Moving Tips – Maintaining Safety
Moving is quite stressful, both physically and emotionally. Your body can experience much stress and possible injuries along the way. Ensure that you keep your home safety-proofed, even if you’re hiring movers for the moving process.
Box Weight – All of your boxes should weigh not more than 50 pounds. If you’re not certain about the weight of a box, try to lift it. You must not experience too much strain when lifting it and you should also feel steady while standing. You may have to carry the boxes over a long distance to the truck or up and down the stairs so consider the accessibility issues of both your old and new home. Also, take note of the proper way to lift things; avoid bending over when picking up an item. You can just squat down; then lift the box with your whole lower body.
Proper Equipment – Rent the right equipment to save yourself from back strain. Having proper equipment will also help you move and stack bigger, heavier pieces more easily. A dolly can help you in carrying boxes. You may also want to use straps to secure boxes to the dolly or to help you in lifting big items.
Examine the Property and Check for Any Dangerous Areas – Before moving day, try to check areas around your old and new home. Find the nearest spot where the moving truck can park safely. It might be necessary to reserve the spot prior to the move. Check if there are any uneven walkway or sidewalk spots. Make sure that steps in the front walkway of your house are clearly visible. You can mark the steps with chalk, if necessary, and highlight where the step is situated. People get easily distracted during a move and those helping you with the move may not see the steps, especially if they are not familiar with your home.
Rent a traction mat if the entrance to your house tends to become slippery when wet. You can rent it from mat rental outlets and moving companies. Additionally, mats are useful in making sure that movers don’t accidentally step on fragile areas.
Take note of other dangerous areas such as tree branches, poles, posts or anything that could potentially pose a problem for movers. Remove low hanging obstacles or mark them.
Top Five Things You Might Forget to Do on Moving Day
You may have read lots of tips about preparations for moving day and important things to do before you move. However, even though you’ve packed up everything else and you’re ready for the Chicago movers to come, there might still be things you’ll forget to do on moving day. Here’s a list of top five things you wouldn’t want to neglect doing.
1. Save parking space for the Chicago apartment movers. – Whether you opt to move yourself or you’ve chosen to hire movers, it’s very important to make sure that there’s ample parking space for the moving truck. It’s best to inform your neighbors about your move and tell them that you will have to use the front parking spaces or perhaps the back alley, whichever one is more convenient. If you’ve hired movers, ensure that they park the truck close to your old house and also your new home. If you’re not yet aware, moving companies actually charge extra fees for a “long carry” that’s why you should block off enough parking space for the moving truck so your movers won’t have to park down the street.
2. Inform your neighbors. – As mentioned earlier, notifying your neighbors is important and not meant to be neglected. Not only should you inform them that you’ll need more parking space, but of any inconvenience too that they may experience on your moving day. If you plan to move on a weekend, your neighbors are more likely to stay at home so tell them beforehand that you’ll use the space out front or the sidewalk.
3. Have some cash. – You may have to tip your movers, especially if they have done a great job, or you may want to buy some snacks along the way so it’s good to have some cash at hand. This will save you the hassles of having to run to the bank or fumble for a credit card at the last minute. It’s advisable to tip your movers with cash so be sure to have it ready in your pocket on moving day.
4. Leave the keys behind. – Make sure you actually know what to do with the house keys before moving day. If you own your house, contact the new owners or the real estate agent; if you’re renting your place, contact your landlord. Collect all copies of the keys from your family members and friends. More importantly, of course don’t forget to have the keys to your new house ready. Don’t let your movers wait while you fumble for the keys; this may cost you extra fees.
5. Provide specific and correct driving directions to your new place. – You may be very familiar about how to get to your new house but the movers might have a difficult time. Thus, it’s necessary to provide them with detailed instructions such as where to park. Additionally, friends or relatives who are helping you move also need to know specifically where to go. The last thing you’d want to make you stressed out is finding out that not everyone is following in the right direction.
Moving is definitely a stressful process but if you prepare well and remember the tips above, then you can get by as scheduled! Before selecting a company make sure to check out the Chicago movers reviews online to ensure you have a reliable company!
