Moving isn’t cheap. But, there are smart ways to move, and not-so-smart ways to move. Choosing Moveline is a smart start. And our crack team of moving experts has put together a few more tips for you that can help you avoid last-minute expenses.
Start early, save money
The best defense against last-minute expenses is avoiding last-minute decisions. If possible, start your moving process 60-120 days out. You’ll have more time to compare movers (with our help), and more flexibility to take advantage of off-peak rates. For example, summer moves cost more. So do some weekend moves. Plan now, save later.
Let Uncle Sam help
If you’re moving more than 50 miles from your previous home, you can likely deduct the cost of packing, moving, and storing your items from next year’s taxes. But only if you keep ALL of your receipts. So check out the rules on the IRS website, and then grab a folder, label it, and keep track of all moving-related expenses. And no, that going-away party can’t be included (sorry!)
Surprise! That’s expensive!
Surprise birthday parties are fun. Surprise fees are not. So make sure you disclose everything about your pickup and dropoff locations and the items you’re moving. If a location has a steep driveway that you failed to mention, movers have to carry your stuff up or down a longer haul, and that costs. Does either location require the use of an elevator? That costs. Knowing those costs ahead of time will avoid unexpected headaches and delays.
What a gas
Make sure you’re clear on what you can move and what you can’t. Most movers won’t touch flammable or dangerous items like gas grill canisters, oil for oil lamps, etc. Similarly, perishable food and plants are typically a no-no. Those kinds of items will simply be left behind, and that could mean paying an additional fee to your old landlord for disposal.
Get covered
Even the best movers on the planet can’t avoid the occasional accident. While the moving agreement includes standard coverage required by law, that might not be enough to reimburse you if something is broken. Typically, you’ll get $0.60/lb., which means that if your brand new 20lb. 1.21 gigawatt video editing machine does a swan dive from the back of the truck, you can expect a full $12 reimbursement. We’re guessing that won’t cover a flux capacitor replacement. A standalone policy is going to offer you far more protection if anything does awry.
Keep the essentials with you
You might be all geeked about getting on the road as fast as you can, but make sure that you don’t end up buying things you already own. Make an essentials kit with toiletries, first-aid supplies, books, power cables for your electronics, etc. Keep that kit with you during your move (for more tips, check out our recs for moving day essentials). You’re already paying enough to move, and your current toothbrush works just fine. So use it.
Here’s one more that won’t necessarily save you money, but it’ll save you time. But then again (wait for it…) time is money. Really. Einstein proved it. Anyway, for this one, all you need is a permanent marker, masking tape, and your brain. Label boxes you have as soon as you seal it up. Don’t wait an hour, or a day, or a week. Just label what it is, and where it goes. When you get to your new place, you could save a lot of time if the movers drop off your boxes in the right rooms at the start.
We hope you find these tips helpful. And by the way, if you’re planning a move, you don’t have to go it alone. Moveline simplifies the inventory process, gets fair and accurate quotes from reputable movers, and oversees your move from beginning to end. All without costing you a dime. Let us make your move easier than you imagined, freeing you up to spend time on more important things.
If you’re like most people, you don’t think too much about your security deposit. You can pretty much count on getting it refunded when you move out, right? Well, that depends. If you want to avoid nasty surprises at the end of your lease, follow the three easy tips the Moveline team’s seen work time and time again.
Start right at the start
It may be too late for an existing rental, but in the future, always review the deposit terms before signing the lease. Know what end-of-lease charges are refundable, and which are not (cleaning fee, sanitation fee if you have pets, etc.).
Also, know the landlord’s reputation. While Moveline helps you find trustworthy movers, sites like Yelp and Apartment Ratings help consumers warn others about property managers that seem to get a kick out of sticking it to former tenants.
Exercise your inner Ansel Adams
Not exactly ready to open your own gallery? No worries — we’re talking documentation. Before you bring in even a single box of your stuff, do a walkthrough of the apartment, noting any damage in a log. Take detailed pics of each and every issue. Worn carpet? click Is the bathroom tile broken in a few places? click Does the lock to the basement kinda-sorta-maybe lock sometimes? click Go over all of this with your landlord, in writing, and get it signed before you move in. Keep a copy for yourself, and give a copy to management. Yes, it takes time, but documenting these items now will make all the difference when you move out.
When it’s time to move on, request to be at the final walkthrough with the landlord. Have your initial walk-through documentation in hand to make sure you’re not going to get dinged for damages that were there when you moved in. Even a shady landlord is less likely to try to pull one over on you if you have that signed doc with you.
