Smile Away the Homesick Blues With This Essential Homesick Checklist

The Essential Self-Care Plan For When You Feel Homesick Here's no set in stone manner to manage being achy to visit the family. Above all else, no one can tell when it will hit, or what will trigger it. You could be strolling to your new loft and recall an extraordinary supper you had with a companion in an old neighborhood diner. Or on the other hand you could be awakening one Sunday and miss the simplicity of strolling to your preferred corner market for espresso. Whatever triggers that nostalgic inclination, you need to be set up to battle it and recover financially. Utilize this agenda to be ready for unexpected and enthusiastic desires of your old neighborhood. Have a Self Care List Handy You realize yourself best, so you comprehend what causes you to feel thought about and agreeable. Enjoying a touch of self consideration can help battle those substantial sentiments. Scrub down, hit the rec center, or get supper with another companion or associate. Possibly bouncing into a different universe with a decent book is your thing. On the off chance that you don't have a self consideration list, we recommend making one so you generally have it helpful when you don't know how to manage yourself. A few proposals: Exercise fires up those vibe great endorphins and soothes pressure, which can be incredible when you're feeling home wiped out. Appreciate a touch of preparing, regardless of whether that is getting a hair style, completing your nails, or appreciating a back rub of facial. Sleep. At times those melancholy sentiments can be turned around with a little shuteye.

Play with your pet. Spending time with creatures has a method of quieting us down and causing us to feel safe and thought about. Solicitation a Care Package Do your folks or friends and family actually live back home? Request that they send you a little consideration bundle with a portion of your preferred things from home. Once in a while all you need is some espresso from your preferred bistro or a photograph of your old neighborhood in the fall. It's those little contacts that can feel soothing and recuperating. Your loved ones would presumably be glad to deliver you a couple of things! Adhere to a Routine Beginning once again in another city is an enormous change. From the start you can feel like you're on a type of unusual, unpleasant excursion. You're eating out constantly, you don't have the foggiest idea where anything is, and the main spots to hang out are bars and restaurants. It's a battle and it's disconnecting. One basic thing you can do to battle this poor unfortunate soul feeling is to make and adhere to a daily schedule. Wake up simultaneously, make the most of your espresso or tea in a similar spot, take a similar drive. The more you travel through similar advances, the more agreeable you will feel. You may likewise become more acquainted with other people who share a comparative daily schedule. Possibly you will see similar modest bunch of individuals at the café toward the beginning of the day, or the lift. Perhaps you will begin to converse with the individuals who head to the rec center in the nighttimes when you do. Schedules have a method of establishing us, exploit them. Call a Friend On the off chance that it's the individuals you miss more than the spot, at that point reach them! Nothing beats calling an old buddy and making up for lost time for an hour or thereabouts. Simply hearing the sound of their voice can ground you and cause you to feel comfortable. In the event that you live in various time regions, plan a period that works best for both of you, so nothing feels hurried or awkward. Investigate Something New Now and again the best solution for yearning to go home is to quit contemplating the past and totally drench yourself in the present. An incredible method to do that is to investigate another territory in your new city. Look at a show with a collaborator, or hit up a random data night and join a group. Hit up a historical center or craftsmanship exhibition, or even the nearby ranchers market. No one can really tell what will provoke your curiosity or become your new most loved spot to hang out. san francisco movers

The most effective method to Protect and Move Antiques Safely

 

Introduction
Collectibles are treasures - frequently nostalgic, have family as well as financial worth - breaking them during a move would make you extremely upset.
Indispensable things require careful pressing.
Plan appropriately to limit danger of harm during the move.
Dodge this no matter what by being set up with these tips
See whether You're Covered
Audit moving insurance plan with your expert movers. What do they spread, what amount, get clear on this so desires are perceived by all.
Some mortgage holder's protection arrangements spread collectibles
Take Inventory of Your Items
Sounds like a drag, yet it's absolutely justified, despite all the trouble.
Know precisely what you have, what it's worth - take photographs of harm and mileage so you know precisely what it resembles.
Record sequential numbers, archives, producing marks, and so forth.
Have Your Antiques Appraised
Know their worth (and have evidence of it!) before you move.
Critical if this gets lost of harmed, proficient movers know precisely what it was worth and can repay dependent on harm.
Recruit an expert to have you collectibles assessed before you move
You can likewise go to a neighborhood evaluation day at a sale house, or go to a classical show, in case you're attempting to adhere to a financial plan.
Clean Your Antiques
Check for any vital cleaning before pressing
Be mindful so as to just utilize extraordinary cleaning items implied for old fashioned furnishings. You ought to have the option to discover these in your neighborhood tool shop or Lowes, Home Depot and so forth.
Try not to utilize oil or wax on things in the event that they are going into capacity - it will mellow the completion
In the event that you don't have the foggiest idea how to clean your collectibles, contact a nearby old fashioned store, sales management firm, or chronicled society for subtleties.
Purchase the Right Packing Supplies
Furniture has fragile wood and glass - subtleties that give them character! - don't add to the harm during the move. Be aware of the correct pressing supplies.
Microfiber fabric
Pressing paper or pressing peanuts
Air-filled cling wrap
Glassine (a sort of cling wrap yet impervious to air, water, and oil. Accessible at most art stores)
Pressing tape
Corner defenders for craftsmanship and mirrors
Boxes, including strength boxes as need
Moving covers
Furniture cushions
Pack With Care
Mark everything: which side is up, which side can conflict with the way and which sie can't, note any zones with noteworthy harm that ought to be maneuvered carefully.
Enclose by thick cushions to ensure corners
Wrap all glass with glassine
Think pad and backing -
Use corner defenders
Pad with bubble wrap or air-filled saran (wrap it twice!) secure with tape
Pack in the littlest box conceivable to limit squirm room
Encourage the Move
Manage movers and impart plainly how collectibles ought to be taken care of.
This permits movers to pose inquiries if essential