Business and Office Move Checklist – 15 Important Tasks to Do When Moving
Moving preparations for office and business moves are sometimes much more complicated than household moves. The key to a successful move is preparing well and also, making sure that everything included in your list is complete and essential. Here’s a brief checklist to guide you in moving your office:
1. Decide a specific time frame for the preparation process and moving schedule
2. To let suppliers, customers and other related people know about the move, be sure to set up a communications plan.
3. Create a full list of tasks that need to be done and assign these to individuals
4. If you’re moving a bigger company, come up with a moving committee that will help in organizing the move and keeping the move on track
5. Make sure to inform all employees and let them get involved in the moving process. They should know their respective roles, such as packing their own office or cubicle.
6. Decide on the new look and set-up of your office. You should know early where offices will be situated and which places the equipment should be installed
7. Compare moving quotes from several companies. Don’t forget to check references and book your selected movers.
8. Call your present service providers to let them know about the move. Ensure that your new providers know about the exact installation dates including postal service, Internet access, hydro, fax, telephone lines, etc.
9. If you need special technical assistance for moving and installing equipment like computer network and photocopier, ensure that you book these ahead in time so that the required service is available on your moving day.
10. Establish a concrete packing schedule. Determine which things should be packed in advance and which ones should get packed last.
11. Buy all necessary moving-related things such as packing supplies and appropriate boxes.
12. Give clear packing instructions to your employees or to professional packers. Ensure that each and every box is packed properly and labeled with corresponding information like content, importance, and office location.
13. Prepare furniture for the moving process. Label every item to make sure they are moved to the right area of the new space. You can label or number areas of your new office space on a blueprint map. Provide the movers with a copy of this map so they know the right places for things, including packed boxes.
14. Double-check if all equipment have been prepared well for moving and removable parts are also packed and labeled. If necessary, remove any liquids. However, if you’re not familiar with the right procedure of packing equipment, you can opt to hire a technical specialist or contact the manufacturer of the equipment for some packing advice.
15. To avoid extra fees, ask beforehand where the moving truck can possibly park for loading at the old office location and similarly, where it can unload at the new place. Inform businesses nearby about your move, especially if you’ll have to block entrances or take more parking spaces.
If you are looking for professional Chicago Office Movers, give New City Moving a call at 800-733-6644!
Tips for Moving Your Plants in Chicago
House plants make a home feel welcoming and alive. If you love greenery around your home, you probably keep plants as an important part of the household and you can’t part with them quite easily.
If you want to move your plants, you need to pay special care and attention. Spend some time to ponder if your plants can actually survive during the move and if they can’t, be sure to find a nice, new home for them.
There are some things you need to consider when you’re moving between states or countries. At times, plants are not allowed to move. For instance, those who plan to move from California to Canada may find that potted fruit trees are prohibited. In such cases, you can just leave your plants in someone else’s care.
Thus, before deciding to move your plants with you, determine which species are allowed in the new place or country. The last thing you would want to experience is to be forced to leave your precious plants with the border guard who may not be that environmentally friendly enough to take good care of your darlings.
Additionally, you should be aware that most moving companies do not provide coverage for damages to plants since these are just too fragile and are most likely to get damaged during transit. Furthermore, certain movers may even prohibit plants on their moving trucks. Make sure to ask the company if they have specific rules about moving plants.
Moving the plants yourself is another available option for you. Prepare sturdy, durable boxes, line them using plastic and put your plants inside. Between the box and the pot, stuff some foam cushioning or bubble wrap to ensure that your plant stays put and does not shift during the move. Position them in your car’s back seat; taller plants should be placed on the floor. By moving them yourself, you can have a better peace of mind since you can keep watch on them. If you’re going to stay overnight in a motel, be sure to check the weather since cold temperature can cause damages to your fragile plants. Just move them indoors along with you.
Planning is essential in every moving process and if you’ve done it right, you should have sufficient time to repot and transfer your plants into plastic containers. Don’t forget that plants require some time to adjust and heal from re-potting so be sure to do it a few weeks before the move. Bag tall plants or wrap them in plastic. Poke a few holes in the plastic so your plants can be allowed to breathe.
If you’re planning to move a few of your outdoor plants but you want to avoid depleting the new owner’s garden, it would be good to take some cuttings. Buy floral tubes, put some water, and then cap them. Through this, your cuttings can reach your new home safely and ready for your new garden.
Once you reach your new place, remove the plastic from your plants immediately. Take them out of the boxes and provide them with some plant food and water. Wait for at least a week to put them back to their original pots, if you had repotted them to plastic containers. Be careful and patient as your plants could die or suffer from stunted growth if distressed.
