Unfortunately, moving can be pretty bad for the environment.  Between the fuel, boxes, and materials used, moving day can take a toll on your carbon footprint. According to this cool infographic, the average move uses 60 boxes, the equivalent of more than half a one-ton pine tree!

However, there are are few steps you can take to make your move a little greener.

Less is More

Moving is the perfect time to re-evaluate your possessions. Not only will you have less items to move, but owning less allows you to buy and maintain a smaller home. Getting into the “less is more” mindset also helps curb wasteful consumerism.

Before you start packing, identify which belongings aren’t going to make it onto the truck. Challenge yourself to let go. If you haven’t used that item in the past year, then it might not be worth keeping.

Don’t Toss, Donate

Instead of sending unwanted items to the landfill, give it a second life and donate or sell these things instead. Check out our articles on cleaning out belongings before a move and selling unwanted items. For the items that can’t be re-used, be sure you’re recycling everything you can. Even electronics can be recycled.

Pack Smart

Packing materials are the biggest reason moving can be so Earth-unfriendly. Avoid any non-biodegradable packing materials such as styrofoam and plastic. Use paper, packing peanuts made from cornstarch, or other possessions like blankets to protect your move instead.

Instead of buying boxes new, pack as much as you can in used boxes. If you foresee a move in the near future, start saving boxes from deliveries. Ask friends who have recently moved if their boxes are still around, they’ll be grateful to get rid of them! You can also sometimes get free used boxes from grocery stores and other retailers. Don’t forget to ask your moving company if they sell used boxes as well.

There are also services that allow you to rent plastic crates for moving. This is probably the most eco-friendly packing option. Many businesses offer these crates, including Rent a Green Box, WeGoBox, ZippGo, and Better Than Boxes.

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

When you’re finished unpacking, be sure to recycle all your boxes and packing materials. You can find the recycling center in your new neighborhood by visiting earth911.com

New House, New Lifestyle

A new house is the perfect opportunity to jump start a greener home. Maybe your new yard is perfect for a compost bin, or the abundance of sun on the rooftop can be utilized with solar panels. Inside, install energy saving light bulbs. Even small changes, like switching to eco-safe cleaning products, can make a big difference.

Olympia’s Eco-Responsible Initiatives

Here at Olympia, we do our part to make your move a little greener:

• Instead of wasting paper, we are ready to provide electronic estimates, invoices, and moving resources
• Use Olympia’s debris removal service to pick up your empty boxes for recycling
• We recycle all our used cardboard and materials
• All our moving cartons and packing materials are made from recycled product
• Olympia’s trucks meet the latest Federal Emission Standards
• We save fuel on interstate moves by carrying multiple households on each truck

The great news is that an eco-friendly move is also a cost-efficient move!

Stylish Moving / Change of Address Cards

Warning Signs of a Bad Mover

How to Pack Video Series

April marks the one year anniversary of Wheaton World Wide Moving’s acquisition of Bekins Van Lines.  This growing partnership created the fourth-largest household goods carrier in the country.

So what does that mean for you, the Olympia Moving & Storage customer?

There is sometimes confusion around the relationship between Olympia Moving & Storage and these two van lines.

A large number of reputable moving companies are an agent for an interstate van line. Olympia Moving & Storage became an agent for Wheaton World Wide Moving in 1996. This means that Olympia has access to Wheaton resources and hundreds of agents around the country to help us perform quality and affordable interstate moves for our customers.  However, Olympia is still an independently owned and operated company, and gives every customer the personal attention their move deserves.

Last year Wheaton World Wide acquired Bekins Van Lines. This expansion added over one hundred additional dependable agents to their network. Though these van lines operate as two brands, they are all part of one integrated system of moving agents that lend each other resources, drivers, and crew members. Olympia Moving & Storage is just one agent in this great organization, and is part of the Wheaton brand.

Here’s how the Wheaton | Bekins network impacts your move:

If you book an interstate move with Olympia, our in-house coordination staff manages every move to ensure that all parties are working together to provide a smooth relocation.  We are your contact and advocate throughout the entire process.

If the distance of your move is under 600 miles, it’s classified as a short haul. In this case, your driver will most likely be an Olympia driver and your crew in Massachusetts or Virginia will be an Olympia crew. Since you are moving across state lines, you may be moving to or from an area without on Olympia office. Therefore, we will use the Wheaton network’s help if we need crews or services at your home in another part of the country.

