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Moving Tips

How to Pack and Move Bulky Items Safely and Easily

Expert Tips on Packing and Moving Bulky Items Safely and Easily

When it comes to moving, the items that most people dread are the large, bulky items. Not only are they heavy, they’re also hard to maneuver and, in cases like pianos and/or antiques, need to be handled with care. If you’ve ever tried to move these bulky items yourself, you know the challenges that come with it as well as the potential dangers like injuring yourself. While it’s in your best interest to hire professional movers to do the actual heavy lifting, there are a few things you should do beforehand to make the job a bit easier.

Make a Fully Proven Plan for Your Move

When it comes to moving anything, it’s always good to have a plan. Yes, even if you’re hiring professional movers to do it for you. Write down a list of all your heavy and large items that you need to move as well as where you want to put them in your new house. You don’t want to have the movers just put a heavy piece of furniture in the wrong room as you’ll need to move it again at a later date without their help.

Write up your plan a few weeks before your move. Get the floor plans for your new home and make sure they are accurate and to scale.Then, measure your bulky items you want to bring with you and create scaled down cut outs for each item. Make sure these paper models include all the fun protrusions and weird edges or corners of the real one. After you have the paper cutouts, place them on the floor plan and figure out the best location for each item. If something doesn’t fit, don’t bother moving it with you. You might be surprised with how much you end up leaving behind! Luckily, the less you bring with you, the cheaper your move will be.

Once you know what items you’ll take with you, make some copies of the floor plan, complete with the bulky items in their appropriate place. Keep it on hand during the move so you can direct the movers. And don’t throw out the original! Keep it in a safe place. You never know when you might want to redecorate and you’ll already have a floor plan ready!

Disassemble What You Can for Easier Moving

While many reliable New Jersey movers will do basic disassembly for you, it’s a better option for you to do it yourself. Check all of your bulky items to see if they have any removable parts. This includes the legs from your table and chairs, shelves from a bookcase, wheels from your bed frame, and so on.

Before you disassemble, make sure you have the appropriate tools on hand. In most cases, it should only be a screwdriver and/or allen wrench. If you don’t, see if you can borrow some from a neighbor or friend. While disassembling yourself might be more time-consuming, it also means you get to save money since the movers won’t be spending time doing it themselves. Plus, you can organize the dismantled parts how you want. Your best bet, though, is to tape any legs or shelves together and put all of the screws, nuts, bolts, etc. into a baggie and tape it all to the main body of the item. Trust us, you don’t want to dig through all of your boxes or bags looking for the legs to your table!

For more complicated pieces of furniture or appliances, you might want to call a specialist. Even reputable NJ movers don’t disassemble things like murphy beds or antiques. And if you don’t know what you’re doing, you can do more harm than good. It might cost you some extra money, but it will be worth it in the long run as you won’t have to worry about damaged items or walls.

Maintain the Highest Safety Standards While Packing

Most large items aren’t going to fit in any kind of box, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to pack it at all. After all, you want to make sure your items get to your new house unscathed. If you hire movers, most will provide some level of protection for your furniture such as padded blankets. While that might be enough for some things, for more delicate items you will want to go a step further.

Glass

Like your cups and bowls, you want to treat any large pieces of glass with care when moving. For flat items, place two pieces of tape in an ‘x’ shape. This will reduce shattering as it helps keep the glass intact. If possible, wrap any glass pieces in bubble wrap and inform the moving crew of the fragile items. This includes things like large mirrors and picture frames with glass!

Artwork

If you have large pieces of artwork, you might want to consider getting specialty art boxes for it. Pack each piece separately and make sure to wrap each one with bubble wrap and fill the inside of the box with butcher paper to prevent jostling.

Mattress

If your old mattress is still in good shape, there’s no reason to toss it out. If you have a foam mattress, you can compress it to an even smaller size by putting it into a plastic vacuum bag and vacuum-sealing it. For standard mattresses, get a new mattress cover before you move to protect the mattress itself from the elements, rips, and bed bugs.

