Posts Tagged ‘packaging’

Cleaning a Home You Are Moving From

Friday, December 18th, 2009

A lot of people wonder how clean they are supposed to leave heir home for the new home buyers. This can be an easy question if you have a landlord that has specific guidelines for your check out, but what about everyone else? How clean is a seller required to leave the home after moving out?

72984038Some states require the home to be “broom clean”. This means that the seller should at least sweep the floor, clean the walls and the ceiling. Standard contracts normally address the home being in the same condition as it was when the offer to buy the home was accepted.

To really know what extent you have to clean your home, read your purchase contract. You may be contractually bound to clean in a certain fashion. To save yourself a headache later it is a smart idea to see what stipulations need to bet met by the seller, such as removing debris or all personal property.

If you don’t have a specific legal requirement, most sellers still should take steps to present a clean home to the new buyers. After moving all day, you may be too tired to want to spend a lot of time cleaning. Hiring a professional cleaning service can be a great solution to this.

Most home buyers will still clean the home before moving in, but just like you they also don’t want to spend their long days cleaning up your messes. There are still some simple things you can do to leave your home reasonably clean. A good rule of thumb is to leave your home in the condition that you would like to find your new home in.

You may wonder why you should create goodwill with your new home buyers. While the obvious answer is you should treat everyone with kindness and respect, there are other reasons for staying on pleasant terms with your new buyers. For example, the new home owners might receive some of your mail or packages by mistake. It is much more likely they will forward those on to you if you treat them with kindness.

It’s important to remove all of your personal property from your home and garage. Throw away all of your trash. Sweep and vacuum the floors and wipe down all your cabinets, sinks, tubs, etc.

Cleaning your home doesn’t have to be drab. Invite friends and family to help clean in exchange for a free meal at your new place. Bring a radio to listen to while you clean and have fun.

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Top 5 Things You Shouldn’t Take With You On A Move

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Sometimes it is hard to know what items you should hold on to and what items you should get rid of. Moving tends to take a lot of preparation and effort, so the less excess items you have the better. However, there are some things that people seem to hold on to unnecessarily.

Don’t get us wrong, there definitely are some things that are worth holding on to. Things with real sentimental value should make the long journey with you on your moves. However, there are many things you can get rid of and be better off. Here is our list of the top 5 things we feel people take with them on their moves that they really should get rid of.

1. Old furniture – We understand the need to have antiques in the home. If your furniture is worn down the odds aren’t the best that they will survive a lengthy move. You can normally find better off of craigslist or garage sales for a very affordable price.

Throw the old stuff away...technology is not cyclical!

Throw the old stuff away...technology is not cyclical!

2. Old electronics – Technology is constantly changing. Electronic equipment that no longer is equivalent or used shouldn’t be kept. Leave all your floppy disks and only bring items that work.
there are some furniture that would be best to keep at home.

3. Old exercise equipment – If you haven’t used it yet, the odds are against you that you ever will. Exercise equipment is particularly awkward to move. Many people move heavy exercise equipment from house to house with out ever setting foot on the treadmill.

4. Outdated clothes – A lot of people keep clothes for years that they never wear again. Fashion trends come and go, and with them so should the clothes. If you haven’t worn the piece of clothing in the past five years, get rid of it.

5. Old home decor – Don’t pack up decorations that are out of date and you haven’t used for a while. The odds that they will come back in fashion by the time you will use them again is slim. So even though you’ve saved your kitchen’s wall paper for the last fifteen years, don’t deal with the hassle of having to store it for another thirty. Simply leave it.

Older items that you are not using don’t have to be thrown away. You can get some extra moving money by having a garage sale. Or if you would like to donate them, there are many places that accept donations for good humanitarian causes.

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Furniture That Requires Extra Care During a Move

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

There are certain items in your home that will need extra care when moving. These items need to be moved by competent movers that will handle them delicately and appropriately. Professional movers are a good investment for these sensitive items because they are already trained to remove these items.

Larger furniture items tend to break off easier during moves. Be sure to plan ahead and pack breakable and sensitive items correctly to ensure their safety on your drive. Here are some ideas of different furniture that requires extra care during a move.

Moving a piano can be really difficult- professional help is a good idea

Moving a piano can be really difficult- professional help is a good idea

Piano – A piano is one of the most difficult items for a mover to move. They are very delicate and awkward because of their shape and size. Find a mover that is specifically trained and experienced with moving pianos to ensure the best moving care.

