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How to drive moving and storage trucks safely

March 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment


Whether you’re moving from one state to another or from one house to another, you are surely going to need the services of a truck rental to move your belongings. No matter what moving and storage or truck rental services you decide to go for, all moving trucks are essentially the same. Even though moving trucks do not require special licenses, they definitely operate in a slightly different manner as compared to regular passenger vehicles.

Your truck rental service will most likely give you a few tips on how to drive your rented truck carefully, but there are a few things you’ll need to know to have better control over the vehicle. Moving trucks are usually very massive and require a great deal of attention and care during the move. There are some important things you should know on how to drive moving and storage trucks carefully.

-    Make sure you thoroughly examine the truck before you drive it. Ensure that the seats and mirrors are well adjusted. Make sure you are familiarized with all the various functions like the indicators, parking breaks, wipers etc. You wouldn’t want to panic during the moving road trip if you have to scramble to figure out how these things work.

-    Be very careful while backing up. In a regular vehicle, you might be able to park your car parallel to other vehicles or within parking spaces, with just two inches of space on either sides of the vehicle. A moving truck isn’t that simple. Whenever you are backing up, keep in mind that you have an extra foot bumper extending behind. Keep looking into the side mirrors while backing up. It is advisable that you ask a passenger to stand out and direct you safely.

-    Make sure you take wider turns. Be very careful when it comes to sharp bends in the road. Make sure you leave plenty of room while making turns, or else you might run into sidewalks – or worse, probably a car.

Watch out for the head of the truck. Clearance signs are often taken for granted. Make sure you avoid doing that. Whenever you are closing in on tunnels, bridge bottoms or are getting ready to park the truck in a garage, make sure the top of the truck will be able to pass through without hitting. Moving trucks can be too tall for low clearance passages sometimes. Make sure you know exactly how tall your truck is before attempting to pass it through any low clearances passages. Always keep an eye out for clearance restrictions on the road as well.

-    Keep at a safe distance from other vehicles on the road. Be sure never to tailgate your truck to other vehicles. Keep ample space to give yourself room enough to stop or slow down at the right time.

-    Always drive slowly. Whether it’s a moving and storage truck or a personal one, make sure your speed is right. Speeding with moving trucks is not only illegal but also extremely dangerous.

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Pots and Pans Packing!

March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

 

 

Packing is the one aspect of moving that most of us despise.  It is also the aspect that takes up most of the time involved with a move.  And while we’re busy trying to figure out how to find enough time to get our packing finished, it also begins to dawn on us that some things that some things are more difficult to pack than others.

A good example of packing and the phenomenon of “this is harder than it looks” is trying to get pots and pans from the kitchen ready for the big move.  This article provides the basics of getting yours ready quickly, safely and easily.

Here are the basic pots and pans packing tips:

Pots and Pans Packing Tip 1: Get the right materials together.

Fortunately, the first step isn’t difficult.  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Medium-sized, sturdy moving boxes
  • Packing paper, kraft paper, or in a pinch, newspaper
  • Packing tape
  • Dark colored, wide-tipped marker
  • Biodegradable packing peanuts (optional)

Pots and Pans Packing Tip 2: Prepare your moving boxes.

Take each box and tape the bottom both lengthwise and crosswise along its seam, forming a cross.  And while this may seem like a ridiculous reminder, be certain that you have the bottom of the box fully taped and secured before you start putting things in- you’d be surprised by the number of people, under the stress of the move, who forget to do this!

Next you’ll want to prepare the inside of the box.  Take the paper and form very loose “balls”- making them too tight will reduce their ability to absorb impact and will also exhaust your paper supply very quickly.  You want to be sure that you have at least 1 – 2 inches of paper plus biodegradable packing peanuts to create a cushioning layer at the bottom of each box.

Pots and Pans Packing Tip 3:  Loading the pots and lids.

The first thing to keep in mind when loading the pots and lids into the boxes is that pots get nested together in groups of 3, and the lids for the same 3 pots get nested together as well.  Then you’ll place the group of 3 pots and the group of 3 lids together in the same box.  This way, when you’re unpacking, you won’t have to tear through all the kitchen boxes to get a single pot and lid that match.

When nesting the pots together, it’s usually easiest to start with the largest pot, wrapping it in about 3 sheets of paper and taping the corners of the paper to one another inside the pot.  Once the first pot is secure, load the second pot into the first, wrapping and taping it the same way.  The third and final pot of the group should follow the same procedure.

If you have biodegradable packing peanuts, put a single layer between each pot.

