How to Move When You Work From Home

How to Successfully Move Your Living and Work Spaces When You Work From Home

More than 8 million Americans now work from the comforts of their own home. The work from home trend is changing the landscape of the working world, but it’s also changing the way we interact with our homes. Some people now have home offices, while others work humbly from their dining room tables or sofas. Either way, technology has opened doors for people to avoid the dreaded commute and make money without ever getting out of their pajamas.

When you work from home, you can theoretically work from anywhere. Many people are beginning to take advantage of this. Do you work from home? Have you considered moving to a faraway city to take advantage of better views as you work from your laptop?

Whether your home office consists of a full desk and meeting area or a single laptop, make sure you consider these logistics before moving your home and work spaces.

Keep Essential Office Equipment Accessible 

While working from home allows you to be more flexible with the date and time you move, it’s likely that you will have to work part-time. It’s great to move in the middle of the week when everyone else is working, but you won’t necessarily get of your workday.

When packing, make sure your daily work equipment is accessible. Keep these items in your passenger seat and make sure the professional movers don’t accidentally place them on the moving truck.

Maintain a Clean Work Spot While You’re Moving 

For some reason it’s tempting to start packing up the most used areas of our house first. That’s the opposite of what you want to do. Don’t assume you can comfortably work on your couch if you know you’re most productive sitting at your home desk. This is not the time to experiment with new work strategies. Keep your essential home office set up for as long as possible.

Keep Work Time Separate from Moving Time

When you work from home, the lines between home life and work life can get pretty blurry. Make sure you designate specific time to move and specific time to work. While you can be a little more flexible with when you work (that’s why you work from home, afterall!) make sure you work the same amount of hours you would in a normal workweek. If you truly need to spend the whole day packing, just take the time off.

Take Some TIme Off

There’s no need to feel the stress of moving while you’re trying to meet deadlines, too. Take a few days off so you can solely focus on the move. When you give yourself the space to compartmentalize, you will actually be more productive during the move and when you head back to work.

Be Mindful of your Files and Documents 

Transporting confidential documents is a task in and of itself. Use this time as an opportunity to recycle old files and declutter old paperwork. It could be worth it to get an inexpensive shredder and go to town on all those old files that have gathered dust and clutter your office. You’ll be happy you did when you set up your new office.

As for digital files, make sure everything is backed up. It’s amazing how digital files can seem to disappear when you rearrange your life. Back everything up, and do some rearranging while you’re at it.

Envision Your New Home Office
Moving is an excellent time to invest in a fresh start. Do you like your desk? Is it time for a new monitor? Consider how you want to update your home office before you pack up all the old equipment and furniture you’re using now. You may find yourself with an extra bundle of cash after selling your desktop and clunky bookcase.

We wish you well as you use your move as an opportunity to start fresh in your home space and work space.

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How to Trick Yourself into Saving Money for Your Move

Intro

• First thing you think of when moving: how much is this going to cost me?
• Moving can be expensive, but it’s even more expensive when you don’t plant
• Convenience is costly
• Trick yourself into saving money for your move.

• Prepare to save a boatload of money with these budget tips you can actually stick to.
• These are psychological mind hacks you can use to save money for your move.

Don’t Trust Self-Discipline
 

• If discipline worked, you’d be rolling dough right now
• If you’re moving in a few months, automate savings in your accounts. Set aside X amount based on how much you will need.
• Auto transfers from checkings to savings

Sell Your Stuff
 

• Start fresh and sell all the stuff you don’t need.
• Go super minimal, get rid of the stuff you kept because you just didn’t want to deal with it.
• You can rack up some serious cash by downsizing. Put all that money DIRECTLY into your moving budget.

Save up for a Housewarming Gift 
 

• Take care of your future self and set aside some cash specifically for a housewarming gift to yourself (so all your budget isn’t for functional stuff).

Eat All Your Food
 

• Before you get takeout bc it’s easier, eat all the food in your kitchen. Those frozen meals, pantry items, all of it. Not only will you save money, you can minimize waste and get creative with meals.

Create a to-buy list … but check your stores first 
 

• Ever been in the store, overwhelmed at what to buy, so you buy $300 more than you need? Don’t do that? Create a list or print a moving checklist and STICK TO IT. Only grab what you need.
• Before you go buy new stuff, do an inventory of what you have. You probably have duct tape somewhere, and scissors, and boxes, etc. Double check before you buy.

Avoid Tabs

• When saving for a move, avoid putting your drinks or food on a tab. It’s easy to rack up and lose track of. Be mindful of your money. Instead, bring out a limited amount of cash and when it runs out, you’re done.

