4 Tips For Moving Into a Historic Home

Old homes are filled with character and rich histories. For many, old homes are just as much a part of their family history as a part of the story of their location. There are many wonderful benefits to moving into a historic home, but there are also unique challenges.

Olympia has moved many historic homes in Boston, Washington DC, and Philadelphia – where there are an abundance of antique properties. Olympia Moving & Storage knows how to move in or out of a historic home quickly and efficiently, and use the best practices for you and your new home.

These are Olympia’s tips for moving into your own piece of history.

Your Furniture Might Not Fit

An extra-deep sofa or a king-sized bed may not fit through the door of a historic home. Tight spaces like doors, hallways, and unusual corner rooms can spell disaster for the unprepared. Measure the doorways and halls of your destination in advance, as well as the dimensions of your furniture.

If you find that your furniture doesn’t fit, a professional moving crew can offer solutions. One option is to disassemble the furniture piece so it can move through the tight space without damage. Then, the team can reassemble the piece in its new location.

Another option is to hoist or crane large items through a window. The team can pad and protect both the furniture and the window frame, then either hoist up the piece using rope and a ladder. If window is three or more stories high, the movers can utilize a crane to lift the piece.

 

Prep For Low Energy Efficiency

Moving into a historic home means giving up modern energy efficiency–at least for a little while. 1800’s architects did not design homes with energy costs in mind. Because of this, energy-saving appliances and fixtures are good options to reduce unavoidable energy waste. Understand what sort of wiring and plumbing you are dealing with prior to moving in so you can decide whether an upgrade is in order.

 

 

 

 

 

Antique Protecting

Protecting original furniture and fixtures is key during your move. Packing or protective padding and coverings are required for large, delicate objects like pianos, grandfather clocks, and glass tables. Some items may even need custom crates or special servicing. Again, a professional moving crew is the best defense against undue damage to antiques. For more on protecting furniture, see our blog post Protecting Furniture During a Move.

 

 

 

 

Protecting Your Home

The features of a historic house are works of art. Doors, original door frames, floors, windows, stained glass must also be protected from damage during a move. For example, intricate wood carving on walls can be nicked by other pieces of furniture moving past them. A professional crew can also take steps to protect against these kinds of damage as well. For more information, see our blog post Materials Movers Use to Protect Furniture & Your Home.

 

 

 

 

 

Know Your Home

Understand the history of your home. There are many barriers to making renovations and restorations to a historic home. Check the National Register of Historic Places for more information about general ownership. Individual states also have their own preservation laws. Fully understanding the responsibility of owning an historic home requires some research, so don’t wait to get started.

If you are planning on moving into a historic home, contact Olympia Moving and Storage today at 800-222-4744 or fill out our free estimate form.

How To Add Value To Your House For Selling

When you’re moving, you may hesitate to put more money into your soon-to-be old home. This mistake will cut into your bottom-line, or even prevent your home from selling at all. Considering these 6 upgrades that are sure to sell your home and Follow these tips to upgrade your home and your listing price.

1. Decluttering!

First things first, to upgrade your home you need to get rid of all the junk hanging around the house. Clearer spaces make rooms look larger. Say goodbye to the old sports equipment and dried out art supplies. Start with the goal of cutting your stuff in half. Olympia Moving & Storage has a free storage promotion to help, learn more.

2. Give some TLC to your Kitchen counters

Redoing your kitchen counters is a game-changer. Making your kitchen look as clean and new as possible is essential to selling your home. Who wants to buy an old, crumb-riddled kitchen? An upgraded kitchen allows buyers to focus on the home’s real features, not the peeling linoleum counter tops.

3. Upgrade the Bathroom

Another upgrade to sell your home is a modern bathroom. Installing new, clean utilities can make a world of difference. At the very least, replacing the shower curtain and toilet seat can change how people view your home. Potential buyers will be admiring the bathroom upgrades, not a dirty, well-used restroom.

4. Lather up a Fresh Coat of Paint

To brighten your whole house, invest in a new coat of paint for the walls and trim. Choose a neutral color like white to give the buyers a blank canvas, or choose another neutral like cream or a light taupe to make the rooms seem bigger and more open. If you’re looking for something more colorful, check out these tips from Business Insider.

