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If you are moving for the first time, let us be the first to tell you that it’s going to be very exciting, but it can also be very stressful if you don’t plan properly. There are a lot of things you have to keep track of including move dates, renting moving trucks, recruiting friends and family to help you move, and actually packing all of your stuff so it’s ready to be moved when the day comes. Luckily, Smooth Moves offers packing and unpacking services to make your move easy and convenient! This way you can lay back and relax, knowing that everything is taken care of. Most importantly, when booking our packing services your belongings will be covered by our insurance.

Are you looking to take matters in your own hands instead? Read this crash course on packing your things so your move can go as smooth as possible.

Sort through what you want to bring to your new place

The first step in the packing process is to actually decide what you want to pack! Go through all of your things and make a list to categorize what you are bringing with you and what you don’t need anymore. If you want to sell those items you don’t need anymore, you should start doing that now too, since it may take a long time to sell certain items.

With the items that you are keeping, start getting organized by collecting enough boxes to fit all of your items. You can also start to pack your non-essential items, like your winter gear or out of season sports equipment if you are moving in the summer.

Collect all the boxes you can find

Call your friends, ask your coworkers, and scavenger your local grocery stores to find as many boxes as you can. You will be surprised at how many boxes you’ll need to fit all your stuff, you can never have too many boxes!

When you pack your boxes, label the tops and sides of each box with where you want those items to go. For example, when packing up the kitchen, label those boxes “Kitchen” so you and the movers know where to place each box during the move.

If you want to be even more organized, make a list of all of your things and mark which box you are putting it in so you can find it easier after you move. For example, when you put your silverware in a kitchen box, mark that box as “Kitchen #5” then on the list next to silverware, write that number beside it. You don’t have to do this step, but it will make it easier to find everything you need when you are unpacking!

Pack with a purpose

Pack all your items carefully into your labeled boxes. If you are packing fragile items, wrap them in towels or clothes and mark the box as fragile. Place them on their edge when you put them you are packing them so there is little risk of breaking.

You should also pack a “first night” box. Moving is an exhausting ordeal and most people don’t want to unpack everything after a whole day of moving. Pack a first night box that contains all the essentials you use at night including toothbrushes, towels, pillows, blankets, phone chargers, etc. This way you can just unpack that box and leave the rest for tomorrow without searching through every box to find what you need! Need more help? Call our moving services!

It is no secret that the majority of us have way too much stuff in our homes. It is not uncommon to find our houses crammed with it, in fact, storage is one of the biggest complaints people have with their homes. However, if you are willing to change your perspective a bit, you can change your life and way of living.

Taking some time to declutter is your opportunity to clear out unwanted items in your home and part with the old clothes, toys, old decorations, collectibles, and anything else laying around your home that no longer serves your life.

Here are some great ways for you to unpack the baggage around what you own:

Acknowledge What You Can and Cannot Let Go Of

One of the biggest reasons that so many find decluttering to be so difficult is that it means parting with things that might mean more to us than we are even willing to admit to ourselves. Often, these objects that we are holding on to are actually stand-ins for different emotions. If you are able to recognize that your stuff is more than just stuff will help you address some of the underlying causes for why you just can’t seem to let go. Acknowledging this to yourself will also allow you to accept those emotions, therefore allowing yourself to give some of it up and move on from there.

Invest in Furniture That Does Twice the Work

To get rid of over-the-top furniture and clutter – that often are not really doing you any favors, and incorporate extra storage in every possible aspect of the room. Invest in a coffee table that opens up to store blankets, books, movies, and magazines. Side tables with drawers or cabinets are a good place to stick remotes and media. When it comes to furniture in a small space, functionality is key – and is important for furniture pieces of all sizes.

Do Not Hold on to Things Out of a Sense of Guilt or False Obligation

Simply because you received something as a gift a couple of years ago does not mean that you have to hold on to it forever. Yes, it’s nice that your friend bought that bright pink glittery “BEST FRIENDS” plaque, but if you do not like it – GET RID OF IT. If it is not something you that you truly love, the absolute best advice is to donate it to someone who could really use it.

Start with the Easiest Stuff and Go On From There

One of the reasons that so many people detest decluttering, is the idea of having to sort through everything they own and make some hard decisions. However, once it reaches a certain critical mass, decluttering and cleaning everything out can feel like a totally overwhelming job. When it begins to feel like this the best advice is to start early and take care of the easy stuff first. For example,  sort through the old mail or go through a laundry basket of clothes in an hour or two, that is a great first step. Then continue on with small steps, eventually, it will not feel overwhelming, but you will be motivated by the progress that you have made.

There are a few things to keep in mind when making plans to move into a new home. However, people often get torn between, what should be done and what not to be done. And most times confusion sets in when it comes to how to go about doing what should be done. For a fact, moving into a new home is not always an easy thing to do, especially when it is a large family with a lot of things to move with.

Moving into a new home requires some considerations before taking the final leap. This ranges from making a budget, organizing your belongings and getting them moved. Do not be amazed by how lengthy your moving plan list will possibly get. Moving, could get quite stressful but with the right plans, it can turn out to be not stressful at all.

Below are some tips on the things you need to keep in mind when moving into a new home.

Create a budget

Are you financially capable of moving into a new home? This should be the first question on your mind before any other thing. You should ask yourself if you can really afford a new home. Lots of people, especially those who are first-time movers, only take the cost of their new home into consideration; not knowing that there are bunches of other things to prepare cash for. When making a budget for moving, aside from the cost of the new home, other expenses that should be accounted for include the cost of getting rid of junk, cost of paying professional movers, storage space, moving supplies and not forgetting the cost of living in the new neighborhood. All of these costs should be carefully accounted for as over-budgeting is better than under-budgeting.

