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Are you new in town following your residential move? Do you want to make friends? Sometimes meeting people can seem daunting, especially if you’re an adult who hasn’t had to make friends in a long time. However, meeting people will help you settle into your new home and make moving to your new town a more positive experience. These tips can help.

1. Volunteer

Volunteering your time at local nonprofit organizations gives you something rewarding and meaningful to do and helps you meet new people. Find a non-profit organization in your area that does something you believe in. If you have time, pick more than one organization to support. The more you get out of the house and meet people, the more people you’ll meet.

2. Participate in Local Social Media Groups

Many communities have social media groups that keep members of the community informed. On social media, you’ll learn about upcoming events, challenges in the community, volunteer opportunities, social clubs, and more. You may even engage in online conversations that lead you to meet the people who are your neighbors and fellow citizens.

3. Join an Exercise Class

Exercising is good for your mind, body, and your social life! Get involved in a local exercise class where you can meet people similarly interested in personal health and wellness. Exercise classes are often held in local gyms, but you can also find them in local rec centers and country clubs.

4. Join a Book or Wine Club

Do you enjoy wine tasting or reading books? These may seem like solo activities, but they don’t have to be. There are likely many people in your community who feel the same way. Search for a club in your area that you can join.

If you can’t find a club, you can also make one. First, advertise for your club on local social media groups. Once you’ve found people interested in participating in a club in your area, set up a meeting in a local cafe or community meeting space.

5. Use an App

Did you know some apps can help people with similar interests connect? For example, use a friend-finder app that can help you meet people in your new community.

Fill out a profile and then look for local meet-ups. Stay involved in your friend-finding app even after you start to meet people. As you do, you’ll grow your network and hopefully begin to make solid friendships with the people you meet.

6. Take a Dance Class

Dancing is a rewarding exercise, a good way of expressing yourself, and a great way to meet new people. Take a dance class at a local dance studio, or look for a dance class at a local rec center.

7. Participate in an Amateur Sports Team

What sports do you find most enjoyable? First, consider which sports you love the most, then join an amateur sports team in your area. You’ll meet people on your team and opposing teams who share your interest in that particular sport.

Moving? Find a Moving Company So You Can Focus on What Matters

Moving is a stressful event when you don’t have help. Work with a professional moving company that can help make moving a better experience. Contact us today for a free quote.

Bedrooms are one of the more straightforward rooms to pack, provided you know how to do the work efficiently and effectively. Bedrooms tend to be cluttered places with many items inside, so decluttering before packing can help. Once you’ve decluttered, it’s best to start packing items you’re unlikely to need soon. Here’s what you need to know.

Declutter and Clean

Your bedroom may have a lot of clutter, ranging from old clothes to bills, books, and more. Decluttering and cleaning before you start boxing up your items will make packing more manageable and satisfying. Get rid of clutter in the closet and anything you don’t need to bring. During the decluttering process, make three piles of items:

• Donate
• Discard
• Recycle

Remove these items from the room so you can continue the process. Once you’ve decluttered, vacuum the floors and dust the furniture. Next, you can begin packing.

Pack Seasonal Items First

Your bedroom likely contains many items that you use daily. When packing things into boxes, begin packing everything from last season. You won’t need these items for many months or miss them when they’re inaccessible.

Once you’ve packed everything from last season, you can start packing items you use more frequently. Pack a couple of “go bags” of things that need to remain accessible during your move, like clothes you wear every day, hairbrushes, and more.

Disassemble Furniture

On the day your movers arrive, furniture that isn’t already disassembled will need to be taken apart before it is put on the moving truck. The relocation day can go more smoothly if you start disassembling furniture now. Film a video of yourself taking apart your furniture, so you’ll have something to refer to when you’re putting it back together.

Take Down Art, Pack Properly

Does your bedroom contain pieces of art like paintings and photographs? Wrap these items in bubble wrap and pack them away in boxes explicitly meant to protect the art. You may be able to buy boxes like this from your moving company, or you can purchase art boxes from home improvement stores.

Use the Right Labels

Label each box on all four sides with the word “bedroom.” Does the box contain something fragile? Place a brightly colored “fragile” sticker on the box, again placing the sticker on all four sides.