Takeaway

 
You can save money, all it takes is a little mind hacking 


DRAFT: 
Why is moving so expensive?  Renting a truck, pricey moving companies, buying supplies, eating out, getting stuff for your new place: all these things add up! Sure, one way to keep moving expenses down is to shop around for the cheapest way to move locally, but there are money saving tips to help you maintain a moving budget and keep your wallet happy. Lots of times, during a move, folks tend to spend more money out of convenience.  Moving is stressful afterall and when we get stressed out, we typically spend more money. Avoid this  money suck by planning ahead! Believe it or not, there are ways to trick yourself into saving money! Read on for some psychological mind hacks and budget making tips that will help you save for your move. 

Don’t Trust Self-Discipline
You may consider yourself a person with strong self discipline. You go for a run every day after work, eat kale salad for lunch daily and you’re never late for a single meeting. You may think you can apply the same discipline to save money for a move. Yet in the chaos of moving, too often everything goes out the window: your couch, your clothes, and yes, your self discipline too. Here’s an idea for how to create a moving budget: months before your move, set aside a monthly amount of money to go towards moving costs. You may even want to automate this process with your bank. Hop on-line and request that your checking account transfer X amount of money to your savings on a monthly basis. This will help you stick to a budget and in a few short months, you’ll have a small cache of cashola for your move!


Sell Your Stuff
Want to know how to save money when moving out? It’s all about downsizing. In other words, getting rid of stuff you don’t need and selling it. You know that darling plaid green arm chair that is oh-so-comfy, but doesn’t go with anything else in the living room? Take a couple of photos of it and sell it on Craig’s list. There was a time when you thought you could never part with your garbage pail kids cards. That time has passed. Why not trot them down to your local collector’s shop and sell those babies? Continue to comb through all your stuff. You have the potential to make some serious cash off of things like books, designer clothes, vinyl records and other collectables. 


Eat All Your Food
As mentioned before, many people end up spending more money out of convenience. Don’t be one of those people. Instead, plan out meals that you can eat with the food you have left in your kitchen, pantry, garage freezer so that you can eat in during the weeks leading up to your move. Not only will you save money, you can minimize waste by getting creative making meals out of canned beans, tomato sauce and all those frozen drumsticks sitting in your freezer! Did someone say Chicken Chile Surprise? 


Create a to-buy list … but check your stores first
It’s a couple of weeks before your move date and you need to start thinking about what you will need to buy for the move. Instead of showing up at Target bewildered at where to begin, make a list instead beforehand.  First conduct a thorough inventory of what you already have in the house. Duct tape, scissors, sharpies, boxes: these are some things that you most likely already have. Next, make the list, take it to Target and STICK TO IT! You do NOT need the duct tape with happy face emojis on it. It may be cute and all, but ask yourself, is it really necessary?


Avoid Tabs
If you do end up going out before your move, maybe to have some good-bye drinks with friends, be sure to avoid putting your drinks/food on a tab. Instead, be extra aware of how much you want to spend that night and cash out when you’ve reached that limit. Using tabs is an easy way to lose track of how much your spending. 


Save up for a Housewarming Gift 
After all the effort you have put into saving for your move, you deserve something special. Why not set aside a bit of your savings to buy a housewarming gift for your new home? Consider things like a new welcome mat, a quality scented candle, a bonsai tree, wine chiller or a customized throw pillow with “Home Sweet Home” embroidered on it? 


Takeaway
Is moving expensive? Yes. Is budgeting easy? No. Can you still save money for your move? Absolutely! All it takes is a little mind hacking, some creativity and patience! If you’re ready to book your move, call the professional movers at Moving Forward San Francisco for a FREE quote!  

How to Pack Food For Your Move

Intro:

•  When we think of moving, we think of the main things like furniture, clothes, electronics. Food is often one of those details you don’t think of until the last minute. Don’t get caught having to throw away a bunch of food. Instead follow these tips to help you conserve food and pack appropriately.

Stay or Go?

• Before packing, decide which foods you will take with you, which you will throw out, and which you’ll donate
• Expired foods: either cook up quick before their expiration date or chuck them
• Perishables: try to have as little perishables in your fridge by the time moving day rolls around
• Consider donating canned foods as they will just weigh you down
• Consider consuming open bottles of alcohol before the move and beware of open container laws 

What do to with perishables

• Some moving companies only allow you to pack certain types of foods are prohibited by law to transport
•  Frozen goods may be prohibited
• Be aware of open container laws in regards to liquor; most movers will not move alcohol  Start cooking in advance your freezer full of meats;
•  consider having a big goodbye party and throw everything on the grill
•  Use a cooler for perishables and have it be the last thing you move, if it’s a short trip

Don’t get loosey goosey with your food

•  Opened boxes of dried goods, should be sealed in a zip lock;
•  Make sure to tape opened spices too.\
• Try to donate your breakables as they are likely to burst during your move. See if your neighbor needs extra olive oil

Packing

• You may want to reconsider packing canned goods because they add so much weight
• instead consider donating as a good deed,
• but if you do end up packing them, make sure to distribute the weight among many boxes instead of one insanely heavy box
•   Pack like a grocer, heavy stuff on the bottom, lighter stuff on top

