Olympia manned the Give N’ Go stations on the Bentley University campus

Summer is the season when students from local schools, colleges and universities take time off to relax before next year…but for Olympia Office Movers, our “busy season” begins!

Each summer Olympia spends a significant amount of time in area schools and on campuses assisting staff with renovations, special projects or moves. As usual, this year runs the gamut!

For full school moves, Olympia will be assisting Harborlight-Stoneridge Montessori School move and decommission the existing Stoneridge campus in Beverly to merge it with the Harborlight campus.

As for special projects, Olympia is proud to assist Bentley University this year with their Give ‘N Go program. Olympia is helping to collect unwanted items from departing students and deliver them to local charities.

Of course, many ask about one of our biggest projects of the year – the Northeastern University Move In and Move Out assistance. At the end of each school year, and the beginning of the next, Olympia sends a small army of movers to assist the students and parents with the loading/unloading process.

Do you need help preparing for a renovation or another type of commercial move? Please feel free to contact Rob Weeks in commercial business development at rweeks@olympiamoving.com or visit this link to set up a free estimate.  We’d welcome the opportunity to discuss our services with you.

Read more about Olympia’s commercial moving experiences

PDF version of this newsletter

Happy National Moving Month from Olympia Moving & Storage!

May kicks off the summer moving season.  Due to school vacation and good weather, the majority of moves take place from May through September.

Movers have a lot to celebrate this May.  Over 36 million Americans relocated in 2012, and the 2013 moving season is expected to be even busier.  Thanks to organizations like the American Moving & Storage Association, the industry has made great progress protecting consumers by weeding out “rogue” movers and helping relocating Americans find not just reputable companies, but companies that will deliver a great experience.  Many movers are also planning for the future.  By integrating mobile phones, tablets, and web resources into the relocation process, moving companies are making your move more efficient and a better customer experience.

Here at the Olympia offices it’s no question that moving season has arrived!  The phones are ringing off the hook and the schedule is quickly booking up.

Every summer our staff works long hours to accommodate as many Olympia customers as possible.  As we transition into the moving season, we always like to remind our customers of a few key steps they can take to ensure their move is executed as planned:

1. Plan Early

Contact Olympia early in the process to ensure availability.  Each company only has so many trucks and crew members available, so the most coveted moving dates can fill up as far as a month in advance!  If you’re moving at the beginning or end of the month, pay special attention to this tip, as those dates are the first to reach capacity.

2.  Protect Your Move

While there are several excellent moving companies in Greater Boston & Washington DC areas, there are also a host of bad movers. Your clients should understand that when it comes to moving, price and value are not synonymous.  Make sure the moving company you select is registered, licensed, and insured on protectyourmove.gov.  You can also check that the moving company is reputable by checking out their BBB.org profile.

3.  Use Resources

To mitigate stress, utilize Olympia’s extensive moving resource center to guide you through every step of the relocation process.  You can find dozens of articles and videos on every moving-related topic, including moving tips, packing tips, choosing a mover, and protecting your move.

4.  Communicate

Effective communication, planning, and preparation are essential to a successful move.  Keep in touch with your move coordinator as you have questions and changes for your move.  It’s important to give as much notice as possible for changes in the move plan, such as shifting dates, adding extra stops, large changes in the size of your shipment, and requesting packing help.

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?

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?

Root Cause is sharing their excitement about their new space on their Facebook

Root Cause is a non-profit research and consulting firm that works to advance solutions to today’s toughest social issues. They also recently selected Olympia Moving & Storage to relocate their corporate offices from Cambridge to Boston.

Olympia did double duty for this job. Root Cause decided to purchase new furniture from local furniture vendor National Premier Partners, who in turn hired Olympia to deliver and install the new workstations, seating, and conference furniture.

Olympia used our own in-house installation team to set up the new work spaces from National Premier Partners.

Upon successful completion of the move, Root Cause realized there was a substantial amount of old furniture and items that no longer had value. Olympia was hired again, this time to provide Disposal Services using our partnerships with local recycling centers.

Root Cause is now comfortably in their new space, enjoying their new furniture, and Olympia Moving & Storage was happy we could help on many levels! Says Tania Green, Root Cause’s Marketing and Communications Manager, “The Olympia team far exceeded our expectations; their thorough communication, flexibility, and friendly movers make the experience hassle-free. We were able to focus on the excitement of moving to a new space rather than the stress of getting there.”

Do you need help preparing for an office move or another type of commercial move? Please feel free to contact Rob Weeks in commercial business development at rweeks@olympiamoving.com or visit this link to set up a free estimate.  We’d welcome the opportunity to discuss our services with you.

Read more about Olympia’s commercial moving experiences

PDF version of this newsletter

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

Olympia on the job at Fort Belvoir

Olympia Moving & Storage is at it again! For the past three months our commercial movers out of Alexandria, VA have been working with a military logistics firm at Fort Myer in Arlington, VA. The project was to assist with renovating a 50 room hotel on Fort Myer.

This project has Olympia using its full menu of commercial moving services: warehousing, deliveries, installation, and debris removal.

