Category: Blog

How can door-to-door movers really help you if you’re only moving across town (or even across the street)?

Most people moving in-state, or especially in-city, won’t hire door-to-door movers unless they have special circumstances, but they’re actually very beneficial for every move for a number of reasons. For just a few hundred dollars, you can hand your worries (and your backaches) over to someone else, and spend the day celebrating your new home with your friends, instead of pressing them into service.

Here are just a few of the payoffs you get from hiring door-to-door movers:

• Affordability – Interstate moves generally cost over $1000, so the cost of hiring a mover when you could spend a few hours moving yourself from one house to another may initially seem too excessive for your budget. But compare that to the cost of renting any equipment yourself, the gas of driving everything on your own, and replacing anything that gets broken or damaged due to your moving inexperience. In-state moves cost a fraction of the expected cost and are well worth the expense.
• Safety – Lower-back pain is a chronic problem in our country because we spend a lot of our time seated and then try to tackle difficult tasks like lifting couches and dressers. This exertion can have serious consequences if you find it’s too much for your body. Movers do these tasks every day for a living and have extensive safety measures in place, so they are more suited to moving your heavy furniture while you manage other tasks and keep yourself safe.
• Assurance – Professional moving companies have both experience and insurance, so your property is generally less likely to be damaged and more likely to be replaced right away if it is. You don’t have to take their word for it either. Each company you ask for an in-home quote from should have a USDOT number, and this number can be used to check their status. Visit safersys.org to find out more about a company’s official protection plan and history. You can also check out review sites like Yelp and BBB Online to see the experiences other people have had using them.

Call 803-786-1090 to schedule an in-home quote with the area’s best door-to-door movers, Nilson Van.

How can cardboard boxes simplify an office move?

Cardboard boxes simply don’t get the credit they deserve, especially when it comes to commercial moving. They protect your belongings, are easy to transport, and save you money. It’s safe to say that having the right tools on hand when packing makes the entire process much easier. 

Just take a look at some of the surprising ways cardboard boxes make a positive difference during a commercial move:

1. Boxes Offer Extra Protection

High-quality moving boxes protect your equipment, files, and other necessities when moving from one location to another. If you’ve hired a company to move your belongings, you can often rely on their insurance to replace or repair damaged items, but wouldn’t it be better to avoid damages and get back to work earlier instead of having to wait for your claims to be processed? Some moving companies won’t cover damages from improperly packed items, so make sure you have an appropriate box for every item you want to transport your new office. (Luckily, there are moving companies who will provide boxes and pack the items for you for a small fee.)

2. Boxes Save Money

Most movers charge you on distance, time, and the size of moving truck you need. Boxes stack much easier and more compactly than individual items. Boxes also lead to a faster loading and unloading time, offering you twice the opportunity to save.

3. Boxes are Often Free with Packing Services

Knowing the right way to pack your office supplies will go a long way in preventing damages and in helping you get reorganized once you arrive at your new destination. Commercial movers have the experience necessary to do any job correctly and quickly, so you can have peace of mind and less stress during the moving process. You can find moving companies that offer affordable packing services, including the best boxes you need for packing absolutely anything in your office. It’s worth getting a quote from a professional company before you start buying supplies.

Call 800-845-2682 to speak to Nilson Van about the number and types of cardboard boxes you’ll need for your next office move. If you are interested in having a professional moving company do the job for you, we can provide you with a free moving quote.

Single and moving? How to streamline your moving checklist.

Utilizing a moving checklist to help with transitions regardless of the distance from one home to the next is an important part of keeping your expenses and stress levels as low as possible. Unfortunately, most moving checklists that you’ll find online are for families with larger homes. As a single person, you may feel out of touch with these templates and end up ignoring them entirely instead of searching for a more suitable guideline.

