Tag: movers

Olympia Moving President Interviewed for IAM The Portal Magazine

Posted on by olympiamoving

Olympia Moving IAM The PortalOlympia Moving & Storage has always put an emphasis on technology to drive our growth and the moving experience for our clients. Two years ago, Olympia Moving switched our internal moving management system to Moveware. Although Moveware had not yet entered the market in the United States, Olympia Moving was eager to be their first American client in order to have first access to the technology.

Although the transition was time-intensive and challenging, it was worthwhile for the vast improvements of Olympia Moving’s internal efficiency, closing of information gaps between departments, and ability to track every detail of the client experience.

Moveware

Every Olympia Moving client has an extensive move file in Moveware, which tracks every detail, document, change, and conversation with our clients and prompts almost a dozen proactive contact points from our staff with each client, ensuring that each client receives exceptional communication throughout the entire process.

Externally, Moveware has allowed for amazing access and transparency for our clients through the Olympia Move Portal, which allows clients to log directly into our move management system to view and manage their move’s details and documents.

After two years of implementing and improving the Moveware system, Olympia Moving & Storage is confident that they provide one of the best technology-driven moving experiences of any local and interstate mover in the industry. The innovation at Olympia Moving never stops, our team continues to work with Moveware daily to make improvements to the system and roll out new features to their staff and clients.

IAM The Portal, the bi-monthly magazine of the International Association of Movers, interviewed Michael Gilmartin, President of Olympia Moving & Storage, about the challenges of implementing new technology in the relocation industry.

Click here to read the article on page 73

IAM asked Michael his advice for other moving & storage companies considering new software. They also asked him about Olympia Moving’s future in regards to technology. Michael’s response:

“The moving industry has traditionally been somewhat of a laggard in that area, which is great for us from a competitive standpoint. I feel we are now where the rest of the industry hopes to be in 10 years, and we will continue to push and to innovate around technology. We have a great team, and we now have a system to support us fully.”

If you’re ready to try the Olympia Moving experience, driven by Moveware, click here to request a free moving estimate or call 800.222.4744

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Olympia Moving at Touch-the-Trucks Events

Posted on by olympiamoving

Boston Moving Company Participates in Touch-the-Trucks Events in Watertown and Dedham

The Olympia Moving crew enjoyed showing kids around the moving truck at two recent touch-a-truck events. The crew returned to Watertown Family Network’s Touch-a-Truck in Watertown, MA and joined the first Touch-the-Trucks event at Legacy Place in Dedham, MA.

Touch-the-Trucks events are a great opportunity for Olympia Moving & Storage to connect with families in the community. The kids enjoyed running up and down the ramp, seeing the boxes and moving equipment, and jumping on the bubble wrap that we laid on the floor of the truck. The Olympia Moving crew members gave kids tours of the truck cab, took photos of the kids posing at the wheel, played box toss games, and handing out coloring pages.

Check out this video of the kids enjoying the truck!

If you have a Touch-the-Trucks or another community event event in the Boston-area or Washington, DC-area, let us know at [email protected]. We’d love to attend!

Does your family need a moving company? Call 800.222.4744 or request a free moving estimate online.

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How a Moving Company Can Help You Survive TRID

Posted on by olympiamoving

It’s been just over a month since the new TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosures rule, or TRID rules were put into effect, but what that means for those it affects is still unclear.

TRID paperwork

So what is TRID?

The TRID guidelines require residential real estate transactions to have new loan documentation, including two new forms.

Loan Estimate- Taking the place of the Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and the initial disclosure required under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) This, three page, form must be provided to the buyers in a timeline similar to the previous GFE

Closing Disclosure- Taking the place of the HUD-1 Settlement Statement and the final TILA forms, the closing disclosure creates some new delivery date requirements.

This document must be issued to the borrower at least 3 days prior to closing. If this does not occur, the closing will be delayed up to 7 days.

