Month: November 2021

What to Pack Last When Moving?

Posted on by Dorothy

Packing is the most time-consuming part of the moving process but it’s something that must be done. So, it helps to have some tips from professional Brooklyn movers and the best packing strategy. From creating a handy home inventory list to taping each moving box, there are many steps you must take to complete the task successfully. While you’re waiting to learn how to pack like a pro and save all that money and time you would otherwise spend on professional packers, you must first know what to pack last when moving i.e. what to keep aside until the time comes.

The way you pack and the order can also make or break your packing experience. For example, you may need to disassemble a huge dresser to take it out of your home. But, you have your tools packed away and unreachable. So the reason to postpone packing certain items is that you’ll need them on or before moving day. To save you the trouble of buying new items because you can’t get ahold of something you need on the day of the relocation, read our simple guide on what to pack last when moving.

A Woman Is Packing Items In Moving Boxes

Phones and electronics

The modern age got us all wondering “where’s my phone” at least once a day. But, that’s not what you want on your moving day. Once the relocation day comes, you want to be completely positive that you have your phone and tablet on you. These are considered your personal items so make sure you pack them last and keep them close. Besides those basic devices, you should also pack other connection devices before you leave, such as cables, chargers, batteries, etc. These are the items you should pack in your essential bag for long-distance relocation or your short-distance moving. Bringing a power bank with you is also a good idea. You may need it in case you experience delays or other situations you need a phone to sort out. You should delay packing these kinds of items until you’re ready to go.

Food and disposable utensils

People are very busy on the moving day and those couple of days before it. So, it makes sense why so many people leave on fast food and take out during final preparations for moving. Plus, your kitchen will be packed by then, so you won’t have much to prepare an actual meal. That leaves you no choice but to use what you have or order food. While this makes a quick solution, keep in mind that you’ll probably have some leftovers already. So, if you’re wondering how to reduce food waste when moving, this is the way to go.

What you can do is put all perishables aside and see what you can use until the moving day arrives. Also, most of your utensils will be packed but you can go for disposable ones instead. They’re a lifeline in those days when you’re too busy to think straight. Besides disposable utensils and dishes, you should also pack some snacks and refreshments. By doing so, you wouldn’t have to run to the store every time you feel thirsty or need a fast energy intake.

A Stack Of Disposable Utensils On A Table

Cleaning supplies

Naturally, you won’t leave your house a mess and let the next person find a dirty home after you leave. It’s only polite to clean after yourself and leave your current home nice and tidy. But imagine the scenario where you’re just about to go through the door and leave the home but you remember you haven’t cleaned yet. Your options then are to quickly run to the store and buy some cleaning supplies or start unpacking boxes to figure out where exactly was that Windex packed.

Either way, you’ll lose time and we won’t even start about nerves. In order to avoid last-minute stress, just keep your cleaning supplies aside. Pack them only after the entire home is clean and you’re ready to leave the property. Of course, if you schedule professional cleaning services you don’t have to worry about this and you can pack your cleaning materials whenever you like.

Kids’ stuff

The next part of your household that shouldn’t be packed in advance has to do with your tiny ones. Don’t pack their favorite toys or special items that could be needed during moving and provide necessary comfort in those busy days. Let your kids choose the important things and don’t pack them – let your kids keep them close while moving. Also, your pets’ stuff should be packed last to avoid digging through a pile of boxes only to find a few treats or that favorite pet toy.

Kids Toys Should Be Packed Last When Moving - Toys In A Box On The Floor

Moving paperwork

You should keep documents close to yourself as you may need them on moving day. So, don’t pack the moving contract, the bill of landing, and similar paperwork until you’re ready to leave the house.

Fresh bedding

Another thing you’ll want to pack last is clean bedding since you’ll probably want to have a good night’s rest after you arrive at your new home. To avoid searching through the boxes looking for a fresh bed sheet, make sure you pack it separately.

Clean clothes

Clothing is usually the first to pack but you should separate a few items and pack them last so you could change into something comfy and clean after a long day of moving house.

 

Eventually, think about everything you need in order to get through those first couple of days comfortably. Those must-haves will be a part of your moving day essentials box. This box or a bag should contain basic things like medicine, toiletries, snacks, clean bedding, etc. All of the things you plan to pack inside the essentials box are the same things you should pack last. Keep in mind that our list is meant to give an idea but you should consider what priority to you is and work from there. While the list of necessary things is entirely up to you, you can leave everything else to Dorothy and Martha Moving. Go ahead and contact us to create a plan for your relocation and we’ll be happy to provide a free moving quote.

How to Hoist Furniture When Moving

Posted on by Dorothy

When it comes to moving heavy or bulky household items, people sometimes decide to leave them behind. That’s due to the expenses and the complexity of the process. But things look quite different when you have that perfect sofa for your home. Or antique chest of drawers that’s one or any other item that you must bring with you. In that case, you may be unable to carry the item out in the traditional way through the doors. So, you may be forced to look for alternative ways – like going through the window. Taking your furniture out through the window is a great solution if you do it properly, which is why you should take advice from professional Brooklyn movers. Carry on reading to find out how to hoist furniture when moving.

