How to Feel At Home in Your New Apartment After a Move

Moving is very stressful. It can take quite a bit out of you, but it also has several perks. Maybe you're moving into a new apartment complex with plenty of great amenities or you're getting a larger space. No matter where you're moving to, you need to know how to make your apartment feel like home after a move.

Clean Thoroughly

Before you start putting your things away and setting up your furniture, it's a good idea to go through the entire apartment and clean. One of the best ways to feel at home in your new apartment is to wash away any evidence of the past tenants.

Spend a few hours cleaning every nook and cranny to make your new place feel more like home. This will help to give you the control of the apartment and know that it's clean to your standards.

Get your Furniture in its Place

The next step to making your new apartment feel like a home is getting your furniture set up the way you like it. Once the bed, couch, shelves, tables, and TV are in place, your new apartment will start to feel much more like your home.

You want to reassemble anything you disassembled before you move and get your bed set up before it's time to go to sleep. If you hired professional residential movers to help you move, they will be able to disassemble and reassemble the furniture for you. This saves time and allows you to simply need to figure out where you would like each piece before it's assembled.

Unpack the Bathroom and Kitchen First

The bathroom will likely be the most used space in your new apartment with the kitchen not far behind. Even if these are the only two rooms you get unpacked, you will feel more at home in your new apartment with both unpacked.

Hang some Decor

Once you have some things unpacked and the furniture set up, hanging a few pictures can help make you feel at home. Plain white walls don't often make an apartment feel like home, but adding a few of your personal pictures or some artwork can certainly help make your new apartment yours.

Unpack the Children

If you have children, getting them unpacked will help them feel like they are at home. You'll want to help your child arrange their room the way they want it and get their things set up so they can feel comfortable in the space. Giving your children a sense of security will go a long way toward helping you and your entire family feels at home.

Recycle or Toss Out the Packing Materials

Having packing materials hanging around your new apartment will not make you feel at home. As soon as you are done unpacking a room or an area, take the packing materials and dispose of them. If possible, recycle the boxes and the bubble wrap. Hopefully, you were using Chicago Green Boxes!

Put all Unpacked Boxes in One Room

If you know you will not be able to unpack any further for a few days, put all the unpacked boxes in one room, preferably one with a door you can shut. When they are out of sight, they become out of mind and you can feel at home in your new apartment.

When you first move into a new apartment, you want to make it feel like home as soon as possible. Use these tips and you'll be well on your way to feeling like you have a new home.

How to Move a Vending Machine

One of those tricky items that homeowners and business owners are sometimes faced with is how to move that vending machine. This may be a vending machine for an office move or a vending machine you keep at home for visiting clients, the kid’s friends, or for a fun addition to your basement game area.

Since these are so heavy and bulky, you’ll definitely want to hire a professional moving crew to get it out of your home or office safely and transported to your new location without damage. Take a look at what to expect with the vending machine move, how to prep it before the move, and what your movers will have to do to get the job done.

Why it’s such a challenge to move

Vending machines are something you wouldn’t normally think about moving but sometimes it has to happen. You’ll definitely need a crew of people to handle the job because it wouldn’t take much to damage this machine.

You usually head to the vending machine to grab an afternoon snack and don’t put much thought into filling it or maintaining it, but these heavy duty machines need to be cleaned, maintained, and sometimes relocated. You don’t want to hurt the machine or worse, hurt yourself, so be sure to hire a professional staff to handle the job.

How to prepare the machine for moving

The vending machine likely weighs between 400-900lbs empty and is much too heavy to do solo or without proper equipment. You’ll want to ease the weight by emptying the machine of treats and money inside before the movers arrive. They will arrive with multiple movers, the proper equipment, and a plan in place to transport the machine safely. Trained professionals will be able to avoid damaging the machines or hurting themselves by taking proper precautions.

Equipment and the actual move

Your movers will likely arrive with a pallet jack, screwdrivers, furniture blankets, and enough men to move it. The pallet jack is a forklift tool that allows you to any heavy item like a vending machine. The furniture blankets will protect it and the truck during the move or going through hallways and stairways in the home.

The movers will arrive in proper attire for the move to avoid injury and then will measure the machine and the exit routes for the move. If necessary, the doors can be removed to make sure the route is going to be big enough, a trick often used with large furniture move.

Since the vending machine is empty of drinks, snacks, and money, it will be much easier to move and less likely to have a liquid spill or food explosions inside. The power cord will be secured to avoid a trip and fall, whether it’s put inside a special compartment or taped to the upper part of the back panel.

