What to Do Before You Move Into an Apartment in Chicago
24 Essential Moving Tips
You have successively found a new place in Chicago to call your home! It’s all perfect and exciting until you realize about how much much you have to move. Below are 24 Essentials Moving Tips by The Professionals Moving Specialists.
Label the Outside of Your Moving Boxes with Not Just Inventory, but the Room the Items Are Likely to Go:
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Stay ahead of the game!You can save yourself a lot of time and headaches by simply indicating on the outside of your box what items are inside and in what room these items will be going.
Pack an Overnight Bag with First Day Essentials:
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The day that you move in, there will be items that you will likely need right away (food, toothbrush, soap, toilet paper!)Make sure you pack an overnight bag that you keep on you so that you are prepared for that first day.
When Packing Silverware Such as Plates, Pack Them Vertically Rather than Horizontally:
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Packing plates vertically can help to prevent any kind of damage as opposed to horizontal placement, where plates are more prone to moving around in transit.
Try to Clean the New Residence before the Move:
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This is something most people forget to consider, and they just move in without realizing that they will in fact be spending the night.Make sure to clean all rooms, especially bathrooms, to make sure that it is decent and ready for your arrival.Don’t wait till after the move, as you will only be exhausted and will hate yourself for not thinking about it sooner!
Use a Garbage Bag for clothing :
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This might sound absurd but I have friend that moves many times that swearby the garbage bag for packingkeeps your clothes on their hangers, for much faster unpacking.
Label Any Small pieces and Parts and place in a small press and seal bag:
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This one is also sort of a no brainier, but still many people make this mistake.If you had to disassemble anything, make sure that you keep all of the screws and other items together, and label them so that you know what they belong to.The best thing to do is place them in a plastic bag, label them, and tape them together, so that you know what goes with what.
Take Photographs of Hard to Assemble Items:
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Keeping photos of hard to assemble items is an effective way of reminding yourself how something fit together before you disassembled it for your move.This can apply to furniture, electronics and hardware.
Use Reusable Plastic Moving Boxes as Opposed to Cardboard:
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Reusable plastic is much more efficient than standard cardboard for moving.It is more durable, water proof, and contributes no waste products to the environment.Essentially you’ll be going green, and making things easier for yourself in the process.
Vacuum Seal Clothing For Easier Packing and Transport:
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This is an ingenious maneuver to make packing a lot easier.Simply vacuum seal your clothing before packing, and you can maximize the amount of storage space you can use for your move.HOWEVER, always remember that while you may be conserving space, the weight is still the same, so don’t think that by vacuum sealing and packing clothes it somehow makes it weigh less.It does not.Always consider the weight!
For Fragile, Antique, and Piano Moving, It’s Best to Hire a professionals moving company:
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Moving can be a very difficult process and if you are inexperienced you could end up damaging your valuable and antique belongings.In regards to moving these significant items, its within your best interest to hire a professional mover that deals in antique, fine art and piano moving.Some even offer climate controlled vehicles and storage facilities.
Hire a sitter for your pets or kids:
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Living in the city of Chicago, IL and moving without any help from neighbors or friends or family. Hire a sitter on your moving day, last thing you need to worry about on moving day is where your kids or pets.
Make Sure Everything Is Packed Before You Begin Moving!:
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I don’t think this one needs to be explained
Make Sure You Inform the Post Office of Your Change Of Address Prior to Moving:
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Be sure to inform the post office of your change of address, otherwise your mail will be sent to your previous address, and this can be potentially harmful when you consider the bills that you will not be receiving because you forgot.
Bring Dental and Medical Records With You Or Have Them Transferred Along With Any Other Important Documentation:
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This one is also pretty straightforward, just keep in mind these items are important in your new residence.
Enroll Your Children in Their New Designated School Before Moving:
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Make sure that you know what school your child will be zoned to attend, and be sure that you have them enrolled before you begin your move.It is important that you don’t have you child miss any necessary amount of time from school!
Sell Or Donate Your Unused Items:
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If you know that there are items that you will not be taking with you, properly dispose of them, sell them or donate them.Any perishable items must be either recycled or disposed of in the proper manner.And if you are having a tough time selling any unused items, and they are still usable, simply donate them to charity.Organizations such as The Salvation Army will take your unwanted clothing and donate them to those less fortunate.
Give Yourself Enough Time to Manage All the Various Aspects of your Move:
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It’s recommended to begin planning your move roughly a month to two weeks before the move is scheduled to take place.Give yourself plenty of time so you are not stressing it!!
