4 Moving Myths to be Aware of

Some of the people you know will tell you that moving is a bad idea. They think it's too expensive, it's too much work and it's easier just to stay put. However, the best things in life require work and moving may lead to some great things for you. If you have dreams of living in a big city, such as Chicago, you might be preparing for a move. If this is the case, don't let naysayers sway you with their many myths. They will try to tell you that hiring a moving company is a bad idea and you can just do it all yourself, but have you ever really moved an entire home yourself. It's quite a bit of heavy lifting, logistics and not a fun experience.

Don't let other people sway you when you decide you want to move. Whether you're just moving across town or you're moving across the country, you should be aware of some of the common myths about moving.

The Best Day to Move is Friday

One of the biggest rumors out there is moving on Fridays is the best choice, according to realtor.com (http://www.realtor.com/advice/move/moving-myths/). Some say moving on Friday is the right choice because you have all weekend to unpack. While this is true, the weekends are also the busiest time for moving companies. Add in warmer weather and you may just find the prices are high and the movers are booked.

Free Boxes Work Great

We all want to save money and score a deal. However, using free boxes for your move may not be a great idea. You should never go cheap on the boxes, since they will protect your belongings. While you don't have to buy your boxes directly from the moving company you hire, it's usually a good idea. They will carry boxes for all different types of items, such as flat screen TVs, wine glasses and many other items.

Any Old Moving Company Will Do

Another huge myth you might hear about moving is that hiring any moving company will work just fine. However, when you hire a professional moving company compared to a fly-by-night operation, it may be the difference between hidden charges, high prices, theft, loss of good or damage. If you want to receive your goods and pay a fair price, you need to read the reviews, compare prices and hire a moving company with a solid reputation.

Moving Insurance will Cover it

Moving insurance is a good thing, but it's not going to cover you fully. Professional movers will explain their basic liability and what the insurance will cover if something is lost or damaged. Make sure you understand fully what is covered before you go ahead with the move. If you feel like you will need a full value moving insurance policy, you may need to use a third part or request this type of policy from the movers.

There are several moving myths you have to be careful of as others try to sway you not to move. Most people are comfortable where they are and some are simply afraid to every step out of that comfort zone. Don't let moving horror stories or myths change your mind.

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How to Handle Moving in Chicago When You're Sick

Making a plan to move never involves getting sick, but it does happen. You can set dates for moving, but you can't exactly set dates for when you will get sick. If you've become sick and you need to move, there are some things you should know. If possible, postpone or cancel the move until you're feeling better. However, this isn't always possible and sometimes you have to move regardless of your health. This isn't the time to freak out. Here are some tips to help you with an emergency move when you're sick.

Hiring a Last Minute Moving Company

Maybe you planned on handling the move yourself and you already have everything, or most of everything packed up. It may be a better decision to hire a last minute moving company at this point. They will come take all of your items from your old location to your new location and all you will have to do is be there.

With a trusted emergency moving company, you won't have anything to worry about. You can get moved into your new location without overexerting yourself and making the illness worse.

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Keep the Fluids Flowing

Even though you won't have to do any heavy lifting after hiring a moving company last minute, you still need to be there. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water to help get the toxins out of your system and keep you hydrated. This can help you get through the process a bit easier. Other fluids, such as chicken broth, tea and juice can also help. However, avoid anything with caffeine in it as this can interrupt the sleep you desperately need.

Have Someone Stand in For You

If you're too ill to even be there when they move your things, you can have a proxy stand in. You will still need to sign the paperwork and make sure the moving company you hired will allow you to have a proxy when you're sick. However, your proxy can handle everything else necessary so that you can get your rest and you won't have to worry about the move.

Get a Hotel Room for the Day

While your proxy is handling the move, you should be resting. However, this isn't really possible if your bed is going from your old home to your new home on a truck. It's not like the movers will be able to pick the bed up with you in it and let you sleep in the back of the moving truck.

Instead of being a part of all the commotion, rent a hotel room for the day and get some sleep. Your proxy can handle everything necessary for the move and you can get the rest you need in the comfort of a hotel room until the move it over with or you're feeling better.

Moving while you’re sick isn't fun, but there are steps you can take to make it less stressful. Some moving companies in Chicago offer emergency moving services and will help you even if you don't hire them until the last minute. Hiring a professional moving company will help take the stress off of you, while you’re sick and it's the best option to make sure the move goes smoothly without making you feel worse.

Here's a photo our friends at Paws Chicago shared with us to make you feel better -

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Common Mistakes Made When Moving Furniture

Furniture is often heavy, bulky and hard to move. When you try to move yourself, it can be the hardest part of the process. Not only do you need a truck to transport it, but you also need enough manpower to get it into the truck from where it currently resides. It's much easier to hire furniture movers if you want to make sure your items are moved without damage. However, you should still be aware of some of the mistakes commonly made when moving furniture.

Mistake #1 - Assuming Professional Movers are Too Expensive

When you simply assume a professional moving company is too expensive, you never give yourself a chance to look at the entire picture. Yes, it's more costly than doing it yourself, but they are also professionals. Spending a little bit of money may save you time, headaches and other issues, such as figuring out how to move your large pieces of furniture, even if they only need to go down the street.

The easiest way to keep your furniture from becoming damaged is to hire professionals to move it for you. Don't make the mistake of writing this option off just because you assume hiring movers is too expensive. Take the time to gather all the information and get a quote from a local furniture mover before you finalize your decision.

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Mistake #2 - I Won't Get Injured When Moving Furniture

Many people seem to think they are immune to moving-related accidents. If you try to move furniture yourself, it could become rather dangerous. Professionals do it for a living and they have been trained in safety for all types of furniture. Without this training, you may end up dealing with a personal injury from moving a large item.