The movers will wrap it in furniture blankets in case it hits anything along the way. The pallet jack will be lowered to the lowest position for the machine to be set on it and then it will be raised from the ground.  The machine can’t be placed on its back or side if it has a refrigerator inside. Fortunately, having other movers will help keep the machine stabilized as it’s raised off the ground and moved to the next location.

The best thing you can do for your vending machine move is called a professional moving service to handle the job. It’s the best way to ensure there is no damage to the machine, the building it’s moving from, the new home, or anyone helping to move it.

6 Easy Meals to Prepare When You're Moving

Moving is a hassle and even when you hire movers, all of the things going along with moving take up time. Sometimes, it's easier just to grab fast food, which can be very unhealthy.

You don't have to settle for greasy food when you move. Here are some of the easiest meals you can prepare in just one pot, when moving.

Chili

Chili is an easy meal to make in one spot on the stovetop or in a crockpot. The best thing is you can choose whichever recipe you want, throw all the ingredients in the crockpot and just let it cook. Then, it's ready for you whenever you're ready for it.

Stews and Soups

Of course, stews and soups fit with the same type of cooking process as chili. You can simply create the recipe in your crockpot or a pot on the stove and you can just let it cook all day. In fact, the longer you let a soup cook, the better the flavor usually is and you can even keep the leftovers for another day.

Grill Meals

If you have a charcoal or gas grill, pack it up last. This will allow you to create meals on the grill without much issue. You can easily grill up meats or vegetables and make a great meal without having to worry about using pots or pans, which you may already have packed up.

Stir Fry

The best part about cooking a stir fry when you're moving is the fact that you can use just about any ingredient in your fridge. If you have fresh or frozen vegetables, throw them in with a sauce and some type of meat and you're all set. It's best served over rice, which can be cooked very fast in the microwave making this a very healthy and fast meal for moving.

Sandwiches

A very easy solution to meal time when moving is sandwiches. You can use cold deli meats to make sandwiches or you can make pulled pork, sloppy joe or pulled chicken in your crockpot. If you go the route of the hot sandwich in the crockpot, it can sit in the crock pot all day on low and you can eat whenever you're ready.

Pizza

Of course, the tried and true for moving day and days leading up to moving is ordering a pizza. If you want to be a bit more adventurous and have some fun with it, you can make your own and it can even be done on the grill. Just do an internet search for "grilling pizza" and you will find all kinds of great recipes.

There are several easy and healthy things you can make during the weeks leading up to moving and even the day of the move. Crockpot meals are excellent because they can stay warm all day and your family can eat when you're hungry instead of having to stop and prepare a meal. Even if you have movers coming your way, you will need to eat. Use these meals to make your moving day food needs easier.

10 Things To Do To Prepare For Your Move

Planning a move can be overwhelming, especially if you’re in the middle of a busy season at work or have a lot going on in your personal life. It takes a lot of careful organization if you want a stress-free relocation, and that’s why we’re here to help. Read through our moving checklist and do these 10 things to get prepared for your moving day.

1. Book professional movers

Make booking professional movers a top priority on your to-do list for moving. Going with a top-rated mover will ensure that all your possessions get from A to B in one piece, and an expert takes the hassle out of moving them yourself. But be sure to book your chosen company at least a couple of months in advance as good movers are in demand.

2. Be aware of costs

Depending on how far you’re moving, you’ll be paying for a few things along the way. Your belongings will need to be shipped unless you’re driving them yourself, and the weight of your shipment, the distance traveled by the movers, and labor costs will all add up. You’ll also need to take into account the cost of your own travel to your new address, whether by plane or car.

3. Sort and purge

You can save money on your move by taking inventory of your entire home and getting rid of items you don’t need. Go through every room and make a list of what you want to keep and what you can sell online or donate. Make a note of any items that will need special packing or insurance for the move.

4. Order packing supplies

Once you’ve decided what you’re taking with you, jump online and order moving boxes and other packing supplies, such as tape, bubble wrap, packing material, permanent markers and sticky labels.

5. Start packing up

You’ll want to allocate at least a couple of weeks for this, depending on the size of your home. Pack the items you don’t use much first and pack like items together. As you go through each room packing up, make sure you label each box with a number and what room it will go in for the movers.

Set up a moving list spreadsheet online to record each box and its items for insurance purposes. Keep valuable items separate, such as jewelry and important files, to personally transport yourself.

