How to Store Wood Furniture:

Whether you’re downsizing, renovating your home or moving to a place where you can’t take everything, you might need to put some of your furniture in storage. While care must be taken when storing any of your possessions, wood furniture requires special handling if you want to avoid scratches, cracks or mold.

The same basic rules apply whether you’re preserving an antique bedroom set or a modern coffee table. Follow these seven steps to give your wood furniture the extra protection it needs.

1. Treat Before Storing.

If wood dries out, it’s more susceptible to cracks. To prevent that from happening, treat your wood furniture with furniture polish, which adds moisture, before storing it.

2. Climate Control Counts.

Temperature changes can cause wood to expand and contract, which over time “could impact the look or strength of the piece,” said Amy Snell, executive director of the Wood Component Manufacturer’s Association.

Humidity is another concern, as humid conditions promote the growth of mold and mildew, which can cause wood to rot. A temperature-controlled environment is the best way to prevent that from happening, Snell said.

3. Take Precautions at Home.

If you skip a climate-controlled storage unit and choose to keep your furniture at home in a basement or attic, for example, consider buying a humidifier, dehumidifier or humidistat, “all of which can be had for an investment of less than $300,” said Erin True, co-founder of Urban Wood Goods, based in Gurnee, IL.

4. Take It Apart.

If your furniture can be disassembled, take the extra time before storing it to take it apart. For example, you might take the legs off a wooden chair or take the drawers out of a wooden bureau. By storing a piece of furniture in several smaller parts, you can make better use of storage space while ensuring that each piece is protected.

5. Make Sure There’s Enough Space.

If you bunch up your belongings, you run the risk of objects brushing up against each other, which could lead to cracks in wood tables or chairs. That means you should avoid stacking things on top of your wood furniture.

6. Keep It Covered.

Placing a protective cover over your wood furniture can help keep it from getting scratched or otherwise damaged. Many people make the mistake of covering wood furniture with plastic, but doing so can create condensation and cause the wood to swell. Instead, cover your furniture with cloths, furniture pads or moving blankets to shield it from light, moisture and dust.

7. Raise It Up.

If your wood furniture is placed on the floor of a storage unit, you it could be damaged if the unit floods. By setting your furniture on top of planks or blocks, you keep it out of harm’s way.

Helpful Moving Tips:

Planning for a successful move to your new apartment involves many things, one of which is arranging for help. Most people hate moving their own belongings let alone helping other people move. However, if you've helped someone else with their move recently, they owe you. If you haven't, you'll owe them! Once you find your next San Jose apartment or house for rent in on a rental site such as www.renthello.com, you can begin to plan your move.

Tips:

• Don't leave asking people until the last minute. It's much easier for people to give excuses if you ask them less than one week prior to the move. Give people at least 2 -3 weeks notice so they can keep that day open for you.
• Call in favours! Did you help someone build a fence, finish a basement or some other major task recently? Ask these people first since they are likely expecting your call.
• Offer to help someone with another project in the future if they help you with your move.
• Try to get at least one person with a pick up truck. Even though you may have a moving truck, pick ups are great for those last few items that just won't quite fit in the moving truck, saving you an extra trip (plus gas costs and mileage).

To keep everyone happy on move day, keep the following in mind:

• Have coffee and donuts ready for when everyone arrives in the morning.
• Be prepared to serve lunch to everyone. Pizza and wings are always a good choice. It is however, a good idea to ask people what they like if you don't mind giving people a choice.
• Have bottled water available at all times. Moving is hard work and people get thirsty.
• Have cold beer on hand for the when the job is done. It's an easy way to say, "thank you!"

The biggest concern most people have on moving day is damage. Since most often its friends and family helping out, when items get damaged, the situation can be a bit awkward. Go into your move knowing accidents can happen and be prepared to let it go. Unless you're paying professional movers, it's not fair to hold people responsible. With a little planning however, you can decrease your risk of damage significantly.

Here are some tips:

• Be super organized. Use good quality moving boxes that stack properly. Plastic bins are also great for moving items. Also, don't make your boxes too heavy.
• Have a game plan in place before your helpers arrive.
• Have all your big items wrapped or covered with protective material.
• Use space in the truck wisely. Make sure there is sufficient padding between items where necessary.
• Don't rush the people doing the heavy lifting. A few extra minutes will help decrease accidents.
• Have people inside ready to take over for people taking stuff off the moving truck. This allows for your movers to carry heavy items for a shorter period of time which keeps people from becoming tired too quickly.

Remember, no one likes to move. It's going to be a stressful day and things may go wrong. But if you do everything you can to keep your help happy, it'll be over before you know it.

