Category: Moving Tips

Besides the attractiveness of house plants, there are many health benefits to having plants around your home. Studies have shown indoor plants boost mood, productivity, creativity, and they can clean indoor air by absorbing toxins and producing oxygen. When the time comes to make a move, there are steps to ensure your houseplants arrive at the new destination safely. Here are five steps to help you before, during, and after a move.

• Check regulations – If you’re moving out of state, you may need to do a little more prep work to be in compliance with the law, as each state has its own set of regulations and certification requirements for moving with plants. Before packing up your plants, check the laws and regulations in the state you’re moving to make the best decision. If you choose not to take a plant due to regulations or for any other reason, consider gifting it to a friend or a nearby nursing home.
• Make arrangements – Your delicate, leafy friends will almost certainly not survive the trip in your trunk, a portable storage container, or the back of a dark moving truck. Make arrangements to transport your house plants in a car that is making the trip. Keep them near a window if possible so the plants have sunlight and fresh air to keep them healthy. If you stop overnight along the way, bring them inside so they are not affected by extreme temperatures. You can also contact your local shipping office to see if sending your house plants through the mail is an option. They can also advise on the best way to pack your plants to ensure they arrive in the best shape possible.
• Prepare your plants – About a week before moving, transfer plants from decorative pots into plastic holders. This will give you the opportunity to wrap breakable decorative pots in paper, bubble wrap, or cloth and pack tightly away for the move. Inspect and treat any plants with pests. You don’t want to transfer insects to your next destination. Keep your plants healthy and make them easier to transport by trimming back any dead or protruding limbs. Water plants two or three days before moving. The soil should be moist, but not too wet on moving day. It’s important to make sure the roots stay damp while moving.
• Pack with care – To help avoid plants from falling over, place them snugly in appropriately sized boxes. Place newspaper or bubble wrap around the base of the plant so it won’t shift during the move. For large plants, use packing paper or sheets to gently cover them. Your goal is to protect the leaves and limbs from bending or breaking during the move.
• Ease the transition – Packing your plants last and unpacking them first will minimize any distress from the move. Unpack carefully to avoid any breakage, establish a new location for your plant, and water it on a regular basis. With time it will adjust to its new environment and hopefully continue to thrive.

While we don’t recommend moving or storing live plants in a Zippy Shell container, we will keep your other belongings safe and secure until they are needed. Our storage centers are equipped with climate control and added security. When you are ready, we will redeliver your storage container or move it to your next destination.

Is everything you own in the box to the left?  Well, probably not, but there is definitely wisdom in getting all of your stuff organized and the planning complete before you make that big move, whether switching apartments locally, moving into the city for the first time, or into your new home in the ‘burbs. Our moving experts at Zippy Shell have a few tips made just for millennials.

• Purge: Sure, you know you need to do it, but it’s hard. Be strong and merciless when it comes to culling the closet. If you haven’t worn it in two seasons, toss it. If that concert t-shirt has sentimental value but has seen better days, put it in a maybe pile, and revisit, but don’t automatically save it. One of the best things about a closet purge is that you can help others. Not only do local charities come to your doorstep and pick up the clothes, many retailers focused on sustainable practices have donation bins in or near their stores, as well, like H&M.
  
  
• Put pride aside to save some dough:  Most of us are living on a budget, so it simply does not make financial sense to load up on moving supplies from your local retailer. That gets expensive – fast! Put out the ISO SOS across your fave social media channels for any boxes, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and anything else that you can reuse to pack your things. You also may want to ask businesses, restaurants, and strip malls if you can scavenge near their bins.
  
  
• Make a day-after box:  The morning after your move you probably won’t feel much like digging around looking for clothes and cleaning supplies. Plus, did you remember to get food for the fridge? Make a list of items you’ll need immediately when you get to your new place and put them in a separate box: sheets, towels, basic kitchen items, a few clothes, toiletries, important papers, keys. Label the box clearly and keep it accessible. Then, have a shortlist of what you’ll need on hand in the kitchen from the store.
  
  
• Getting from here to there: You have choices when it comes to moving your things from here to there. Sure, you can rely on friends who have vehicles, but life happens. You could also rent a truck, but the time and stress associated with that are costly, too. When you are looking at all of your options, be sure to include Zippy Shell. Whether you are moving in city or cross country, Zippy Shell is cost-effective and, even better, a personal account manager works directly with you and your budget. You can load up your container and have it picked up at your convenience and delivered to your new location. And, yes, we can deliver and place in even the biggest cities!
  
  
• Document your move: Moving is a big step! Your friends and family will love to see what’s happening, so don’t forget to take that selfie at your old place and at your new place. If you rely on Zippy Shell to help with your move, don’t forget to tag @zippyshell, as well. We’d love to congratulate you on your big day.