If you’re single and moving soon, keep the following moving checklist items in mind:

Hire a Company for Packing and Moving

It may feel a bit strange to hire movers when you live alone, but chances are your home is filled with more fragile and expensive décor than a family’s home. Chances are, too, that you don’t have moving experience beyond stuffing things in a big box with bubble wrap.

You may be very surprised to learn how much it costs to move your whole house packed in inflatable packaging. Once you calculate the costs, you will likely find it’s just more affordable to hire a company with the know-how and supplies to prepare your move. At the very least, you can expect fewer broken or missing items once you reach your new destination.

Make Arrangements for Utilities, Security, and Mail

While you might be willing to spend the first few nights in your home without cable or internet, are you willing to risk missing a bill payment because you didn’t forward your mail yet? What about going without your security system? Nothing is more devastating than being the victim of a burglary or another crime right after you move into your new home. Ensure that your utilities will be turned on when you arrive, your mail will be forwarded correctly, and provisions have been made for both personal and on-site security.

Purchase One New Thing to Celebrate Your New Home

There’s no need to wait for a housewarming party. Put your own spin on your new place by adding one item that’s unique to the locale. Deciding on one item only allows you to keep your budget intact, while motivating you to unpack your belongings quickly.

Being single doesn’t mean you should live like you’re staying in a hotel. Your house is an important part of your life, so don’t be afraid to invest in this move and in getting your new house in tip-top shape. Infuse your personal style into the décor from day one, and have no regrets over hiring a moving company to help you safely move your belongings. You’ll enjoy the convenience and have more time to celebrate your new residence all the while, saving money.

Contact Nilson Van to request a professional moving checklist, especially designed with individuals in mind. We will also provide you with a free moving quote or help you to get your moving date on the calendar.

Why should you hire office movers?

Office movers do more than just heft heavy equipment to your new location. They’re a key ingredient in getting your business back on its feet as quickly as possible following a move. Before you hire an office moving company, consider the following:

Commercial Movers Understand the Pitfalls of Changing Locations

From lease managers who go AWOL to utility delays, a thousand things can go wrong for you on moving day. An experienced company can be your support during this tumultuous time. If you run into problems, you can count on professional office moving specialists to help you stay calm and focused and handle the situation.

Professional Movers Know the Best Way to Pack Equipment

Sometimes small business owners encourage their staff to pack their things and help in moving them to a new building. This is how printers end up broken and phone handsets go missing. It’s also a good way to tick off your employees and wind up dealing with worker’s compensation claims. Instead, make a smart investment and hire a professional moving company to pack and move all your supplies and equipment. Avoid the turmoil of coordinating your employees’ efforts, and focus on getting your business back up and running as soon as possible.

Specialist Movers Carry Insurance

Not only will a moving company be more capable of protecting your things, but they’ll also have an insurance policy to ensure any mishaps are covered. If your computer is dropped, files are lost, or your company’s belongings are stolen mid-transit, a reputable business will be able to file a claim and help you make up for the damage immediately.

Moving can be littered with pitfalls, particularly when you’re counting on a smooth transition to reopen as soon as possible. Hire a professional moving company with commercial experience when you’re moving offices in order to protect your belongings and your profits.

To schedule a consult with qualified office movers, contact Nilson Van.

How can a moving cost calculator help you prepare for the big day?

When you are preparing for a move, a moving cost calculator is one of the tools that can help you see past the chaos and find peace of mind. An online moving cost calculator isn’t going to deliver you precise results, but even an estimate is helpful to keep you within a tight budget.

It’s important to note that a moving cost calculator is not the same thing as an official quote. A moving cost calculator considers similar moves to yours and may give you a ballpark figure of what it has cost to move a similar household a similar distance. In order to get an official quote in writing, you often have to invite a moving representative to your home to assess your situation specifically.

However, this doesn’t mean that a moving cost calculator is useless. Most of us feel more comfortable obtaining quotes online or over the phone, especially for a short-distance move. Thus, while an online calculator can’t provide exact figures, using one can go a long way to helping you prepare for the big day.