When it comes to how to move fragile items such as glassware, ceramics and other breakables, it should always be with special care. On the other hand, when it comes to your grandpa’s vintage beer bottle collection, your great grandmother’s heirloom doilies or that giant 19th century mahogany desk that weighs a ton that has been in your family for generations, let’s just say “special care” isn’t going to cut it. For these precious family relics, you’re going to need to handle them with the delicacy of a feather landing on a butterfly’s wing that’s sitting on a dew drop.
Irreplaceable items require mindful packing and proper planning in order to minimize the risk of damage during your move. Read on for packing tips for fragile stuff and how to move antique furniture, family heirlooms and fragile trinkets so that they arrive at your new home all in one piece.
Find Out If You’re Covered
A great place to start in protecting your fragile and valuable items is by giving your moving company a call to find out if they offer a moving protection plan. If they do, you’ll want to know what items they cover and how much they cover should something suffer damage during the move. This is an opportunity to let your movers know about which fragile items need to be handled with special care so that on the day of the move everyone is on the same page.  It’s also a good idea to look over your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if it covers antiques.
Take Inventory of Your Items
Before the movers come, take inventory of your valuable antique items. Though it sounds tedious, it is totally worth in the event that they are damaged, lost or stolen during the move. Take photos of damage and wear and tear so that if anything happens you can differentiate between what was already there and marks or scratches that occurred during the move.  Record and store serial numbers, documents, manufacturing marks or anything else that could help you identify the original value of the item. That way, if something happens, you will have proof of the value to make sure you are compensated accurately.
Have Your Antiques Appraised
Once you have taken a thorough inventory of your antique items, hire a specialist to appraise them before you move. Acquiring an appraisal will help to show the exact value of your items should they get damaged during the move. This will make the process of reimbursement easy for the insurance company, the moving company and, most importantly, you. If it’s not in the budget to hire an appraiser, consider attending an appraisal day at a local auction house or go to an antique show.
Clean Your Antiques
It’s important to clean your antiques before you move so as not to mistake a temporary mark for a permanent scratch. Be sure that you use special cleaning products that are particular to antiques. In other words, Windex is not going to do the trick with your Tiffany stained glass lamp. You should be able to find specialty antique cleaning products at your local Home Depot, Lowe’s or Hardware. DO NOT use oil or wax to clean wood furniture before your move as it will soften the finish and potentially cause permanent damage. If you’re unsure about how to clean your antiques, contact a local antique store, auction house or historical society.
Buy The Right Packing Supplies
If you’re asking yourself, how much bubble wrap do I need, what do I need in the way of packing supplies for framed art and other questions about antique packing and shipping, you may want to think long and hard about exactly what type of packaging you should use for that vanity with the tortoise shell framed mirror. Definitely DO NOT grab last week’s newspaper to pack it, especially if you are planning on moving antiques across country. Different items will require different packaging.  Consider the following packing materials for your antiques:
Microfiber cloth
Packing paper or packing peanuts
Air-filled plastic wrap
Glassine (a type of plastic wrap but resistant to air, water, and grease. Available at most craft stores)
Packing tape
Corner protectors for art and mirrors
Boxes, including specialty boxes as needed
Moving blankets
Furniture pads
Pack With Care
Can you think of anything worse than an antique doll house delivered upside down allowing all its internal miniature pieces to be tossed about during the move? Ugh. Avoid this scenario by properly labeling each box containing a delicate doohickey with directions such as: which side is up, which side should go against the wall and which areas need to be handled with extra care. Consider these other packing precautions for your antiques:
Include thick pads on the corners of antique furniture, art and mirrors when wrapping and boxing.
Wrap all glass with glassine
Cushion and support breakables with bubble wrap or air-filled plastic wrap and be sure to wrap it twice and secure it with tape!
Pack fragile items in the smallest box possible to minimize wiggle room, which given too much could cause increased potential for breakage.
Facilitate the Move
Once the movers arrive at your home ready to, well, move, take a moment to communicate with them about specific items that will need special care. This will allow movers to ask questions if necessary before they start loading up the truck.
Conclusion
Watching all your belongings get hauled away, hoping they’ll make it to your new home in one piece can be stressful, especially when some of those antique items, if broken, would have your ancestors turning over in their graves. Hopefully, these tips for moving antiques will help keep your ancestors resting in peace.  If you’re asking yourself, do professional movers move antiques? The answer is yes and Moving Forward Sunnyvale is, in fact, the best moving company for antiques!  Let our professional movers at Moving Forward handle all your belongings with care. Give us a call today for a FREE quote!

San Francisco Moving

The most effective method to Relocate for a Job Before Your Family

                                                                              

                                         How to Relocate For A Job Before Your Family

It happens constantly: one parent or companion gets a new line of work and needs to migrate quickly, however that is impractical for the remainder of the family unit. Perhaps as guardians you have chosen to keep the children in school until the year's end to limit the pressure of the change. Or on the other hand possibly your companion or sweetheart/beau needs more opportunity to make their own courses of action.
Whatever the case, moving without your life partner or family can be amazingly troublesome. That is the reason individuals who need to migrate like this habitually (government authorities, military, and so on.) have full division assets and advantages to help with the change.
Not exclusively will you be isolated from your friends and family, yet the coordinations of moving one family in two unique occasions requires some basic reasoning, clear arranging, and huge amounts of correspondence.
On the off chance that this is your first time moving under these conditions, not to stress. Utilize this fast agenda to keep your head on straight and guarantee your move is clear and as easy as could be expected under the circumstances.
Make a Plan Together
On the off chance that you're the individual moving first, at that point your undertaking list will look a great deal not the same as your accomplice's rundown. You probably need to discover a spot to leave, regardless of whether it's impermanent, and handle your expert game plans. Your accomplice may need to zero in on getting together your home and holding down the day by day obligations.
The best game-plan is to make a rundown of all that should be taken care of and afterward sort those undertakings as "new home" and "old home". When complete, figure out which rundown is longer or more work escalated. In the event that reasonableness is a worry, at that point ensure those rundowns are equivalent. For instance, perhaps you could deal with bills for the current home and pay for the home to be cleaned so your life partner doesn't need to.
Consider likewise what you need to handle together. For instance, you could begin the cleansing cycle of your whole home before you leave, so your family is left with the fundamentals yet doesn't need to wipe out the carport without you. 

You may likewise need to share the endeavors of finding the correct neighborhood with the correct schools or closeness to work. It will be a lot simpler to figure out who is taking care of what and which errands are shared when you have them all recorded. Your rundown will probably include:
Old Home
Cleanse superfluous items
Clean the house
Fix any harm to dividers, floors, and so on.
Pack
Recruit proficient movers
Move utilities and addresses
Make courses of action to stop/move your activity and take kids from school
Make courses of action to take or drive out vehicles
New Home
Discover one!
Examination neighborhoods and schools
Set up utilities
Get to know the area
Practice drive courses
Set up security frameworks
Buy any new furniture needs
Enlist kids in school
Unload when the truck shows up
There are bounty more errands where these originated from, however it's a decent beginning as you make your own agenda.
Plan Time Together
Plan those date evenings! In the event that you and your accomplice won't be seeing each other for a couple of months, plan the same number of supper dates and family game evenings as you can. Probably the hardest piece of living ceaselessly from each other isn't getting the chance to fraternize. Despite the fact that you have bounty to deal with, try to deal with one another first!
In case you're moving to an alternate time region, try to likewise arrange for when will be the best an ideal opportunity to call or FaceTime when you're living separated. We live in a superb computerized age where we can see each other from over the world, so exploit it. It will make those desolate nighttimes somewhat simpler.
Speak With Your Professional Movers
All things considered, your expert movers have helped families in comparative circumstances, so ask them whether they have any specials for moving a similar family twice inside a specific time span. For instance, in the event that you are anticipating taking one burden out and your family will take the rest out later, you might have the option to work something out monetarily. At any rate you can prepare of time and keep your movers on top of it about your particular needs. No one can really tell what a snappy call can do. Be straightforward about your needs and you might be astounded with the help you get.
Show restraint
Moving your family the nation over is a major achievement and an enormous endeavor, so give yourself squirm space to let the cycle unfurl how it might. Nothing will turn out to be consummately, there will consistently be delays, so it's ideal to stay persistent and recollect why you're making this move in any case. Toward the day's end your family is a group, and you're in this together - regardless of whether you must be separated for a brief period.
Is it accurate to say that you are prepared to make the move? Call Moving Forward today for your free statement, and we can get you out with your particular plans.

san francisco movers

How to Move Successfully in the Summer Heat

                                                       

Intro
Summer is the most popular time to move, it’s also the hottest time to move.
Depending on where you’re moving from/to, it’s likely to be hot - hot and humid, hot and dry, just plain hot.
Moving is labor intensive, it’s easy to overexert yourself, forget to eat or drink water (especially when you just want to get the work done!)
Don’t get yourself in a situation where you have to drop everything you’re doing to go to the store and get water/food (or worse … have to stop everything to go to the ER for heat stroke).
Take care of yourself this summer! Use these tips to stay cool, hydrated and happy during your move *and to take care of your movers too*
Do You Know the Signs of Overheating?
Heat exhaustion can happen fast if you’re not taking care of yourself. Know the signs before it’s too late
Nausea, dizziness
Start Early
Beat the heat, ask your movers to arrive as early as possible.
Be prepared when they arrive, time dilly-dallying when movers arrive is time allowing the morning to heat up.
Have your game plan (what’s moving first and wear)
Have hallways covered to avoid scratching, etc.
Hydrate (more than you think you need to) 

 
You can easily get to you 10,000 steps in a day when moving .. running back n forth in the house, not to mention lifting boxes etc.
If you’re feeling the signs of thirst, that means you’ve been thirsty for a long time. Don’t get to that point.
The last thing you want to do is get a dehydration headache or fatigue from lack of water.
Keep water bottles and hydrating drinks (coconut water, sports drinks, iced tea, etc.) at hand at all times.
Eat hydrating foods (watermelon, cucumber, jicama, popsicles)

Gear Up and Wear Appropriate Clothing
You can wear cooling scarves to keep your neck cool while you’re moving boxes.
Wear a hat (get it wet once in awhile)
Wear light clothing (dark clothes absorb sunlight and will make you hotter)
Stick with breathable natural fabrics like cotton or Moisture wicking clothing (keep the sweat off your body)
Keep the AC On in Your House
Don’t turn off your utilities on moving day, you’re gonna want that AC as a break from the heat.
Turn on utilities at new home as well, so AC can be cranked when you arrive (if you’re moving close, crank it before you arrive so you can come home to a cool place).
Protect Your Skin
Wear protective clothing
Lather up with that spf
Take Breaks
We know you want to get this done ASAP, but you need to take breaks so as not to overexert yourself.
Hang out in the shade, have a quick chat with your movers and share a drink, (your movers will appreciate a break too!)
Careful Where You Put Your Boxes
Some items don’t fare well in the heat
Anything that can melt
Anything that can be damaged by sunlight (electronics, art)
Keep them out of the sun as much as possible
Conclusion
Good luck out there, from all of us at Moving Forward San Francisco Movers  !

