The Obvious and Not-So-Obvious Benefits of Moving
Comments Off on The Obvious and Not-So-Obvious Benefits of Moving
Moving is often viewed as laborious chore. While it certain requires some physical labor, it offers some surprising benefits as well. To learn more about the obvious and not-so-obvious benefits of moving, keep reading.
Exercise
To say moving is a “good exercise” would be an understatement. Moving heavy boxes on and off the truck burns calories while building muscle.
According to the health and fitness website FitDay.com, a 35-year-old male will burn approximately 311 calories per hour when moving furniture. Considering that most moves take several hours, if not longer, the exercise benefits of this activity are clear. Just remember to follow safe lifting practices (e.g. lift with your legs, not your back) to avoid injury.
Blank Palette
After moving into a new home, you’ll have a blank palette on which to decorate. The interior décor possibilities of a new home are endless, as you’ll have complete control over the colors, styles, designs and other elements.
Feel free to play around with different décor styles to see what works and what doesn’t. After all, this is one of the many benefits of moving into a new home.
If you’re struggling to find a color palette suitable for new home, pick up some paint swathes from your local home improvement store and tack them to the wall.
This will give you a better idea of how different colors will look. Once you’ve found the ‘perfect’ color, return to the store to purchase the paint.
Get Rid of Extra Furniture
Have some old furniture or other household items taking up space in your home? There’s no better time than now to get rid of it.
Instead of bringing it to your new home, you can go ahead and either sell or trash it. Moving offers the perfect opportunity to do a little a spring cleaning, even if it’s not spring.
Note: many charity organizations, such as Goodwill, will gladly accept used furniture. You won’t receive cash for your donation, but they may give you a tax-deductible receipt.
Start Fresh
Of course, moving also gives you and your family the opportunity to start fresh. You’ll have a new home, neighborhood, and possibly even a new city (depending on where you move). Take full advantage of this fresh start by putting your best foot forward, starting with your home.
Our team of moving professionals specialize in making your move as easy and stress-free as possible and we would love to help with your next move. Get a free online moving quote today.
Read more home moving tips here.
Published in categories: Home Moving Tips
How To Paint a Bathroom The Right Way
Comments Off on How To Paint a Bathroom The Right Way
Whether you are planning to sell your house and move or you just want to spruce up your living space, painting the walls in a bathroom is a simple yet highly effective way to instantly update the decor with a fresh new look.
Having new color flowing through the atmosphere will create a more relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere, which is exactly how a bathroom should feel.
However, the humid environment inside a bathroom creates an added level of difficulty when it comes to painting. To ensure your paint stays on, homeowners must follow some basic precautions.
If you are thinking about painting your bathroom, read below for some key tips to help you achieve a professional-looking job.
Choosing Paint For a Bathroom
The single most important step in painting a bathroom is to choose the right type of paint. As previously stated, bathrooms tend to develop a high amount of moisture vapor.
When you take a hot shower or bath, some of the steam rises into the air where it can stay for hours before dissipating. These constantly high levels of humidity can take a toll on certain types of paint, causing it to run, sweat or develop other noticeable imperfections.
So, what types of paint are known to handle the stress of a high-humid bathroom? Most semi-gloss, high-gloss and even satin paints are excellent choices that will naturally repel water.
Their shiny surface acts as a natural water repellent, making them suitable for bathrooms and other humid areas. With that said, there are still some flat paints which work okay in bathrooms as well.
If you are dead set on using a flat paint, read the label to determine whether or not it’s suitable for humid environments.
Prepping a Bathroom
Before you begin to paint your bathroom walls, you’ll first need to prep it. Due to the high moisture vapor in a bathrooms, mildew and soap scum are almost guaranteed to develop.
Even if you don’t see any patches of mildew, there could be small amounts lingering on the walls. And trying to paint over it will result in a messy, unprofessional appearance that won’t last as long.
This is why it’s important to thoroughly clean your walls before painting them.
To clean mildew and soap scum from your bathroom walls, spray them down with a solution of half bleach and half water.
After spraying, scrub the walls immediately using a basic kitchen scrubber. Bleach is sure to kill any mildew that’s lingering on your bathroom walls.
Let the walls dry completely before attempting to paint them.
Our team of moving professionals specialize in making your move as easy and stress-free as possible and we would love to help with your next move. Get a free online moving quote today.
Published in categories: Preparing To Move, Selling Your Home
5 Reasons Why You Should Move To Austin
Comments Off on 5 Reasons Why You Should Move To Austin
Thinking about moving to Austin? Here are five great reasons you should make the move.
#1) Fast-Growing Economy
This alone should be reason enough to pack up and move to Austin: a 2013 report released by The Business Journals found Austin to be the only city in the U.S. with double-digit job percentage growth over a five-year period.