Furniture

Yes, NJ movers will have mattress pads they can use to wrap around your furniture, but you might want to wrap delicate furniture yourself. That means you’ll need to get your own furniture pads, moving blankets, and foam padding. You might want to go a step further and wrap certain items with bubble wrap for extra protection. Just make sure any plastic doesn’t come in direct contact with the wood or fabric!

Piano

Despite their heavy size, pianos are quite delicate and require extra attention when it comes to proper moving. Cover the piano keys and pedals in bubble wrap and then wrap close the lid to the keys. The movers will wrap the legs and sides of the piano with moving blankets.

Hire Expert Movers for a Smooth Transition

Your best bet when moving these bulky items is to hire qualified movers. Not only will they have all the appropriate moving and packing materials, they also have the skills and knowledge to move bulky items with ease. When finding the right mover for you, make sure to mention the large items you plan on moving. Not all companies have experience with moving things like pianos, jacuzzis, pool tables, etc. so they might refer you to someone else, which could end up costing you a lot more.

Even if you’re just moving regular furniture, you should ask what kind of equipment they use and what they provide. Most trusted NJ movers wrap your bulk items free of charge and even put down things like wall and floor protectors. Always ask the movers if they provide this service. If not, you might want to look into another option.

Ready to move? Make sure to give us a call! We have years of experience moving pretty much everything you can imagine. Not only that, but we’re experts when it comes to navigating tight corridors and doorways. We’ll give you a free quote and answer any questions you might have so don’t wait! Contact us now!

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Moving Tips

Complete Guide to Moving into Your First Apartment in NJ

Complete Guide for First Time Apartment Moves

So, you’re ready to leave the nest and move into your first apartment. As exciting as that is, it can also be nerve wracking. Moving at any point in your life can be stressful, but it’s doubly so when you’re getting started with your new life. Although you might not be able to reach a state of zen during your first move, this guide can help plan your moving strategy so you’re not hit with any surprises.

Make Simple Financial Preparations in Your Budget

Moving isn’t cheap. There are a lot of different factors you need to consider when it comes to living on your own. Even if you end up living with roommates, there are still responsibilities and bills you might not be used to, especially if you’ve been living at home. If you’re not sure if you’re ready to live on your own, here are some key financials you should consider before you start looking for a new place:

Income – it goes without saying that in order to pay for your rent and utilities you’ll need to bring in some money. More importantly, most apartments require you to prove that you have an income and will generally ask for the last several months of pay stubs. Depending on where you live, some landlords might even ask that your salary equals around 40x the monthly rent.

If you don’t have a job yet because you just graduated college or you’re starting over in a new city, you might not be able to provide proof of income. In these cases,  you can ask a parent or guardian to act as a guarantor for you when signing the lease. This way, the management company will at least know that someone will cover the monthly rent. Ideally, you’ll be able to find some source of income shortly after moving into your apartment.

Budget – Before you start looking for apartments, take a look at your budget. If you haven’t made one or updated it recently, you can use sites like Mint or You Need a Budget to help keep track of your expenses and set a goal to save up for your move. Make sure to include budgets for any bills, payments, debts, savings, and spending money you want for clothes, travel, restaurants, bars, etc.

Once you have set everything up, see how much money you currently have leftover that you can spend on rent and utilities. Depending on where you want to move, this might mean you need to set aside $800-$1,000. In more popular cities, you might have to budget for at least $1,500 if you don’t want roommates. Of course, there is always the roommate option, which we will get to later on.

Save for fees – Most apartments and even roommate situations will ask for a chunk of money upfront when you sign a new lease. These fees include an application fee, security deposit (usually the same amount of one month’s rent), administration fee, and at least the first month’s rent though some might ask for last month’s rent as well. If you used a broker, you might also be required to pay a broker’s fee. All in all, if you’re looking to rent an apartment for $1,500/month you may need to save up close to $5,000 depending on what your landlord/management company requires.

