Author: Great Movers

Categories
How To

How to Avoid Bed Bugs During Your NJ Move

How to Avoid Bed Bugs During Your NJ Move

With bed bug numbers back on the rise after a brief respite during COVID, it’s more important than ever for you to take preventative measures. After all, no one wants to move into a new place and have to deal with a bed bug infestation. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy for these tiny critters to hitch a ride on your furniture to your new home. If you want to avoid a lot of itchy nights and expensive pest control bills, follow the steps below to stop bed bugs from moving in with you.

Detect and Identify Bed Bugs Before They Spread

While bed bug infestations are more prevalent in apartment buildings, you can still get them if you live in a house. You can pick them up from almost anywhere including your job, restaurants, public transportation, taxis, hotels, and more. The more people pass through an area, the more chances there are of bed bugs. As soon as bed bugs enter your house, it can take a few months before the infestation becomes an issue. That means you could potentially already have bed bugs without any of the obvious warning signs.  

Before you start packing everything up, make sure to thoroughly check for signs. Usually, the first indicator that bed bugs are in a home is a series of bites usually in a straight line on exposed parts of the skin. Of course, this could also be the work of a mosquito so other signs include:

  • Small blood stains on sheets and pillowcases
  • Reddish or rusty stains on sheets or mattresses
  • Dark spots on sheets, mattresses, bed clothes, or even walls. These are bed bug excrement

And while these bugs are small, they’re not microscopic. You can see them if you look hard enough. Bed bugs like to nest in mattresses, box springs, drawers, furniture with cushions, and pretty much anywhere that is dark and warm.

In addition to checking your current house, you should also check your new house for any signs of bed bugs. If you do see any, make sure to contact an exterminator before you move in to get rid of the pests because it will get harder once you’ve already moved in all of your boxes.

But what about if you hire professional NJ movers? In some cases, bed bugs have been spread via the moving trucks or the movers themselves. Your best bet is to hire reputable NJ moving companies as they clean and inspect the inside of the trucks on a daily basis. As well, they will also sanitize and disinfect their fleet of trucks at least once a week and change their moving blankets often. If you want to be extra cautious, ask the moving company to inspect the truck yourself before they start loading everything.

Vacuum Everything

Your first order of business is to vacuum your entire house. Get every nook and cranny and don’t forget to vacuum things like curtains, rugs, mats, fabric furniture, etc. Make sure to really get the corners of your room and any tiny crevices in the floors. While you’re at it, vacuum the drawers of your dresser and nightstand. The idea is to get rid of as much potential debris as possible not just for you but whoever plans to move into your place after. 

This goes doubly for your new place. Before you unpack, take the time to do a thorough clean and vacuum. Get inside the cabinets and dressers. If the previous owner left any furniture, toss it! You really don’t want to risk infecting the rest of your items with potential bed bugs. 

Once you have vacuumed everything, empty the vacuum bag into a plastic trash bag and immediately throw it out. In case you do have bed bugs, you want to remove them from your house as soon as possible.

Wash Your Clothes and Seal Them

A sure fire way to kill bed bugs is to expose them to heat above 118 for at least 20 minutes. Your best bet when washing and drying your clothes is to use the hottest setting possible for water or go a step further and boil water to put into the washing machine. Every time the water refills, make sure to fill it yourself with boiling water. From there, dry everything on the highest heat. While 20 minutes might be enough for the actual bugs, if you want to make sure you destroy the eggs, you’ll have to expose these to high heat for at least 90 minutes. Once everything has been washed and dried, pack everything away in a sealable plastic bag. Better yet, get a vacuum sealed bag to ensure your clothes do not get infested. Do the same to your bedding and other items. Even if you don’t have bed bugs, putting all of your fabric items in a sealable plastic bag will also prevent them from getting infested in case your new house has them.

Cleanse and Protect Your Mattress

The most common way of bringing bugs into your home is through the mattress. If you already have bed bugs living in them, there are a few ways you can get rid of them, but the easiest way is to just toss your mattress. Of course, you shouldn’t just throw it out on the street. Make sure to wrap it up in plastic so the bed bugs can’t escape and infect other parts of your house or apartment. And, of course, make sure to write Bed Bugs in red marker to warn anyone who might be tempted to bring the mattress into their home. 