The report ranked Austin as having the fastest growing economy, scoring 83.9 out of 100 based on 18 different factors. Dallas-Fort Worth, which is also located in Texas, came in second with a score of 81.3.
#2) Music
Austin is known for its diverse music scene, which is probably why it was given the official slogan The Live Music Capital of The World. Current data suggests that Austin has more music venues per capita than any other city in the U.S., which is pretty impressive to say the least.
One of the city’s most prolific music events is the multi-day festival known as South By Southwest (SXSW). More than one hundred thousand people attend SXSW each year, further boosting the city’s already thriving economy.
#3) Mild Climate
Austin is classified as a humid subtropical climate, meaning it’s characterized by warm-to-hot summers and mild winter days. In a typical year, residents here will experience just 19 days in which the temperature drops to or below freezing.
This creates the perfect conditions for people who enjoy running, hiking, kayaking, biking, or performing other outdoor activities. The mild year-round temperatures allow residents to spend more time outdoors, which subsequently promotes a healthier lifestyle.
#4) Good Food
Yet another reason why you should move to Austin, Texas is for the food. Granted, every city has its own unique food, but Austin is known as the barbecue capital of the country. From grilled steaks and baby-back ribs to fish tacos and Tex-Mex, the choices are endless.
And if you’re looking for healthier options, you can rest assured knowing that Austin is home to the international organic grocery chain Whole Foods Market.
#5) Parks
The National Recreation and Park Association awarded Austin the Excellence in Aquatics award and the Gold Medal Award for its outstanding parks. The city is home to over 50 public swimming pools, all of which are free for the public to access.
Of course, Austin is also home to the largest natural swimming pool, the Barton Springs Pool. This pool, which is fed by a nearby spring, boasts an average temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit all year long.
Thinking about moving to Austin? Our team of moving professionals specialize in making your move as easy and stress-free as possible and we would love to help with your next move. Get a free online moving quote today.
Published in categories: A Great Place To Live, Austin Texas, Moving To A New City
5 Tech-Savvy Bathroom Improvements
Comments Off on 5 Tech-Savvy Bathroom Improvements
Most homeowners focus their bathroom renovations around the same generic projects like painting, installing a bathtub, flooring, shower door, vanity, etc. While all of these are excellent ideas for improving the aesthetics of a bathroom, they offer very little in terms of function.
So, how exactly do you improve the function of a bathroom? There are dozens of different ways to accomplish this, some of which involve high-tech gadgets. In this post, we’re going to cover 5 of the top ‘tech-savvy’ bathroom improvements.
#1) Auto-Flushing Toilet
Does your hand get sore and blistered from having to manually flush the toilet every time nature calls? Okay, probably not, but an auto-flushing toilet is a neat tech-savvy bathroom improvement that more and more homeowners are using.
And contrary to what some people may believe, they’re actually quite easy to install. You simply hook the kit up to your current toilet and install a motion sensor nearby. When you get off the toilet, the sensor triggers the toilet to flush.
#2) Digital Programmable Shower
If you’re really looking to turn heads with your bathroom, you should consider installing a digital programmable shower. Just as the name suggests, these showers are fully customizable, allowing owners to adjust the temperature, water pressure, shower head and more.
It’s no secret that a quality shower makes a world of difference in the bathroom. Investing in a digital programmable shower will allow you to fully enjoy your shower sessions, whether they’re five minutes or fifteen.
#3) Smart Toilet
There are now ‘smart toilets’ available on the market which are designed to use less water. If paying your water company an outrageous amount for monthly service, try upgrading your bathroom to a smart toilet. They work just as well, if not better, than older model toilets, and you’ll reap the benefits of having a lower monthly water bill.
#4) iPod/MP3 Player Dock and Stereo
Who doesn’t enjoy listening to some tunes while they are showering or getting ready for work in the morning? While you can always take the route of placing a stereo in your bathroom, a better solution is to install a fixture with a built-in iPod and/or MP3 player dock.
You can find docks such as these built into toilets, vanities, mirrors and shelves. Alternatively, you can build your own with a little bit of do-it-yourself work.
#5) Television
This should come as no surprise to most people, but installing a flat-screen television in the bathroom is an excellent tech-savvy improvement for homeowners to consider.
There are obviously a few things you’ll need to be aware of when installing a television in the bathroom, one of which is the potential for moisture damage. The high humidity of a bathroom can easily damage a television.
To prevent this, you’ll have to install a plexiglass or similar plastic protective screen over the television. There are also televisions made specifically for outdoor and bathroom environments, which is another option to consider.
What are your ideas for a tech-savvy bathroom? Share them in the comments below.
Our team of moving professionals specialize in making your move as easy and stress-free as possible and we would love to help with your next move. Get a free online moving quote today.