Two People Are Hoisting a Sofa

Prepare your furniture piece for moving

Before you hoist a specific item, you must prepare it for hoisting and moving. The first thing to do is to empty it completely. So, empty the content of the drawers, remove cushions, etc. Then you’ll want to measure the dimensions of the furniture, including its diagonals. The reason to measure diagonal dimensions is that sometimes you’ll have to tilt an item at a certain angle in order to manoeuver it through a tight space. If an item is too big and can’t fit through the doors, you’ll want to consider taking it out through the window. Although, this should be your last option. Of course, you’ll have to measure the window as well to make sure dimensions allow you to go this way.

Your next step is to disassemble furniture. Wondering how to disassemble furniture when moving? It’s easy. Remove drawers, doors, and any other detachable parts. Some items can’t be fully disassembled but in most cases, you’ll be able to remove at least some parts. For example, the legs of your bed or sofa. This will make furniture lighter, more compact, and the hoisting process easier.

You will then want to pack and protect your bulky item. If you’re struggling with finding a way to protect floors when moving, this will help you protect both floors and walls. Everybody knows these areas of the house often get damaged during the moving process. So go ahead and wrap your entire furniture piece in protective coverings. Use stretch tape and furniture blankets for this purpose and follow by using packing tape to secure everything in place. At this point, you can also protect walls, corners, window frames, balcony railing, and other areas of your property. That way you’ll make sure you’ll leave the house intact.

An Automatic Screwdriver And A Piece Of Disassembled Furniture

Strap up your furniture

Once your property and a furniture piece are prepared for moving, it’s time to use straps and fasten them tightly around an item you’re hoisting. You should create a loop that will hold the piece from all sides. You will use these loops to attach ropes for pulling your item. Then make the knots so the straps wouldn’t come undone and make them as tight as possible.

Attach ropes

The next step to hoisting furniture safely is to attach sturdy ropes to loops you just made. This will help you lift an item and navigate through the process. This step is pretty easy – just pass the ropes through the loops and make knots in the middle. Pay attention to the length of the rope – it should be at least twice the length you have from the ground to the window and it’s always a good idea to add some extra length just in case. You can use this technique for pulling up or lowering your furniture so it works for both moving in and moving out.

Also, keep in mind that you can’t move extremely heavy or large furniture this way. So, consider hiring specialized piano movers NYC, if you want to hoist and move bulky and sensitive items like a piano or a hot tub, or contact NYC art movers if you need to move an artwork, etc.

Hoist

So you’ve made it this far and it’s time to approach the actual hoisting process. Keep in mind that this is not a simple task and you must be extremely careful with hoisting furniture. Firstly, you must have enough helpers. You’ll need at least three people but it’s even better if you have extra helpers. Two persons will be pulling the ropes while the third person will stay on ground level and warn about obstacles or alert if the furniture seems to be out of balance or anything else really that seems odd. You and your helper should make sure you’re synchronized well. You should pull the ropes slowly in order to lower or lift the furniture without too much swinging or tilting.

Straps for Hoist The Furniture When Moving

Safety

When you decide to hoist furniture DIY, you must always keep everyone’s safety in mind. All helpers, including yourself, should wear protective gloves and closed-toe shoes. You must also make sure that there are no obstacles so nobody would trip. You should never try lifting more weight than you can – there’s nothing bad in getting more helping hands when you need them. Also, consider all the alternatives when you’re hoisting furniture. For example, furniture sliders or inclined planes should work just fine if you’re lifting an item to the first or second floor. In case you do have to use ropes, check their condition first – they should be sturdy and in good condition as damaged ropes can lead to damages and injuries.

 

Hopefully, after reading this guide you’ll be able to hoist your furniture safely and efficiently so you can move large items without trouble. As always, the best way to move your bulky or heavy household items is to hire professional movers, such as Dorothy and Martha Moving. Our moving crew has all the necessary equipment and experience needed to hoist your furniture. We’re available for any questions so don’t hesitate to contact us – we’ll be happy to chat about your relocation and give you a free moving quote.

How to pack and protect dishes for transportation

Posted on by Dorothy

Everyone who’s ever had to prepare for relocation could share their moving story and tell you which part of it was the most complicated and tiresome. Among those stories, you will probably hear that there were those who struggled to figure out how to safely pack and protect dishes for transportation. And yes, this can truly be a great issue. Unless you have a bit of help from professionals and the necessary skills to pull this off. If this task is next on your to-do list, we suggest you take a look at the following text and equip yourself with useful information so that you can pack your household like a pro.

Continue reading “How to pack and protect dishes for transportation”

Pros and Cons of Moving to a Cold State

Posted on by Dorothy

We’ve all heard planet about moving to sunny states but how about deciding to move to a cold climate instead? If for any reason, you must relocate to a cool and fresh area, you may wonder if there are any benefits to it? The answer is – absolutely! There are many pros of living in a cold state and we’ll list only a couple of them in the following text. On the other hand, each climate has its drawbacks as well so we’ll cover the cons of moving to a cold state as well. Carry on reading to learn more about the pros and cons of moving to a cold state.