How to Create a Packing Plan That Works

                                                                  

 Intro
Moving is exciting, packing is not
Yes, you can plan for packing. It doesn’t have to be packing frenzie, with the right game plan, you may actually enjoy it. 
I repeat, this does not have to be overwhelming, as long as you create a plan
Mark Your Calendar
The day you find out when you’re moving, mark it on a physical calendar (or digital if that’s your thing). This will help you visualize how much time you have.
When you set a date, urgency becomes real.
Remove the Unpackable
Declutter, throw stuff away, get rid of everything that won’t go in a box (unless it’s furniture)
Create a List of Packing Supplies
Have clarity now? Cool. Now that you know exactly what you have and you’re taking with you, figure out what you need to pack it up.
What do you already have? (boxes, scissors, tape, friends and family, packing snacks, children who are old enough to help, bubble wrap)
Know what you have? Know what you don’t have? Make a list of what to buy.
Brace Yourself: It’s Time to Make Your Packing List
Give yourself time and treat yourself to a glass of wine, it’s time to make your packing list
It’s basically an inventory of what you own. You don’t have to count every t-shirt and every stray pen, but get a general understanding of what you have.
Additional list: what you will need immediately when you arrive. You will want to pack those differently.
Give Yourself a Sanity Room
Leave one room untouched while packing.
Be smart about which room you choose, which one do you use most? Office? Kitchen? Up to you. Keep it intact.
However! Do what you can to prep to pack it - get boxes ready, pre-label them, etc.
Pack the Stuff You Won’t Need First
Pack away the superfluous stuff
Keep the stuff you will need immediately clearly marked and accessible
Takeaway: using these step will significantly improve your packing experience. Don’t make packing so hard on yourself. Happy Packing

When it comes time to actually move, leave it to us (call for a free quote).

Moving is exciting. You’re off to a new place with new neighbors and friends, a new job and a new city to explore. It’s a chance for a fresh start. You know what’s not exciting? Packing. Most people put this part of a move off and as a result find themselves packing in a frenzie until all hours of the night. Packing doesn’t have to be that stressful!  As long as you create a plan, packing won’t be as overwhelming as you think. Follow these tips on how to pack correctly for stress free packing experience.
Mark Your Calendar
Time has a way of sneaking up on us. Yesterday was a month ago, but suddenly moving day is tomorrow! Cue freak out! Avoid this scenario by keeping close tabs on your calendar the month of your move. The moment you find out when you’re moving, mark it on a physical calendar (or digital if that’s your thing). This will help you visualize how much time you have to clean, pre-pack, have a going away party.  Once you have set a date, the urgency of your move will kick you into action and you will be primed to become a packing ninja!
Remove the Unpackable
Apart from moving day, you may also consider marking your calendar with declutter days or weekends a few weeks prior to moving day. This is a great pre-moving activity that can make packing a lot easier. Start by deciding what you will donate or throw away. Create a pile of stuff that you plan to donate (like that hello kitty toaster or that White Snake t-shirt with holes in it that you’ve been meaning to get rid of for literally decades) and another pile of stuff you plan to sell at your garage sale(your VHS collection and that bright pink lava lamp that will make some college student cry with joy). This would also be a good time to figure out if there are larger items you want to sell on Craig’s List so that you have ample time to find a buyer before your move.
Create a List of Packing Supplies
How to plan for packing? You ask? Now that you know exactly what you have and what you’re taking with you, figure out what you need to pack it up.  Before you start buying up Walmart’s entire supply of duct tape and sharpies, first take an inventory of what you already have. Most folks have things like boxes, scissors, tape, packing snacks, bubble wrap and towels(that can be used as cushioning) already in their home.  Don’t forget to include the human factor on your list of “supplies”. If you have friends, family or children who are old enough to help with the move, you may be able to save yourself some time, money and back ache. Once you have a list of what you have, then you can make a list of the things that you need to buy.
Brace Yourself: It’s Time to Make Your Packing List
Get into your favorite, most comfortable chair, put your feet up and treat yourself to a glass of wine because it’s plan for packing time!  Where to start? With a moving checklist, of course! While it is not necessary to count every t-shirt and every stray pen, it’s a good idea to get a general understanding of what you have. Organize your list by room and list items in the order in which you plan to pack them that makes the most sense to you. For example, in the case of your bedroom, you’ll probably pack your bed sheets las along with the clothes and other items you’ll need for when you arrive at your new home. While things like jewelry, your massive shoe collection and single socks can be packed up right away.
Give Yourself a Sanity Room
Packing can become very chaotic very quickly. One of the best packing tips you can implement is to reserve a sanity room. It’s a good idea to leave one room untouched while packing. Make sure the room you designate as “the sanity room” is one you use the most. Whether it be a work space, the kitchen or your bedroom, keep that room intact until you have the rest of the rooms packed up. You can still carry out pre-packing tasks for your sanity room such as getting boxes ready, pre-labeling and cleaning.
Pack the Stuff You Won’t Need First
This is a no-brainer, sure, but you’d be surprised what zaney things people do under stress. Don’t be that person! Know what to pack first! Keep a head on your shoulders and pack the stuff you don’t have an immediate need for (like photo albums, your miniature turtle collection and your dust-collecting books) first. On the same token, make sure that the items you will need on moving day are easily accessible by labeling boxes in which you have stored those items clearly. 
Conclusion
Packing is stressful, chaotic and can easily get out of hand. Don’t be an unhappy packer! Move without procrastinating and plan ahead instead! That way you can focus on the new life that’s ahead of you! Want to be a happy mover too? When you have a moving date in mind, leave it to the      san francisco professional movers at Moving Forward to do it for you! Give us a call for a FREE quote!

How to Move Successfully in the Summer Heat

                                                      

Intro
Summer is the most popular time to move, it’s also the hottest time to move.
Depending on where you’re moving from/to, it’s likely to be hot - hot and humid, hot and dry, just plain hot.
Moving is labor intensive, it’s easy to overexert yourself, forget to eat or drink water (especially when you just want to get the work done!)
Don’t get yourself in a situation where you have to drop everything you’re doing to go to the store and get water/food (or worse … have to stop everything to go to the ER for heat stroke).
Take care of yourself this summer! Use these tips to stay cool, hydrated and happy during your move *and to take care of your movers too*
Do You Know the Signs of Overheating?
Heat exhaustion can happen fast if you’re not taking care of yourself. Know the signs before it’s too late
Nausea, dizziness
Headache
Excessive sweating
Fatigue
Excessive thirst
Irritability
Hot flushed skin
Rapid heart rate
Shortness of breath
If any of these worsen, you may need to go to the hospital in case of heat stroke.
Start Early
Beat the heat, ask your movers to arrive as early as possible.
Be prepared when they arrive, time dilly-dallying when movers arrive is time allowing the morning to heat up.
Have your game plan (what’s moving first and wear)
Have hallways covered to avoid scratching, etc.
Hydrate (more than you think you need to)
You can easily get to you 10,000 steps in a day when moving .. running back n forth in the house, not to mention lifting boxes etc.
If you’re feeling the signs of thirst, that means you’ve been thirsty for a long time. Don’t get to that point.
The last thing you want to do is get a dehydration headache or fatigue from lack of water.
Keep water bottles and hydrating drinks (coconut water, sports drinks, iced tea, etc.) at hand at all times.
Eat hydrating foods (watermelon, cucumber, jicama, popsicles)