Moving Day

•  Don’t forget to unplug your fridge 24 hours before your move so the freezer has time to thaw
• Don’t forget to set aside food for moving day!
• Remember your cooler of perishables

DRAFT:

Food, glorious food! We are consumed with it on a daily basis. “What’s for dinner?” “Let’s BBQ tonight!” “Who wants pizza?!” “Don’t forget to pack your lunch!” But when it comes to moving, food transforms into an afterthought. You’re more likely to focus on the big things like furniture, clothes, electronics and appliances. Suddenly, it’s moving day and you realize at the 11th hour that you still have to pack all of the food in the pantry, refrigerator, freezer and that secret stash of mixed nuts, chips and candy bars you keep in your office desk drawer. Don’t get caught having to throw away and waste a bunch of food. Instead, follow these tips for packing food for your move. 

Stay or Go?

Before you start chucking all of your food into one big trash can, first consider which food you want to take, donate or throw away. It’s important to start this assessment process a couple of weeks in advance. That way, you’ll have time to consume as much of your perishable or almost expired food in time for moving day. Wondering about what not to pack when moving? Open bottles of liquor, for one.

Consider throwing a cocktail party to use up all your partially consumed bottles of alcohol. Did someone say Margarita Monday? The last thing you want is to risk is violating open container laws during your move by transporting alcohol left over from your wedding. Finally, ask yourself, do I really need 20 cans of Manwhich? Canned goods are heavy which can be burdensome for a move. Consider this an opportunity to give back to those in need by donating extra cans of food to your local food bank.

What to Do with Perishables

Most moving companies will not move your perishable or frozen items and in many states it is prohibited by law. Consider having a backyard BBQ, invite all the neighbors and throw every frozen meat you have (well, of course, thaw it first) on the grill! Speaking of neighbors, consider giving your frozen or perishable food to elderly neighbors who may be on a fixed income and could benefit from extra sustenance. Come moving day, if you still have perishables that you just can’t bring yourself to throw away, plan on packing a cooler to throw in the car for the short trip to your new home. If it’s a longer trip, it may not be worth it. 

Don’t Get Loosey Goosey with Your Food

Before you begin packing your food, make sure that it is spill-proof. The last thing you want is opening up a gooey, powdery blended mess of a box when you arrive at your new home. If you have open boxes of dried goods, be sure to put them in a zip lock bag. It’s also important to think about how to pack spices for moving. Be sure to tape down the tops of open spices to prevent them from spilling during the move.  Also consider donating food that lives in breakable containers. I’m sure your neighbors would love to make themselves a pickle, mayonnaise olive oil sandwich! Yum! 

Packing Food The Right Way

Once you have narrowed down the food you will be taking with you, it’s time to pack!  If you’re wondering how to pack your kitchen properly, don’t just throw everything in a box. Pack like a grocer does by putting all the heavy items(cans, boxes of noodles, tubs of protein powder) at the bottom and the lighter stuff (chips, cereal, marshmallows) on top. If you do end up keeping most of your canned goods, consider distributing them among many boxes instead of putting them all in one, extremely heavy box. 

Moving Day

At last, moving day! One of the most common things people forget is how to pack your freezer correctly. First and foremost, make sure to unplug the fridge 24 hours in advance (and if you can, plug in the fridge at your new home too). This allows the freezer to thaw so you will have a cleaner, lighter (if you’re taking it with you) refrigerator.  Remember to put aside some granola bars, oatmeal and other snacks for moving day itself. This will save you time and money and keep you focused on the move. Oh yeah! And don’t forget to pack your cooler of perishables the night before. Keep in mind, you may need to stop at the store on moving day for a bag of ice. 

Conclusion

Nobody likes to waste food. After all, there are people all around the world who lack basic needs. That’s why it’s so important to plan ahead so as to conserve food as well as to make your move a bit easier. If you’re looking for a reliable company to help you with your move, give the professional movers and Moving Forward a call for a FREE quote! Bon Apetit!

This is the Best Way to Pack Your Car When Moving

Intro

• Packing into a small car can feel like a mission for a clown, but it’s a necessary task if you’re moving across the country and want to take your car with you.
• Don’t panic, instead rely on these strategies to get the job done right.

Do the Right Preparation 

•   You have limited space, have your purged everything you can purge? Donate, recycle, toss anything that’s not coming with you.
• Packing in a car calls for minimalism.
• Create an inventory of everything you have, so you can double check it before you set off and when you unpack.
• If you find that you have too much stuff for your car, you may want to consider hiring professional movers to help you haul your bigger items like furniture. 

Start With a Clean Slate: Clear Out Your Car

• May seem obvious, but you must must must clear out your car first. Not only does this show you how much room you actually have to work with, but it also just feels good to start with a clean slate and scope out the situation.
• When you start with a clean car, you won’t wonder whether something that’s usually in your car made it into the car. You will be able to consciously pack everything.
• Remove EVERYTHING: snow scraper, extra trash bags, random tools and nick nacks from work. Start fresh.