Observe those new plants that you plant in your new garden. Check if their health is affected by differences in air quality, soil and climate. If you experience any problems with their growth, call in some help from an expert.
Top Things to Consider When Moving
Moving is a difficult process whatever time of the year it’s done. However, if your schedule is flexible enough and you don’t have any specific rush deadline, you can consider a few factors to decide when the best time to move is. You can also include these factors when negotiating with your employer if you’re being relocated for work purposes.
If you could select any season of the year to move, the best seasons would be spring or late fall. These months are usually off-season so it’s easier to hire movers and rental companies also do not charge the highest rates. Moreover, both moving companies and truck rental agencies tend to charge higher rates on weekends, the first days of summer which is the peak time of moving, and the first of every month. Still, picking a moving date is really hard since most people have lots of other considerations including jobs, children and their school, and spouses among others.
If you have kids at home, you may want to consider the school calendar. Ideally, summer is a good time since students will already have finished another grade and bid goodbyes to schoolmates. If you choose to move immediately following the end of the school year, your child may not have enough time to prepare for the move, mentally and emotionally. They need to say goodbye to close pals, neighbors, and school friends so consider the school calendar when deciding when to move. Also, be sure that there are a few weeks left at the new destination, before the new school year starts, for your kids to unpack and make new friends in the neighborhood. They attend school more easily if they have enough time to get prepared and make the new house their home.
Choose a moving time that will work best for your children and the whole family. If possible, you can check out the new school, talk to school administrators and teachers and determine a good means of transportation. The transition will be smoother if there’s proper preparation and if there’s sufficient time for everything that needs to be done.
If possible, you should not move before major holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah since these holidays are celebrated with family and friends. You may also want to consider dates of important family events like birthdays and anniversaries. It’s good to give yourself enough time at the new place before the start of the holiday season so you could meet the neighbors and new friends. Better yet, you can move immediately after a holiday as it would be the best opportunity for get-togethers.
For most people who have children and particular about weather conditions, summer would most likely be chosen as the best time to move. You can guarantee that the weather will almost be perfect and your children will also be out of school at the time. If you have also selected this season as your moving date, be sure to check the schedules of moving companies as well as their rates before you confirm the date of the move.
Most moving companies will charge rates higher than the usual. When moving at peak times, keep in mind that you have to be more organized and prepared. Make sure that the moving truck or company is truly available on the date you plan to move.
Summer moves may be very expensive but winter moves are arguably more difficult. It’s not quite an ideal time to relocate since traveling is tougher due to bad weather. Goods may also get damaged if kept in a truck overnight, under freezing temperature. Furthermore, water damage can happen if you’re moving your items from a cold climate to a warmer environment. Items should be properly sealed to avoid damages due to thawing and freezing.
If youre looking for Chicago Apartment Movers, Call New City Moving at 800-733-6644 for your FREE estimate! Also you can check out Chicago Movers Reviews located on the website as well!
Moving Tips for Employees – Packing Your Cubicle or Office
If your company is about to move, you’re probably required to pack up your own cubicle space or office, including the filing cabinet, desk and personal stuff. Here are some tips to help you prepare for the move so your things don’t get lost along the way.
Ask your boss if you’re not sure about anything. – You should know if there are any restrictions or guidelines about which things are allowed to be moved. You may also want to know about plans for new furnishings and what these are, including drawer space and desk size. Moreover, find out about how to dispose of unwanted furniture and unwanted documents. Knowing the rules before starting to pack is very important. Ask for the new office’s blueprint, if possible. This will help you decide if things could fit in the new office and whether you’ll need additional stuff.
Pack the filing cabinet. – You should sort your filing cabinet and clear out any clutter. This is the first place to begin and it’s an enormous task that may require a lot of time to accomplish. Ask your employer what documents are not needed in the space and also ask which ones can be recycled or shredded. Once you’ve determined what stuff you should take with you, go through the files, and then separate them into different piles.
Files and folders that need to be moved should be arranged in order. You may do so numerically or alphabetically in a file specific box. Select a box of appropriate size so the folders and its contents don’t get shuffled during transit.
Don’t forget to mark the box properly with its destination, your name, and any special instructions or warning. For easier unpacking, you may want to assign a number to indicate which ones should be unpacked first.
Pack your desk. – Empty all drawers and sort through supplies such as paperclips, notepads, etc. You can keep some of them and donate the rest to a charity or school. Take note, you should only bring what you need. You can make better decisions of which stuff should stay and which ones should be given away if your employer has a clear idea of what your new office will look like and its size. Ask your employer about what should be done with extra supplies or furnishings.