Research has shown that pets can reduce stress, improve health, and lengthen our lives. So, of course, we always want what is best for them! While moving to a new home can be a stressful time for most people, it can also be stressful for your pets. Unlike us, pets aren’t able to mentally prepare for such a big shift. Whether your move is long-distance or just down the block, there are many ways to make your pet feel more comfortable after a move. Check out these tips to help your pets adjust to their new home.

• The first step is to make a plan for moving day. There are a lot of people coming and going during the actual moving out and in, and that means many opportunities for a beloved pet to escape. If you can’t have them stay with a border or a friend, a crate can help ensure they are safe on moving day.
• Introduce your pet to your new home slowly. At first, limit your pet to one room in the house. After your pet has explored every corner of the room and feels comfortable, introduce them to the rest of the house one room at a time.
• Do your best to keep your pet’s routine as close to usual as possible. Your pet’s world revolves around activities such as eating, playing, napping, and going out to take care of business. From morning meals to walks to bedtime, keep the same routine as much as possible for stability.
• Set up a space for your pet that includes all their favorite items. Laying out their bowls, blankets, toys, and bed in a designated spot is a great way to help your pet feel secure amongst the chaos of moving.
• Also, resist the urge to toss any of your pet’s gear for new items right now. It will cause less anxiety for them to lay down in their same bed, eat out of the same bowls, and play with the same toys as before. These favorites will help your pet feel in control. Plus, the familiar scent can help them feel more at home in a new location. You can make changes once your pet has adapted to your new home.
• Help them let out their energy. Just like us, exercise can help to reduce the stress your pet is feeling. Add in some extra playtime or make your normal walk longer than usual.
• Give them extra attention. Be generous with affection and encouraging words. Steal a few moments for quiet, quality time together in between your moving tasks. Take a couple of minutes to toss around a favorite toy or to give out belly rubs. It will be good for both of you!
• Update your pet tags or pet chip with your new contact information as soon as possible. Being in a new place can increase the chances that your pet gets lost and you want to be able to be contacted right away.

Zippy Shell can service moves of many sizes, and even offer storage options during the course of your move. Contact us today for a free quote and see how we can make moving and storage simple for you! 

Everyone knows moving can be chaotic and create a storm of different emotions. For a person with disabilities or special needs, the stress of moving can be even more difficult. April is Autism Awareness Month and the effects of moving can be even more pronounced for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as it is not uncommon for children on the autism spectrum to be hyper-dependent on routine and order. Fortunately, there are steps you can take throughout the move to make the experience easier for persons of disability or special needs.

· Evaluate your new home for accessibility. You will need to fully access the space to determine whether or not modifications will need to be made. Questions like ‘are the doorways wide enough’ and ‘is the floor suitable for mobility’ may need to be answered. You can find a full checklist here that covers everything to look for from ramps and slopes, parking, entryways and halls, bathrooms, bedrooms, and more. If you need to make modifications in your new home, hire professionals with accessibility improvement experience who can complete the work successfully.

· Make healthcare arrangements. If you’re relocating out of the area, ask your doctors for referrals to new health care specialists, based on your treatment needs, and check if any of the specialist health services you currently receive can be transferred. You may want to check with your insurance providers and other organizations to make sure you can retain the same disability services once relocated. You’ll want to make these arrangements a few months in advance so that if you are in need of health care soon after arriving, you’ll know where to go and any new providers will have your health history information on file. It also is very important for a disabled or special needs person to have their medical records in a safe and easily reachable place at all times. If possible, they should keep all the records with them during the move so you’re sure that they don’t get misplaced.

· Create a sense of stability. During the move, pack the personal belongings of those with special needs last and then unpack them first in your new home. You will want to create a space in the new home where they will feel safe and comfortable as soon as possible. Also, help them to maintain as normal of a daily routine as possible during the transition.

· Consider safety and security on moving day. Arrange for help if needed for your loved one with a disability or special needs. Ask a trusted neighbor, grandparent, or loved one to care for them on moving day or at least part of the day.

· Be prepared for the emotions. You can eliminate some negative emotions by making sure the person you’re caring for gets a fair amount of control over as many aspects of the move as is reasonable. Also, engage in regular talks about current feelings and fears of what may be to come. Always be mindful of how you assist the person with a disability or those who have special needs during the move. They may need a lot of help and support, but they are usually the expert on exactly what they need.

Moving with a disability or special needs requires the same planning and preparation as any other move. But you do need to take a little extra care to make sure they are comfortable before, during, and after the move. The most important thing to focus on bringing to the new home is their physical and emotional health!