1st Class Moving and Storage

Before any move, you have to pack your stuff. And it’s almost a given that you’re going to realize something as you go: you have so much stuff! There are plenty of ways to get rid of some before you start your pack, and one way is to hold a good ole-fashioned garage sale. Why do this? For one, you can make a little bit of money off of your old belongings, and you can easily sort through what you have and decide what’s worth keeping and bringing with you.

To make sure that your garage sale is successful, take a look at these tips:

• First thing to look into is how your local municipality does garage sales. Most cities around Orlando require you to get a permit and follow specific rules if you’re going to hold a garage sale.
• Pick a weekend as it’s more likely potential buyers will have time to come out; if you can do both Saturday and Sunday, even better! Also, try to check on the weather. Here in Florida, it goes from sunny to rainy in a blink of an eye.
• Find some good public places to put up notices of your garage sale. In the age of the internet, there are plenty of public forums, but you’ll have to be careful about who comes by. “Old school” methods include community bulletin boards at churches and grocery stores. Put them up a day or two in advance so folks have enough time to make plans to swing by.
• The Golden Rule for garage sales is “Anything goes.” No idea if anyone will buy it? Just put it out there. You’d be amazed the crazy things people will take off of your hands.
• Consider where you’re moving to and whether you need to keep certain things. If you’re moving from Baltimore to Orlando, you don’t need a snow shovel. Same thing with your surfboard if you’re moving to Chicago. You can also make a little bit more than just a couple bucks on items like those.
• Make sure you price things realistically. If you bought a blouse that was in style five years ago, don’t expect anyone to pay what you paid for it when it was new (or even half). You kind of have to check your ego. Don’t get your feelings hurt if someone offers less than you’d prefer. Be happy you’ll get rid of it.
• Keep the setup organized. You want everyone to be able to browse easily and comfortably. If you have electronic items for sale, have them set up near an outlet or a power strip so they can be tested.
• Lastly, and most importantly, keep your cash in a safe place. Only have enough on hand to make change and put the rest of it in the house. Also, don’t accept checks unless you know the buyer very well.

If all goes well, you might make a nice little wad of cash. After the garage sale, if you still see you have stuff left, then take it all to a church or charitable organization. Some donations are tax-deductible, which is nice, and depending on the items, they might send a truck to take things away for you. And if that doesn’t work out….there’s always the trash.

No matter what route you take to declutter, it’ll ultimately make moving a heck of a lot easier for you, and 1st Class Moving and Storage will still be there provide the best in moving services and products. Call today to get your free quote.

No matter if you’re moving across the street or across the country, the process of moving can be very stressful. With stress comes mistakes that are made. Listed below are the biggest (and unfortunately, most common) mistakes that are made by those who are moving.

1. Waiting until the last minute: This is a classic, and even today, most people do this. And we get it; you’re busy with work or family, and things find themselves getting pushed further down on the to-do list. Most commonly, this happens because most don’t have a plan in mind for when they’re getting ready for a move. We help you out in this by offering a moving guide and checklist so you can keep track of every step leading up to your move.
2. Not organizing your boxes: Perhaps you’ve experienced this before: putting your shoes, your kitchen utensils, and your magazines in one box. Or needing something as soon as you arrive at your new home and not knowing where important items are. Having disorganized boxes makes the end result of your move much worse and delays your ability to get settled into your new home. Instead, using your moving checklist, pack boxes that are organized by rooms and have them clearly labeled. The labeling will help you (and the movers) know where they go once you get to your new home. Make sure to wrap fragile items carefully. For those items you know you’ll need immediately, like medications, pack those items in one box and bring it with you.
3. Forgetting to turn on your utilities: This has happened, and it is no fun at all. Your move takes place on a weekend, and when you get to your new home, you have no lights, no water, or anything else. And you can’t get it taken care of until Monday. If you’re moving within your city, there’s a chance you’ll be able to transfer your service from your old address to your new one. Regardless, you should set up your utilities at least a week in advance of your move so you know everything will be turned on when you get there.
4. Not checking your insurance policy: Moving, when done smoothly, sees all of your belongings arriving at your new home in one piece. However, no one can predict what will happen on the road. But if you don’t check your insurance policy or learn more about your mover’s liability policy, you could end up paying for whatever gets broken. Make sure you know what is on your homeowners or rental policy and that liability is discussed with your moving company before the move. Knowing could save you lots of money in the long run if something does get broken. (But with the right moving company, this won’t be an issue.)
5. Hiring a disreputable moving company: Moving companies come and go, and there are plenty of horror stories. Some will do things like take long lunch times to add to their hourly rate, or not care for your belongings, or (and this is the worst) hold your belongings hostage until you pay more than the quoted estimate. For 1st Class, our record speaks for itself. 97 percent of our clients come to us from referrals. It’s that kind of reputation that must be considered when hiring a moving company. We offer both hourly and flat rates to simplify things for you; we have packing and unpacking services; we take great care of your furniture and belongings; and we offer unparalleled service.

Today, social media is everywhere. The number of people on various social media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, and much more, has grown exponentially over the last decade and it continues to go up. Not only are these platforms growing, but those on them post updates about everything. If you’re thinking about posting about your upcoming move, there are a few benefits, but also some risks to be aware of.

Benefits

One of the best benefits of social media is the ability to solicit free advice and input. If you’re moving to a new city, or even just considering it, you can make an update and ask your friends what they think. They could volunteer services to look into, or give an idea of neighborhoods or job opportunities (assuming you don’t have one before moving). Even if you’re looking for work, use a professional network like Linkedin prior to your move to start connecting with potential employers in your new city.

Once you move to a new city, you can also reach out to any friends you might have in the area to find things to do. If you don’t know anyone in the city, use sites like MeetUp and find like-minded groups of people with similar interests. This can help you meet new people and get to know your city quicker since they often meet in public hot spots.

Risks

The single biggest risk of the constant updating about your move on social media is the same with talking about anything on social media: privacy. We all know sites like Facebook offer its users plenty of privacy abilities, but very rarely do most delve into them. If your privacy settings are lax, then it’s possible that anyone can see your updates. And not all of those “anyones” are people who you want to know your updates.

For example, if you say, “Heading out to pick up more boxes for my move,” you’re letting everyone know you’ve left the house. Would-be thieves know you’re gone and could use this as a burglary opportunity. It’s the same thing for your actual moving day. When the big day occurs, there’s lots of running around, people going in and out, and your belongings are in the open. Those who are following your moving updates can plan to wander down your street and try to grab something right off your yard. (This is also why it’s important to have a reputable moving company, like 1st Class Moving and Storage, on hand. The crew will mind your belongings so this doesn’t happen.)

To prevent this, first, update your privacy settings so only select people can see your updates. Also, just because you can share everything doesn’t mean you should. Keep only your family and close friends informed (especially if they can help).

Whether you use social media as a tool to seek out advice on neighborhoods or recommendations of things to do in your new city, always remember you seek out 1st Class Moving and Storage to get you from one place to another (and we’re on Facebook).