Keeping Cool During a Summer Move

While the weather might be better during the summer than the winter, moving in the heat can be a challenge. As a matter of fact, the heat can be even more dangerous to the people hoisting the furniture if the proper precautions are not taken. Here are some tips for keeping cool during a summer move so that nobody has to head to the hospital due to heat stroke.

Drink Water

Yes, beer and pizza are typical moving foods, but beer will not keep you hydrated. Save the beer for the end of the move and keep lots of water on hand. Cold bottled water in coolers is best for moving. That way you don’t have to worry about having pitchers, glasses or leaving the refrigerator on during the move. Remember to have water ready at both the old house and the new house!

Dress Properly

While you may be tempted to dive into the bottom of the drawer for that heavy cotton t-shirt you no longer wear, don’t be. Stick to athletic clothing that can wick away sweat. This will pull the sweat away from you and help to keep your body cool. Cotton will just hold the heat and sweat against you making your body work harder to keep cool.

Cold Snacks

Instead of pretzels and chips why not have cool snacks? This might mean some planning to keep the fridge running (or use a cooler with ice packs). Cool fruits and veggies or even something like frozen grapes can be great snacks that will keep the movers filled up with plenty of energy. Fruit also makes for a great snack to eat during the drive. 

Use Fans to Circulate Cool Air

If you have a few fans, try to strategically place them in places where you can get the most air flow. Unused doorways and windows are best. Getting a cool blast of air when walking past a fan can be refreshing. Circulating outside air through the house will also keep things cooler than just opening windows and hoping for a breeze from outside.

Frozen Towels

Here is a simple idea to help freshen up hot movers. Take a couple of hand towels from the bathroom and wet them in the sink. Then pop them in the freezer at both of your locations. Pull one out and put it over your neck or on top of your head for a quick refreshing cool-down moment in the middle of the process.

Spray Bottles

Another quick cool down trick is to keep a spray bottle of water in the fridge. Turn the nozzle to mist and spray cool water to get refreshed quickly.

Hire Movers

The best way to avoid being hot during your summer move? Hire movers to do the move for you. You can wait in the cool air conditioning of your car or new home while the movers do all the heavy lifting.

Contact the best movers in Castlegar today. Reach out to Kootenai moving to get a quote for your summer move!

Keep cool during the heat of a summer move with these tips!

Making a Moving Budget

When purchasing or renting a new home, don’t forget to make sure that there is enough money left over to cover your moving expenses. Even if you are choosing to move yourself, there are costs associated with moving. The best way to manage these expenses is to build a budget. This will ensure that you are not caught needing money that you don’t have or prevent you from spending more money than you need.

Figure Out Your Spending Limits

You need to start by figuring out what kind of money you have to spend on your move. Depending on your financial situation, you may have to postpone your move (if you can) to ensure that you have enough to cover your costs. Remember, if you are cutting it close, or even under funded for your move before you start, things are only going to get worse.

Planning a spending limit can also help you from spending too much on a move. If you set a limit to what you are willing to spend, you will be much less likely to go over.

Include the Costs of Your First Month

If you are moving into an apartment, you may have to cover the first and last month of rent, as well as a security deposit. This initial outflow of money might leave you strapped, so be sure to include this in your moving budget. You are most likely not going to have access to the money from your previous security deposit return for this move, so plan for that. These initial costs may help you to better schedule your move to time with a paycheck or bonus.

Plan a Safety Margin

No matter how thorough your quote for the move is, there are going to be some additional cost. You may have forgotten something critical, or the mover may have to charge extra for one reason or another. Having a margin of 10 or 20 percent will ensure that you have extra money available for those little things that were missed. It also makes a good pizza and snack fund for all the folks who are helping you move.

The Cost of Kids

If you have children, there may be additional costs for getting babysitters or other things to keep them occupied during the move. You don’t want to have rowdy kids in the middle of a move that you are trying to coordinate. Happy kids are worth the extra cost.

Transportation Costs

The cost of the van or truck is not the end of the costs of your transportation to your new home. Every car or truck that will be traveling with you is going to need gasoline. Depending on how far away you are moving, those costs could add up quickly.

Once you have your budget set, consider the best movers in the Castlegar area, Kootenai Moving! Contact us today for a quote on your move!