Packing For Moving To A Cold State

Pros of moving to a cold state

You may be skeptical about cold weather benefits but there are quite a few of them. Here are the ones we found to be the most common.

Winter sports and outdoors

Moving to a cold state is a great way to enjoy the snow and its charm to the fullest – anything from snow angels to skiing and snowboarding can bring you joy. The great thing is that you can choose any type of winter sport and the best part is that you’ll be able to so often. If you’re worried about how you will get used to being outdoors in cold – you’ll get there much sooner than you might think. People who live in cool areas are used to low temperatures so they’ll have outdoor events and as much fun as people living in warm states. Winter festivals are a thing!

Amateur Nordic Skiing

Keeping a cool head

Another great thing about living in a cold climate is that cool temperatures tend to help with having your thoughts clear. A short walk can do miracles when you’re trying to keep your head cool, especially if you’re dealing with a lot of stress from an extremely busy schedule and you need to gather your thoughts.

No pollen allergies

If you have trouble with those nasty pollen allergies, you may find that moving to a cold state is the perfect thing to do. You should stay free of polled-related allergies in winter so you may want to put your medications away, at least until you travel for vacation. That’s because pollen counts don’t exist in low temperatures or snow so you can enjoy your time outdoors without itchy eyes and a runny nose.

A Bee Collects Pollen

Low temperatures don’t attract insects

For those moving to a cold state from hot and humid areas, this will be a game-changer – low temperatures are just not appealing to insects (Miami, we’re looking at you). If you, like most people, hate annoying insects, then moving somewhere cool and fresh will save you all the trouble. Plus, mosquitos and ticks are also known to spread the diseases but you won’t have to worry about that when you’re a cold state resident.

Burning more calories

Here’s a pro of moving to a cold state that many people will find thrilling – our bodies work harder in low temperatures in order to keep the core temperature, resulting in burning more fat. Of course, it will not give you a miraculous weight loss, but it’s still nice to know that your body will burn more calories after you move.

Healthy Walk In The Late Fall

Quality of sleep

Another benefit of living in a cold state has to do with sleeping. As some studies show, the quality of sleep is better in low temperatures than it is in warm climates. So, if you’re having trouble sleeping, you should greatly improve your quality of sleep once you move to a cold state.

Immune system boost

It is also suggested by some researchers that cold weather can affect your immune system. Although you’d expect to catch the flu in cold and dry air, you may find that your immune system is much more capable of fighting that flu off. Of course, you should always take care of your health and pay regular visits to your doctor – don’t expect your move to a cold state to be an excuse for not having health checks.

People Hiking in Winter

Cons of moving to a cold state

Now that we’ve covered some of the most important pros of moving to a cold state, it’s worth noting that there are also some cons to it. Here are some of them.

Shorter days

This is not necessarily always the case but you will usually get less daylight when living in a colder state. Shorter days affect some people in a way that they feel less productive and lazy so keep this in mind when deciding to move to a cold state.

Higher utility bills

Low temperatures also mean more electricity or gas for your heating system so don’t be surprised if you get a higher utility bill once you start being a cool state resident.

Utility Bills and a Calculator

Driving and traffic

One thing is for sure – driving in bad weather is no fun. You’ll probably have to use winter equipment for your car if you’re moving to a snowy state and you may have to deal with icy roads − which is always a challenge of its own. Besides being annoying and slowing you down, driving in bad weather is also risky so you must always be extra careful when it comes to poor weather conditions traffic.

 

Hopefully, this simple list will help you decide if moving to a cold state is the right thing to do. Living in any climate has its pros and cons so a decision about whether living in the cold weather is the best one depends on your personal preference. Wherever you decide to move to, you will benefit from hiring professional long-distance movers Brooklyn to assist with your relocation. If you’ve made up your mind and you’re about to move to a cold state, go ahead and contact Dorothy and Martha Moving. We’d be happy to answer all of your questions and help you move your things safely to your new home. Contact us for the best free moving quotes in Brooklyn.

Best NYC Neighborhoods for Retirees

Posted on by Dorothy

So, you’ve decided to retire to the greatest city in the world. Good choice – why should young people have all the fun? Plus, especially if you’ve lived in New York most of your life, nothing else can compare. New York has such a specific, eclectic culture, that it can be hard to get used to another place. Of course, plenty of people won’t believe there are any NYC neighborhoods for retirees, but a true New Yorker will tell you otherwise. After all, you might think NYC is just for busy young start-up professionals, but Park Slope is an endless cavalcade of strollers and families. The city that never sleeps isn’t just for nervous college students! Not to mention that downsizing to an apartment will do wonders for household obligations.

You won’t have to worry about mowing the lawn or sweeping leaves. To help you find the best NYC neighborhoods for retirees, we’ve selected a few choices that may be the right fit for you. Keep in mind that everyone’s idea of retirement is different and Big Apple has so many neighborhoods to offer, so your final choice may be somewhat unexpected or even not considered age-friendly – but don’t let that bother you and go for what you find enjoyable. 

Continue reading “Best NYC Neighborhoods for Retirees”

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