If the box must remain upright, label the box “this end up,” or put a sticker to that effect on all four sides. Finally, don’t forget to write on the box a relatively detailed list of items that you’ve packed inside, whether that’s seasonal clothes, clothes you use every day, shoes, and so on.

Mark the boxes that contain items that need to be unpacked first and boxes with items that can wait to be emptied. Doing this will make unpacking more efficient and ensure you can reach the things you need when you need them.

Hire Professional Movers

Hiring professional movers gives you more time to concentrate on packing. Call us to get a quote if you’re starting a relocation.

In March of 1992, a writer for the Toronto Star coined the term “man cave” to describe a decked-out basement where a man could relax in a comfortable retreat to enjoy his collections in his own unique style and personality. Since then, man caves have become a staple of interior design, with many men claiming a section of their homes for recreational activities such as sports and billiards.

You may not know where to start if you’re interested in creating your own man cave when you move into your new home. So here are some tips to turn a basement (or any room) into a secluded paradise.

1. Pick a Focal Point

What is the primary focus of your man cave? Are you hoping to watch sports with friends, play pool, and enjoy a six-pack of beer? By choosing one focal point, you can build your room around that. Then, if you have enough space (and a large enough budget), you can install additional elements like a wet bar, air hockey table, etc. Some examples of focal points include:

• Big-Screen TV – If you want to watch TV solo, you can put a recliner in front of the screen. However, if you’re going to entertain, you can buy a couch with built-in cup holders and trays.
• Poker Table – Maybe your sanctuary is where you and your friends can play cards monthly. So, a table in the center of the room with chairs and a small wet bar makes the place feel like a legit casino hall.
• Sports Table – Air hockey, pool, and ping pong are often games of choice, so pick the one you like to play the most.

2. Prioritize Your Needs

Ideally, you’ll have multiple entertainment and hosting options in your retreat. First, however, you must figure out the essential elements and work your way from there. Write down a list of everything you’d like in your space, then order the list based on must-haves and want-to-haves.

Once your list is ready, you can start measuring the space to see what’s possible within the confines of your room. For example, you might have the budget for a big-screen TV and a pool table, but is the room big enough for both?

3. Set Your Budget

When creating a renovation budget like this, you want to estimate the cost for everything, including installation, furniture, decor, and even minor elements like trash cans and paper towels.

If you’re doing complex renovations (i.e., installing a wet bar), you need to call various contractors to get quotes. However, you may be able to start with DIY elements and save the renovations for later on. Here is also where prioritizing your list comes in handy since you know what to pay for upfront and what to hold off on.

4. Start With Furniture, Then Decor

The best way to convert a room into a man cave is to start with the big pieces. So, if you’re putting up a big-screen TV, figure out which wall it will be against (or mounted to) and start there. Doing this piece first means figuring out any issues and correcting them before it’s too late. For example, what if your ideal wall doesn’t have studs or has reflections on the screen?

Once your furniture is in place, add elements like posters, lamps, paintings, and more. Think of the big pieces like a skeleton and the decorations as the skin.

Get Moving Help!

Finding your personal style is part of the excitement when creating your man cave.

Hire a moving company to handle your relocation. Contact us today to see how we can help turn your dream into a reality!

Business relocations are complex – especially when you’re moving a restaurant. Maintaining good communication with loyal customers, choosing the right location, and selecting the right commercial movers are essential.

If you do it right, you’ll be able to keep your old customers and acquire new ones in your new location. On the other hand, if you’re less successful in your restaurant relocation, your business could struggle to be successful. Here’s what you need to know.

Choose the Right Location

Location means everything when you’re moving your business, and that’s especially true for restaurants. When choosing a location for your restaurant, there are many factors to take into consideration:

• Know your target customers and whether they’ll travel to the location you’re considering
• Select a location with adequate parking, if you expect to draw customers who do not live or walk nearby
• Choose a location that customers will see and find easily
• Find a location you can afford
• Select a location with complementary businesses nearby

Choosing a restaurant location is an art, and since your business already exists in another place, you probably understand some of the thought that needs to go into location selection. Use lessons learned from your old site to find a new, better place for your restaurant.