7 Tips for Moving Abroad

Moving is often dubbed one of life’s most stressful events. If that is the case, moving abroad may be one of the most difficult tasks you undertake, though the excitement and experience is unmatched. When you decide to take the leap, pack up your life and move to another country, it is critical that you learn some essential tips for moving abroad.

1. Research the Location

Deciding on such a huge change of scenery is not as simple as pointing to a location on a map and buying a plane ticket. To be successful in your new environment, you need to know what you are getting into. Learn if your community is rural or in a city setting, get familiar with seasonal weather and research local forms of transportation. It is much easier to settle in a new place when you arrive knowing the basics of a location.

2. Find a Residence

As soon as you are certain that you will be moving abroad, begin searching for a new residence. Living in a hotel for an extended amount of time is not pleasant, and you will feel more at home if you actually have a place to call “home”. Consider a short term lease on an apartment if you feel more comfortable taking your time to view housing options. Research locations online and network to get advice on good areas from locals.

3. Learn the Culture

Learning the culture of your new community is very important. You should familiarize yourself with the customs and expectations of the groups of people you will be living among. Learn about the music, food and clothing styles popular in your new area. If a different language is spoken than your own, it is important that you begin to learn that language before your big move.

4. Connect Online

The internet is a worldwide connection between people. Use it to your advantage and meet others in your new location before you move. They will be able to help you better understand the culture and give you necessary information on the area. It is also nice to have a few friends before you arrive to your destination.

5. Save Money

It is important that you have your finances in order before you move abroad. Strive to exceed your savings goals. Unexpected expenses are common when traveling abroad, and you do not want to be unprepared for any near immediate setbacks.

6. Stay Organized

Keep your passports, visas and move information readily available and well organized. Have a copy of your medical records, any pet information and all information on potential jobs and housing on your person and in a folder.

7. Stay Connected

Before your big move, write down the addresses and phone numbers of your friends and family members. Find them on social networking pages and make a commitment to stay connected despite the distance. Modern technology makes it easy to have regular communication with your loved ones even from halfway across the world.

Kootenai Moving representatives are available to assist you with all of your long distance moving needs. For more information on moving abroad, visit our long distance estimate page.

5 Tips for Moving with Children

Moving is normally a huge life event, even for adults. Big moves can be especially hard on the younger members of your family. From announcing to organizing, moving with little ones is a tough task to accomplish. Make your family’s next move smooth by following these 5 tips for moving with children.

1. The Big Announcement

It is very important to communicate effectively with your children when you have made the decision of life events occur that cause you to relocate. Calling a family meeting to sit everyone down and formally explain the situation is a great approach to announcing you will be moving. Be sure to have all of the information, and do not leave anyone in the dark. Know where you are going, when and be prepared to explain why. Tell them how you are feeling about the move and allow them to voice their feelings and concerns as well. As adults, we often forget that our children have built their whole lives in the area they are currently living in. While some may be excited about going to a new place, others will find the experience traumatic. It is important you communicate as effectively as possible to keep the move positive.

2. Keep the Kids Involved

Keeping the kids positive and excited is a big deal. Having them involved in the moving process, from home selection to packing, will help them feel like this is their move, too. Even simply being able to select their new room can help bring some normality to an event that is a big change in their lives. If you are moving to a new city, be sure to take virtual tours beforehand, then visit locations when you arrive in the area. Show your children their potential schools and extra activities that would be available.

3. Cut the Clutter

Packing a family is a huge task. Now is the time to cut the clutter. Have your children go through their things and donate or toss any items they no longer use. You do the same – save yourself the extra time and work packing things you no longer need. Having a yard sale if you have the time is a great way to involve the kids and make a few bucks.

4. Plan the Rooms

After you have found a new home for your family, let the children help with planning the rooms and decor. This will be their house as well and they need to feel like it is home. Creating a safe place for your children in the middle of a big change will insure they do not feel lost in the chaos. Let them help you put together a home that you will all be proud to call your own.

5. See You Later

The hardest part of moving for children is often leaving behind friends or family. Having a party to tell everyone goodbye is a great way to positively leave behind the people you have grown close to. Make sure that you take this time to exchange information so that your kids may keep in touch with each other for years to come. Make moving from your children’s friends “see you later,” not “goodbye.”

Moving can be a huge, life changing event for children, but it does not have to be a negative experience. By following these 5 tips for moving with children, you can help your next big move go smoothly. For more information, speak with a Kootenai moving rep and visit our moving page.

