a scrapbook together including photos of the old school, teachers, friends, school art work, projects and programs from music and sporting events. This is a wonderful way to introduce yourself to new teachers and friends when you arrive at your new school. They will see that you were a happy member of a school community and help to create a bond and connection into the new school. Your child will feel proud to have something to share about where he or she comes from.  Sharing the scrapbook will give kids in the new school a way to get to know your child better taking some mystery out of the new comer.
  • Contact the school-You will need to register your child but also ask what programs they might have to help your child feel at home there. Many schools have student guides and mentors that were chosen by their teachers and counselors specifically for their welcoming friendly nature to guide and assist your child in getting around and for making introductions to new classmates. Your school will most likely have visiting days and or events for new students.
  • Reach out to the new teacher-Perhaps you will have the opportunity to meet with the teacher before your student begins school so they can get to know one another. If not, look into the possibility of a phone call and/or emailing. This will help your child feel more comfortable entering a new classroom for the first time.
  • Get to know your neighbors-As you are moving in and settling in, you might have an opportunity to meet some of your neighbors. Your neighbors might have school students themselves or will most likely know if there are children in the neighborhood that attend the same school. This might be an opportunity to meet new schoolmates outside of school.
  • Extra-curricular activities-It is a good idea for St Louis Movers to look into your new area ahead of time and see if your child’s favorite extra-curricular activities are offered by the school or in the community. If your child participates in a sport, music, scouts etc., they will be at ease to know that they will have an immediate common connection with other students who participate in the same activity. If you move during summer, your child may even be able to become involved with their favorite sport or activity before school even starts, helping him or her to make new friends.
  • Once your child begins forming new connections, give him or her the opportunity to communicate back to their old school friends through sharing photos and stories of their new school experience. It will reinforce their new connections and help them feel proud of their new school.

We found more great tips for St Louis Movers with students in the following articles:

Yes, there will be unknowns but this can be an exciting and hopeful time too. McGuire Moving & Storage would like our St Louis Movers to know we understand. We are here to take the stress out of your move.  Happy Housewarming to our St Louis Movers and good luck to your children in their new schools!

Moving to College Time!

It is that time of year again! Millions of students all over the country are preparing for a new college year. Some of them will be leaving the nest for the first time to move into a dorm while others may be moving into their own independent off-campus housing. Both situations come with packing and moving needs.

McGuire Moving & Storage knows full well the excitement and special needs our St Louis college students hold since we are a greater St Louis area moving company that has been helping families move their kids to college for years and years.

Whether your child is moving a short distance or far from home, we can help take the stress out of the move by providing you with a few ideas and resources.

  1. Chances are if your student is moving into a dorm, you will not be taking anything large like furniture. Most dorms provide a bed, desk and small chest of drawers. You won’t have room for much else. You will need to pack things you need for school and a few items to make you feel at home. McGuire Moving & Storage can help. We are the St Louis Moving Company that can provide Moving Supply Kits to ensure your student’s items are protected in transit. It is essential not to over-pack since chances are you will get there and find that the space just won’t hold it all. You may be driving your packed items yourself or need to ship them beforehand. Either way you won’t want to over-pack.  Check out these links for ideas on what and what not to pack:
  1. If your college student is moving into off-campus housing, the moving in needs can and will be very different. Some off-campus housing will rent furnished but others will not. Your student and his or her roommates might need to furnish and supply an entire apartment or house. McGuire Moving & Storage Company is the St Louis Moving Company that can help with your student’s small move – whether it is a local St Louis move or a long distance move to another state.
  2.  If your student is attending school in a new state, the logistics of moving their household items can be complex and costly, but McGuire Moving & Storage can help simply the process. You might think about renting a truck to get their household items to school, and in some cases that might be the least expensive and convenient option, but in some cases it may actually be less expensive, safer, and save a lot of hassle, to use a professional moving service.  Truck rental may seem like the cheaper option, and usually is best option locally, but when you factor in the gas, time, and one way rental fees on a long distance move – full service may be affordable, with a lot less stress, and work. Give us a call today and McGuire Moving & Storage will get you on your way.

Moving & National Simplify Your Life Week

The first week of August is recognized as National Simplify Your Life Week and if there is one thing we here at McGuire Moving & Storage know about, it is how to simplify your St Louis Move!

St Louis Movers know that moving is no small task. When you look at the mountain of things to do, one can feel overwhelmed very quickly. This creates a stress level that impedes the simplicity of your move. Moving does not have to be so difficult.  McGuire Moving & Storage would like to offer some tips to simplify life for our St Louis Movers. Check out these moving tips that will simplify your life.

  • Start by hiring a trusted reputable local St Louis moving company-These days it is easy to find the right St Louis mover with the internet at your fingertips.  You will want to hire an insured mover such as McGuire Moving & Storage who is a Better Business Bureau accredited business and has the American Moving and Storage ProMover certification. You also want a St Louis Mover who will provide you with an on-site moving estimate in writing. We can do that too. Simple!
  • Follow a plan-Create a time line that includes everything you need to do all the way up to delivery day. When you can clearly see your move plan, it simplifies everything! Let our Move Plannersimplify your move process. Read Here Simple!
  • Create an inventory of all the items you will be moving-It helps you keep track of what you are moving to ensure that everything you intended arrives safely.
  • Have all the right packing materials at your fingertips. That way you’ll have everything you need to protect your belongings. Or! Simplify even further and hire McGuire Moving & Storage to help with all of your packing. Simple!
  • Create a moving file-This will serve as the one place you place all your move paperwork. Everything from your estimates to your receipts, your move plan, and your inventory can be placed neatly into one file folder. You will know exactly where everything is. Simple!

At McGuire Moving & Storage, we are all about Simple. Let National Simplify Your Life Week be a reminder to our St Louis Movers that moving can be simple. We are here at McGuire Moving & Storage to help pave the way to your new home. Simple!