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4 Tips to Make your Fall Move a Breeze

Couple doing work during a move

Now that we are beginning to say goodbye to summer, it’s time to get ready for that fall move. There are some wonderful advantages to moving in the latter months of the year, but the most obvious is the lack of oppressive heat that can severely impact a productive moving day in many parts of the country. Fall brings a new air of excitement with the leaves changing colors, cooler temperatures, and hints of holidays are starting to blossom.

We hope you find these four tips for a fall move helpful!

Shop to negotiate lower moving expenses. Moving in the fall offers benefits that one may not enjoy in other months of the year. Business for moving companies is traditionally slower in the fall, so you may be able to take advantage of specials and lower fuel costs. Availability of trucks and storage containers is also better, which will better accommodate your moving schedule. Take some time to do your homework and shop around. You will probably find that competitive rates will work in your favor this time of year.

Secure your utilities in advance. Typically, setting up utilities can take a couple of days, especially if a technician must make a site visit to turn the gas on. Be sure to do your research in advance, so that you don’t arrive at your new place and it’s freezing. You may have different utility companies that handle gas and electric. Make sure you consider this when you move to your new home to reduce any unexpected stress when you arrive.

Eliminate accidents by removing fall debris. Before your moving crew arrives, take a moment to check the weather forecast and assess their walking paths inside and out. Wet days can make for slippery floors. Falling leaves and twigs make for tripping hazards. A nonslip mat by the door may be helpful. Consider keeping some old towels around to prevent slippery entrances for your helpers, too. And, be sure that the broom is always on stand-by!

Get rid of the summer clutter. Packing wisely will create much greater efficiency for your move. If you have summer toys that you won’t be using next year, throw them away. While you’re at it, cull all of the items you haven’t used in some time. The general rule is: if you haven’t needed it in the past two years, it can go! Make the most of your moving help and save money by not asking them to transport things that you no longer need.

At Zippy Shell, our goal is to make moving and storage solutions as cost-effective and simple for you as possible. We hope these four guidelines to help you move this fall will make a constructive difference! For information on additional storage or moving solutions, please give us a call at 888-947-7974!

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Avoid These 4 Common Moving Mistakes

Couple enjoying time together after move

If you are like most Americans, you will move several times in your lifetime, whether across town or across the country.  There are a few other things Americans-on-the-move also share – common moving mistakes! We’ve seen it all here at Zippy Shell and want you to avoid these mistakes.

Late planning: Like many things in life, planning usually makes things easier. Start planning for your move weeks or even months in advance, utilizing free checklists and apps that will help you get organized and stay on track. Waiting until the last minute could really derail the best intentions.

Choosing a total DIY move: Great planning cannot overcome trucks that break down or aren’t ready when you are, wasting time driving to and from the truck rental place, or attempting to move all your stuff with an old dolly. Decide how much peace of mind and time is worth. Also consider that moving heavy things can be costly physically, as well. You won’t have to worry about rental trucks with Zippy Shell and if your friends aren’t available, we can even recommend professional help to get your stuff into the Zippy Shell container.

Forgetting what you’ll need the first few days/nights: Picture it – you are excited to be in your new space, but you did not mark a box with things like toilet paper, paper plates, salt, pepper, shower items, towels, etc. That can put a damper on things. Avoid this common mistake by marking boxes with essential items so you can scan your unit and pick them out easily.

Ignoring the forecast: The show must go on when you are moving, but keeping a close eye on the weather not only will make for a smoother move, but it will also keep you and your helpers safe. If you see that rain, sleet or snow is forecasted for your moving day, be sure to have tarps and non-slip boots available.

Packing the cleaning materials: After much of your stuff is in the Zippy Shell unit, you’ll want to go back in and start the final cleaning of your apartment or home. But, wait? Where are the cleaning items? Be sure to keep what you will need aside so you can make the final sweep through the space.

When you are ready to move and store your stuff not only can the experts at Zippy Shell help you avoid the most common moving mistakes, we can have your stuff ready when you are. Give us a call today at 888-947-7974 or go online today for a free quote! See how we can make moving and storage simple for you.

