The best social media buzz on Allston Christmas 2019

In Boston, the end of summer is marked by a city-wide holiday. No, not Labor Day. September 1st is Allston Christmas, the day that 79% of leases turn over in the city, resulting in a gridlock of moving trucks and sidewalks littered with abandoned trash. As a Boston moving company, the folks at Olympia Moving & Storage are Allston Christmas experts. We have 25 of of them under our belt. This year we teamed up with NBC 10 Boston to educate the city about the dangers of driving a moving truck on Storrow Drive.

Per usual, Boston’s residents took to Twitter and Instagram to share their moving pains, celebrate their curbside finds, and ask the void – what the heck is going on out there?

The Best Tweets & Instagrams of Allston Christmas 2019

Allston Christmas is a holiday highly anticipated across the city

The season was ushered in with carols

Some tried to avoid moving in Boston altogether

Not sure which was more coveted this year, a new coffee table on the sidewalk, or these two excellent beer releases by Harpoon Brewery and Trillium Brewing

Sleighs & rental trucks took to the streets to spread good cheer

Not all Allston Christmas finds are merry, some are better left for Allston Christmas Boxing Day

When your Allston Christmas move is over, just remember that moving companies have to go through this every day. Olympia contributed to Boston Magazine’s compilation of funny and touching stories from Boston moving companies.

Whether you’re moving on Allston Christmas 2020 or any other time of year, contact Boston moving company Olympia Moving & Storage for a free moving estimate, or give a ring at 800-222-4744.

Happy Allston Christmas 2018 from the Bostonians of Twitter & Instagram

The most wonderful time of the year is here again! The signs of the season are everywhere: old mattresses piled on the sidewalks, gridlocked streets filled with rental trucks, and a near-crash for a truck on Storrow Drive. Olympia Moving & Storage is still in the midst of our busiest weekend of the year. In addition to the 40 moves we’re completing daily, you can find us working on the Northeastern campus, moving thousands of new and returning students into their dorms.

Whether you were moving with Olympia or not, we wanted to help everyone have a merry Boston moving day. We posted PSAs on the back of the iconic Olympia trucks, reminding drivers that they can NOT bring trucks onto Storrow Drive. Olympia also created an Allston Christmas survival guide, with advice from the experts to make a September 1st move a success. Olympia has conquered over 25 Allston Christmases, so we know how to navigate the chaos.

With 79% of Boston leases turning over on the same date, it certainly is chaos. According the Boston Globe, more than 138,000 students return to the city and about 2,000 U-Hauls will be on the road this weekend. You can count on the citizens of Boston to document the experience.

Funniest Tweets and Instagrams Allston Christmas 2018

Garbage, as far as they eye can see

It's the most wonderful time of the year #allstonchristmas #trashqueen

A post shared by Heather Rick (@hijabipunx) on

RIP 20 Pratt

A post shared by Jon Nemergut (@jonnemergut) on

Allston Christmas 🎄

A post shared by Diana Espina (@diana_valentina8) on

And so the madness ensues #allstonchristmas @kayvonthefggt

A post shared by Ardvark (@archienema) on

Rental trucks galore

When a Uhaul wasn’t an option, some found innovative solutions

There were a few close calls

But it turns out bridges on Storrow aren’t the only danger

The city and local companies tried to lend a hand

And of course, some much-needed memes

If you need to move in Boston any time of year, Olympia Moving & Storage is here to help. Give us a call at 617-926-5555 or get an instant quote on our website.

Olympia Moving & Storage Acquires Austin Moving Company

American Relocation and Storage’s warehouse located in Austin, TX

For Immediate Release:

AUSTIN, TX – Olympia Moving & Storage, a rapidly growing company headquartered in Boston, MA, added its fourth location by acquiring Austin-based American Relocation & Storage Systems on March 1st.

American Relocation, an interstate agent for Wheaton Van Lines, has been relocating families and businesses for nearly six decades. The company, located in North Austin, will transition to the Olympia Moving & Storage brand, making Olympia the largest Wheaton Van Lines agent. Olympia will offer Austin families local, interstate, and international moving services. The company also plans to expand their commercial division in Austin.

