Month: September 2017

Moving with a pet is easy when you follow these simple tips.

Residential moves are tough as is, but add a pet to the mix and things can get extra complicated. Ease the burden by following these simple tips:

1. Keep Your Pet Away from the Home while Moving

If possible, ask a friend to host your pet while you’re busy moving. With the door constantly wide open, the moving process will present your pet with numerous opportunities to make a run for it. If you can’t find another environment for your pet, set aside one empty, quiet room — and keep the door shut.

2. Use a Familiar Crate or Kennel

The transition of moving can be traumatic for pets, but familiar objects and settings help. Get your pet used to his or her crate or kennel in advance. If you don’t yet have a kennel and must buy a new one, line the floor with your pet’s favorite towel or blanket.

3. Maintain Some Semblance of Routine

Chaos is normal during a move, but you can handle it better than your pets. Try your best to maintain typical feeding and walking times during your move and especially after you reach your new location.

4. Spend Some Quality Time with Your Pet Once You’re Moved In

Don’t force your pet to spend long stretches of time alone once you settle in. If possible, take a vacation day from work to spend some time around the house with your pet. Make it clear that, while your living arrangements may change, you’re not going anywhere.

5. Don’t Procrastinate

Plan for your pet’s care and transition to your new environment well in advance. The better prepared you are for your move, the easier this transition will be for your four-legged family member.

Residential moves with pets need not be a fiasco. With Nilson Van & Storage in your corner, you can make it through this process quickly and completely stress-free.

These easy budgeting tips will help you save money as you move.

From new job opportunities to a simple change of scenery, many factors prompt residential moves. Often, people move for economic reasons. But while a move might signal a more promising future, the process can be financially painful in and of itself. Follow these simple tips to keep your moving budget in check:

1. Keep Eating at Home

Between a kitchen in transit and the general desire to avoid cooking and dishes, it’s easy to see why so many people in the midst of moving eat most of their meals out. This can add up quickly, however, especially if most meals occur at sit-down restaurants. Keep a small set of cooking supplies at each location so you can whip up meals easily. Plan simple recipes with minimal ingredients.

2. Take Care with Utilities

Not all utility companies are willing to prorate, so as you switch residences, determine which approach will best prevent you from paying double your usual utility bills.

3. Hold a Garage Sale

You probably don’t need all the items in your current home; keep in mind, the more things you move, the costlier it’ll be. Make a small profit from unwanted possessions by holding a garage sale or selling things on eBay.

4. Pack Carefully

Clumsily packed items could see damage during your move, forcing you to purchase replacements upon arrival. Use bubble wrap for fragile items, and select a trustworthy mover known for handling all objects with care.

Implement just one or two of the frugal tactics outlined above, and you’ll save a bundle on your next move. Of course, the easiest way to save is to select the right moving company. Look to Nilson Van & Storage for affordable moving help. Contact us to get started and to request a quote for your upcoming residential move.

Ask the right questions to ensure an easy move abroad.

International moves amplify the already abundant concerns homeowners have when they relocate. As you prepare for your move abroad, be sure to ask these essential questions:

1. How do you determine the cost of the move?

Your mover’s quote may not be entirely accurate, as there remain certain unknowns that you won’t find out until the day of the move. However, the quote should give you a pretty good idea of expected costs. Ask your moving company about the various factors considered when determining the initial quote, and what additional factors go into the final price.

2. What items am I not allowed to bring into my new country?

While your clothes, books, furniture and other belongings will easily make it through customs, certain possessions may not cross customs into various countries. This is especially true for firearms or other assorted weapons. Customs may also bar you from bringing certain plants, animals, or natural resources that could pose a threat to your new habitat.

3. What are my options for insuring my belongings?

An international move is a rigorous ordeal for your possessions. Despite the best of care, certain items might not make it to the intended destination. Safeguard your belongings by evaluating all your moving insurance options beforehand and selecting the coverage that is right for you. The peace of mind of knowing your valuables have adequate protection will be well worth the price.

4. Do you have any options for storage?

It may not be realistic to move all your items into your new living space as soon as you arrive in your new country. Large items sometimes need special arrangements. Be sure to ask about storage options in your new country. You need to have a game plan in case your new abode isn’t as spacious as you initially thought.

Curious as to the role Nilson Van & Storage experts will play in your international move? Contact us today to learn more about our international moving services.

Pack carefully, and your move could be surprisingly easy.

You dread the packing process, but the steps you take now could determine whether you enjoy a simple, stress-free residential move, or a complete fiasco. Follow these packing tips to ensure an efficient move:

1. Find Items to Donate to a Good Cause

This is your big opportunity to downsize. You’re bound to acquire new decor as you decorate post-move, so plan ahead and find unused items to donate before you change your address. You could score a nice tax break as you reduce the number of items you need to move.

2. Label Your Belongings

It may seem like a no-brainer, but organizing and labeling your boxes and containers will make unpacking a breeze. Label items by room; this will eliminate the hassle of digging through dozens of boxes to find bathroom towels or kitchen cutlery. A simple Sharpie marker will do the trick — it’s more permanent than labels, which could fall off during the moving process.

3. Use Similar-Sized Boxes and Containers for Smaller Items

Think of your moving adventure as a giant game of Tetris; by maximizing the space you occupy, you’ll save on shipping costs. It’s easier to load boxes and containers of a similar size into a shipping container or truck. You may need to be more creative with bulky items, however.

4. Bubble Wrap Your Valuables

It’s tempting to haphazardly wrap your expensive glassware in crumpled up newspapers or junk mail. In doing so, you’re not only are you using a flimsy material that doesn’t offer much protection — you’re actually adding to your shipping costs. Bubble wrap is lightweight and provides a comforting cushion for your china or other fragile belongings. Better yet, it’s reusable — if you can resist the urge to pop it!

The right moving company can make all the difference as you seek an efficient residential move. Contact our team at Nilson Van & Storage at your earliest convenience for a quote and to learn more about our moving services.