Pack Your Car the Night Before

• IF you have a garage, pack your car the night before (rethink that if you live in a shady neighborhood or have reason to believe your care will be broken into … even safe neighborhoods have burglars.)
• Lay out all your stuff and line it up in the order you’re going to pack it. 

Pack Like Tertris 

• The best way to pack is strategically.
• Rule of thumb: pack in the order you ill need to use something (it’s easy to accidentally do this the other way around).
• Use Bags, not boxes … you can fit more items in the car.
• Use every nook and cranny - cup holders, side pockets, under the seats … it’s all up for grabs (just remember all your “safe” spaces). 

Use Overhead Carriers

• These are a lifesaver, you can put a lot of gear and tubs that are awkward in size and shape on top of your car.

DRAFT:

So you’re moving across country, but you don’t want to leave your teal blue hatchback, “Reggie Roads,” that has been with you through thick and thin since college days. Plus, the moving truck isn’t going to get to your new home for another couple of weeks and you just can’t see yourself lasting that long without your favorite lava lamp. How do you pack all the things you’ll need in your small car that has a trunk the size of a bread box? Moving in your car can be a daunting task. Don’t panic. Read on for some tips for moving across country in a small car.

Do The Right Preparation

Moving in a small car is all about minimalism. Ask yourself: Do I really need those 30 beanie babies I’ve been holding onto since the 90s? Perhaps now’s the time to sell your transformer action figure collection on Craig’s List. Isn’t it time that you donate your funky gecko sock collection to a child in need?  It’s time to toss, recycle and donate anything that isn’t absolutely necessary to bring with you to your new life. Time to get your purge on!

Once you’ve purged, create a list of inventory of everything you have so you can double check it before you set off and when you unpack. This way you won’t be agonizing over the fact that you left your favorite flashlight 500 miles away when you arrive at your new place. If you find that you have too much stuff for your car, you may want to consider hiring professional movers to help you haul bigger items like furniture, sound systems or your ginormous television.
Start With A Clean Slate: Clear Out Your Car

Once you’ve narrowed down which items will go in your car, it’s time to make room for them. Start by cleaning out your car. Not only will it be nice to have a clean car when you’re ready to hit the road, but it will allow you a better view of the lay of the land so you can visualize which items can go where. Resist the urge to leave things that you store in the car (snow scraper, extra trash bags, random tools and knick knacks from work) in the car. Clear everything out first so you can pack it back in the most efficient and space-saving way.

Pack Your Car the Night Before

If you have a garage, pack your car the night before. This will save you time in the morning when you’re trying to get out of Dodge. It’s no fun packing the day of when it takes longer than you estimated and before you know it, you’re only barely pulling out of the driveway at midnight.  It’s much better to be able to get up, jump in your car, grab a coffee, beat the morning rush hour traffic and go!  On the other hand, if you don’t have a garage, you may want to be cautious about leaving all your belongings in the car overnight while it’s parked on the street. Even in a safe neighborhood, a car full of belongings may attract burglars.
Pack Like Tertris

Let’s get to the nitty-gritty of packing for your car. Be strategic. First, the best way to pack a car for a road trip is to be mindful of packing things in order of when you will need to use them. In other words pack the things you won’t need right away first (desk lamp), and those you will need last(cat calendar). Second, use bags, not boxes. Boxes take up precious small-car real estate while bags can fit more stuff. Finally, use every nook and cranny your car may have: cup holders, seat pockets, glove compartment, under the seats.  Heck! You could probably fit a tube of toothpaste in the sun visor!  Or a pair of shoes in the side door compartment! Just be sure not to create blind spots or to have anything loose that could fall on you while driving. After all, safety first!

Use Overhead Carriers

It may be worth investing in an overhead carrier, especially if your car is particularly compact. These carriers provide a lot more space for things like sports gear or plastic tubs that are awkward to try to fit inside the car. Be sure to strap it on tight with thick rope or nylon straps.

Conclusion

Not everyone has the luxury to buy a car once they get to their new city or town. You and Reggie Roads are in it for the long haul (pun totally and completely intended). We hope these tips help get the both of you safely to your new home. If you are in need of additional moving services or equipment, don’t hesitate to give the Moving Forward Sunnyvale Professional Movers a call for a FREE quote.

How to Stay Healthy During a Move

Intro

• Even when you’re moving, health comes first. 
• When you’re healthy, you can manage stress better, be more flexible to when circumstances change, be more self sufficient, and maintain a happy mood. 
• Moving shakes up our routines and muddles our habits. 
  • We start packing and suddenly our treadmill is covered in boxes -- ah well no exercise today. 
  • Moving tasks pile up and there’s no time to cook dinner. Takeout again. 
  • There’s so much to do you don’t even know where to get started, so you skimp on sleep to get more done before and after work. 
• All of this leads to more stress, brain fog, and unhealthy mind and body. 
• Take care of yourself while you move. 

