Monthly Archives: February 2023

5 Top Tips for Apartment Moving

Your apartment’s lease will be up soon, and you’re ready to upgrade to a new place. Although the move is undoubtedly exciting, it also comes with its own set of challenges. Maybe you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed with how much needs to be done in the coming weeks or months. Don’t worry – you’re not alone. Moving brings stress to everyone, no matter how many times they’ve done it. But with our five most important moving tips, you’ll be in good shape to complete your move without a hitch. Keep reading to find out how!

  • Plan ahead

As with many other things in life, having a plan to move makes the process exponentially easier. Allow yourself enough time to get ahead of the game and stay organized throughout the task of moving. Start with a to-do list – a laundry list of items to accomplish before the big moving day. If you’re overwhelmed by everything you need to complete, that’s okay. List out what you can, and you can worry about putting them in order of priority later. Start jotting down whatever comes to you that you know needs to be done.

Undoubtedly, you’ll have plenty of people to contact, lots of supplies to get, countless items you want to pack, and a budget to figure out. Keep track of these things so nothing slips your mind and gets left to chance. Figure out as many of the details as you can so you can handle things calmly, rather than stressing about what you have left to do.

  • Notify the right people

Before you move, there are a few important services you’ll need to alert about your upcoming relocation. First, you’ll, of course, want to notify your landlord that you won’t be renewing your lease and give ample notice; your lease should have how much notice you need to give in writing. Next, you’ll need to contact the postal service, your bank, the DMV, the IRS, your insurance, and your employer and let them know about your change of address. Doing this will ensure that everything comes to the right place and that your records are all up to date.

It’s also best to take care of all your various utilities ahead of time. From internet to electricity to water, you’ll have quite a few different people to contact. Your landlord may include some of these utilities in your rent, therefore having the service in their name, but otherwise, you’ll need to take care of canceling or transferring your utilities. Don’t forget to set up utilities at the new place as well. Make sure not to save this for last minute to avoid any issues arising.

  • Be mindful of space

For a few different reasons, it’s crucial to be mindful of the space you have. Apartments typically have less capacity than a house. Not only do you have less space in general, but you specifically have less storage space too. Because of this, you can’t have much too much excess. Be mindful of the places you have to store things in your new apartment. If it’s less than you have at your current place, keep that in mind – you may need to cut down a bit or invest in a storage unit.

Another reason to be mindful of space is the doorways in your home. You may struggle to get some larger pieces of furniture through the door in any move, but especially with apartments, you might have a few thresholds to get through just to get into your unit. Be prepared by disassembling your furniture as much as possible for the big move. Bring tools just in case you need to disassemble things further on moving day, and try to be tactical about your approach to fitting everything in.

  • Declutter before you go

Decluttering is an essential part of any move, but it can be especially important when working with less square footage. Even if you’re sizing up, we all tend to accumulate clutter the longer we live somewhere, so a move is the perfect opportunity to rid yourself of what you no longer need. 

Each of your items will fall into one of the four categories — donate, sell, trash, or keep. Many people have trouble getting rid of their items and may hold onto them for any variety of reasons. Although it can be difficult, try to be logical and remove emotions from the items. If you truly never use something anymore or even forgot you had it, now may be the time to let it go. After all, you may be able to rehome it to someone who can make better use of the item in question.

If you’re struggling to declutter, start in a spot that’s piled up with items over time. Usually, that’d be a closet or the back of a cabinet. You’ll probably find yourself surprised by what’s stuffed back there — and by how much you didn’t miss it. When you find those items that you didn’t even miss, you can start the momentum of decluttering your space.

  • Clean your old space

Before you leave your old place for once and for all, a good, old-fashioned clean is in order. This serves a few purposes. First, it allows you to make sure you got everything and didn’t leave straggler items in drawers or under beds. Next, it enables you to ensure the space is well-maintained. If your apartment is in solid condition upon moving out, you’ll be much more likely to receive your security deposit back in full. Cleaning up makes the space look much better for that final review, and it may call to attention some minor aesthetic faults you want to scrub extra hard at for the sake of your deposit.

Don’t forget to keep record of how your old space looked upon move-out and how your new space looks upon move-in. Take note of any damages when you arrive at your new apartment, and take photo evidence in case it’s needed at a later date.

