Decluttering for your Washington DC Move: Furniture Donation Pickup in Washington DC

Furniture Donation PickupIf you are trying to declutter your home prior to a Washington, DC move, consider donating your old furniture instead of selling or trashing it. Not only is it better for the environment, but it is a chance to do some good. Donating furniture is easy with our list of organizations that offer furniture donation pickup in Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland.

There are plenty of good reasons to donate furniture prior to your move, including:

  • Saving money: the less items you have to move, the more inexpensive your move will be
  • Streamline the move: some of your furniture may not fit through the doorways or stairways of your new home, get rid of those items before move day to reduce stress
  • Redecorating: a new home is the perfect opportunity to get rid of the old to make way for a new home decor aesthetic
  • Simplifying: some studies show that less stuff equals greater happiness

These Washington DC area organizations make it easy with furniture donation pickup. If you live in the greater Boston area, don’t miss our list of organizations that will pickup furniture donations in Boston.

Charity-Net in support of Special Olympics Virginia

As proud supporters of Special Olympics Virginia, we recommend using Charity-Net to schedule a pickup of your gently used clothes, housewares, media, and furniture. Your items will go to Savers and Value Village Thrift Stores, and a portion of their sales will support the athletic programs and competitions for athletes with intellectual disabilities. You can book your pickup online. Just enter your zip code, and you’ll be presented with a list of possible pickup dates.

A Wider Circle

This non-profit provides basic need items, education, and long-term support for those in need. They accept furniture, linens, baby items, and professional attire. All your donations will be used by someone in need within days! Fill out this form to schedule a pick up or you can drop off at their office in Silver Spring.

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia

Habitat for Humanity builds homes for people in need. Your donations got to their ReStores which raise money for the organization. They are in need of furniture, housewares, appliances, building supplies, and more. Fill out this online form to schedule a weekday pickup from your curb, driveway, or garage. You can also drop items at their Alexandria or Chantilly store Monday – Saturday.

Alive! (ALexandrians InVolved Ecumenically)

This non-profit is a collaboration of religious congregations in Alexandria, VA to provide a safety net for the needy in Alexandria. If you live in Alexandria, they will send a volunteer to pick up your furniture on Saturday mornings. Call 703-837-9300 x3 to schedule the pickup. Alive! also accepts housewares.

Support Our Veterans

This organization sells your donations and uses the funds for programs for veterans. Use their online form to schedule a pickup of your furniture, housewares, clothes, and more. Then just leave your items on your porch by 8 AM on your schedule pickup day.

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

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

Free Printable Moving Boxes Labels

Nobody likes packing, but the moving process is always much smoother if you keep organized. That’s why Olympia offers free printable moving box labels to their clients, or anyone who’s moving. These pretty labels are sure to brighten your boxes, and may even motivate you to keep packing!

We’ve designed unique, color-coded labels for every room in your home to help the movers easily differentiate the boxes during delivery. Be sure to write descriptions of each box’s contents to aid in locating specific items while unpacking. Believe us, you’ll thank yourself later!

Also included are “fragile” stickers to warn movers of breakable contents like glass, dishes, figurines, and pictures. As a bonus, we also created adorable kids’ moving box labels to help your little ones find their toys as soon as playtime in the new home begins.

All labels can be printed on standard blank Avery or shipping labels using a laser printer, just be mindful that these boxes are meant to used on boxes, as they will be difficult to remove on furniture.

You can also purchase pre-printed moving box labels from us, along with other packing materials.

Moving Box Labels

All labels are 3.33″ x 4″ and are laid out 6 per sheet. We recommend using Avery Shipping Labels for Ink Jet Printers, 3.33 x 4 Inches. However, take care to only use the labels on boxes, as they will be difficult to remove from furniture.

Click on each link to download the respective PDF, or you can download all the moving label PDFs using [this link].


Living Room Moving Box Label
Dining Room Moving Box Label
Kitchen Moving Box Label
Storage Moving Box Label
Continue reading “Free Printable Moving Boxes Labels”

Smart Packing with Adam of Benezra Boxes

Benezra BoxesWhen it comes to moving, Adam Benezra, entrepreneur and owner of Benezra Boxes, is an expert. He was a mover for Gentle Giant for four years, but even after a back injury, Adam wasn’t ready to leave the moving industry.  Instead, he started his own business.