“We are really excited about this acquisition,” says Michael Gilmartin, Founder & CEO of Olympia Moving & Storage. “There was already a great team in place, and with our investment and support, I am confident we can be successful in this market.”  Gilmartin believes, based upon the company’s history, that Olympia will add 15-20 jobs in 2018.

Olympia is a leading provider of moving services in the Northeast and has tripled in size in the past 8 years.  In 2017 the company relocated 8,000 families.

“Olympia keeps growing because we are committed to getting it right. There is no secret algorithm, it is all about understanding our customer’s needs, being accountable, and holding ourselves to a higher standard. Our team understands this and it is reflected in our performance,” says Gilmartin.

Olympia’s success is based on a 25-year history and an impressive service record that includes an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and recognition as an Angie’s List Super Service Award recipient. The company places a premium on hiring, training, and technology with the goal of providing the same high level of service across their entire footprint.

“Last year 95% of our customers said they would move with us again, the result of really listening to our clients and focusing on every detail. This is a great reflection of what we are capable of,” says Gilmartin. “My goal is to redefine the moving industry, and I am looking forward to showing Austin that there’s a better way to move.”

About Olympia Moving & Storage

Olympia Moving & Storage is a full-service moving company in Boston MA, Washington DC, Philadelphia PA, and Austin TX. Since its inception in 1993, Olympia has built an unparalleled reputation for delivering exceptional local moving, interstate moving and international moving services. In addition to residential moves, Olympia offers specialized services for companies preparing for an office or commercial move. Olympia Moving is the preferred mover for numerous universities, law firms and real estate organizations. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our 95% customer satisfaction rate and our numerous awards. For more information, visit http://www.olympiamoving.com or call 800-222-4744.

Media Contact:

Rachael Lyons | 617.231.1290 | [email protected]

The best social media buzz this Allston Christmas 2017

As another September 1st Boston Move In Day (a.k.a. Allston Christmas) comes to an end, the team at Olympia Moving & Storage is taking a collective sigh of relief. While today, when 79% of Boston’s leases turn over, means moving chaos for the city, for moving companies Labor Day weekend marks the end of the high volume summer season. We anticipate continuing our hard work through the rest of the year, but Olympia Moving & Storage is looking forward to a moment of R&R after working at capacity all summer!

Meanwhile, the rest of Boston is not used to moving being an integral part of their daily lives, and took to Twitter and Instagram this week to complain, meme, and post their curbside finds. Although a weekend of gridlocked moving trucks is annoying, the results are certainly entertaining!

There were big messes

#allstonchristmas or the barricade from Les Mis?

A post shared by Michelle Tan (@michltan) on

And strange sights

Ted went on a bender and didn’t resign the lease. #allstonchristmas

A post shared by haskellhoff (@haskellhoff) on

A few local celebrities stopped by to help celebrate

Folks tried every maneuver and technique necessary to move their belongings in

Solid find! These guys are winning. #allstonchristmas #allstonrockcity

A post shared by Kim Maroon (@kmaroon) on

Some Allston residents were rewarded with great Allston Christmas gift finds

Santa is abandoned in a bucket on #AllstonChristmas

A post shared by Scooter Burch (@havartifreak) on

#allstonchristmas

A post shared by Dianne Jennings (@msjendi) on

A lonely abandoned bong waits to bee adopted atop a trash bin on #AllstonChristmas

A post shared by Scooter Burch (@havartifreak) on

Residents and companies alike celebrated in their own ways

From the top ropes!!!! #wwesuperstar #allstonchristmas

A post shared by Dan Galanto (@letsdolegs) on

And some are just over it!

This Allston Christmas Olympia Moving & Storage was honored by a visit from Boston Magazine, who rode along with our crew this morning to see what the “holiday” is like through the eyes of movers.

What It’s Like to Be a Mover in Boston on September 1
“This is almost like our Super Bowl.”

Whether you’re moving next Allston Christmas or any other day of the year, give Boston moving company Olympia Moving & Storage a call at 800-222-4744 or request an estimate online.

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Olympia Donates Logistics to Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games for the Fifth Year

Olympia’s volunteerism at Special Olympics Summer games has become cemented in Olympia culture as an annual tradition. This June marked the fifth year of Olympia’s partnership with the organization, with Summer Games as the hallmark event for Olympia’s work with athletes with intellectual disabilities.