Gear Up and Wear Appropriate Clothing
You can wear cooling scarves to keep your neck cool while you’re moving boxes.
Wear a hat (get it wet once in awhile)
Wear light clothing (dark clothes absorb sunlight and will make you hotter)
Stick with breathable natural fabrics like cotton or Moisture wicking clothing (keep the sweat off your body)
Keep the AC On in Your House
Don’t turn off your utilities on moving day, you’re gonna want that AC as a break from the heat.
Turn on utilities at new home as well, so AC can be cranked when you arrive (if you’re moving close, crank it before you arrive so you can come home to a cool place).
Protect Your Skin
Wear protective clothing
Lather up with that spf
Take Breaks
We know you want to get this done ASAP, but you need to take breaks so as not to overexert yourself.
Hang out in the shade, have a quick chat with your movers and share a drink, (your movers will appreciate a break too!)
Careful Where You Put Your Boxes
Some items don’t fare well in the heat
Anything that can melt
Anything that can be damaged by sunlight (electronics, art)
Keep them out of the sun as much as possible
Conclusion
Good luck out there, from all of us at Moving Forward San Francisco!


Do you feel that? Your cheeks burning, nose running, sweat dripping down every nook and cranny? Yeah. That’s the heat of the middle of summer. It’s great if you’re spending it BBQing in the shade, diving into a lake or sipping an ice cold drink with an umbrella in it. If you’re moving during the summer, however, the sweltering heat can make you feel like you’ve created your own little day of HELL!  While summertime may be peak moving season and the most popular time of year to move, it can also be the hardest time of year to move because it’s too hot outside for people to be lifting heavy boxes all day. When is the best time to move? If you can, consider moving during Memorial Day and Labor Day when the weather is still nice, but not as hot as the summer months.  But hey! If you are planning on moving during the summer, don’t panic yet! You found this blog, didn’t you? So let’s make this summer moving day a bit more pleasant and tolerable, shall we? Read on for some tips on how to stay cool, hydrated and happy during your summer move!

Do You Know The Signs of Overheating?
If you can stay ahead of dehydration, your move will go a lot faster and you won’t feel like you’ve been run over by a moving truck by the end of the day. It’s important to pay attention to signs of dehydration before it’s too late to do anything about it (yes, there is a point of no return). Here’s a list of symptoms to look out for.
Nausea, dizziness
Headache
Excessive sweating
Fatigue
Excessive thirst
Irritability
Hot flushed skin
Rapid heart rate
Shortness of breath
It’s also important to know the dangers of excessive heat.  If any of these symptoms worsen,  it may result in a trip to the hospital.  Heat stroke is no joke and requires immediate medical attention. So keep that water bottle close!
Get An Early Start
It’s true what they say: the early bird gets the worm and it’s most likely because if the bird waits any longer, it will be too dang hot for the work it will take to get that worm! Do as the bird does, get an early start. When you book your move, ask for the earliest arrival time. It’s also a good idea to be prepared before the movers come so that you have as much morning time when it’s cooler to move as possible. What can you do to prepare?
Have a game plan of what’s moving first, second, third, etc.
Cover hallways and the corners of furniture to avoid scratching
Plan a pathway for the movers to take that is the clearest and has the least amount of obstructions (through the garage, for example)
Make sure all of your boxes are labeled, sealed and ready to be placed in the moving truck when the movers arrive.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate And Then Hydrate Some More!
You will lose much more water moving on a summer’s day than a sitting on the beach on a summer’s day. You can walk up to 10,000 steps moving heavy boxes of your stuff back and forth and back and forth. If you start to feel thirsty, that’s a sign that you’ve been thirsty longer than you think and that dehydration is starting to set in. Don’t let it get to that point! The next thing you know you will have a headache, fatigue will set in and you will have a harder time keeping a steady rhythm.  Don’t keep moving under the pressure to get it done. Instead, stop to rehydrate from time to time. Have drinks on hand to at all times (coconut water, sports drinks or just regular H20 are the best!)  In addition to drinking, it’s a good idea to eat hydrating foods too like jicama, watermelon, cucumber and popsicles.
Clothes to Wear When Moving in the Heat
Wearing light, breathable clothing will help your body stay cool in the heat. Don’t wear dark clothing as it absorbs sunlight and will make you even hotter. Instead wear breathable natural fibers like cotton.  Alternatively, moisture wicking clothing that can help keep the sweat off of your body.  Cooling scarves are perfect for keeping your neck cool and sweat free. Also wearing a hat to shade your head from the blistering sun and wetting it periodically is another great way to stay cool.

Take Breaks
Resist the urge to go, go, go because you want to get your moving done yesterday. If you don’t take breaks, you may overexert yourself in the heat before you finish moving.  Not to mention, increasing your risk of heat stroke. So pull up a chair under a tree and have a chat with your movers. Find out their favorite hobbies, where they’re from and if they’d like a cold beverage from the ice chest.

Other Tips For  Moving In The Heat
Here are a few other suggestions you might want to keep in mind while moving in the scorching summer heat:
Protect your skin. Moving is hard enough. Moving with a sunburn is super hard. So lather up with some SPF before stepping foot outside.
Leave the AC on in your home. Set the cancelation date on your utilities in your old home the day after your move and set the start date for your utilities in your new home the day of moving. That way you’ll stay cool while you move out and while you move in!
Be aware where you put boxes that may have items that can suffer damage from the heat. Anything that can melt (think candles and photos that can end up sticking together), electronics and art are things you might want to take special care in protecting from the heat.
Conclusion
We all love summer, but maybe not so much if we have to move in its 100 degree weather. When you’re ready to move, whether it’s winter, spring, summer or fall, give the professional movers at Moving Forward San Francisco movers or Moving Forward Palo Alto movers for a FREE quote. Good luck out there and stay cool!

saven Tips For Relocating Your ELderly Loved One

                                                    

How to move an elderly loved one successfully 

There comes a time when your parent, grandparent or elderly loved one cannot live on their own anymore. Helping them understand it is time to move to either an assisted living facility or to your home can be a difficult experience. Not only are you handling the logistics for your loved one, but the emotional challenges can be exhausting. It is not easy to move from a home where your family as made so many beautiful memories together. It’s also not easy losing your sense of independence. All this and more are hard realizations your loved one will be going through, and it will mean the world if you handle all the details so they don’t have to.

Get their Medical Needs in Order - First and foremost, if your loved one will not be able to see their current doctors, make sure they have new doctor referrals before they arrive. Medical needs should be first priority, especially if your loved one will not be moving into an assisted living facility.
Prepare the New Floorplan Ahead of Time - If your loved one is moving into a smaller home or simply a new location with a assisted living, request the blueprint of the space beforehand so you can plan the layout to suit your loved one’s needs. This will also help you get a feel for what can move with them and what may need to go into storage.
Out With The Old For a New Experience - It’s likely your loved one has been in their current house for a long time, so their will be plenty of donatables to sift through. Organize three bins into “Donate”, “Throw Away” and “Sell” and together go through clothes, knick-knacks and even furniture to determine what stays and and what goes. Remind your loved one that this is not just an ending but a fresh start.
Get The Family On Board - This is an event when all family hands should be on deck. The more love and support you can provide, the easier the move will be. Of course, request assistance from family members well in advance, and don’t expect them to do all the moving. Hire professional movers in San Francisco to take care of all the heavy lifting and hauling.
Rent a Storage Unit - There are bound to be some belongings that hold tremendous value but are too big and bulky to go into the new space. Rent a storage unit to store these items and provide your loved one with some piece of mind. If it is important for your loved one to be part of the planning, let them be in charge of choosing the storage unit facility, as it is a relatively stress-free decision and they will know exactly where their belongings are at all times.
Create a Travel Plan - Your loved one is likely to have certain health needs that could complicate their relocation. Prepare a list of procedurals and necessary items to make the move as comfortable as possible. This may include an itinerary that includes meal and bathroom breaks and medication or mobility considerations. If your loved one is travelling by plane, be sure to call the airline ahead of time to brief them on the situation so they can make proper accommodations.
Hire Professional Movers in San Francisco - You have a lot of details to take care of, moving and hauling should not be one of them. Save your energy for the details that truly matter to your loved one, so you can make this experience as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. HIring professional movers with great ratings and reviews will give you a bit more peace of mind.