A foundation in quick plans of moving company:

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Our dedication to expert moving and quality administration is unmatched in the moving business and we promise to continue bringing our benefactors the most state of the symbolization and current apparatuses so you guarantee your getting the best moving organization quotes while sparing cash. Moving organizations put stock in making all your moves as though it is your first time. Consider searching out testimonials for the organization, or get a suggestion from a companion who has been fulfilled by a certain organization's administrations.

In this article, research lessening bundling material to diminish your environmental effect. On the off chance that separated from that you as a client have any question at all with respect to the administrations guaranteed by any of the overall delivery organization or any certainty to demonstrate their realness, you ought to do that as it is best to be mindful of what's in store for you as opposed to atone later.

There is a wide range to browse extending from moving extensive amounts of things to an alternate point on the planet or transporting things shorter separations for the DIY customer. Search for an organization that will be by your side when you're not certain which IRS structures to round out, or in case you're not certain in the event that you've set up your mail sending administration effectively. Time investment funds are an alternate profit acknowledged with the utilization of this kind of expert and administration. As should be obvious, there are various distinctive ways that proficient Spartan moving systems could offer you help.

 

How to Choose a Mover:

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How I chose movers in the past isn’t anything I’m proud of. The last time I picked a mover, I remember doing a quick search online and then signing up with the first mover I called.

I naïvely agreed over the phone to pay the movers by the hour. The job, a move from one New York apartment to another, ended up taking at least 10 hours and costing my husband and me more than a thousand dollars, much more than the initial estimate.

Plus, the movers complained about the pizza we bought them for lunch and couldn’t get one of our sofas through the apartment door. So they took it home with them instead.

I’m far from alone in my bad experience with a moving company. The Better Business Bureau said it received 8,486 complaints about movers in North America last year. Common complaints included final prices greater than original estimates, damaged or lost goods and, in the worst scenarios, movers who held belongings hostage until customers paid thousands of dollars.

But consumers can avoid the same fate by following some simple guidelines for finding a mover. Here they are below.

What to look for when researching potential movers: For interstate moves, make sure the mover is licensed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (you can double-check a mover’s license at www.protectyourmove.gov). You can also search for interstate movers and complaints about them here. For moves within states, check for similar resources in your state. In addition, regardless of the type of move, check to make sure the company has at least a satisfactory rating with the Better Business Bureau. According to the American Moving and Storage Association, the trade association for moving and storage companies, interstate movers must be rated at least satisfactory to display the association’s ProMover logo and be considered “a quality, professional” mover.

Get a written estimate from several movers: According toguidelines recently released from the Better Business Bureau and American Moving and Storage Association, “no legitimate mover will offer to give a firm estimate online or over the phone.” Instead, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s guidelines for “choosing a reputable mover,” the estimate should be based on actually looking at your belongings. In addition, remember that the lowest estimate you receive may be an unrealistically low offer just to rope you in and you’ll end up having to pay more in the end, warned the Better Business Bureau and American Moving and Storage Association. Also keep in mind that movers are required by law to deliver your goods for no more than 10 percent above a “nonbinding estimate” of what your mover believes the cost will be.

Watch for other red flags: Other signs of a rogue mover to watch out for, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, include the requirement of a cash or a large deposit before the move; a rental truck arrives on moving day; the mover’s telephone line isn’t answered with the company’s name; the mover claims all goods are covered by its insurance and the company’s Web site has no local address nor information about licensing and insurance.

In addition, for an interstate move, movers are required by law to give you a copy of a booklet called “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” as you are planning the move (a book you should read before an interstate move to familiarize yourself with your rights).

What guidelines did we miss? Share what you learned from your experiences with rogue movers in the comments below.

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Tips for a Smooth Moving Day:

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Packing Up

• Check the Bill of Lading. Moving companies are required to show you this contract before they start loading your stuff on the truck. Even though you're anxious to get going, take a few minutes to read it thoroughly. Make sure it matches the terms on your original service order, and address any concerns before you sign it. Hang onto your copy until you've unpacked the boxes, because you'll need it on hand if anything gets damaged.
• Supervise the packing process. You may be tempted to let the movers run the show -- after all, they do this for a living. But you'll save yourself a lot of chaos in the long run if you oversee the process.
• Provide sustenance. Whether you're working with pros or pals, provide snacks and water for everyone who's helping out. It'll keep their energy up, and it never hurts to inspire some goodwill in the people who are hauling your stuff around.

