Picking a Moving Date That’s Right For Your Needs
Ayer Moving

Picking a Moving Date That’s Right For Your Needs

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Deciding when you’re going to move is stressful. There are so many factors to consider to come up with the perfect date and you want to make your move as easy as you can on everyone involved. With a move already putting a strain on your everyday life, it is important to pick the perfect moving day that suits all of your needs.

Here’s what you need to consider:

If You Have Kids

If you have kids you’ll want to consider when is best for them. Most kids find it more difficult to move in the middle of the school year because curriculums are unlikely to line up at both schools. The stress of starting school in the middle of the year with no friends can often be overwhelming and result in a lot of stress and low grades. Because of this, it is a good idea to move during the summer.

You may be eager to get going right after your child completes a grade but it is likely they don’t feel the same way. Give them a week or two to say goodbye to all their friends, in and out of the neighborhood, and to allow them to adapt to the idea of moving. If you want to move at the end of the summer, be sure that it is a few weeks before school starts back up for your kid. Give them some time to get acquainted with the new house and the people in the neighborhood before throwing them back into school.

Unfortunately, the almost universal desire to avoid breaking up a school year leads most families to prefer to pick a moving date during summer break, and this means…

 

If You’re Worried About Cost

The summer is the most costly time of the year to move because it’s the busiest. With most people moving in late May to early October, and the absolute busiest days at the end of June and July, the rush of people hiring moving trucks in the summer results in higher rates. There’s only so many moving companies and vehicles to hire and the demand pushes up prices.

The weekends are also an expensive time to move with most people trying to make the switch when they aren’t working. It is best to avoid the holidays when it comes to moving because any time off will result in an influx of people trying to hire companies. The most cost effective time of the year is likely to be late fall before Christmas and Hannukah and winter.

Don’t wait until the last minute to hire your moving company. If you really need a specific day, you are going to want to hire them weeks ahead of time to ensure that you get the day and the company you want.

 

If You’re Renting

Most people try to rent during spring and summer. This is when people get off of work and out of school so you have many college students leaving their apartments. This means that there will be a lot on the market during these busy months so you will have the most options.

However, with so many people looking for a place, it gives you less time to decide if you really want to rent. You will likely not have the time to negotiate a lower price so renting in the spring and summer will be the most expensive.

The winter can be a very good time to rent because fewer people have a desire to move in the cold. Renters will be eager to get their places under contract and therefore will be much more likely to negotiate a lower cost.

 

If You’re Worried About The Weather

The weather is a very big factor when considering when you want to move. If you don’t want to get caught in the rain or snow or are incredibly opposed to moving in the cold, then you will want to schedule your move for summer. If you have wooden or even some plastic items that are very important to you, special preparations may be needed to protect them from the elements.

Moving somewhere cold to somewhere warm and vice versa can damage some of your belongings if the temperature changes are very extreme, so consider a summer moving date when temperatures are more forgiving might be a good idea. However, you’ll want to take into account that, in addition to moving companies costing more because of the number of people hiring them in the summer, they will also charge more due to the extreme heat.

 

If You’re Worried About Traffic

While during the day on the weekends there are fewer people out and about, moving between Monday and Thursday will be your best bet. Not only will it save you money because it is during the week but, if you go at the right times, you can also avoid rush hour. The best time of day to move is early to late morning.

Although you may run into some morning traffic with people rushing to work if you leave early, it will also give you ample time to get where you’re going. Leaving mid to late morning will allow you to avoid morning traffic and rush hour so you’ll arrive at your destination faster and not have to deal with the frustration of traffic.

 

How to move your stove (and a few other big objects)
Ayer Moving

How to move your stove (and a few other big objects)

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The first piece of advice on moving a stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine or dryer is don’t do it by yourself. Hiring a moving company is your best bet, especially for a gas stove which will need to be disconnected safely. But even if you don’t want professional help, you will still need at least one extra set of hands. These appliances are large objects that can hurt you if they fall over while you try to tip them or lift them by yourself.

Once the appliances are unplugged and disconnected, pull them away from the wall and clean them inside and out. Things that fill up with water like a dishwasher or washing machine should be left ajar for 24 hours to let any moisture dry. While you’re at it, make sure the path from the appliance to the trailer or truck is as clean as possible to avoid any slips or accidental sliding.

Use tape to secure all cords to the body of the appliance and hold any doors shut so they don’t flap open while you’re loading it. If there are any parts that can be removed, like the drawers of a refrigerator or oven racks, pull them out.