When labeling the box, try following these additional guidelines:

  • Mark the room on the box first, with “KITCH” for “kitchen” and a number for each box (professional packers would take care of this for you).
  • Label the box on at least 2 sides (all 4 is best) and the top so you can always quickly identify what’s inside when moving and unpacking.  This saves lots of time during the move.
  • List the contents on the sides as well to avoid confusion later.
  • Mark “Fragile” on boxes containing glass or delicate items.
  • Use a dark, broad-tipped marker for labeling the boxes.
  • Use block print in letters large enough to read from 6 feet away.
  • Keep one single kitchen box as an “Open Me First” box containing the things you’ll want to use within 24 hours of arriving at your destination.  Be sure to mark it with “Open Me First” in big red letters.

If you follow this simple three-step system, you should be in great shape for your pots and pans during your move!

For more FREE tips on moving, relocation, self storage, movers and more, please visit our home page at http://www.Movers-Edge.com.  One of our most popular articles there is our FREE Change of Address Guide, filled with tips and tricks to make your transition easier

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Moving the Bedroom?

March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The bedroom is usually the living space where we spend most of hours, if only during sleep.  It also tends to accumulate a very large number of items for packing, and tends to get packed toward the very end of the process.  This article offers several tips on making the packing of the bedroom easier.

  1. Reduce the amount of “stuff” to pack.  There aren’t any great reasons for packing bedroom items that you don’t use or need.  Be ruthless in eliminating as many items as possible.  Aim to get rid of  1/3 of your current possessions.  This includes eliminating clothes and shoes that don’t fit, are out of style, or are stained beyond saving; knick knacks or decorations that are collecting dust;  books or magazines that you’ve already read or you won’t have time to read, etc.
  2. Pack a suitcase for each person.  Pretend that you’re going on a three-day vacation in a faraway city, and pack a single suitcase to hold all the necessities that you would need: clothes, eyeglasses/contact lenses, bathroom supplies (soap, shampoo, razor, etc.), prescriptions, etc.  Then transport these suitcases separately from the items on the moving truck.  When you arrive at your new place, you won’t be scrambling around for essentials because they’re all packed in the suitcase.
  3. Use wardrobe boxes for transporting hanging garments.  Wardrobe boxes are really lifesavers for packing and moving clothes that are hanging in your closet.  These tall boxes have a hanging bar across the top center of the box, allowing you to lift clothes directly off your closet bar and put them straight into the wardrobe box, eliminating wrinkling and hassles.
  4. Transport shoes in their original boxes.  Shoes transported in their original boxes are much less likely to get damaged in transit, and keep each pair together.  If you don’t have the boxes anymore, wrap each shoe individually and then wrap the two shoes together so they can’t get separated.  Stuff the interior of your shoes with rolled up socks to both save space and help shoes keep their shape.  There is often room in the bottom of wardrobe boxes for your shoes, which is another space saver.
  5. Keep drawers in wardrobes or dressers.  Most professional movers choose to move all but the largest dressers with the drawers and their contents intact.  If you’re moving yourself, you might find it easier to move the drawers outside on moving day, move the dresser to its spot on the moving truck, and then reinserting the drawers.  Wrap heavy twine through wardrobe or dresser handles around the piece of furniture to keep drawers from sliding open or out.
  6. Use mattress pads.  Mattresses are notoriously easy to rip and tear during a move, so I strongly recommend using heavy mattress pads or “bags” to keep them safe.
  7. Use great care in disassembling the bed.  Be careful to write down exactly which pieces went where when taking the bed frame apart.  Put small pieces in heavy, clear plastic bags and then use packing tape to tape those bags to one of the bars holding the bed together (do NOT tape to anything with a finish on it, or it will get ruined when removing the tape).  This keeps everything together and avoids losing things.
  8. Mark your bedroom boxes carefully.  Assign each  bedroom a number, such as BED1, BED2, etc.) and then number the boxes within each room (e.g. BED1-1, BED 1-2).  Label each box with the room name, the box number, and a brief description on the contents.  Apply the room name and box number to at least 2 opposite sides and the top.  Write down the box numbers and contents for each box so you can find them easily when unpacking.

These 8 tips should help make packing your bedrooms easier and stress-free.

For your moving kits please contact www.Titan Corrugated.com 
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DIY Moving: Packing Supplies

February 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you are preparing to move an office or home on your own, it helps to have a checklist handy. There are many scenarios in which you might need some special supplies, but for the most part you can get away with having the following items handy. Prepare and collect all of them before you start packing and moving to help things go as smoothly as possible.

