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Top 8 Reasons Why Downsizing is a Good Idea

Downsizing often has a bad reputation, but there are indeed many benefits that can be overlooked. Whether you are choosing to downsize on your own, or you need to move to a smaller home for other reasons, don’t fret because this can be a good change for you!

  1. Financial benefits

By downsizing, you are going from a larger home to a smaller home. This will enable you to sell your large house, allowing you to buy a more modest home outright or put a sizable down payment on it. Not to mention that your new home should have lower maintenance costs and bills due to its smaller size.

2. Fresh start

Those making a move often have a reason for it, such as children moving out or the loss of a family member. Whatever your reasoning is, use this opportunity to give yourself a fresh start. Your new home will allow you to explore a new area and create new memories for yourself.

3. Bigger is not always better

Because you will have less space, you’ll need to have fewer belongings. This does mean there will be less to clean, organize, and furnish, thus reducing the amount of time you’ll spend on daily chores. A smaller home also means a smaller yard and less time spent in it cleaning. You’ll have fewer things to worry about and more time to enjoy yourself you can use to travel, pick up a new hobby, etc.

4. Fun additions

With the extra money you are saving from downsizing, you can spice up your new home with some fun décor or entertainment. You can even create a whole new room that you never had in your old house. This can include a game room, a library, or a gym in an empty room.

5. Bonding opportunity

Having a smaller home allows the occupants of the house to be closer to each other. It provides better space to bond with one another and creates a cozy living area together.

6. Save energy and water

Running a large home can add up to a lot of utilities. Cooling, heating, and water usage alone are much higher in a large house compared to a smaller home. Decrease your carbon footprint, all while enjoying a lower utility bill in a smaller home. Save additional water and energy with these tips too!

7. Necessities

When you have less space, you are going to be forced to have fewer things. This isn’t a negative though because now you will only have the belongings that you need. You will no longer have the option to hoard countless appliances and clothing that never gets any use. Take advantage of this opportunity and have a yard sale with all the belongings that don’t have a place in your new home. Any items that don’t sell in the yard sale can also be sold on eBay or Craigslist, or you can donate it.

8. Less splurging = less clutter

A smaller space will mean you will be less tempted to buy items that you don’t really need because you won’t have anywhere to keep them. This will help you become a smarter shopper and only buy the necessities.

If you are in the process of downsizing, contact Zippy Shell to help you move all of your belongings to your new home! We can service moves of many sizes, and even offer storage options if you need it.  Call us at 888-947-7974 or go online and get a free quote today!

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Tips to Increase Your Home’s Value

Beautiful home exterior shot

If you are in the process of trying to sell your home, and you want to increase its value before its sale, use these tips!

Clean it up

A house can never be too clean, and when it comes to home buying, appearances can often mean everything. If a buyer is choosing between a tidy home or one that has been professionally cleaned, , they likelihood of them leaning towards the thoroughly clean home is higher. Frequently cleaning your home gives it a better appeal, as well as helps you locate small problems that need fixing before they become a home buying deal breaker.

Prioritize improvements

Take a little time to figure out what improvements you quickly make to your house. Start from the first one on that list and slowly make your way down what needs to get done. It doesn’t need to be all done in a single day and even quick touchups or additions can add a lot to a home’s curb appeal and value.

Balance

It is okay to come up with a list of dream goals for your home to increase its value but be realistic at the same time. Decide what absolutely needs to get done versus what you really want to do while also including a couple of fun additions as well.

One room at a time

Focus your efforts on one room at a time to be more efficient. You can quickly become overwhelmed if you begin multiple projects in different rooms. The last thing you want is to have a room half painted when you are planning to show it to buyers the next day! Better to have one or two rooms touched up than several half completed.

Start small

If you cannot take on many big upgrades to your home, start with a few small ones. Simple fixes like replacing lights or old faucet pipes can go a long way.

Curb appeal

Add some color to the front of your house to give it a more attractive look. You can add a coat of shiny new paint to your shutters or plant a few bright flowers in your front yard. Be sure to rake up any stray branches or leaves and trim your bushes, to give your yard a nice clean look.

Once you are ready to make your move to your new home, contact Zippy Shell to move your belongings to your new location! We can service moves of many sizes, and even offer storage options if you need it. Contact us today for a free quote and see how we can make moving and storage simple for you! 