5. Install New Hardware on Cabinets

There is nothing like shiny silver hardware to light up a room. Remove dull and worn out hardware and head over to a hardware store to stock up on handles and knobs to upgrade your cabinets. The new installations will brighten up the room and create a new, finished perspective for your home.

6. Landscaping

Last but certainly not least, you must landscape your yard space. The exterior of the home is a buyer’s first impression, so it is important to impress. Mulch the gardens, mow the lawn, trim bushes, and edge the walkways. Do everything in your power to make your yard appear taken care of and welcoming – you want to invite buyers into your home, not scare them away with unruly plants and spotty grass.

 

If you don’t think you’ll be able to complete this by yourself, it is worth researching professionals who can help complete these upgrades that will sell your home. The more you put into your property, the higher you can list your house for!

Once you sell your home, give us a call at 800.222.4744 or fill out our form for a free moving estimate!

Protecting Furniture When Moving

Making sure nothing gets damaged is one of the most stressful parts of a move. It’s easy to think that solid items like tables and couches could not possibly break, but it’s important not to overlook protecting furniture when moving.

What You Need to Wrap and Protect Furniture

Before you get started, make sure you have these key materials. You can usually purchase these items from your local moving company, Uhaul, or hardware store:

  • Moving blankets
  • Rolls of shrink wrap
  • Many rolls of packing tape
  • Basic tool kit
  • Mattress bags

Protecting Tables and Chairs

To move a dining room or kitchen table, remove any leaves from the table top and wrap them separately.

The legs are the part of large furniture that damage the most! Avoid this by unscrewing and removing the legs. Make sure to keep all the screws safe in a plastic bag taped to the bottom of the table. If the legs fit well  together, wrap them in one blanket. If they are carved wood or have any detailing on them, wrap them separately for good measure.

To move chairs, set them on top of a moving blanket and fold the sides up onto the seat of the chair. Then fold the top over the chair back and the bottom up, securing the whole thing with tape.

Wrapping Upholstered Furniture

To move upholstered furniture, it is important to protect them from rip, tears, and stains. Use large pads or moving blankets to fully wrap a chair or couch. If the legs are detachable, you should detach them and wrap them safely into the chair so they stay together. Use packing tape to secure the pads around the chair or couch. If you hire professional movers, they will do this for you and supply all the pads needed to get all your furniture from point A to point B safely.

To pack a mattress you should wrap it in a plastic mattress bag if possible, and close the openings with packing tape. The plastic will keep bugs and dirt off of your mattress while it’s in transport and protect it from tears. Again, movers should have special bags for all your mattresses when they arrive to load the truck.

Protecting the Bedroom Furniture

Deconstruct wooden bed frames as much as possible, with the panels individually wrapped. Metal bed frames should be taken apart unless they are soldered together. If this is the case, wrap the frame in moving blankets so it doesn’t scratch or dent anything it comes in touch with in the truck or storage unit.

Wrap dressers with their drawers inside to avoid internal damage. Firmly secure all the drawers in place with moving blankets and tape. If its not too heavy, you can leave clothes folded in the dresser. Filling it will keep it from bumping around.

Protecting Furniture is Important!

If you are protecting furniture when moving, make sure to spend the time to do it right. It is easy to overlook, but not protecting the furniture is the cause of stress after the move. If you want to avoid broken parts and scratched table tops, spend some careful and quality time wrapping and padding your furniture.

When you hire Olympia Moving & Storage, you don’t need to worry about any of this. Wrapping and protecting furniture is part of every one of our moves. We provide all the pads, plastic wrap, and tape. We also have partial and full packing options available to add on to your move.

If you’re ready to hire a moving company, give us a call toll-free at 800.222.4744 or fill out our form online for a free estimate.

Preparing to Move Checklist

Preparing to move house may feel like an overwhelming chore, but if you approach it in a focused, organized way it can be a lot easier than you think.  You may not relish the thought of moving out but if you take these tips on board you’ll see how, with the proper planning and organization, you might even enjoy the process. After all, the door to your new house is waiting to be opened and that’s a cause for celebration.

This blog was written by Angela Pearse, a blogger for Zumper.com.

1. Should You Hire Movers or Move Yourself?

Olympia Moving Crew 11

If you’re looking for a simple solution for your moving woes, then it’s always worth hiring professional movers. Rather than getting frazzled about how you’re going to get your possessions from A to B, let the experts take care of it. Book them in, then all you have to worry about is getting your stuff packed up. Preparing to move is stressful enough, let the professionals deal with the rest.