Communicate with Customers

Tell your customers you’re moving. Put signs in your windows weeks or months before your move. Instruct servers to alert regulars about the upcoming change. If you have a newsletter, send a notice to customers in advance.

Your customers need to know that your restaurant has not shut down; it’s simply moved to a new spot. Does your restaurant have a social media account? If so, post information about the relocation on your media accounts and website.

Offer an Incentive to Customers After the Move

Once your restaurant is up and running, you must attract new customers, even as you retain the old ones. So offer an incentive to bring in new customers and entice old customers to visit your new location.

What kind of incentive? It depends on your restaurant, customer base, and budget. For example, you might offer a free dessert to everyone who comes to your restaurant within the first two weeks. Or offer a 10% discount for a select timeframe.

Advertise your incentive on your social media account, in your newsletter, and through all the channels you used to tell everyone about your relocation.

Attract New Customers with An Opening Event

Another way to attract new customers is to hold an opening event. If you choose to hold an opening event, advertise for it well. Consider offering discounts to everyone who attends. If your restaurant has room for live entertainment, find a band or a performer who can keep your restaurant customers happy while they eat and enjoy your new space.

Work With Professional Movers

Working with professional movers is essential, especially for a restaurant relocation. The pros can move your equipment, dishes, and more without damage. To make your relocation as smooth and successful as possible, contact us today for a free quote.

If you have a move coming up, you might be feeling under pressure. You probably feel overwhelmed with all the scheduling, prepping, and packing you need to accomplish.

Get a handle on your household relocation by incorporating effective planning and organization. It will help eliminate stress and make your move smooth and efficient.

Here are six tips to help with your preparation and packing.

1. Reduce the Common Clutter

Packing for a household move is easier when you only bring what you need to your new home. 

Before packing, eliminate things you no longer use by finding opportunities to upcycle or recycle when possible. Sell your stuff on Marketplace or donate it to organizations like Salvation Army or Habitat for Humanity.  Don’t regard your house as a storage unit. Not only will eliminating the unnecessary lighten your moving load, but it will also provide you with more space in your new home.

2. Act Now by Making a Moving Plan

Develop a moving plan that includes a detailed packing schedule. Start in the areas of your home that you use the least and with items you don’t use often. For instance, pack up formal china or holiday decor.

Create your own packing guide and schedule to keep you focused and motivated. For example, determine a specific day to manage items from a particular room. Assign one week per room—for instance, the first week, work on the guest room, week two, the basement, etc. Then, prioritize your packing, assign reasonable deadlines, and start work as soon as you know you are moving.

3. Determine Essentials for Essentials Box

Pack essential items like a change of clothes, medicines, toiletries, select kitchen items, and charging cords separately. Keep these crucial things in a separate marked box that you keep with you on moving day. Then, you can quickly dip into your supply box before your other boxes arrive and unpack them.

4. Select Appropriate Cartons

Gather sturdy cardboard boxes to store and protect your belongings. The key to effectively packing everything from clothes to books and electronics to dishware is using the appropriate cartons for your various items. 

Smaller boxes work well with heavier items like books and fragile dishes. And larger boxes are more suitable for lightweight things like comforters and pillows.

Consider using dish pack kits or glass moving kits with dividers and partitions to separate and better protect your fragile dishware. Check with your moving company for these and other specialty boxes like TV boxes and wardrobe boxes with hanger bars that allow you to move your clothes right from your closet to the box and then directly into your new closet.

5. Use Suitable Filler Material

A cardboard carton is an ideal destination for your stuff when packing, but make sure you have plenty of suitable filler material like packing paper and bubble wrap too. The filler material prevents your belongings from shifting and colliding inside the moving boxes. Make sure you wrap each item effectively, then fill in all space to keep things from movings and getting damaged. 

6. Label and Color Code Boxes

Labeling your moving cartons is essential to keep your move on track and running smoothly. When labeling your boxes:

• Label each side
• List the contents in detail
• Indicate the destination room of the box at your new home

A color-coding system is also a smart idea to help differentiate which boxes go to which rooms. Make sure you provide the movers with your color code key.

Your Move Made Easier

These tips will help make your move smooth and efficient. Check out our blog for more information like this.