This doesn’t even account for the actual cost of moving. Whether you rent a truck or hire a professional moving service, you’ll need to set aside some money to pay for it. Even if you rent a truck, these can cost between $50-$200 depending on the size you need, the distance you travel, and how long you rent it out for. While renting a truck is the cheapest option, you will have to do all of the loading and unloading yourself, which is grueling work and can often lead to injuries. While hiring professional movers might be more expensive, it ultimately will save you a lot of time and even money in the long run. Depending on how much you need to move, hiring movers can cost anywhere between $300-$1,500. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to do a DIY move or not so make sure to weigh the pros and cons of each option.

Finding the Right Apartment Based on Your Needs

Your finances will be the most defining parameter in finding a place to live. Having a steady income and saving up in advance will open up a lot more options when it comes to apartment hunting. However, if saving up that much cash isn’t feasible, there are other options available:

Start your search early – if you know you’re going to need a place to live in the next few months, get a head start. May-August tends to be the busiest season for rentals so if you want a good deal, you’ll have to start looking as soon as possible. If you are able, the best time to get a good deal is to look in the off season so anywhere between October-February. While there aren’t as many rentals on the market, most landlords or management companies are more willing to negotiate on the rates as there aren’t as many people moving during this time.

Get a roommate (or 2) – this way you can cut your rent by at least 50 percent allowing you to get to your target rent amount and also cutting your bills in half as well. If you have a friend or acquaintance who also happens to be moving at the same time, ask if they are interested in moving in together. Of course, before you decide to live together, you should first assess your own needs when it comes to roommates. Do you prefer a quiet and clean environment? What are your thoughts on smoking and/or pets? You should spend some time to hash out both you and your potential roommates needs and see if they actually mesh. It won’t work if you want a quiet apartment but your roommate is someone who likes to bring the party home, for example. If you don’t have anyone you know moving, you can still find a roommate through various sites and apps. When going in for the interview, make sure to ask questions about their lifestyle and understand what the other person requires from you to see if it will work out before you decide to move in.

Look outside the major city hub – The most expensive apartments tend to be where all the action is located. While it’s great to be in the center of the action, if you can’t swing the expensive rent, you’ll have to look outside of the area. Many apartments that are 30 minutes outside the main hub will offer much cheaper rents. If you take the time to look around you might even be able to spot some great up and coming areas that offer a lot of amenities you want for a cheaper price than the main city.

Consider utilities – For most apartments, the monthly rent just covers the actual cost of your room. However, some might lump in some utilities. Many apartment complexes are required to provide the basics in your rent including heat and hot water and you will have to cover electricity, cable/internet, and gas. Others might not offer any utilities in their rent so everything will be out-of-pocket. When looking for your new place, make sure to see what is included. If it’s not listed, call up the agent on the listing and ask. A $700 might sound great, but if you have to pay for all of the utilities you could end up paying over $1,000 a month.

Look for private rentals – it’s easy to find rentals from major brokers and real estate companies as they have the money to list on the major rental sites and apps. However, don’t discount private rentals. While these can be harder to find, you can check sites like Craigslist or even join local Facebook groups. You can also look through your town’s local classifieds to search for these private rentals. Of course, you should always confirm the legitimacy of the posts beforehand.

Make it work – at the end of the day, if you don’t have a huge budget to spend on rent and utilities, you’ll have to come to terms with the fact that you might not be able to afford the apartment of your dreams, at least not yet. This might mean you have to live with someone else or in an area that isn’t as desirable. In that case, work to make the interior of the apartment into a space you enjoy. Do a little painting and invest in some artwork/decorations to make the place feel like home.

Research the Apartment and Building Management

Once you’ve narrowed down your apartment options to a handful, you should take the time to do some research both on the apartment and the landlord/building management. While this means more legwork for you, it also means you can avoid potential bad landlords and/or roommates, both of which can lead to unnecessary amounts of stress in the long run. To avoid potential disaster do the following:

Find and Read Reviews – do a quick search for your apartment and building management and read reviews from previous tenants. If the place or landlord is no good, many renters will often warn others. You can also type in the location of the building and find some documents and permits to look over the work that has been done to the building. In some cities, you can also request a one-year bed bug infestation history.

