Category: Blog

Is your lease up but your new office space isn’t available yet? There is a solution if you have a gap between move-out and move-in. Temporary storage between moves is the answer. Here’s how to navigate that process.

How to Prepare for a Move with a Gap

Preparing for a move with a gap between move-out and move-in is like prepping for a same-day. Get organized, create a plan, and then pack your belongings or have the pros at your moving company pack them. The only thing that requires different consideration is the items you’ll need between the old location and the new one. Think about how much time you’ll have before moving into your new office, and keep that in mind when you pack what you’ll need for your staff to continue with daily operations. A move-in/move-out checklist can help keep you organized with what you’ll need and when.

Take Advantage of Temporary Storage

Whether you have one day or one month between your move-out date and your move-in date, you need a solution for storing furniture between moves, and safely storing electronics, documents, and files. The process should never include leaving them in a rental truck in a parking lot. However, the last thing you have time to manage is renting a storage unit for the gap in your move. Instead, hire a moving company that offers temporary storage between moves. Short-term storage provided by your moving company will ensure safe, secure, climate-controlled storage for your items.

Contact Nilson Van and Storage today for a free quote on your move that includes a gap, including packing, transporting, and warehousing service.

Moving to a new home is exciting and can be overwhelming, especially if you’re also moving your home office. However, preparing your home office for a move can make things go smoothly and reduce stress. Here are three tips to help you do it.

Tip #1: Create a Plan

If you’re moving to a new house, you have a lot on your plate, and a master plan is a great way to stay organized. Include a separate section for your home office. Though it’s moving at the same time as the rest of the house, it needs careful consideration to avoid excess downtime once you get to your new home.

Tip #2: Be Careful with Your Documents and Technology

Documents, legal papers, and other important items should go separately from your other items. Either take them with you in your car or, if that’s not feasible, be sure to pack them separately to avoid damage or loss. The same goes for packing and moving your technology. Be sure your moving company takes inventory of these items as high value so you can be sure to track them, just in case. Finally, pack these items carefully by removing and disconnecting cables, wires, printers, and monitors.

Tip #3: Hire the Right Moving Company

When you’re moving your household and your home office simultaneously, you want a moving company that can handle both. Finding one that offers packing service will reduce your stress and the risk of damage to your valuable items, including your home office equipment.

Contact the experienced moving team at Nilson Van and Storage for the information you need and a free quote for your home and home office move.

Moving to a new home is hard enough without worrying about lifting heavy furniture. If you’ve got items that are heavier than the average bear, we’ve got some tips for lifting them when it’s time to move to a new home.

Protect Your Body

The priority when moving is to avoid injury, especially when you’re working out how to lift heavy furniture. Always bend your knees and use your legs when lifting instead of bending at the waist and using your back. It’s the quickest way to a back injury. Also, wear gloves to protect your hands and closed shoes to keep your toes and feet from getting squashed.

Protect Your Walls and Floors

Wrap the heavy furniture you’re lifting in moving blankets and use plastic wrap if you can. This will protect your furniture and the walls of your home. Put down furniture pads to prevent carpet tears and scratched or broken flooring should the furniture drop or land heavily.

Use the Right Tools

There are tools to lift heavy furniture, and it’s a great idea to take advantage of them. Hand trucks give you the leverage and the wheels to move items from one room to another or to and from a moving truck. Moving straps are another type of furniture moving equipment that allows for fewer people to move one very heavy item. Another tool that can help move furniture is sliders. When placed under the legs or feet they let you slide the furniture across the room without lifting.

The best way to lift or move heavy furniture without injuring yourself is to let the pros do it for you. Call Nilson Van and Storage today for a free quote on your upcoming move that includes even the heaviest furniture.

Moving is stressful in the best of circumstances but moving on short notice can be completely overwhelming. Whether you’re moving for a job relocation, a relationship, an eviction, or a permanent change of station, it can make you want to pull your hair out. The good news is we’ve got the tips you need to make your move go smoothly, no matter how much time you have. Here are four of them you need to read before you start packing.

Tip #1: Cull Quickly

Getting rid of things is hard and doing it when on a time crunch is even more difficult. But if you can donate, sell, or trash the things you don’t and won’t need it will make the move process faster.

Tip #2: Skip the Sorting and Just Pack

As much as you’d love to be able to organize and sort your belongings before boxing them up, short notice moving doesn’t allow for the extra time it takes. So now is the time to just pack.

Tip #3: Stock up on Packing Supplies

One of the best packing tips for moving in a hurry includes stocking up on packing supplies, so you don’t have to make multiple trips. Having what you need available will save you time. Another option is to let your moving company do the packing for you, a great option for speeding up the process. 

Tip #4: Hire the Right Help

Hiring a moving company with experience helping people move on short notice is the best tip for getting it done within your limited timeframe. Knowing how to pack quickly while still ensuring the safety of your belongings is critical to a speedy move. They can also help guide you in the process, including providing PCS moving checklists, full-service packing, and even short-term storage, which can take a stressful move and make it manageable.

If you’re moving on short notice, drop everything and contact the moving company best equipped to help you get it done right. Contact Nilson Van and Storage today for a free quote and to schedule your move.