If the distance of your move is over 600 miles, it’s classified as a long haul. In this case, there is a chance that your driver will be an Olympia driver, but it could also very likely be a Wheaton or Bekins driver. Your crew will still be Olympia employees in Massachusetts or Virginia, but your crew in another part of the country will come from other Wheaton or Bekins agents. The Olympia coordination staff also works with the coordination staff at Wheaton headquarters to manage your move.

If you’re moving locally (within state lines), then it’s simple: your coordination staff, drivers, and movers are all in-house Olympia employees.

Regardless of where you’re moving, Olympia employees will always be intimately involved in planning and managing your move to ensure your relocation is up to our high standards.

At Olympia Moving & Storage, we consider ourselves lucky to be part of such a wide network of moving professionals. It allows us to ensure that every step of the move will be handled by highly trained, quality employees no matter where you’re going.

Other common questions on interstate moving:

What is a Moving Shuttle?

When is the Delivery Date of My Interstate Move?

How Do I Read an Interstate Moving Estimate?

There’s usually a few components to interstate moves that are industry standards, but unfamiliar to moving newbies.  One such component is a moving shuttle.  Below are some of our frequently asked questions and answers around shuttles to help our customers understand why they’re a necessary element to many interstate moves.

What is a shuttle?

A shuttle service allows us to serve customers who are moving into or out of homes that are difficult to access with a tractor trailer truck.  The shuttle is a smaller truck that the customer’s goods are loaded onto at their home.  A shuttle truck allows the driver and crew to bring the vehicle close to the residence and load or unload your possessions as safely and efficiently as possible.  A shuttle is sometimes also called an auxiliary service.

How does it work?

Before the pick up or delivery occurs, the moving consultant or driver will scope out the residence to determine if a shuttle is needed.  If it is determined that the tractor trailer cannot access the home, the driver will rent a smaller truck.  He will leave his tractor trailer in a safe location (usually at a fellow Wheaton agent’s secure warehouse), and bring the small truck to the residence to expertly move the household goods out.  The driver then drives the loaded shuttle truck back to his tractor trailer, and offloads everything onto the tractor trailer truck.  Now that the customer’s items are safely loaded onto his truck, the driver can hit the road and make his way to the customer’s destination.  The process is the same but reverse if the shuttle occurs at the destination address.

What are situations in which a shuttle would be used? 

Movers need to use shuttles in any situation where the tractor trailer cannot access the home.  Most shuttles are needed for urban residences due to the narrow streets, lack of parking, and limited space to maneuver in cities.  Some neighborhoods and apartment complexes do not allow tractor trailers on the premises.  However, sometimes shuttles are also needed in even the most rural areas due to unpaved driveways with wet or loose ground, access that is too steep or includes a tight bend, or clearance problems due to tree branches or power lines.

Why are there extra costs associated with shuttles?  If I don’t use it, do I get charged?

Yes, using a shuttle adds additional costs to the price of the move, the cost is based on a per hundred rate and dependent on the size (weight) of your move.  Shuttles cost money because it’s almost like adding a local move on top of your interstate move, renting the truck and the additional time and labor to transfer everything from the small truck to the tractor trailer can all be costly.  For this reason, drivers like to avoid using shuttles unless they are absolutely necessary, shuttles are not profitable for drivers, and the extra time slows down their trip.  It is ultimately up to a driver whether or not a shuttle will be used.  Even if your moving consultant includes a shuttle charge on your estimate, you will only be charged if the shuttle actually occurs.

Why doesn’t the driver use a smaller truck for the move instead?

In order to make interstate moving cost effective for both customers and moving companies, an interstate driver and moving truck almost always has multiple customers’ shipments on his truck at the same time.  If the driver used a smaller truck, he could only bring one customer’s shipment from Massachusetts to Florida.  With a large tractor trailer, he can also services several other customers along that route, making moving much more inexpensive for everyone.

If  you have any other questions about shuttles, reach out to your moving coordinator.

Now that you have a better understanding of shuttles, request your free estimate for your interstate move.

Other great tips for Interstate Moving

Moving Tips in our Resource Center

When is the Delivery Date For My Interstate Move?

Moving Appliances & Special Furniture

Some appliances and furniture need a little extra TLC in transit.  Olympia can either service and prep these special pieces, or we can bring in one of our experts to make sure these items are 100% ready to be safely moved to your new home.