Lenders require that the information contained in the closing disclosure (fees, taxes, closing cost, insurance, etc.) be finalized no less than 7-14 days prior to closing in order to give them enough time to generate the new closing disclosure in a timely manner.

Borrowers will have three days after receipt of the Closing Disclosure to review the form and its contents. Starting upon “receipt” of the Closing Disclosure form by the borrower, and unless there is some receipt confirmation of the form, the form is “deemed received” three days after the form is mailed. As a result of this, the review period may be six business days from mailing to loan signing.

Any changes made to the Closing Disclosure after its delivery to the buyer may trigger a new 3 day waiting period or additional disclosure or review periods, which is why accuracy is very important.

Why should you care?

The new TRID regulations are meant to benefit borrowers by simplifying documents and making loan terms more clear, but as lenders and borrowers transition into the new TRID rules, delayed closings are bound to occur.

Prior to the TRID rules, it took approximately 45 days from the loan application submission to the time of closing. Post-TRID regulations impose new waiting periods where lenders must submit disclosure forms to borrowers, and inaccuracies in paperwork by the lender or borrower as well as strict re-submission timelines will lead to delays in closing.

How can you protect your move?

  • To try to avoid any unforeseen issues that could delay the closing, the National Association of Realtors is recommending completing the walk-through seven days prior to the scheduled closing.
  • Make sure the information you provide is accurate and read documents thoroughly. TRID regulations aim to protect the buyer from surprises, so use it to your advantage.
  • Hire professional moving services who can anticipate your needs and expectations. If your move date changes you’ll want to work with someone who can facilitate the need for a schedule change without issue.

Olympia Moving & Storage’s TRID Protection Program

Strict TRID timelines and delays in closings will affect the entire relocation process. Most moving companies don’t have the capacity to handle move date changes, leaving families without a mover.

Olympia Moving & Storage has the manpower and infrastructure to work with you through the transition and delays by offering:

No fees for move date changes– as long as we have available crews we have the flexibility to accommodate unexpected changes that may occur.

$150/night sealed truck storage– Your belongings are important. If you can’t move into your home right away, don’t worry. For just $150 per night per truck, Olympia will hold your belongings on a locked and sealed truck until your new home is available.

Our goal is to be a resource to our clients during their relocation, no matter what TRID throws our way.

Are you ready to get your moving estimate?

Call Olympia Moving & Storage at 800.222.4744 or request an estimate and discover all of the ways that Olympia Moving & Storage can make your relocation easier.

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Boston moving company asks residents to share their moving stories

Posted on by olympiamoving

Everyone has their own moving stories that define how they feel about moving.

Whether you’ve moved with the help of friends and family or have worked with a moving company, every move faces challenges and obstacles. Let’s face it, planning a move can be super stressful!

We wanted to hear what your biggest concerns are when planning a move, so we took to the streets to ask Boston to share their moving stories.  Our team wanted to know people’s true feelings, challenges, and pain points while moving,  because the more we know the more we can help our clients have a smooth, stress-free move.

For real Bostonians’ moving stories, watch the video below:

Olympia Moving Asks Boston: How Do You Feel About Moving?

From flaky friends to broken belongings, there are many worries when moving your belongings, but Olympia Moving & Storage is here to help! Here at Olympia, we have the resources and knowledge to help you through your relocation, whether you just need an extra hand to load your Uhaul or don’t want to lift a finger. We’re a full service moving company, which means we can handle any and all of your moving needs.

We offer a number of additional services to choose from to make your move a success – including, but not limited to:

And yes, we can totally move that piano for you! We’re here to take the stress out of moving, check out our resource center for tips and tricks.

Whether you’re apartment moving down the street, moving across the country or planning an international move, our relocation specialists are here to work through your move with you and will tailor our services to fit your needs.

Ready to tell some better moving stories?

Request an estimate today!