 

Apartment moving made simple

Now that you have the necessary steps to handle your move with ease, moving to your apartment will feel much simpler than you expected. If you’re looking for even more help from professional movers, look to McGuire Moving and Storage for solutions. With trusted professionals and a strong reputation, we get the job done efficiently and with care. Get your free moving quote today!

5 Discount Moving Tips – Simple Ways to Reduce Moving Costs

Moving is an expensive endeavor and requires a lot of planning and preparation. It can be an exciting, challenging, and stressful time in your life. When moving to a new city or state there are certain steps you can take to make the process easier, while also saving money. Since we all want our money to go furthest, we’ve put together a few discount moving tips so your budget can save the most.

1)     Pick a reputable company

When contemplating the best professional moving company, make sure you start off by getting a free quote. By the time you collect multiple ones you should not only have an idea for fair moving cost, but something to use in your contract negotiation with the moving company you finally settle on.

Make sure you aren’t paying for services you don’t need and watch out for things that ring alarm bells. Requests for cash only payments, deposits greater than 20% of the quoted price, and quotes significantly lower than others that you gather may be indications of dishonest business practices. You should always check for quality and consistency in online reviews and awards. Also remember that a professional moving company is always fully licensed and insured.

2)     Declutter Before the Move

The process of saving money can start before anything else by reducing what’s moved in the first place. Decluttering, selling, and donating items you no longer use means you’re not wasting time, money, and space accounting for them needlessly. Start by taking note of what you use and no longer need with a checklist going room to room. This can begin at your own pace, before any other part of your new journey, and most people notice you have more items than they use on a regular basis.

Listing large items on online marketplaces like facebook or craigslist also means you can find people willing to come and transport heavy things by themselves, without paying someone to move them for you. In fact, they’ll be the ones paying you and you can even make a few bucks to put towards other aspects of the move. Two birds with one stone, especially considering most interstate moves are charged by weight.

3)     Ask Around for Boxes

If you’re planning a move in advance and have time, there’s no reason to purchase brand new boxes. Nearly every company that receives shipments has a surplus that’s headed to be recycled anyway, so try asking local businesses if you can take them out of their hands.

With enough planning and procurement, you won’t need to pay a penny for moving boxes. Grocery, liquor, and bookstores each have sturdy boxes that are designed for carrying heavy loads. You can also ask friends, neighbors, and family for extra boxes as almost everyone who orders things online has a few lying around.

4)     Wait to Make Large Purchases

While it’s certainly fun looking into the future and fantasizing about the new space you’ll spend the majority of your time in, it’s often a mistake to begin buying new items for a spot you’re not totally familiar with. If you get too ahead of yourself, you can end up wasting time and money with things you’re ultimately unsatisfied with.

It may seem like a good idea to buy large items in advance of the move, but we recommend waiting about a month to see how you actually use the space before making large purchases. This is because more often than not, you can’t be completely sure how things will fit in until you’re actually there.

Holding out until you’re firmly settled can mitigate costly and potentially frustrating situations. A media console may seem too big or small, a new dresser might not match the environment, an appliance may not fit unexpectedly, or you may simply change your mind to the most optimal location for things. The situation can also happen to medium sized items of high value, and in the end you’ll be saving and space in the moving truck and on the cost of labor for loading and unloading the item twice.

5)     Move Outside Peak Seasons

Trying to move at the same time as everyone else means companies are usually more expensive with the increased demand. If you have flexibility in the date of your move, shoot for early spring or late fall. Peak months for moving companies are June, July, and August, so these months are typically more expensive. A similar idea is true when scheduling based on the day of the week, so aim towards the middle of it if you can. In the end, you’ll be paying less for precisely the same service.

How To Pack Your Belongings for Residential Moving

One of the most challenging and time-consuming aspects of any move is packing. Understandably, it’s difficult to pack up an entire home full of items. The task requires a lot of time and energy, and it can feel never-ending at times. Especially as you think about everything that needs to get packed before moving day, it’s easy to feel stressed about how you can possibly get it all done. Although the process of packing can be overwhelming, there’s good news – packing doesn’t need to feel like a nightmare. With the right steps, you can pack like a pro with confidence and ease. Interested in finding out the best ways to pack effectively for your next move? Find out our seven best tips!