Olympia received all of the new furniture for this project at our warehouse, and over the past several months we worked to ensure the renovation went as smoothly as possible.

Brock, a site foreman on the job, said “I have worked on similar projects across the country and Olympia has been by far the easiest to work with.  We get what we need from them when we need it and couldn’t ask for more.”

Recently, Olympia has been asked to assist with a similar but much larger project at Fort Belvoir. This project will certainly be a welcome challenge and our staff will no doubt handle it with the professionalism and competence we demonstrate on every commercial move!

Do you need help preparing for a renovation or another type of commercial move? Please feel free to contact Rob Weeks in commercial business development at rweeks@olympiamoving.com or visit this link to set up a free estimate.  We’d welcome the opportunity to discuss our services with you.

Read more about Olympia’s commercial moving experiences

PDF version of this newsletter

Dennis, who is also a local realtor, interviewed sales manager Frank Landino and marketing manager Rachael Fischer about their experiences in the moving & storage industry.

Thank you to Dennis Ready and the Town Talk team for inviting us on the show! Town Talk airs Wednesdays at 8:30 on CTM TV in Chelmsford, Lowell, Westford, and Dracut (http://chelmsfordtv.org/).

Olympia Moving & Storage is a professional moving company operating out of Greater Boston & Washington D.C. area.  Request a free estimate for your upcoming move.

Last week we highlighted the 5 fastest-growing neighborhoods in Boston, MA.  This week we turn to the trends in our second location, Washington DC.

Population growth in Washington DC has been booming lately.  It’s estimated that since the census was conducted in 2010, Washington DC’s growth rate is higher than any other state.  Unlike many other established American cities, Washington DC seems to be on a path to healthy and brisk population increase over the next few years.  However, some neighborhoods are growing significantly faster than others.  If you’re one of many moving to the DC area in the near future, looking at the fastest-growing Washington DC neighborhoods is a great first step to finding your new home.

(All numbers refer to neighborhood cluster growth between 2000 and 2010, source)

Downtown, Chinatown, Penn Quarters, Mount Vernon Square, North Capitol Street, 58% growth

Almost 5,000 more people moved downtown, resulting in a staggering population boom.  This area also features many new institutions, business, and shops.

West End, Foggy Bottom, GWU, 38% growth

This area is booming with development, especially with many new luxury condos coming to the neighborhood.

Southeast, Navy Yard, 23% growth

The Navy Yard Southeast is seeing a lot of commercial and residential re-development including office parks, the new Nationals stadium, new Marine barracks, and more.

Howard University, Le Droit Park, Cardozo/Shaw, 20% growth

These neighborhoods are known for diverse populations, featuring Howard University and “Little Ethiopia.”

Woodland/Fort Stanton, Garfield Heights, Knox Hill, 18% growth

Long known as impoverished neighborhoods, this area is becoming one of the Southeast’s up-and-coming locations, especially with development in Garfield Heights.

Of course, after you find the perfect DC neighborhood, it’s time to find  the perfect DC mover!  Olympia Moving & Storage has a lot of experience moving our clients in all these areas!  If you’re looking to move to one of these neighborhoods, or anywhere else in the greater DC area, click here to request a free estimate!

Moving in Boston & DC Resources

Moving in or out of Alexandria ,VA

How to Get a Parking Permit

Boston might not be one of the fastest growing cities in the country, after all, the city has been around since 1630!  The city grew just 5% between 2000 and 2010 according to latest census data.  However, there’s still a lot of Boston moving, and some Boston neighborhoods are growing faster than others.  Recent neighborhood growth trends are often a pretty good indicator of which areas are up-and-coming and a great place to make a home.  If you’re looking to move in Boston, these five neighborhoods might be a good place to start:

(All numbers refer to neighborhood growth between 2000 and 2010, according to boston.com)

Downtown Boston, 46% growth

Downtown, which includes Chinatown and the Leather District, is by far the fastest-growing area in Boston.  This neighborhood boasted 5,000 more residents in 2010 than it did on 2000.

Fenway/Kenmore, 15% growth

Though growth in Fenway lags far behind downtown, its second place spot definitely points to a surge of vitality in this neighborhood.  It’s easy to see why, who wouldn’t want easy access to the Red Sox and Fenway?

Allston, 14% growth

A popular neighborhood with students and young professionals, growth in Allston is an indicator of the strength of Boston’s young population, thanks to the city’s many universities.

Roxbury/Mission Hill, 14% growth

The advancement of Longwood Medical Center may be a factor in this area’s growth.

South End/Bay Village, 12% growth

Home to some of the hippest new shops, restaurants, and bars, the South End will definitely continue to be attractive to new residents.

Of course, after you find the perfect neighborhood, it’s time to find the perfect Boston mover!  Olympia Moving & Storage has a lot of experience moving our clients in all these areas!  If you’re looking to move to one of these neighborhoods, or anywhere else in the greater Boston area, click here to request a free estimate!

Moving in Boston & DC Resources

Surviving September 1st in Boston

Things to Consider When Moving To and From Boston