Visit the apartment – this might sound obvious, but there are many people who will rent a site unseen. Pictures and video can’t really capture the essence of the apartment and no broker or landlord will highlight problem areas as they’re trying to rent the place out. Visiting in person ensures that you know exactly what you get. Even if the apartment seems nice there might be other issues such as thin walls, a bus stop right in front of your window, smokers, and more. If possible, try to visit the apartment during the evening after work so you can see exactly what it would be like to live there.

Ask questions – As you view the apartment, don’t be afraid to ask questions especially if you notice some troubling signs of water damage or poor maintenance. Even if there aren’t any obvious signs, it’s still good to ask a few things so that you know what to expect. Some common questions you can ask include:

  • What is the turnover rate of the building
  • How long has this apartment been vacant
  • How long is the lease
  • When is the rent due each month
  • What is the rent increase and how often does it occur
  • Under what conditions can I break lease
  • Can I sublease
  • Is there an on-site maintenance person who can help with my requests and how quickly do they respond
  • Can I paint the apartment
  • Is there on-site laundry? If not, where is the nearest laundromat
  • Are pets allowed
  • Is smoking allowed

Getting the Apartment That Becomes Your New Home

So you’ve found your dream home and everything seems to be in order. Now what? In order to turn this apartment into your new home, you’ll have to work fast, especially in highly competitive cities. To give yourself a better chance of getting the apartment do the following:

Bring necessary documentation during your tour – sometimes you can wait a couple days before making your decision, but in general apartments get snactched up quickly, especially during prime renting season. If you’ve found the perfect place you will have to be prepared to provide all of the necessary information on the spot. This includes:

  • Money for the deposit
  • Proof of income
  • Contact info for references
  • Credit score and social security number
  • Photo ID

Read the lease – If everything checks out, you’ll get moved along to the next step in the process, which is actually signing the lease and paying the rest of the deposit. Take your time and read over the lease with a fine tooth comb. Check to make sure everything you had discussed previously is in the lease including lease length, rent costs, rent due date, terms for breaking the lease, and so on. Don’t sign unless you agree and are willing to adhere to the lease. If you have questions or some of the terms seem different, bring it up and see if you can make the lease more in line with what you were told.

Once you sign the lease the apartment is yours! Congratulations, but you’re not out of the woods yet! You’ll still need to take a few more steps to ensure a smooth transition to your brand new apartment.

Moving Into Your New Apartment

You’re almost at the finish line, but there are a few more things you need to be aware of before you can actually start moving your stuff in:

Pick a move-in date – Work with your landlord or management company and agree on the move-in date. Usually most places want you to move in on the first of the month, but if this isn’t possible due to your schedule, try to work something out that will work. Most people are okay if you move-in a bit later so long as you don’t ask for prorated rent! If you need to move a few days before your lease starts, you might be able to do it, for a small fee.

Confirm moving instructions – there’s nothing worse than not being allowed to actually move your stuff in on moving day. To make sure you don’t run into any issues, ask whether there are any specific instructions you need to follow on moving day. For example, ask whether you are able to move yourself or if the building requires you to hire professional movers. Many newer and luxury buildings require movers as they are able to provide something called a certificate of insurance, which will hold the movers liable if they damage anything. You should also ask if you need to reserve elevators, if there’s a loading dock where you can drive in, and if there’s nearby parking you can reserve.

Document any damage – Before you move, take a closer inspection of the apartment and take pictures of any damage done by the previous tenant. Send these over to the landlord so that they also have a copy. This way when you move out, you won’t get your security deposit withheld for damages you did not make.

Set up utilities – As soon as possible, call up your local utilities and get the necessities set up like electricity, gas, water, and internet. You want to call in advance so you can have all of these services up and running the day you move in. Make sure to give them your billing information, address, and move-in date so they can schedule the services to turn on.

Make the move – Once you’ve packed all your belongings and confirmed all the moving instructions, you can move in! Decide on how you want to do your move. If you have a lot of heavy furniture it might make sense to hire professional movers to do the job for you. If you don’t have the budget for it, enlist the help of friends and family if you can and make sure to thank them with some pizza and cold beverages afterwards.