If you just got your mattress, you might not be as inclined to throw it out and get a new one. If that’s the case, you can use pesticides or heat to try to get rid of the bugs. Still, with how thick mattresses can be, these solutions might not permeate all the way to the center of the mattress. In that case, you should contact a professional who can help. Still, the only surefire way to get rid of bed bugs in the mattress is to throw it away.

So how about if you don’t have bed bugs? The best way to avoid infestation of your mattress is to first vacuum it and then encase it and the box spring in a bed bug mattress cover. Not only does this prevent bed bugs from infesting your mattress, it also keeps the bed bugs inside as well in case you have some and don’t know it yet. Bed bugs can survive 20 to 400 days without food depending on temperature and humidity so you’ll want to keep the cover on at all times. 

Avoid Bringing All of Your Old Furniture

Even if you don’t have bed bugs, you should avoid bringing too many furniture pieces with you. Besides attracting bed bugs, furniture also adds extra time to your local NJ move extra weight/volume to your long distance move. All of that means more money you’ll need to pay. So, to save yourself some money and avoid bed bugs, leave your furniture behind. Yes, you’ll have to buy new items, but you can carefully choose items that match your new house and decor.

If you do end up bringing some pieces with you make sure to properly sanitize each one. That means removing and packing the contents of all of your furniture and putting them in plastic storage boxes with lids. That way bed bugs won’t be able to get in or out. You can also hire a pest control professional to treat any items you are moving. 

Take A Shower Before and After

How do bed bugs spread so efficiently? Well they hitch rides on humans! While they might not live in your hair like lice, they do cling well to clothes. If you have pets, they can also hide in their fur. And don’t overlook things like your pet’s toys and beddings. These are prime locations for bed bugs to hide. Ideally, you would just throw out everything, but if you can’t make sure to treat them properly! 

And while it might take some time, make sure everyone in the house involved in the move takes a shower and changes into fresh clothes before leaving. Place any dirty clothes in a sealable plastic bag to wash later. Don’t forget to wash your pets! They might not be happy about it, but you want to get rid of any potential problems.

Once you’ve moved into your new place, repeat the process. Everyone should take a shower and change into fresh clothes. It might seem like overkill, but you can never be too careful.

Move Bed Bug Free

With so many incidents of bed bugs popping up across the US, it’s important to protect yourself so you don’t have to spend months trying to treat the issue after you’ve already unpacked. The steps above should help reduce your chances of moving bed bugs. And if you’re looking to hire movers, make sure to hire reputable NJ movers as they take numerous precautions to avoid the spread of bed bugs.

 

Categories
DIY Moving Projects How To

How to Hire the Right Movers for Your NJ Move

How to Hire The Right Movers for Your NJ Move

Doing a DIY move when you’re young isn’t so bad. You’re still in decent shape and you likely have some nearby friends and family who are available to help out. However, as you get older moving everything yourself can put a serious toll on your mind and body. Not to mention most of your friends and family are probably too busy with their own life to help out (and maybe they also just don’t want to get hurt helping you move).

Whatever the case, you now need to hire right movers. Even if you’ve gone through the process in the past, it can still be a daunting task. After all, there are so many companies to choose from and not all of them will fit your needs. In order to find the right one moving company for you, you’ll need to do some planning. Luckily, the following guide will help walk you through the process.

Need to Calculate Your Moving Cost

Before hiring NJ professional movers onboard, you first need to figure out if you even have enough money. In order to do that, you need to figure out how much they cost. While there aren’t any universal rates, most movers tend to offer similar prices. If you don’t want to guess how much movers will cost, you can simply reach out to a few that offer the service you need and get a quote. So long as you provide accurate information and include any additional services you might want to include, the quote should be fairly accurate.

