Month: February 2016

Dealing with the stress of moving in the military can be difficult. On top of uprooting yourself, and potentially your family, from your current residence, you’ll have to plan a move and make sure your belongings arrive at your new station safely.

To make your move easier, there are some questions you should ask a mover before booking your date to lessen the stress of your military relocation:

Is my preferred moving date available?

Asking your mover which days are available will guarantee you can move when you prefer. Relocations between May and August, especially around Memorial Day and the 4th of July, are difficult to book because these are the busiest moving times of the year. Ask your moving company what days they can accommodate your move.

What are shipping weight allowances?

If the military or a government-approved carrier is handling your relocation, you’ll be given specific weight allowances for your move. Your compensation amount depends on how many dependents you have and your rank, and going over this allowance can get expensive. Fortunately, your allowance may not include some of your military gear. Asking your mover about shipping weight allowances and items that are not factored into your final weigh-in can save you money in overage fees.

Am I protected against damaged, lost, or stolen items?

Any good mover will have some level of protection against damaged, lost, or stolen items during your military move. Be sure to ask your mover what options are available for protecting your personal items.

Will I be given a tracking number for my shipment?

With the high-tech GPS tracking gear you’re used to in the military, it’ll be frustrating if your mover tells you, “We can’t locate your shipment at this time.” Although we may not be able to give you minute-to-minute coordinates of your shipment, any A-list moving company should have up-to-date estimates of your last shipment location.

Are there restrictions on what I can ship?

Federal and international laws restrict various items from being shipped. Some of these items include aerosols, ammunition, loaded weapons (well, of course!), fire extinguishers, fuels, batteries, and many other items not listed here. For a full list of articles that a mover cannot transport for you, contact your moving company.

What will happen to my items if no one is available to receive the delivery?

Things happen. Cars get flat tires and delay travel times. Family members forget they have to be awake to receive important shipping deliveries at home. Whatever the reason is, you may find yourself in a situation where no one is available to receive your shipment. Ask your mover about their process in this situation and arrange for a plan B to prevent significant delays or additional storage fees.

Asking these questions before booking your move will prepare you for a seamless trip.

We’ve been servicing our military for the better part of last century, and we’re here to make the process of moving in the military easy and convenient. If you’d like more information about our services for moving in the military, contact us here at Nilson Van.

Shipping your valuables and fragile items during an international move can be tricky business. There’s much ground (and water) to cover. Keeping your items safe during the long ride will prevent you from finding grandpa’s pocket watch in pieces.

Here are six ways to keep your articles safe during an international move:

Consider leaving behind items of extreme personal value.

Keeping grandma’s old grand piano with you at all times might seem like a great idea. But if the thought of receiving broken piano keys in a box labeled “sorry” makes you shiver at night, it’s probably better to find a relative or friend who wouldn’t mind piano-sitting for awhile.

Buy the right packing materials.

For fragile items, using high-quality packing materials is a must. That old Grateful Dead t-shirt may work if you’re planning on moving across the street. However, for international moves, consider better quality packing materials such as corrugated boxes, wood crates, foam sheets, bubble wrap, shipping tape (nothing with the word “Scotch” in it), and void fill.

Learn the best packing techniques.

There are lots of videos on the Internet for the best packing techniques. One key principle is to “float” your item. Floating involves keeping your delicate article adequately cushioned, away from the walls of the box, with void filler and bubble wrap. Test your finished box by shaking it: you should hear nothing.

Start packing early.

Rushing through the packing stage of your valuables is a sure way to end up with shattered memories. Literally. Plan ahead when preparing for a long move and give yourself time to pack each item with care.

Consider international shipping insurance.

Nobody wants to add to the sad news of broken or missing valuables by hearing, “You didn’t buy shipping insurance?” Oooh. It hurts just to think about it. You can prevent this sort of heartbreak from happening to you by thinking hard about the value of your item. If it’s worth that much to you, insurance is the best way to pad against unforeseen problems.

If all else fails: leave it to the pros.

If the thought of packing fragile items yourself frightens you to tears, you can always let the pros handle it for you. Better moving companies provide expertise in packing and shipping the most fragile items, and some will even offer full replacement insurance for belongings that are dearest to your heart.

With these tips, your items can travel across the globe and arrive safely at your new doorstep.

Nilson Van knows what to do during an international move. With over 70 years of moving experience, we have the right tools to keep your items safe during your relocation. If you’d like more information about how we can help, contact us and get the details you need to prepare for your next international move.