Take care of the place
This is common sense, but if you don’t damage the apartment or house, you shouldn’t have to pay for damage at the end. Clean up messes that might cause significant problems (water spills that can damage floors, carpet stains, bathroom mold, etc.). Even if you paid a cleaning fee, do a little cleaning yourself when you move out. Wipe down ceiling fans, cabinets, fixtures, and the nooks and crannies that typical renters skip. It won’t take that long, and if it looks like you took care of the place, most landlords assume you did. Do like your mother told you years ago and take care of someone else’s property. Treat it with respect and you’re far more likely to get that deposit back. Unfortunately, yes… this means you’ll probably need to hold those long-standing weekly mudwrestling events offsite. Sorry.
Paper beats rock
So let’s assume you’ve done all of the above, and you’re returning the apartment in the same condition you found it, yet your landlord still stiffs you and charges you for imaginary or pre-existing problems.
You might want to chuck a rock at his head, but… don’t. Rather, be polite but firm. Avoid conversations on the issue (verbal agreements are hard to prove). Write a letter demanding your deposit back immediately. If it wasn’t provided, demand an itemized list of charges that affected your refund. If there are bogus charges, defend yourself with your paperwork – your photos and walkthrough documentation. If they claim that you damaged the carpet or broke the cabinet handle, but you can prove otherwise, you’ll be sitting pretty if things end up in small claims court. And the landlord knows it.
All in all, know your specific rights if things get really sticky. Since rights vary from state to state, the website for your attorney general should prove helpful.
And by the way, if you’re planning a move, you don’t have to go it alone. Moveline simplifies the inventory process, gets fair and accurate quotes from reputable movers, and oversees your move from beginning to end. All without costing you a dime. Let us make your move easier than you imagined, freeing you up to spend time on more important things.
For many people, a dream home is just that – a dream. But for those blessed with the lucky trifecta of creativity, patience and an open mind, that dream can manifest into something tangible. Sitting through an HGTV marathon won’t be enough to prep you for the task. That’s why the Moveline team is here to share the major factors to consider when determining whether or not you’re equipped for the long and winding, certainly scenic but oftentimes-bumpy road we call “home renovation.”
First, we should note the positives. Purchasing a fixer-upper is a great way to get a value, and the best way to get what exactly what you want, where you want it. There is sweet satisfaction to be found in bringing an older home back to life. Better yet, an older home in your ideal neighborhood. Rehabbing a house only increases its resale value, but if you aren’t smart about your investment from the get-go you may just find yourself drowning in a money-pit flooded with regret.
Because we don’t want that to happen, here’s the reality check you’ve been looking for:
1) The first step to take before you make your purchase is to size up the project. Chances are that if your “new” home has been ignored cosmetically over the years, it’s likely been ignored structurally as well. Hire the most reputable home inspector you can find to give you the good, the bad and the ugly and then research how much the most crucial renovations will cost you. Certain projects like roofing, electrical or furnace issues can’t wait, and may be covered by the home’s current owner unless it’s listed “As Is”. You should expect the seller to take care of some, but not all of your requests. Be reasonable, but know it never hurts to ask.
2) If you’re looking at a major overhaul or want to add on to the home, budget should drive the entire project. Work with a dedicated team that understands your vision, your needs and your parameters. If their estimate comes in below your intended total, it’s probably doable, but keep in mind that homeowners almost always go over their renovation budget. We recommend rounding everything up and leaving lots of wiggle room for unforeseen costs.
3) Are you the handy type? Getting your hands dirty will cut down on labor costs, so help out whenever and wherever you can. Whether or not you plan to roll up your sleeves and take on some of the labor yourself, you should expect to devote time and effort to supervising the contractors working on your home.
4) Be realistic about whether or not you can live comfortably in the home mid-renovation, which likely means putting up with noise, dust and limited privacy throughout the duration of the project. Even the most mildly disruptive living situation may not be safe for your kids, pets, or relationship, so you should be prepared to deal with the added stress of managing the renovation on top of your day-to-day. If you can’t make it work, consider renting short-term until the renovation is completed or further along.
You’ll probably never describe your journey from fixer-upper to Home Sweet Home as “easy”, but if you stay on course you can delight in opening the door to the home of your dreams every day. And we believe that’s worth every ounce of blood, sweat and beer it took to get you there.