Your best bet is to reach out to a minimum of three NJ moving companies, ideally more. You should be suspicious if an estimate is significantly lower than the others as it might be a sign of a scam. And while it used to be a red flag if movers don’t do an in-home visit, thanks to COVID-19, many can provide estimates if you send them pictures and/or video.

Check All the Important Documents

Whether you’re making a local move or long distance move it’s important that you make sure the company you hire is licensed and insured. The US Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) requires all professional moving companies to have a U.S. DOT number. In order to receive this number, the movers must enroll in an 18-month education program to learn about carrier safety and hazardous material regulations. During this time, the company must maintain safe operations and pass a safety audit. To maintain their number, movers must comply with all Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) safety regulations.

Some states, like New Jersey, also require registration with the state’s Department of Transportation for additional security. Moving companies are required to post both their state and federal DOT numbers in an easy to find location on their website. You can then check the moving company’s numbers on the FMCSA website to ensure their numbers are still valid.

In addition to having the appropriate registration with the state and federal DOT, you also want to make sure the moving company is properly insured. You can ask for a certificate of insurance (COI), which is a form that shows all of the necessary insurance the movers have including umbrella, general liability, automotive, worker’s compensation, and more. When you look over the document, pay close attention to the expiration dates for the insurance as well as the name and address listed for the business. You want to make sure the insurance is still valid up to the date of your move and that the name and address matches what is listed on the company website.

Read Reviews Online

Thanks to the beauty of the internet, you can now easily find reviews on almost everything, including NJ moving companies. Don’t let this resource go to waste! Simply search the name of the company and you’ll be able to pull up reviews from multiple sources including Yelp and Google. You can always arrange reviews by the most recent and even drill down to see specific ratings like one-star reviews. From there, you can determine whether the negative and/or positive reviews are a good representative sample.

In addition to customer reviews, you should also check out the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the company has a report. You can check out the letter grade the BBB has assigned to the mover and read any complaints, reviews, and government actions. Besides the BBB, you can also review the company’s complaint history on the DOT website.

You shouldn’t always trust online reviews though as some companies will pay people to post positive reviews. If you know people who have used a moving company you are considering, ask them questions on the cost, professionalism, etc. See if they have any complaints and see if it matches up with the online reviews.

Ask Questions About What You Want to Know

Once you’ve narrowed down your NJ moving company search, you should take some time to ask them questions. You don’t want to go in there without any preparation, so make a list of questions beforehand. Below are some questions you should ask:

  • Can you provide a certificate of insurance? You want to make sure the movers the insurance is up-to-date and that they have enough coverage. Usually, insurance should go be at least $2-5 million
  • Are you a broker or carrier? Brokers outsource their services to other companies while carriers handle all moving services in house
  • What coverage option do you offer? All moving companies must offer partial liability coverage for free. This only insures your items for $0.60 per pound per item. Professional moving companies are required to have full value protection, but you will need to pay extra for this
  • What services do you offer? Not all movers are created equal. If you need additional services like packing and unpacking or storage, make sure you ask if they offer these options.
  • How do you calculate prices? Most companies charge customers on several factors including weight, distance, season, and hourly rates. If you’re moving locally, most movers stick with a flat hourly rate, but that’s not always the case so it’s important to ask.
  • What about cancellation fees? There are plenty of reasons why you might need to cancel or reschedule your move. Some companies will let you cancel free of charge so long as you do it far enough in advance. Others might charge you a fee on top of your deposit so make sure you ask!

Hire Right Movers NJ

Once you’ve done your research and found the right movers for you, make sure you book them! Ideally, you’ll want to reserve your movers at least a month beforehand, but you might be able to get in a last-minute move if you’re lucky. Still, the more lead time you have, the better as you’ll be able to start the moving process in advance.

Looking for some movers in NJ, then reach out to NJ Great Movers for a quote!

Categories
Packing Hacks and Guides

How to Pack Your Clothes for Moving

6 Hacks to Pack Your Clothes for Moving

Packing is not easy. In fact, it’s the task that most people dread because it takes up so much time and energy. It’s all too easy to forget something since you’re spending time disassembling your furniture, organizing your belongings, and prepping your fragile items so they don’t break during the move. Who has time to think about how to pack clothes?

