Monthly Archives: July 2014

St Louis Moving Company Provides Information on What to Leave Behind

You are all packed up and ready to leave your home. Your St Louis moving company will arrive to load everything up and move you to your new home. What should you leave behind?

What do you have to leave behind?  Typically anything that is a “fixture” stays behind when selling your home. A fixture is defined as anything that is affixed or fastened to your property. A fixture becomes part of the property and therefore part of the sale. Each state has its own guidelines for defining fixtures so check with your real estate agent for specifics involving your home in your state.

Some examples of fixtures:

  • Mounted light fixtures and their shades
  • Ceiling fans
  • Mirrors that are fastened rather than hung on walls
  • Curtain rods
  • Shades/blinds
  • Built-in bookshelves
  • All cabinet and door hardware
  • Built-in appliances such as dishwasher and oven/range
  • Anything planted and rooted in the landscaping-shrubs, perennials, etc.

If you are really attached to a particular fixture in your home and do not want to leave it behind, remove it and replace it before a buyer ever sees it. For instance, if you hand-crafted a crystal chandelier and you do not want to part with it, take it down before you show your home and replace it with another light fixture.

Other items to leave behind:

  • All keys to doors, windows, gates, mailbox etc.
  • All remotes for garage doors, ceiling fans, security systems, etc.
  • Appliance manuals, warranties and necessary receipts should be neatly left in one place
  • Touch-up paint to match the current wall color
  • Pertinent flooring material or roof tiles can be neatly left and stacked in the garage if new owner wants it

Some items may be expected to sell with the house but aren’t required to be. To avoid any complications on closing day or after, have anything expected to sell with the house to be included in the purchase agreement between you and the buyer. Examples could be curtains/drapes, appliances that are not built in like refrigerators, washers and dryers. Be clear ahead of time about what you are offering to leave behind so it can be included in your purchase agreement. Make sure your St Louis moving company is aware of what stays or goes according to the agreement.

Once your St Louis moving company loads the van with your belongings, your home and property should be empty of all debris, trash and personal belongings. Check back next week when McGuire Moving & Storage, your local St Louis Moving Company will discuss cleaning your house before sale and other final sale day details.

Ways for St Louis Movers to Go Green

We are in the green of summer and the busiest moving season. It is a perfect time for St Louis movers to consider making choices for a greener move. St Louis movers can lessen the impact that a move can have on the environment by following a few easy tips.

Recycle-People often clean out and clear out what is no longer needed before a move. They often find items in the home that are no longer used or needed. We encourage you to recycle as much as possible rather than just throwing these things away. To find out what can be recycled in your area, we recommend earth911.org where you can find a recycle guide as well as a search tool for finding recycling in your zip code area. Plus, you can lower your move costs by moving fewer items that you really don’t need anyway.

Donate-There are many organizations who would be willing to take things off of your hands and keep them out of the landfills. We recommend donationtown.org where you can find a charity that will pick up your donations for free.

Boxes-You will need many boxes for packing up your things but they do not need to be brand new. Consider recycling boxes by using them again. There are several ways of doing this. Some stores give away boxes from shipments of goods. Sometimes you can find these boxes stacked in the front of a store free for the taking. If they are in good shape, sturdy and dry, they can be used. If you know you are moving in a few months, start collecting boxes and packing material from packages you receive in the mail and let your friends know you are collecting them as well. Even better-if you know a friend that has recently moved, ask for their boxes once they are finished with them. Bet they would be happy to have you take them off their hands. When you are finished with your boxes, be sure to recycle them or pass them along to another friend who will be moving. Another way to save on purchasing new cardboard is to use containers that you already own to pack things in. You can also rent heavy duty plastic tubs. Check with your St Louis moving company-McGuire Moving & Storage for green saving packing ideas and resources.

Packing materials-Consider using items around the house for packing your belongings instead of purchasing bubble wrap, packing peanuts and other new packing material. You can use towels, blankets, pillows, newspaper, junk mail, used office paper, shredded paper, plastic bags, brown grocery bags and many other items you regularly have around the house. You will help with the environmental impact and save money too. Ask us for advice – we can offer information about safe and green packing materials, as well as money savings tips.

McGuire Moving & Storage hopes that we have inspired our St Louis movers to consider a greener move. There are countless sources and ideas on-line for reducing waste and the environmental impact of your move. We hope this just gets the ball rolling with your thinking and choices surrounding your move.