Special Olympics Athlete Amanda Church Speaks at Boston Moving Company Sales Meeting

Posted on by olympiamoving
Amanda Church shows off her Special Olympics World Games medals with Olympia Moving & Storage Founder & President Michael Gilmartin
Amanda Church shows off her Special Olympics World Games medals with Olympia Moving & Storage Founder & President Michael Gilmartin

Olympia Moving & Storage was proud to feature Special Olympics athlete Amanda Church as a guest speaker at our bi-annual sales meeting in October. The Boston moving company was the sponsor of Amanda’s trip to compete in the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles this summer.

Amanda gave a speech at the sales meeting, sharing her extraordinary experiences at World Games. Amanda’s told Olympia Moving about her training, staying in the Olympic village, being on ESPN during the Opening Ceremonies, meeting Michael Phelps, and of course swimming her events and the amazing moment of being awarded her medals on the podium.

She also gave Olympia Moving inspiring insights on how Special Olympics World Games is changing how the world views people with intellectual disabilities:

“The World Games showcased not just how capable people with intellectual disabilities are in athletics but also in life. I think the World Games really changed how people think about people with intellectual disabilities. That’s the whole reason for R-Word campaign. This word I believe should be removed from all books, TV, movies, everywhere. It is hurtful to not only people with disabilities but to everyone else all over the World. Some people who hear this word take it so bad that they can lose their self-esteem, not want to go to school or work, or worse. I would like everyone to stop anyone who says this to anyone and remind them what the R-Word means to them and how it affects others whether you have a disability or not. This word needs to be removed from our vocabulary.” – Amanda Church, Special Olympics World Games Athlete

Amanda also showed off her medals: a Silver Medal for the 200 meter breaststroke and a Bronze medal for the 4 by 50 freestyle relay. She was also kind enough to thank Olympia Moving for the sponsorship during her speech:

“I trained very hard to reach my goal, but I could not have done it without the support of my coach’s, family, and friends; but most importantly the support of all of you at Olympia. You gave me the best gift of all which was helping me get to Worlds with a $5,000 donation, and for that I thank you. I hope Olympia will continue to keep supporting Special Olympics, and come to Summer Games year after year.” – Amanda Church, Special Olympics World Games Athlete

Learn more about our sponsorship of Amanda.

Run to Boston Piano 5K Challenge

Posted on by olympiamoving

Piano 5K ChallengeThe Olympia Moving & Storage Piano 5K Challenge

Boston moving company challenges runners as part of the Run to Boston Race Series to benefit Special Olympics Massachusetts

When Olympia Moving & Storage, a premier Boston moving company, heard about the Run to Boston Race Series to benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Massachusetts, we wanted to try an extra challenge in the Special Olympics spirit of pushing our limits.  The Olympia Moving crew are export Boston piano movers, relocating pianos in Massachusetts daily without a scratch.  Could our team safely move a piano…while running a 5K?  It sounded crazy enough to try, so the Olympia Moving & Storage Piano 5K Challenge was born!

Team Olympia Moving & Storage collaborated with Special Olympics Massachusetts to complete the challenge.  The proof that Olympia Moving & Storage, expert Boston piano movers, can move a piano while running a 5K and keep the instrument in flawless condition is below!

Olympia Moving & Storage’s Piano 5K Challenge final time was 32:28!

Olympia Moving & Storage Challenges “Run to Boston” Runners!

Now it’s your turn to take part in the challenge!  Don’t worry, we won’t make you push a piano, but we do challenge you to beat our time during the Run to Boston 5K races!

All Run to Boston Race Series runners who beat Olympia’s piano 5K time (32:28) will be automatically entered to win a FitBit!  No raffle tickets, no pianos, just sign up for one of these three races and RUN!

All three races are holiday-themed, a lot of fun, and best of all, race proceeds fund sports training and competitions for athletes with intellectual disabilities!

There will be 3 FitBit winners total, one per race.  Winners will be randomly selected among runners with finish times below 32:28.  The winning runners will be contacted after the race.