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What to Pack First When Moving

Moving can be a stressful process, and getting started packing is always dreadful. Use some of these ideas to help begin packing up your belongings before your big move.

Offseason items

Clothing that you will not be touching for six months is an easy item to pack up first. You aren’t using it right now anyway, so get it out of your closet and into a moving box. This also applies for off-season decorations or items, such as Christmas lights or sleds.

Least used room

Many of your rooms can’t be packed up right away because they are used daily, such as your bathroom or kitchen. Save these rooms for last, and start with places such as a guest room, storage room, game room, etc.

Hardest room to pack

The room in your house with an odd assortment of items or many loose ends may be a room you need to start with first. While you have extra time and energy, you should attack this room because once you begin the packing process, this difficult room will be easy to put off for later.

Collectibles

All of your memorable items, such as photo albums, picture frames, souvenirs, and more should all be packed up sooner rather than later. Your rooms may look a little different once these items get removed from them, however, they are not needed in your rooms, so they can be packed up.

Clothing

As moving day gets closer and closer, begin to pack up your clothing, as you will come to discover you probably have more than you think. Depending on how far away moving day is, set aside a week’s worth or so of clothes to have to wear while you pack up the final pieces of your home.

Once you have packed up all your belongings, have Zippy Shell move your items for you! We can transport your items for either a local or long distance move across the country or store them for as long as you need in one of our nearby facilities. Call us at 888-947-7974 or go online and get a quote today!

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8 Easy Ways to Save Money When Moving

Cardboard boxes and potted plants in a brightly lit house foyer with hardwood floors

1.    Free moving boxes

Many local places such as post offices, liquor stores, and offices have lots of empty boxes lying around that they are most likely going to recycle.  It doesn’t hurt to ask them if they have any extra boxes that they don’t mind giving away to help you save on moving boxes.

2. “Reusable” packing material

Instead of packing up your delicate items in packing peanuts, pack up your items with your linens. Using your towels or t-shirts, wrap up your fragile items to protect them from the move, all while saving money and packing space.

3.    Pack smart

Large items should be packed within big boxes. But try to fit small items inside these big items when applicable. An easy example would be packing your clothes inside your suitcase when packing your bag.

4.    Sell your items

Having a garage sale or offering any miscellaneous items to neighbors is an easy way to make a little extra cash and free up moving space (save money on having to purchase fewer boxes or moving trucks). Ebay or Craig’s list is also an easy way to earn money on any items large or small.

5.    Consider age

If you have any old appliances that are almost at the end of their lifetime anyway, consider not moving them. You can replace them once you get to your new home.

6.     Free babysitter/dogsitter

Rather than paying to put your child in daycare or your dog in a kennel for the day while you move, ask a friend or relative if they wouldn’t mind taking care of them to help you save.

7.    Load up a cooler

Rather than throwing away all of your groceries from your home, fill them in a cooler to help keep them fresh until they make it to your new home. This will help you save by not having to buy all new groceries at your new location.

8.    Portable storage units

Contact Zippy Shell today to get a quote on our portable storage units. You load up your belongings however you please, and we will simply move them for you! Then you can unload your items at your convenience.

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3 Problems with Moving Van Rentals

Moving boxes

You’ve heard a thousand times that moving is one of the top ten stressful events during a lifetime. The team at Zippy Shell knows all too well how hectic moving across the street, across town or across the country can be for families. To help ease the burden of decisions that come along with this time of your life, we want to take a look at one of the major decisions: moving van rentals vs portable moving containers. Below are several of the most common difficulties with moving truck rentals. We hope this outline will help to make the decision easier.

Aggravation when you have reached your limit. They say prepare for the worst and hope for the best, but it’s hot outside! Your help is probably late. The dog just got out. And you’re just plain irritated. Only thing that can add insult to injury is going to be problems with your moving truck. You’ll need to factor in a useless reservation number, a hike in price when you go to pick it up, sad fuel mileage, uncertain safety, and being unaccustomed to driving this large vehicle and more. At any other time, these mounting issues might be easier to deal with, but when you’re moving mole hills are mountains. You’re fussing, tired, anxious and probably sweating. Your stress level has peaked. And the setbacks with the moving truck could very well be what sends you to the moon.