Get a Better Idea of the Supplies You Need

Many online moving calculators also help you realize which supplies you’ll need for your move and what amounts you’ll actually use. They ask questions about the size of your home and the types of furnishings you own. Along with calculating the costs of moving your possessions from Point A to Point B, you’ll receive a breakdown of the types and number of boxes recommended.

Depending on the calculator, you may receive very specific results including specialty-shipping boxes for fine china or bottles of wine. Or you may end up with a short tally of the number of medium or large-sized moving boxes you’ll need, and recommended amounts of shipping tape and other general supplies.

If you’re hiring a local mover, you may be surprised to learn they provide their own materials. Your provider may even offer to pack your belongings too, for a fee. Moving companies offer a wealth of services capable of saving your back and your budget. For example, by using an online shipping calculator, you may discover it’s actually less expensive to go with a full-service mover rather than purchasing supplies on your own and renting a moving van.

For more information on using a moving cost calculator to find budget-friendly services for your upcoming move or to get a free moving quote, contact the experts at Nilson Van.

Check Out What’s New.

We’ve brought an updated look and feel to our Mayflower brand. But don’t worry – this is still the same Nilson Van & Storage who’s been providing high quality, professional service for over 70 years. We wanted our website to be as easy to use and informative as a phone call to our office. Feel free to explore the website and see what we’ve got to offer!

You’ll find plenty of information on our wide variety of services – from packing and moving within the same city to helping you relocate across the world, from homeowners to businesses to specialized government/military moves. Our website has all the information you need, including breakdowns of each process so that you know what to expect when you move with our professionals.

And don’t forget to come back to this blog often, as we’ll be updating it regularly with news and answers to your moving and storage questions.

In the meantime, if you have anymore questions or need help with a move, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

What should you do if you need moving and storage services?

Not every relocation company offers moving and storage services, but it’s a godsend when they go hand-in-hand. Moving can be a stressful time filled with uncertainty. You never know when you’ll run into problems and require extra services. Here are just a few situations when working with a moving and storage company could save your skin.

1. If Your Move is Short-Term

This is especially common for college students who are just relocating for the summer. If you want your belongings to stay near your university, you can hire a moving company to remove them, store them for the summer, and then move them into your new dorm or apartment once school is back in session. Families moving overseas may need moving and storage for similar reasons, but for longer duration.

2. If Your Furniture is Too Big For Your New Home

The overstuffed sofa you love so much or grandma’s grand piano you brought all the way from Baton Rouge may not make such a great fit as you had imagined. Your movers will use every trick in the book to get them indoors, but if they simply won’t work, you’ll need a safe place to store your belongings until you can make arrangements for them that you’ll be happy with.

3. If Your Home is Damaged

Floods, fires, and tornadoes can leave behind massive destruction and create ongoing problems. Oftentimes, homes are damaged as a result of acts of nature, and you may not know what to do. You may have no intentions of moving out for good, but sometimes it’s best to remove the contents of your house and store them safely while you make repairs.

There are quite a few scenarios where moving and storage complement one another, but not every company has the resources or experience needed to provide both of them well. It’s important to find out beforehand if your movers offer comprehensive assistance in order to ensure you’ll be protected no matter what happens.

Talk to moving and storage experts, Nilson Van, about your upcoming move.

How can you make every dollar spent on relocation moving companies count?

Hiring relocation moving companies can be a nerve-wracking experience. While hiring these people is designed to help make your life easier, too often it can also create some feelings of worry or guilt. You don’t want to overburden someone through your own mistakes or oversights, and you don’t want to make it more likely for your items to be damaged in someone else’s hands.

Take these tips from the pros to find the healthy balance of involvement that will lead to a smooth and easy move.