If you have any of the appliances or furniture called out below, be sure to bring them to the attention of your moving consultant during your in-home survey.

If you’re looking to save some money, here are some things you can do yourself to prep these items:

Refrigerator & Freezer

First, remove all the contents and either pack them in a cooler to bring to your new home or throw the perishables away.   Unplug the fridge and freezer and let the freezer defrost over night.   If your freezer has an ice maker, turn off the water supply, disconnect the water line, and turn the ice maker off.  Wipe the fridge and freezer down in the morning and remove and pack all the interior shelves.  You can see our video on how to pack a refrigerator here.  The moving crew will properly wrap the fridge before they move it.

Washer & Dryer

For the washer, turn off the water hook-up, unhook the hoses, and unplug the washer and drain hose.  Be careful of excess water.  For the dryer, remove the metallic hose, unplug the dryer (electric), or turn off the gas then remove the hose (gas).  If you have a front load washer, then you will need to use transit bolts in order to lock the washer for damage-free movement.  If you do not have these bolts from when you purchased the appliance, ask your mover to bring in an expert to prepare the washer for the move.

Grandfather Clocks

The pendulum and weights must be detached from the clock before it can be moved.  Additionally, we highly recommend crating this fragile piece before moving in order to avoid damage.  Because grandfather clocks are so complex, it’s probably best to ask your moving company to bring in a clock expert to prep the timepiece, but you can learn the steps here.

Waterbeds

Your waterbed should be completely drained, the heater should be unhooked, and the mattress should be properly rolled or folded before moving.  Then, disassemble your bed.  You can learn more about relocating waterbeds here.

Televisions

Use a special TV box to move flat screen and plasma TVs without incident.  You can find detailed instructions on how to pack a television for moving in our guide to packing and moving electronics.

Pool tables

The pool table will need to be completely disassembled before it can be transitioned to your new home.  This includes removing the bumpers, felt, slate, and legs from the table.  Since pool tables can be both complex and heavy, we highly recommend not moving it yourself, but you can learn more about the steps to moving a pool table here.

Pianos

Only the bravest would attempt to move a piano without professional help.  Fortunately, our vanline is the official mover of Steinway and Sons, so we’re experts!  We wrote a guide to piano moving, which you can find here.  Again, we highly recommend hiring movers, but you can learn more about how piano moving is done here.

6 Essential Tips for Packing Fragile Items

Our How To Pack Video Series

Before you start bringing your furniture out to the truck:  stop!  There’s still a few steps you need to take to make sure your home and furniture will get through the move damage-free.  Here are some precautions the professionals at Olympia Moving take every time to prep and protect furniture for moving.  You can adopt these tips like a pro if you’re moving yourself, or you can make your life much easier and get an estimate for full-service moving.

- The first step is to make sure you have the right materials.  You can purchase shrink wrap, bubble kraft,  disposable furniture pads, and tape from many moving companies.  You can find the order form for free materials delivery from Olympia Moving here.

- Disassemble as much furniture as possible, including beds, futons, and dining sets.  This will make your furniture less bulky and easier to move.  Keep organized by putting all the corresponding bolts and screws in a plastic baggie and tape it to the furniture piece.

- Shrink wrap your furniture.  Not only is this a cheap way to keep your furniture clean in the truck, but it keeps drawers shut in transit.  Alternatively, tape drawers shut so they don’t fall open.

- For fragile items and furniture with sharp corners, wrap the furniture in old blankets or furniture pads.  This prevents damage to the piece and protects your new or former home if the furniture bumps into floors and walls on its way out.

- Also consider taping furniture pads to walls and railings inside your home.  This is especially relevant in tight spaces like stairwells where furniture can scratch or gouge the walls as you move it through.  Maybe you can get your security deposit back!

- Once your furniture is in the truck, prevent large pieces from shifting in transit with straps and bungee cords.  Some rental trucks already come with these supplies, or you can request them.

Also be sure to check out these articles to prep for your move:

Tips on Packing Pictures and Mirrors

6 Essential Tips for Packing Fragile Items

When the stress of your move is finally over, you can finally begin to enjoy your new home!  There’s no better way to get off to a good start than hosting a housewarming party.  Moving is a big accomplishment, you deserve to celebrate!

