Real People: What if a HireAHelper Employee Used HireAHelper For Their Move?

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Like every customer service representative at HireAHelper, I have assisted many – no, countless – no wait, an insane amount of customers looking for last minute help with their move. I’ve often questioned why anyone would wait so long to organize their move or to make sure the appropriate help they needed was properly calculated and confirmed.

My question was answered when my own moving plan took an unfortunate turn. After plans to have family and friends assist me fell through, I was stuck with a house full of heavy furniture and only me to move it (and in case you weren’t aware, I am not the Incredible Hulk). The kicker? My move was the NEXT day! So on Friday February 7th (the day before my move), I began searching for a moving truck and some help to load it. (more…)

DIY Corner: How to Repair Holes in Drywall

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Today’s DIY Corner might actually put money in your pocket during your next move. If you’d love a real shot at getting your deposit back from your old landlord after moving out here’s a cheap and easy 3 step guide on how to repair holes in drywall. Have yourself a merry DIY Thursday!

See that gallery wall full of frames and hanging décor? Hidden behind all of that “art” are holes galore. Ouch. Back when we moved in, I wasn’t about to hinder my creativity when decorating our apartment. I wanted it to be homey and cozy. So, out came the hammer and nails, and up went the frames.

Before I knew it, we were moving out, and in order to get my security deposit back, I needed to patch those bad boys up… and fast! Here’s what I did to get that wall looking fresh and smooth. (more…)

DIY Corner: Move Out With Class

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This is awesome Post #1 in our new DIY Corner series, brought to you by the creative ladies over at The DIY Playbook. Thanks for celebrating DIY Thursday with us!

So you’re moving out of your home or apartment and you have a million things on your mind, not to mention your to-do list is a mile long. I know, I know. I’ve been there.  But I have something that you can add to that to-do list that is actually kinda fun. (Yes, I did just put “fun” and “to-do list” in the same sentence.)

The Welcome Home Gift Idea

Why not get some good karma going before that upcoming move of yours, and leave a little something for the new owners/renters of your place?  It will take minimal time and money, and it will leave you feeling like a million bucks.

Wine-Bottle-Gift

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How Do I Decorate My New Kitchen on a Dime?

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Hey there thrifty-minded friends! I moved into my apartment a little over a year ago but am STILL trying to decorate each room. It just takes time to unpack, adjust and get a picture of what you want your new place to look like. I recently finished my living room am moving on to the kitchen area. Progress!

At the moment I have three core things I consider as I plot my decorating plan of attack. First, I have to consider cost because I’m broke! Second, I consider the fact that I live in a tiny apartment with very little space. I can’t be building and moving in new pieces of furniture or anything. Utilizing space is a must. And third, I want it to look good. I won’t just pick something out just because I can afford it. I err on the side of simple rather than quantity.

With those three things in mind, I’ve come up with FIVE simple ideas to use when decorating a new kitchen area (or re-decorating your old kitchen!).

bowl

(1) Make Tiny Changes

You know how buying a new shower curtain can completely change the look of your bathroom? The same thing goes for new towels and potholders in the kitchen. If you’ve just moved and are unpacking some of your old stuff, it’s likely that you’ve used the same things for years. If you can afford it, use those old things as cleaning rags and pick up a few new things!  It makes more of a difference than I ever thought it could.

If you have a sewing machine, you can use old jeans or cheap material from Walmart to make your own potholders. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to do this… if I can make them, so can you!

Another fun thing, now that it’s garage sale season, is to look around for a new-to-you fun and fancy dish. Use it to display your fresh fruit. Making stops at local garage sales is also a great way to get to know the different neighborhoods and people in your new city!

Food Jars

(2) Get Creative & Use What You’ve Got

Something I’ve been trying to do is to make use of my food, utensils, and spices to decorate. I mean, you’re going to have all those things in your kitchen anyway, you might as well make them look cool, right? For example, you may have bags of sugar, flour and popcorn in a cupboard. Instead of packing those away, put them into individual glass jars and display them!