Prepare In Advance

You should not make the mistake of moving just as soon as the thought of it comes up. Take your time to prepare properly, so as not to leave any vital thing out, and to cut down the stress. Just like it will be necessary to reserve one of the freight elevators to enable easy entry and exit when you are ready to leave, you will need to get insurance certificate for your building; also you need to contact the movers. These and more need proper planning in advance. So take your time!

Plan for an organized and selective packing

While packing, get your acts together and avoid getting stressed, so as to avoid leaving important things behind. Make a list of the things that will be put to immediate use in your new home and pack accordingly. The ones that are not very necessary can be packed afterwards or kept in storage. When you keep in mind that packing is not much of a challenge, it will help you manage the stress level well. A selective and careful packing will also provide you with enough time to arrange your things, as well as space, in the new home.

When you want to start parking, ensure there are enough boxes available. Do not forget to take out time to pack your things in order of importance, and tag them clearly so as to know the content each box. For easy tracking of items, you can also make a list of the things you have packed in a paper or on your phone.

Clean the new home before shifting

You sure do not want to move in to a messy place. So, make sure to clean the new home properly before moving in your things. For a newly constructed home, there are bound to be dust and dirt from construction, and some items carelessly placed. Do justice to the dirt and items before moving in.

Hire a moving company

You should make sure to employ the service of a recognized and reliable moving company and get a different insurance from what they are giving, most importantly for expensive items. At Smooth Moving, we value our customer’s possession and strive to deliver the best moving experience at great prices.

Moving to a new house is an exciting and stressful experience at the same time. The home buying and/or renting process can be a bit daunting, but most people are more worried about what comes after deciding your new place of residence: the moving process.

Fortunately, there are multiple moving companies that are not only professional but can help make the moving process an easy and convenient one. Here are several reasons why people prefer moving companies instead of trying to do the entire process on their own:

Mitigated Risk

We all know that moving can be tiring and stressful, but there are a lot of dangers that come with the transportation of large furniture and equipment such as beds and refrigerators. There is the possibility of dropping and damaging your belongings (at risk to yourself), and accidentally damaging the floors and walls of your new residence. Professional movers are experienced and are trained in this transportation process. They know exactly how and what they are supposed to do when transporting large furniture and equipment without damaging it.

Competitive Pricing

One of the main deterrents that stop people from hiring professional movers is because they think that the cost of hiring them is one that can be avoided. However, using a storage facility and attempting to move all of your belongings by yourself can end up costing more than a moving company! Most moving companies in the present day usually come with affordable and competitive rates, and also have their own storage facilities.

Efficiency

The movers at most moving companies are experienced, professional and most of all, efficient at what they do. Movers are trained to treat the belongings of other people with extreme care, as if the items are their own. This offers you a peace of mind that your belongings are being treated with care and can be transported safely to your new residence. This helps you put your concentration on other things on the actual moving day.

Accountability

When you hire professional movers, be assured that they are held completely accountable for moving all of your belongings safely. This is another reason why they will place effort in making sure your belongings are not damaged during the transportation process. The movers also know how to pack and load any fragile items and other belongings to ensure that they remain safe during the transportation, the unloading, and the unpacking.

With all of these factors in mind, it is clear the enlisting the help of a moving company will offer a peace of mind and increased ease when moving to a new home. Not only that, but they will be able to move all of your belongings at a faster rate than you would if you did it by yourself, as well as give you an estimated date as to when your belongings will reach your new home.

Contact Smooth Moves for a more efficient moving process today!

If you’re in the middle of getting ready to move, you may be at a crossroads deciding whether or not to hire a professional moving company to help you out. If this is indeed the case, there are a number of questions to ask yourself; do I want to have unnecessary stress? Do I want to make several trips back and forth with a smaller vehicle? Do I want the moving job to take up my entire day? Your answer to all of these questions is likely to be “no”, which means hiring a mover is your best option. Let’s take a closer look at all of the reasons hiring a moving company is the best decision you’ll make when it comes to moving day.

Don’t stress yourself out

It’s simple, the fewer boxes and heavy furniture you have to worry about moving yourself, the less stressed you’re going to come moving day. A moving company can be your best friend in this regard by supplying you with ready and able-bodied movers who are more than happy to do the heavy lifting for you. This is especially going to be a relief if you’re moving in the summertime on a particularly hot day, because sweating in the sun is not the most enjoyable summer activity. Professional assistance is going to make you feel much more relaxed leading up to and on moving day.

Speed things up

Hiring movers is a guaranteed way to really get things moving (pun intended). Professional movers know what they’re doing and understand that your time is valuable, so they will make it their goal to get you moved and settled in as quickly as possible. Though there are some companies that may purposely take their time in order to get paid for a long day’s work, a reputable and honest mover will never bamboozle you like this. Moving companies also have extensive knowledge of the areas they serve, meaning you can rely on them to get to your new house quickly.

Make packing easier

Did you know that movers can even help you pack? It’s true! Moving companies often offer packing services in addition to moving services, meaning you will have even less to worry about. Getting your things packed for you is the ultimate way to enjoy a stress-free moving experience, and you can be sure professional packing services will be just that: professional. Packers will always be sure to put your things in the appropriate boxes, ensuring that nothing will be lost or misplaced in the moving process.

Avoid those awkward pleas for help

Sure you may have one or two really good friends that would do anything for you, including help you move, but the truth is that nobody else is going to be particularly excited about giving you a hand on moving day. By hiring movers, you can avoid putting your old roommate you haven’t seen in five years in an awkward situation by not having to call them up and ask for their help. Professional movers are always willing to go the extra mile when it comes to helping you out, and you won’t even need to guilt them into it!

Delivered, assembled & set in place Score’s Sports Grill new kitchen equipment. Good luck with the opening!