How to Store Your Items During the Winter

Storing your items for the winter can be a bit of a struggle if you don't know what you're doing. Some items can be damaged from the extreme cold, just as some items can be damaged from extreme heat in the summer. Here are a few tips to ensure your items are stored properly for the winter.

Get Things Stored Before the Snow

If possible, get all your things into storage before the snow arrives. It can be harder to move things into storage once snow is on the ground and it may require professional movers to ensure it's done properly and safely.

Before the coldest temperatures arrive and the snow and ice cover the ground, make the time to move things into storage.

Make Sure Everything is Clean and Dry

It's best to clean everything you plan to store before putting it into storage. Dirt can cause issues with stored items and can cause damage to some.

In addition, you want to make sure everything is dry. Moisture isn't good for many materials, such as metal and wood. It can cause issues to the item that's wet and even to other items in storage.

When storing hoses or other items used for water, keep in mind, the moisture can freeze and expand. This is another way moisture can cause an issue.

Repair Items Before Storage

If you plan to store something for the winter that needs to be repaired, get the repairs done now. When the spring comes along and you pull out things, such as a lawn mower or other outdoor tools, you may find the damage is worse because you didn't get the repairs done before storing the items.

Choose Climate Controlled Storage from Pro Move

Any old storage unit won't work for most items during the winter. Even boxed household goods could end up damaged due to the harsh temperatures.

It's best to choose climate controlled storage for your items when storing them for the winter. With climate controlled storage, you don't have to worry about items getting damaged due to cold or hot temperatures. It's the best option for winter storage and year-round storage.

Many items can be damaged due to the cold temperatures. Anything with a battery, liquid items, electronic, and many other items may not work the same or at all if you don't use climate controlled storage.

The changing temperatures and extreme weather can cause condensation within electronics, which may cause irreparable damage. Anything liquid may freeze and expand, which could cause cracks to the container and it may leak onto other items. This can also include battery cells in mowers, small engines, cars, and other battery-operated items.

Storing your items properly during the winter isn't always easy. You need to be sure to consider the items you're storing and the extreme temperatures the winter will bring. However, if you follow these tips and you use our climate controlled storage in Chicago, you'll have far less to worry about.

3 Things to do this Winter in Chicago After Your Move

Moving to Chicago is a big deal. During the winter there are plenty of things to do throughout the city. It's actually a wonderful time of year to move to the city.

Once you've settled in a little bit, you'll want to get out and see the city. Here's a look at three fun things you can do this winter in Chicago after your move.

Take a Walk Down Michigan Avenue

It's iconic. It's filled with attractions. It's Chicago at its finest. A stroll down Michigan Avenue will introduce to you to so much Chicago has to offer including the Magnificent Mile.

It only gets better that you get to stroll down Michigan Avenue in the winter time. During the holiday season this part of the city is amazing. Plus, the Magnificent Mile Holiday Lights Festival will be taking place all November and December. You can also enjoy plenty of activities including concerts, parades and fireworks shows over the Chicago River!

Check out the Lincoln Park Zoolights Festival

Seeing Lincoln Park is amazing on its' own, but when you go for the Lincoln Park Zoolights Festival you'll get to experience something special. More than 2 million lights will be up and ready for you to enjoy at the Lincoln Park Zoo. The event is free and includes plenty of themes throughout including ice carving demonstrations, synchronized music and lights show and even carolers. You will enjoy some of the finest ice art in the city, along with so much more.

The best part, you can grab a little hot cocoa and enjoy the light with someone special. This is a great spot for a winter date and if you just move to Chicago, maybe you moved for a special someone or you're ready for a first date.

Enjoy some Incredible Sports

The Chicago Bulls and the Chicago Bears are both in season when winter rolls around. You can even catch the Chicago Blackhawks if you love hockey. Catching a football game is always fun and will introduce you to an iconic stadium, as well.