Hydrate

• It’s amazing how being busy can cause us to forget about drinking water
• When you’re feels stressed, drink a glass of water, it helps. Hydration keeps stress levels down (WebMD). 
• Trying to keep up with your to-do list with coffee? Double the water. 
• There’s no way around it. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and keep drinking
  • Add lemon or cucumber to increase hydration (electrolytes) 
  • Eat hydrating foods like fruits and veggies. 

Anticipate Stressful Situations, and Manage it Appropriately

• It’s moving - there will be stress. KNow how to manage it. 
  • Schedule time for yourself (the gym, read a book, lunch with a friend - whatever energizes you). This is also important to keep stress down and motivation high. 
  • Exercise - channel tension and frustration, get your heart rate up, sweat it out, energize yourself for your to dos.
  • Meditation - if you practice it, kick it up a notch. If you don’t try 2 minutes a day.  

Eat a Balanced, Healthy Diet

• It’s SO easy to go with takeout every night while you’re moving. But that does damage on your wallet and your health. Stock up your fridge with whole foods that energize you. 
  • Don’t worry about fancy meals. Stick with stir fries, salads, pastas -- quick meals that provide clean energy. 
    • With the amount of 15-minute recipes online, there’s no excuse.
      • Just tired? Have ingredients you can just toss together, or use your InstaPot to cook up meals in no time. 
• Now is not the time to crash diet or live solely on potato chips and grocery store sandwiches. Your body and brain need healthy food to operate well and keep up with everything going on.
• Don’t skip meals
• Do you body and brain a favor and feed it what it needs to get through this move sanely. 

Sleep

• It’s tempting to stay up to get stuff done - sometimes you can’t avoid it. But running on empty throughout your move will only lead to you forgetting important details, starting fights with family members, and making things harder on yourself. 
  • You ever been so tired you forget why you walked into a room? Do you really want that going on while you’re moving and everything is out of place? Sleep. 
  • You will get MORE done if you take care of yourself. 

Take it One Step at a Time 

• Surefire way to stress out is to procrastinate. Give yourself plenty of time and small tasks to conquer every day.
  • EX: today I will sort my closet into “donate” “keep” “sell” and “throw away”. Tomorrow I will call my kid’s school and set up registration. Etc. 
  • Breaking things up into small, manageable chunks keeps you sane and things get done at a more realistic rate. 

Know Your Limits

There’s a lot to do, and you want to do it right. Understand what can be done now, what can wait, and what you may need help with. 

• Don’t lift boxes if they’re too heavy. 
• Say ‘no’ to commitments if you don’t have time. 
• Stop packing, organizing, or handling a moving task if you’re overworked. 

Prevent Injury and Stay Safe 

• Use proper lifting techniques
  • Lift with your legs. 
• Use proper equipment
• Ask friends to help
• Rely on professional movers 
• Wear proper clothing 

<Conclusion>

Reiterate main points + explain hiring professional movers makes things easier 

DRAFT:  

There are studies that show that moving is one of the most stressful events a person will experience in their life. Here are some reasons why that might be true: heavy lifting, separating, organizing, donating, garage saling, finally throwing away your coke can collection, turning off utilities, turning on utilities, being on hold with the cable company, saying good-bye to old friends, oh yeah and UPROOTING YOUR ENTIRE LIFE! Let’s just say, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re moving. 

One of the first things to get tossed out along with your beloved coke can collection? Your health. It’s hard to stay healthy when moving. Moving shakes up your routine and muddles your habits. Exercise? Can’t. There are boxes on the treadmill. Balanced meal? No time. Have to get take out for the fifth day in a row. Sleep? Ha! Waaay too much to do for that. Yet these unhealthy tendencies that take over during a move only cause more stress, brain fog and a renewed addiction to french fries. Instead, read on for healthy moving tips that will keep you safe and sane during your move. 

Hydrate

Stress and moving might as well be synonyms. It’s easy to get caught up in all the gazillion things you have to get accomplished while moving. One thing to always keep at the top of your list is H2O. That’s right, water. According to WebMD hydration keeps stress levels down. Make sure to keep a water bottle with you at all times. Maybe add a lemon or some other fruit to make it more enticing to drink. It also helps to eat hydrating foods like fruits and vegetables. Did someone say watermelon break? Keeping caffeinated to speed up the move? Double your water intake.  Caffeine is a diuretic and can work against staying hydrated. It’s also a good idea to keep a timer that goes off every hour to remind you to take five sips before continuing with the chaos of sifting and sorting. 