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Follow These Tips to De-Stress Your Move

Couple looks at tablet while searching

There are so many emotions to process during a move. There can be feelings of excitement, anticipation, hope, nervousness, and even relief. But the emotion that can infringe on all the others is stress, which can take a toll on your mind and your body. Moving is often ranked as one of the most stressful events in life. Zippy Shell aims to make your move as stress free as possible with the following tips: 

  • We cannot stress (pun intended) enough the importance of making a list or even more than one list. Make a list of everything that needs to be done before moving day comes, during your moving day, and in the days after your move. Seeing a clear outline of your completed and uncompleted tasks will help you stay more organized and less stressed.
  • Give yourself sufficient time to devote to each step of the moving process. The more you leave to the last minute, the more stress you’ll inevitably feel.
  • Lean on your family and friends when you feel overwhelmed. Those close to you want to help, they just might not know how. So, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
  • Get rid of anything you won’t need before the move. Don’t make more work and stress for yourself by moving unnecessary items. If you won’t have an immediate need for an item but are not ready to part with it just yet, consider storing it for a period of time.

Storage solutions from Zippy Shell can take the hassle and stress out of your move. Your stored items are always safe in our street legal mobile containers because you are the only one with a key and it will be securely stored in a climate-controlled environment. When you are ready, all you have to do is call Zippy Shell to have your additional items brought to your home for unloading and unpacking at your convenience. Visit www.zippyshell.com today to learn more about the services we offer. 

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De-Stress Your Move to the Piedmont-Triad Area

happy moving couple

The Piedmont-Triad area of North Carolina is made up of three major cities: Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem. And we understand why you would want to move here! It is a fast growing, economically thriving area with a wide array of entertainment and recreation options.

After the initial excitement of making a move, the emotion that sometimes takes over is stress. Zippy Shell aims to make your move to the Piedmont-Triad as stress free as possible with the following tips:

Accept the inevitable: Let’s make it clear from the beginning that at some point along your moving journey, you will feel stressed. Recognize the stress, but don’t let it overwhelm you or deter you from the tasks at hand.

Plan ahead: There are many steps involved in the moving process and you need to give yourself adequate time to devote to each one. The more you leave to the last minute, the more stress you’ll inevitably feel.

Stay organized: Make a detailed list of all the tasks you need to complete by the day or the week. Keep all the important documents required during a move organized and in an easy to access place. Devise a system for packing and labeling boxes that will make your belongings easy to find when needed. There is no such thing as too many labels! You can also consider an inventory list for this task.

Ask for help: Having help from family and friends during the sorting, packing, and moving processes is a great distraction and more importantly it makes the work go faster! Also, lean on your family and friends for emotional support when you feel overwhelmed.

Take care of yourself: We know it feels like the moving process takes over your life, but don’t let your healthy habits suffer. Continue to eat a balanced diet to give yourself energy and make time for an adequate amount of sleep.

Zippy Shell wants to help de-stress your move to the Piedmont-Triad area. We offer affordable and convenient options that will simplify your move. Having someone in your corner who cares about your belongings just as much as you do should definitely cut down on your stress level!  

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Tips for Moving to Philadelphia, PA with Kids

moving with kids

Philadelphia, PA is a great city with a lot to see and do for families with kids. If you are moving to Philadelphia, there a few ways to make it easier on the kids before, during and after your relocation.

Involve your kids early in the process: This is especially important if you are moving from one type of area to another. For example, if you live in a rural area or a suburb but are moving to one of the urban Philadelphia neighborhoods, help them understand the differences.

Show them what they can look forward to: Philadelphia is a grand city! Show them videos of what they can expect to see and do in Philadelphia. VisitPhilly.com has a lot of great things listed and the Mommy Poppins blog is specifically geared to kids in Philadelphia. You can check it out here.

Make room for their loved stuff: One of the best things about using portable storage units is that you can moving and keep your things in secure storage until you need them! This offers you and your family time to decompress with what you need in the new home and then have the rest of your things delivered to you when you are ready. Your kids can have their beloved objects in the home now and you can have other items delivered later.

Stick to a routine: ChildMind.org suggests keeping your kids on a regular routine after you are in the new home. You may have a big desire to push ahead with unpacking, having your storage unit delivered, etc. but it might be better to keep the kids on an established schedule.

Moving with kids doesn’t have to be stressful and we are here to help at the Philadelphia Zippy Shell location with the flexible moving and storage solutions you need. It’s one less thing to worry about during a move.

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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.