Archive for January, 2010

Protect Yourself From Sex Offenders Before Your Move

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

When you are planning a move, safety is often something that is on your mind. If you already know the neighborhood you are going to move to, don’t forget to check out any sex offenders that can be in the area. One can never be too safe when looking out for the safety of yourself and your family.

Every State is required by law to provide information for the locations of sex offenders. The government leaves it up to the State to determine how the information is given. Most States use an online database for residents to use.

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While online databases are the most popular source of information, some States do still require a phone call to be made before giving out address information. Most offender databases include specific addresses where sex offenders live. These databases are available for the public, but it is usually up to the individuals to request the information.

Almost half a million sex offenders currently are living among the community, not behind bars. There are very few laws that restrict where tried sex offenders live. Most sex offenders are free to choose wherever they want to live, even if that means near schools or daycare centers.

The National sex offender website includes the latest sex offender information on a national basis. You can look up specific individuals, or look up sex offenders according to city. The FBI also includes a list of registry websites you can look in to according to specific States.

Most sex offenders are placed in 3 different levels of offenses. Level 1 offenders are considered the least dangerous, while level 3 is considered the most dangerous. All registered sex offenders are to be considered highly dangerous.

Checking the sex offender registry is not the only way you should protect your children. Be careful with who you let around your children. Most sex offenders have some sort of relationship with the children before the abuse happens, so always double check with babysitters or other people who have access to your children before you hire them.

You can never be too careful with the safety of your children. Don’t live with a false sense of safety items that you will be alerted if a sex offender lives nearby. Take the prerogative and check ahead of time for the protection of your family.

Basic Packing Supplies to Help You Pack Up Your Household

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

To save time and money it may be a good idea to have your basic packing supplies ready when it is time to move. Start you move off right by purchasing needed packing and moving supplies ahead of time. You can cut down moving costs by watching for sales and stocking up. Here are some basic packing supplies that can help you during your move.

Moving boxes – Moving boxes are essential. They come in a variety of sizes to fit your needs. You will always have items that will fit in small, medium, large, or extra large moving boxes.

packingboxPacking Tape – Clear, sealing tape is the most popular type of tape. You want to be sure that your boxes are secured and properly sealed. Packing tape is normally very affordable, but watch for bundle deals. Better yet, use a tape dispenser and save yourself the frustration of having to have scissors around.

Permanent Marker – Make sure you have one or two permanent markers on hand. Labeling your boxes allows the transition from home to home run smoother. Having a few on hand helps in case one marker starts to run out.

Labels – It may also be a good idea to some labels. If you write directly on some boxes the writing won’t show up. You can print up custom labels or leave the labels blank to write as you go.

Specialty Boxes – If you have specialty items, such as larger framed artwork or mirrors, you should purchase specialty boxes. Most lamp boxes, crib boxes, frame protectors, and specialty packing supplies are available for sale through online vendors or professional moving companies. Check with your local moving companies to see what they have available.

Packing Wrap – Use brown paper or plain newsprint to wrap items.
This will make it so you won’t have to wash the items once you have moved. Never try to wrap newspaper around delicate items, such as lamp shades.

Cushioning – Inexpensive foam will provide extra protection to your more fragile items. Bubble wrap is another inexpensive cushioning alternative. Remember to have things around to fill in empty spaces, such as inflatable bags, peanuts, or other foam pieces to fill empty spaces.

Research Your Potential Neighborhood Before Your Move

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Whether you are moving across the country or across town, it is important to know the type of neighborhood you will be moving in to. It may be hard to know where to start when researching potential neighborhoods. This blog article aims to give you a little more information to help with your research before your move.

You can begin your research by creating a list of all the information you want to know about. This can include community data on population, employment, education, crime, housing, income, and poverty statistics. Narrowing down specific areas that are important to you will give you a good starting place.

Knowing the neighborhood crime rate can be useful when searching for a home. A neighborhood with a rise in crime is a good indicator that buying a home there might not be the best investment. A high crime rate can affect your quality of life, and also the value of your home.

