Month: April 2014

There’s no doubt about it, New York City is the place to define your career or reinvent yourself. Of course, before you enjoy the best West Village has to offer or shopping in Union Square, you have to move to NYC. There are some things you can do now to make sure that your life easier after you move to the Big Apple.

1. Crete a Moving calendar

Time is fleeting during every aspect of your move. So put together a moving calendar to make sure you stay on target.

2. Stick to a System

You have things you want to keep, sell, throw in the trash and keep. Unfortunately, these things won’t sort themselves out. Devote at least a week to sorting through your belongings. You may even want to apply the one-year rule. If you haven’t used something in at least one year, you may want to donate or pitch it. The last thing you want to do is get to NYC and wonder why you ever packed that item you haven’t used in since you were in 5th grade.

3. Get help with Your Move

Friends and family are great movers, but unfortunately, they probably aren’t willing to travel to NYC unless you’re paying for their transportation. Even then they may get “lost” in SoHo or Times Square. Consider which professional NYC movers you want. Companies like U.Santini Moving and storage are:

• Dependable
• Affordable
• Responsible
• Trustworthy
• Loyal to their clients
• Offer good prices

Of course, you want to do your research before selecting a moving company. Make a list of professional moving companies and narrow down your options by:

• Figuring out if the company adapts to your needs
• If it’s highly professional
• If it is reliable which means insured and licensed
• If it is efficient (remember, you want the move done as fast as possible)

4. Plan to Move Pets Separately

Professional movers won’t move your pets. Thus, you have to figure out the best, most comfortable way to transport your pet. You may want to get things like pet seat covers, pet steps (to help them climb in and out of the car) and pet car barriers.

5. Make Sure Someone is there During Packing and Pick Up

You need to be at your old and new place during each phase of the packing and pick up. If you can’t be there, make sure to have a friend or family member there oversee the process and assist your NYC movers.

6. Things to Do Two Months to Moving

Here are the things to do two months before moving:

• Get estimates from movers
• Start packing rarely used items
• Have a yard sale
• Drop off donations

7. Things to Do One Month to Moving

You want to do some things like:

• Book your moving company
• Notify the post office and healthcare providers that you’re moving
• Order moving supplies
• Start packing

8. Check with Your Building Manager

If you are moving into a NYC apartment building ask about move-in/move-out times. Often, buildings restrict times when NYC movers can transport your belongings into your new place.

9. Keep in Mind the Extras

There are a lot of little things that can make an inexpensive move more expensive. For instance, if you’re moving into an elevator-less building, NYC movers charge extra to climb up those stairs.

10. Confirm Your Moving Date

Confirm your move date with your NYC movers. For instance, U.Santini Moving and Storage will contact you five to seven days before your move to make sure all details are still the same.

Need more information about moving in New York City? Call U.Santini Moving and Storage at 718-768-6778 and talk to Dan or Brian. And don’t hesitate to ask them about  U.Santini’s FREE packing kit promotion. We will give you $80 worth of FREE moving boxes if you move with U.Santini Moving and Storage.

Here at U.santini, we pack and move people every day. When you and your family go places, we are ready with the know-how to move you safely and easily. U.Santini packers and movers bring proven skills and best practices to ensure your belongings travel safely.
We always strive to provide our clients with the best moving experience possible. U.Santini packers can take over the packing and even unpacking of your house, but we know that most people want to pack their own belongings and maybe declutter their life at the same time. Moving can be beneficial in the sense that it is a great opportunity to sort through your belongings and get rid of clutter and unwanted items.
It is also important to pack your things properly in order to prevent potential damages during and after the move.

Packing

• Wear strong comfortable shoes with full-foot coverage. Make sure that the environment you pack in is dry and safe.

• Gather supplies: boxes (small, medium, and large), packing tape, bubble wrap for fragile pieces, permanent black markers, trash bags, and at least one wardrobe box for each person in the house, and anything else you might need to start packing.

• Clear out the junk from your house – Create clear spaces in your house for Packed Boxes to Move, Charity Donations and Sell. These areas are where you will put these items until you’re finished packing your things. You will likely need at least a 10′ X 10′ area to hold the Packed Boxes to Move. Whatever you do not need any more should go to the charity or sell piles. Make sure that you do this in time to arrange and perform the garage sale before you move. Communicate clearly with friends and family and let them know when they can come and pick up stuff that you decided to give away.

• Collect free boxes – Rather than forking over money for boxes, check with local grocery, liquor and hardware stores to see whether they can give you leftover ones. When acquiring boxes, make a stop at your local liquor or wine store to grab a few boxes with divided inserts. These boxes are perfect for safely transporting alcohol and other kitchen liquids like vinegar and olive oil.

• Label your boxes – Label your boxes on every side according to the room they will be going to in your new place. Try to color code the boxes in order to make unpacking easier on the other side. Every room should get its own color coded sticker. You can get stickers at office supply stores or from your moving company.

• Pack up your essentials in a different/unique box or suitcase – Unpacking takes time. If you intend to unpack yourself, plan to invest a few days in the effort before you have everything in place and you know where everything is in the new place. Pack Yourself and your family enough clothing and supplies such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, bath towels, soap, shampoo, hair dryer, make-up and anything else that is part of your daily hygiene routine.

• Stay focused – Finish packing each room before switching to the next – Try to finish packing a room fully before you move in to another room. Leaving rooms half packed will enable a situation where you will have to throw out things into boxes hastily in the last minute and increase the chances of damages or loss during the move.

• Make large print signs for your new home with the room names: Living Room, Kitchen, bathroom, master bed room etc. These signs will make it easier on you and anyone helping you move boxes into your new place. Hang the signs immediately upon getting access to your new place.

• Pack heavier things first – As you pack your house, make sure that you pack the heavier boxes first. Books are always heavy and make a great base for lighter items that can be placed on top of this base. Pack books and other heavy items in small boxes. Big boxes that are too heavy will need to be repacked on the day of the move and will add time and expense to an already hectic moving day.

• Try to pack similar items in every box. Don’t mix your shoes with your spice rack. If you have to mix items, try to mix items that come from the same room in the house. Only pack kitchen things with other kitchen things, bathroom things with other bathroom things, etc. It will make your unpacking easier.

• Pack the kitchen last – Chances are, all that packing will make you hungry, and you don’t want to be scrounging around for plates, utensils, cups and actual food. PAcking takes time. You will get hungry.

• Buy professional boxes for high value items. Your TV and mattress probably need boxes at sizes that you can’t find in your local supermarket. Large/valuable pictures and art pieces also need professional boxes and probably professional packing before you move them to the new place. Use your mover’s packing materials and expertise for these items.

• Packing is labor intensive and tedious. Make sure you allocate enough time and energy for the packing process. The more you pack yourself, the quicker, easier and cheaper your move will be.

Good luck with your move and don’t hesitate to call U.Santini at 718-768-6778 if you have any questions about your move or if you want to receive $80 worth of free packing boxes when you move with U.Santini.