As you stand at the doorway of your office building, gawking at the legions of computer keyboards and ergonomic chairs, you wonder: “How much are commercial moves?”

Every space is different, but there are some critical factors we use to price your move. Keep these price-impacting variables in mind and you’ll have more control over the final cost of your relocation.

Here are the six factors to remember for pricing your commercial move:

How Quickly You Need to Move

If you needed to be out of the building yesterday, and your landlord has sent you a courtesy memo with colored words, you’ll need a fast move. Faster moves usually require more trucks (if you’re hauling lots of items) and more movers. However, if your landlord is giving you a break and you have some time, you could save on the extra labor and truck hauls.

The Square Footage of Your Commercial Space

A 3,000 square foot office space will be less expensive than a cavernous 10,000 square foot building—unless you’re using 10,000 square feet to accommodate your collection of old fax machines. All five of them. Then we’d make some price adjustments.

The Need for Additional Packing

We could help you with packing your items if you need a hand. Some items are best packed by professionals to prevent damage, so that wouldn’t be a bad idea. But if you’re looking to save, packing most of the items yourself will factor into the final price for your commercial move.

Sensitive Equipment or Artwork

If you have expensive TVs or Picasso originals in your commercial space, these delicacies may require special handling. We may need extra padding, or our electronic moving service if your valuables require a secure transport. We wouldn’t want that 1911 Picasso original blemished by a loose 1984 IBM computer. That would just be wrong.

Furniture Disassembly and Reassembly

Furniture pieces are a particular consideration because they require some disassembly and reassembly. We do this to maximize the storage space of our trucks and make it easier for our guys to haul. If you have large workstations, cubicles, or sectionals, these will require more time and labor to move. If you are a carpenter or have one you could ask a favor of, doing this labor yourself before your moving day will save you the extra cost.

Potential Delays

Elevators are always great—except when they don’t work. A nonfunctioning elevator on your moving day means our guys will be doing calf raises down the stairs as they haul your items. Is there a scheduled street construction project on your moving day? The road construction could add delays to your move if we’re doing multiple trips. Take a moment to ensure your elevator inspection is up to date, and call your city construction projects department to make sure that your chosen day doesn’t lead to costly delays.

With these factors in mind, you’ll have a better understanding of how we price your move.

Nilson Van is no stranger to commercial moves. If you’d like to get more information about our services and how we can help during your commercial move contact us today!

Residential moves involve relocating most of the items in your home, but there are some items a moving company won’t be able to handle. While it may seem like an inconvenience (we’re a moving company, right?), there are four categories of items that are either best transported with you or left behind altogether for a safe trip.

Here’s a handy list of belongings that need special handling during residential moves:

Pets and Critters

Our moving trucks sail on the highways traveling with the items of your entire home. However, one thing our trucks don’t do is provide safe and comfortable conditions for animals. Your pets and critters would rather enjoy the crisp breeze of an air conditioner over the stuffy cabin of a packed moving truck. An occasional treat for the long ride would be nice too. It’s best to keep your pets and critters with you or in a designated pet transport during your relocation.

Plants and Flowers

Plants need water, sun, and love to thrive and stay lush-green. Our moving trucks don’t travel with their own sun or water supply. We could provide love, but in this case, love just isn’t enough. We advise keeping your plants with you during your move where they’d get the sunshine and water they need.

Hazardous Materials, Flammables, and Combustibles

While most people don’t store radioactive materials at home, there are many hazardous materials in your home that a moving company will not be able to handle during your residential move. Some items include aerosols, fireworks, ammunition, oxygen tanks, fuel, medical waste, paints, and many other items considered hazardous by the federal government. If you’re uncertain whether any particular object is categorized as being dangerous, just ask us. We’re here to help.

Food and Perishables

If you want to save the rest of that creamy chicken pesto penne until you get to your new home, we suggest an icebox and transporting it with you. It won’t be edible after a trip in the cabin. You’ll also want to empty your fridge of any perishable goods well in advance of your move, or donate any food you’re unable to eat.

Finding a safe way to handle these items ahead of your big move will make the whole process easy and less messy.

We’re always here to help at Nilson Van, and we delight in finding solutions for your most challenging relocation needs. No matter what size your move is, it’s the perfect size for us to handle for you. If you have questions about residential moves and how we can help, contact us today!