Preparing to relocate your loved one? Call Moving Forward Professional Movers in San Francisco to get your Free Quote.  

Making moving easier for dog

Moving is chaotic for people--that’s why there are so many blogs about moving to help us out--but if things can get this overwhelming for people, can you imagine what moving is like for your dog? Not only does he have zero verbal confirmation of what is going on around him, but he also has no control or say over the situation. So how do we make this easy for our four-legged best friends? Our professional movers at Moving Forward have moved plenty of families with dogs, and we’ve learned a few key ways to make the move easier for Fido.
Keep His Routine The Same
While certain details about your dog’s routine will be difficult to keep the same, the more you can keep normal, the less stress your dog will feel. Make sure meal times, bed times and bathroom times are around the same time of day. Keep your dog comfortable by maintaining the everyday routine.
Keep His Toys With Him
The house is going to start to get messy as you prepare to move, but you will want to make sure your dog’s toys and bed stay with him or where they always go. If he usually sleeps in the living, do your best to makes sure it stays that way. Again, any change in routine will cause your dog to stress out, which could leave to destructive behaviors

Hire a Dog Sitter
During the actual move, hire a dog sitter or take your dog to a friend’s house to keep him comfortable and calm. All the moving boxes and strangers (i.e. professional movers) will only stress him out.

Exercise Your Dog
When you arrive to your new location, take your dog to the park and play some fetch. Get as much energy out as you can, so that way your dog will sleep well on his first night in a new home.

After The Move: Be Compassionate
Your dog will be in an unfamiliar place once you move, and he will need to take some time familiarizing himself with the new environment. Be patient. It could take a few weeks for your dog to assimilate, and it’s possible that they will pee in the house or start digging through the trash.

Have any tips for making the move easier for a dog? Share them with us! We want to help make these moves as stress-free as possible for all of our customers.

Getting ready to move yourself? Call Moving Forward today for your free estimate!









san francisco moving

The Pros and Cons of Renting a Portable Storage Unit

     Should you rent a portable storage unit or hire a Sunnyvale professional moving company?
 
The question is out: should you rent a portable storage unit or hire a professional moving company? Honestly, it all boils down to your needs, which might sound surprising coming from a Sunnyvale professional moving company. There are pros and cons to both depending on the nature of your move. (Some people have chosen our Sunnyvale professional moving company for one move and rented a portable storage unit for another).

Whether you’re moving from a three-story home across the country or from one apartment to another in the same neighborhood, these are a few pros and cons to help you make an informed decision that makes sense for your move.

Pros and Cons Of Renting a Portable Storage Unit

The Pros
Renting a portable storage unit is notably cheaper than hiring a professional moving company to move your belongings for you. If you’re on a budget, this might be the more appropriate option for you.
Portable storage units are convenient. A truck drops it off and then picks it up after it’s ready to be delivered to your new home. Once the unit is completely unloaded, they will pick it up and that’s that.
Portable moving containers are great for storing your belongings during the move, especially if you’re moving out of a rental and have a lot of cleaning to do to earn back that deposit. 
Rental a portable storage unit allows for more flexibility in your move. Maybe you’re moving for a job with a TBD start date, but you want to get a headstart on packing. Whatever the circumstance, a portable storage unit can sit for weeks while a professional moving company is unable to do so.

The Cons
While portable storage units include a lock, they can still be vandalized or broken into. If this should happen, the rental company is not liable for anything stolen or damaged. 
Portable moving storage units are cheaper than a professional moving company because you have to do the work yourself (or bribe a few of your friends with pizza to help with the heavy lifting.)
If you’re deciding between renting a storage unit or a moving truck, you will find that the storage unit is more expensive upfront. However, moving truck rentals often have additional fees, so it’s best to decide which rental is best depending on the distance of your move. 
If you are a senior citizen or have physical limitations, then choosing a portable moving container will be more of a hassle than a help.
If you want to place your portable storage unit on the street, you may need to contact your local government and get a parking permit. Check with your local government or HOA to see if there are any regulations against keeping it in front of your house.

Final Thoughts
Renting a portable storage unit makes sense if you’re on a budget, need a flexible moving time, or you’re strong enough and willing to do the move on your own. If you need to move in a rush, you have bulky or valuable items (grand pianos, dining room tables, antique furniture), or you do not have the physical capabilities to move on your own, we suggest hiring our professional Sunnyvale movers instead.

Researching Sunnyvale Moving Companies? Contact us today for a free quote!

How To Move Houseplants - A Guide by Palo Alto Movers

House and garden plants enliven a living space and have a way of transforming a house into a home. Here in Palo Alto, we’re lucky to live in a climate that is absolute paradise for most plants, so your own home probably feels like an oasis with all the greenery! But if you’re planning to relocate, moving all those plants might seem intimidating. It is true that moving plants can be a bit of a hassle if you’ve never done it before. In fact many moving companies will not move your plants at all, and all moving companies refuse to take liability for damaged plants (yes, that includes our Palo Alto movers here at Moving Forward).This is because plants are so sensitive and they don’t do well in the heat of a moving truck. If you have a large collection of houseplants, you probably want to take them with you (they’re your babies!). You’ve put a lot of time and energy toward your plants, and it would be a waste if you had to throw them all the away. Before you start packing up those plants, make sure you know what to do with these quick tips.

Before you start packing your plants, understand that if you’re moving across state borders, there may be rules against bringing certain plants across state lines. Check inspection guidelines in the state you’re moving to and avoid hold ups or having to toss your plants at the border. If you find that you can’t take your plants with you, give them to a friend before you go. You might be sad, but at least they will have a happy home.

Pack Plants Last
Plants should be the last of your items to be boxed up, because it is bad for plants to be in a hot car or truck for too long. Leave your plants be until you have packed up the rest of your belongings first and put them in the truck. Ideally you will pack up your plants right before departure.

Packing Your Plants
Use boxes and line them with plastic, then stuff the boxes around the planter with plenty of packing materials so they don’t jostle around. This will help you avoid a broken planter and soil in your car. To protect your tall plants with branches and fragile leaves, wrap them in plastic and poke holes in the plastic so they can breathe.

Crank Up The AC
If you’re moving during the summer, keep the air conditioner on so your plants don’t overheat. Anytime you stop for a bathroom break, park in the shade and roll down a window to give your plants some fresh air. If you are moving during the winter, stuff plenty of newspaper into your plant’s boxes so they stay warm. Cold weather can do a number on your plants, so keep them at a comfortable temperature.

Don’t Over Water
Keep an eye on the soil and only water your plants if they are looking abnormally dry. There might be a tendency to water them just to cover all bases, but this could end up damaging your plant.

Get A Room
If you’re travelling for a few days, bring your plants into your lodging location and provide the proper lighting situation for them. Remember, extreme temperatures are only made more extreme in a car, so do not forget to bring your plants inside with you.

Give Those Plants Some Post-Move Love
Once you arrive to your new destination, remove all the plastic from the plants immediately. Give them some water and food if necessary. If you removed your plants from their pots to move and plan to repot them upon arrival, wait at least a week to do so. The plants have already gone through a lot of strain during the move, and repotting will only cause more strain.
be sure to care for your plants so they can revive after a long journey. Take a look at this awesome plant care guide by Palo Alto Movers to find out how to care for your plants.


How will you move the rest of your belongings? For full moving services, call Moving Forward to get your free quote today!

Moving During the Holidays: Pros and Cons You Should Consider

Outline:
Intro:

• Found yourself moving during the holidays? That’s bittersweet. Check out these pros and cons of moving during this time.

Pro : Not in Busy Season
Con: Professional Movers Celebrate the Holidays Too
Pro: Friends and Family Invite You Over
Con: Winter Weather Can Cause Risks and Delays
Pro: Enjoy Lower Expectations for Your Holiday
Con: You May Get Pretty Nostalgic and Homesick
Pro: The Kids Can Start School Mid-Year (Which Can Be Awesome!)