 

How to Load That Moving Truck

 

You got all the boxes packed up and ready to go to your new home. Now all you need to do is put them on the truck, or in the van. Along with the couch, and the love seat, and the dining room table and the…well you get the idea.

Your dad would tell you packing up the truck is an art known only by a few select journeymen. While it isn’t quite that complex, here are some tips so you can make sure everything fits and makes it to your new place in one piece.

Know Your Moving Truck Load Distribution

Large trucks need to have the proper weight distribution. The larger the trailer of the moving truck, the more critical it is to get this distribution correct. Typically you want to have about 60% of the weight of the load towards the front end of the truck, with the remaining 40% towards the rear. While this will vary from truck to truck, using this as a guideline is a good start. The company you rented the vehicle from can provide you with more details to the specific equipment.

Plan Your Load

Keep this mantra in your head: “First in, last out.” When packing your truck, remember that the items that you place in the truck first will be the last items you take out of the truck at your destination. Make sure not to pack anything that is critical to the move into the truck first, as you will not be seeing it for a while.

Once you know when something is going in the truck, you can plan what. Remember to stack your items with the heaviest on the bottom, decreasing the weight as you stack up to the top. Strong items should also go on the bottom, to make sure they can handle the load of things being placed on tip of them. If a box on the bottom collapses, this can cause damage and shift the load in transit.

Secure the Load Inside the Truck

Resist the urge to assume everything is okay because the trailer has a door. You need to make sure that the load cannot shift as you are driving the truck to your new destination. Shifting can not only damage your items, but it can also cause the truck to behave badly at high speeds. Tie you boxes and furniture down to tie points in the moving van, truck or trailer.

Also remember to secure any items that might swing open during transit. Empty drawers of items, and secure them so they do not open during the drive. Do the same to any doors your furniture might have.

Hire Professional Movers

When you add up all your time, effort and potential damage to items that might occur during a move, you might find professional movers cost less. Kootenai Moving are local Creston movers that have years of experience. Call us today for a quote!

Packing up The Garage

It may be the last place in the house you decide to pack, simply because it can be the most challenging. After all the dishes, pillows, books and clothes are packed, the only thing that is left to pack is the garage.

Most garages can be a cluttered collection of odds and ends that seem to defy the ability to pack with any sort of logic. Here are some tips for organizing the items you might find in those spaces for your upcoming move.

Purge those Chemicals

The first place to start is by removing things that cannot be moved by professionals or in rented vehicles. Typically garage chemicals like herbicides, pesticides, gasoline and oil are the types of items that you should leave behind. Check with your local laws on how to dispose of these chemicals properly.

Group Those Tools

Once you have all the hazards out of the way, it is time to gather up your tools. Start by grouping your tools by size. One example is to keep your long handled tools like brooms and rakes together.

After you have your tools grouped, secure them based on their size.

• Long handled tools should be taped or wrapped together with shrink wrap then boxed if at all possible.

• Sharp tools like pruning shears or hand saws should be carefully wrapped and their blades protected from damage. This will also help prevent injury. Pack sharp tools on the top of boxes where they can clearly be identified, not at the bottom of boxes where they may cause injury.

• Hand tools can be left in tool boxes or cases. Box them together, but remember, their weight can add up quickly. Do not overload packing boxes!

• Power tools should have all attachments removed, moving parts secured and wrapped, and then boxed separately for the move.

Lawn Furniture and Outdoor Items

Pack your lawn furniture by removing all of the cushions and boxing them. Load up your outdoor furniture the same way you loaded your indoor items.

Grills should have all flammable materials removed. This includes charcoal and propane cylinders. Clean your grill of any oil, debris or dirt. Secure any parts that might shift around during your move.

Child swing sets, fire pits, sports equipment and other recreational items should be dismantled as best as you can. Bundle like parts together with shrink wrap or tape. It is a great idea to take pictures and notes when you are taking them apart so they can be easily reassembled.

Lawn Mowers and other Gas Powered Equipment

With any equipment that runs on gasoline, you will need to drain the system of all gas before moving. Clean equipment as best you can and secure any moving parts with tape, wire ties, zip ties or locking hardware provided by the manufacturer.

Once you get all of your garage items packed, contact Kootenai Storage and Relocations, trusted Creston movers, for all of your moving needs including professional movers, moving supplies, storage or moving equipment.