6. Pack a welcome box

There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new home and not knowing where the tea bags or your kids’ toys are. Think about what you might need during the first day or two in your new home and pack a separate box with essential items to make your life easier.

7. Change of address

Notify your doctor, dentist and any other medical services you use, of your impending move and arrange for them to forward you your medical records. You’ll also need to notify your bank, insurance company, employer, friends/relatives and cancel any services and subscriptions. Fill out a change of address form at the local post office or do it online to get your mail redirected.

8. Transfer utilities

Contact utility companies and let them know your moving date so they can stop services, and send final bills. Arrange for corresponding utility companies to connect electricity, water, gas, phone, internet services at your new address for when you move in.

9. Organize pets

If you have a cat or dog, then you’ll need to make arrangements for their travel and ensure they’ve had their vaccinations and treatments before they leave. If they’re not microchipped then it’s wise to do this in case they escape. Also, read up on laws and regulations for keeping animals in the new state as you may need a license or proof of a vaccination.

10. Plan your own trip

Lastly, you’ll want to book your flight or make your travel arrangements to coincide with moving day and the arrival of the truck at your new address. For example, you may need to stay at a hotel or Airbnb in your new state for a few days before the truck arrives so you can be on hand to let them in.

Getting the timing right is important so it pays to get this information early on from your moving company so you can make your own arrangements and cross them off your moving checklist. Happy planning!

Author’s Bio

Angela Pearse is a blogger for Zumper who frequently combines travel with freelance writing. She’s passionate about Art Deco hotels, historical novels, Netflix, hiking and healthy living.

Downsizing Tips for New Retirees

When you’ve reached the exciting time of life to retire, one of the first things you may be thinking about is downsizing the home and living a simpler life. Whether you want to travel more, move to a different area of town, or just have less house to maintain, retirement is the time to reduce the clutter and simplify life.

It can be overwhelming to downsize a lifetime of belongings, but once it’s done you can start to decrease the outgoing costs of maintenance and utilities that you once covered with your salary. Take a look at these tips to downsize and starting living with fewer costs and less stuff!

Prepare for the new space

Whether you’ve decided to move to a condo building, into a tiny home near family, or into an RV, you need to look at the things you have in the current home you’re in and start planning for what things will go into the new home. If you’re going into a very small property, it may be time to pass your items onto children, have a garage sale, or begin to donate belongings.

For those that want to travel during retirement, you’ll want to think about how many items you can travel with and if selling most of your items would help you to afford travel. If you plan to live close to family, you could live with more of your things and still offer much of it to relatives that won’t fit into your new home. On the other hand, moving from a home to a condominium or other home, you may realize that your furniture and belongings don’t work in the new space. Don’t allow your stuff to hold you back from your retirement dreams.

Consider real estate costs

The good news is that you are going to be spending less on maintenance and home costs now that you are downsizing, but you’ll still need to consider real estate costs with this big change. Selling your home may mean you have to make repairs and other renovations to get it to sell.

Then you’ll be buying a home which comes with down payments, closing costs, and more. In some cases, you may find that renting out your current home will help to fund your new living situation. By moving on from your home though, you’ll save on insurance, utilities, and maintenance costs.

Don’t assume you’ll be profitable

While selling the home and lowering expenses sounds like an easy way to double your nest egg, don’t expect that to be the case. You may find your house isn’t worth as much as you thought due to the current market and you’ll likely be funding your new home or chapter in life with any money from the sale. Get what you can from the sale of the home and spend it wisely going forward to sustain your new lifestyle. You may find that it’s wiser to keep the home and rent it out.

Ask for help when it’s time to sort your things

One of the hardest parts of downsizing is making decisions on your belongings. Sometimes having a friend or relative help make decisions with you will make it easier. You’ll want to give yourself at least three months before the move to start downsizing the home. Pass items on to your children and grandchildren that they would have received from you in the future and hire an organizational expert to sort through the rest.

Only keep the things you absolutely love or that have a function in your life, while getting rid of anything that is for “just in case” or unnecessary. You may need new ways to organize your things or they may not seem as useful in the next chapter of life after you leave this house.

Downsizing for new retirees is one of the last things you’ll need to do before you can start to enjoy retirement. Take it one step at a time and once you’ve downsized and started this new chapter the way you’ve dreamt it, you can sit back and relax now that your dreams have become a reality and all of the difficult tasks are done!