Stove – Make sure your stove is disconnected before your move. Remove anything that can fall off, such as removable coils, and place them in their own separate box. When you are moving your stove be sure that all gas lines are properly secured.

Television – Televisions are also a risky object to move. They need to be packaged very carefully to avoid a break with the screen. Screens can break easily, so be sure to have a lot of protective padding around the television set before risking a move.

Washer and Dryer – These items both need to be handled with a lot of precaution. They are huge, bulky items and can be real headaches to move. Professionals have equipment to handle these large items and will do a good job with moving them from your home.

Freezer and Refrigerator – Its a good idea to defrost your refrigerator and freezer at least 2 days before your move. This will help keep the musty smell from settling in. Remove all shelves ansewingd package them in a separate box so they don’t break off mid-way through the move.

Sewing Machine – This item doesn’t need extra attention for small, local moves. If you are traveling long distance, however, it is a good idea to make sure it is properly packaged. Place paper or padding all around the machine, as well as in between the lid and base, to be sure there isn’t any unnecessary rubbing that will damage it during the move.

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How to Properly Pack Items for Winter Moves

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Packing is important when moving. It is even more important during winter months to ensure the safety of your items.

Winter Moving can be a challenge

Winter moving can be a challenge

Even if you are only traveling a short distance with your move, there are some important things to remember when packing during the winter months.

It is important to keep moisture off your boxes and goods. Rain or snow can cause a heavy amount of water damage to items that are not properly wrapped. Water can cause wood to warp, fabric and mattresses to mold, and ruin pictures or other important documents.

Even if the weather reports give no chance of rain or snow, do not risk it. During the winter months there can be a lot more precipitation in the air than during the summer months. Take precautions to keep the moisture away from your boxes and possessions.

When moving a piano during the cold months, get the help of professional movers. They will know the best ways to wrap a piano so it won’t be damaged or warped during the cold move. If you move the piano yourself, make sure you have at least 4 or 5 buddies for assistance, and have the piano wrapped in plastic all the way around, securely, to prevent any water damage.

Moisture is the big problem with winter moves

Moisture is the big problem with winter moves

The cold air can also affect items that are exposed to the cold weather. Be careful of anything liquid that can freeze and later expand. Carry house plants with you inside your car, and make sure the leaves stay away from the windows so they don’t freeze.

The best moving trucks to use during moves at winter times are ones that are covered. Professional trucks are the safest trucks for your valuables during the winter months. With closed trucks you will not have to worry about chances of snow or rain beating through tarps and coverings, and getting to your items.

If that is not an option for you make sure you secure a tarp covering over and around all your items in your vehicle. Secure them tightly and make sure it is a sturdy tarp that won’t shred and expose your items as you travel. If you notice any problems with your tarp stop and secure it right away to prevent damage from happening.

Never travel with an uncovered pickup truck during snow or rain season. Weather can be unpredictable, even in the best conditions. A lot of damage can be done in a short amount of time, so don’t risk it with your belongings.

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Moving a Gun Safely

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Whenever you are using or moving your gun, safety is a huge issue. If you have a lot of guns and are planning on moving soon, here are some great tips to help you check and double check that they will be safely moved.

Anyone who has ever owned a gun safe will tell you how important they can be to help keep your children safe. They can also be a good way to safely move your guns from one home to another. With your gun and ammo safely locked up you can move them around with out having to worry.

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The main concern when you have a gun safe is that they can be heavy and hard to move. If you have help moving this isn’t such a worry, but if you are moving all by yourself you will need to make sure that your safe, with the ammo and guns, can be moved easily from one room to another and through the front or side door. A dolly will really make the job easier for you.

Many times if you are moving from one state to another, you might not be very familiar with the other state laws about guns. Be careful because some states can charge you with a UUW felony for having a gun in your glove department. If you are moving through different states make sure that you check out their gun laws.

Just to be safe make sure that you take these simple precautions while you pack up your gun. First, remove all of the ammunition. This may seem like an obvious one, but you would be surprised at how many times in the rush of the move you can forget.

Next, make sure that your guns are locked up and safe. Use packing paper or old newspaper and wrap your gun up in them. Make sure that you have a box that fits well and will hold your gun without letting it slide around.