2. Create a moving checklist

The reason people get stressed about moving is because they leave everything until the last minute and then there’s a mad rush to pack everything up. Start at least a month ahead of moving day and create a moving checklist of all the tasks that need to be done. Ticking off completed tasks week by week will make you feel in control and on top of your packing before the truck arrives. Follow this 9-week checklist for a smooth relocation.

3. Set-up a moving budget

Money, or lack of it, is also a common stress factor when moving out, so do up a list of all the costs involved in the move so you can make sure you have enough cash. Add things like the cost of the movers, packing boxes & tape, utility connection fees and the like. If you have a cat or dog will you need to house them in a kennel or cattery while the move takes place? Add this cost to your moving budget.

4. Transferring Your Information

You’ll need to notify your utility companies about your change of address well in advance so they have time to make the transfers. Not having power or gas when you first move in to a new house can make for a miserable few days while it gets sorted. Don’t forget to notify your employer, doctor, dentist and any other service providers you use, plus your family and friends, of your new address.

5. Measure the new place

While preparing to move, it’s easy to make assumptions that all your furniture will fit perfectly into a new house but sometimes this isn’t the case. It may not be practical to visit your new home to measure up spaces if it’s in another state, but if it’s local then it’s a good idea to do this. If your current furniture doesn’t fit you may need to sell what you have online and order new furniture, but knowing in advance will make things less stressful.

6. Sort through your stuff

You can eliminate two stress factors, lack of money and too much stuff, by sorting through your possessions and decluttering your house before you start packing. Paring down the amount of stuff you have when you’re preparing to move will make it easier to pack, and the less stuff you have, the less it will cost you to move it.

 7. Make hard decisions

Deciding what to keep and what to toss is a lot easier if you apply some rules to the proceedings, and make two piles ‘keep’ and ‘don’t keep’. For instance, to keep it you have to have worn it or used it once in the past year. A pile of tops you’ve worn once in the last five years will go in the ‘don’t keep’ pile, likewise so will a hand-me-down cake mixer from your sister you’ve never used.

 8. What to do with stuff you’re not keeping

Now that you’ve sorted through all your stuff and have items that you haven’t used or are unlikely to use and that are still in good shape, why not consider selling them online, donating them to charity, hosting a garage sale or recycling them? Selling what you can online will top up the amount you have in your moving budget, and donating to charity will make you feel good.

 9. Gather moving supplies

Now you’ve decluttered it’s time to start packing, but you’ll need moving supplies to do so. This includes packing boxes, bubble wrap, newspaper, packing tape, sticky labels and a marker pen. You could beg steal or borrow from friends but a much easier solution is simply to order what you need online.

 10. Pack and label boxes

Pack the items in each room, apart from the furniture, into boxes and label the boxes as you go. You may want to keep an itemized online spreadsheet for each box so you know what’s in it, and also for insurance purposes if anything goes missing.

Here are some takeaway tips to keep in mind to ensure you have a positive and rewarding moving experience.

  • Plan ahead and get organized early on
  • Clear out the clutter first
  • Sell or donate what you can
  • Ask for help from friends and family
  • Take time to say goodbye
  • Eat well and get enough sleep
  • Try to go with the flow

If you are ready to start the moving process, call for a free moving estimate at 800-222-4744 or request an estimate online.

Guide To Moving a Washer and Dryer

Moving a washer and dryer is a complicated process, and we often overlook specifics. Before you sell your home, decide whether you will be moving your appliances and make a plan. Often, sellers will decide to lump these large appliances into their closing instead. If you’re bringing your washer and dryer from your old house to your new home, follow these tips to safely and correctly prepare for moving a washer and dryer. Also keep in mind when moving a washer, it is an extremely heavy appliance and requires multiple people. However, depending on how accessible the appliance is, moving a dryer is much simpler as it weighs much less.

Steps to prepare moving a washing machine

Make sure you clean and safely pack your washer. Upack.com has great step-by-step instructions.  The most important detail is following the owner’s manual to secure the drum in place. It is very important to keep the drum stable, or else it will get destroyed on the moving truck. If the drum becomes compromised, your washer is as good as useless until you pay for an expensive repair. If you do not want to handle the drum yourself, a professional moving company can arrange this service for you.