Whether you’re fixing up a home “with potential” or buying something that’s already perfect, Moveline has you covered for everything that comes before, during and after a move. Follow us for tips on what to expect on moving day and more, and don’t forget to let us help you personally, too. The best part? Our services are free.
So, you’ve just changed cities, apartments, and roommates! In an ideal scenario, you and your new roomie become instant BFF’s, throw fabulous joint parties, and seamlessly merge your furniture. (Who knew his mid-century modern coffee table would look so amazing on top of your flokati rug? Strangers are the best!)
But, in a different, perhaps more realistic scenario, your mutual polite aloofness devolves into a passive aggressive Post-it note war. (“I did the dishes…even the ones that were NOT MINE.” “My parents are coming today. Can you put pants on? Thx.”)
Don’t let that happen! The Moveline team has compiled eight tips to help you live in perfect-ish harmony with that person who happens to share your shower/fridge/tea kettle. If you’re moving in with the object of your affection, check out our comprehensive guide for couples moving in together. If you’re cohabitating with a standard-issue roomie, though, read on for advice on how to seamlessly split bills, divvy up chores, and not annoy each other too much.
1. Agree on some ground rules
Whether you’re rooming with a friend or someone completely random, it pays to have a conversation about your living habits. Maybe you’re cool with her using your pots and pans, but your fancy shampoo is off-limits. Maybe she’d like a heads-up if your boyfriend is going to be spending the night. Being aware of each other’s needs will make your apartment a much more peaceful place.
2. Track expenses the tech-savvy way
If your roommate uses the “I forgot my wallet” excuse every time a household expense comes up (or if you’re the one who never has cash on hand), download an app like Splitwise or Venmo to split bills instantly. The apps connect to your bank account, so you can shoot your roomie $10 for the takeout she brought home, before your pad Thai gets cold.
3. Get to know each other’s schedules
If your roommate works crazy-late hours, you might not want to be grinding coffee beans and slamming kitchen cupboards at 6 am. And, similarly, if your roommate showers every morning at eight on the dot, don’t jump in the tub at 7:58.
4. Ditch the snooze button
There’s nothing worse than waking up two hours before you’re supposed to, thanks to the aggressive Marimba-ing coming from your roommate’s iPhone alarm. If you’re the alarm abuser, and you really can’t resist that sweet, sweet snooze button, place your phone on the other side of the room — having to actually get up to turn the noise off will make you less likely to hit the sheets again. (And it will make your roommate less likely to hate you.)
5. Don’t be a note-leaver
What’s worse: not replacing a roll of toilet paper, or noticing that your roommate didn’t replace a roll of toilet paper, and leaving a sticky note that says as much on top of the empty cardboard tube?
Trick question. They’re both terrible! But if your roommate does something mildly annoying, just tell them (clearly and tactfully). Notes should be happy things. Like, say, “I baked cookies! Take one!”
6. Your roommate knows you’re stealing his food/toothpaste/laundry detergent
Unless you and roommate have established some sort of shared budget for household items, don’t take her groceries or toiletries without asking. Which seems really obvious! But “She won’t notice if I use her toothpaste just once” can quickly turn into “I’ll just buy toothpaste next week,” or “Wow, I can’t remember the last time I bought toothpaste! It’s just always in our bathroom,” if you’re not careful.
7. Consider the chore chart
Chore charts don’t work for every set of roommates (they’re a bit Type A, we’ll admit). But if you know that you’ll forget when it’s your turn to take out the trash without a physical reminder, mapping out your household duties could be a good thing. Pinterest has some great ideas for making crafty chore charts that look almost fun, or you could just set up a shared Google doc.
8. Don’t forget to hang out
Your roommate is a person, not just a collection of semi-irritating habits! You don’t have to be BFF’s, but you should take an interest in each other’s lives. Is your roommate training for a marathon? Set up a once-a-week running date. Is she always streaming Netflix on her laptop? Suggest watching a movie in the living room. On an actual TV. With wine and snacks. Or just go to happy hour! Doing things together informally on a semi-regular basis means you’ll be more likely to talk about household issues organically, rather than in awkward, forced chats. Oh, and you may actually become friends.
Whether you’re moving into a studio with your best friend for life or a big, bustling house with completely random people, Moveline can take the stress out of things. By simplifying the inventory process, gathering quotes on your behalf and offering sound advice every step of the way, your Move Captain has your back through thick and thin, helping you get yourself and your stuff into your new home in ione piece with your sanity intact. The best part? It’s free. Learn more about Moveline here.