1. Dressers are great moving containers. They’re solid, roomy, and especially difficult to misplace. It’s also fairly obvious where they should go once they’re moved into your new home, so make the most of this level of convenience. Pack lightweight bedroom items in your dresser for your move. Sheets, pajamas, and even an outfit or two are a good way to get started in your new home right away without having to unpack everything first.
2. Pack heavier things in smaller packages. No matter how big his muscles are, your professional mover is not going to appreciate a big box full of hardcover books. Make sure your heaviest items are packed in an easy-to-carry manner. It’s not just considerate, it makes your items safer to handle. Ensuring these boxes are small enough to handle safely will reduce your risks of damage to your items and your movers.
3. Pack accessories with their pals for easier unpacking. During a move, you’re not just concerned with leaving point A. You want to make sure it’s easy to unpack and get established at point B. A common headache people run into during relocations is having to deal with missing pieces. A tablet without a stylus or a camera without a charger can cause a lot of needless frustration. Bundling accessories with their devices help you avoid these types of situations.
4. Box up as much as possible. Whether you’re shoving socks into your dresser or putting garden tools into an old appliance box, the uniformity will help your items stay safe during travel. They also make moving faster and more efficient, especially when labeled by content and intended location. Boxed items are easier to handle, organize, and locate.

Good organization can make a move fast and easy, but your efforts can quickly go to waste if you end up working with an unreliable relocation moving company. Don’t make that mistake. Call Nilson Van today at 800-845-2682 to get the most of every dollar you spend and start life out right in your new destination.

Welcome to the new Nilson Van & Storage United website!

As you can tell, we’ve got an updated look for our United brand. But don’t worry, we are still providing the same high level of service that we have for generations. With a history built on placing our customers first, this new site is just our latest effort to make any move easier and quicker than ever. We hope you take a look around and get a feel for who we are and what we do.

Whether you are moving right next door or across the world, we have trained professionals ready to help. On this site, you can find more details about our entire range of moving services. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for information on packing services, commercial logistics, or specialized military/government moves – you will find your answers here.

And don’t forget to check back often, as this blog will regularly update with news and articles that will make your next move a cinch.

If you have any questions or need assistance with an upcoming move, never hesitate to contact us.

Do you have all the moving equipment and supplies you need?

One of the best features of a professional moving company is the amount of moving equipment they already own. Depending upon the help you need, you might save more money hiring a crew to complete your move out. You could rent or borrow certain items, but no one wants to purchase hand trucks or car ramps to use just one time. Consider your property carefully before you decide to go DIY.

Here’s a list of the moving equipment you may find coming in handy during your next move:

• Dollies can be surprisingly convenient, affordable, and versatile. If you’re renting a moving van, you’ll likely find one inside. Just be careful you read the fine print of your agreement. Using the rental may wind up costing you more in fees than if you purchased a dolly for yourself.
• Hand trucks are often mistaken for dollies. They consist of a ground-level platform with wheels and a back with a handle. These also come in lifting and electronic varieties, and can make moving appliances, boxes, and other heavy items especially easy.
• Ramps are an often-forgotten piece of moving equipment. They make moving dollies and hand trucks up and down stairs, over curbs and into moving vehicles easy.
• Moving straps and blankets are used to cover furniture, appliances, and other property to secure and protect them from damage during the moving process.
• Moving boxes and containers can come in all kinds of materials, shapes, and sizes. Containers can be especially helpful if they’re made specifically for one type of item. For instance, there are containers designed for flat screen televisions and monitors and also ones for packing fine china.
• Tape! In fact, stock up on more tape than you can even imagine needing, because even if you have more than you need for your move, you’ll use it eventually. You don’t want to have to buy tape from a moving company, when you could get it on your own for less.

In addition to having these items, a professional moving company knows how to use them. When you’re paying for these services, you’re also paying for their expertise. Using specialty devices, professional movers can safely pack your items together in the smallest space possible. They can also do it quickly and with no strain to your back or muscles.

Talk to the experts at Nilson Van about the moving equipment available to you, and compare how much extra it will cost to move when renting these products comes into play.