Monday, December 18, 2017

Best Household Products of 2017: New Movers Review:

Moving can be stressful at the best of times. There’s so much to consider that things can quickly become overwhelming. One of the many decisions you’ll need to make is what to pack and what to toss out. Now is the perfect time to replace aging and useless appliances and household products that are gathering dust on the shelves.

It’s human nature to collect stuff. It’s also human nature to resist ever throwing that stuff away. And so it sits, unused and unwanted with no purpose or design. When you’re packing for a move, consider what products you no longer use and which ones you need to replace. To help you with your task, here are the best new household products of 2017.

Robotic Lawn Mower: Worx Landroid M – $999
Let’s face it. Your lawn mower has seen better days. Rust is likely eating through the body, it doesn’t have nearly the same pep that it used to, and it’s been eons since you’ve cleaned the grass out of it. Add to that the fact that packing a lawn mower into a moving van is a pain. There’s no reason you shouldn’t replace your lawnmower. But why just replace it when you can upgrade it?

The Worx Landroid M is an autonomous robotic lawn mower. That’s right, with the Landroid M you never have to waste a Sunday afternoon again. With minimal setup, this guy will mow the lawn for you. Let that sink in for a moment. You never have to mow the lawn again! According to the Wall Street Journal, it’s perfect for smaller yards, and cheaper than a lot of its competitors. So sit back and relax while your new robot army does all the work.

Need some help moving as well? Get a free quote from FlatRate today.

Music and More: Sonos One – $299
Sonos has long been the frontrunner when it comes to wirelessly streaming music in the home. The new Sonos One, a single wireless music speaker system, adds Alexa into the mix. Not only can you listen to all your favorite sources, from Spotify to Pandora, but now you can control the entire system through a voice activated interface. What HiFi reports that the sound quality is amazing, so ditch that bulky boombox before your move and move onto a Sonos whole home audio system. Put one in any room of the house and control it from anywhere. Whether you’re telling Alexa to play your favorite song in the game room or adding to your grocery list, you won’t be disappointed.

Moving Beyond the Blender: Ninja Chef – $199
Why be a home chef when you can be a Ninja in the kitchen? If your old blender can’t even puree a tomato, it’s time for an upgrade. Don’t pack that dull bladed has-been; instead, check out the new Ninja Chef. With a 1500 watt, variable speed motor you’ll make quick work of everything from vegetables to peanuts. It’s over-built parts and sleek design mean that you can chop, blend, or pulverize any food item in your kitchen. It’s cheaper than a Vitamix, more reliable than your old hand-me-down, and will make you a pro in the kitchen in no time.

Settling into a new house is no simple task, and while these household products might help alleviate the headaches, why not hire movers who will make your move as quick and painless as possible? Find one that understands you and your needs, and you’ve found something special.

Contact the professionals at FlatRate to get started with your perfect move today.

Monday, December 11, 2017

How to Store Garden Tools, Gas Tools and Backyard Barbecues (So They Don’t Break)

Putting the lid on another barbeque season means more than polishing off the potato chips. Storing garden and gas tools, as well as your trusty barbecue, takes some know-how if you want them to be ready to go next spring.
Putting all your toys and tools into self-storage involves a bit of work as well. Slightly different work, since the rules in a self-storage facility are probably not the same as the rules in your garage. (Disclaimer: I’ve never seen your garage.)
So before you stash everything and shut those doors, properly prepare your items for the dark, coming months. When it’s time to let it all back out into the sun, you’ll be happy you did.