Moving to Chicago? If you’re from one of the more cost-prohibitive cities in the nation, like New York or Boston or San Francisco, you’ll be happy to know that rent in the Windy City is considerably lower than what you’re used to — i.e., sticker shock won’t be a health hazard. Those moving from other similarly-sized cities, on the other hand, will find the cost of living fairly comparable.
Here at Moveline, we’ve helped more than a few folks move from one part of the country to another, and we’ve picked up quite a bit of institutional knowledge along the way — including some of the best ways to find temporary housing in a new city when you’re not quite ready to put down roots.
Where to start
As with any city, your search for short-term housing should start with friends, colleagues and relatives. Use all of the social media sources you have. Get the word out, and let your network help you.
Of course, if networking and social media fails, you’ve got lots of other options. For overall information on the real estate situation in Chicago, go to Curbed: Chicago, and for a terrific mix of information on the city in general, check out Chicago Now, an aggregation of Chicago-themed blogs that cover just about any topic you can think of — the music scene, city life, the Cubs, food, drinks, dining and lots more.
According to an Apartment List survey, the most popular Chicago neighborhoods are Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park, Wrigley Field and Logan Square. If you choose one of those, they “hope you like paying $800 plus in rent (for a share)” and standing in line at all the best restaurants.
Andrew Schrage, the founder and CEO of Money Crashers, offers some first-person advice on finding short-term housing in the city: “When I moved to Chicago, I chose to go with temporary housing in the beginning so I would have time to get to know the city and make a better choice on permanent housing. The sublet market is rather tight… but if you do enough looking around, you will definitely find something. Two of the best neighborhoods I found for temp housing were Bridgeport and Hyde Park — I ended up renting a place in Bridgeport and the experience was very good overall. I found several options in both neighborhoods… I used the city data website, I read reviews on Yelp, I looked on Craigslist and used Temporary Housing Chicago. I’d advise anyone looking for this kind of housing to investigate the safety of the neighborhood, find out whether shopping and other conveniences are nearby and exactly what the rental includes. Always ask the rental manager whether the rent is negotiable. “
Search tips
Keep in mind that temporary housing has lots of other names — sublets, vacation rentals, corporate rentals, furnished apartments, and so on. When Googling your way to your first place in Chicago (or any city, for that matter), try all of these search terms to make sure you’re not missing out on the perfect place for you.
One Chicago-based apartment search site, domu.com, features rent calculators and useful neighborhood maps. Although primarily meant as a source for people looking for permanent housing in Chicago, domu does have a sublet category as well. On it we recently found a 600-square-foot one bedroom sublet in the Lakeview neighborhood for $1350 per month.
Another option: Oodle, the largest aggregator of classified sites in the U.S. When we put “short term” in the keyword search box for Chicago, for example, we came up with a one-bedroom in Ravenswood with a deck and outdoor space for $1035 per month.
One of our favorites no matter the city is sabbaticalhomes.com, a site created by the wife of a professor who turned her search for a place to stay during her family’s sabbatical into an international business. One of that site’s listings for Chicago is a two-bedroom in a Lakeview neighborhood high rise with a newly-renovated kitchen and bathroom, plus requisite views of the Lake, for $2000.
And unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past few years, you’re probably aware of Airbnb and Craigslist. But if you want to start your search with a Chicago-based site, go to shortermchicago.com where you’ll find properties from studios to five bedrooms. A sample: a one-bedroom, 3 blocks from Old Town with a back patio and a parking permit is listed at $2500 per month.
Don’t go it alone
Looking for a roomie? Be sure to check out the blog posts available through Apartment List’s roommate app. They’re funny and instructive to boot. One written by John Havel describes the prototypical inhabitants of some of Chicago’s most popular neighborhoods, political correctness be damned. Here’s how he describes a “typical” resident of the River North neighborhood (just north of downtown): His one bedroom apartment costs $2050 per month, his occupation is as a consultant at BCG (Boston Consulting Group), you’ll probably find him “passionately defending red wine poached eggs at The Publican” (a trendy restaurant in the Fulton market area) and “his secret spot is loitering around a TEDx conference giving out business cards only to attractive women.” The app itself works a lot like a dating site, matching up people with compatible profiles using personal info — schools attended, age, gender and data that users provide about budget, interests and desired neighborhoods.