The Olympia Moving & Storage Piano 5K Challenge is part of our year-round sponsorship of Special Olympics Massachusetts.  The Boston moving company donates logistics services to dozens of Special Olympics Massachusetts competitons and fundraisers annually, and fund raises for the organization.  To learn more about our work with Special Olympics Massachusetts visit https://www.olympiamoving.com/specialolympics

Free Moving Coloring Page for Kids

Posted on by olympiamoving

Moving with kids is never an easy task. From breaking the news to settling into your new home, there are plenty of ups and downs – including a lot of idle time for your antsy little ones.

Looking for something quiet to keep your kids busy, and maybe even quiet, while you prepare for your move?

Olympia Moving & Storage has you covered with our free moving coloring page, designed to make moving with children a little easier for your family! This free coloring page is a great way to help small kids grasp the concept of moving and get excited for their new home.

Download our free moving coloring page for your kids

moving coloring page for kids

As always, Olympia Moving & Storage is here to help with all of your relocation needs.  For more tools for moving with kids, including book recommendations on the topic, check out our blog post on moving with kids.

Have other questions about moving or looking for moving tips? We’d be glad to help, just give us a call at 800.222.4744

Ready to start planning your move with kids? Click here to request a free moving estimate with Olympia Moving & Storage.

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Packing Don’ts for Moving

Posted on by olympiamoving

Packing is hard and tips are always welcomed.  Everyone has heard about the packing dos, but packing don’ts are just as important, and not following those guidelines could end up adding time and money to your move.

We’ve been moving families for over 20 years.  Olympia Moving & Storage provides full packing services, but many of our clients also pack themselves.  We see our self-pack clients make the same mistakes over and over again.  Below are the most common packing don’ts we see our clients disregard. These packing don’ts are moving time-savers and prevent moving damage, whether you’re moving yourself or working with a moving company.

packing don'tsLocal Moving Packing Don’ts:

  • Don’t pack books in medium or large boxes, you’ll over-pack and boxes could break during the move, or worse, you could pack a box too heavy to move.  Always pack books, CDs, and files in small 1.5 cu.ft. boxes.
  • Don’t forget to disassemble your lamps and lampshades and pack them in appropriate boxes, 6.1 cu.ft. boxes are best. Lamps and lampshades cannot be wrapped, they must move in a box or risk damage.
  • Don’t pack your fragile items or books into plastic totes. This does not securely protect fragiles from damage and will over pack the tote, making it too heavy to lift.  Wrap fragile items and pack them into 1.5 cu.ft. boxes, or pack fragile dishware into 5.1 cu.ft. dishpack boxes.  Those boxes have thicker walls for better protection.

Interstate Moving Packing Don’ts:

  • Packing artwork and mirrors can be scary, but it’s important to remember that bubble wrap isn’t enough to protect them. Artwork and mirrors must be packed in mirror or artwork boxes to avoid damage.
  • Vases and plant pots must be boxed and cannot be placed freely in your moving vehicle or they will get damaged and may cause other items to get damaged as well.
  • Don’t transport your items in trash bags. Your belongings aren’t garbage and while this seems like an easy packing cheat, your bags will rip in transit. Bags are also cumbersome and can’t be stacked to utilize space in a moving vehicle.
  • Floor lamps must be dismantled and packed in a tall lamp box.

General Moving Packing Don’ts:

  • Moving filing cabinets can be daunting.
    Large filing cabinets (3-5 drawers) must be emptied completely or they will be too heavy to carry.
    Small cabinets (2 drawers) can remain full but emptying them will be appreciated by your movers or helpful friends.
  • Dressers are best to be emptied at least halfway and should only contain clothing and linen
  • Fragile items, books, and jewelry cannot be transported in drawers of furniture items.  They may damage the furniture piece, make it too heavy, or run the risk of getting lost or damaged if not packed properly.
  • All containers must have tops to ensure items are not susceptible to damage or displacement. This will also ensure that all boxes and items can be stacked inside the moving vehicle.
  • All boxes should be filledas best as possible to ensure safe transport and loading. If the space is not used items are more likely to shift and get damaged during transit, and boxes could collapse while they are stacked in the moving truck.