Pack equipment. – Contact the person who supervises the move and ask if you should be the one to back up your computer and prepare equipment for the move. Ensure that the equipment to be moved will be packed properly.
Pack personal items. – You should know how much space your new office will have and what it will look like so you can aptly decide which personal items should be taken with you. Personal items like framed posters, pictures, etc. might not be accommodated in the new space if there is limited wall space.
With these tips in mind, you can pack your office well and relocate effectively. Make sure to select the best Chicago Office Movers like New City Moving when making your next move!
Tips for Loading the Moving Truck in Chicago
So you have already booked a moving truck and you’ve also finished packing your household goods. The next thing to do now is to think about moving day. You may want to carefully plan about how to load the truck. It’s always good to plan ahead on how to load your moving truck.
If you’re quite detailed and organized about things, you can go through your house and take note of the order through which items get loaded. Create a list and group boxes of similar sizes. This way, moving day will go smoothly and quickly.
The heaviest and largest things should be moved first, including appliances like washing machine, refrigerator, stove and items that require two or more people to move. You should load these items on the truck before everything else and try to place them against the far wall nearest to the cab. They should be positioned upright. Ensure that the truck is balanced by putting heavy objects on opposite sides.
To protect corners and wood surfaces, better use furniture padding which you can rent from the truck rental company. This padded protection will help you slide heavier things more easily onto the truck.
The next items you should move would be the longer items such as mattresses, box springs, headboards, long mirrors, sofas, etc. Put them against the truck’s longest walls to keep them upright and to save some space. Don’t forget to utilize mattress covers to avoid any rips and tears on your bed and sofa.
Disassemble bed frames and then tape the pieces together. The same should be done for longer items like poles and skis. When rolling up your carpets, put these items inside before taping your carpet closed. Put the carpet on the truck’s floor.
Next, load the biggest and heaviest boxes. Put them on top of your furniture and appliances. Fill any gaps and spaces under desks, tables, and on chair seats.
Lighter boxes should be transferred and stacked on the heavier ones, ensuring that they are put on top.
The last things to be put inside are fragile items and those with awkward shapes. Make sure that they will not shift around during the move.
With the help of these tips, hopefully you can plan your move properly and avoid confusion and hassles when loading your truck on moving day.
Helping Your Children Settle into New Bedrooms
Kids may feel enthralled or very anxious when it comes to moving out. As a responsible parent, you should help them deal with the move properly, ease their worries, and settle in well at the new place. It’s important for them to say goodbye to friends and neighbors. Another common problem during the first few nights after the move is sleeping in their new rooms. Try to make them feel comfortable as much as you can. After the kitchen, the next place to unpack should be the bedroom.
Same as you have allowed your kids to sort through their own stuff and pack some things, allow them to unpack things as well. Ask them about their preferences for arranging the room and let them feel that they have freedom to manage their own space. Make their beds up with their usual blankets or any fave sheets. Put up any pictures or posters to make the room more familiar. Remember, your kids can adjust to the new space more quickly if the bedroom stuff get unpacked as soon as possible.
To help them feel more comfortable with the new room, try to make arrangements so that the new room will look like the one at your old home. Display the same items in the new room. Introduce them to every corner of the room and the things that could be put there. Always ask suggestions. Your kids might want the wall painted with a better color. Let them feel safe and secure by showing a positive attitude.
Walk your children through their area of the house several times so they can get familiar easily and they can also feel comfortable knowing which rooms you sleep or where the bathroom is. You may want to keep a soft light on in the bathroom or plug in nightlights to help your little kids adjust for the first week after moving.
Here you can find more information on our website regarding Moving with Children.
Step by Step Procedure for Hanging Pictures in Your New Home
Once you move in to your new house, you’d want to make it feel like a home. One of the first touches you can add is personal artwork such as family photos. Here’s a short and easy process for hanging pictures in your home.
Things You’ll Need:
Framed artwork
Nails or any tool/device for hanging pictures
Hammer
Brown paper or any large plain paper
Pencils
Scissors
Level
Measuring tape
Floor space
1) First, make sure that you have already arranged the larger pieces of furniture in the space and the room is organized firmly. Adding artwork enhances or even defines a room and it can only be done after you have arranged furniture.