Garden Tools

Cleaning the blades of your shovels with a piece of burlap or an old rag before winter makes good sense. Sure, tools were made to get dirty, but leaving clumps of dirt on those metal surfaces and even any wooden handles can expose them to moisture, resin and sap, which is not good. There is also the chance that you’ll be allowing some creepy little critters to fester and incubate – not good for your garage, and certainly not endearing to self-storage facility management.
Making sure your tools are dry before you store them is a given. You might also spray a little WD-40 on those metal surfaces and wipe them off with a clean rag or a paper towel, to get them extra clean and rust-resistant. (Note: Avoid that lingering odor of oil; Go easy on the WD, go hard on wiping it off.)
Hedge clippers, pruners and other tools with moving parts will benefit from a little extra lubricant to keep those parts moving freely. If you spot any rust, it would be a great idea to get rid of it with a wire brush. Again, wipe clean and dry and let it all air out.
Before you close up shop, drain and dry out your garden hoses and lawn sprinklers. In your garage, water can do some damage to a hose when it freezes and expands. In your garage as well as in a climate-controlled facility, there’s the potential for rust, not to mention the minor hassle of having water leak out onto some of your other stuff. Get all of that taken care of before storing.

Gas-Powered Tools

Gasoline is like milk, not wine. It goes bad over time.
The gas you leave in your lawn mower or your chainsaw can turn into something like varnish over the winter, potentially corroding the engine’s lines and clogging up the carburetor. If you’re not savvy with tools, I’ll translate that for you: that’s not good.
Luckily, prevention is simple. Experts like our friends at Popular Mechanics advise pouring some stabilizer into a gas can, mixing in some fresh gas, and pouring the mixture into the tank. Let the engine run a couple of minutes to work it through the system and you are good to go (for about three months). Check the manual for your mower (or chainsaw, or leaf blower or weed whacker), but generally, for longer-term storage, it’s advisable to run the tank–which is exactly what you’ll need to do if you are putting these things into self-storage, or onto a moving truck for that matter.

5 Sweet Garage Upgrades That Up Your Home’s Value

Garage additions and upgrades like the 5 in this list can produce an estimated 65 percent return-on-investment.
You might also consider changing the oil in your mower if you’re storing it in your garage for the winter. For a self-storage facility, you’ll want to drain (and properly recycle) that old oil. And be sure to also check and clean the underside of your mower. All the grass, dirt and gunk under there does your mower no favors over time. Give that blade a good cleaning too, in the same manner as with your garden tools.
Warning: Disconnect the mower’s spark plug before putting your hands anywhere near the underside of your mower!

Barbecue Grills

All you hardcore winter grillers up north and year-round barbecue fans down south can skip this part. The rest of us have more work to do.
Outdoor grills should be cleaned well before storing for three reasons:
  • Mice and other critters looking for a warm, dry place to hunker down can be lured in by leftover bits of food stuck to the grill and sitting at the bottom of the grill’s interior.
  • Mold can and will grow on any organic matter over time, even if you totally burned those Labor Day burgers. Cleaning out any food and greasy residue in the Fall will minimize the chances of a tougher cleaning job in the run-up to Memorial Day.
  • Moisture can lead to corrosion and oxidation, not only of the wire grill but all your big bad barbecue’s components. Cleaning out all those food remnants will reduce the chances of moisture collecting over the winter. This includes any drip pans, ash catchers and charcoal grates.
And yes, disconnect the propane or LP gas tanks from your grill and leave them outside. They shouldn’t be stored in your garage and your self-storage facility people won’t let you keep them in your unit. To keep them protected from the elements and potential rust they should be placed on cement or brick, or even some metal grating, not on the ground where they could end up with wet feet for three months straight. Covering them up with a nylon tarp or some durable plastic will help keep the nozzles and valves from rusting as well.
Remember, no matter how incredibly smart you are about cleaning your things, self-storage facilities ultimately have their own policies for storage. Old Man Winter plays by his own rules. Either way, taking a little time now can save you some trouble down the road, when it’s time to bring your backyard back to life. 