Contact us for a free quote and your individualized moving and storage needs!

When the movers show up at your house on moving day, they’ll quickly spring into action, packing boxes into the moving truck. If you’re not ready for their arrival, you could delay their progress while finishing up the last-minute packing activities. 

Getting your house ready is essential before the residential movers show up. This checklist will help.

Get Finished Packing

Unless you’re working with a full-service moving company with plans to have them pack your household goods, plan to finish packing before the movers arrive. Packing is a lot of work, so make a plan to be efficient. You may need help from friends or relatives during the packing process to make it more manageable.

Set aside time each day to pack. As you draw closer to your move date, you may need to spend more time packing to ensure the work gets done correctly.

Break Down Your Beds and Other Furniture

If your movers aren’t going to break down your furniture for you, disassemble it before they show up. Attach the hardware to your furniture in a baggie, so the hardware isn’t lost. Are you worried about being able to reassemble your furniture correctly? Take a video of yourself disassembling your furniture, so you’ll have something to refer back to when the time comes.

Take Items Off the Walls

Don’t forget to pack any art and decorations on your walls. Get those items packed before the movers arrive! Some art needs to be packed in a special box to avoid damage. If you have paintings or photographs, buy an art box for those pieces that need to be specially packed.

Take Down Curtains, Blinds, and Rods

Removing your curtains, blinds, and rods from the windows can take a lot of time, especially if you need to wash those curtains before packing them. If you don’t plan to hang the curtains in your new home, donate them to a charity so someone else can use them, or if you like to sew, set your curtains aside for any upcoming sewing projects.

If you’re selling your house or moving out of a rental, you may be able to leave your blinds in place for the next owner/tenant. Find out from your real estate agent whether you should do this before you go.

Tell the Movers Where to Park

One of the things that your movers may struggle with on moving day is finding a parking spot. If you live in an area with an HOA, there may be rules that prevent moving trucks from parking in the street outside your house. If you live on a busy street, you may need to get a permit for your moving truck. Find out in advance where your movers can park and give them that information.

Notify your neighbors when you plan to move so they can leave space on the street for the moving truck. This applies to both your old home and your new home.

Get Kids and Pets Out of the Way

Kids and pets can interfere with your professional movers, so make arrangements for your kids and pets to spend time with friends or family when the relocation occurs. Again, it is safer and more efficient with kids and pets securely out of the way.

Need Help? Give Us a Call

Make your move a success. Contact us today to find out what we can do to make your relocation less stressful and more successful.

Kitchens are a focal point in a home, and, as one of the essential rooms in the house, you want it to be clean, functional, and inviting. It’s no fun working or spending time in a dull or outdated space.

However, maybe your budget is tight from moving to your new home, and you can’t quite swing a complete overhaul. Or you don’t have too much control over upgrades since you’re renting. Then the following five inexpensive ways can help quickly spruce up your dated kitchen.

1. Paint the Walls

Painting the walls is a quick and inexpensive way to spruce up any room. A new coat of paint on your kitchen walls can instantly transform the room’s look, but choose a color that makes you happy. Once dry, hang new curtains to add a nice contrast.

2. Update Cabinets

Even if your home has its original cabinets, this doesn’t mean you can’t spruce them up. While it may be too expensive to replace them (or if a renter, you can’t), try looking at other easy and inexpensive alternatives to clean them up and get them looking brand new.

Sand and restain the cabinets or apply a layer of fresh paint to complement your new walls. Are you tired of looking at decades-old tarnished copper or brass? With updated hardware, you can simply change the cabinet pulls, knobs, and hinges.

Another option is to remove cabinet door inserts and replace them with glass to offer a unique look and dramatic change.

Even if you can change just the hardware, this minor upgrade can significantly improve the look of your kitchen.

3. Install a New Faucet

Many late 20th-century faucets are dull and don’t shine well. Replacing a dated faucet with a shiny, modern one improves the kitchen’s look and adds a lot more practicality. In addition, today’s faucets have beautiful finishes, pull-out hose features, or touchless options.

4. Replace Dated Lighting

Depending upon the age of the house, dated lighting may not look nice or can even be faulty. Fortunately, swapping outdated lighting is an easy task. Even if you’re not able to do it yourself, you can select a fixture and have an electrician install it for far less than it would cost to do an entire kitchen overhaul.