To finish preparing the unit, safely disconnect the power and water. The water tubes may still have water in them, so be mindful for spills.  Place all the tubes inside the washer so they do not get lost. Duct tape the door shut as well as any openings or areas that need to be secured. Protect the unit by wrapping it with moving blankets or paper padding and strapping everything in place. Again, ask your moving company in advance if you need assistance with this process.

moving a washer and dryer

Steps to prepare moving a dryer

When moving a dryer, disconnect the power and gas if applicable, and disconnect the vent pipe. Secure all the cords to the dryer by wrapping the unit in shrink wrap.  If you are moving a dryer that is electric, it’s easy enough to unplug it from the wall, disconnect the vent and wrap and secure it to the body of the dryer.  If you have a gas dryer, you will need to contact a licensed plumber or work through your moving company as it can be extremely dangerous. In that case, ask your mover to plan this service for you. For step by step directions from Dolly.com, check out How to (Safely) Move a Washer and Dryer.

Other considerations for moving appliances

When planning,  consider the locations where you will be moving the washer/dryer in your new home. Will you have you lift it up or down a flight of stairs? Are you able to lift the machine? If there are doubts in your mind about being physically able to move them, you may want to enlist help from professions: moving a  washer and dryer is no small task.

At Olympia, we can manage this for you. If you’d like to avoid the added stress of prepping your washer and dryer unit, let your Olympia Move Coordinator know you will need help with these specialty items.

If you need to help moving a washer and dryer and/or the rest of your home, request a free moving estimate.

 

Checklist for Moving With Pets

Moving with pets is a tricky situation for everyone, but if you or your pet has little or no experience moving, it is important to do your best to keep the move stress-free. Obviously moving companies cannot move animals inside the truck; however they can arrange to ship your pets through specialized pet relocation companies. Here are some tips to keep your pet happy and healthy during the transition.

Find a pet-friendly home

First and foremost, make sure your new place allows pets. Some landlords, apartment buildings, condominiums, and communities do not allow animals.  Often these details fall through the cracks in a transaction, so make sure you ask the listing agent during your search if your specific type of animal is allowed at the residence. If you are moving with pets to a new state, it is a good idea to look into pet regulations with the state’s department of agriculture.

Get new ID tags

Just as you and your family will all need your identification updated, your pet will too! Before moving your pet, get an ID tag made with your new address and contact information. Have your pet wear both tags in the time leading up to your move.

Reduce moving with pets stress

Packing, moving, and unpacking into a new home is stressful for animals too! If Snickers is always underfoot while you’re trying to pack, set up a space in the house where they won’t be bothered. Start packing far in advance. If you need to make interior changes to your home, like painting walls or rearranging furniture, do it over multiple days rather than all at once. Pets are very sensitive to sudden changes and will not react well if everything they know is different. Pay attention to your pet during this process. Keep feeding, walking, and play times as consistent as possible.

Pack an overnight box for the pet

Pack enough food, litter, treats, toys, and medications to get your pet through several days after the move. You won’t be able to fully unpack in one day, so make sure you have everything available to make your pet feel at home. If you need help packing your own first night box, check out our tips on what to pack for the first night. 

Moving day

The big day you have been waiting for has arrived! To avoid adding stress for yourself and your pet, see if you can arrange for Fido and Bubbles to stay with a friend, relative, or neighbor while the crew packs and loads the truck. This will also avoid any safety concerns for the crew, your pet, and your belongings! The less time you and the crew have to worry  about tripping over the dog, the more time and money you can save on your move.

Transporting your pet to their new home

If moving by car, be sure to bring food and water. Bring more than you think you’ll need, in case of delays, traffic, lunch stops, or any other unforeseen circumstance. If you will be staying in hotels, check that they are pet friendly in advance, and again, ask about your pet specifically.

Make sure you take the proper precautions when flying your pet. Bring the proper crates, supplies, pet records, and make sure you get to the airport early. Check out the Department of Transportation’s information on flying with pets, as well as your specific airline’s. Research which airlines treats pets the best in order to keep your pet as safe as possible.