If you’re not averse to sharing space, a place in someone else’s apartment may work out well when you first move to Chicago. There are plenty of nationally-based roommate finding sites: roomster.com, roommates.com and roomiematch.com, to name a few. Of all of these, roomiematch.com has the most amusing approach, as well as a promise that any sketchy roommate submissions “get tossed in the trash.”
Corporate housing
This is usually the most expensive option, but it’s also the easiest — corporate housing folks are all set up for this kind of temporary stay and have the whole system figured out. They know what kinds of amenities you want/need and what locations are most convenient to your work, and their properties are generally well-run. The national biggies in the field are Oakwood, ExecuStay and BridgeStreet. For a local version, take a look at At Home Inn. Their site lists two-bedrooms in a high rise loft-like apartment in the South Loop with a balcony that looks out on the lake for $3600. Another local possibility is Manilow Suites.
Vacation rentals
Another term for “short term rental,” vacation rentals are often a good option for anyone moving to a new city. The giants around the country are VRBO, Homestay (which owns VRBO) and Cyber Rentals. Another player is FlipKey, which recently listed a 700-square-foot one bedroom condo on the Gold Coast, a vintage 1890’s walk-up that’s “walking distance to everything” for $1590 per month.
Get moving
Whether you’re moving to Chicago or any other city in the US, it doesn’t have to be a stressful event. Moveline compares moving quotes on your behalf and takes the hassle out of the inventory process, letting you use video technology to get the right pricing for your move, with no surprises, no headaches, and no broken promises. The best part? It’s free. Check out the Moveline experience if you want to take the headache out of your move to the Windy City or anywhere else you choose to go.
Whether you’re clearing out an old garage in preparation for a move and getting ready to arrange all your stuff in a new one as you settle into your next home, it’s often the last part of the house anyone wants to think about or spend time on, yet it’s probably one of the most important. As furniture and electronics get rearranged and reassembled and pictures are hung on those bare walls all around the new house, tools are in order. After that interstate drive to bring the car to the new place in a long-distance move, a little maintenance is probably in order, too. And hey, since it’s the first and last room of the house we see when we come and go by car, it may as well not be awful to look at, right?
The team at Moveline is well-versed in helping folks move from one home to another, and we’ve seen every mistake in the book, as well as quite a few clever tricks when it comes to getting organized and making life easier in a new home. Where the garage is concerned, we can offer three primary rules of thumb to help you ease into your spot and park peacefully in your new place: make room, compartmentalize, and when necessary, go vertical.
Make room.
Rule #1 of organizing a garage is this: You have to get real with yourself about what you need and what you don’t. At the very least, it’s imperative to decide what needs to be kept accessible vs. what’s being hung onto for nostalgia’s sake. For the latter — say, family heirlooms that never get used and other artifacts from decades gone by — attics and storage closets are often the perfect place for them to be housed. The more unnecessary stuff you keep in the garage, the less room you have to move around, park your car, and access things you actually need, like automotive accessories, tools, recycling bins and sporting equipment, and over time, it can adversely affect your sanity as you, say, ding the driver’s side door against that shelf or trip over that old box of yearbooks for the eight thousandth time.
It’s a universal truth that a garage always seems perfectly large until you actually pull your car into it and realize just how little room you have to work with. So plan ahead, pare down before the moving truck picks up your belongings, and prepare to get creative when it comes to deciding where everything will go in the new place.
Compartmentalize.
Setting up shop can be a little overwhelming, so literally divide the garage into three (or more) segments while you’re still in boxes, and then divvy up the boxes into their respective segments to help yourself tackle everything in portions. Maybe you’ve got lots of tools, plenty of sporting equipment and a small amount of storage materials. Great — separate those boxes into related clusters so you can get a handle on just what kind of shelving, if any, you’ll need, as well as where things should be oriented so you can move easily between your car and the entrance to your home without obstruction.
When in doubt, whip out that measuring tape and make copious notes, taking into account the berth you’ll need to open doors, pull your car and bike in and out of the space with ease, and other matters of daily use that are worth a bit of advance planning. In short: don’t put the cart before the horse or you might end up with a completely dysfunctional space. Take a day or two to plan what needs to go where, and then make that requisite trip to the hardware store to find the proper solution if you need one.
Go vertical.