Anticipate Stressful Situations, and Manage it Appropriately

You don’t have to Google it to know that moving is stressful. So instead of waiting for the stress to come at you, be ready for it and combat it head on! Start by scheduling time for yourself to take a break, read a book, smell the roses. While it may be hard to workout when you’re busy, exercise is a great way to channel your moving stress by sweating it all out. If you meditate, kick it up a notch and work in an extra ten minutes. If you don’t, try it. Even taking a couple of minutes to breathe deeply will help calm your nervous system. 

Eat a Balanced, Healthy Diet

Why invite more stress into a move by stressing out your body? Instead, take care of your body by making sure to eat well when moving.  Resist getting takeout every night the week before your move. Stay fit when moving by stocking  the fridge with whole foods that energize you. Don’t have time to cook a fancy meal? Stick to “throw together” meals like stir fry, salads and pastas. These are easy meals that still pack in the nutrition. Don’t have time even for that? Throw some veggies and a protein in a crockpot on your way to work so it will be waiting for you when you get home. Now you have that whole hour that you would have spent cooking to work on moving. Now is not the time to crash diet or live solely on potato chips and grocery store sandwiches. It’s important to eat healthy when stressed so your body and brain get what they need to operate efficiently. Resist skipping meals and do your body a favor by feeding it what it needs to get through this move sanely. 

Sleep

Have you ever been so tired you forget why you walked into a room? Sleep. Have you ever stayed up too late trying to get things done that you find yourself on the floor at 3 a.m. drooling over old photos? Sleep. Have you ever started a pointless fight with a family member that later makes no sense? Sleep. Why make things harder on yourself during a move? Instead, well, you know, sleep.  Things will be clearer, happier and more productive in the morning!

Take it One Snowflake at a Time 

Ever heard of the snowball effect? It’s when you take all the snowflakes (all the tasks that you have to do), put them all together, and suddenly, they form a giant snowball (your entire move).  That’s about the time when you decide to do nothing and take a nap. Not what one would call the best way to move yourself. Instead of letting procrastination win, deconstruct the snowball and eliminate one snowflake at time. Breaking things up into small, manageable chunks keeps you sane and productive during your move. 

Know Your Limits

There you are with a whole house full of things that need to be sorted, cleaned, packed, sold, donated and moved. You stand before 50 million things, yet there is only one of you. Don’t get crazy. If it’s too heavy, get help to lift it. If you need a break, take one. If someone asks you for a favor, don’t feel bad about saying no so you can focus on your move. Know your limits and keep your boundaries. 

Prevent Injury and Stay Safe 

Last, but certainly not least, it’s important to stay safe and protect yourself from injury on moving day by following these healthy movement precautions: 

• Use proper lifting techniques. Always lift with your legs by bending your knees and never with your back. Have bad knees? Let the movers do it or get help from a friend. 
• Use proper equipment. Things like dollies, lifting belts, back braces, moving blankets, etc. can help you move heavy equipment safely. 
• Wear proper clothing. Don’t wear anything that might get caught on a corner or a protruding nail. Wear long sleeves and long pants to avoid scratches and bruises. Always wear closed-toed shoes and make sure those laces are tied nice and tight!

Conclusion

While it’s easy to focus on the move and getting things done in a timely fashion, taking care of your health will help keep your stress levels low. If you need help, you can always count on the professional movers and Moving Forward to do all the heavy lifting for a safe and efficient move. 

How To Prevent Burglary While Moving

Outline:

Intro

• Theft is extremely common for homeowners who are in the middle of moving.
• You’re often in and out more, you may leave your house unlocked, or even leaves boxes out.
• The process of moving makes you a target for burglars.
• Some burglars even find a way to waltz into your house on moving day!
  • There’s lots of people going in and your of your house on Moving day - families, landlords, realtors, professional movers, neighbors, cable men, you name it. It’s easier for someone to slip in.
• Protect your home/belongings and stay safe with these tips

Keep Up On Yard Work

• Robbers identify homes with overgrown lawns or wilting plants, bc they think you’re on vacation.
• May sound like a drag, but a robber can spot an unkempt lawn. Mow your law, pull your weeds, water your plants. If you’re garden is alive they will know someone is home.

Record A Dog Barking

• Whether you have a dog and his bark is unreliable or you don’t have a dog, the sound of a dog scares off burglars, set it to a motion center by the front door

Invest in Security Camera

• Keep an eye on your home when you’re at work
• You can take them with you when you move

Padlock Your Doors

• A single key lock isn’t a safeguard for robbers, get a serious padlock.

Close Up Windows

• Close the blinds, lock the windows, and use padlocks if you can.
• If you have windows without blinds (like a skylight) keep any keys and other valuables out of sight.

Lock Away Your Valuables

• On moving say, assign one spot (like a room) where you can lock your most valuable items. That way you can keep full attention on them when it’s time to load them up.

Disguise Items

• Burglars expect to see prescription drugs in a toiletry tote or something. They expect to see a laptop in a laptop bag. Deter them and put them in hard to identify packaging.