How Much Will Your Move Cost? Here’s How to Figure it Out:


So how much does a move cost? It all depends. Years of moving experience shows that customers typically fall into one of three categories:
  • Gazillionaire
  • Employee relocating on the company’s dime
  • Confused soul wondering aloud, “Good gosh, how much is this going to cost me?”
As you probably guessed, most of us are the third one. AMSA, the American Moving and Storage Association, tells us the average in-state move costs $1,170, while interstate moves average $5,630. But take that with a grain of salt, because the real answer lies is in the details of your specific move—from off-base estimates to logistical issues, from slower-than-syrup movers to incidental expenses, all big and small.
So how is it possible to even come close to predicting the final number so we don’t go into shock when we’re handed the bill?
Some things are out of our control, but there are definitely things you can do and look out for to make the moment we get that final bill pleasantly unsurprising.

The Baseline Cost of Moves

These are the basic questions you need to ask ahead of a move:
  • Are you getting a full-service moving company to handle everything?
  • Are you renting your own truck, then hiring moving labor separately?
  • Are you doing everything yourself?
These are known as the three basic ways to move: A Full-Service Move, a Hybrid Move, and a DIY Move.

How much movers cost.

Getting a Full-Service Move? That means the movers load, unload, and drive the vehicle all on their own. The estimate? Though it will largely depend on the distance traveled and volume of the move, Full-Service Moves run north of $1,500-$2,000, on average, and sometimes can be more expensive if it’s a really big move.
Hybrid Moves, on the other hand, separate moving labor from moving vehicle. That means you hire a mover to load and/or unload your stuff, then rent the moving truck on your own, saving you a lot of money. Roughly, the cost can run anywhere between $300-$1,000 for a truck and movers, occasionally more.

A long distance or local move?

Local or state move? You’re looking at roughly anywhere between $100 to $300 for the moving truck, depending on the size needed and after accounting for mileage and insurance fees.
Moving long distance? Like, across the country? This will likely cost around $1,000, after gas and fees, and potentially lodging and food.
As for local movers, prices vary dramatically based on scheduling and location. Moving during a busy summer is just going to cost more than the dead of winter. Movers’ hourly rates also vary, depending on the size and distance of your move. Here are some generalized queries on price ranges for “2 Helpers for 2 hours”, taken straight from HireAHelper.com:
  • Boston, Mass.: $250-$350
  • Austin, Texas: $200-$300
  • Baton Rouge, La.: $300-$400
  • Los Angeles, Calif.: $250-$400
Of course, some movers do charge more, or sometimes less. Check out our movers’ reviews, give a few of them a call, get some estimates, and then go with who you feel best about.

You might love our:

Moving Cost Calculator

If the quote from your movers felt expensive …
Make sure it lines up with the costs reported by other Americans.
Finally, there’s the DIY Move, which hides plenty of hidden costs, such as:
  • Gasoline
  • Power tools
  • Moving supplies
  • Pizza and beer
  • Heavy stress
Not to mention what it does to close friendships and schedules. You can get away with casually moving a bedroom with some friends, but let’s just say that in the past, I wish I had spent a couple hundred bucks to have had total peace of mind for those really stressful moves. As a mover, I recognize I am biased, but I am also just a person who has moved many, many times, just like you.

Why random internet searches for movers can cost more.

No matter which one you choose, having someone come out and do a thorough visual of your place and all your belongings can be an extra useful way to get the most reliable estimate of how much your move will cost, as it’s an estimate based on time needed.
Getting an estimate over the phone? That’s cool, but keep these two things in mind:
First, if someone can’t see all the things you want moved, no matter how pure their intentions, it is ultimately a guesstimate.

Why should I avoid “move brokers”?

Secondly, unfortunately, it’s a very real possibility that the “moving company” you quickly searched for on the internet is actually just a move broker. That’s another term for a middleman who will assure you that they can give you an accurate quote – which will sound too good to be true – then sell your move to the highest bidder who will, in turn, come out (most likely in a rental truck) and load up your stuff … before telling tell you that your final bill will be a lot higher than you were originally told.
It happens every single day. Don’t let it happen to you.