The Bulls are another great show in town and the tickets will likely be less expensive than the Bears. If you love hockey, catch a Blackhawks game and you'll be glad you did.

There's nothing better than getting acquainted with your new city by catching a sporting event. It will help you get into the spirit of Chicago and help you really feel likely you're at home in your new city.

Chicago is filled with plenty of great things to do and there's no shortage of great places to go and see during the winter. If you're planning on moving to Chicago in the Winter, and you want to have some fun once you arrive, enjoy these three options. You'll be happy to get out and enjoy your new city as you take in the sights along the way.

How to Know if You Need Help from Professional Packers

Not everybody needs professional packers, even if they plan to hire residential movers to help with the moving of their home or apartment. However, some homes and apartments are in desperate need of professional packers. How do you know if you need to hire packers for your move?

There are several factors to consider and it starts with what your goals are for the move. Let's look at some of the reasons why you should consider hiring packers for your upcoming move.

Flexibility

One of the biggest advantages of hiring packers to help with your move is the flexibility you gain. When you hire a packing service, you can take advantage of the full service or you can pick and choose what you would like them to pack for you.

For example, you could have the professionals take care of furniture, a heavy piano, heavy appliances, and other big items.

Safety

Another huge reason to hire packers for your move is the safety aspect. Moving everything and packing it up on your own can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Special packing techniques can be used to ensure your items don't break and nobody gets hurt.

Professional packers handle items every day. They know how to do so safely and keep your stuff from getting broken or becoming too heavy. When you hire professional packers, you won't have to worry about safety as much.

Professional Packing Supplies

While safety is super important, gaining access to professional packing supplies makes a difference, too. When professionals packer your things, they will bring high-quality packing materials for your items. If you have antiques, paintings, furniture, and other valuable items, this can be a huge benefit of hiring professional packers.

The packers will bring bubble wrap, packing paper, tape, markers, moving boxes and everything that needs to be used to pack your item. They will also have special boxes for things, such as TVs and other odd items to help ensure your things are well protected.

Better Efficiency

Professional packers will also be far more efficient with the packing than you will be. They are so efficient because they know what they are doing and have been doing it for many years. While they will be packing faster, they won't compromise safety at all.

If you have a large home, the efficiency can help quite a bit. You can really narrow down the packing time by hiring professionals to do the packing for you.

The decision to hire professionals to handle the packing is a big decision. If you have a larger home to pack up, it can be a huge time saver. Professionals are also very safe and you have the flexibility to choose what they will and won't pack for you.

For those with large items, fragile items or just a large amount of items, hiring professionals to handle the packing is a great way to go. Pair this with professional residential movers and you'll make your entire move is much easier. Here at The Professional Moving Specialists, we can handle ALL of this for you, so contact us today!

Top 5 apps to help plan your move

When it comes to residential moving, any opportunities to make things simpler, easier, or more streamlined are incredibly useful. There are so many moving parts to a move, from hiring the movers to having a moving party to say goodbye to friends and neighbors that it’s essential to find ways to make things a little more organized or simplified.

Nowadays, you can find many apps that make moving a breeze that people didn’t have the chance to use when they were moving so many years ago. Today you can enjoy the ease of apps like Craigslist, Move Advisor, and TaskRabbit to get things done a little more efficiently. Take a look at the top five apps that people are using to plan their moves.

Move Advisor

At no charge, you can take advantage of Move Advisor to organize your upcoming move. It’s designed to help you get started and keep everything moving efficiently. This is great for those that are new to the process or simply overwhelmed. Download Move Advisor to have your own personal moving advisor right in your pocket that helps to stick to your timeline, keep track of your stuff, and to get you a moving quote.

This app is a beautifully designed smartphone app that is super simple to use. It offers you four tools to streamline the process including, your moving timeline, home inventory, finding moving companies near you, and getting you a moving quote. Use this to find professional movers near your home with quotes on the move, as well as keeping track of the items in each room of the house and a moving timeline to keep you track.