Are you starting to line things up for a company relocation? Are you wondering if you should wait until spring? Corporate moving is full of logistical challenges no matter what time of year you do it, but the truth about moving in winter might not be what you think. In fact, it might be the best time to move.

Benefits of a Winter Move

Though winter moving might seem like a bad idea, there are many benefits you can take advantage of during the colder season.

• Moving companies are less busy, so you can often schedule with less lead time and still get the date and timing you need for your business.
• You can often get a discount or reduced rate when business is slower in the winter for the commercial moving business.
• With less competition for prime shipping times, your office equipment is more likely to arrive at or earlier than the estimated time, especially if you’re moving out of state or long distance.
• Special requirements and unique circumstances are easier to accommodate when moving companies are less busy.

Some Considerations for Winter Moving

Even in the south, winter weather can be extreme and unpredictable. Planning for rain and cold will help make your move go smoothly. Consider that doors will be open for an extended period as the movers take things out of the building to load the trucks. Walkways may be slippery, and everyone will need a safe way to get into and out of the building on moving day. And although moves don’t need rescheduling due to weather very often, it can happen. So have a backup plan in place just in case.

Saving money and having greater flexibility with your move date are just two benefits of moving in the winter. Contact Nilson Van and Storage for a free quote from their experienced commercial moving team and to find out how they can help make your winter company move go smoothly.

No matter the reason for the move, an office relocation is a huge undertaking that requires careful planning. Of course, knowing where to start is half the battle, but we’ve got you covered with this office move checklist you can use now and throughout the process.

• Determine your budget – this is critical to the process. You must know how much you can spend on each aspect of the move.  
• Set your ideal move date – you want minimal impact on your business operations and customer contact.
• Contact moving companies – get quotes and information on moving details and services. Compare rates from two to three different companies to help provide you with an overview of their services and which fit best with your needs.
• Notify employees – let your team know of the move so they can adjust to what the move will mean for their drive and proximity to their homes, kids’ schools, activities, etc.
• Get the staff on board – set expectations and create planning committees to get them involved.
• Set up task lists – employees do well with a timeline and schedule they can follow to avoid overwhelm or having a communication disconnect.
• Communicate externally – inform partners, vendors, clients, and suppliers of the move, including the address and expected move date.

With many employees moving to work remotely and the reduced need for office space, many companies are choosing to relocate to downsize. Other companies are booming and need more space for the work they do. No matter the reason for your business relocation, count on a reliable team of moving professionals to ensure it goes smoothly. Contact the Nilson Van and Storage team today for a free quote and all the support you need for your office move.

Residential moving often includes putting items in storage for the short or long term. Before you do, make sure you prepare them for winter storage. Here are some tips from the pros that can help keep your items safe.

Clean Before You Store

Cleaning before things go into a storage unit might seem unnecessary, but it’s a great way to help protect them. Dirt and dust can damage your things if left on them for an extended period, especially if you stack other items on top of them causing friction. Additionally, dirt can attract pests which you do not want in with your stuff.

Cover with Cotton

If you decide to cover any of your furniture or belongings, be sure to use cotton covers. Cotton will keep dust and dirt out and protect the surface of your items without trapping moisture which can lead to mold and mildew. Another option is wool, which won’t trap moisture in but will help keep dust and pests out.

Elevate the Electronics

Electronics are sensitive, and the winter cold can seep in and cause irreparable damage. Avoid putting them on the ground or the floor, which can hold onto the extreme cold and moisture, leading to damaged electronic equipment. Instead, put it up on furniture or stacked boxes to keep it cleaner, warmer, and drier.

Moving is hard, but combining a move and storage creates some new challenges. Make sure you prep your items for winter storage to keep them safe, and use a moving team that can ensure the safest and cleanest storage options. Contact Nilson Van and Storage to find out about mid-move storage and to get a free quote.

Everyone wants to save money on moving, but most think doing it themselves is the trick. However, we’ve got some news for you – using a moving company can save you more money than a DIY move.

Time is Money

How much is your time worth? We all live busy lives, and whether you work full-time, have a family, a social life, activities you enjoy, or all of the above, your time is valuable. Packing, prepping, loading, and unloading trucks for a move is labor and time intensive. Hiring a moving company to manage this for you leaves you open for other things and frees up your valuable time.

DIY Isn’t Free

Before you decide that a DIY move is the most cost-effective approach, be sure to price all that goes into that moving method. You’ll need boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, and potentially a storage space. You’ll also have to pay for a rental truck, including insurance, taxes, and gas, in addition to the cost of renting moving equipment such as pads, hand trucks, and tie-down straps. You might also have to hire some muscle to load and unload heavy furniture and to carry it up and down stairs.

Liability Can Be Costly

It’s tempting to ask your friends to help you move, offering them some beer and pizza in exchange for their time and effort. When you’re in your twenties, that seems like a reasonable choice. But as people get older, they are much less interested in helping friends move. And if someone gets hurt on your property while moving your belongings, no matter how good of a friend they are, you are liable for that injury, which can cost you a pretty penny.

Before you spend the mental, emotional, and physical costs of moving yourself, consider what you can save by hiring a professional mover. Then, contact the experienced team at Nilson Van and Storage for more information and to get a free quote.