If you have a lot of guns it is best to pack up only a couple in each box. If you pack them all in one box it can end up weighing too much for you to easily move it around.

Make sure that you label the boxes too. If you don’t want movers or anyone else to know that you have guns in the box, you can also label them differently, but it’s always smart to write fragile on the box.  If you are nervous at all about the safety and security of your guns as you move, contact some professional movers that will be able to help you figure out what is best for your move.

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Moving a Piano

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Pianos are a beautiful instrument and decoration for you home. It can be frustrating if you are moving through because out of everything your piano might be the most difficult. Here are some tips that will help you move your piano without damaging it.

moving-piano-properly-the-right-way

The first thing that you will want to do is figure out the exact trail of where you are going to move the piano to get it out the door and into the truck. You want to do this first because you will have to measure the piano as well as the door ways to make sure that you will be able to move the piano on it’s side to exit it out the house.

Pianos can be very heavy and difficult to move. You might have to rent a dolly or even a hydraulic lifter. It might even be a smart thing to bring in some professionals that will be able to help you with their experience.

Before you actually start moving the piano make sure that all the accessory items or anything else is moved out of the path so that you have a clear way to exit. You want to make sure you have enough people to do this to. It can be very frustrating trying everything but not being able to really do anything do to lack of manpower.

If you are really scared of your piano getting scratches it is best to wrap it with bubble wrap after you are done moving it outside. You don’t want to wrap it before hand because than it can be even more difficult to move.

Once your path is clear you are ready to move your piano. Remember that the legs are very weak points and that you can easily hit and ruin them. It is really smart to have one to two people just watching and making sure that the piano doesn’t hit anything.

The number one rule of moving a piano is to make sure that you move it endways. Another good reminder is to make sure that you bend your legs and take the strain off of your back as you pick up the piano and place it on a dolly.

Move the piano slowly. This isn’t a job that can be done too quickly because usually that’s when you will damage your piano. If you follow these simple rules you will find that your piano will be in perfect condition as you bring it from your old home to your new one.

This is a big job and you can never be too careful with something as expensive as a piano. Bring in some moving professionals that will help insure that your piano won’t receive any scratches or wont be ruined by moving it. They will know what they are doing and have done it plenty times before.

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Packing Odds & Ends

Friday, August 21st, 2009

When we are packing up, a lot of times we end up losing a lot of little items that we could have sworn we had but couldn’t find them after the move. This can be frustrating because we end up going out to the store to buy them and then find it a week later in an obscure box.

Often when moving, you're left with a bunch of odds and ends

Often when moving, you're left with a bunch of odds and ends

Going out and buying little things here and there after the move can start adding up to hundreds of dollars. If we pack properly this all can be avoided.

You have little items all over your home in different rooms that can get lost very easily. Get a box and label it odds and ends and then state from which room. Then wrap all those little items from that room in one box.

You might find that some rooms like the office and bedroom might have more odds and ends than your other rooms. You’ll have to buy more boxes for them then. Just to make sure that everything is organized and that you aren’t missing any boxes, write down odds and ends from which room followed by a box number.

Then, when you are making the move into your new apartment or home, you can simply move each box into the room that is stated on the box. You’ll know you are missing a box if you can only find box 1 and 3 from the bedroom.

Following this simple layout will make sure that you can find all of the odds and ends in your home, as well as make everything a nice and organized process.

You can even go the extra mile by marking on the outside exactly what should be found on the inside. There are so many different ways to pack up your odds and ends. Find a system that works well for you but always make sure that it is an organized one.

Once your packed, if you need help hauling your stuff to your new location, call a professional mover to help out. Two Man Movers offers a free estimate.

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How to Pack Your Goods

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

When it is time to pack up everything in your home in preparation for your big move, there are a few things to keep in mind as you pack your valuables. Because of my own personal experience moving a lot, I’ve jotted down a few things that I’ve found important to know.

Selecting the right box will greatly help your packing and move

Selecting the right box will greatly help your packing and move

I think it’s important to think about the size of box that you are using. I’ve made the mistake of using large boxes for things that should have been put into small boxes, as well as placing things into small boxes that I could have got away with packing into larger boxes.

I love boxes and am really starting to build a large collection of them in my home. The last time I moved I got a huge box, obviously without thinking, and started placing all my favorite books in it. Well, before I knew it, my large box was completely full and I couldn’t pick it up.