 

The Pros and Cons of Moving During the Holidays

People are stringing their holiday lights, baking cookies, and wrapping gifts. That’s right, it’s the holidays. And while you may be excited about the general holiday spirit, if you’re moving, you have other priorities on your mind too. Not sure whether moving during the holidays is the right move for you? Check your list twice--the pros and cons list, that is. Use our list of pros and cons for moving during the holidays to determine whether it’s a good idea for your situation.

Pro: Not in Busy Season
Peak moving season is May-September, so if you move during the holidays, you’re missing that huge rush. Everyone else is hunkering down in their current homes to enjoy the holidays. You can often find lower rates for moving during this time. However, you still will want to call ahead in well enough in advance to make sure your professional movers are working that day.

Con: Professional Movers Celebrate the Holidays Too
Even though you are not moving during peak season, remember that professional movers like to enjoy the holidays too. Check the holiday hours for professional moving companies. Some moving companies are closed the last week of December and even through New Years Day. However, you can usually find a professional moving companies that can work on a holiday for an additional fee.

Pro: Friends and Family Invite You Over
When you’re moving, friends and family can safely assume you’re not cooking dinner or hosting the gift opening this year. Instead, you get to be the guest! With all the pressure and stress of moving, it will feel like your very own holiday miracle to ease of the holiday commitments and just relax in someone else’s home. Consider it a vacation from the stress of the holiday season!

Con: Winter Weather Can Cause Risks and Delays
Winter wonderlands could cause delays on moving day, so aim to be more flexible about the exact time and date you are leaving. It’s better to be safe than stranded on the side of the road in a blizzard. Check the forecast a few days out and keep in contact with your moving company to agree on the safest day to travel.

Pro: Enjoy Lower Expectations for Your Holiday
When you’re packing up all these boxes, the last thing you want to think about is wrapping even more. Additionally, that holiday budget may now be used up in moving expenses. Talk to your friends and family about expectations for the holiday season, and they are sure to understand. If you’re the type who usually goes big on holiday gifts, talk to you family about maybe trying something different this year. White Elephant exchanges or Secret Santa exchanges. Who knows, you could create a new family tradition!

Con: You May Get Pretty Nostalgic and Homesick
The holidays can be an emotional time, even if you’re not moving. Memories are flurrying around like snowflakes, and between grandma’s killer cookie recipe and all the old friends that are popping into town, you could feel a little homesick. The best thing to do is to anticipate these feelings are coming, and find ways to cope with them in a healthy way. Call up your friends for a quick chat, or distract  yourself with a fun holiday tree lighting or festive event in your new city.


Final Thoughts
We hope this list of pros and cons helps you make the appropriate decision whether to move during the holidays. If you choose to move soon, give our professional Palo Alto Movers at Moving Forward a call. We’re always here to take your call and provide a free quote. Happy Holidays!

The Smartest Holiday Moving Tips For A Successful Move

Outline:
Intro:

• Holidays are hectic, and moving is too, how to do both at the same time?

Choose Your Moving Day Wisely

• Best and worst travel days

Create and Immaculate Budget

• See expenses side by side - holiday, travel, moving
• Where can you repurpose (boxes, wrapping, etc.)

• Moving before gift-giving or after? 

Create Expectations with Family

• Do you usually host the feast?
• Kids not happy about moving schools mid-year?

Pack, But Keep the Holiday Spirit Intact

• Pack holiday decorations last in separate, clearly labeled boxes.

Keep Your Home Safe

• Robberies, et.c (moving and holidays are the biggest target for robbers)

Prepare for Moving in a Winter Wonderland

• Moving somewhere cold? Have proper moving supplies and clothing.
• Prepare for delays (who do you need to call? Cushion time when starting work?)

Moving Forward’s Best Advice for Moving During the Holidays

Moving takes a lot of planning, preparation, and a calm demeanor. Curiously enough, the holidays require the same things from you! So what happens when you plan to move during the holidays? Well, you need more planning, more preparation, and maybe an eggnog to get through it all.

Moving during the holidays can be a wonderful experience, if you know how to plan for it. Our team here at Moving Forward has plenty of experience moving families during the holidays. If this is your first time, use our best advice for moving during the holidays. Oh, and don’t forget your eggnog!

Choose Your Moving Day Wisely
While the holidays are not technically within peak moving season (May-September), it happens to be one of the busiest travel seasons. One of the smartest tips for holiday moving is to choose a moving date that does not align with one of the busiest travel days of the year. For example, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the worst travel days, while THanksgiving and Black Friday are a couple of the best days. 

Create an Immaculate Budget
You know it’s helpful to create a holiday budget, and you may have heard how much you can save by creating a moving budget. But budgeting for both at the same time? It’s intimidating, but you can do it!

To survive this holiday season while moving, create a super-budget that accounts for gifts and gift wrap, food, packing supplies, travel expenses, cleaning services, and any other details you can think of.

We recommend creating two inventories of holiday needs and moving needs, and then seeing where those lists overlap. For example, You may be able to repurpose some gift wrapping supplies for moving and packing, especially if you are moving the week after Christmas or Hanukkah. You may also be able to take advantage of leftovers to prevent overbuying groceries while you’re packing.

Keep in mind that if you are enjoying your holidays in your old home and then moving, your budget will look much different than if you were spending the holidays in your new home.

Another detail to consider: the holidays are full of indulgence and excess, but this year may have to be a little different. Make an additional list holiday essentials and holiday extras. Do you need a tree to feel the holiday spirit? Is the annual holiday cookie party necessary? Only you know what’s necessary and what can be left out this year. Our advice: aim for a minimalist holiday season.

Be Careful What You Ask Santa For
As you purge your closets and start donating furniture in preparation for the move, don’t forget that Santa may have some plans of his own. Tell Santa this is not the year to give you a Peloton bike. Make sure you communicate that gifts should be small and easy to pack. Ask for gift cards or jewelry -- something that won’t take up a lot of room on the moving truck. If Santa is excited to get the kids a new trampoline, tell him to send it to your new home a day or two after you have arrived.

Create Expectations with Family
Do you usually host Thanksgiving? Are you known as the hostess with the mostess this time of year? You may need to set more realistic expectations with your friends and family. If you simple love hosting the holidays, give yourself a break and invite less people over, or ask friends and family if they would be interested in a holiday potluck. There’s also no shame in dining out. If it saves you time, energy, and even some money, use your convenience card and breathe easy.

Pack, But Keep the Holiday Spirit Intact
Moving is important and time-sensitive, but that doesn’t mean you have to forego the entire holiday spirit for the sake of efficiency. Decide which low-maintenance decorations you would like to set out this year. Then, start packing up all the items in your house you likely won’t need over the next two months.

Once the holidays are over, pack all your decorations in separate, clearly-labeled boxes. It’s actually better that these boxes are hauled onto the truck last, because you will unload and pack them away first! If you’re moving between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you can easily access them for decorating your new home. But if you arrive after the gifts have been opened, you can easily store them away in your garage or basement for next year.

Keep Your Home Safe
The holiday season is one of the highest rates of burglary. Additionally, people that are moving are target for burglary. Put those two scenarios together and you have yourself a lot of risk.  Make sure you take preventative measures to keep your family and home safe from burglars. Always close the blinds and lock all the doors when you leave your home, and never leave gifts in sight through the windows.

A few more tips: if you are having more people over during the holiday season, be mindful of people you don’t know. Always be skeptical of people disguising themselves as service providers or overly nosy part guests who want to see extensive tours of your home.

Prepare for Moving in a Winter Wonderland
Wishing for a winter wonderland is practically a holiday tradition, but when you’re moving, dealing with snow is the last thing you wish for. Unfortunately, you can’t control the weather -- but you can prepare for it! Make sure you check the forecast 10 days out from your moving day to determine if you can expect dangerous weather. If there’s a snow or rainstorm moving in, it may be better to postpone your moving day for clear skies.