The event requires the donation of over 350 man-hours from our crew to transport equipment, move athletes in and out of their weekend accommodations, manage luggage, and break down the event. The Olympia team always looks forward to this opportunity to meet the athletes and play a small role in making their biggest competition of the year a success.

Our team assists in the whole week leading up to the games, picking up the equipment, food, and supplies for the competition.

The excitement then truly begins the day of the Game’s opening ceremonies, when the athletes arrive at the event.  They are greeted by the Olympia Movers, who valet their luggage to their dorms.

Between competitions, Olympia’s “Are You Stronger Than An Olympia Mover?” hi-striker game has becoming a big hit with the athletes and their families – an impressive number have proved their strength by hitting the bell!

Loading the move-out luggage on to the truck

The weekend concludes with event break-down (including extremely heavy gymnastics equipment!) athlete-move out, luggage sorting, and delivering the luggage to families as they depart for home. We love asking athletes to show us their well-earned medals from the weekend!

We’re looking forward to participating in Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games next year and for many years to come!

To learn more about our year-round partnership with Special Olympics, visit http://www.olympiamoving.com/specialolympics

What Not to Pack When Moving

The benefit of working with the moving company is not having to worry about transporting your items. However, from liability, convenience, and peace of mind standpoint, there are several items that you should transport to your new home in your own vehicle. While you’re packing, place these items and boxes in a separate part of your house to ensure the movers don’t load them into the truck by accident. You can even ask your movers to load these items into your own car or vehicle for you.

The essentials for your first night

After a long day of moving, there is nothing worse than opening all your boxes to find your bed sheets, phone charger, and toilet paper. We highly recommend packing a first night box, full of things you will need to during the first few days in your new home. These items might include:

  • Clothes
  • Toiletries
  • Linens
  • Electronics & chargers
  • Keys

Click here to read our blog on the first night box and download and handy checklist to help you pack it.

Hazardous items that are illegal to ship on a moving truck

For the safety of your shipment, there are several items that are illegal to move on our moving trucks. These items are flammable or combustible, so they cannot be moved on the truck as a safety precaution to prevent fires. Other items, such as cleaning agents and bleach, are both flammable and if they leak they could potentially ruin your furniture on the shipment. Be sure to discard these items before your move or move them in your own vehicle.

  • Aerosol cans regardless of content
  • Heating agents such as Sterno
  • Nail polish/remover
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Any type of gas in bottles or tanks including propane or oxygen (we can move lawnmowers etc. if the gas tank is empty)
  • Paints, varnishes, solvents, thinners and oils
  • Ammonia, bleach and other household cleaning agents
  • Chlorine granules or powder
  • Muriatic acid (also called hydrochloric acid)
  • Auto batteries
  • Charcoal/lighter fluid
  • Matches and lighters
  • Ammunition
  • Fireworks & flares
  • Fertilizer
  • Any other combustible product

Valuables, medication, and important documents

Although the crew is trustworthy and careful, we recommend transporting your small valuables and irreplaceable items as well as items that contain personal information in your own vehicle. Also remember to pack items that you may need during the course of your move, such as medication, closing documents, and laptops, to take on your own. Items that should not be moved on the truck include:

  • Valuable Jewelry
  • Cash, gift cards, and checkbooks
  • Guns and firearms
  • Valuable furs
  • Hard-to-replace documents such as birth & death certificates, marriage certificates, deeds and other important documents
  • Documents you may need for your closing
  • Laptops or computer hard drives
  • Social security cards
  • Insurance policies
  • Ashes
  • Passports
  • Stocks, bonds, and securities
  • Valuable collections such as wine or stamps or coins
  • Family photos and videos
  • Small heirlooms

Also, don’t forget, any items that are moved on the truck that exceed a value of $5,000 should be noted on a Declaration of Extraordinary Value form.