Get Help Loading Your U-Haul Truck

See prices for movers by the hour – instantly.
Read real customer reviews.
Easily book your help online.

That’s why after 20 plus years of experience moving people, I write for HireAHelper, a moving labor marketplace. All the movers are real movers with real reviews, which means absolutely zero of them are move brokers. Everyone here is the real deal.
Still, marketplace or not, keep in mind that the more stuff you have, the more important it is to get an in-person estimate so your movers can give you a good idea of how many people you’ll need for how many hours.

Extra, hidden mover costs.

How much stuff you have isn’t the only thing that determines the cost of your move. Here are some other important factors that some moving companies take into consideration when giving quotes:
  • If the path from your door to the truck involves stairs or an elevator
  • If the distance from your door to where the truck will be parked is particularly long (meaning 75 feet or more)
  • If your movers can’t get their tractor-trailer anywhere near your place and they have to use a smaller truck to shuttle your stuff from your driveway to the big rig
  • If you have any (or a lot of) heavy, bulky or unusual items, like pool tables or gun safes
All or some combination of these will likely bring your quote up. This is another reason an in-person estimate is important. But if you do find yourself having to give movers a run-down of your stuff over the phone, be sure to let them know the lay of the land so no one ends up surprised. Also, don’t forget to potentially tip your movers.

Optional, Accidental and Potentially Hefty Costs

There are some potentially optional costs that can add up quickly.

Packing costs.

Doing your own packing? Be aware that boxes can get expensive – a couple of bucks a pop on average.
Meanwhile, packing paper goes for around $30 per 25-pound bundle, and box tape runs at minimum a dollar per roll.
Thinking of using bubble wrap? Plan on dropping anywhere from $20-$50 a shot.
You’ll save some cash by doing your own packing, but your packing supplies can run you a couple hundred bucks, at least.

Rental Trucks.

Renting a truck? You may find one for $20 or $30 or $50 a day, but add gas, tolls, equipment rental, liability insurance, mileage charges and any fees included in the fine print of your rental agreement add up fast. (Read this rental truck guide for more info.) If you are moving long-distance, you also need to factor in food and lodging. And by the way, if you’re driving that truck, how are you going to get your car to your new home? Get a quote on a moving truck early.

How much does insurance cost?

Planning on getting your stuff insured? Full-service moving companies offer free basic coverage against loss or damage, equaling 60 cents per pound for any lost or damaged item. If you are okay with getting fifteen bucks in return for your newly-smashed flat screen TV, then this is the plan for you. Otherwise, you’ll want to consider paying for coverage that actually means something – which will cost you a percentage of what your stuff is worth in total.


What Moving Insurance Actually Does

(And why it might not help you!)

Storage and lodging.

And if your new home isn’t ready when you are? This unfortunate possibility comes with having to shell out more cash for the extra time your stuff has to sit on the moving truck, the extra time you have to hold onto your rental truck, or the storage space you have to rent until your home is finally ready for you. You might not include such expenses in your moving budget, but be aware of the potential for things to go wrong.
And what if you don’t get your life all packed up on time? You’ll have to hire packers last-minute. Obviously, this situation is entirely avoidable. All you have to do is make a careful and calculated estimate as to how long it will take you to pack everything. Then whatever time frame you come up with, multiply by two and a half. (Seriously.)

Incidental Costs

After moving people day in and day out for decades, I’ve heard everything under the sun when it comes to random moving costs the customers weren’t expecting. But the thing is, they almost are never random, just unexpected. The list of sometimes surprising incidental costs include:
  • Restocking your pantry/kitchen, and replacing items you got rid of
  • Paying deposits on utilities, cable, and public services at your new home
  • Sucking up any cancellation fees or broken contract penalties for things like cable, phone and health club membership
  • Repairing damage in your old home – or losing your security deposit if you don’t
  • Changing your driver’s license and car registration
  • Running a credit check to pass along to your new landlord and new utility companies
  • Picking up all the little things you need for your new home: light bulbs, shower curtain, shades/curtains for the windows, cleaning supplies because you used up and wore out everything cleaning your old place so you could get at least some of your security deposit back
  • Getting socked with penalties for being late paying bills because your mail didn’t get forwarded promptly, or you missed a bill altogether

Apartment costs.