Many websites provide good information for neighborhoods you are looking at. Neighborhoodscout.com , crimereports.com, and greatschools.com are all excellent websites, with useful information. These websites can be a good place to start with your search.

schoolSafety is also an important factor that should be looked in to. Before moving into a neighborhood you can check to see if there are any sex offenders in the nearby area. Many sex offender searches are free on the State’s official webpage.

School statistics are also important to most homeowners . Good schools are important to parents because they want to make certain that their child is getting the best education and academic boost that they can. Living in a good school area will also be beneficial to those who do not have children because it will raise the value of your home.

If you are looking for a good school, it is important to compare the number of public and private schools. Analyze the difference with average class size, the academic programs available, and the spending money the school has. You should also be able to see what rank the school is, as well as know test scores of the school compared to the national average.

Again, it doesn’t matter where you will be moving to. Know the type of neighborhood you will be moving in to ahead of time. Start researching now so you make the best home decision for you and your family.

How to Have a Successful Garage Sale Before you Move

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

There are lots of reasons to have a garage sale before you move. Be sure to do it far enough in advance so that you have plenty of time to organize a sale before your move. Here are some tips to help you plan a successful garage sale.

First, you should look through your home to see if you have items that are worth selling. If you haven’t used an item in the past five years it is probably not going to be missed. Go ahead and sell it!

A lot of items may be more expensive to move and ship than to sell at a minimal price. Make a list of items that you don’t use or want to sell. With that list, write down a price next to the item so you know the price range you are willing to sell the item for.

Normally you will want to charge about 20% of the original cost of the item, if it is in good, working order. Bring the price much lower if selling used books or clothing. Place tags or stickers on each item and refer to the price sheet in case the price tags fall off.

Take a little extra time to make the items you are selling more appealing. Wash, iron, fold, clean and hang items to make them more attractive to potential buyers. Presentation is the key.

Consider having a block sale. Ask any friends or neighbors if they are interested in getting rid of extra clutter around their home. This can help you stay motivated, and will also increase the turnout.garagesale

If you are doing the garage sale on your own, ask for some extra help. It is safer to have two people manning a yard sale so you have an extra pair of eyes. It can be hard to conduct a garage sale by yourself.

Advertise that you are having a garage sale. Put up signs around the neighborhood, balloons and advertise in the classifieds. Check with your community to see if they have a website to post information about a moving sale.

Why Purchase Moving Insurance?

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

While it is a good idea to take extra precautions to keep your items safe during a move, accidents can still occur. Boxes can accidentally bump into each other, or shift during the drive. Accidents sadly can’t be controlled.

What can be controlled, however, is how your moving company deals with such mishaps. A good moving company will be able to provide adequate coverage for your items. They should also have a good reputations for resolving claims in a timely manner.

Moving companies normally provide a type of insurance. They call it valuation, and it is a limit of liability that their company has when moving your items. Valuation, with most moving companies, automatically comes with your moving contract with no extra cost.

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Free valuation normally has a certain declared value with your items. For example, it is based on the weight of the items they are shipping. So if your shipment weighs 10,000 pounds and you are covered for $0.60 per pound then the maximum amount the company is liable for is $6,000.

If you feel like you wouldn’t be adequately covered, or if your goods don’t weigh very much, good companies will be able to provide you with other options. You can usually purchase valuation for a specific dollar amount. This type of assessed value normally needs to be done with a signed contract.

Full value protection is also another option. It is more expensive, but will cover any items that are damaged, lost, or broken. The company then is responsible for repairing or replacing any items that are damaged.

If you ever need to make a claim for items that are damaged, refer to the specific type of valuation that you purchased. Usually you have a full 30 days to make a claim. It is important to make sure that you are covered adequately so you don’t run in to any problems with the mover’s maximum liability being less than the claim amount you are wanting.