5. Miscellaneous Additions

Not able to do many projects at this time? A few other things you can do to spruce up your kitchen include:

• Adding an accent backsplash that you can install; the stick-on type which requires very little money and effort and looks just like stone or ceramic.
• Buying a throw rug to add color to dated flooring.
• Applying new liners to cabinet shelves
• Installing wire shelving to add more storage space to reduce clutter.

Are you looking for more ideas? Then, try one of these easy solutions.

Moving Made Easy

Are you planning your move to a new home or apartment? We can help. Call us today to learn more about our professional moving services or obtain a free quote.

Relocating to a new office is significant for most companies and involves several moving parts. You’ve got to find a suitable professional space, determine which staff can relocate or commute to the new location, and juggle numerous other logistical issues.

But, statistically speaking, the more preparation companies make before a move, the better their chances of finding a successful transition. That’s no small undertaking. Here are tips to minimize disruption and make a smooth relocation to a new office.

1. Maintain Steady Communication

It’s essential to provide continuous communication about the move to all employees. Employees who hear about the move through the grapevine might react negatively. This can impact their routines. Keep your team up-to-date on location, dates, facility features, etc. Encourage them to ask questions to ensure they get the information they need.

2. Offer Staff Incentives

Moving to a new location gives a company a chance to start anew. Investing in upgrades employees would like can go a long way towards obtaining their buy-in.

• Ditch worn-out furniture and replace it with new comfortable and ergonomically correct pieces.
• Upgrade outdated technology to more efficient and user-friendly equipment.
• Offer an upgraded break room or see if the new facility can offer other employee perks.

Offering these and other staff incentives can help boost productivity, efficiency, and morale—all of which can contribute to a smoother transition.

3. Allow Feedback

One of the biggest problems employers sometimes find themselves experiencing is resentment because their employers aren’t transparent enough about decisions that affect them. Communication is a reliable tool to help prevent this type of scenario problems. In addition, allowing feedback from employees helps them maintain some ownership in the process.

• Inform employees sooner than later so they don’t hear through the grapevine.
• Get them involved by allowing them to select new furniture or determine which tech can help them do their jobs better.
• Set up teams to manage different tasks and let employees have some control over various aspects of the move.

Giving employees hands-on opportunities to participate in the relocation goes a long way towards helping the moving process go much easier on them—and you.

4. Hire Professional Movers to Ease Transition

Employees manage many details when their workplace decides to move to another location. They’ll have to consider commutes, costs, daycare, and other arrangements or responsibilities they manage. Team members will appreciate not having the burden of moving boxes, furniture, equipment, supplies, and other items. It’ll reduce the stress factor upon arrival.

Hiring professional movers who know how to perform a safe and efficient move will also help avoid staff injuries. Some employers think it’s cheaper to let their paid staff do the work, but if someone is injured, not only do legal issues present themselves, you could lose a good employee who is no longer able to work.

Get Planning Today

Relocating an office is significant work. To learn more about how we can help ease this transition and make it easier for all involved, contact us today to learn more about our services or obtain a free quote.

You’re ready to start packing for your move. But, before you pack, make sure you understand the items movers cannot move. Here’s a list of prohibited and restricted things that professional movers can’t move.

Prohibited Items

A good rule of thumb is that if an item can’t be recycled or disposed of in a regular trash can, movers can’t move it. Movers are prohibited from moving any hazardous or flammable items or toxic substances. Prohibited items include:

• Household cleaning products
• Alkaline and lead-acid batteries (Remove batteries from remotes, toys, and radios before packing.)
• Corrosive chemicals or poisons and lawn and garden chemicals
• Flammables and explosives, including matches, fireworks, and road flares
• Live animals or plants
• Petroleum products, including gasoline cans and other storage containers if they have any fuel in them
• Compressed gas cylinders, including oxygen tanks and fire extinguishers
• Illegal items or substances, such as illegal drugs or any items prohibited under state or federal laws
• Paints, including nail polish
• Ammunition including gunpowder
• Wax candles, especially paraffin candles
• Aerosol spray cans, such as those that contain hair spray, insect repellant, or cooking spray

You may want to dispose of some of these items, such as household cleaning products and lawn and garden chemicals, and buy new ones when you arrive at your destination. In addition, you could take live animals or plants in your car with you by taking some precautions.