You want to make sure the walking path is free of any obstacles, you have the right equipment, you know the right way to lift and you wear both gloves and proper shoes. If you don't do these things, you may be putting yourself in danger when moving furniture.

Mistake #3 - Getting and Driving a Truck is No Big Deal

If you've never rented a moving truck before, it may not be a good idea to take on this task. You will likely need a truck for moving furniture, which means you have to know how to pack it and drive it. Many make the mistake of getting a truck without enough space or getting one that is too large. Too small of a truck could lead to improper packing, while too large of a truck may be difficult to drive.

Make sure you get the right size truck before you start moving. Usually a 10 to 12 foot truck works for small apartments, while a 14 to 17 foot truck will work for a one to two bedroom home or small office. If you're moving a house, you will need a 20 to 26 foot truck or multiple trucks.

Mistake #4 - My Friends can Help with the Furniture

A huge mistake you could easily make is assuming your friends can help you with moving heavy furniture. It's a costly error in judgment as they may not show up or they may not have any idea how to help you. Without the right help, you could get injured or they could get injured.

The worst thing that can happen is you assume they will help you, but they don't show up. Sometimes, your friends can't get the time off of work or they come up with an excuse because nobody really likes to help with a move. When you hire professionals, this isn't an issue. They will show up on time, ready to work for you.

Moving furniture isn't an easy thing to do. You need the right equipment, a truck and enough manpower to move it from one place to another. Instead of risking it, hire a professional to help you move the larger items, if not everything you own.

Tips for Preparing Your Employees for an Office Move

When you move an office, it takes more than just packing up a few boxes and transporting them to a new location. It's a huge change for everybody involved. Employees go through the change just as much as the business and the owner. It may change the commute time, the space they have to work with and may cause some employees to fall behind on work during the move. As the owner of the business, it's up to you to prepare your employees and keep them comfortable during the move.

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Where Should You Start?

Whenever you need to move your office, you want to start with scheduling everything the move involves. From packing to transporting to unpacking, you want to schedule everything about the move to ensure everybody is on the same page with your office move. Make sure to pay close attention to any shipments needing to be forwarded and any new services you need to set up, such as internet, phones, utilities, etc.

By creating a schedule of events for the move, it's easy to assign tasks and take some of the stress out of the situation. Employees will know what to expect and when it will be happens, so there will be no surprises.

Your Communication Plan

After you get a schedule put together, you need to create a plan for communications. This should include communicating with employees, movers, suppliers, clients, etc. The best way to start your communication plan is to let everybody know what is going on. Hold a meeting, sent of a memo or do whatever else you need to do in order to communication the need for the move to your employees and anybody else involved.

The point of the communication plan is to eliminate situations, such as an employee coming to work and finding out the microwave has been packed and sent to the new location. This could cause them not to be able to heat up their lunch and could be a huge stress. Keeping everybody on the same page will eliminate these types of situations.

Show Excitement for the Move

As the business owner, you should show plenty of excitement about the move. Whether you're moving into a larger space or a better location, it should be a positive, exciting thing. This will go a long way to set the mood with your employees. When you show excitement, they are more likely to get on board and become excited, too.

Hire a Professional Moving Company

Nobody enjoys packing, moving and unpacking. If you expect your employees to be in charge of the move, they may not be very happy about it. This could add additional pressure and stress to their workday. Instead, hire a professional to pack, move and unpack all your things. This will help things go smoothly and it's one less thing employees have to worry about.

It's very stressful to move from one office location to another. Some stresses cannot be avoided, but they can be minimized. Use these tips to help keep your employees happy and stress-free while moving.

How do Moving Companies Make Life Simpler?

Moving on your own is a hassle. You have to pack everything you own, find a truck and enlist friends to help you load and unload the truck. Long distance moving is even more difficult because your friends may not be there to help at the finish line. Instead of handling the move on your own, you may want to hire a moving company. With the right moving company, your life will become much simpler and here's how.

They Pack Everything For You

Moving companies provide the option to have their team pack all your belongings. You don't have to worry about something fragile not getting packed right and breaking on the trip. When a professional moving company packs your home for you, they will use all the best packing tricks to ensure your items arrive unharmed.

No Heavy Lifting

Were you wondering how you were going to move that couch, pool table, piano or any other large piece of furniture? Instead of calling five of your friends to help, the moving company will simply send a crew to handle all the heavy lifting. Even the light boxes will be carried by the moving company.

They Plan and Drive the Move

Planning a move requires more than just figuring out directions one point A to point B. Moving companies do it every day and they will fully plan your move for you.

In addition, the moving company will take their own truck and drive all of your belongings from point A to point B. They provide the experience you may not have and you won't have to worry about getting behind the wheel of a vehicle you're not used to driving.

You Gain Back Time

How many hours were you going to spend packing and moving boxes to the moving truck? How long would it have taken you to deal with unloading and returning the moving truck when you arrive?

All the time you would have spent moving, you gain back when you hire a moving company. Since they take care of everything, you don't have to put in nearly as much time. Instead, you can concentrate on the things that matter most, such as children, pets and your own emotions about moving.

They Handle the Stairs

One of the most dangerous things is moving yourself when you have to go up and down stairs. When you hire a moving company, they handle the stairs for you. There won't be any worries of slipping and falling with your couch, desk, table or even just a box.

They Save You Money

When you decide to move, you might be surprised at how much money a moving company may save you. Since you gain back time, you won't have to take off of work. If you're a business owner or a busy professional, you can continue to work and make money, while the movers handle everything. Missing a few days of work may add up in a hurry compared to the cost of hiring a moving company.

There are many ways a moving company will make your life simpler when you need to move. Whether you're just moving a few miles up the road or all the way across the country, hiring a moving company will help save you time, money and stress.

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