If you do end up getting caught in a storm on moving day, to what you can ahead of time to prepare for delays. Inform your emergency contacts to be on standby, and plan for a little cushion time between your arrival and first day of work. Make sure to also pack appropriate clothing and supplies in case you get stuck on the side of the road.


For more help, give a call to our professional San Francisco Movers at Moving Forward.

The Best Farewell Gifts for Friends Who Are Moving Out of State

Outline:


- Wouldn’t it be easier if everyone stayed in the same place and carried on as if everything were going to remain great forever?
- Friends reference

Meal Delivery Kit
A Box of Letters
Photo Book
Gift Certificate to an Awesome Place in Their New Town
A Hometown Delicacy
Energy Cleansing Kit
Housewarming Goods
An “Essential” Store Gift Card

Do You Have a Friend Moving Out of State? Get Some Inspiration With These Gift Ideas!

The last season of the iconic show Friends hits you in the feels harder than most. Why? Because as you the show creeps down to its final minutes, you realize that this is the end of an era. Joey will no longer steal food from Monica’s fridge. Monica won’t raid her brother’s living room for cash. And we will no longer be freeting over whether Ross and Rachel will ever get back together.

The characters move on to embark on the next era of their lives, even though it’s painful to see everyone part ways. If you have a friend moving out of state soon, you may be feeling the same way. But the end of one era doesn’t mean the world has to get a little dimmer.

Your friend is probably stressed and busy and struggling to find time to say goodbye to people while she packs up her life and prepares to move. Show her that you care by giving her a gift that will improve her moving experience or remind her of home.

Not sure what the perfect gift for someone moving out of state or abroad would be? It comes down to a couple categories:

• A gift that reminds them of home
• A gift that eases the transition
• A gift that makes them remember the good times
• A gift that helps them make their new house a home

Still need some inspiration? Use this complete list of goodbye gift ideas for friends. You’re bound to find something that suits their spirit!

Meal Delivery Kit
Those first few weeks of settling into a new house can be pretty hectic. And the idea of grocery shopping or, god forbig, getting back into the routine of meal prepping sounds like torture. Help your friends out by signing them up for a meal delivery subscription. Your friend will be so happy to come home to the ingredients for a meal that takes 30 minutes to toss together. If your friend is big on healthy eating but not so great at work-life balance, this is an excellent gift for her.

Magazine Subscription
Warm up that new mailbox with a magazine subscription from a publication your friend enjoys. Whether that’s the Wall Street Journal or Cosmopolitan Magazine. Coming home to a little customized light reading always helps break in a new home. Also, every time that magazine arrives, they will think of you!

Photo Book
Do you have too many amazing memories together to count? Organize your wedding photos and vacations abroad into a beautiful photo book that your friend can cherish whenever she feels lonely.

A Hometown Delicacy
Do you have a world class coffee shop in your hometown? Or maybe there’s a museum your friend is absolutely obsessed with. Pick up a little delicacy from a hometown hallmark that your friend can place in their new home. It’s amazing what bringing the best from your hometown can do for your new home.

Gift Certificate to an Awesome Place in Their New Town
While sentimental gifts areas always a winning choice, helping your friend adaptto their new neighborhood is always a good friend move. Do some research and find one of the better restaurants, bars, or even spas in town. Think about what your friend likes. Are they big on monthly pedicures or do they prefer to wind down with a pizza and a glass of wine? You know your friend best! Pair them with the perfect night out.


Energy Cleansing Kit
OK, this one is for your friend who believes in energy cleansing. She is moving into a new home, which means someone else’s energy may still be lingering about. Give her a hand and buy her an energy cleansing kit. Most kits include sage and palo santo, along with some essential oils.

Housewarming Goods
Is your friend a candle aficionado? Does she think home equals wine and cozy blankets? Put together a housewarming basket of all her favorite cozy items. It could be fun to mail the kit to your friend so it arrives on the day that she does! Or you could wait until she’s settled in a bit. You know your friend best!

An “Essential” Store Gift Card
OK, back to the practical stuff. If your friend is the kind of person who goes nuts stocking up for the apocalypse at Costco or buys can openers “just in case” it may be a good idea to buy her a gift card to a store like Target, Costco, or TJMaxx. This could also be a good gift for a friend who isn’t very practical and may gave forgotten basic stuff when packing … like a frying pan.

You’re about to be the best friend there ever was! Just remember, this gift is supposed to support your friend during this move, not coax her to stay in your hometown. Keep your eyes on the new era, and you will come up with the perfect going away gift for your friend.

For more help, give a call to professional San Francisco Movers at Moving Forward.

The Most Important Moving In Together Checklist On the Internet

Outline:
Intro
Lay the Ground Rules
Get Comfortable
Determine Your Must-Haves
Consolidate Furniture
Consolidate Duplicates

How to Consolidate Furniture When Moving in Together

Moving in together is a big step in a relationship. Choosing to cohabitate is exciting, but as you begin to look for places to live, one thing becomes apparent: you will have to get rid of some of your stuff. So will your partner.

Whether you’re moving to a house with plenty of space or a studio apartment with a tiny bathroom, moving in together presents a fantastic opportunity to take inventory of your stuff and determine what is actually worth keeping. Do you really need those throw pillows from your dorm bedding set in college? Does your partner need to keep his little league trophies? These are the questions you will be discussing when preparing to move in together.

Make this exciting transition as smooth as possible with these packing and consolidating tips from our professional movers here at Moving Forward.

1. Lay the Ground Rules

Before you touch a single thing, sit down with your partner and establish some ground rules. You wouldn’t want to find your partner throwing away your antique coffee table if it meant the world to you. And you wouldn’t want to throw away something sentimental of your partner’s, either.

Decide what you both need in the new place and how flexible you’re willing to be about your belongings. For example, if you currently live in a different town than your partner, and you’re moving into his or her house, then what you bring may be different than if the tables were turned. Make sure both of you are clear on whether this will be an even split of belongings or if one person will be in charge of furniture and the other will be taking care of kitchen appliances, for example.

When you have a set of ground rules, you are much less likely to step on one another’s toes or bring double of the same furniture or appliance.

2. Get Comfortable with Compromise

If this is a new relationship, then this move is most likely your first test at compromise. Understand that sharing a space requires some flexibility from both of you. So while you both have an idea of your dream living room, for example, you dream may clash with your partner’s dream. Ask some of the following questions when compromising:

• What are you willing to part with?
• Are you more excited about the decor or function of our home?
• Do you have a preference for who brings X or Y?
• If you get the furnish the living room, I get to furnish the bedroom.

These ground rules and topics for compromise will be different for you than other couples. When you find yourself negotiating a compromise, make sure each of you feels as if you are winning in some way. This can be difficult if one of you is more assertive than the other. At the end of the day, if each of you feels like they came out on top, the move will go smoothly.
 
3. Determine Your Must-Haves

What makes a home your home? What do you need to bring to your new home no matter what? Maybe it’s your record collection or your heirloom rugs. Whatever it is, make sure you know what the absolute essentials are -- and remember that your partner will also have those absolute essentials.

Here’s where more compromise will come in: some of your essentials may clash with your partner’s essentials. So if you MUST have your antique jazz poster collection hng in the living room, but your partner insists his giant bean bag chair deserves to be in the living room, too, then so be it. If compromising proves difficult, go back to your ground rules. Did you both determine each person could have one sentimental item per room? OK, then that’s the limit, and whatever that sentimental item is -- be it bean bag chair or little league trophy, gets real estate in the shared living space.

4. Consolidate Duplicates

So you both have a coffee table, a TV, and a bookshelf … do you really need both? You most likely won’t need two sofas and two beds, so whose will you take? The best way to determine this is the quality, size, condition and style of each piece of furniture. If your partner has a beautiful leather sofa, it may be time to ditch your hand-me-down sofa with the coffee stains.
But if you have a beautiful bed frame and your partner is still rocking a twin bed, then go with your bed. It all comes down to quality and style. Choose the pieces. 

Do you both have blenders in the same condition? Sell one and keep the other. There’s no compromise to be had there -- unless one of you have a sentimental connection with your blender.