Check Your Home One Last Time

Once your stuff is on its way to your new home, you'll want to make one last pass through your old haunt to make sure everything's shipshape. Don't forget to:

• Check the house for anything you may have forgotten. Check every closet, the attic, the crawl space, the garage, the medicine cabinet, and the drawer under your oven. If you're leaving any furniture behind for the next owners, make sure all the drawers are empty.
• Check for any damages caused by the movers. You don't want to lose part of your security deposit or haggle with homebuyers because your cupboard left a hole in the wall.
• Write down your meter readings. When you receive your final bill from your utility companies, verify that the figures match up.
• Check for cash. Have cash tips of $20 to $25 per mover ready, along with money for any tolls along the way.

In Transit

• Before you leave your old house, give the movers your cell phone number in case either party gets delayed or lost.
• If you're driving a rental truck, take it slow -- the extra weight will make the truck harder to handle. Watch out for low clearances, especially if you make a pit stop at a drive-thru window. If you stop along the way, lock the cargo door.

Inspect Your New Home

Try to arrive at your new home before the moving truck does, otherwise you may be billed for the thumb-twiddling period. Once you arrive:

• Do a walk through with your real estate agent. Make sure everything is where it's supposed to be.
• Check the utilities in your new home. Take a few minutes and check the outlets, light switches, appliances, faucets, and toilets in your new home. If anything's broken, you'll have a chance to address it before you settle in for the night.
• Get organized. Tape names to doors to assist movers; map out floor layouts so movers know what's going where.

Unloading

While your boxes are being unloaded, oversee the process and make sure they end up in the right rooms. (You did label them, right?) You don't want to be rummaging through the basement for your coffee pot tomorrow morning. In fact, try to banish as little to the basement as possible, because you'll be less likely to unpack the boxes you can't see. You might end up feeling like you're in a permanent state of transition; or worst-case, you may not discover any damages until it's too late to file a claim.

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Helpful Tips for Hard to Move Items:

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Numerous individuals disparage the difficulties connected with moving from spot to place. It is ordinarily felt that pressing your things into cardboard boxes and putting them on a vast truck will suffice however there are numerous things in your home that may be amazingly hard to move. Taking care of these hard to move things may oblige arranging and unique pressing materials to finish effectively. Counseling with an expert moving organization is the most ideal approach to guarantee you are completely arranged for the challenges of your turn.

Sorts of Hard to Move Items

Each one home has it set of furniture or belonging that will be harder to move than others. Probably the most widely recognized include:

Machines may oblige defensive padding and additional forethought.

Wide screen televisions will be hard to bundle without the first box. May oblige modified cartons and other delivery materials.

Pianos or other substantial musical instruments- can be effortlessly harmed amid a move and ought to be arranged precisely. Extensive, substantial obligation straps, defensive wrapping, and different things may be required to secure them to the truck effectively.

Lounge chairs with haul out peculiarities these are expansive and lumbering bits of furniture, as well as make a test in view of their capacity to open amid the moving procedure.

Beddings may be troublesome due to their size. They oblige a covering keeping in mind the end goal to keep them clean.

Arranging ahead is the most ideal approach to guarantee your turn goes easily. Moving groups may have specific gear to help you comprehend what will be needed for your move.

Contact Us:

In the event that you are considering a move, the Spartan moving experts at Moving San Francisco can offer assistance. Contact our business locales today for more facts.

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How to say goodbye to old friends:

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We often focus on the person that's moving because it’s a big life change, filled with new adventures and pressures. But what about the people who get left behind?
If you’re moving, consider giving your friends a token of farewell. They’re going to miss you and remembering them before you move will help keep your connections strong in the future.
Here are You Move Me’s four best suggestions to properly say goodbye to old friends.

EMPTY HOUSE PARTY

Once your belongings have been packed and the furniture is out of the house, why not throw one last bash? Get everyone to bring a lawn chair and a cooler (filled with their drink of choice), provide some chips n’ dip, and you’ve got yourself an empty house party, or EHP.
There are endless benefits to an EHP: it’s a chance to reminisce about the good times you had in your house, clean-up will be minimal, and any slightly inebriated friends might just promise to help move the heavy stuff later.

HOUSEWARMING SHINDIG

On the other hand, if you didn't move too far away, you can plan to see your friends as soon as possible in your new digs by inviting them to a housewarming party. The best part is that the invites can be mailed far in advance, so you don’t have to worry about getting it done on moving day. Knowing you will see your favorite people soon will make the transition easier.

PREPAID PHONE CARD

Does your move require a passport? If you’re moving abroad, don’t let the ocean between you cause a rift. Instead, gift your closest family and friends with a prepaid Skype account or phone card. That way, they can keep in touch while you’re a world away.

GIFT HUNT

Leave a lasting impact by planting a memento at your friend’s house. A week or two after you’ve moved, they’ll open the cupboard to find the keepsake. Bonus? It’s a great prompt for them to give you a call.
The best things to leave usually involve an inside joke or something sentimental that will make your friend remember a happy time together.

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