Olympia Moving & Storage and Bekins Northwest Super Bowl Bet for Keaton’s Korral

Super BowlEvery day Olympia Moving & Storage works with agents in the Wheaton World Wide Moving | Bekins Van Lines interstate moving network. Though Olympia Moving agrees with their partner agents on how to provide great service to the families we relocate, we don’t agree when it comes to the Super Bowl.

As a Boston based company, Olympia’s employees are fervent New England Patriots fans and eagerly anticipate Super Bowl XLIX. Bekins Northwest on the other hand, is the official moving company of the Seattle Seahawks. After the NFC championship win, Bekins Northwest immediately got to work moving the Seahawk’s equipment to Arizona for Super Bowl XLIX.

Olympia has now challenged Bekins Northwest with a friendly bet for a great cause.

If the New England Patriots lose Super Bowl XLIX, Olympia Moving & Storage will donate $500 to Keaton’s Korral at Give Kids the World Village – a Florida vacation resort for children with life-threatening illnesses. If the Seattle Seahawks lose the game, Bekins Northwest agrees to make the same $500 donation to Keaton’s Korral.

Wheaton World Wide Moving | Bekins Van Lines have been strong supporters of Keaton’s Korral at Give Kids the World village since 2000. The result of this Super Bowl bet will go towards Wheaton | Bekin’s $22,000 fundraising goal and will help provide children with life-threatening illnesses and their families with cost-free vacations. Visit this link to make your own donation to Keaton’s Korral.

Olympia Moving & Storage is looking forward to the New England Patriots’ victory on Sunday!

Holiday Giving: Olympia Moving & Storage Donates to Toy Drive, Food Drive & 5K

Happy holidays from Olympia Moving & Storage! December is the season of giving, and Olympia Moving & Storage is continuing their tradition of giving back to the communities in which we live & work. This month we had several opportunities to participate in great events and causes.

Home for Little Wanderer’s Big Wishes Gift Drive with Coldwell Banker

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage sponsored this gift drive to benefit children being served by the Home for Little Wanderers. CBRB offered their offices as drop-off locations for the drive. Olympia donated the trucks and labor to transport all the donations from CBRB offices across the state to The Home’s toy room. The crew, Nandor, Josh, and Glenn, even got in the spirit by wearing Santa’s elf hats to the delivery! Check out pictures from the delivery event below:

Jolly Jaunt 5K to Benefit Special Olympics Massachusetts

Boston Jolly JauntThe Jolly Jaunt 5K was just one of the many Special Olympics events we donate logistics assistance to. This is Olympia’s second year sponsoring the holiday-themed 5K around the Boston Common. The event raised almost $140,000 for athletes with intellectual disabilities!

Lauren, Manager of Strategic Development Initiatives at Special Olympics Massachusetts, had this to say about our donated assistance:

“Thank you so much for all of your help over this past few months! Everything went so well on Saturday, and it was greatly due to all of your and Olympia’s help. If you speak with Ben who was on site with us with the truck and helped us unload today, can you thank him for me on behalf of Special Olympics MA as a whole. Not only was he always willing to jump in and help, but he was beyond professional!”

St. Irene’s Parish Food Drive for the Greater Merrimack Velley Food Bank

Olympia Moving Food DriveFor many years, Clark & Reid (Olympia’s executive relocation brand) has been donating boxes for St. Irene’s Parish’s food drive in Carlisle, MA.

This year, the Parish secured a pound for pound food match with Walmart. As a result, St. Irene’s received 2 tons of food this Thanksgiving, the most donations ever. As a result, Olympia/Clark & Reid donated 160 boxes to the drive, 60% more boxes versus previous years.

Congrats to St. Irene’s Parish for a successful food drive, which will benefit the Greater Merrimack Valley Food Bank.

Read more about Olympia’s recent community & charity involvement:
Olympia bring Moving Truck to Touch-a-Truck Newton
Olympia Moving Pulls a Plane for Special Olympics Virginia
Olympia Moving at Special Olympics MA Summer Games

Happy Holidays! Holiday Playlist Mix from Olympia Moving & Storage!

Happy Holidays Olympia Moving & StorageHappy Holidays from Olympia Moving & Storage! We have a lot to be thankful for this year. Here are just a few of the things we accomplished in 2014:

We’re looking forward to a quick break over the holidays before getting to work to make 2015 the best year in Olympia’s history!

Olympia’s staff compiled this holiday playlist mix as a thank you to all our clients, referral sources, and business partners for a great year! You can take a listen here on Spotify.

Holiday Playlist 2014 by Olympia Moving & Storage

Holiday Playlist 2014 Tracks

Looking for more music? Be sure to check out our Songs for Moving Playlist

Decluttering for your Boston Move: Furniture Donation Pickup in Boston

Furniture Donation PickupMoving is the perfect opportunity to de-clutter your home. Rather than selling or tossing your unwanted furniture and household items, it’s even better to do some good and donate it. We put together a list of organizations that will do a furniture donation pickup in Boston and metro-west.