Do Not Purchase Grocery 2 weeks prior to Your Move:
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You cannot effectively move the food in your fridge during the move day, as you run the risk of leaks, spills and spoiling.It is recommended that you do your last bit of grocery shopping at least 2 weeks prior to the move so that the majority of your food is at least consumed before you begin moving.
Defrost Your Fridge before Moving:
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Pretty self-explanatory.
Remove Trash and Hazardous Materials:
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A mover, by law, cannot move any hazardous materials or perishable items.Therefore, it is your responsibility to properly dispose of trash and to not include items such as propane, or gas along with your moving materials.
Take Care of Your Movers/ Helpers:
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Whether you hired professionals or bothered your friends, show some appreciation to the people who are helping you move out of your house.Offer them water, refreshments, and make sure that they are properly cared for (after all they are the ones carrying your personal belongings!)
When Hiring Movers, Make Sure They Are Professionals:
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The Better Business Bureau keeps a listing of all accredited business that are deemed legitimate in accordance with government regulations.You can check this site when hiring a mover to make sure that you are not taken advantage of by fraudulent moving companies.
Prepare Your Children for the Move:
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Make sure your children are well accommodated during the moving process, and make sure they are kept well informed during the process.Children can become anxious moving into a new place, away from their friends and the places they were familiar.Simply reassuring your child or children can go along way in easing them into the transition.
Don’t Stress It:
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Most people let the prospect of moving stress them out, worrying about their new neighborhood, their new neighbors, and the quality of their new residence.Simply remain calm and remember this is not the end of the world!The best advice would be to have friends or family assist you throughout the entire moving process so that you are not constantly worrying about the state of your belongings.Also its always cool to throw a housewarming party, invite neighbors and family so that you can make new friends, learn about your neighborhood, and not feel like a stranger in a strange land.
Where do I donate used clothing in Chicago
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Once the clutter has dissipated, and the dust has settled after what was a rough late of last minute packing before your big move, you may find that there are a lot of things you won’t desire to take to your new residence, particularly in the area of clothing. Below are a list of charitable organization on Where do I donate used clothing in Chicago. If you’re anything like me, clothes shopping is a near weekly occurrence and the amount of clothes you have shoved in closets and drawers throughout the house can appear to be more than a little unsettling.
Old clothing, and especially ones that you will never wear again or are out of style, there is no point having it being packed and stuffed into your moving trucks only to become an annoyance when your looking for places to store it all in your new residence. Opt to simply throwing your unused clothing away, look to donate it to charities and organizations that can give it to those who could put it to good use. But where and how can one accomplish such a feat? At the Professionals Moving Specialists, we can help you determine how to donate your unused clothing in order to benefit those less fortunate, and to provide some relief for yourself during the moving process.
For Chicago residents, there are a numerous amount of places that you can seek out that provide you with assistance in donating your unused clothing when moving to a new location in Chicago. If you live near the Logan Square area of Chicago, one organization that you could try an contact could be the Infant Welfare Auxiliary, associated with the Infant Welfare Society of America, located at 3600 W. Fullerton (773-782-5041). According to the organization’s information page they provide health care and medical services to children and women who are uninsured and under served. The organization will gladly accept any household items, and clothing that individuals are willing to donate to help further their cause.
The following is a list of places located outside of Logan Square that will also accept clothing donations for the needy:
Provides job training programs, educational programs, social programs and serves as a homeless shelter; located at 4628 N. Clifton. (773-303-0119)
Sarah’s Circle
A social service agency that provides clothing for women and children; located at 4750 N. Sheridan, Suite 220. (773-728-1014)
Supporting the Howard Brown Health Center, and one of the largest healthcare organizations in the nation; located at 3651 N. Halsted. (773-549-5943)
White Elephant Resale Shop
Supporting the non-profit Children’s Memorial Hospital; located at 2380 N. Lincoln Ave. (773-883-6184)
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army as stated in their website, is a non-profit, tax-exempt charity organization that operates in Chicago in its metropolitan division. You can contact the Chicago division at http://www.salarmychicago.org/aboutUs/
2nd Chance Shop
Accepts a variety of donations, not limited to clothing which includes art, collectibles, books and more. Money raised goes to the Animal Care League Shelter, which is a non-profit organization that brings in abandoned cats and dogs and give them shelter, food, and any required medical attention. Located at 808 Harrison Street, Oak Park. (708-383-9660)
Avenues to Independence Thrift Shoppe
In addition to accepting donation of clothing, they also accept small appliances, books, houseware and china. According to their website, the money raised by the Avenues to Independence assists those who suffer from developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome and cerebral palsy by providing them with community living programs and jobs. Located at 7710 W. Touhy Ave (773-631-6230)
Goodwill
Goodwill is a social enterprise and organization that helps to fund job programs, employment services and other community programs, while accepting donations for clothing and other household items as part of its service. Goodwill has many locations throughout Chicago in donation centers and retail stores, all of which can be found by visiting http://www.goodwill.org/
In addition to these charitable organizations, the following are a list of other Chicago-area organizations that accept donations:
The above are just a list of a few organizations in the Chicago area, While these organizations will accept your undesired clothing, there are still regulations and guidelines that must be followed in order to provide a dedicated and professional service. Your donated clothing cannot be dirty, ripped up or worn out, as that would be a disservice to those who are in need of proper attire. In addition you are not under any circumstances to submit dangerous or hazardous materials that could potentially inflict harm to individuals. At the Professionals Moving Specialists, we hope that you take advantage of the availability of these organizations as an opportunity to give back to the Chicago community, and we hope that when you are ready to move into a new home in Chicago you The Professionals Moving Specialists
Plan your Move
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Let face it moving is a hassle. It’s stressful on everyone and especially so when you have a family or moving an office in Chicago, IL. That’s why we look for everything we can to make the move less troublesome. So what’s the best advice out there? There’s basically just one. Plan, plan, plan. At the end of the day, there is nothing worse than scrambling around because you didn’t plan things properly.