Published in categories: Home Technology
Improve Kitchen Decor Before Moving
Comments Off on Improve Kitchen Decor Before Moving
Does your kitchen suffer from a lack of style/design? That can be a big hindrance when it’s time to sell your home and move. The look and feel of the kitchen is one of the biggest selling points and a major factor for those looking to buy.
When you’re busy preparing the rest of the house to move, it’s easy to overlook the kitchen. This is a critical mistake, however, that will ultimately affect the entire home’s appearance, and ultimately your selling price.
Add Plants or Flowers
Something as simple as adding plants or flowers to your kitchen will add a unique sense of natural beauty that can’t be reproduced by other accents or furnishings. Just pick up a vase or two and fill them with some of your favorite colored flowers.
If there’s a window in your kitchen, place the flower-filled vase up on the frame where it will receive some sunlight throughout the day. Having the light beam down on your flowers through the window is a simple and easy way to create a more attractive kitchen.
Alternatively, you can also use potted plants to achieve a more stylish decor in your kitchen. While they usually won’t be as colorful as flowers, they will in fact last longer as long as you keep them watered.
Take a visit to your local nursery and ask the employee for recommendations on low-maintenance house plants for your kitchen.
Use Brighter Colors
One of the reasons why so many kitchen fail with their decor is because they use dark, dull or otherwise plain colors. Switching to a brighter color scheme is almost sure to bring more life and energy to your kitchen.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to repaint the walls, but at least consider what color the furnishings and accents are.
Perhaps you can use some bright-colored display dishes to create a more attractive kitchen decor, or maybe you can install a bright backsplash behind the oven.
Utilize Counter Space
When you’re busy decorating shelves, hutches, buffet tables and everything else in your dining room, it’s easy to overlook the counters.
Sure, you’re going to need some space to prepare food and lay your dishes out on, but you can also use them for decorating. For instance, place a large bowl with some fresh fruit on the counter to add more color and vibrancy to your kitchen.
Another idea is to place colored olive oil bottles out on your counter.
Do you have any other ideas to improve the look and feel of your kitchen? Please share them in the comments below.
Our team of moving professionals specialize in making your move as easy and stress-free as possible and we would love to help with your next move. Get a free online moving quote today.
Read more tips on selling your home here.
Published in categories: Selling Your Home
Tips To Make Moving Easier For Your Pets
Comments Off on Tips To Make Moving Easier For Your Pets
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 37-47% of all U.S. households own at least one dog, and 30-37% own one or more cats.
Whether you’re a dog or cat person, there’s no denying the fact that pets offer unconditional love and loyalty. Your pet will be there to greet you when you get home after a long day at work, and they’ll stay by your side through thick and thin.
But moving into a new home can place a significant amount of emotional stress on dogs and cats, which is why it’s important for owners to follow some basic steps to make the process easier.
Scout The Area
It’s a good idea to scout prospective homes before signing a purchase agreement to ensure the area is suitable for your pet. Visit the neighborhood during the day and night. Is the area quiet? Are there other dogs roaming the street without a leash or their owner in sight? Does the home have a fenced-in backyard in which your dog can play? These are just a few things to keep in mind when choosing a new home.
Introducing Your Pet To The Home
Assuming the current owner doesn’t mind (ask for permission beforehand), introduce your dog to your new home before moving. Let your dog walk around the yard, where they can sniff the scents and check out the surrounding environment. The canine’s brain is hard-wired to remember scents; therefore, your dog will associate these scents with your new home.
Did You Know? A dog’s sense of smell is approximately 10,000 to 100,000 stronger than humans.
What About Cats?
Unless your cat is on a collar and leash, you won’t be able to let them walk around the yard or house. With that said, you can still take them inside the home by transporting them in a carrier. Cats are often skittish about traveling to new places, but this will make relocating easier on your feline friend come moving day.
Moving Day Tips For Pet Owners
- Set aside a 1-gallon bag filled with pet food, along with a couples of bottles of water.
- Make sure your dog’s collar and leash don’t get packed in a box with the rest of your belongings.
- Create a special box with your dog’s bed, blankets and a couple of their favorite toys.
- Keep a bag of treats on hand (always helpful for stressful situations).
Our team of moving professionals specialize in making your move as easy and stress-free as possible and we would love to help with your next move. Get a free online moving quote today.
Read more about moving with pets here.
Published in categories: Moving With Pets
Why You Should Invest In a Home Inspection Before Moving
Comments Off on Why You Should Invest In a Home Inspection Before Moving
Whether you’re buying a new or used home, you should first have it checked out by a licensed home inspector. Doing so will not only ensure everything is up to code, but it will give you peace of mind knowing that you and your family are staying in a safe environment.
Importance of Home Inspections
Whether it’s a leaky faucet or poor electrical work, the fact is that most homes are victim to some type of defect. While most of these defects go unnoticed to the average homeowner, they wont be overlooked by a licensed home inspector.