Perishable items

If you are doing a multi-day or long-distance move, there are many items that should not be moved on the truck because they may be ruined in transit due to temperature changes on the truck. These items include:

  • Frozen/refrigerated food
  • Plants and potted trees
  • Open non-perishable food items
  • Wine (click here for our blog on wine transport alternatives)

Transporting these items on your own will go a long way in preventing issues and ensuring you have a smooth relocation. If  you ever have any questions about what can or cannot be moved, you can ask your relocation coordinator.

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Infographic to help you plan a painless Boston move

DOWNLOAD this Boston move planning infographic!

DOWNLOAD Washington DC version

DOWNLOAD Philadelphia version

While May marks the transition to summer, for many Boston-area families, May also means it is time to start planning a move. May is National Moving Month, or the beginning of moving season. About 35 million Americans will move this year, about 11% of the population, and nearly a third of the those moves will occur during the summer. This is especially true in New England, where relocation is heavily influenced by weather and school schedules.

Local Boston moving companies, such as Olympia Moving & Storage, see a tremendous increase in moving requests beginning in May. Moving season in Boston runs from May through September, with the most moves occurring the last week in August, when the students return, and the last week of June, just after school finishes. Boston families planning a move to avoid those weeks if possible, to avoid increased hassle and higher costs.

Olympia Moving & Storage uses National Moving Month as an opportunity to educate local consumers about the relocation process. In honor of National Moving Month, Olympia Moving created a handy infographic to help Greater-Boston families plan their move. Olympia designed the infographic to help consumers find a mover they can trust, as well as take the mystery out of the planning process.

With the right moving company, good communication, and proper planning, the move will go smoothly and your family will be enjoying their new home in no time.

Planning a vehicle relocation with your move: Advice from ReloTrans

If you are moving interstate, you may require the help of more than just a moving company to complete your relocation. If you are flying to your new home, or only able to drive one of multiple cars, you may need to include vehicle transportation services in your move planning.

We asked our partners at ReloTrans®, a leading, independent provider of vehicle and specialty transportation services, focused exclusively on managed relocation, to share some advice with our customers who are need to plan a vehicle relocation with their move. With more than 14 years of experience in transportation, ReloTrans® had few tips for those embarking on a move and for those on the corporate side selecting third party service providers.

What’s a common mistake families make when planning a car transportation?

Vehicle transportation is very different from the process of shipping the family’s household goods and that is one of the most important distinctions that needs to be understood from the onset.

For household goods, the family’s items are typically on the truck alone or one of maybe two shipments, so the pick-up and delivery dates are more easily defined. With vehicle transportation the family’s car or cars are one/two of many on a car carrier, so the driver must make numerous stops both for pick-up and for delivery along the way. Because of this, it’s important, and we stress this with the transferees that we work with, to note that the car carrier is not going directly from point A to point B; they’re not going directly from the family’s existing home to their new one. Helping the transferee understand the spreads (range of dates) for pick-up and especially delivery are key.

One of the other major keys for a transferee to understand is that most often vehicles are being moved in an open air truck, or car carrier, whereas household goods are moved in an enclosed truck. This presents two additional differences that transferees need to understand.

  1. Because household goods trucks are contained, they can often get into tighter areas where car carriers cannot due to the risk of damaging the vehicles on the top row of the car carrier.
  2. Vehicles traveling on an open air car carrier are exposed to the elements, such as rain, road dust, etc., so it’s important to remind the transferee that their vehicle will likely need to be washed once it’s delivered.

Finally, and this is one that we review with every transferee, is the restriction that they cannot place items in their car for shipment. We’re often asked about this and it’s due to insurance regulations, but personal items, sporting goods, food, plants, etc., cannot be shipped in the vehicle. All household goods items must be shipped through the household goods carrier or carried on person during the final move trip.

How does ReloTrans utilize technology to differentiate ourselves from other transportation companies?

ReloTrans has a proprietary, cloud based, eTrans™ technology solution that provides all transferees with unprecedented real-time access to their comprehensive move data. Through eTrans, transferees have the ability to complete a pre-move assessment, check on the status of their move, track their vehicle, reach their Relocation Coordinator, and check the status of a claim.

