Helpful Moving Tips and Advice

Drawing from personal experience, I know there are lots of ways to help make your household move easier and more smooth. Read here for help to get your life, and your possessions, organized for a peaceful and exciting move.

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How to Move: The Basic Steps

1. Plan your move using a moving checklist.
2. Decide whether you will be moving yourself or hiring professional movers.
3. Select your moving day.
4. Reserve your moving truck or moving company.
5. Get your packing materials.
6. Start packing !
7. File your change of address.
8. Eliminate items from your move.
9. Manage your moving day.
10. Start settling in.

The key to a smooth move is organization. Based on our years of experience, we have compiled this series of moving tips. These tips on moving are helpful hints and useful suggestions to assist you in organizing and planning your next move.

Keep important papers with you. Your list of "important" papers might include: birth certificates, school records, mover estimates, new job contacts, utility company numbers, recent bank records, current bills, phone lists, closing papers, realtor info, maps, and more. Don't leave these with the mover. Keep them with you!

Use brightly colored storage tote boxes, one for each person. Let each family member fill theirs with items they'll want 'right away' in the new home -- a set of sheets, a towel, a couple of extension cords, a phone, nightlights, address book, pens and paper, keys, kleenex, and travel cosmetic case, and so on.

Moving may not be the most fun you've ever had, but planning ahead will go a long way toward making the process bearable.

Long Term Storage

When you need long term moving storage, reliable moving companies can accommodate your needs with climate controlled, alarmed and monitored warehouses to protect your belongings. Your possessions (which remain in boxes or protective padding and wrappings) will be stored safely inside a 250 cubic foot container (not mixed up with other people's things) or, certain items like sofas or appliances may be stored on specially designed racks in the warehouse.

· Moving house is not the only reason that you might require long term storage. If a flood or other disaster dictates your need for long term local storage a reliable moving company can safely store your things until your disaster recovery is complete. Delivery to your new (or repaired) home will be arranged when you are ready to receive your household items.

 

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· Maybe you are fulfilling a lifelong dream to travel for an extended period and require secure storage for household items that you won't need until your wanderlust has been sated. Reliable movers can store your goods and ship them to you wherever and whenever you are ready to settle down and stay in one place for a while.

First, container storage should be done under certain conditions. Meaning, if there is equipment that is vulnerable to high temperatures; it should be kept under proper temperature. Frequently, a lot of business owners, as well as individuals, store large quantities of juice cartons, other food products, or alternatively cosmetics and the likes, which are products that may spoil under certain temperatures, so this should be taken into serious consideration.

Second, the container itself needs constant maintenance and proper care. Keep in mind that if you neglect to maintain the container, when winter comes, you might discover holes in the roof, which could cause flooding, which can result in serious damage to your equipment.
 

 

Portable containers, however, could not be simpler. The moving container company will deliver your container right to your home and leave it where you need it - whether in your driveway or on the street. You can keep the container as long as you need while loading your belongings, and when you're done, the company will return, load up the container and either store it for you, or deliver it to your new home for unloading.

 

 

How to pack your storage container

Portable moving containers such as the ones offered by PODS Enterprises Inc. offer convenient moving solutions. The company delivers the PODS container to your home and later moves it to your destination. You may take as long as you need to pack the PODS container and unpack it at your new home. PODS also offer storage solutions; pack the unit and keep it at your home for storage or have the company tow it away for off-site storage. When packing the unit, use all available space, both floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall. Fitting items tightly together will help reduce the risk of damage from shifting.

 

Whether you are filling a suitcase, a box, a car, or a moving pod, packing effectively is always of upmost importance. Packing for a move can often be likened to playing a game of Tetris. The art of filling boxes, as well as moving containers comes naturally to very few people, the rest of us need a detailed instruction guide of how to pack efficiently. Here are some basic tips that can help you fit as much as possible into your moving boxes and moving pods.

The heaviest, bulkiest items should be loaded first in the storage container. These include the refrigerator, washer, dryer, couches, loveseats, etc. Fill in the spaces between the larger items with packed boxes. This will not only increase your packing efficiency but it will also add stability and reduce the risk of the larger items sliding around.

Pack the heaviest boxes on the bottom with the lightest boxes being saved for the top and maximize your space by packing from floor to ceiling. The tighter you pack the boxes, the less likely things will shift while in transit.

 

 

Temporary Storage

Self-storage works best for short-term storage or to store items for the long-term that you may need to access more frequently. This type of storage, also called mini-storage, is charged on a monthly basis and the storage spaces range in size. You provide your own lock, which can ensure you that your space isn't being accessed without your permission. Access to storage is usually granted at specific times, but ask the company first about access to your things.