Plan As Early As Possible
We all know things change. However, it’s always smart to plan your move early so that you can account for change as they come. If you have a core plan already, it’s easier to shift things around rather than making a new plan on the spot. It also gives you more time to think and notice the small details you might have forgotten otherwise.
Have Important Moving Documents Close.
It can be a box or a binder. It’s just something for you to keep everything that is related to the move. You’ll have phone numbers of moving companies, lists of things that need to be completed before the move or a simple moving checklist, notes for the real estate agent, and more. By keeping the paperwork in one place, you can easily access what you need.
Packing is undoubtedly the most time consuming part of moving. If you need help packing, The Professionals Moving Specialists offers packing and unpacking services. If you prefer to do it by yourself, make it fun! Throw on some music and get your friends and family to help. You’ll be done before you know it.
Labeling
It’s easier when you know where everything goes. That way, when you move, boxes with all the pots and pans will go straight to the kitchen and he ones with pillows will go to the bedroom. It’ll save you hours of shifted heavy boxes and walking through unpacked clutter to put things where they belong.
Have A List
People like lists because it helps they stay organized. Make a list before you move and check it off as you complete each task. It’s always the smallest things that get forgotten. Remember to notify people about your change in address, cancel memberships, and stop the electricity, water and heat in your old home and start it in your new home.
Before Moving in Chicago
Chicago
Every town has its own personalities and establishments.It has restaurants, bars, shops, cafes, parks, best school for your kids and more.However, there are 7 places that you should always know before moving in Chicago neighborhoods.While you may never need some of these establishments, it’s always best to know these places before before moving in Chicago in case of emergencies.Whether it’s a town over or across the street , in Chicago, IL do some research and figure out where they are.
Doctors
We hope that we never need medical attention, but you should always know where the local hospital is just in case.On top of that, also know where your local doctor’s office, pharmacy, dentist, etc., are.Being healthy is a top priority to living a happy life.You also never know when an emergency will occur, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Food
Find your local grocery stores.Maybe there’s even a farmer’s market near you!Knowing what’s around you is a great way to save money when buying food.Some stores have certain deals while other have different ones.You should also check out the restaurants around your home.Sometimes you just don’t feel like cooking and that’s when you want to know where all the good places to eat are.
Emergency Services
This kind of goes along with knowing where the hospital is.On top of that, you should know where the fire department is locates, as well as the police office.You may never need them, but knowing where they are located can give you piece of mind at the very least.
Gas Station
Transportation is important no matter where you live.As most people do drive, it’s smart to know where the local gas stations are.That way, since gas is so expensive nowadays, you can compare and contrast prices and get the best deal.
Public Transit
Chicago is a busy city and one thing all cities have is public transportation.Whether you prefer the bus or the train or have to use one or the other, makes sure you know what to take before you leave the house.It’s a pain trying to decipher Google maps on your phone while you’re onthe bus trying to see each stop or underground where you get no service.
DMV
Each state has different driving laws.If you are planning on staying in Illinois after moving from another state, you’re going to have to replace your license.The DMV is where you will need to go to get information about new laws and to apply. List of Chicago DMV Offices
Schools
If you have kids, knowing where the schools are in Chicago is one of the most important things.You don’t want to be scrambling the morning of the first day trying to figure out where you need to go to get to the school or where the closest bus stop is.Make life less stressful by being prepared. List of Chicago, IL Public Schools