You’ll read repeatedly that the easiest way to save money on a move is to move less stuff. This is especially relevant for interstate moves. The costs of the move are based on the actual weight of the move, so every pound you cut from your move will result in savings! So before you pack, think about whether you value that item enough to pay to move it.

Also consider whether there is a place in your new home for your old furniture. Make a floorplan to ensure you know the new location of each piece. It’s also recommended to measure your furniture to check whether it will fit through the doorways or stairways of the new home. It’s expensive and frustrating for the crew to go through the effort of relocating a sofa only to discover that it’s not possible to move it into your new house.

A new home is also a great opportunity for a new start. Maybe you’ve read the studies that less stuff equals more happiness and want to simplify. Or perhaps you want a new style for your new house, and some of your furniture and knickknacks just don’t fit with the new decor.

Regardless of your reason for donating before the move, here are our recommendations for where to donate furniture in Boston and metro-west:

The Mass Coalition for the Homeless

This local organization provides furnishings for people who are transitioning out of homelessness into permanent homes. Olympia Moving has worked with this organization in the past as part of their furniture drive. The Mass Coalition will pick up the furniture from most towns around Boston, but their pick up truck can book up months in advance. Fill out this form to request a pick up and click here to see the items most needed at this time.

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army accepts donations of appliances, clothing, furniture, and household goods. Click here for a list of items they accept. There are donation drop off areas in almost every Boston-area town, click here to enter your zip code and find the one closes to you. If you’re donating furniture, call 1-800-SA-TRUCK to schedule a pickup.

Household Goods

Household Goods is a local non-profit in Acton that helps people who need help rebuilding their lives, including fire or flood victims, domestic violence victims, veterans, refugees, and others. They accept donations of gently used furniture, kitchenware, linens, and household items. The drop off location is 530 Main Street, Acton on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday 9 AM to noon. They do furniture pickups at the same time for essential furniture and appliances only, click here to schedule a pickup.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a locally organized Christian organization that helps the needy and suffering. Clothing donations can be dropped off at one of their thrift stores in metro-west Boston or you can call 1-800-675-2882 to find a nearby drop-off bin. To schedule a furniture pick up, call 1-800-675-2882, between 8:30am – 3:30pm (Monday – Friday).

Boomerangs

These Boston thrift stores raise money to fight aids. They accept furniture, media, houseware, kitchenware, linen, and electronics. You can drop off donations at their thrift stores or click here to schedule a furniture pickup.

Still have leftover furniture? You can also check out this furniture disposal directory from Wayfair.

For more packing tips, be sure to check out:
9 Essential Items You Shouldn’t Bring on Your Move
How to Pack Video Series
Selling Unwanted Items Before Moving

Olympia Moving & Storage Adds Second Boston Area Storage Facility

New Olympia Moving & Storage facility in Canton, MA
New Olympia Moving & Storage facility in Canton, MA

Olympia Moving & Storage, a Boston moving and storage company headquartered in Watertown, MA, has seen double-digit growth each of the past four years. As a result, we have exceeded the capacity of our full-service warehouse in Watertown, MA and are proud to announce the opening of Olympia’s second Boston area storage facility in Canton, MA.

The Canton storage location is a 50,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art warehouse. Olympia Moving & Storage acquired this facility more than a year ago and has been working diligently to ensure that the Canton facility met the high standards of the Watertown location, including: 24-hour security systems, temperature control, a dedicated warehouse staff, and immaculate condition.

Not only will the Canton warehouse allow Olympia Moving & Storage to serve more clients, but it will allow us to better serve our South Shore and interstate clientele. The Canton location will make storing with Olympia more convenient for our clients in the surrounding towns of Medfield, Dedham, Norwood, Milton, Randolph, Weymouth and Hingham. This new facility is also optimized for tractor trailer access.

No matter the location, we are confident that Olympia Moving & Storage can provide the best full-service storage experience. Click here to learn more about our storage services.

Olympia Brings Moving Truck to Touch-a-Truck Newton

Olympia had a great time on Sunday showing off our moving truck to the kids at the Touch-a-Truck Newton event, put on by The Newton Partnership. The event included 39 different trucks for the kids to explore. Crew member Charles & sales rep Frank brought one of our crew cab straight trucks to the event. The kids had a great time honking the horn, exploring the trailer, and running up & down the ramp!

Check out the pictures of the event below, and click here to see pictures from a previous Touch a Truck event.

If you’re hosting an upcoming Touch a Truck event, e-mail Rachael if you’re interested in bringing a moving truck to your event.

Also check out:

The Right Olympia Moving Truck for your Relocation

An Epic Roundup for an Epic Allston Christmas 2014

We’ve made it through yet another Allston Christmas – the infamous Boston moving day when 79% of rentals turn over. It was a very eventful September 1st for Olympia Moving as we finished busiest month to date. Our crews were in the midst of the Boston moving chaos, moving hundreds of clients in all the most hectic neighborhoods, including Allston and Brighton.