Our general rule of thumb is that everything that fits in a box, should go in a box!

Have other packing questions?
Call us today at 800.222.4744 or click here to request a free, no obligation moving estimate and start planning your move.

If you’re still intimated by packing, no problem! Request an pricing for full or fragile packing services as part of your estimate with Olympia Moving & Storage.

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Olympia Moving Pulls 82 Ton Airplane to Fundraise for Special Olympics Virginia

Posted on by olympiamoving

The 2015 Dulles  Plane Pull on Saturday was the biggest Plane Pull yet in terms of fundraising, plane pull teams, and attendance. The event raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Special Olympics Virginia athletes and 71 teams participated. For the first time, the event featured two planes being pulled!

As the Official Logistics Sponsor, Olympia Moving & Storage worked closely with event organizers at Special Olympics Virginia to make Dulles Plane Pull a success. The Washington, DC moving company donated crews, trucks, and warehousing to manage the equipment, set up, and breakdown.

For the first time, Olympia Moving ran an “Are You As Strong As An Olympia Mover?” fundraising game. Hundreds of athletes, kids, moms, dads, and even monks tried to hit the bell on the high striker to prove their strength.

Of course, the Olympia Moving crew was also eager to prove their strength and fundraised to pull the 82 ton airplane.  The crew pulled the plane 10 feet in 6.194 seconds – our best time yet!

Thank you to the generous partners to Olympia Moving & Storage who donated to our plane pull team!  All the money we raised will provide free sports training and competitions for athletes with intellectual disabilities:

To see team Olympia Moving & Storage pull the plane and all the other plane pull excitement, be sure to check out this video.  We look forward to sponsoring Dulled Plane Pull again next year!

Visit olympiamoving.com/specialolympics to learn more about our ongoing work and charitable partnership with Special Olympics.

DC Moving Company Sponsors Dulles Day Plane Pull

Posted on by olympiamoving

Olympia and Plane PullOn Saturday, Olympia Moving & Storage, a premier Washington, DC moving company, will sponsor the Dulles Day Plane Pull. This is Olympia Moving’s third year as the official logistics sponsor for this event to benefit Special Olympics Virginia.

During the week leading up to the Plane Pull, Olympia Moving has been busy receiving event supplies, managing pick ups and deliveries of event equipment, and assisting with set up and break down. All these services are donated free of charge to Special Olympics Virginia. This year, the moving company will be running a fundraising game “Are You Stronger Than an Olympia Mover?” Event attendees and children will have the chance to hit the bell on a high striker and win a prize. All proceeds from the game will benefit Special Olympics Virginia.

The Olympia Moving crew will also be participating in the Plane Pull and will pull a 164,000+ pound Airbus 12 feet in support of athletes with intellectual disabilities. The crew will be looking to beat last year’s pull time of 7.01 seconds. Olympia Moving & Storage has been fundraising for the Plane Pull over the past month, and would like to thank their following partners for their generous donations to their campaign:

The Olympia Moving crew has even been pulling their trucks in their yard to practice for pulling the plane!

IMG_5702

The Dulles Day Plane Pull is a popular event for Northern Virginia families and continues to grow.  Last year over 30,000 people attend the Plane Pull, and for the first time the 2015 Plane Pull will feature 2 planes for teams to attempt pulling!

It’s not too late to donate to team Olympia Moving! Click here to donate and fund competitions, sports training, and health programs for athletes with intellectual disabilities. 

Olympia Moving & Storage has been a charitable partner to Special Olympics Virginia and Massachusetts since 2013. Last year the Washington, DC moving company’s in-kind and monetary donations to Special Olympics organizations totaled almost $50,000. Earlier this year, Olympia Moving & Storage also sponsored Special Olympics athlete Amanda Church’s trip to World Games in Los Angeles. There she competed and won silver and bronze medals in aquatics. Visit olympiamoving.com/specialolympics to learn more about our sponsorship.