Leveraging eTrans and our one-to-one counseling we tailor our experience to each transferee, based on their individual communication preferences. During our initial conversation with the transferee, we ask them about their communication preferences (telephone, email, SMS text messaging) and we align our process with those preferences. If they prefer more than one, then we make that happen. As a service based business, specializing in relocation, we understand that communication is key and we’ve invested in tools and training to ensure that ours is best-in-class.

ReloTrans works with a lot of moving companies, what are some qualities families should look for in a mover?

The moving industry is more competitive than ever today and there are many companies offering low cost, discount services. Buyer beware, because like many things, you may be getting what you pay for. Our best advice for anyone looking for a mover or transportation service is to do your research.

  • Conduct online research.
  • Did they come recommended? If not, seek out recommendations.
  • Review any and all estimates in detail.
  • Speak with them either on the phone or in person.
  • Ask about their communications processes, their support, insurance, and online tracking resources.

Responsiveness, attention to detail and excellent follow through on commitments are all qualities we pride ourselves on ReloTrans. There are many companies competing for relocation business these days, but not all of them are willing to put forth the customer service that makes a difference during this important and what could potentially turn into a stressful time in a relocating family’s life.

You can learn more about ReloTrans at http://relotrans.com 

Ready to plan your move with vehicle transport? Request a free moving estimate and select “car transport” under additional services.

Olympia Moving & Storage Launches New Website

Just in time for moving season, Olympia Moving & Storage is so excited to re-launch their website; olympiamoving.com

The Olympia team worked on the new website for almost a year, and it is their most major website upgrade yet. As almost all our customers utilize the Olympia website to plan their move, get moving estimates, and learn more about this Boston-based moving company, Olympia wanted to overhaul and streamline the entire online experience for their clients.

The new website features:

  • A sleek, modern design that’s equally beautiful and functional on mobile devices. This was essential, as more and more of our clients are now planning their move on their phone.
  • Simplified navigation, designed to guide clients through the site to plan a move customized to their needs.
  • A complete content rewrite, clarifying and eliminating fluff to ensure that all the pages are valuable and setting the table for a transparent, guided moving experience for our clients.
  • Olympia’s industry-famous Move Planning Center has a new look and more content than ever, including a new How to Pack video series, easy access to The Olympia Move Portal (where clients can track and manage their move online), and address change tools.

This website launch is only the first phase to the changes coming to olympiamoving.com, with a new commercial website and online estimate experience coming later this year.

Special Olympics Team USA Departs for World Games With Help From Olympia Moving & Storage

Victor & Nick of Olympia Moving & Storage welcome the Special Olympics World Games athletes at the airport

Over the weekend, athletes with intellectual disabilities from all over the country flew to Washington DC for final preparations for their most anticipated event of the year: World Winter Games Austria 2017. The athletes have been training all year to complete in one of the biggest sporting events in the world, featuring 2700 athletes from 107 countries.

Upon arrival in Washington DC, Special Olympics Team USA was greeted by the professional movers of Olympia Moving & Storage, a leading Washington DC moving company. The Olympia Movers welcomed the team as they arrived and loaded their sports equipment for transportation and storage while they were in DC.

On Monday, the Olympia Moving truck filled with the athletes’ equipment joined the police escort to transport to Dulles airport for their departure to Austria in style. Cheerleaders, fans with signs, law enforcement, and the Olympia Movers were all there to cheer for Special Olympics Team USA and wish them luck at the Games.

This logistics donation was just one part of Olympia Moving & Storage’s sponsorship of Special Olympics. This is the Washington DC moving company’s fifth year donating services to the Virginia and Massachusetts teams for fund-raising events, sports competitions, office moves, and more.

“Through our work with Special Olympics, our team has seen firsthand what focus and dedication can accomplish” says Michael Gilmartin, Founder & CEO of Olympia Moving & Storage. “Our crew loves the opportunities to meet these athletes, and we were excited to play a small role in sending these athletes to compete on the world stage.”

Ellen Head, Director of Development for Special Olympics Virginia, who helped coordinate athlete send off said “Thank you to our long time Dulles Plane Pull partner Olympia Moving & Storage for helping Special Olympics USA get ready to head to Austria for the Special Olympics World Games 2017. You are just plain awesome!”

To learn more about Olympia’s sponsorship of Special Olympics, visit http://www.olympiamoving.com/specialolympics