In a space as tight as a garage, vertical space is key. That extensive tool collection can either stay locked in a shed when you’re not using them, or they can hang conveniently within arm’s reach, in perfect order, on a bulletin board with hooks bought for cents on the dollar. Likewise, a bike can take up all sorts of space crumpled up in a corner and be a pain in the you-know-what to pedal free, or it can hang unobtrusively on a well-placed rack, facing in the direction of the garage’s opening so all you have to do is unfasten and go. A little consideration goes a long way when it comes to utilizing your wall space and planning ahead in terms of functionality.
Get moving.
Whether you’re a few weeks out from your move or a few months, it’s never a bad time to start planning. Moveline can help you get fair, accurate quotes from reputable moving companies, and a Move Captain will have your back every step of the way, from the moment you start searching for a mover to the moment you’ve unpacked your last box in the new place and made sure everything’s as it should be. The best part: our services are free. Learn more about the Moveline experience and let us help you move better. It’s what we do best.
More often than not, a shower curtain is the most visually striking item in any bathroom. Unless you’ve got a European-style shower or a full glass enclosure, the first thing your eyes focus on when you walk into the room is that seven-foot piece of fabric. Endless options exist for less than $20, and whether you’re going for something simple and chic (white waffle weave cotton never goes out of style, for instance) or funny and quirky (it’s called bathroom humor for a reason, people), there’s something out there to brighten up the place for about the same price as a pizza.
2. Refresh your towels & mats
Especially if they’re out in the open and not tucked away in a linen closet somewhere, your towels actually make a bigger visual impact than you might realize. Go for a full-on matching set to complement your curtain, or mix things up a little and juxtapose some different colors and patterns to make things more fun. And if you’ve already got too many colors and patterns happening, fluffy white towels are universally classic — the softer, the better. Time it right and you can snap some up at Target for less than $10 a set.
3. Play with color
The bathroom is hands-down the fastest and cheapest room (in most homes) to paint. With a smaller footprint, plenty of tile and therefore less square footage to cover, you might even get away with using just a pint or two. Here, it’s generally smartest to go with a higher-gloss enamel, which is more water-resistant than flatter finishes and easier to clean if you accidentally swipe some makeup or spray some hair product onto it during your daily routine. Don’t get stuck in a loop trying to decide on a hue, either — DesignSponge (as well as lots of other great design blogs out there) offers an endless rabbit hole of design ideas, from subtle solids to striking stripes with lots of creative ideas in between.
4. Add some personality
Whether you want to make your own lavender soap or retrofit your sink with an old-fashioned metal basin, you can best believe Pinterest has some pinspiration to get you started. Offering how-to’s on everything from DIY medicine cabinets to mason jar storage racks to keep those cotton balls and Q-tips accessible, the online wellspring of ideas just goes and goes. Since the bathroom is the place where we scrub up and put our best face forward, it makes sense to let the room reflect who we are, not just literally in the mirror, but figuratively, too. So get crafty one weekend and see what you can create. You just might inspire a pinboard of your own.
If you’re just in the planning stages of decorating the rooms in your next home, let us help you get your stuff there, stress-free. Moveline assigns you a Move Captain to get fair, accurate moving quotes on your behalf and see you through the process of moving from start to finish. We keep your move headache-free by having your back and being available whenever you need us to answer questions, give you tips or work out an issue with the movers. The best part is, we’re free. Check out our homepage today and wash that stress right outta your hair. We can help you #movebetter.
It’s the blessing and the curse of being a typical American: too much stuff. For those of us developing anxieties over the sheer amount of junk we own for no good reason, clever apps are popping up left and right to help us shed those non-essentials and simplify our lives. Here at Moveline, we’ve helped plenty of folks move from one home to another — some a ZIP code away, and some a few time zones — and one of the common threads uniting all of them is the realization that not everything needs to go to the new place.For those wanting to thin out their closets a bit, we have some suggestions to avoid being one of the average households who throw out 68 pounds (68 pounds!) of clothing a year.
Ways to donate clothes
Everyone’s familiar with organizations like Goodwill and the Salvation Army, but for those who want to make a little cash in exchange for the parts of their wardrobes they’re getting rid of, national consignment chains like Plato’s Closet, Buffalo Exchange, National Designer Consignment, Twice, ThredUp and Swap (that last one’s for kiddos only) will give you money for select items of clothing. And if you want to keep your efforts truly selfless, consider turning around and giving the dough to a charity or cause of your choice.