If you are moving into an apartment, it’s also important to keep in mind that the apartment complex may have certain furnishings and appliances. Double check with the landlord before buying an ironing board or bringing your washing machine, for example.

Once you determine your ground rules, learn to compromise, and get rid of duplicate furniture, the rest of the move will be cake! Make sure to follow these simple rules to ensure you have an enjoyable move in experience together.



For more info, give a call to professional Palo Alto Movers at Moving Forward.

The Last-Minute Mover’s Essential Checklist

Outline:
Intro

• Sounds like a fantasy: having 3-6 months to move.
• Reality: sometimes things come up, whether that’s a new job offer, a sick family member, or a sudden shift in the universe -- it’s time to go.
• When you have a month or less to move, use these tips to do it RIGHT.

Make a List

• You may be thinking “I thought this was the list.” This serves a different purpose.
• Spend 20 minutes and jot down every last thing you can think to do for the move. Why? It clears your head of the overwhelm, for one. And two: it helps you visualize and prioritze
• Circle all the stuff that’s urgent
• Circle what’s important
• Now where’s the overlap (urgent and important). Do all of that first.
• Stuff that’s just important (e.g. get new sheets for our bed) that can wait until you get there.

Recruit Everyone

• Friends, family, neighbors, anyone who owes you a favor.
• Pro tip: assign them jobs before they arrive, so you don’t waste time scrambling to put them to work.

Get a Baby Sitter or Pet Sitter

• You’ve got stuff to do, no time to parent / pet parent.
• If your kids aren’t old enough to help get them a babysitter and get them out of the way.

Give Notice

• Set up a meeting with your boss
• Tell all organizations you’re involved in.

Update Your Social Media

• This goes along with giving notice, but tell the world you’re outta here. You’ll save time saying goodbye, save money on a going away party, and probably find out who you’re real friends are.
• If you’re looking for a job, a place to live, or want to know more about your new city, social media is also a great place to ask for recommendations

Search For Your New Home

• If you don’t have a place already, it’s time to start looking. If there;s no time to buy, settle on renting in the same neighborhood until you can find the right house.

Call Credible Professional Movers

• Do not wait a second. It’s likely they are already booked up, but you never know -- someone may cancel. Call professional movers and see if they can accommodate you. 

Sell and Donate As Much As Possible

• No time to pretend you will ever use that juice. Give it to a friend that’s helping you move.
• This is a great opportunity to purge, get serious about it. The less you have, the less you need to pack.

Manage Addresses and Utilities

• Switch addresses: on subscriptions, bills, you name it. Then post on social media for people to DM you for your new address, so your actual friends/family can have it.
• Call utility companies
• Cancel internet

Clean Your Old Place

• Set aside a full weekend to do this. Floors, walls, appliances, all of it.

Don’t Forget to Breathe

• You got this, just stay focused on the essentials, get all the help you can, and have fun -- this is an adventure, after all.

DRAFT:

Wouldn’t it be great if we had more time for things? A whole day to clean the house from top to bottom? Sounds like a dream! An entire week to finally organize your electronic files?  That sounds amazing! Three to six months to plan for a move? No problem! In reality, we are lucky if we can make it out the door with pants on. Life is unpredictable. The world is a fast-paced place. Things come up: a new job offer, a sick family member, a zombie apocalypse.  Suddenly, it’s time to go. How to move out of state in a week? How to move in less than a month?  How to keep your sanity when moving on short notice? If you’re asking yourself these questions, use the following last minute moving tips to help you do it the right way!

1. Make a List
The first thing on this last minute essential moving checklist, is, well, to make a list. Confusing, we know, but this is a very important first step in helping to make it easier to figure out how to move on short notice. Start by jotting down all the things you have to do for your move. This will help you clear your head and make the move seem less daunting. It will also help you to visualize and prioritize all the tasks you have to do before moving. Once you’ve made your list, the next step is to circle all the urgent tasks (notifying your job, calling a moving company, packing your beloved doily collection) and circle all the important tasks (scheduling a turn off date with all of your home services, setting a date for a garage sale, getting your hair done so you look fabulous for your new town/city). Now look at which items are circled AND underlined and do those things first. Items on your list that are labeled important, but not necessarily urgent (getting your nails done, for example) can wait until you get to your new place.

2. Recruit Everyone
Moving on short notice means you’ll need extra help to get everything done on time. So shout out from all the mountain tops in the land that you are looking for help. Tell your friends, your neighbors, your family, your favorite coffee barista, if you must (for some extra side money) that you need help moving pronto. Come moving day, make sure to assign each one of your helpers a specific job BEFORE they arrive so you don’t waste time figuring out who will do what.

3. Get a Baby Sitter or Pet Sitter
This is super important. If you have kids or pets, there’s no way you’ll be able to focus on everything you have to do on moving day without a baby/pet sitter. Granted, if you have kids who are old enough to take care of the younger siblings or the fur baby in your family, take advantage of that. Give them a bump in their allowance to take the kids/dog to the park, movies or arcade so you can focus on moving. If not, spend the money to hire a babysitter.  You’ll be glad you did as you put  the last box in the moving truck at 5 pm instead of midnight.

4. Give Notice
Probably one of the first things on your last minute moving checklist should be to notify the people in your life about your move. One of the hardest things about  how to move for a job quickly, is giving notice to your current boss. Try to give your boss at least two weeks notice (you’ll need may need that recommendation for the future). Not only will you need to notify your job, but don’t forget to tell all other organizations that you are involved with too. Book clubs, charity groups, your Taco Tuesday buddies will all need to know the reason for your sudden absence.  It’s hard to say good-bye, but it’s even harder when you wait until the day before you leave.

5. Update Your Social Media
Social media is a great tool to get the word out fast to a large number of friends and family in a short amount of time. Take the time to write a post on your social media channels expressing your appreciation to all those who have touched your life while there and how much you’ll miss them and hope that you can keep in touch. When you don’t have the time to throw a good-bye party, using social media to say farewell is the next best thing. Social media can also be helpful to ask for recommendations for things like job opportunities, places to live or dog parks in your new city.


6. Search For Your New Home
If you’re having to move on short notice, most likely you won’t have a lot of time to look for a new home so this should definitely be on the “urgent” list of things to do first. Don’t feel rushed to buy a home (which is never a good idea). Instead, rent in a neighborhood where you’d like to buy so you can take the time to find the house that you can call your home.

7. Call Credible Professional Movers
If you are planning on using a moving company, this should be at the very top of your urgent list. Credible professional movers book up fast, but it’s a good idea to try anyway as they always have cancellations. Some moving companies may even be able to squeeze you in if they know that you are in a bind.

8. Sell and Donate As Much As Possible
Yes, we all love Harry Potter, but maybe it’s time you give the gift of that seven book series to someone else. It will just take up room and besides, nowadays, you can find most books on-line. Moving is always a great opportunity to purge yourself of things that are simply cluttering up your life. Plus, the less you have, the less you’ll need to pack and the faster your move will go.

9. Manage Addresses and Utilities
Don’t mess this one up. There is nothing worse than getting that envelope with a pink late payment letter peeking out of the plastic because you forgot to change the address on your credit card. No one wants to wake up in their new home a month later swimming in late fees. Make sure to change your address to your new one for things like credit cards, subscriptions, bills, your Justin Beiber fan club, all of it. Make sure to call the utility company, internet provider, cable service, etc. too get all of that stuff changed over to your new address. God forbid you miss binging the entire new season of Grey’s Anatomy after a long day of moving!

10. Clean Your Old Place
Make sure that you have included cleaning as a part of your moving plan. Once you have moved everything out, set aside a full weekend to clean your old home from top to bottom. Whether you’re cleaning it so you can sell it or to get back your rental deposit, remember to clean the floors, walls, appliances and that one corner that always accumulates giant dust bunnies. You want that place sparkling by the time you’re done.

Don’t Forget to Breathe
Moving is super stressful. Moving on short notice is extra super stressful. As long as you focus on the essentials, get all the help you can and remember that this is an adventure in a new chapter in your life, you’ve got this. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to breathe.



For more info, give San Francisco Movers at Moving Forward a call.