Restricted Items

Movers might move certain restricted items if you’ve cleared them with your moving coordinator and prepared them correctly.

• Alcoholic beverages. Movers can transport alcoholic beverages in sealed containers; however, the temperatures in the vans may adversely affect their taste. If you have a collection of fine wines, beers, or spirits, you may want to request a climate-controlled van. Also, some states charge duties on alcoholic beverages imported for personal use.
• Gel-filled batteries if cables are detached and terminals covered
• Cordless power tools powered by lithium-ion batteries if the batteries are removed and transported separately and the terminals are covered
• Scuba tanks, if empty
• Firearms, if unloaded, declared, and documented
• Clean gasoline cans and fuel storage containers if they are empty and have no odor. However, movers recommend against moving these items unless necessary.

Not Recommended

Professional movers typically recommend moving items such as wedding photographs and children’s artwork. They also recommend setting aside personal items such as passports, prescription medicines, financial forms, insurance cards, credit cards, and school records to move yourself. In addition, you should carry towels, toiletries, and a change of clothing in your first-night box.

Seasonal Considerations

Even if some items aren’t on the restricted or prohibited list, you may want to avoid movers putting them in a regular van during extremely cold or hot weather. First, do some research on temperatures along the travel route. Then consider which items will fare poorly in those temperatures and carry them in your car or a climate-controlled van.

Moving Help

Do you need moving help? Contact us for a free moving quote. We can help you get to your new home efficiently. 

Moving to a new home involves multiple lists of things to manage before the big day. Packing the first-night box is essential and while putting that together, remember to pull together a few items for your pets.

The following are six essential first-night box items to pack for them and eliminate the need to make a late-night run to the grocery or drug store.

1. Food

Like everyone else, pets need to eat. Therefore, you should plan to pack enough food to last a few days so that you aren’t left scrambling through boxes to find your pet’s food. Doing this also ensures you can continue to feed them their regular brand since last-minute dashes to the store might result in buying a brand they aren’t used to.

For pets with digestive issues, continuing them on their regular foods can reduce the risk of upset tummies, but even pets without problems may experience upset due to the move—keeping food consistent will probably help.

2. Food and Water Dishes

Packing food and water pet dishes with the food will make it easier to feed Fido or Fluffy. Plus, it avoids needing to use the first thing in a pinch—you don’t want to start rummaging through boxes to only find Grandma’s China bowls to use.

3. Litter Box/Poop Bags

Cats will need a location to do their business soon after arrival. Otherwise, they’ll locate their own place to go, which might be someone’s bed or other undesirable location. Ensuring a kitty litter box, litter, and scooper are readily handy will ensure Fluffy has a place to go.

For dogs, it’s essential to pack poop bags, especially if your dog is walking and not going on your property. Aside from the hygiene factor, many communities have strict laws and fines for not picking up after canines.

4. Collar and Leash

Rather than packing a collar, every pet should wear one before moving, along with a tag that includes your name, phone number, and new address. Then, if your furry friends escape during the chaos of a move, whoever finds them can make certain they find their way home.

Dogs will also need a leash for when you take them for a walk—this is an item you definitely don’t want to go out shopping for in the hour of need.

5. Toys

Not unlike kids, pets will need their belongings to entertain them. So provide plenty of toys for your pets if they like to play, including chew toys and bones for dogs and cat toys and catnip for cats.

6. Carrier

Carriers are essential to ensure your pets are transported safely to the new house or apartment. For example, you should crate dogs and pace cats placed in cat carriers. Be sure to tuck a comfortable blanket or towel in with them to help make the ride more comfortable.

Providing pets the items they need for their basic needs and a few niceties will help give them a better transition to their new home. So many pets feel displaced going somewhere new, but ensuring their first-night moving box is stocked with all the things they need and enjoy will help them feel more at ease.

Get a Free Quote Today!

Are you preparing to move yourself and your pets soon? Contact us today to learn more about our services. We’re happy to provide you with a free quote.