2) Assess the space on the wall where you will be placing the artwork. If you plan to hang several pieces on different walls, you may want to lay out the artwork on the ground first to determine which ones will look best together. Make sure that those pieces you select actually fit on the available wall space and all the furniture below or around it. If you desire to balance the room by filling space, you can try combining large artwork with smaller pieces. Mix and match until you achieve the best results.
3) Use large pieces of paper in tracing the frames. Then, cut out the paper counterparts of the artwork you want to hang. This way, you can arrange the pieces more easily. This will also help you avoid having to put many holes in the wall in a trial and error process.
4) Tape the paper representatives on the wall and use a measuring tape or level to make sure that the artwork will hang in even spaces. If you plan to put various art pieces side by side, be sure that the top of every frame will be evenly spaced and line up. Measure from a door frame’s top or from the ceiling down. Stand back and check if the arrangement works well with your furniture placement and the room space. Match different pieces and see if it creates a favorable effect. For rooms with a large, central furniture piece, the artwork should preferably be simple. On the other hand, plain walls need more creative artwork.
5) After deciding where to put the pieces, keep the paper placed on the walls while you hammer in the picture hanging unit or nail. Whichever tool you prefer to hang the frame should be capable of holding the weight of the artwork. A wall anchor may be necessary for very heavy pieces. Ask suggestions from a local home repair store.
6) With the nail in place, you can now remove the paper. Hang the artwork, stand back and behold your masterpiece!
Top Six What If Questions People Ask When Moving
All of us have our own fears when it comes to moving, and these fears lead to doubts that somehow weaken your belief that the move will work out. Let’s discuss the top questions that most people tend to ask themselves when moving out. Learn how to combat these fears to deal with the move more aptly.
• What if the movers fail to show up on the day of the move?
Well, this is easily the most common question in everyone’s heads. Once you opt to hire Chicago movers, the thought that they won’t appear on moving day might bug you several days before the move. This has actually happened to some people due to unprecedented and inevitable events. If it ever happens to you, what you need to do first is contact the moving truck’s driver to check if he/she has been delayed. If you find out that surprisingly, the movers simply don’t want to move you, then you’d better get over the shock and take out your list of those Chicago moving companies you had interviewed previously and call each of them immediately to see if some arrangements can be made. To avoid time issues, it’s best to allow ample time for possible delays such as these when you’re scheduling the move.
• What if I lose my reservation for the truck I reserved from a rental agency?
This is another thing that could bother people who have already reserved a moving truck a few months in advance. If you’re in luck, you might be able to find another agency with an available truck the moment you need it. However, just to be sure situations don’t get very stressful and disappointing, it’s important to have a back-up plan. Find out which agencies have available trucks on your moving day and create a list of their prices and contact numbers.
• What if the people whom I’ve asked for help suddenly cancel?
This is such a difficult situation, especially if you’re counting on family and friends rather than paid services. Call your friends or relatives two days prior the move to determine if they will be available. Additionally, you should always have a list of movers at hand. If some of the movers are not busy on a move, then they could probably help you for a fee. Just inform them that you’re not in need of their truck.
• What if we can’t move into our new home on moving day because it’s not available?
There is a slim chance that this could occur, but it does happen sometimes and it can occur because of the landlord’s fault. You might end up paying your movers for loading and unloading your goods into storage for a couple of days until the new place becomes ready. So, it’s good to incorporate this type of contingency plan into your budget. It’s good to have extra funds for unexpected expenses.
• What if the movers deliver our goods on the scheduled day?
There’s possibility for this to occur for those moving over a long distance. Your movers will give you a schedule of the time they’ll reach your home, so be sure that it’s included in your contract. If the movers get late, you should contact the moving company frequently while waiting. If you doubt the responses of the moving company, then you should call the BBB and report the issue. But before you do that, be sure to inform your movers first that you’ll report them if your goods fail to arrive any sooner.
• What if some of my belongings go missing after the move?
After the move, it’s imperative that you check each of your items as they enter your door. Use the household inventory sheet you’ve created and check all items. Don’t sign the waybill if you find any box or item missing. Also, ensure that the item is marked clearly to enable the company trace the missing item. You should have ample insurance. Try to report any missing item immediately.
If you have any other questions about moving, feel free to ask the team at New City Moving.
We are proud members of:
Our Insurance Companies
We Accept
©2009 New City Moving Inc. IL ICC #158051: Terms of Use
2358 N. Damen Ave. Chicago, IL 60647