A housewarming party is the perfect opportunity to bring together new and old friends.  If you moved locally, those that are close to you will be excited to see your new house.  It’s a good chance to make new friends in the neighborhood.  A party is also a great way to thank the people who helped you through your move from your realtor, to the friend that helped you pack, to the neighbor who baby-sat your kids.

Recipes

To keep it simple and casual, put together a spread of finger foods and h’orderves.  This allows your guests to explore your new home as they snack.  Set up 3-4 small food stations around the house to keep your guests from congregating in one area.  Below are some easy and delicious recipes.  If you want an even simpler option, frozen and pre-made appetizers have gone gourmet at grocers like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.

Spinich, ricotta, & pesto mini pizzas
Antipasto platter
Sliders with chipotle mayo
Bourbon meatballs
Apple & brie puff pastries

Party Games

They may seem cheesy, but including an original party game or two into the mix can help break the ice and set your party apart.  Here’s some links to a few ideas:

The “Key in and win” game is pretty simple and original, just be sure to collect all the keys when you’re done!

People love trivia!  The “New town trivia” game can create some friendly competition.

Unpacking

You’re likely going to want to wait a few weeks or months after the move to host a party so you have time to settle in.  You can finish organizing your new home much quicker if you hire your movers for unpacking services.

Inspiration

Half the fun of party planning is the creative details!  We put together this Pinterest board to help inspire your housewarming plans.

Housewarming Pinterest Board

There are so many details to take care of when you’re moving.  One of those details is managing address changes for your mailings and services.  Below is a comprehensive change of address checklist to help you make sure you didn’t miss anyone.

Friends & family

Here are some cute ecards to help notify people you know!

Government & Public Offices

Here is a link necessary change of address forms for important government agencies

• Post Office
• Income Tax / IRS
• Social Security
• Vehicle Registration / Driving License
• Re-register to vote
• Family Support
• Veteran Affairs
• Pension Benefits
• Unemployment Insurance
• U.S. Customs and Immigration Services
• Do Not Mail and Do Not Call National Programs

Utilities & Services

• Telephone (Land line & mobile)
• Television / Cable
• Internet provider
• Electric
• Gas
• Fuel
• Water
• Water Delivery / Treatment
• Garbage
• Sewer

Finances

• Banks
• Loan Institutions (Car, student, mortgage, home equity, personal loans, and more)
• Credit Card Companies
• Paypal
• Insurance Agencies (Auto, home, medical, dental, disability, life)
• Charge Accounts
• Pension Plans
• Accountant / Tax Consultant
• Investment brokers (your IRA, financial adviser, or other investment managers)
• Credit reporting agencies

Institutions & Providers

• Employer
• Your childrens’ schools
• Daycare providers
• Church
• Attorney
• Physicians / Doctors / Eye doctors / Veterinarian
• Professional Memberships / Licensing Boards
• Civic organizations
• Kid’s activities
• PTA, neighborhood association, other community groups
• Health clubs
• Social or country clubs
• Alumni groups

Home Services

• Pool Services
• Lawn / Garden Services
• Housecleaning Services
• Pest control company
• Delivery services

Periodicals

• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Online delivery subscriptions & shipping addresses (i.e. Amazon.com, Netflix, Ebay)
• Book and Music Clubs

Helpful Tool

One final recommendation: A handy tool is Updater.com.  This website offers an easy form for you to fill out, print out, and bring to your post office.

Coordinating the timing of deliveries for interstate moves is often the trickiest part of the relocation process.  Many moving newbies often imagine the truck and crew driving directly from their origin home to their new home.

When your moving consultant gives you the estimate for your interstate move, the delivery date will always be listed as a delivery spread.  The truck will arrive at your destination address between these dates.  Delivery spreads can range from 1 to 14 days for interstate moves.  This is standard practice across the industry.

Your moving company cannot guarantee a delivery date because there are almost always multiple customers’ shipments on each truck.   Moving would be much more expensive for both the customer and the moving company if a driver was bringing just one customer’s things from Virginia to California.  If a driver also picks up a customer going from Virginia to Arizona and another from Arkansas to New Mexico, the move is much more cost effective for everyone.

However, the timeline of moving can be unpredictable.  Between the day you book your move and your delivery day, the vanline could add more customers to your drivers’ itinerary, or the pick up or drop off of another customer’s items could take more time than expected.  Therefore, it is very difficult to know the exact day of the driver’s arrival in advance.

