Moving Advice » Tips

What to do Before Moving Your Items Into Storage

Whitney — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:31:19 +0000

Moving your items into storage can feel like a daunting task. It’s never easy to part with your precious possessions, even if only for a short time. It always helps to start out with a good plan. The right kind of preparation will maximize your storage space, ensure your items do not get damaged, and will make your items easy to retrieve right when you need them. To make storing your items less stressful, here are 5 things to do before your big day:

Know Your Options
When it comes to choosing a storage facility, choose wisely. Not every storage facility is alike. There are several options to consider when it comes to the type of units available:

- Do you want a unit that is climate controlled?
- How about a unit that is indoor or with drive-up access?
- Do you want your unit monitored by surveillance cameras?
- What type of lock do you need?

Research all of your options. StorageFront.com provides an in-depth listing of the storage facilities in your area, enabling you to compare facilities. Choose the one that best fits what you need and want.

Choose the Right Size
Start out on the right foot by choosing the correct size storage unit. Storage facilities offer units varying in size, so choose the right fit for all that you have. Nothing is more stressful than trying to “stuff” all of your items into too small of a unit. This will result in items being damaged because they’re not placed into the unit properly. Check out this free self storage calculator for precise calculations. This tool will take the exact measurements of your items and put together a map of how much space is needed. Don’t just take a shot in the dark hoping you’ll get the size right. Use the online tool for accuracy.

Let Go of Your Inner Pack Rat
Don’t be afraid to get rid of stuff that you know you will never use again. There’s no need to hold onto items just for the sake of holding on. By getting rid of items you do not need, you will save yourself a lot of time, storage space, and stress! A Lifehacker article mentions the common idea to “toss it if you haven’t used it in the last year.” Throw away items that are damaged and worn out, and donate to a charity or church the items that you have no need for anymore. You will make others happy by giving them an item they may really need, and you will make yourself happy by not wasting any of your storage space!

Go Label Crazy
Feel free to go crazy with labeling everything you own. Put items such as dishes, photo albums, winter clothes, kids’ art projects, etc. into boxes and storage bins marked with the proper label. Labels are an excellent way to organize, making items easier to find when it’s time to pull them out of storage. Saying good-bye to your items becomes much less stressful when you know you can find them quickly and easily when you need to in the future.

Prepare Your Items Properly
Research how to store your specific items properly. Make a list of the supplies you will need, as well as which furniture items will need to be specially prepared. Some things to remember:
- Blankets and draperies need to be cleaned beforehand and then placed on hangers in wardrobe boxes.
- Dishes and breakables need to be bubble wrapped.
- Most furniture items need to be broken down.

You will need to follow specific storage instructions for some of your items to prevent damage. Read more self storage tips from the professionals at StorageFront.com on how to best store your items.

photo credit to Tim Patterson on Flickr

When Gypsy Moth’s Attack

Daniel — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 14:42:59 +0000

(Video after the break)

We’ve been hearing some disturbing news that a group of Gypsy Moths have banded together to create a plot to take over the world. No this isn’t a twisted Pinky and the Brain cartoon, and while I might have exaggerated a little in saying they’re trying to take over the world, the truth is, Gypsy Moths are harmful to new eco-systems. When people move it’s easy for these little guys to travel too, stow-away style. Thanks to the USDA for this cute & cuddly video of little fuzzballs reminding moving families to check their stuff before bringing these little monsters with them to their new home. For more info check out http://yourmovegypsymothfree.com/

Photo credit: godzilla.wikia.com

Moving Con Men Myths – Counterpoint to The Daily Finance Blog

Steve — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:14:34 +0000

A post showed up recently on the Daily Finance blog that pointed out the terror of full service moves, called “How to Tell When the Moving Man Is a Con Man.” I agree with most of the points as valid regarding movers and how customers should be cautious when trusting someone with belongings. However, there are a couple of proposed “indications” of an illegitimate company that aren’t always true.

The post highlights a warning that demanding for payment upfront is a sign of a shady business. I’d have to respectfully disagree as our company charges before each move to protect the customer (and have done so on the several thousand moves we’ve booked over the past 4 years). When booking a move, HireAHelper takes the customer’s credit or debit card info and charges the card 1 day before the order, eliminating the worry of having to hand the helper cash. Pre-charging the customer’s card also stops the mover from coming up with bogus extra charges at the end, as many movers do when they see cash come out of a customer’s pocket. And the old trick of holding a customer’s items hostage in the truck till they pay no longer works because the company knows their payment doesn’t come directly from the customer, but rather through HireAHelper – a neutral 3rd party, bringing accountability to the situation. Payment isn’t sent to the movers till the customer calls HireAHelper to confirm the move was completed successfully. On top of that, every customer gets to leave an honest review on their hired company’s profile. HireAHelper has a strict company policy to never edit customer reviews.

Through this method, movers on HireAHelper are NOT allowed to add any “surprise costs” or fees to a move! On local jobs, movers are simply paid based on total hours used, not an elusive weight that might change upon arrival. The only extra charge would be for extra hours which can be purchased at the end of the job for the hourly fee that was clearly printed in the customer’s email confirmation when the move was booked.

Many HireAHelper moving companies WILL do an in-home estimate IF they believe it is needed after seeing the job description. For example, if you are moving a 4 bedroom house from New York to Florida, they might want to let you know how long it will take! Ask a friendly HireAHelper customer service representative to see if this may apply to your move! Helpers are not required to do an in home estimate on labor jobs (for example loading a truck) and a high majority of move jobs booked through HireAHelper are completed in the time estimated without an in home visual estimate.

Photo credit: Flickr user UW Digital Collections

Move For Hunger Road Trip!

Steve — Tue, 17 May 2011 13:14:17 +0000

Good morning fellow internet goers!

On our last exciting adventure I told you all about a company called Move For Hunger – they collect canned food to benefit local food banks and feed hungry Americans. Today I am reporting that Move For Hunger’s crew just completed a road trip across America collecting food and visiting food banks! You can check out quick video updates from each stop and read Adam’s thoughts on his experiences at their Mover For Hunger Events page. Their last stop was Phoenix, AZ before heading home, back east. Please do your best to help the starving people of America and donate to your local food bank or contact the people at Move For Hunger. Even a little bit can go a long way!

Check out the most recent events and posts on their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/moveforhunger or read my write up about their cause. Check out some other people doing good for others.

Move For Hunger!

Steve — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:18:59 +0000

Have you ever moved and had a lot of leftover, unopened food that you ended up throwing away? Move For Hunger, founded by the Lowy family of Neptune NJ, was created to help starving families all over America. By networking an ever growing nationwide network of moving companies, Move For Hunger collects donated, unopened foods from families moving out of their homes and transports them to local food banks. Covering over 30 states and growing, Move For Hunger is quickly becoming an important source of food donations for many food banks.

Take a look at their coverage map (above) to find a mover near you that you can donate your extras to. Any amount helps out a family in need! All you have to do is contact a mover and they’ll come out to pack up the foods you want to donate or let you pack it. If you’re planning on moving, or will be moving sometime in the future, please remember Move For Hunger and donate your unneeded and unopened food. We admire Move For Hunger’s goal of helping to feed starving families in America!

Also, if you are a moving company interested in partnering with Move For Hunger, I’m sure they’d love to add you to their network.

What are some other creative ways you’ve seen people or organizations helping to meet needs in their community?