Moving Tips

Moving involves many activities, and even after unloading the truck into your new residence, you still have more things to do on your moving checklist. There are several things to do once in your new home to help finish getting you settled in. So take a deep breath and get ready to take care of those essential things after you have moved. 

The list of essential things to do after moving is not and should not take you too long to complete. However, the following items need to be completed soon after you have moved: 

Organize Your New Home

Chances are, once you unload the truck, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of boxes and items you still need to unpack. With everything you have to do after moving, you may have little time to relax. However, the sooner you organize your new home, the sooner you will get to be able to kick back and relax. 

To start organizing, go through your new home and move boxes to the room where you will unpack them. This way, as you have time, you can go to a room and start unpacking a box at a time. Until you have fully unpacked and organized everything, take advantage of every spare moment you have. 

Change Your Mailing Address

Make sure you continue to receive your mail at your new location. Once you know your new address, change your mailing address at the post office. Changing your address should be one of the first things you do when moving and can be done in person or online. You will be able to set a date when the mail should be delivered to the new address.

Register Children at a New School

If there is time, before your move, check the schools where you are moving to ensure you know the process for registering your children. Then, once you have moved to a new school district, you will need to get your children enrolled in their new school as soon as possible. Some school districts will require proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or utility bill. As a new resident, getting the appropriate documentation quickly can be difficult, so plan ahead. 

When packing, make sure to keep all essential records and paperwork packed separately. These items should include current school records, shot records, and anything else required to enroll at the new school. Keeping these items separate from other packed paperwork reduces any delay in getting your children registered while you search for the necessary paperwork. 

Register Your Vehicles

Did you bring a car with you when you moved? Did you move out of state? If so, you will need to register your vehicle in your new state. Even if you moved locally, you would need to update your address with the Department of Motor Vehicles. 

In addition to registering your vehicle, you must also transfer your driver’s license to your new state and address. Also, don’t forget to contact your insurance company to update your address and your policy. 

We can help make your move as stress-free as possible. Call us today for a quote and additional information about how we can help you with your upcoming move.

Are you relocating your family soon? Moving into a new house is challenging, but having a moving plan makes the relocation process more manageable.

Here are a few ideas to consider as you prepare our family for your household move.

1. Start Early

 Moving can take a long time, so don’t underestimate it. Going through your belongings and adequately packing them takes a lot of time. Unfortunately, some people wait until the last minute to start packing and become overwhelmed. So, start planning as soon as you know you will be moving.   

2. Create a Checklist 

Create a detailed checklist that includes a step-by-step detail of what you need to do. Include a timeline and completion dates for each item on your list.

Here are some things to include on your moving checklist:

• Create a moving binder
• Develop a budget
• Contact several movers for quotes
• Make a room-by-room inventory
• Declutter
• Hold garage sale
• Complete change of address
• Arrange for utilities
• Update or cancel memberships
• Create a packing schedule
• Donate non-perishable food
• Secure sitters for kids and pets on moving day

With a well-made moving plan, you can keep your move organized and on track.

3. Prepare the Kids

Finding ways to prepare your kids for moving day is essential to the experience. In addition to being stressed by the situation, they may not enjoy relocating as much as you do. It’s difficult for them to cope with change, so try to prepare and explain the process. Tell them about the move as soon as you know, so they have as much time to adjust to the idea as possible.

Moving into a new place and enjoying it from day one is essential. Plus, engaging them in the process is helpful. Getting their buy-in will let them feel they have control in an uncertain situation. 

4. Declutter and Keep Only What you Need 

Moving is the ideal time to sort through your belongings and dispose of those no longer useful. Packing will probably uncover many things you no longer need that you have collected over the years. Let go of toys and games your kids no longer play with and clothing that doesn’t fit. Give your holiday decor a once over too. You might find a lot there that doesn’t get used anymore and therefore you shouldn’t bring with you to your new home. 

If you have the time and energy, hold a garage sale or repurpose the items through online apps. Otherwise, donate them to local charities.

5. Pack Your Essentials Box

Your essentials box should include things like extra clothing, medications, toiletries, electronics charging cords, and a few snacks. The last thing you want to do is spend hours sifting through boxes in search of your toothbrush or contact lens case. Packing enough things to get you through a couple of days in your new home is wise. Label this your “Essentials Box.” Keep this box in your car for when you arrive ahead of the moving truck.

Moving Without a Hitch 

Moving can be chaotic, but starting early and creating a plan can make the process easier. Contact us for additional help.

Finding a storage facility is easy. Finding a good storage facility requires more effort and consideration. 

Whether you want to store your items at a full-service storage facility or use self-storage, there are essential criteria your storage company should meet. 

Storage Facility Security

Of course, most facilities will profess to have security, but too often, customers find out too late that security is lacking. At a minimum, storage locations should have 24-hour camera coverage inside and out (recorded), an alarm system, and fully monitored keyed access. In addition, grounds fully enclosed by a security fence provide further protection.

Absent the minimum security precautions, customers may not know they’ve been a victim until they retrieve and unpack their belongings. This disconnect between items going missing and the realization of it makes it impossible to recover items and difficult to file a claim with insurance. Selecting a facility with well-implemented security precautions will prevent the loss in the first place.

Protection From the Elements

A well-maintained and climate-controlled storage facility will protect your belonging from the elements. Florida weather can be extreme. High temperatures, high humidity, and heavy rains are the norm. Absent the proper protection, these conditions can quickly ruin your belonging.

Storage buildings must be well maintained. Before signing an agreement, inspect the building where your items will be stored. From inside, look for daylight where there should be none, and look for evidence of standing or running water on the ceiling, walls, and floor.  “Feel” the air. Is it too humid and stale due to no/low ventilation? Is the temperature acceptable? Failure to maintain proper conditions can lead to warping, mold, and mildew. 

Check for a fire suppression system. Today, there are minimum requirements for fire protection, so you should be able to see it. Ask if you are unsure. All reputable facilities will be protected.

From the outside, walk around the building if possible. Look for evidence of standing water around the base of the building. Be sure the ground is graded to slope away from the facility. Look at the wall and the roof line for any gaps that may let rain through. It is difficult to recover from water damage, so minimizing the chance of it occurring is best.

Accessibility/Flexibility for storage

For short-term storage, you will likely not need access to your items. However, for longer-term or in an emergency, you may need access. Be sure you understand how the storage company can facilitate access to your items. For self-storage, it is easy enough. But, in warehouse storage, the facility personnel will need to assist you. Understanding the process beforehand will help things go more smoothly if you need access.

Beyond the storage facility itself, there are a few things to consider.

Properly Insure Stored Items

Even with the best precautions, things can happen. From mother nature to honest accidents, belongings can be damaged. Typically, homeowner insurance policies will cover off-premise items in a storage facility. But don’t assume. Talk with your insurance company if you have a homeowners policy. If you are between homes with no policy in place, you can purchase insurance for the stored items.  

Where to store your belongings

When you are moving, several options may be available for storing your belongings if you cannot move directly between your old and new homes. 

While self-storage may be an option, it is usually impractical. Both in terms of the logistics and the physical effort, using self-storage between homes is beyond what most people should try to handle.  

Full-service moving companies offer all the moving services and provide short to long-term storage options. The storage can be arranged near your origin address or destination, even in long-distance travel. Deciding where to store your belongings will be influenced by cost and convenience should you need access. Discuss the options with your moving company.

To work with a mover that also provides best-in-class storage facilities, contact our office at Community Moving & Storage.