The most effective way to physically move the large appliance is with a special hand truck that is both wide enough to accommodate the machine and has a strap to secure it in place. Load the appliance onto the hand truck with the help of an assistant and tip it back so all the weight falls onto the wheels. If you encounter any stairs, make sure you have someone there to help you slowly and safely descend with your heavy load.

Another approach is to use a square of carpet to slide the appliance across a surface of plywood. You only need a few pieces of cardboard and some heavy lifting to move the appliance onto the upside-down carpet, but the wooly carpet surface will slide easily across the plywood. Once you come to the edge of your plywood surface, pick up the plywood from behind you and continue the path until you reach the loading vehicle.

If you don’t have a power lift like a hydraulic tailgate on your truck or trailer, you will need a ramp to load the appliance. A longer ramp is preferred to decrease the amount of strength needed. Once on board, strap the large appliance down to keep it upright during the journey.

If it’s heavy enough and you’re driving the truck, please remember that the additional mass will give the vehicle more momentum and reduce your stopping time. Once you arrive at the destination, be it a new home or a storage facility, simply repeat the steps in reverse and you’re done.

How to tip a mover like a pro
Ayer Moving

How to tip a mover like a pro

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For most people, moving to a new home is an irregular experience. The average American moves about 11 times in their entire life, and because of that irregularity, it can be difficult to pick up all of the social customs and routine practices associate with moving. Compare that to more common activities like going to a restaurant or getting a haircut that people do over and over again. They have plenty of chances to learn how and when to tip at a coffee shop, but little when moving.

As a result, most people don’t know what to tip their movers, or even if they should tip at all.

Tipping is common in the moving world, but it is never mandatory. If you don’t like the service you received, don’t leave a tip and contact the company to make sure your message gets through. If the service was acceptable but not above and beyond, it’s entirely your call if you should tip or not.

Remember, it’s your gift as a sign of satisfaction. It is not a requirement.

If you decide you do want to tip, you should do so at the tail-end of the job when all the work has been completed. The standard for a local move is around 15% to 20% for the entire crew. Try to give it when they are all together as a group and if you don’t have small bills to divide up on the spot, don’t worry, they’ll be happy to break them up on their own.

If you are moving a few states away or even cross country, consider upping the tip. Remember that when the movers are tied up with your move, they can’t be working on another one. A long enough move could keep them from doing several small jobs in the local area, so try looking at it from their perspective.

Also consider punching up your tip a little if you threw some difficult tasks at them, such as moving a grand piano. If your hot tub arrived at your new home without a dent or scuff, dig a little deeper.

It’s also common to buy the crew food around lunchtime. Pizza is a common choice, so if you decide to go this route ask them if there’s any specific takeout food they’re hankering for, like Indian cuisine or Italian sandwiches.

Halloween is a great time to connect to the new neighbors
Ayer Moving

Halloween is a great time to connect to the new neighbors

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Fewer and fewer people know the folks in their neighborhood today. If you want to be the exception and get to know the people who live near you, then Halloween is a great time to reach out and meet the neighbors.

If you just moved into a new neighborhood and would like an excuse to knock on the doors of a few neighbors you have a good opportunity. Your neighbors are the best source of information on how many trick-or-treaters to expect and how much candy to stock up on, and how elaborate the decorations can get. Try sharing something about your own Halloween experiences with them and a good conversation might follow.

Try going all-out on your yard decorations or even building a haunted house in your garage. This will help draw some positive attention from your neighbors and they may engage you in a conversation that leads to a friendship. Just don’t make your display audibly loud or include bright lights that may annoy your neighbors.

If you find that some of your neighbors don’t want to associate with you because of your tasteful Halloween display, well, those are the grumps you’d want to avoid anyway.

Consider holding a costume party on one of the nights near Halloween and inviting the people in your neighborhood. This will give you a good chance to meet people on your terms and a plausible reason to knock on doors to give out the invites. Just be careful that nothing valuable is on display in your home that can easily be stolen. If the weather is good it might be best to hold a gathering outdoors.

If you have kids of the right ages then tag along with them as they go trick-or-treating. You’ll get to see the neighborhood and meet all the people who live in it.

Today’s a different world and not enough people know who they live near, but with a little courage Halloween provides a lot of great opportunities to break the ice and meet the neighbors. That’s especially important when you’ve just moved into a new area, but it’s also helpful when you’ve lived in your current home for years and never found a chance to meet anyone nearby.