If you need to transport your pet long distance or you are transporting larger animals like horses, consider a professional service that arranges for your pets to be moved and boarded via their professional services and network. Consider pet relocation services if you would prefer to pass the situation to the pros. Cosmopolitan Canine Carriers, Inc. and Air Animal Pet Movers are affiliated with the American Moving & Storage Association.

Unpacking with your pet

Adjusting to a new residence can be stressful for your pet. Your dog or cat may be more likely to run away during this time, so until they are comfortable be sure to always keep them on a leash while outside. Check your new yard to make sure it is safe and secure. Make the environment familiar by setting up a habitat that closely matches your old home.

Once you’re ready to plan moving with pets or just on your own, give Olympia a call at 800.222.4744 or fill out our form for a free moving estimate.

Moving In Together: Combining Two Spaces Into One

Moving In Together

So you and your partner are moving in together, but now have the tough task of combining your two differently-styled places into one new shared space. How do you do this, and what do you do with your extra stuff?

Prepare!

You each have things you don’t use, clothing you don’t wear, and old broken furniture you forgot was in the closet. Go through everything and decide whether or not you need it. Will it get used in your new life together? If not, make the break and get rid of it. Whether it is clothing or dining room chairs, decide what you will keep, toss, donate, or sell. Remember that selling prolongs the time it will take to finish going through everything. If you want to sell most of the items you’re getting rid of, make a deadline of when they have to sell by. If it doesn’t sell by then, donate it! The more you keep, the more you have to both pack and move.

See our tips for moving your bed and larger furniture items.

 

Decide On A Style For Your New Place

By deciding together what you want your new space to look like, you can identify some easy packing guidelines. If an item fits the vibe you decided on, it can be packed up. If not, it’s an easy way to put it aside to donate, sell, or get rid of.
Choosing between a modern, sleek, or cozy look might be challenging. If you can’t decide on one overarching theme, decide on different looks for each room, or decide which of your items go best with those of your partner.

 

 

Mixing Styles When You Move In

Each of you will have different tastes in what looks good, different opinions on throw pillows, and a different idea on how to mix patterns. Try your best to mix and match your things with theirs, but if compromise is not in the near future, consider buying something new together. If you’re interested in unique and high quality home furnishings, Arhaus is a great place to start for stylish pieces, which have the added benefit of being made from recycled natural materials. New furniture is a huge investment, so be sure to do your research to find pieces that will last a long time and also appeal to both of your design tastes. Check out the Arhaus Instagram Page for some inspiration for designing your new home. Moving in together is a big step that will come with it’s own conflicts, so don’t spend too much time arguing over whose lamp works best in the living room. If buying new things will minimize conflict, try to shop together instead.

Dealing With Duplicates

Now that you’ve gotten rid of all the things you won’t need in your new place, you both need to decide which bed you’re going to keep and which TV is best.

First, each pick a small amount of things that you can’t live without and bring those to the new place, no questions asked.  Make compromises about whose furniture will be kept and who will get rid of what. Look at your furniture logically- have you had the same, ratty, hand-me-down couch since college? Is it worth moving that rickety dining room table? Make choices with the future in mind, and choose to keep the item that will last longer and serve you better. Decide what combination of couches, beds, coffee tables and chairs best fit the space you’re moving into. Keep the better quality kitchen appliances, plates, silverware, and glasses.

If you and your partner have similar interests, you’ll also most likely end up with two sets of the same books, movies, games, and sports equipment.
· If you have two sets of the same book series, keep the more valuable one. If you don’t read them or use them anymore, throw your old, dusty books away or bring them to your local used book store.
· If Netflix has become your primary source of on-screen entertainment, throw away the DVDs you haven’t watched in years.
· If your Monopoly set is missing pieces, or you don’t have all the letters to your box of scrabble, toss it. If you both have the same game, make sure you have one full set between the two of you, and keep the best looking board.
· Lastly, if both of you have masses of sports equipment or yard games, sort through it all together and only keep what you’ll actually use in your new space. If you still have multiple pairs of soccer cleats from club soccer in college, pick one and toss the rest. If you both have a bucket  of tennis balls, golf balls, or baseballs, trash all the dirty, ripped, or water-logged ones, and cut the amount you have in half.

After The Move

You still might have too much stuff for the space. Decluttering doesn’t stop once you move in, so be ready to continue getting rid of things and needing to buy completely new things. A new space is a big investment, but remember that you’re creating a new space for your new future living with your partner.