Because we were in such a hurry, and all my other boxes were taken, I had to deal with my mistake. The large box had to be moved by two or three men and was way too heavy to be on top of anything, yet, I didn’t want anything placed on top of it to possibly ruin them.

If I had properly prepared, I would have taken more time thinking before about exactly how many boxes I needed. I would have also gone through all my rooms and looked through my stuff to see not only exactly how many I would need, but also the sizes and packaging supplies I would need.

If you are planning on packing heavy but small items in boxes, you need to be buying a lot of small boxes to place them in. Small boxes should be filled with such items as books, and canned food.

Large boxes are great to have as well and can be filled with things like clothing, blankets, towels and rugs. Really, anything that is light but more bulky.

Just ask yourself as you are packing if the box will be easy or difficult to carry. Always remember to secure the bottom of the box and make sure that it will be able to handle any weight that you place in it. It might be smart to place tape on the bottom at the seams so nothing can possibly fall through.

If you need more moving advice, or help getting from here to there, contact Two Man Movers today for a free estimate.

Want more tips on packing boxes, take a look at this demo. :)

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Tips for Packaging Clothes for Your Move

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

Most of us don’t have the room, or desire, to pack along an iron with us during our travels. Yet keeping clothes looking nice and not like a wrinkled mess is an art that many of us do not know how to achieve when packing.

There are a few simple packing tips that can help ensure your clothes maintain the appearance you are hoping for. packing_2

Roll your clothes. Rolling your clothes keeps wrinkles from setting into your clothes, and keeps creases from strongly forming so all you have to do is give your clothes a little shake and you will be ready to go.

You can also fold your clothes together. By folding together two or more garments it gives each pair some cushion, making it less likely to crease or wrinkle in the folds.

Another way of protecting your clothing from wrinkles is using tissue paper. For your delicate items place tissue paper on top of the item and fold it up with the tissue paper inside. It is a more gentle way of folding your clothes with something else by adding more cushion to that article of clothing.

Pack your jeans or other clothing you choose not to roll on the bottom of your suitcase. It is a good idea to place your heavier items on the bottom of the suitcase too because you do not want to place them on top to wrinkle or press down on your other clothing.

Rolled up clothing should go on the top layers of your suitcase. You need to place your most delicate clothing articles on the top.

If, once your done packing, you are lucky enough to have some room to spare in your suitcase fill it up with something lightweight. You don’t want things to be too loose and have your clothing unfold or unroll.

Moving soon? Contact a professional mover today. Two Man Movers is the best in the business. Call us for a free estimate.

Want more advice, check out this short video:


How to Pack Clothing for a Move
by Howcast

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Packing a Television

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

There are a few priceless possessions that you want to keep safe during a move, and if you are like me your television set is one of them. Properly packing your television will ensure its survival on the road and back into your home again.

The easiest way of packing your television is simply by putting it back in its original box. Normally the box has foam blocks that are there to support and secure your television in a way that makes it a lot easier to pack and move. Since it was packaged for that particular television it will fit more snugly and support your television the best.50hdx82

If you no longer have the original box your television came in you can still find boxes to fit your television. The best places to look are normally at your local moving dealerships, such as Uhaul. They also have a lot of good packing supplies, such as bubble wrap or moving pads, to help keep your television secure.

Once you have the packing supplies you would like to use, make certain you use the bubble wrap, pads, towels, etc around the television before you secure the television inside the box. The tape I like to use best is painters tape, as it doesn’t do any damage to your television when you take that off.

If you cannot find a large enough box to fit your television make certain that you use a lot of packing material. The best material to use would be ones that will help absorb shock, such as bubble wrap. Placing card board over the screen of your television will give it added protection from scratches.

When moving your television be certain to have another person there to help you move it. Televisions can be a lot heavier than we expect and having an extra person there to help put it in its box or move it to your vehicle will help make sure it doesn’t get dropped.

When moving your television make sure it is always in an upright position. Never place a television on its side. Whether or not your particular television manual states it or not, televisions weren’t meant to be on their sides and can handle traveling a lot better in their normal, upright position.

By securing your television by properly packaging it, you are ensuring its survival during your move. It will be back in its new place before you know it, without a scratch or dent to be seen.

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