Says Adam “At the time, recycling was really gaining steam and using used moving boxes wasn’t anything new.  I just decided to market it more aggressively and also add my moving knowledge to help give customers free advice.”

Benezra Boxes was born.  Fifteen years later Adam still maintains his business in Winchester, MA.   Benezra Boxes focuses on picking up and selling used moving boxes.  Adam also leverages his industry expertise to offer relocation management services.  Customers who utilize Adam’s service can sit back and let Adam plan their move and procure estimates, as well as managing their packing.

When our clients ask us how to get obtain or get rid of used boxes we know to send them to Adam. It’s great to see someone conquer this needed niche in the moving industry.

How did you come up with the idea of Benezra Boxes?

“When I was a kid, I was raised by my aunt and uncle and my aunt started the recycling program in Melrose. And my uncle was always encouraging me to start my own business, they were very supportive.”

Continue reading “Smart Packing with Adam of Benezra Boxes”

Eco-Friendly Moving Tips

Green MovingUnfortunately, moving can be pretty bad for the environment.  Between the fuel, boxes, and materials used, moving day can take a toll on your carbon footprint. According to mymove.com, the average move uses 60 boxes, the equivalent of more than half a one-ton pine tree!

However, there are are few steps you can take to make your move a little greener.

Less is More

Moving is the perfect time to re-evaluate your possessions. Not only will you have less items to move, but owning less allows you to buy and maintain a smaller home. Getting into the “less is more” mindset also helps curb wasteful consumerism.

Before you start packing, identify which belongings aren’t going to make it onto the truck. Challenge yourself to let go. If you haven’t used that item in the past year, then it might not be worth keeping.

Don’t Toss, Donate

Instead of sending unwanted items to the landfill, give it a second life and donate or sell these things instead. Check out our articles on cleaning out belongings before a move and selling unwanted items. For the items that can’t be re-used, be sure you’re recycling everything you can. Even electronics can be recycled.

Pack Smart

Packing materials are the biggest reason moving can be so Earth-unfriendly. Avoid any non-biodegradable packing materials such as styrofoam and plastic. Use paper, packing peanuts made from cornstarch, or other possessions like blankets to protect your move instead.

Instead of buying boxes new, pack as much as you can in used boxes. If you foresee a move in the near future, start saving boxes from deliveries. Ask friends who have recently moved if their boxes are still around, they’ll be grateful to get rid of them! You can also sometimes get free used boxes from grocery stores and other retailers. Don’t forget to ask your moving company if they sell used boxes as well.

There are also services that allow you to rent plastic crates for moving. This is probably the most eco-friendly packing option. Many businesses offer these crates, including Rent a Green Box, WeGoBox, ZippGo, and Better Than Boxes.

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

When you’re finished unpacking, be sure to recycle all your boxes and packing materials. You can find the recycling center in your new neighborhood by visiting earth911.com

New House, New Lifestyle

A new house is the perfect opportunity to jump start a greener home. Maybe your new yard is perfect for a compost bin, or the abundance of sun on the rooftop can be utilized with solar panels. Inside, install energy saving light bulbs. Even small changes, like switching to eco-safe cleaning products, can make a big difference.

Olympia’s Eco-Responsible Initiatives

Here at Olympia, we do our part to make your move a little greener:

  • Instead of wasting paper, we are ready to provide electronic estimates, invoices, and moving resources
  • Use Olympia’s debris rehttp://www.olympiamoving.com/residential-moving/request-an-estimate/moval service to pick up your empty boxes for recycling
  • We recycle all our uhttp://www.olympiamoving.com/residential-moving/request-an-estimate/sed cardboard and materials
  • All our moving cartons and packing materials are made from recycled product
  • Olympia’s trucks meet the latest Federal Emission Standards
  • We save fuel on interstate moves by carrying multiple households on each truck

The great news is that an eco-friendly move is also a cost-efficient move!

Stylish Moving / Change of Address Cards

Warning Signs of a Bad Mover

How to Pack Video Series

Five Great iPhone Apps for Moving

Yes, there’s an app for that too!  One of the best things about the 21st century is that handy device in your pocket that is capable of making everything a little bit easier: your iPhone.  There’s a ton of iPhone apps for moving and packing in the app store, but many are not worth your time or money.  Below are five free (we like that word!) apps that will enhance your moving experience.