Change your address – Once you’ve settled in, take some time to update your billing address for any profiles, memberships, and important documents. If you’re moving out of state, remember to update your license and license plate. Don’t forget to alert friends and family about your address!

Shop for Your New Place

Now that you’ve finally moved in, you’re ready to furnish your apartment. It’s all too easy to splurge and buy every little knick knack you find, especially with your first place, but take a moment to pause and reflect on what you need. If you’re not sure, take a look at the below list as your starting point:

  • Flashlight
  • Cleaning supplies (soap, vacuum, mop, sponges, broom, toilet bowl cleaner)
  • Extra set of keys
  • Some knives
  • Cutting board
  • Can opener
  • Plates/bowls
  • Utensils
  • Cookware – skillet, pot
  • Cooking utensils – spatula, ladle
  • Towels – dish and bath
  • Spices
  • Trashcans
  • Bathroom essentials – plunger, shower curtain/rod, bath mat
  • First aid kit
  • Sheets, pillows, blankets, pillow cases
  • Laundry detergent and laundry bag/basket
  • Dresser
  • Hangers
  • Mattress
  • Curtains
  • Microwave and/or toaster oven
  • Small coffee table or larger dining room table (if you can fit one)
  • Chairs
  • Candles
  • AA batteries
  • Tool kit – hammer, screwdriver, handsaw, power drill, nails, screws
  • Sewing kit

Take a look at the items you brought with you and cross-reference them with this list. If you are missing anything, make sure to add it to your next shopping trip. You don’t have to buy everything immediately or at the same time. The only thing you should try to get as soon as possible is a mattress as it’s no fun to sleep on the floors or on an air mattress for too long. Once you get all of the essentials, you should think about how you can decorate the apartment in a way that speaks to you. Maybe that means painting the walls a different color or putting up some snazzy artwork. Just make sure to shop with intention during this phase as it’s easy for spending to get out of control during this phase.

Conclusion

Moving into your own place is a huge step and is definitely the first marker for adulthood for many people. Hopefully, the guide above can help prepare you for what to expect and make your move less stressful. If you want to further reduce your stress, make sure to hire a professional moving service (like us), and we can get everything moved in and out quickly.

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Moving Tips

Simple Ways to Save Money During Your Move

Simple Ways to Save Money During Your Move

No matter how you look at it, moving is expensive. Of course, there’s the actual moving aspect, but there’s a lot more to it than just getting your belongings from one place to another. Luckily, that also means there are a lot of ways you can save money during your move. If you’re looking for tips on how to reduce the cost of your move without needing to cut corners, you’ve come to the right place. Below are some simple and effective ways you can save money on your move.

Declutter Your Old Furniture and Belongings to Save Money

The more items you have, the more it will cost you to move. That’s why one of the simplest ways to save money is to declutter your belongings and get rid of items you no longer use. As a rule of thumb, you should follow the six months rule. If you haven’t used or worn an item in six months, you should not bring it with you to your new home.

Decluttering is an important step for any move whether you’re moving locally or cross-country. However, it’s an especially important step for long-distance moves. If you are moving over 400 miles away from your current location, consider getting rid of all your heavy, cheap furniture. You’ll find that it’s probably easier and cheaper to buy new furniture when you arrive at your destination.

While decluttering, you should separate your belongings into four piles: keep, donate, sell, and trash. You should keep your trash pile as small as possible as you can probably donate the majority of your items so long as they are still in good shape. When it comes to selling items, see if you have any high value items that might sell well on eBay such as vintage clothes, cameras, working appliances, etc. It might take you longer, but depending on the condition of the items you could earn a decent amount of money that you can then put towards your moving expenses.

Of course, if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of selling items individually online, you can always have a yard or garage sale to get rid of all your unwanted items. It’s a great way to clear out your house and while you won’t be able to charge quite as much as you would on online sites, you can still make a good chunk of change.

For all your other items, donate as much as you can to goodwill. Don’t forget to ask for an itemized receipt! You’ll be able to claim a tax deduction at the end of the year. For everything else, try to give away as much as possible. Ask your friends and family if they want anything. After they have taken what they want, list whatever items are left for free on craigs list and your local Facebook group. As they say, one man’s trash is another mans’ treasure!