“Sorry, we’re all out.” Surely, you’ve heard that tale of horror. You get to the rental place and guess what? Your moving van has been rented to someone else, or better yet, they can’t find your reservation. Just like the friendly skies, moving companies will often over book during a busy time of year to ensure they are maxed out. Fortunately, lawsuits have stopped this practice for the most part, but there’s nothing stopping John Doe from returning his truck, which happens to be your truck, late (or not until the next day)!

Changes in rates. This is probably the most important warning of all. Sure, you see those promotional rates for moving trucks stamped all over billboards, flyers and bus benches. However, they fail to mention the added fees like mileage, fuel, hitches, weekends, etc. And my goodness, for those out-of-town moves, the rates can jump even more during peak moving periods (the beginning and end of the month and the whole summer). Moving vans/trucks simply cost more to rent.

We invite you to compare Zippy Shell to moving truck rentals. We think our portable storage and moving containers offer tons of flexibility with a predictable cost that will leave you with a lot less stress. No move is going to be perfectly stress free, but when it comes to the big decisions, make the smart one.

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How to Make Moving Less Stressful

zippy shell moving

Moving is routinely cited as one of the most stressful life events, right up there with divorce, death of a loved one, financial problems, chronic illness and marriage. Fortunately, though, unlike many of life’s other stressors, with a little forethought and planning, you can remove a lot of the stress surrounding a relocation by following these tips.

Remember how to assemble stuff: If your furniture or other knick-knacks are disassembled for packing, will you recall how to reassemble them at your new location? Take pictures of the furniture so you have an idea of what goes where. As you disassemble, put the parts into zip loc bags and label them.  (You’ll thank us later for this one.) 

Organize your boxes and label them: As you pack your container, put the things you will need first to the outside and the things you will need last to the inside. Also consider color coding with markers or tape where the boxes go. For example, blue markers could mean for the bathrooms and green for outside or in the garage.

Think About Your Electronics: If you are like most people, you have all sorts of electronic equipment that fits together in a bundle of crazy wiring! Take videos or pictures here, too, of the backs so you will know that component plugs in where. Better yet, color code the wires with Velcro.

Make a Checklist for Each Move Event: Checklists are lifesavers when it comes to moving! Using them means reducing stress. Rather than trying to capture everything into one checklist, consider a checklist for each leg of the move. For example, consider a checklist for each family member to use when packing (how to label boxes, how to prioritize boxes, how to pack valuables or glass), a checklist for cleaning, or even a checklist for walking through the house to ensure you didn’t forget anything.

There are enough stressors in life without moving having to be one of them. A little pre-planning and help from trusted partners, like Zippy Shell, can mean the difference between a stress-free move and a nightmare of a move.

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Uncover Some Moving Costs Hidden in the Fine Print

Whether it’s local or long distance, your number one concern when considering a move is going to be the cost. Most people want to weigh the services of a professional moving company against doing things yourself. There are lots of places you can get a free online moving quote, and although these numbers are a good first step, you may find that some of them leave out fees and surcharges that are buried in the fine print. Little fees can add up to a huge difference in your bottom-line budget and send your blood pressure through the roof!

Here are a few things to keep in mind when preparing your moving budget:

Don’t forget the tape!

It’s probably the most common thing people forget to add to their moving budget. Determining how much packing material you will need can be difficult. There’s tape, plastic wrap, boxes, markers, packing peanuts and paper, blankets and more. You don’t want to run out, but how much is too much? Remember to include this expense on your moving spreadsheet!

You don’t know it all – Include a professional in your plans.

We’re guessing you are not a moving professional, but it might be a really good idea to invite one into your home. Sure, you can mention to a moving rep how many rooms you need to pack, or you can key that number into an online service, but it’s a guess at best. To get a better idea of cost, you may want to consider making an appointment with a professional mover to more accurately account for your belongings.

Stuff they don’t tell you about expenses on the road.

Did you know that moving companies charge for mileage, fuel, tolls, and even windshield wipers? Well, many do. You need to ask what you may be responsible for as your belongings make their way across town or across the country.

Get a Zippy Shell Moving Quote today!

Zippy Shell makes moving simple and affordable. Get your free moving quote today by visiting www.zippyshell.com today!