Simply tap the button when you need a reminder or to complete a task, while having the ability to add a room of inventory into the app before the move, and getting a quick way to look for moving crews in your area.

TaskRabbit

Are you overwhelmed at the thought of physically preparing your home for the move? TaskRabbit is the new handy tool to hire people in your area to perform tasks such as home repairs, a deep cleaning, or disassembling furniture. Do you need someone to remove art from the wall and patch up the holes, clean the house after the movers get everything out, or to help you take that bedframe apart? Any task you can think of you can find someone in your area to help you with it right on TaskRabbit.

MagicPlan

One of the fun parts of moving is that you get to design your life into a new home. Now you can use the MagicPlan app to create a 3D image of your home and start decorating virtually. If you weren’t sure where to put your couch or what kinds of DIY projects you may want to take on, MagicPlan will make it super fun to start visualizing before you even move. You’ll just take photographs of each room and then you can start virtually planning out where everything will go by creating your customized floor plan.

Trulia

Trulia is a great app to use if you are just starting that home search and you’re ready to start looking for available homes on the market. Look for your dream home on Trulia while also getting the scoop on what neighborhoods are like. You’ll find maps of neighborhoods, information on their amenities and price points, video tours of homes, an open house scheduler, and so much more. You’ll also love getting the scoop from locals on a neighborhood’s personality!

Mint

Lastly, don’t let your budget get out of control during the move. It’s more important than ever to stick to the budget which is why having a budgeting tool such as the Mint app will keep you organized during this busy time. Mint works to assist you with tracking your finances, by having you link up your bank accounts and keeping track of transactions right on the app. It’s easy to see how well you’re doing with spending and saving by keeping an eye on the graphs and charts from the app.

Don’t let moving get out of control and overwhelm you. Use these top five handy apps to help you plan your move and get everything done on schedule and with ease!

Tips for Moving With a Newborn Baby

There's a ton going on. You just had a baby and now you have to move. Your life may seem like it's one big blur during this time, but you can make moving with a newborn baby easier. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Create a Routine and Stick to it

Babies need a routine and you need to stick to it. If you get your baby on a schedule, you can easily work in the packing and unpacking when they are napping or when they are entertained by your spouse.

Since you know your baby needs a routine, create one for yourself and spread out the packing and unpacking. Don't rush yourself and instead of trying to do it all in a few days, take the time to do it one piece at a time. After all, you're a new parent and you should be able to enjoy this time.

Lean on Childcare

If possible, use childcare to help you, especially on the actual moving day. Whether it's a trusted friend, family member or babysitter, let someone else watch your child while you move. You can even do this if you need a day to really catch up on packing or even just on sleep to ensure you have the energy for the move.

Pack Your Baby Bag

It would be a huge mistake to pack away all the baby stuff and forget to leave out the things you need. Pack a baby bag to carry with you anywhere you go. This should include at least three days of supplies for your baby to ensure you have enough food, diapers, pacifiers and other things for the move.

If you're moving a long distance, you may need to pack a week to a month worth of supplies. The last thing you want to do is arrive and not have diapers when you need them.

Unpack the Baby Stuff First

If you label your boxes and you pack the truck properly, you can unload and unpack the baby stuff first. If the nursery is set up first, you'll find it far easier to live in your new home while you unpack everything else.

Keep the nursery as similar to the setup from your old home as possible. This will help to make sure the baby is happy and feels comfortable. Also, make sure to watch out for any dangers in the room when you're putting together the crib and other items.

Baby Proof the New Home

Before you start unpacking everything, take the time to baby proof your new home. It's much easier to do this when you don't have anything in the house than when the home is full of things. AS you unpack, make sure to secure furniture and other items that could cause a hazard to your newborn.

There are several ways to make your move with your newborn baby smoother. Hiring a skilled residential moving company may be the perfect way to make moving easier. They will likely be able to pack and unpack your things for you, as well.