While it might be tempting to just throw your clothes into a bag or box, this haphazard approach can lead to wasted space and time when unpacking. Plus, it leaves all your clothes wrinkled or, in the worst case scenario, damaged. If you want to make sure your clothes arrive in good condition, the following tips can make that possible.

Declutter Your Old and Unnecessary Clothes

This step might be one of the longest, but there’s no better time to start purging your closet and wardrobe than when you move. While this step might take some time, it’s a lot better to reduce how much you bring with you as you will have less to pack and unpack.

In order to properly declutter  your closet and wardrobe, empty everything so you can see what you have. From there, sort your clothes into three categories: clothes you wear often and want to keep, items you don’t wear but are in good condition, and damaged clothes. Take the time to look carefully at each piece including dressy and seasonal outfits. With dressy items, unless you are constantly going to fancy parties, you can probably get away with one three-piece suit or black dress.

You can choose to donate or sell the lightly worn items you have. If these items are from a brand name, you can probably fetch a good price for them online. Whatever you earn, you can put towards your moving budget. For anything that didn’t sell, donate to a goodwill store.

Wash Dirty Laundry Before Moving to Your New Home

It might be tempting to leave your dirty laundry in a bag and forget about it until you’re in your new house, but the last thing you’ll want to do is a load of laundry while unpacking. More importantly, stained or soiled clothes will only get worse as time goes by and, if some of your clothes are particularly stinky, the smell can spread to the rest of the dirty laundry and suitcase.

It might seem like a waste of time, but do all of your laundry the day before you move. It will make unpacking a lot easier. Plus, you’ll need to wash the clothes you donate anyway, so might as well do another few loads while you’re at it!

Sort Your Clothes

Once you’ve figured out what you’re keeping, the next thing you should do is start sorting your things by season. That way, you can start packing away the clothes you don’t need as early as a month before your move. So if it’s summer, pack away your winter clothes and vice versa.

While you’re at it, sort pieces by type to help you organize your closet better after the move. Put all your pants together, shirts, together, dresses, etc. Just make sure to keep all of these items separate for each person in the house. Then label and identify the various boxes and bags with the name of the person and type of clothes for easier unpacking.

Find the Appropriate Packing Method

Sure, you can throw your clothes into a box, and that might not be the worst idea for more casual items like jeans and t-shirts. However, for items like button-down shirts, dresses, dress pants, etc. you might need to take a different approach. Some options include:

  • Standard cardboard boxes – these are great for folded clothes like your sweaters, t-shirts, etc.
  • Wardrobe boxes – perfect for clothes on hangers! You don’t even need to take the items off the hangers, just put them in these boxes. Many professional moving companies in NJ provide one or two wardrobe boxes for free
  • Suitcases and bags – if you don’t have enough cardboard boxes, these are great alternatives
  • Vacuum bags – perfect if you need to save space and condense clothes like bulky sweaters and jackets. It’s also a great way to store seasonal clothes so it doesn’t take up too much space in your closet once you’re settled into your new home.

Organize Folded Attire for the Move

If you’re someone who has trouble folding the laundry when it comes out of the dryer, you might balk at folding your clothes during your move. There’s no getting around it, folding clothes is a labor-intensive process. You can make it easier on yourself, though. Unless your dresser is in very bad condition, you can leave all your foldable items in the drawers and tape them up tightly. You’ll save money on cardboard boxes and time spent packing. Plus, professional NJ movers know how to carry and maneuver large pieces of furniture.

However, if you’re not keeping any of your furniture, you will have to pack it. There are two methods of folding your clothes that are easy and efficient:

  • Flat fold – these are perfect for your sweaters and jeans and pair well with cardboard boxes and vacuum bags and the most traditional way to fold your clothes. Lay the shirt flat, fold the bottom up a few inches then flip it around. Fold both sleeves toward the center then fold the bottom half of the shirt.
  • KonMari Fold – popularized by Mari Kondo, this method is similar to flat fold, but it allows you to see any designs on the shirts so long as you pack it properly. It’s a fairly straightforward process where you fold one side of a shirt towards the center and repeat on the other side. Then fold the shirt in half lengthwise and then finally fold the shirt in half or this. You will want your shirt to stand upright to maximize space.
  • Military roll – use this method for delicate items like shirts and dresses or if you’re using suitcases or duffle bags. Follow the flat fold method, but instead of folding the bottom half of the shirt, roll from top to the bottom.