Another thing that looks cool sitting out are spices and olive oil jars. Line them up above a cupboard or counter or find a sweet spice rack. If you’re feeling really crafty and have the room, you can even create individual spice jars with labels.

terra cotta

(3) Grow Your Own Fresh Herbs

Okay, don’t freak out. If you’re anything like me, attempting to keep a plant alive doesn’t have a great outlook for ya. However, herbs are the one thing I have actually been successful at keeping alive and well. I believe in you! They also take up very little space, which is a plus if you live in a shoebox of an apartment. The only thing you need besides a pot/jars and soil is a bit of sunlight. This is honestly one of the most rewarding projects for your kitchen. You can buy terra cotta pots for like a quarter each, seeds are only a buck or two and you don’t need much potting soil.  And in a week or so, you’ve got fresh herbs! Your kitchen has a nice smell, looks fresh and you’ve got homegrown ingredients for some delicious recipes. I’ve already scouted a recipe for pesto because my basil is starting to come up.

tea towel

(4) Bring Back the Lost Arts!

After working out how to make my own potholders, I have slowly been learning a few other “lost arts” like embroidery and canning. The thing is, these types of things are seriously in vogue at the moment and places like Terrain charge an arm and a leg for them! You can make them yourself, for a tiny fraction of purchasing them. I bought my plain, white flour sack towels at Bomgaars for $2 a piece. If you don’t have Bomgaars, Amazon has them from several places and your local craft store will have embroidery floss and the other necessary supplies.

Another of these “lost arts” is canning. This is actually more involved, so if you skip to the next paragraph I don’t blame you! But even if you can’t muster the energy or desire to can for yourself, see if you can find a friend who does. They just look colorful and trendy!

ladder shelf

(5) Repurpose

For this last thing, you can make it as simple or complex as you want. You can make something simple like a chalkboard to write your grocery list on or something more involved like making a pots and pans rack out of an old ladder.

If you want to make a chalkboard, all you need is a flat surface (i.e. anything glass, metal, plastic or even wood) and chalkboard spray paint in a can.  Yeah, it’s that simple! Or if you want to go even more simple, you can make a dry erase board out of an old window by using the glass to write on.  It looks rustic and shabby chic in a kitchen! All you need are the markers.

Another fun and easy thing, if you have wall space, is using a burlap coffee sack with an old bulletin board. I got several sweet burlap coffee sacks from a local coffee roaster for free. They have so many that they’re usually happy to give them away.  Then just stretch the bag around the edges of the bulletin board and staple the bag on the backside. Boom. You can use it as art AND a bulletin board.

Shown above is a ladder shelf that my lovely cousins made for me. They literally used scrap wood and leftover paint from another project!  I wish I still had room in my current kitchen for it but for now it will have to live at my parents’. I just wanted to share it because I love it so much!

Hopefully these ideas will get you started.  What ideas can you share with me as I continue to transform my own kitchen?

About the Author: Victoria is a grad student in Nebraska and was once a champion mutton buster at the Days of 56 Rodeo. Yee haw! She currently works for HireAHelper.

Photo courtesy of Ross Catrow, Tyler Burrus, Grannies Kitchen, and Lori L. Stalteri.

Do Movers Charge Extra for Stairs?

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Do Movers Charge Extra for Stairs?

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This question comes in all the time from people when they are getting ready to hire movers. It’s a great question to ask yourself as you prepare for those extra fees that always seem to pop up! However, after picking the brains of some of my veteran co-workers who have worked several years for HireAHelper and speaking with various other moving companies, I’ve discovered that most movers don’t charge extra for stairs, especially if you’re on the third floor or below.

It also depends on the region of the country you live in. For instance, the east coast has more movers who charge extra for stairs simply because so many of their customers live in high-rise apartments. As a girl from Nebraska, my first thought when hearing that some companies charge this extra fee was that it was just another way some moving companies try to gouge customers. But after imagining workers carrying couches and dressers down twenty flights of stairs, my heart softened a little for their choice to charge extra!

While there is no universal answer to this question, my best advice would be to ask each moving company about their particular stair policy. Another great resource is to check www.hireahelper.com as most of the helpers will specify in their description whether or not they charge for stairs. It makes it super easy to compare the different companies and their costs!