Simplify in style
For those high-end fashionistas who want to take their time and have a bit of fun with the process of giving away never-worn items and pieces that just don’t work anymore, Bib&Tuck offers an exclusive online community of style-minded mavens with a penchant for vintage and re-sourced clothing. Particularly of interest to Instagram-happy, visually-driven women who like photographing clothing, the site offers a creative outlet and bartering platform — you can trade that dress for this jacket simply by accruing online currency and applying it to other members’ items up for grabs. Careful, though — you may end up with more stuff than you gave away in the first place. If true simplification is really your goal, read on for more minimalist-friendly suggestions.
Make it social & do some good
Got friends with equally overflowing closets and guilty consciences? Arrange a clothing swap. Pick a date and time (Sunday afternoons are a popular choice), ask guests to bring a refreshment to share and a heap of clothing they no longer want, and once they arrive, separate the merchandise into relative sections — dresses and suits on the couch, tees and jeans on the kitchen table, shoes lined up down the hallway, et al — and then, let the “shopping” begin. It’s a perfect excuse to get together with folks you don’t see often enough and get organized in the process. Need a little guidance on how to pull it all off? Look no further than Real Simple for quick tips.
And here comes the guilt-free part: once the party’s over, carefully bag up those leftover items and take them to a local homeless shelter or an organization providing safe housing for victims of domestic abuse.
Get crafty
For the truly eco-friendly and inventive, creative reuse projects can become something of an obsession. Plenty of tutorials exist on sites like Instructables and Pinterest when it comes to making a rug from old t-shirts, reupholstering pieces of furniture with used clothing, and countless other ways to breathe new life into old threads. The options are as limitless as your imagination (and, perhaps, your patience). Really, you’re just a few quick web searches away from making the phrase “everything old is new again” a reality.
Get moving
If you’re cleaning out your closet — or any other rooms in your home — to prepare for a move, browse the Moveline blog for other ways to get ready for moving day and let a Move Captain help you get organized, get inventoried, get fair pricing, and get through your move without all the usual hassles. The best part: it’s free. So check out the Moveline homepage today and get moving.
It’s happened to nearly everyone at some point or another: it’s time to move everything out of the old place and into the new one,and there’s that one tricky piece of furniture that either refuses to budge, won’t fit through the door or otherwise causes an undue amount of distress.Sometimes it’s a dinner table, sometimes it’s a piano, but often, it’s that good old living room couch that sticks a wrench in your plans. What to do?
Here at Moveline, gotten more than a few sofas where they need to go. So, when it comes to making the impossible possible, we’ve got a few suggestions.
Take the Stairs
So, perhaps you’ve gotten the couch out of your apartment but it won’t fit onto the elevator,no matter how you position it. Usually, it’s the final turn that causes a problem;in an old-fashioned building without a spacious elevator lobby, there just aren’t enough square feet in which to pivot a sofa through the doors.The first and most obvious option, of course, is to pull a Ross Geller and recruit some friends to help you lug it down the stairs.If that’s not plausible, though, there’s an option you may not have heard about… until now.
Call the Doctor
If you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place – or, more to the point, between the walls of your living room or front hallway – you can always call a couch doctor.Yes, businesses actually exist for the purpose of expertly taking your couch apart and putting it back together in the midst of a relocation.The most well-known superhero for a moment like this in NYC is NY Couch Doctor, who actually made it into a New York Times video explaining how folks in the tri-state area can seek help when their “couch has an attitude.”Professional furniture disassembly and reassembly are available in most parts of the country, too – local services are rarely more than a Google search and a phone call away.
If you’re planning an upcoming move, whether it involves potentially hairy situations or not, let Moveline streamline the process for you.Get moving quotes gathered on your behalf from reputable moving companies without the in-home visits,and let a Move Captain have your back from start to finish so you don’t get scammed, your furniture doesn’t get slammed, and everything makes it to your new home in one piece — unless, of course, you’ve hired a couch doctor to get it there in two or three.
If you’re planning a move and don’t want to deal with the usual headaches,Moveline can help. We simplify the moving process by using video uploads and chatsinstead of in-home visits, and we gather fair, accurate quotes from reputablemoving companies on your behalf, saving you the spare time, money and stressyou probably can’t afford to give away anyway.For your next move, don’t go it alone. Let us help. Start planning a move with us right now.
It’s a fact of life: moving is rarely as cheap or as simple as we’d like it to be.For that reason, lots of people assume that renting a truck and recruiting some volunteersis the easiest and best way to go when it comes to relocating from one home to another, but when it comes to long-distance moves, that couldn’t be further from the truth.Here at Moveline, we know a thing or two about saving a few bucks during a move,and we’ve got some knowledge to drop about what that DIY move really costs.