Yardsale  Often one of the first steps of moving is the de-clutter process.   Setting up an old-fashioned yardsale can be a lot of work.  With the Yardsale app, you can put your unwanted items on sale in seconds!  Snap a few pictures, write a quick description, set a price (all within the app), and you’re done!  Your listing will pop up in the app for everyone nearby, and soon you’ll be receiving tons of offers for your stuff in your e-mail inbox.

 

My Things  The first step when you call a moving company is to put together an inventory of the things you will be moving.  Moving companies use this inventory to estimate the pricing of your move.  Usually a salesman will visit your home to perform an on-site survey, but if that’s not possible, this is also a great tool.  This app helps you compile a room by room, location by location inventory of the things you’ll be moving, and then lets you easily share or export the inventory with anyone!

My Move  If you’re new to moving, this is a great place to start!  This app boasts comprehensive moving tips and checklists that help keep you organized.

 

Moving Day  For the super-organized packer, this app is a dream.  This app helps you quickly inventory every box you pack and creates thorough box labels.  The labels even have QR codes on them, so upon delivery, you can quick scan the QR codes to make sure you have everything, and inventory any damages.  Fancy!

 

Moving Day Lite  The perfect mini-break from packing in your pocket!  In this fun game, you help the skate-board riding mover collect items and race them to the moving truck.  Take care to avoid obstacles like trash bins and traffic cones!  Items collected and time records will help you earn points!  No worries, we promise our crew won’t use skateboards to transport your stuff!

Tips for Packing Clothes for Moving

wardrobe boxes for packing clothesPacking your wardrobe can be one of the easiest steps of your moving preparation if you do it right.

Moving is a good opportunity to get rid of many of the clothes you never wear. When you’re packing, ask yourself if you’ve worn the article in the past year. If the answer is no, you may want to put it in a separate box for the Salvation Army or Goodwill.

Packing the dresser
If you have a lightweight dresser, such as one made of pine, you can simply leave your clothes inside. Clothes are light, so leaving them in the drawers does not add much weight to the furniture. When the movers arrive they will wrap the dresser in a moving blanket and move the dresser with all the clothes inside. If there are any concerns about the structural integrity of the dresser (pressboard furniture), then the clothing needs to be removed. Any loose items, such as pens, and spare change should be removed from dressers.

Packing the closet
If you have hanging clothes, you can use wardrobe boxes, like the one pictured here, to move your clothes and avoid wrinkling. These boxes act as a cardboard closet, with a bar inside for hangers. You can order wardrobe boxes ahead or ask your moving coordinator to send some with the crew on move day.

Packing in boxes
Start by filling your suitcases with clothes. You’re going to have to move them anyway, so make them useful instead of taking up empty space in the truck. Pack the remainder of your clothes in 4.5 cubic foot boxes.

Ready to move beyond your clothes closet?  Visit our Moving Tips & Resources page for a wealth of useful moving and storage info, including videos showing how to pack a number of common household items.

Tips for Packing Electronics

Packing ElectronicsElectronics are often both valuable and fragile. Packing and transporting these items can seem intimidating; however with the proper supplies and methods, you can ensure that televisions, computers, DVD players, and gaming consoles will safely reach their destination.

The first step is to check owner’s manuals to see if there are any special packing or moving instructions. If you lost the manuals, you can often find an online version at the manufacturer’s website.

Next, gather the right materials for packaging these items. Using the original box is ideal, however if you did not save the original packaging, Olympia also sells boxes; including special flat-screen TV boxes. Olympia can also build custom crates to transport larger electronics.

When packing, use static free bags to pack all related wires and cables. Protect your item with bubble wrap or paper and include related manuals, accessories, and remotes in the same box so you won’t lose them later. Careful labeling will help to ensure that you can reconfigure your electronics properly at the new residence.

Boxes containing electronics should be designated as “FRAGILE’ and noted on the top and sides of the relevant containers.

If you are not comfortable to pack your own electronics, Olympia offers complete packing services. Should you require these services, please contact your move coordinator to ensure availability.

 

Having trouble envisioning yourself packing that fridge or TV? Check out our how-to videos for a step-by-step in packing common household items.