About the author: Victoria is a grad student in Nebraska, working for HireAHelper. She loves her dog and is incredibly happy at the arrival of summer!

(Photo courtesy of Oatsy40 (flickr.com/photos/dionhinchcliffe/))

How Much Does it Cost to Move?

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Category: Long Distance Moving Advice, Movehacks, Moving Checklists & Planning

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TL;DR – A move in town can cost between $200-$400 to rent a truck and hire loading help. A move across the country can cost upwards of $3,000-$8,500.

I almost feel silly writing an answer to such a big question in just one blog post, but it gets asked so often and searched for so frequently on the web that I felt compelled to offer some sort of guidance (read our more specific guide to New York moving costs here or price out your own move with our moving calculator). How much your move will cost depends mostly on how large your pile of stuff is and how far you’re moving it. So there’s a pretty wide range of answers to this question. The fact that we spend twice as much on moving as we do on ATM fees suggests that most Americans are spending too much on their move, unaware of the cheap moving options available right at their fingertips.

For example, moving a 2 bedroom apartment across town within Los Angeles can be done for $355 ($325 for 2 movers through HireAHelper for 5 hours of loading and unloading + $30 Budget moving truck). But if you’re moving out of town or out of state the price goes up. Or, if you’re moving anything more than a small apartment, the price goes up.

That said, this post looks at how much it would cost to move a specific sized home a specific distance. The cost of your move may vary from these estimates, but you can bet if your move is smaller or shorter, it should cost less and if it’s larger or farther, it will cost more.

This post is written to answer the following:

How much would it cost to move a 3 bedroom house (contents equaling 7,100 lbs) about 1,240 miles from Los Angeles, CA 90032 to Billings, MT 59101?

 

$3,700 (Option #1) Hire Loading Help + Reserve Professional Transportation

The cheapest way to move, a la carte, is also my personal favorite because it gives you more control over your stuff and more say over who’s doing the lifting, driving, and unloading (Oh, and I work for the most amazing loading and unloading help website in the world. So I’m a little biased). Hiring loading and unloading help through HireAHelper.com for a 3 bedroom house (about 7,100 lbs in stuff)  will cost about $940 (Breakdown: $470 for 4 helpers for 4 hours loading in Los Angeles and $470 for 4 helpers for 3 hours unloading in Billings, MT. Prices vary by location).

Reserving space on an ABF U-Pack Moving truck to move from LA to Billings is estimated to cost $2,791. You can also use a portable storage company like PODS or 1800Packrat to professionally transport your items across the country. Pricing might be even better through one of them, and they have some pretty amazing storage options in case you’re new house isn’t quite ready to move into.

$3,880 + gas (Option #2) – Hire Loading Help + Rent a Moving Truck

Similar to Option #1, this option is often called a “self-move.” You still hire local movers to load you through HireAHelper, but instead of having someone else transport your stuff, you’ve got to rent and drive a moving truck. You also have to fill it with gas. This option is more labor intensive on your part (long days driving, finding big parking spots, picking up & returning the truck, etc.) and costs more than option #1. The upside to this option is you are in direct control of your items at all times. You know exactly where they are at any given minute (because they’re directly behind you in the moving truck) and you have control over how long it takes. No waiting on delivery estimates from someone else. If your stuff doesn’t arrive to your new house on time, there’s only one person to blame.

$6,823 (Option #3) Full Service Mover or Vanline

The “simplest” way to go about moving across the country like this would be to call a big, national vanline. One with a long, reputable history as a pillar of the American economy. They’ve got agents all over the country and hundreds of trucks ready to move you anywhere, almost anytime. There are two GIGANTIC downsides to using a vanline for your move:

  1. Cost
    According to the moving cost calculator data, a full service move of this size is expected to run $6,823!
  2. Damaged or Lost Items
    According to a recent J.D. Power & Associates study, almost 1 in 3 customers of full-service moving companies reported broken or missing items during their move.

Moving Place Long Distance

Here you can have all 3 options we mentioned before in one company, all you need to do is choose how much budget or effort you want to put into your long distance move. Either “You Load, We Drive” or a regular Full service Move, you can get both quotes  and compare them with other long distance moving companies or traditional van lines.