You should have:

  • 15-20 small cardboard boxes
  • 15-20 medium cardboard boxes
  • 15-20 large cardboard boxes
  • You can collect these for free from local shops and merchants, or you can buy them from a moving company. You can also get an entire kit of boxes from a number of home supply stores, such as the Home Depot or Lowes.
  • You will also want cardboard separators. You can buy these or prepare your own using extra cardboard boxes picked up from local shops. Make sure to use thicker cardboard if you are going to make your own separators, and don’t cut them down until you are ready to use them.
  • Bubble wrap
  • Packing Peanuts
  • Fresh newspaper
  • A large roll of plastic wrap (used to protect items with distinct shapes and furniture)
  • A mattress bag is recommended for each mattress your transfer
  • Packing tape to seal the boxes
  • A box cutter or razor blade
  • Permanent markers

You should already have some of these items around the house (markers, box cutter, news paper, and a few boxes). Make sure that each person helping with the move has their own supplies, including tape. It will help everything go a lot faster.

You also want to have a hand truck to facilitate your move. Having a hand truck can help when moving an office, apartment, or home. You can stack several boxes and move heavy items much easier with one of these.

Make sure to label your boxes intelligently. We recommend using a system when moving an office or apartment that involves labeling each box by room and items. For instance, labeling one box “Kitchen: glasses” will make it easier for you to find and unpack these items in the right order.

Don’t forget to label boxes with fragile items. Make sure this is marked clearly on the top of the box. Use newspaper and packing peanuts to fill in empty space in boxes that have fragile items and draw an arrow on the sides indicating which way is up.

When you are moving an office or home it is easy for things to get disorganized pretty quickly. By figuring out how many boxes you need for each room and placing them accordingly, moving an office can become a simple and straightforward task.

Don’t forget to reinforce the bottom of your boxes with extra packing tape, especially when they become heavy. Books are the worst, because they can be deceptively heavy.

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Cross Country Moving?

February 10, 2012 By 2 Comments

Moving out of state is difficult, and buying a home out of state can be even more stressful. How do you find a great home, and trust that it is a great home, when you live hundreds of miles away? The unknowing can be unnerving, but that doesn’t mean that buying a new home in a new location has to be an overwhelmingly nightmare. In fact, the following tips can make the whole process relatively easy and stress free when searching for moving and storage:

Find a Universal or Close Lender

If you are looking to get a mortgage loan for a home, it is probably for the best that you choose a lender that will be easily accessible from your new location. Either choose a lender that has branches all over the country or choose one established in the state in which you are planning on moving. This way asking questions about the duration of your loan or refinancing to take advantage of lower mortgage interest rates will be easier.

Before giving a lender your business, however, be sure to shop around, read reviews, and ask any locals for great recommendations so that you are getting the best service possible.

Find a Good Realtor

A good realtor can be your best friend when moving to a new state. A great realtor should be able to listen to your needs and find you not just one home, but several options, that fit your criteria and locational needs. He or she will also be able to give you great specifics about neighborhoods and schools, and will gladly work with you remotely, sending you emails and MLS listings even while you are states away so that your time together is much more productive.

To find a good realtor, ask the lender with whom you are working and look at online recommendations. If you are moving for business, ask your new boss if he or she has any insight into where to find a great realtor.

Talk to Potential Neighbors

If you have found a home that you are interested in, don’t be shy. You’ll most likely be there for awhile so make sure that you’ll like those living around you before moving in. Stop in to say hi to your potential neighbors, and ask them any questions you have about the neighborhood, schools, and surrounding area.

You may find that your neighbors are big party animals or that the previous residents moved out due to drainage problem constantly flooding the basement, or you may find that your neighbors and the neighborhood are just what you are looking for.

Vacation Near You New Home

You never want to purchase a home in an area that you don’t know well. While we all don’t have the option of only moving to our dream location due to jobs and other life events, you can make yourself more familiar with an area prior to buying a home. Asking your potential neighbors is a great way to get some inside information, but actually spending time in the area you may be buying a home in is ultimately the best way to go.

Before you buy, book a hotel room nearby and rent a car, and see how easy it is for you to get to your new office, to local schools, and even to the grocery store and your favorite retailers. You may find that the commute times are just right, or that you feel highly inconvenient and need to find a home elsewhere.

Moving and buying a home out of state can be a highly stressful time, but if you have the right tools, you can definitely make the process easier. Don’t be afraid to become highly investigative and to ask others for help for long distance moving. This is your move and your new home, and you deserve to make sure that it will fit your needs as best as possible.

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