There are many factors that affect the length of your delivery spread, the most common being:

• The distance between your old and new addresses (the more the miles, the longer the spread)
• The time of year (delivery spreads tend to be longer and more unpredictable in the busy summer months)
• The weight of your shipment (the more things you’re moving, the shorter the spread)

The driver will call you 1-2 days in advance to let you know the exact date of your delivery.  Meanwhile, your moving coordinator will do their best to keep you updated on the delivery date.   However, even the coordinator often does not know the exact day of delivery, even after the crew has picked everything up from your former home.

The best way to control your delivery date is by changing the date you can control:  the loading date.  If you change the loading date, the dates of the delivery spread will also change correspondingly.  However, it is not advised to change your loading date after you book your move.

It is also a good idea to remain flexible during the delivery spread dates so you are free to accept the delivery on any of those days.  If there are any days in the delivery spread that you will be unavailable to meet the movers for whatever reason, always make a back up plan at the time of booking for someone else to meet the truck on those days.

Click here to read more tips for interstate moving.

Avoiding the snow is one of the reasons most choose to move in the summer.  As year round movers in Boston, MA and Washington, DC we’ve seen our share of Nor’easters and chilly days.  Our crews are tough and always persevere through whatever Mother Nature throws our way, but customers can take a few simple steps to make the movers more comfortable, expedite the move, and even save a little money while moving in the cold and snow.

Keep in touch with your movers.  If you know some brutal wintery conditions are coming your way, feel free to call your moving coordinator with your concerns.  If you have the flexibility, it might be possible to shift the dates of local moves and services to avoid the snow.  It is extremely rare for Olympia to close the office due to weather, and we will certainly contact you with as much notice as possible if this is the case.

Shovel before the crew arrives.  Our crew members are more than happy to do all the necessary shoveling for you, but adding the task of shoveling adds time and money to your move.  If you want to avoid those charges, it’s best to get rid of the snow before the truck arrives.  Be sure to clear a spot for the truck to park, either in the driveway or street, as well as pathways for the crew between the truck and the entrances.

Salt the pathways.  It is extremely important for the crew to keep their balance while they are carrying your precious furniture in slippery and icy conditions.  The crew will bring salt, but the sooner the pathways are salted, the sooner it is safe for the crew to start loading the truck.  Therefore, like shoveling, it’s helpful to put salt down prior to the movers’ arrival.

Turn down the heat.  As the crew comes in and out, the door will be open to the cold air for a good portion of the move.  Additionally, it’s uncomfortable for the bundled up movers to come into a toasty house from the cold.  By putting on a jacket and turning down the heat, you’ll save a little money on wasted heat and put the crew at ease.

Floor protection.  Snow, mud, slush, and salt can lead to a mess under movers’ boots.  Therefore, in the winter, we always put down extra floor protection to protect your home from a mess.  If you have extra mats, put them by the door to help the crew clean their boots before entering your home.

Go for a Dunkin’ Donuts run.  Chilly movers will never say no to warm coffee!

Sometimes moving isn’t as simple as going from point A to point B, and there need to be a few extra stops in between.  Common pick-up or delivery extra stops include self-storage units, a friend or relative’s residence, or an office.  Adding more elements to your move does not have to add confusion as long as you’re prepared.  Here are a few things you should keep in mind:

If you have extra pick-ups in your move that are beyond a few furniture pieces, let your moving company know while you’re setting up a survey appointment.  Your moving consultant may want to view the extra stop during the survey.  Seeing the rest of your household goods and the access at the extra stop location will help him give you a more accurate estimate and prepare the crew for the move.

For extra deliveries, give your moving coordinator a list of the items and boxes to be dropped off there before move day.  This will help the crew better organize and avoid delivering items to the incorrect location.  If your extra delivery is more than a few pieces, ask the crew to bring different colored stickers to label the items before they’re put on the truck, a separate color for each delivery location.

If your extra stop is a self-storage facility, call the facility beforehand for hours and moving truck rules.  If you are not accompanying the crew to the storage facility, let the facility know beforehand that you are sending a moving crew, and be sure the crew has any necessary keys or combination codes.

Adding extra stops is relatively easy for both local and interstate moves providing that the extra stop is relatively close to the origin or destination address.  However, adding extra stops in different cities during an interstate move can add complexity and expense.  Be sure to discuss thoroughly with your moving consultant and coordinator.

Be sure to confirm with your move coordinator which stop the crew should arrive to first on moving day.