The lay of the land
Most folks think there are only two ways to move: hiring a moving company or renting a truck.The truth is, there are a few options in between as well, and depending on the size, scope and details of your move, some might be worth considering more than others.
Self-storage units often come into play during a move, for example, but here’s a little-known fact: unless you need more than a month of storage in either your original or new city,it’s likely not worth the cost involved; instead, if you’re willing to be flexible on delivery dates, your stuff could be professionally packed and protected on a moving truck, making its way to your new destination without your having to lift a finger.And although most major storage container companies offer the first month free on a longer contract,you’ll still incur extra charges for loading and reloading your stuff multiple times if you’re using a pro mover, not to mention the extra headaches, back aches, and pains in the (ahem) you’ll be dealing with if you’re doing it all yourself.And in either scenario, your items are at greater risk for damage from being handled over and over again.
A smarter choice: freight shipping. Working with a freight shipper is often the most cost-effective way to move your stuff if you don’t want to hire an actual mover or handle it all on your own.If you only end up using 20 feet of a 28-foot truck, for example, 20 feet is all you pay for.With this option, your items stay on the trailer rather than being unloaded and reloaded in multiple locations,and you’re given a daily rate (or you can even negotiate a monthly fee if you need to store your stuff for that long) after the initial period of free storage.And perhaps the best part: you don’t have to drive.With this option, heat waves, fog, icy roads, rainy conditions and the overall safety of your belongings are no longer your problem. If that’s not a load off… literally… nothing is.
What that do-it-yourself approach actually costs you
Let’s say you really, REALLY want to rent that do-it-yourself moving truck and drive it on your own.Sure, no problem. But… have you ever driven one before? Across state lines? Across multiple state lines?Can you ensure its safety in a hotel parking lot each night? And by the way, how much are those hotel nights with all their add-on fees going to cost you in the end?Let’s not forget meals, fuel, and incidentals while you’re on the road, as well as one-way fees (which can reach into the thousands) for returning the truck to a different location than its origin.These things add up; be sure to pad your budget as you’re planning that route and make sure a pro mover isn’t actually a better option.
The most important thing to ask yourself, though, is whether or not you’ve got the right amount of stuff for a DIY option.That 3-4 bedroom house in the ‘burbs you’re moving out of? It will probably take two trucks(and therefore two trips) to pack it all in and get it to its new home.So unless you’re perfectly willing to ask someone else to drive half your life’s belongings on an extended road trip with you(or, conversely, make the trip back and forth yourself twice), you might get more of a hassle than you bargained for… and really, that’s no bargain at all.
One final thing to remember: if you’re towing your car behind a rented moving truck,there’s the issue of backing up. When you pull into hotels, rest areas and gas stations,things might get a little tricky. Make sure you’re up to the challenge (and ready to pay for damages) before you get yourself into a situation you can’t back out of. Pun intended.
Why DIY?
For local moves, plenty of variables can make all the difference in determining whether a DIY or professional move is best for you, not to mention any of the variants in between.For long-distance moves, though, every mile increases the cost of moving yourself to the point where it can quickly become more expensive than paying a team of professionals to get the job done more efficiently, more safely, and with fewer mishaps.(Be aware of “cash labor” schemes, too: often, cash laborers haven’t been background-checked and aren’t trained movers;not only is your stuff at risk, but you could be held liable for any injuries they incur during your move.If you’re going to hire movers, hire professionals. Simple as that.)
As a rule of thumb, anything over 500 miles will probably be cheaper with a professional at the helm,while moving just up the street or across a couple of ZIP codes offers more leeway (and more savings) when it comes to doing it on your own.
If you need help determining costs and figuring out the best way to go, let Moveline assist for free.Our team of move captains and pricing specialists can give you the lay of the land,narrow down your options and explain how we can help you get where you’re going with your wallet and sanity intact,and we’ll stick by you every step of the way, helping you find the best prices,secure the right materials and labor, and get where you’re going as seamlessly as possible.Moving is stressful enough in and of itself; we’re happy to take away those extra headaches and let you focus on more important things, like life.
So, if you’re planning a move (whether it’s long-distance or local), don’t go it alone.You can let us assist you by planning your move through the Moveline homepageeven if you’re only a couple of weeks away from your move date.Forget the stress and strain and let us help you #movebetter.