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Why Do Moving Quotes Vary?

document signing

Are you in the research and quote stage of finding the perfect and most cost-effective way to move and/or store your stuff? We get it! It can be confusing when trying to compare apples to apples when there are so many choices. We asked our team of experts to offer a primer on why moving quotes vary and what goes into giving you the most accurate quote.

Who is packing? One of the biggest variables is whether you will be packing your contents and loading the container or if you are looking for help to do so. Zippy Shell partners with a variety of trustworthy companies to help you with your packing and loading; however, this is an additional cost.

How much does your stuff weigh? The weight of your belongings can influence your moving cost, too. Many full-service long-distance movers will quote based on a certain weight, but the actual costs or extra fuel will be impacted by additional weight. Be sure to read the contract carefully and ask your account manager about overage policies and fuel policies, especially if you are choosing a full-service company.

What is the distance between the old location and the new location? Zippy Shell offers the added option of storing your stuff in one of our secure warehouses in between your destination, but distance still matters for all movers. When you are asking for a quote, know that your representative will need specific zip codes and addresses to provide the most accurate quote. The larger the distance, the higher the quote.

In summary, we are often asked why we can’t simply offer quotes via chat or other digital avenues. The answer is there are several key variables and even private information required to give you the most accurate quote. These variables can make a big difference in the quote and the execution of the move. Customer service is our number one priority and we want your move to be flawless!

Get your free moving quote from Zippy Shell! Visit www.zippyshell.com today to get your free moving quote!

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5 Tips for deciding what furniture to move or donate

Whether you are upgrading or downsizing, you most likely will not want to keep all of your old furniture. There is certain furniture that just doesn’t work for you anymore, but it could work for someone else! So how do you decide what to move with you or donate? Follow these easy tricks to help you get the job done!

Size

This is the easiest factor to immediately decide if you are even capable of moving a piece of furniture with you. Get the dimensions of the rooms you want to fill and determine which furniture will actually fit!

Decor

Depending how important style is to you, this may be a make or break decision for you. Compare the trims and colors of your walls to see if the furniture you own would work in that room, with a little bit of paint if necessary. If not, donate it.

Lifestyle

Be honest with yourself about where you are in your life. If you are ready to purchase a bigger bedframe and don’t have a spare room to put that old bedframe, it may be time to donate it.

Needs vs. wants

Do you really need new furniture, or do you just want new furniture? This is a classic problem many people face when moving. Often the answer is they just want new furniture.

Priorities

Sometimes finalizing your budget can help you decide which furniture you must buy first, and what can wait to be added as decor later on once you get settled in.

Once you decide what furniture you want to move with you, have Zippy Shell help move it for you! We will safely deliver all of you items from your previous location to your new location with no worries!

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What are the different ways you can move?

Zippy Shell Mover

When it comes to moving, whether local or long distance, you have a lot of decisions to make. Evaluating all your relocation options before signing a contract can save you money and stress when the time comes. Fortunately, the experts here at Zippy Shell understand all the relocation options and have gathered the pros and cons of each for your consideration.

Full Service Moving Companies

Pros: Full service moving companies are one-stop options. They majority of the work is done for you. You pack your belongings; the company loads and then drives the contents to the new location and unpacks the boxes.

Cons: Full service moving companies have tight schedules, especially during peak months like May, June and July. If you are one to make last-minute decisions or changes, it might not be the best option for you. Plus, you must have all your packing complete and ready the day the movers show up.

Moving Containers

Pros: Moving containers are delivered conveniently to your location and picked up when you are ready. You can take your time loading them, thus not feeling rushed. Once they are picked up, they can be transported to a secure warehouse until you are ready to have it delivered to your new location.

Cons: Depending on where you live and the access, the container may not be delivered as close to your location as you would like or there may be HOA or city ordinances covering where they may be placed. There is also a monthly fee associated with the storage of the unit.

DIY Moving with Rental Trucks

Pros: This is the most affordable option and can be done on a relatively short timeline. There are probably several rental truck options near you.

Cons: This is the least stress-free option of all discussed. You may have mechanical issues with the truck during your move that put you in a time crunch. Additionally, you must make time to pick up and return the truck, thus eating away at your moving time line.

Whatever you choose, take the time to evaluate every option, along with in-depth pros and cons.