Like we said, it largely depends on the size of your home and distance, but it’s definitely worth checking out here.

All that to say, your costs may be very different from the ones in this post. But at least now you know there are a few cheaper options. And if you happen to be doing that exact move, from Los Angeles to Billings or vice versa, let me know in the comments, and I’ll get you a discount on some loading & unloading help. Otherwise, lets talk on Google +.

How Do I Arrange a Small Bedroom? 5 Tips

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After living in a dorm room, or something similar, for a major part of my life, I’ve learned a thing or two along the way about arranging small spaces. The two main issues we’re usually concerned with are that we make the most of the space we’re given and that it looks good! After all my failed trials and successes, I’ve come up with five simple tips for you to consider when arranging your own small room.

 

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1. Build Up!

When you don’t have much floor space, a useful option is to build up. For example, you can loft your bed, which creates space underneath for a couch, desk, kitchenette, makeshift closet or whatever else you need space for. To be honest, it’s not an incredibly simple “do it yourself” project but it can be done OR you can buy a prefab loft bed from Ikea, Amazon or even Target. It all depends on how handy and knowledgeable you (or your friends and family) are with construction. You can build your own or buy it!

 

jewelry frame

2. Maximize your Space with Creative Storage

Similar to building up, try to become conscious of how you can maximize your storage spaces. For example, you can use an ottoman with a lid as a place to store DVDs or game consoles as well as a place to rest your feet after a long day!

You can also set your dresser inside your closet, if it’s large enough. You can use half your closet space for hanging clothes and the other half for folded clothes. That will give you more space inside the main part of your bedroom so it doesn’t look too crowded. Nothing makes a room look cramped more than covering every inch of your wall space with furniture.

Another way to maximize your space is to create artwork as a storage spot. You can do this on a budget! Take an old picture frame (or pick one up at a thrift store). Take out the glass and paint it whichever accent color you like. Then staple in a little chicken wire, screen or lace as the background. This creates an earring holder that doubles as art for your wall.

 

book floating shelf

3. Use Shelving

When you don’t have much floor space, a useful option is to build some shelving. This doesn’t have to be a project that requires a handsaw and fine craftsmanship. If you happen to have those skills, great, but for the rest of us, it can be much simpler.

Take the popular “L-bracket” shelf. You can make a small shelf using an old book (or board) and an L-bracket. There are a ton of DIY tutorials online with simple instructions, or like anything else, you can buy it! Ikea has sweet, inexpensive shelves, some even priced under $10.

Also, if you want to use part of your bookcase (or under your lofted bed) as a “hidden” storage space, you can use a tension rod and material as a cover. Say, for example, you want to use the last two shelves of your bookcase to store dishes and laundry supplies. You can put a small tension rod at the top of the shelves you want to use and hang material to the bottom shelf. It will hide all your “unusual” items and also look trendy.

 

cluttered room

4. Minimize!

This may sound elementary but it’s foundational. When you don’t have much space, go through your things and get rid of the things you can live without! Minimize and reduce! Not only will you feel the freedom that comes with reducing your load but your small space will look less cluttered.

 

5. Try New Things! Keep Arranging Until You Get It Right

Finally, one of the most helpful and important tips to creating the perfectly arranged small space is to use trial and error. If you’re anything like me, you will NOT get it perfect the first time. I tried different projects and arrangements that failed miserably but those led to better and more creative ideas!

“If at first you don’t succeed… try, try, try again.”

Don’t worry about getting everything right the first time. Think of it as a puzzle or an adventure. You will get it eventually. And to be honest, I like rearranging every so often anyway. It keeps things fresh.

 

SO, those are the five main tips I have picked up over the years. I hope you find them helpful and inspirational as you begin to draw out your own creative ideas. Good luck!

 

Also, I would love to hear some of YOUR fun and creative space-saving ideas. What is your number 1 tip for arranging a small room?!

 

About the Author: Victoria is currently a grad student in Nebraska, working for Hire A Helper. She enjoys fishing, reading, road trips and anything creative!