One highlight of this Boston tradition are the funny tweets and photos posted by Boston residents. This year’s local social media didn’t disappoint. Olympia compiled dozens of the best Tweets and Instagrams here:

The Best Tweets of Allston Christmas

According to Metro Boston, action from the city helped make this year’s Boston Moving Day a little smoother. The city issued 120 violations and 21 tickets for unsafe and unsanitary units, 1100 code enforcement tickets, 120 bed bug notices, and picked up 190 tons of trash.

Mayor Walsh held a press conference on the scene about cracking down on the unsuitable conditions of many of the rentals that are the new homes of the moving residents.

The Boston Globe perfectly encapsulated the moving madness in this video.

Christmas in Allston video - Boston Globe

BostInno theorizes that Allston Christmas could soon be a moving event of the past due to rising rental prices in Boston and Harvard’s expansion into Allston. However, the heatmap they posted via realtor Bryon Wells shows that the move-in volume is still strong.

Allston Christmas Heatmap by BryonWells

Buzzfeed explained September 1st in the language it knows best: funny gifs.

Moving Day gif

Boston.com dug up some throwback photos from Allston Chrismas’s past, proving that some things never change.

Vintage Allston Christmas from Boston dot Com

The Allston Xmas webseries also premiered their first episode yesterday, and they have 11 more to come. The first episode features a hilarious sofa moving scene that anyone who’s ever moved can relate to. Catch Olympia Moving in the credits, we gave them a hand with the sound mixing.

Christmas in Allston video - Boston Globe

Allston Xmas Webseries

We hope your September 1st move was a successful one! If not, remember that the easiest way to move during Allston Christmas is with Olympia Moving & Storage!

“The movers did an absolutely terrific job. They were extremely professional and really took extreme care in everything they did. A perfect job completed during the busiest moving weekend of the year and a very hot one as well.
Thank you very much!!”
S.K. who hired Olympia to move both her son and daughter in Boston, MA 8/31 and 9/01

Also check out:
Our Comprehensive Moving Resource Center
Video of Our Crew in Action
Free Printable Moving Box Labels

The Best Instagrams from Allston Christmas 2014

Allston Christmas has come and gone, but our memories of this year’s Boston Moving Day will stay with us via the Instagrams Boston residents shared from the scene. From the piles of trash, to the weird finds, to the traffic, we compiled the best Instagram pictures from Allston Christmas 2014. If you’re currently suffering through unpacking, just take a moment to be thankful that this wasn’t your moving experience!

By bostontweet
By brandonbowser3
By codysonofsteve
By daggums
By dj_nicholas_minaj
By erinelaine06

By hernewleaf
By jmkurisko
By karypary
By kemead
By kimbixby
By kimieye
By ltfinklelstein
By p1koh
By radiosthesia
By paulnshapiro
By paulsmithrichards
By radiosthesia
By spnkmffn
By ttttimmy
By uber_bos

We’re guessing these moves would have gone smoother if this was the picture in front of your house on moving day:
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Also check out:

The Best Tweets of Allston Christmas

Our Comprehensive Moving Resource Center
Video of Our Crew in Action
Free Printable Moving Box Labels

The Best Tweets from Allston Christmas 2014

The city of Boston has survived yet another Allston Christmas. This unofficial holiday is definitely best enjoyed at home, enjoying the tweets from the miserable folks on the scene.

Boston does what they do best and livetweeted the moveageddon. We rounded up the best tweets from Allston Christmas 2014. Thanks for making us laugh Boston! Until next year!

The Questionable Moving Practices

Continue reading “The Best Tweets from Allston Christmas 2014”

Countdown to Allston Christmas 2014

via BikeyfaceOnly a few weeks until we hit the infamous moving day in Boston: September 1st.

This year’s September 1st weekend will be unique as it falls exactly on Labor Day. The Olympia Moving & Storage crew and staff is forgoing a day off filled with beach lounging and barbecues to help Boston move furniture to 4th floor walk-up apartments. Perhaps Moving Day falling on a holiday will help alleviate traffic on the streets clogged with UHauls, time will tell.

Also unique this year: September 1st will be the launch date of a webseries about the pains of moving on Allston Christmas. Check out the trailer of the webseries:  Allston Xmas.

Allston Xmas Trailer from Jared Vincenti on Vimeo.

The Labor Day moving weekend Boston moving schedule is almost full for Olympia, and we’ve added capacity to make this the biggest September 1st moving day yet. Bostonians are prepared as well, we’re seen more early bookings for Labor Day moving weekend than ever before. The first move on the September 1st schedule was booked on May 7th!

Are you moving on September 1st in Boston? Or first piece of advice is to avoid it at all costs. Moving on off-peak days will help reduce cost and stress. But if you absolutely must move on this day, reviewing our September 1st roundup may help your move day go smoother…at the very least help you laugh about it.