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.

san francisco movers

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.