(Photo credits: dornob.com, Victoria Volkman, greenupgrader.com and besteducationpossible.blogspot.com)

Keri’s Moving Checklist

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Okay, so our last moving checklist didn’t quite cover everything you’d need on a checklist if you were moving last minute, but it covered the big four. Our very own customer service superstar, Keri, wrote up the following definitively more comprehensive list of things to do to prepare for your move. This moving checklist is based on her extensive experience helping customers get ready for one of their most stressful life events. Here is Keri’s Moving Checklist.

Keri’s List of Things To Do Before Moving

This is a list of things I’d want to have completed so that the customer is organized prior to a loading helper arriving:

Photo Credit to Georgie R
No One Likes a Cold Shower
  • Call to Turn On Heat/Electricity at New Location – this can be one of the mistakes with the biggest repercussions. Many gas and electric companies take 2-3 business days to get a technician out to turn everything on and switch accounts to a new customer’s name. After a huge move into a new place, with lots of unpacking to do, no one wants to take a cold shower by candlelight (or smartphone flash light, the candles are probably packed up right?).
  • Write Up a Move Day Plan – Customers know their items best and what their needs are. So, it’s always a good idea for customers to compile a move day “to-do list” prior to their move date. This way, on moving day, when their brain is going in 100 directions they can review their pre-planned list to confirm all criteria are met.
  • Pack & Label By Room – All boxes should be packed and labeled properly according to what contents are inside and what room it belongs in. Color coding boxes or markers makes for a smooth move. Everything should be packed before the movers arrive.
  • Liquids in Bags – Pack all liquid items in a zip lock bag separately to avoid messes if/when they open.
  • Empty Drawers – Take out all items from dresser drawers, the entertainment center, end tables or kitchen drawers and place them into packed boxes.
  • Stack Boxes by Room – As you finish packing each box, organize them into piles by each room they’ll be going to in the new house.
  • Spread Out The Furniture Pads – Each piece of furniture should have a furniture pad placed on top, helping the truck loaders take less time organizing materials.
  • Have Tape Ready – Have a stack of tape easily accessible for the helpers to use if/when needed.
  • Rope and Tie Downs – All straps and rope should be tidy and ready for use within the portable storage container/truck.
  • Disassemble Furniture – Make sure all furniture is broken down – i.e. bed frames, desks, entertainment stands, break front china cabinets. It’s true that most moving crews can disassemble for you, but it’ll stall their momentum and slow down the whole load.
  • Furniture Pulled Away from Walls – This will make it so much easier for the helpers to place the furniture onto dollies and wheel to the truck (not completely needed but if you can, then doing this will cut down on time).
  • Prep Sofas – Prepare all sofas for moving – make sure the “legs” are removed and placed into a plastic bag that is labeled and placed into a box labeled “open first.”
  • Clear Walkways – Make sure no items are left on stairs or in tight hallways, impeding traffic (no twisted ankles are needed).
  • Disconnect Appliances – Be sure that the washer/dryer are already unhooked and blankets or packing kits are inside both drums for transportation.

PLEASE NOTE – Customers storing furniture for a long time or moving in areas with high humidity should NOT use plastic wrap on upholstered furniture. This should only be used on wood furniture if needed. This is because black mold will grow on the items that can not breath due to the plastic wrap.

A Slacker’s Last Minute Moving Checklist

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UPDATE (7/29/19): Our new last minute move checklist has been updated with more insights and graphics here.


There are dozens (hundreds? thousands?) of moving checklists out there, even some interactive moving lists, offering tips and reminders for those lucky souls that know 3 months ahead of time about their impending move. Most checklists are based on a timeline, with tips for what to do 10 weeks out, 2 months out, the week before, etc.

This is not one of those lists. This list is for the rest of us (dare I say, the slackers?). Those of us moving tomorrow, or maybe even today, after realizing that our lease is up next week, that the plumbing leak is bad enough to warrant moving out, or that the promotion you just accepted was contingent on you moving the family 800 miles away by next Tuesday.

Moving 101

Whatever the reason, from one slacker to another, here are my last minute moving tips: (more…)

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