Get Free Boxes and Packing Materials for Your Move

A lot of people forget to include the cost of packing materials such as boxes, tape, bubble wrap, etc. After all, it’s easy to get caught up in figuring out the other moving logistics. However, you can save yourself some hefty moving costs if you can find a way to get free boxes and packing materials. Hopefully, you have at least a month or two before your planned move out date. If you have any boxes leftover from online shopping keep them!

If you don’t have any boxes, reach out to your friends and family to see if they have any they want off their hands. Otherwise, you can visit other places such as the liquor store, around the office, or a local school to see if they might have any. You can also check your local Facebook group. The same can be done for packing supplies such as bubble wrap or packing peanuts! Try to gather as much as you can for free and then purchase whatever you are missing. If you’re lucky, you may not have to spend much if any money at all!

Hire the Best Professional Movers for Your Move

Yes, hiring professional movers can actually cost you less in the long run than trying to do it yourself. For example, if you live in New Jersey, you can find some very affordable NJ movers who will be able to make your experience seamless and stress-free. Professional New Jersey movers have years of experience moving pretty much everything from pianos to delicate china. Therefore, they know exactly how each should be handled so that everything arrives in perfect condition at your new home.

Of course, when you hire professionals, you get much more than people to move your stuff. You also get the peace of mind that if any accidents happen during the move, you won’t be held liable. Did the movers damage the freight elevator? They will cover the repair costs through their insurance. Did the movers get a parking ticket? You don’t have to worry about it! More importantly, you don’t have to run the risk of injuring yourself during the move as you won’t have to carry anything heavy. This way you can relax and just deal with unpacking once you get to your new home.

The best part about hiring professional movers is that there are a lot to choose from. You can shop around to find the best local movers for your budget. Just make sure to ask plenty of questions. If you get a bad feeling from them, move on to another company.

Consider Your Utilities

Some utilities won’t let you prorate your bill, so if your billing cycle doesn’t line up with your moving date, consider cutting off your service early so you don’t have to pay for an extra month. While you don’t want to cut off your electricity too soon, you can definitely live a week or two without cable or the internet. If you only have to deal with a day or two, consider shutting off your gas early as well.

If you’re moving to a new city, do some research on what is available. Some cities offer a free concierge service that will find you the best deals on your utilities. Also, make sure to take advantage of the new customer deals that many cable and internet providers offer.

Ship Your Books Safely

If you have a veritable library and can’t part with any of your books, consider shipping them instead of moving them. While it might take a bit longer to arrive, you’ll be saving on time and backbreaking work for the movers. USPS offers a Medial Mail service that allows for shipments of up to 20 pounds. That price is hard to beat!

Get Moving Insurance to Save Money

Most professional movers offer basic moving insurance that covers $0.60 per pound if an item is damaged or lost. While this might be fine for items that aren’t expensive, it won’t get close to covering the cost of more expensive items such as TVs, cameras, laptops, fine china, etc. While most trustworthy NJ movers will do their best to make sure nothing gets damaged, accidents can happen.

While it might cost a bit extra, getting full moving insurance can give you the peace of mind you need, especially if you own a lot of electronics or expensive items. As the name suggests, full moving insurance means that you will be covered for the full amount in case something gets damaged or lost. That means you don’t have to worry about buying a replacement should anything happen, saving you money in the long run.

Conclusion

While you won’t be able to bring your moving costs down to zero, you can greatly reduce the amount you spend by following these simple tips. Speaking of tips, here’s one you often hear: wrap your fragile items in bedsheets, towels, clothes, etc. While it can work, remember that you will need to wash all of these items once you unpack! Plus, if anything breaks you’ll need to worry about glass shards in your sheets or towels!

Moving will never be easy, but hopefully these tips can at least make it less costly. If you’re looking for an affordable and reliable mover in New Jersey, make sure to contact us! We service the Tri-State area and can provide you with a quote within a few days of your request!