Once you’re both ready to move, contact us at  800.222.4744 or fill out our form for a free moving estimate!

How To Move A Mattress By Yourself

If you’re reading this article, you likely have found yourself on the wrong end of moving a mattress. This task can be one of the most difficult when moving house. Mattresses are heavy, awkward, and bulky.

The generally accepted practice is to call up some friends, offer them pizza, then struggle to move the mattress together as you desperately wish for an easier way.

Today is your lucky day! Moving a mattress doesn’t have to be such a struggle. There is a method to this madness. If you want to know how to make the whole process easier, read on.

Pick a Proper Transport Vehicle to Move Your Mattress

It may be tempting to suppose that you can stick your mattress inside your car. However, this is bound to fail. Most mattresses will not fit in a car trunk of any size. However, there are vehicles that are great for transporting mattresses.

A pickup truck is an excellent choice. Most mattresses will fit on the truck’s bed easily. If you don’t have a pickup truck, you might have to ask around to friends or family. If you still can’t access a truck, you may have to rent one.

A van will work well. If you have a van and can remove the seats, you can easily slide a small mattress inside without much trouble. SUV’s can also be used for mattress transport. Use rope or straps and properly secure the mattress to the roof.

Materials to Move a Mattress

Now that you’ve figured out your transport, it’s time to gather the tools to help you transport the mattress safely. In fact, most of these are tools you should have for any DIY move without professional assistance.

  • Thick plastic and properly-sized mattress bag. This bag will keep your mattress clean and rip-free.
  • Rope to properly securing your mattress if you’re putting it on the roof of your vehicle
  • Duct tape
  • Scissors
  • Work gloves
  • A trusted friend. You’ll need an extra set of hands.

Securing Your Mattress

Securing your mattress properly to the roof of your car is super important. Failing to do so can lead to mattress damage, as well as possibly causing an accident on the highway.

Protecting a Mattress to Move

The first step in securing the mattress is to wrap it in plastic or tuck it into a properly-sized mattress bag. Any extra plastic should be securely taped down. Wind can rip unsecured plastic, or create a sail which will pull the mattress off the roof and may cause an accident.

Rope to Move a Mattress

The kind of rope you buy to secure your mattress is important. It should be a sturdy rope, but one that isn’t too hard to tie. Make sure you have enough rope to go across the length of your mattress, and another piece long enough to secure across the middle.

The amount of rope you’ll need will vary. However, there are some rules of thumb you can follow.

  • Mattresses are 74-84 inches long. This is up to seven feet. You’ll also need several additional feet of rope at each end. So the rope that goes along the length of your mattress should be somewhere around fourteen feet long.
  • For the rope that goes across the width of your mattress, measure your bed. Then multiply that number by four. That should give you enough rope.

Secure the Mattress to the Car

Now that you have the proper rope and your mattress is safely wrapped in plastic, it’s time to secure it to the car. Place the mattress on the roof. Make sure it is in the middle.

Toss the first piece of rope over the length of your mattress. There should be enough rope left to tie securely under the front and back of your car. Make sure the rope is taut and the knots are secure.

When that’s done, open all your windows except the driver’s window. Toss the second piece of rope across the mattress’s width. Then loop it back through the open windows twice before tying the rope ends together inside the car.

It is very important that you leave the driver’s door free as you won’t be able to open any of the other doors when the rope is tied. You want a way to get into and out of your car in case of an emergency or when you reach your destination.

Mattress Moving Safety

Carrying a mattress on your roof is considered a wide load. It will block part of your view. Remember to drive slowly. If possible, take back roads and avoid freeways.

If you have friends helping you move, they could drive behind you to let you know if the mattress is slipping. Alternatively, friends could ride along with you, and hold the mattress on the roof through the open windows. This provides some much-needed security if you have to take the freeways.

Conclusion

Moving a mattress can be a big problem. However, it doesn’t have to be. If you follow the tips in this blog post, you’ll find at least this part of your move is much less stressful, and you won’t have to worry about ripping your mattress or causing highway accidents.

If this process still sounds difficult, then it’s time to call in the professionals! Call Olympia Moving & Storage at 800-222-4744 or request an estimate online.