  1. Allow plenty of time

Because packing can take so long, it’s important to allow ample time to complete this task. Rushing through packing will only result in stress. Instead, start as far in advance as you can so you can take your time to go through the packing process. If you split the task up to do just a little bit each day, it can do wonders to reduce your stress and make the job feel more manageable. Plus, moving more slowly allows you to pack in a more organized manner. This means you can be more intentional about the way you organize your items, rather than just throwing things into boxes in a rush with the sole purpose of getting it done as fast as possible. With more time, you can do your future self a favor by making the unpacking process less hectic.

  1. Declutter your home

A great way to make packing easier and more manageable is to complete a declutter before you begin. Decluttering involves sorting through your items to determine what you no longer want or need. Think of it as a big spring cleaning, but instead of being for spring, it’s in preparation for your move. You’ll want to sort your items into four categories: sell, donate, trash, and keep. The more you’re able to get rid of, the better. This will decrease the amount you need to pack, ultimately saving you some precious time and even saving money as it lessens the amount you need to bring in a moving truck. If you have a lot to donate, consider rehoming your items at a local secondhand shop. If you have loads to sell, host a yard sale before your move. These are quick and easy ways to cut down on what you don’t want to bring to your new home.

  1. Don’t leave any empty space

As you begin packing, it’s important to remember not to leave any empty space in your boxes. However, this doesn’t mean filling your boxes to the brim without considering the weight of them. You don’t want to concentrate too many heavy items in your boxes as you fill them. Instead, keep track of how heavy your box gets as you fill it, and once it starts to reach a solid weight, fill the empty space left with something lightweight. A great option for this is hangers. Alternatively, you can use bubble wrap or something soft like a towel to fill the space. You’ll want to do this to prevent most movement while in transit, preventing any damage.

  1. Label and organize

While packing, it’s important to consistently label your boxes. Try to be as detailed as possible when you’re doing this to make unpacking easier. Rather than simply writing the name of the room that the box belongs in, include details about the items in the box. This will make sorting through boxes much easier and quicker once you arrive at your new home. You should be consistent about labeling your boxes on more than one side so you can see what the contents are from numerous angles, no matter how you have the boxes packed in a moving truck or storage unit. If you want to take it even further, you can create an inventory list to correspond with your boxes. For this process, you would assign a number to each box and list the contents within each number on a document or spreadsheet. Then, you can easily see where you’ve stored each of your belongings.

  1. Protect fragile items

When in transit, your belongings can easily shift and jostle if not packed properly. This can lead to broken or damaged items if you aren’t careful about the way you pack. To avoid any potential issues with your fragile items, take protective measures to safeguard your belongings. Rely on the help of supplies like packing paper or bubble wrap to offer some extra padding to your items. You can also repurpose what you already have, such as heavy clothing or blankets, to wrap around your fragile belongings. You can also add some extra padding with pillows or cushions.

  1. Use high quality supplies

Using the right supplies when you pack up your home is a crucial consideration. You should make sure you have high quality, sturdy boxes for your belongings to decrease the chances of the boxes breaking when lifted. Additionally, you should stock up on packing tape, permanent markers, moving blankets, bubble wrap, and any other materials as you see fit. These supplies can make a big difference in the ease of your move, allowing you to pack more carefully.

  1. Pack room by room

Finally, one important moving tip consistently recommended by experts is to pack your house one room at a time. First, packing this way provides an easier method of separating the task into chunks, preventing it from getting too overwhelming from the get-go. You can more easily give yourself small goals when you’re moving from room to room in this fashion. Additionally, this makes packing much simpler, ensuring that items from different rooms don’t end up commingling in one box. This is a surefire method to make unpacking a lot simpler and less stressful.

Stress-free packing for your next move

When it comes to packing, you don’t need to feel stressed and overwhelmed. With the right methods in place, you can handle packing calmly and with ease, preparing you for your move without any hassle. After packing, if you’re looking for a moving service who you can trust to get your belongings to your new home without any issues, depend on McGuire Moving & Storage! For over 80 years, we have provided our clients with the best of the best when it comes to packing, moving, and storage. Interested in our services? Request a quote today.