Be safe while moving, keep an eye out, and avoid issues by hiring a credible pro moving company who is on your side. Call for free quote.

DRAFT:

Hollywood’s version of a burglar is someone dressed in black, sneaking into a mansion late at night, repelling down from the ceiling, performing acrobatic feats to get through a complex matrix of lasers to arrive at a glass case with a rare gem in it. They quickly snatch it up, spring back up to the ceiling and escape. In real life, you’re most likely to get burglarized in the middle of the day when you aren’t home in plain sight.

Burglars are opportunists. They look for easy targets where they are least likely to get caught. When you’re moving, you’re distracted, stressed, trying to get the job done as quickly as possible. You’re moving boxes and furniture in and out all day so you’re more likely to leave the front door open. You have all sorts of people-family, realtors, cable men, professional movers, neighbors- entering and exiting the house throughout the day. You’re likely to leave boxes with valuables outside waiting to be loaded in the moving truck. To a burglar, your moving day looks like the perfect opportunity to rob you.

Don’t make it so easy! Read on for tips on how to avoid getting robbed when moving.

Keep Up On Yard Work

An overgrown, weed-infested yard with forgotten toys that haven’t been put away for months gives your home an abandoned look. A thief may take one look at your neglected yard and assume that you’re on vacation. Protect your house from robbers by mowing and taking care of your lawn. You may think mowing your lawn is on the bottom of the priority list when you’re moving, but it’s a simple way to demonstrate that you’re home which will deter burglars from making you their next target.

Record A Dog Barking

To make it easier to move without being targeted for burglary, you may want to consider putting up a “Beware of Dog” sign on your fence, even if you don’t have a dog. Take it a step further with a motion sensor that activates a recording of a dog barking. If burglars think they have to contend with a dog that could harm them or alert neighbors, they are more likely to stay away.

Invest in a Security Camera

These days it is super easy to shop for a security camera system. If you can afford it, it may be a good investment not only for moving day, but to install in your new home as well. Most home camera systems these days connect to an app on your phone so you can monitor your home from afar. Your phone can alert you of any suspicious activity while you’re making a trip to your local donation center and you can call the police right then and there.

Padlock Your Doors

Should you lock your house when packing? The answer is definitely yes. And when you leave your home in the midst of a move, it’s a good idea to go a step further. Padlocking your doors may seem extreme, but it’s a fail-safe way of making sure expert lock pickers can’t get into your home when you’re not there.

Close Up Windows

If a thief can see inside the lay out of your home and what sorts of valuables you have, they are likely to deem it an easier heist. Less intel means an increased likelihood of surprises that they are always looking to minimize. Make it harder for them. Lock your windows (use padlocks if you can) and close all of your blinds. If you do have a window without blinds (say, a skylight), be sure to keep valuables out of sight.

Lock Away Your Valuables

To avoid lost or stolen items when moving, consider keeping your most valuable items all in one room on moving day. That way you can keep a hyper focus on those items as they are loaded from your home into the moving truck.

Disguise Items

Where do you keep your jewelry? In a jewelry box. Where do you keep your computer? In its case. Where do you keep your prescription drugs? In your medicine cabinet. Again, it’s all about making a robbery more difficult to a thief. Instead of keeping all of your valuables in their usual spots on moving day, consider keeping your jewelry in an opaque water bottle, your computer wrapped in a t-shirt kept in a dresser drawer and your meds in a gym bag.

Conclusion

It’s easy to get overwhelmed and distracted with packing, hauling, cleaning and making calls on moving day. Avoid theft during your move, protect your valuables and be safe by calling a credible moving company who is on your side. For a FREE quote, call the professional San Francisco Movers at Moving Forward .

How to Repair Walls, Carpets and Floors Before Your Move

Outline:

Intro

• Our walls take a beating just from living within them: paintings posters, leaning objects against them, dents, marking your child’s height no the wall, scratches from pets and dogs.
• Same goes with carpets and floors - pets, kids, and parties can do a number on them.
• Whether you’re renting, this is your rental space, or you’re taking care of some final cleaning touches before putting your home on the market, use these tips to take care of the tiny details and clean up your floors and walls.

Repairing Damaged Walls

Every home will have some general wear and tear that you may have gotten used to bc you’re living in it … but it’s an eyesore to new tenants and homeowners.

• Fill holes - [Flesh out]
• Remove scuffs - [Flesh out]
• Give it a fresh coat of paint - [Flesh out]
• Clean the baseboards, crown molding, wainscoting - [Flesh out]

Repairing Damaged or Dirty Floors

Floors really take a beating, from food stains to stubborn dirt that’s ground in from years of walking on the carpet, floors should get a proper cleaning before you move.

• Shampoo carpets - [Flesh out]
• Wax hardwood floors - [Flesh out]
• Replace Tiles if scuffed or cracked - [Flesh out]
• Patch Damaged or Worn Carpet Areas - [Flesh out]

Prep House Before Moving Day

• Pro movers will be hauling everything out of your house, so if you just cleaned your walls and floors, make sure there is protective covering on floors etc. so scuffs don’t come back and all work is for nothing.