Protect and Pack Footwear Like a Pro

Don’t throw all your shoes into a duffle bag! Shoes quickly lose shape and can get damaged during the move. Plus, if you have worn all of your shoes before, you’ll be getting whatever dirt, etc. on all of your shoes.

It’s in your best interest to pack your shoes properly, especially your dressier shoes. Stuff the shoes with some packing paper or socks so they keep their shape and wrap them in paper to prevent scuffing. If you have the original shoebox, place them in there and put everything into a small or medium box. It’s okay if you don’t have the original shoebox, you can place the shoes gently in a cardboard box without it.

And don’t ever pack your shoes with your clothes!

Accessories

Don’t toss these in with your clothes! It’s all too easy to lose small accessories like rings, necklaces, neck ties, etc. Instead, back these separately in a small bag or box. If these items are very valuable, you will want to keep these possessions on your person.

Pack Bag or Suitcase for the Moving Day

Don’t pack away all your clothes in boxes. Unless you are super motivated to unpack immediately when you move into your new place, chances are you’ll take a few days to go through all your boxes and bags. In the meantime, the last thing you want to do is root around your boxes to find your pajamas and a change of clothes. This is doubly true if you moved on the weekend and have to go into work on Monday.

So before you tape up all of your boxes, separate all of your essential items to a suitcase or box. When planning what to pack, consider what you would bring to a 2-3 day hotel stay. Items like socks, underwear, shirts, pants, pajamas, tooth brush, toiletries etc. are all necessary, but you might have to pack other things like bedding, pillows, toilet paper, towels, silver ware, one or two cups, etc. Don’t overload yourself, of course! Remember this should be enough for two to three days not a full month! The hope is that you will be finished unpacking the essentials within that time frame.

Get Ready to Move!

The tips above should help make packing your clothes a lot easier. If all else fails, you could always contact NJ Great Movers and request a partial packing option for your closet and dresser. We’ll handle all the hard work so you don’t have to!

Categories
Seasonal Moving Tips

Important Pros and Cons of Moving During NJ Winters

Pros and Cons of Moving During NJ Winters

Winters in New Jersey aren’t just a great time to go skiing and snowboarding, they’re also good for moving…so long as you plan properly. Relocating when it’s cold, dark, and maybe snowing might not seem like the best idea, but there are a lot of benefits to moving during the winter. Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any drawbacks. However, it’s up to you to decide whether the pros outweigh the cons!

The Most Common Pros of Moving During Winter

Movers Are Free Than Other Time

40 million Americans move every year with around 80 percent of these moves occurring between April and September, with peak months being July, August, and September. With so many people moving at the same time, you’ll have a lot more competition when it comes to hiring professional moving companies. What does that mean for you? You’ll have to start researching and booking your moving company at least a month in advance if you want to find one one your exact move date.

NJ movers are significantly less busy during the winter months and will have more flexibility on dates and times. If you’re making a long-distance move you might find that your belongings will arrive sooner than if you moved during the summer months because moving companies have lighter schedules. You can also expect extra TLC from movers as they’ll have a less hectic schedule and can give you and your move the attention it deserves.

You’ll Move at a Lower Cost

Tying into the first point, since there are fewer moving requests in the winter, many moving companies will offer reduced moving rates to attract customers. In some cases you can save as much as 30 percent from peak prices! Take your time and shop around to see what kind of promotions different movers offer. If they don’t have one, ask them if they can provide some kind of discount. Movers are more willing to negotiate, especially if you already have other offers on hand.

Moving companies aren’t the only things that are cheaper during the winter. Rents and even home prices tend to dip during the colder months as there’s lower demand. Landlords will be more willing to negotiate and even houses tend to sell for less between October through January and February. There is lower supply during these months, but there’s also less competition for the units and houses that are available so you should be able to spend a bit more time finding your new home.