Tips for Saving Money During Your Move

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

These are hard, economic times. Now, more than ever, it is important to be frugal when you can. Here are some tips that can help save yourself a little money during your move.

Shop around for pricing before buying moving supplies. It can be cheaper to buy your moving supplies online, but you can also check with local vendors for boxes, packing tape, or cushions for the move. See what moving supplies are available and look for sales in advance.

Improvise when packing up the items of your home. You don’t need to use expensive packing cushions to keep your items secure. Try using newspapers, towels, or even clothes to wrap around your delicate items.

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Borrow expensive moving items from a friend. You may be surprised that many of your friends are more than willing to let you borrow their dolly or other items. Many professional movers also will rent out their equipment for you to use as well.

Get rid of items that you don’t use before you move. If you haven’t used an item with in the past five years, the chances are you never will. It doesn’t make sense to move items that you aren’t currently using. It is a waste of space and money, so sell these items or donate them before packing up your home for the move.

Plan ahead. Figure out what you will need for the drive and when you first reach your home. That way you can save yourself from buying more expensive, last minute items.

Decide what items are worth insuring on your move. If you use a professional mover they will be able to insure your items in case of any mishaps. Check with your mover to see what their coverage is.

Moving homes doesn’t mean you have to dig deep in to your pockets. Make smart choices and plan ahead. These things will save you money and time during your move.

Helpful Moving tips

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Many things need to be done during moving time. Contacting a professional moving service is only the first step to take. There are many other things that need to be done. Here are just a few.

Change your address ahead of time. It is an easy process, and can now even be done electronically or online. Don’t forget this easy, but important detail.

Store your boxes in one particular room. This will help your home from being taken over by boxes and packing. Pack up a few items everyday and don’t get burnt out by doing everything in one or two days.

If you can help it, try to move on a weekday. Most utility places and banks close early on weekends, or are not even open. Moving on a weekday will be safer in case you run in to any problems.

storage

Mark your boxes once they are packed. If you write what is inside each box, you will be able to find your items easier once you are moved in. It will also help your movers know which items are heavier or more fragile, or which room to place the items in your new home.

Ask someone to watch your pets on moving day. Pets can get easily excited and can act out during a move. It is better to keep both the movers and your pet safe, so keep them out of the way.

Take extra precautions when driving your moving van. Get familiar with your van and its larger size. Understand that you will need overhead clearance on your drive, and park in the parking lots when stopping for meals instead of going through the drive-thru.

When driving your moving truck it is also important to keep a lot of room between you and the other cars. Don’t break too suddenly. You don’t want to break any items in your truck because of a sudden stop.

Moving With Pets

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Moving can be a stressful activity for the entire household. Pets in particular can have a hard time adjusting to a move. If you are a pet owner, take some precautions ahead of time.

Be sure that your pet is wearing it’s collar. It should have it’s proper identification on it at all times. All required license tags should be on them in case they get lost.

Have your pets checked out by theirĀ veterinarians a few weeks before the move. Get a copy of their vaccination and health records. Some veterinarians may have recommendations for new vets in the area where you will be moving.

pets

If your animal has never traveled before, take them out for a ride in the car to prepare them for the move. Make sure they are safe when transporting them. If they are extra nervous, be sure to take precautions for any mishaps by having a towel on hand for quick clean ups.

If you will be flying by plane, do your research before the flight. See what guidelines and rules the airline has for transporting animals. They should be able to tell you how your pet will be transported, and make sure that they are placed in a safe crate.

When moving birds or smaller animals that must be in a cage, be sure it is well ventilated. During the move they will need to be placed in a safe, secure place in the car. Be sure that they aren’t covered so they have plenty of air and won’t get too hot.

Never leave your animals unattended. Temperatures can rise quickly. Be sure the temperature in the car is well moderated so your animal is comfortable.

When the movers come to pack up your items consider having your pet stay with a friend. Stress can often cause animals to misbehave. Once the moving is over, you can drive to your friends house and pick up your animal.