How to be a Great Customer

The practical reality of the moving industry is that, unless you opt for a full-service relocation, you are making a commitment to being fully packed and prepared; at the same time that the moving company is making a commitment to delivering your goods in a safe and timely fashion.  Because there is typically a reciprocal obligation, I thought I would take this opportunity to spell out what it takes to be a great (and ultimately satisfied) Olympia client.

PLANNING: Take this time to plan your approach to your upcoming move.  We understand that you have closings and a host of Olympia Moving Checklistother issues to contend with, but waiting until the last minute leads to unwanted surprises on move day.  Effective planning also saves time.

PREPARATION: Use the resources at your disposal, including the literature, website, and Olympia personnel to help understand what it means to be fully prepared for moving day.  The concept of being “fully prepared” is a somewhat nebulous one, but here are some basic suggestions:

  • Eliminate unwanted items before move day
  • If you are doing your own packing, get a free delivery of packing supplies well in advance of your move
  • Make sure that all boxes are labeled and fully sealed
  • Stack boxes one tier deep against the walls so that the movers can access all items in a given room
  • Set aside items that you will need in a separate area that is clearly marked (keys, passports, documents) to ensure that they do not get packed
  • Set aside cleaning items that will be needed after the moving crew has departed
  • Identify where furniture will be placed at the new locations so as to avoid delays during the delivery
  • Additional preparation tips are available HEREOlympia Moving Boxes

PACKING: Label carefully and consistently.  Do not wait until the last minute and, if you think you are going to need some additional help, contact your Olympia move coordinator as soon as possible so that we can schedule a packing crew.  If there are items that you are not comfortable packing (lamps, lamp shades, stemware, paintings), make sure that you also notify your coordinator so that the crew has the requisite materials and equipment with them on the day of your move.

COMMUNICATION: Our best customers are those who understand the importance of details and of communicating those details.  You need to keep us abreast of any new developments, not make any assumptions, and be available to the crew throughout the process.  It is imperative that you are physically present during both the loading and unloading of your items.

PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS: The movers work incredibly hard on a daily basis and are there to help you relocate to your new home.  They are not your adversaries and should be treated with respect.

REVIEW: We spend countless hours on training and process-related issues.  We work hard to ensure that your experience is a positive one, and would hope that you would take the time to provide feedback and offer suggestions.  Ultimately it is these suggestions that provide the foundation for our ongoing training and allow us to improve.

TIPPING: Tipping is really at your discretion and there are no minimum requirements.  If you choose to tip the movers, take the time to explain what they did to deserve the tip and/or any suggestions that you might have.  You can also demonstrate your appreciation by providing drinks or making water available.  These small signs of encouragement recognize how hard the crew is working and, while not mandatory, are indicative of a great customer.

 

How to Read an Interstate Moving Estimate

Olympia238_resizeThe moving industry has, over time, developed a vernacular that is exclusive in nature.  It takes years to become fully acquainted with the terminology and the surplus of unnecessary acronyms. 

The practical manifestation of this reality is that moving estimates can be extremely difficult to comprehend.  This is especially true on interstate shipments, where many of the movers themselves would be hard-pressed to define all of the specific line items referenced on a given quotation.

Having said this, ultimately you need to relocate your personal property from point A to point B, and therefore you should focus on the following common elements/questions in evaluating a potential service provider.

  1. Weight: How much weight is being estimated? If you are comparing quotes, ask the competing companies to provide you with a quote based upon the highest estimated weight.  If you rececive any quotations based upon cubic footage, simply eliminate those companies (while there are some subtle workarounds, it is technically illegal to provide interstate pricing based upon anything other than weight).
  2. Packing: How much packing and how many containers are included in your estimate?
  3. Services: Nobody likes surprises when it comes to moving.  What (if any) are the potential additional charges?  Make sure to ask about “shuttle charges” at the delivery residence.
  4. Estimate Type: Is this a non-binding, binding, or not-to-exceed estimate?
  5. Who is conducting the move?  Will the company that you are speaking with actually transport your shipment directly, or is the salesperson that you are working with representing a larger van line?

In the interest of helping prospects and clients to navigate the industry terminology, Olympia has included a glossary of terms on our website.

The bottom-line is that, while all interstate carriers are required to have some “legalese” in their document, if your representative is not able to fully explain the estimate, or you have concerns that the estimate is intentionally nebulous, simply cross that company off your list.