Temperatures Are Cooler

Okay, so that might be a bit of an understatement depending on what month you decide to move. But as long as it isn’t in the single digits, moving in the colder weather is better for you. For one, there’s less chances of you or the movers overheating. Imagine moving boxes and furniture on a 90 degree day with 85 percent humidity and that’s what you would likely be dealing with during the summer months. The lower temperatures also mean you’ll be less prone to dehydration or exhaustion, which means you’ll have more energy to unpack once you get into your new place.

You’re not the only thing that does better in cooler temperatures. Your possessions also won’t have to deal with the summer heat. Things like candles, soap, records, and your precious electronics won’t melt. Wooden furniture also does better in the winter months as the air is drier, leading to less swelling and warping.

Not Too Much Traffic

Unless you decide to move during the holidays, the roads tend to be less packed than during the height of summer travel season. Of course, there will always be people on the road for one reason or another and there are plenty of people who love winter sports, but overall you can expect less congestion. That means faster relocation for you whether you’re doing a DIY move or hiring professionals.

Most Common Disadvantages of Moving During the Winter

Frigid Winter Conditions

This is a no-brainer, but the weather in the winter can be brutal. New Jersey has a continental climate, which means it has moderately cold and snowy winters. Different parts of the state get different amounts of snow with South Jersey averaging around 18 inches while North Jersey gets around 34 inches.

More importantly, winter weather can lead to white outs, icy roads, and generally unsafe driving conditions. Most experienced NJ movers should know how to handle the truck safely during winter weather. However, it might mean your move takes longer as they will need to travel much slower for safety’s sake.

Not Getting Enough Daylight

Moving in the dark is not ideal, but depending on the size and complexity of the move, it might be something you can’t avoid. Whether you’re moving yourself or hiring pro movers, you should plan to start as early in the day as possible. Even if you run into some mishaps, you can hopefully still get everything in your new house before it gets completely dark.

Moving in the dark isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s also a lot more dangerous. Temperatures drop significantly once the sun is gone during the winter, which can lead to ice forming relatively quickly on sidewalks and roads, meaning more chances for accidents. Even without the ice, moving in the dark can cause plenty of accidents as you’re not able to see clearly in front of you.

Absolutely Lowest Temperatures

This should go without saying, but winters tend to be cold. While New Jersey temperatures rarely drop to sub zero temperatures, it doesn’t need to get that cold to have a negative effect on your belongings. Much like some items don’t hold up in high temperatures, there are some items that cannot handle the cold. For example, items like instruments, china, and plants are extremely sensitive to the cold. In order to prevent potential damage, you will want to take the time to provide extra protection. And while electronics do better in cold than heat, very cold temperatures still aren’t good for their lifespan so make sure you pack them properly.

The cold also affects your body! As the temperature drops, the thickness in your joint fluid increases, making your joints feel stiffer and muscles harder to move. This makes it a lot harder to move things quickly. Even professional movers find it difficult to move in the cold. On top of that, you’re likely wearing a bulky jacket, gloves, etc. All of which impede your freedom of movement and, more importantly, hand grip.

Need for Extra Preparation

Sure, the summer months bring sweltering temperatures and summer thunderstorms, but there’s a lot more you need to think about if you move during the winter months. There’s obviously snow and ice to deal with not just outside, but inside your home if you don’t put down some mats or plastic for the movers. And of course you need to make sure you have sturdy enough boxes to withstand getting wet.

On top of that, if you’re moving into a house, you really have to make sure the heat is working properly when you move in. There’s nothing worse than being surrounded by boxes in a freezing house. Plus, depending on the actual temperature, you might have to run the heat to keep the pipes warm so they don’t freeze over.

Ready to Make Your Winter Move?

Moving any time of the year is not easy. However, when you have a reliable moving company, they can help walk you through the process and make sure everything gets delivered without a hitch. If you’re ready to move, make sure to call NJ Great Movers for a free estimate!