Tips for Moving Large Furniture

Let’s face it. Moving is a hassle. Between the time it takes to pack and unpack your belongings, as well as the costs associated with moving, moving-related stress is certainly real. The experts at Olympia Moving are here to help reduce as much moving-related stress as possible. When it comes to moving furniture, follow these steps to help protect your expensive belongings.

Gather Your Packing Supplies

Much like the French invented the cooking technique “mise en place”, or having all your ingredients ready to go prior to cooking, you’ll want to make sure you do the same when it comes to moving. That means gathering all your boxes, blankets, and bubble wrap prior to getting started. You can buy these from your local moving company, The Home Depot, or U-Haul.

Clean your Furniture

Dust and other grime can damage your furniture during the moving process. Taking the time to clean your furniture prior to moving will prevent this from happening and stop you from bringing in unwanted debris into your new home. Take the time to thoroughly clean your items.

Take apart your Furniture

Any furniture that can be broken down into smaller pieces, take the time to do so. Items such as dining room tables are a great example. Take off the legs and the leaf to save space in the moving truck and minimize breakage. This is also make carrying the furniture easier. Put the screws and parts for the furniture in plastic baggies and tape it to the bottom of the piece prior to wrapping.

Wrap The Furniture

The key to staying warm in the winter is layers. The key to protecting your furniture while moving is also layers. For most pieces of furniture, you’ll want at least one layer of protection. Wrap furniture in a heavy moving blanket to prevent scratches while moving. We also recommend a second layer of plastic wrap to help secure the blanket and prevent dirt in transit.

Looking for professionals to handle moving your furniture? Contact the pros at Olympia Moving for a free quote today!

After the Move: Getting Started in Your New Home

When the movers leave and it’s just you and your family in the new home, it can be overwhelming. It’s time to pick a starting point and start tackling, unpacking, and organizing. We hope with these simple suggestions will help you start making your new house into a home.

Time to pull out that first night box! Something that might have seemed silly a few weeks ago is now essential. Bottled water, snacks, clean clothes & a tooth brush are simple first steps to making your first night in your house feel like a home. Check out the blog on the first night kit  linked here to make sure you have the essentials at your fingertips when they’re needed.

Make sure all the essential services are set up. Double check that the appliances that the movers installed work properly. Make sure the electricity works and you have hot water for a shower. If not, call to get these things addressed.

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Electricity

Water

Internet/ Cable

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Electricity

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Google “Best take out around me” and celebrate! Make the first day in your new home a memorable one – you’ve worked hard to get to this point and you deserve it! Treat yourself to delicious take-out from your new neighborhood and pop a bottle of champagne. After a full move-in day the last thing you will want to do is worry about unpacking boxes to find pots and pans to cook with, or a trip to the grocery store. Make an indoor picnic, open up a moving pad, and dive in to your first meal in your new home.

Begin to plan out each room. Because all of the moving boxes are labeled and brought in to the designated rooms it will be easy to attack them one by one. A plan will make the unpacking process less stressful. When you are beginning to get settled, it’s apparent that some rooms take priority over others. A simple bedroom set up is essential in the first few days, some clean sheets and hung up clothes will have you feeling refreshed the next day. Nothing is worse than waking up in a new space with nothing familiar around you. That goes for the kids rooms as well, the sooner they get in to a solid routine in the new home, the better. Plus, if you get the kids set up in their rooms it will keep them preoccupied when you set up the rest of the home. After the bedrooms, we suggest getting the kitchen in order. While you might enjoy some take out for the first few nights, nothing gets you settled in a new house like a home cooked meal. 

Safety. Safety. Safety. Make sure that all fire alarms are wired correctly and working. Confirm that the home is child proof as needed. If the new home has a pool, make plans to fence it in.

Change Locks. It is important to change your locks on your new home because you never know who has copies of the keys. It’s an important safety precaution that can be easily over looked!

Manuals & Remotes: When you’re unpacking and unwrapping new things it is easy to throw away or lose track of user manuals and remote controls. Make a designated area for these. You will need them! (Even if you think you know how to work the new fancy washer and dryer)

Schedule a Debris Pick Up. If you find yourself in a pile of empty boxes as you continue to unpack, give Olympia a call to pick up the pieces for you. Also, check out our blog on how to use some of the leftover boxes for the kids entertainment when you unpack!

The most important thing to remember is, the small details can wait. Don’t stress to get everything unpacked and organized in one day! It will all get done, and your home will look great.