Document Your Work

• If you’re looking to get your deposit back, take photos of the cleaning and repairing you did
• keep all receipts for anything your purchased for repair and cleaning.

Takeaway

DRAFT:

So you’re getting ready to move. You’ve got a plan for packing, have registered the kids at their new school and are having a garage sale on Saturday. Hmmm. What are you forgetting? Ah yes, the dreaded cleaning. If you’re asking yourself the following questions:

• Do I need to clean my walls before I move?
• What about cleaning carpets before moving?
• Is it possible to clean my floors naturally?
• How do I clean carpets myself?

You’re in luck! You’ve come to the right blog!

If your walls, floors and carpets could talk, what would they say about the time they have spent with you, your children and your pets? Perhaps they would say…..

Wall: Hey Carpet, remember that time that little Johnny was chasing after Pepper when she was a puppy and slammed into me? I still have a dent to prove it!

Carpet: I do remember that, but what you may not have noticed was when the puppy decided to do her business right in the middle of the living room! Man, did that stink! Literally!
 

Floor: Oh that’s nothing, carpet. Remember that prom pre-party the teenagers decided to have last year? I suffered so many scrapes, scuffs and scratches that night from all those high heels, I lost all my shine! It was a sad day.

If you think your walls, carpets and floors are having this conversation in your rental or home you are about to put on the market, read on for tips on how to get them back into shape before your move date.

No More Wailing Walls

If your walls are crying for damage control due to holes, scuffs or chipping paint, follow these tips on  

how to prepare walls for inspection:

• To fill tiny holes from nails or tacks, use a putty knife to spread spackling or wall joint compound over the hole. Once dry, sand lightly. For medium holes, you will need a more rigid material such as a metal patch. After you have placed the patch over the hole, cover it with several layers of wall joint compound. For bigger holes, you may want to call your local hardware store or hire someone to do the repair.
• Need to fix the walls in your rental or home? Simply wet a clean rag and rub gently over the blemish until it disappears. For more stubborn marks, you may need to use an all-purpose house cleaning solution.
• If your walls are either severely scuffed up or the paint is chipping, it’s time to get out the paint brush and paint can to give it a fresh coat.
• Don’t forget the baseboards, crown molding and wainscoting. If your home has any of these features, get out that clean, wet rag and give these areas a wipe down, or again, if need be, a fresh coat of paint.

No More Frowning Floors/Carpets in Crisis

Are your floors feeling downtrodden and depressed? Have your carpets become a little crusty? Freshen up those floors and carpets with these cleaning and maintenance tips:

• If you have carpet, it’s important to give them a thorough shampooing before you move out. If you decide to go with a carpet cleaning company, make sure to call around to get the best price/service in the area. Keep in mind that they usually charge by how many rooms. If you want to save a little and don’t mind doing a little labor yourself, call your local grocery or hardware store to rent a carpet cleaning machine.
• If you have hardwood floors and they are pretty scuffed up, similar to the carpet cleaning, you can either hire someone to wax them for you, or rent a floor polisher to do it yourself!
• If you have an area in your carpet that is ripped or has a stubborn stain that is impermeable to all stain removers, you may need to patch it. First, measure the area that you need to replace with new carpet. Next, cut it out with a box cutter. Take the same measurements and cut a piece of extra carpet (hopefully, you still have some extra, but if not, see if you can get some scraps from your local carpet supplier). Finally, place an adhesive disc under the replacement piece of carpet and press firmly.

Scuff-proof Your House Before Moving Day

There’s nothing worse than creating more work for yourself on moving day when things are already chaotic as it is. After you have finished cleaning, de-scuffing, patching and spackling, be sure to protect your walls and floors from foot traffic, bulky furniture and tracked in dirt. Lay down plastic on the areas where movers will be hauling your stuff to the moving truck. For large furniture, tape foam or bubble wrap on sharp corners in order to protect your newly painted walls from scrapes and scratches

.

Become a Photojournalist

If you’re wondering, “how do I get my deposit back on my rental”? It’s a good idea to document everything you’ve done to clean and repair the walls, floors and carpet. Once you have finished, scrubbing, spackling and painting, take photos of what you have done. This is particularly important if you are hoping to get your rental deposit back from your landlord which could help pay for your move. Be sure to keep all receipts of things like paint, equipment rentals and other cleaning and repair supplies.

Takeaway

Let’s face it, homes are for living in. Living means spilling wine on the carpet, measuring the height of your children on the wall as they grow and tracking in mud on a rainy day. That’s why it’s so important to prepare your home for the next potential buyer or renter. Once you have a plan for packing, repair and cleaning, be sure to give Moving Forward San Francisco Movers a call for a FREE quote!