In most cases, you deliver and pack your storage unit yourself; however, if you can't move your items, the storage company may do it for you for a fee. Some companies offer free moving service with the storage agreement. Ask what is included in the rental of the space (electricity/heat, security, etc...) and in the service before you sign.

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Depending on how long you plan to store items, it may be important to provide space for ventilation and access. When storing belongings for short periods of time, it is usually okay to pack them closer together. When storing belongings for longer periods of time, however, providing extra space for ventilation and easy access is important. For belongings that you may need to access regularly, consider leaving enough space in your unit for an aisle. Then, be sure to arrange those belongings along the aisle for easy access.

 

Container storage is normally used for long-term storage or for a set period of time. This works best for people who are moving from one place to another and need a place to store all their household items until their new place is ready. Friends have used this type of storage option for when they traveled for an extended period of time and needed a place to put all their belongings.

Storage Containers for Large Scale Moves

Looking for a quick solution to clear some space in your home during a decluttering project or for an upcoming event at your dwelling? United Mayflower’s portable storage containers make for a perfect temporary storage solution. We’ll drop them off when you need them, where you need them, and take them away when your storage need is complete.

 

These days, selling a home may take longer than you expected. In order to stage your home and keeping it looking its best for potential buyers, you may need a long term storage rental solution. Our portable storage containers offer great flexibility in this scenario and for many other long term storage needs. Since we leave the container with you at your schedule, or remove it to store at one of our facilities if you prefer.

 

When you are packing up your moving pod, all flat items that are fragile and risk breakage such as mirrors, framed pictures, and glass shelves should be tied to the walls. Never put these items in the middle of the pod or mixed in with the load. You want to put as little stress upon them to prevent breakage.  When you have your pod delivered, make sure to have the door of the portable storage pod facing the nearest exit of your house, so it is a direct walk to the pod with your boxes and items and you will not have to walk around to load the storage container.

 

Moving pods can be used for more than just moving. Pods can be a simple solution to many other home needs such as home renovation, painting, collecting, storing un-used items, and more.  If you are planning on doing work on the interior of your house, condo, or apartment, call for pricing on a pod. Pod companies usually offer next day delivery and allow you to leisurely pack items, while performing home renovations.

 

The Cost of Storage Containers

If you are a retail business owner looking for additional on-site storage solutions for your seasonal inventory, have a construction site that has expensive tools and equipment that needs protection or you are a transportation & distribution company needing more storage at your docks.  Then a used shipping container might be the best business solution for your storage needs.

Storage and shipping containers are versatile and can have multiple applications, these are just a few of industries that can benefit from purchasing used shipping containers.  Sometimes for businesses it just makes more economic sense to purchase a used shipping container from a Container Alliance partner company for often half the cost of a new storage container. Buying a used intermodal container can cut thousands of dollars off your investment, and the technology and quality that are used in constructing cargo containers makes the shelf life of a used container last decades. So it is not always necessary to buy a brand new shipping or storage container.

Prices for new and used shipping containers are subject to a number of variables.  In particular, worldwide demand for new containers provides the basis for market values.  Given that demand is constantly changing, manufacturers – which are largely located in the Far East (notably China) – struggle to maintain steady prices.

You will be fortunate, therefore, to find many sites quoting prices for the purchase of new and used shipping containers anywhere online.  You can expect to find wide variations between prices depending upon your geographical location and home currency.

What Not to Store

When planning what to store in your unit, whether for business or personal purposes, consider that all storage facilities have restrictions on what they will allow you to store on their premises. This is for the protection of not just you and your belongings, but the facility staff and other customers and their goods. You will be required to sign a lease indicating that you understand and agree to adhere to the rules and restrictions for what items are allowable. As a general rule, any item or material that is considered “inherently dangerous” will not be allowed.  

In preparation for renting a storage unit, make out a preliminary inventory of the items you wish to store. Bring this with you to review with the storage facility manager to make sure you’ll be in full compliance with the list of allowable items. Full disclosure of what you will be storing is required. Or, if you’re not sure if an item is allowed, call the self-storage facility ahead of time to find out. This will prevent any related inconvenience upon arriving at the storage site.

Photographs will suffer temperature damage if not stored in a climate controlled unit.  For your personal protection and security, we recommend that the following not be stored.  Self storage can provide solutions for a number of unique situations and items. However, self storage is not appropriate for everything, and some items can pose safety concerns to the facility and tenants.

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While many materials are inherently dangerous to keep in a storage unit, others, even some everyday items, can be unsafe. Before you start filling and organizing your unit, complete an audit of your items to determine what can be stored onsite, and what should be stored elsewhere to help keep you and other tenants safe.