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29
Aug, 2019

Six Ways to Prepare for a Move without Harming the Environment

Isn’t it great how more and more people are increasing their focus on improving our environment? It all comes down to how each of us manages our carbon footprints. And, it applies to every aspect of your daily life, including when you are moving to a new home. Here are six things NYC movers suggest doing to protect the environment when moving:

#1 Use Green Cleaning Chemicals

It’s probably one of the least enjoyable parts of any move because you not only have to clean the house or apartment where you’re moving from, but you’ll also want to clean your new home as well before you move in. Some cleaning chemicals, and especially aerosols, are harmful to the environment. But you can easily find eco-friendly products for all of your cleaning needs.

And if you’re planning on hiring a cleaning service or a professional carpet cleaner, you’ll find that many of them are realizing their global responsibilities and advertise greener methods of cleaning.

#2 Limiting Emissions

Emissions are a huge consideration when you are planning for a move. Emissions are one of the biggest contributors to air pollution that is plaguing our atmosphere. Here are a few things to consider:

  • Any friends or family that may be helping could carpool together to reduce exhaust emissions.
  • Try to avoid moving items in cars. You’ll be saving gas and reducing emissions.
  • If you’re renting a truck, while it might be cheaper to get a smaller one, you may end up making more trips, using more gas, and releasing more exhaust fumes. A larger truck is a more eco-friendly option.
  • Professional movers are also available who specialize in environmentally-friendly practices.

#3 Seek Out Recycled Packing Materials

You’ll be using a lot of boxes, packing material, tape, and other moving supplies. Luckily, you can easily find items made out of recycled materials. You could even take the move as an opportunity to buy long-lasting storage boxes or totes, made from renewable sources of course, for items that tend to remain in storage for longer periods.

#4 Minimize Garbage

You’ll be sorting through a lot of stuff as you are packing everything. And, you will usually find yourself with a few things that you either forgot you even had or realize that you no longer need. Donating or selling them rather than throwing them away will help with our ever-growing landfill problems.

#5 Plan Eco-Friendly Snacks

You’ll need beverages and food for you, anyone helping you, and even professional movers on moving day. And, if you’re not careful, all those drinks and snacks can create a lot of garbage.

You could have some sandwiches or other grab-and-go food ready for everyone to munch on instead of buying take-out. And, to minimize the use of plastic water bottles, you could buy everyone a reusable beverage container they can keep.

#6 Recycle When You’re Done

Have a plan in place for what you will do with all the boxes and moving supplies after you finish. Of course, you could recycle everything. Or, you could use your social media outlets and give the supplies to someone else that’s about to move, helping them to reduce their carbon footprint a little by not purchasing new supplies.

 

16
Aug, 2019

5 Strategies to Beat Procrastination When Preparing for a Move

According to the Harvard Business Review, the human mind is programmed for procrastination. Instead of focusing on the potential rewards associated with completing a task, your brain is fixated on how stressful or difficult that task is.

Maybe you’re leaving home for the first time, or your move is the result of a breakup. You might have memories that you aren’t quite ready to let go of, or maybe you hate the idea of packing. Whatever your reason for putting it off, these simple strategies from Imperial Moving and Storage NYC will help you beat packing procrastination.

Visualize

Imagine how accomplished you’ll feel when all your belongings are organized and stored in properly labeled boxes. Think about how much time you’ll save when you’re unpacking and know exactly where everything is. Imagining the positive benefits of completing a task can remove any negative connotations associated with it.

Stop Catastrophizing

Moving is stressful, and packing everything you own into boxes is boring, but don’t convince yourself that the task at hand is unbearable. Experts from Psychology Today found that many people procrastinate because they make a big deal out of nothing.

Packing may be monotonous, but monotony has never killed anyone. Treat packing the same way you’d treat a phone call that you don’t want to make. Take a deep breath, focus on what you’re doing, and enjoy the relief you’ll feel when it’s over.

Accountability

People who publicly commit to doing something are more likely to follow through. Announce on social media that you will finish packing by the weekend. Promise to post a picture of your empty apartment. You might tell yourself that you don’t care what others think of you, but nobody wants to look lazy or incapable online.

Eat the Frog

Eat That Frog is an entire book about procrastination based on a quote from Mark Twain. Twain said that if you eat a live frog when you wake up, the rest of your day will seem bearable because nothing you had to do could be worse than eating a live frog.

What does eating a frog have to do with beating procrastination when you’re preparing to move? Decide which task you’re dreading the most, and do that first. Once you get the hardest part of packing out of the way, the rest of your move will go smoothly.

Treat Yourself

Set goals and reward yourself when you reach those goals. Treat yourself to an ice cream sundae after you finish packing your kitchen or watch a few episodes of your favorite Netflix series after all your clothes are packed.

Positive reinforcement can gradually change the way your brain works. What started as a way to stop procrastinating during your move could make you a more productive individual in the long run.

 

23
Jul, 2019

6 Effective Tips to Prepare Your Wallet For Unexpected Moving Costs

Moving a household can be expensive. Unexpected expenses pop up constantly. When they’re not planned for, they can start to add up quickly. Many of these instances you don’t even think about until they happen. What are some of these issues, and how can you either avoid or minimize them?

 

1. Make sure that utility services are updated

For example, there are usually fees associated with utilities and other services. To minimize them, make sure you change utility billings, club memberships, and subscriptions. Check with your security or alarm system to determine if they have a cancellation notification before service is terminated. This is true for all of your utilities, memberships, and subscriptions. You don’t want to be paying for a newspaper delivery service after you have vacated the property. Avoid these fees by giving adequate written notice detailing cut-off and end of service dates.

2. Check for extra mover fees

If you are using a mover, check for fees regarding disassembling or assembling furniture. Don’t let a fee for taking beds apart as you leave or assembling them once you arrive at your new residence be a surprise. If you’re going to do some of this work yourself, make sure the moving company knows that you will be doing the labor and make sure you have access to any tools you need. These fees are easy to avoid if you communicate clearly with the movers and moving company.

 

3. Know what moving companies require when moving DIY

If you are packing some of your belongings yourself, make sure you understand exactly what the moving company requires. A moving company may have limits on box sizes or weight of contents. They may require a specific type of tape. Money would have been saved by doing your own packing could be offset by fees to repack boxes to the moving company’s standards. Again, communicating clearly with the moving company about responsibilities for packing can save you a surprise bill.

 

4. Inform the moving companies if you’re moving long distance

A moving company may charge you fees for elevator time or for carrying items a long distance. For example, the moving company may not be able to park their truck within a reasonable distance of the loading or unloading point of your residence. If the moving crew is confined to using one elevator designated as a freight elevator, this could slow the process down, and at the same time, incur increased fees. In this instance, you should be the go-between between your moving company and any building administration. The best way to avoid surprises here is to clearly understand where trucks and moving crews can park and when and how to make reservations for using a freight elevator.

 

5. Be informed on moving truck and equipment rental

You can also have surprises when you get the final bill for truck and equipment rental. When you make a reservation for a truck and equipment, be very clear about when you need these items and for how long. For example, if there are moving blankets in the truck, check with the moving company to confirm how many blankets are there, if you’ve bought them or are renting them and if there is a charge for them.

 

6. Check for extra charges when moving into a condo or apartment

One area of surprise can be condo or apartment move out or move in charges, along with items necessary to move in. Your realtor or building management can answer any questions about charges and deposits. Surprises can include purchasing an additional garage door opener, paying for extra trash removal or parking.

As you calculate the move in or move out costs, remember the most important thing to do is always to ask if something is included or is an additional charge.