Also, are you renting a new apartment? Obviously, don’t forget you have a security deposit as well as first and last months’ rent to shell out. Those can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to the value of the entire month’s rent. Buying a new home? That’s another topic altogether, but with that comes closing costs, realtor fees, appraisal costs, inspection fees, attorney fees and more. Yay!

Long-term costs.

There’s another part to this incidental list, which includes moving costs that are repeating or more long-term in nature.
  • Does parking cost where you live, and how much?
  • What are the average car and health insurance rates in your new state?
  • With your new home will you be subjected to building maintenance fees? Property fees? Homeowners’ association fees? Do you have to buy special trash and recycling bins?
That’s a lot of stuff to take into account, huh?
Figuring out what your own move will cost is all about specifics, not averages. So get that in-person estimate (more than one, if you are able). Use a moving cost calculator. Find a deal on a reliable rental truck (and remember to read the fine print). Check out rates for coverage against damage. Keep an eye on all those incidental charges and keep a list of things you’ll need at your new place.
And please, leave yourself plenty of time to pack!

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

COLLEGE MOVING TIPS:

college orientation

The first day of school often comes with a lot of preparation, nerves, and cautious optimism. Moving to college for a first day turns those emotions up to 100. For many students, it is the first time living away from their parents home, or at least the first time they are living by themselves. Many choose to attend school far away from their parents home, to experience college life in a new environment. Moving to attend college presents its own share of challenges for students, since many of them are dealing with the nuances of moving (along with many of the other nuances of adult life) for the very first time. Oz is no stranger to big moves, read our college moving tips below.

WHAT’S IN YOUR HOUSING (AND WHAT ISN’T)

Most first year students move into dormitories, communal student housing meant to gradually ease these freshman into independent life. Dorms will often include many furniture items that do not come in a typical apartment, like a bed, or a desk, or a dresser. Dorms will often have multiple students living within the same confines, roommates. Roommates will often bring many items of their own as well to contribute to the living space. Others opt to live in on their own in typical apartments. Apartments will have far fewer amenities but often will include necessities like air conditioners, refrigerators, and stoves.

empty college dorm

IF YOU’RE MOVING INTO A DORM:
  • Check the website to see what amenities the dorm has.
  • Check with your roommates to see what they’re bringing.
  • Look up the dorm’s policies to make sure they allow everything you want to bring.
  • Keep the spatial confinements in mind.
  • Look for a nearby home goods store to buy any needed items.

IF YOU’RE MOVING INTO AN APARTMENT:
  • Ensure the commute to class won’t be problematic on school days
  • Check the neighborhood’s noise levels for potential late-night studying
  • Try and live with students or young professionals for schedule syncing.
  • Set a budget for living expenses that includes monthly housing bills, groceries, etc.

STUDENT MOVE-IN DAY CHECKLIST
  • Have a Plan of Action. The curb will be very busy; you’ll want to get out quick!
  • Stick to essentials first, then move in other things later.
  • Use the cart. Most college dorms have a large wheeled cart that students can utilize.
  • Lend a hand to the other students moving in, or at least get out of the way.

ESTABLISH INDEPENDENT FINANCIALS

College represents the first time in many student’s lives where they won’t have mom and dad pay (directly) for everything. Setting up an independent (or at least individual) bank account and starting a credit card (or at least a debit card) is a great way to get started on the path to financial independence.

college student center

ENJOY IT

College is not just about the education and learning experiences, it’s also about growing as a person and having unique experiences. Enjoy the first few days after moving into college, and the newfound freedom to mingle with peers and explore a new city. When classes start, you won’t have as much time to look around.