However, like most service providers, there are both good home inspectors and bad ones.
The problem is that it’s oftentimes difficult to determine if a home inspector is good or not. You’ll pay them to come to your home and they’ll look around for a few minutes only to tell you nothing’s wrong with it.
Don’t fall victim to these bad home inspectors. Do your research beforehand to ensure they’re qualified, licensed, insured, bonded, and have years of experience in home inspections.
Choosing a Home Inspector
It might be difficult to find out if a home inspector is actually skilled or not. In today’s fast-paced technological age, any average Joe can throw up a business website and call themselves a professional, although one thing they can’t do is fake past customer reviews.
Do a simple Google search on the company’s name and see if any bad reviews pop up. This will give you a good idea of how they handle their home inspection business.
Along with customer reviews, you should also look and see how long they’ve been in business as a home inspector. Don’t get me wrong – I’m sure there are many new, skilled home inspectors, but choosing them to inspect your home is often a gamble.
Instead of taking this risk with the safety of your family, it’s recommended that you only hire an experienced home inspector who’s been in the business for a while.
A proper home inspection should consist of a thorough walk-through and inspection of everything from the electrical work to the plumbing and ventilation.
There are certain codes which home inspectors must look for. If the house isn’t up to code, the owner must fix these problems in a timely manner; otherwise.
The cost of a home inspector will vary depending on the inspector and how large the property is. Obviously, if your property is large, the cost of inspecting it will be greater, as there’s more work involved.
On the other hand, if your house is small, you can expect a fast and cheap inspection.
Do you have any other ideas about hiring a home inspector? Please leave a comment below.
Our team of moving professionals specialize in making your move as easy and stress-free as possible and we would love to help with your next move. Get a free online moving quote today.
Read more home moving tips here.
Published in categories: Home Moving Tips
How To Prepare a Room For Painting
Comments Off on How To Prepare a Room For Painting
Whether you are sprucing up your house to sell or getting one ready to move in, adding a fresh coat of paint is arguably one of the most effective ways to revitalize a home’s interior decor. Rearranging furniture and adding new decorative accessories will only take you so far; it’s the color palette that holds the greatest influence over the décor.
Before you pick up a paintbrush and start swiping, however, you should first prepare the room by following the steps listed below.
Clear The Room
The first step in preparing a room for painting is to remove all of the furniture, furnishings, and any paintings or accessories hanging on the wall. Some homeowners may attempt to simply cover their furniture with tarp or drop cloths to save time, but this is just asking for trouble.
No matter how hard you try to prevent it, some of the paint will inevitably find its way onto your furniture. And it only takes a single drop of paint to ruin the upholstery. Unless you’re willing to take this risk (which I don’t recommend), move everything out of the room for the time being.
Remove Electrical Outlet and Light Switch Covers
There are still a couple more things you must do before you can begin painting. Using a Phillip’s head screwdriver, remove all of the electrical outlet and light switch covers. Ever walk into someone’s home and notice paint stuck on their outlet covers?
This is because they tried to take the easy way out by leaving them on while painting. To ensure your room looks pristine when the job is complete, go ahead and remove all electrical and light switch covers. It only takes a few minutes to remove them and put them back on later.
Clean The Walls
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when painting is failing to clean the walls beforehand. I know what you’re probably thinking: why do I need to clean the walls if I’m going to paint over them? That’s a good question, and there’s an equally good answer to it.
Painting over walls that are dirty and dusty will result in a messy, unprofessional appearance. Typically, the dirt, dust and debris will create a textured look that does the room no justice.
You don’t have to spend an entire afternoon deep cleaning your walls, but instead use a damp cloth to wipe them down from top to bottom. Try to avoid getting too much moisture on the walls, however, as it can impact the paint.
Protect The Floor
Last but not least, lay out several drop cloths to protect your floor from any spilled paint. If necessary, tape the edges together so there’s no gaps in between.
You can pick up drop cloths from most home improvement stores for about $20-$30 bucks a piece, which is a small price to pay for the peace of mind knowing that your floor is protected.
Just remember to stretch them all the way to the baseboard (tape them against the wall), so there’s no chance of paint spilling down the sides of the wall and onto the floor.
Got any other tips for us? Please share them in the comments below.
Our team of moving professionals specialize in making your move as easy and stress-free as possible and we would love to help with your next move. Get a free online moving quote today.
Read more home moving tips here.
Published in categories: Home Moving Tips
Moving With an Infant: What Parents Should Know
Comments Off on Moving With an Infant: What Parents Should Know
Moving is an exciting time that allows families to start fresh in a new home. Whether you are relocating across state lines or to the other side of town, you’ll have a blank slate on which to decorate. But moving with infants adds another level of difficulty to the already laborious task of moving.
If you’re a proud parent who’s planning to move in the near future, keep reading for some essential tips on how to make the process a little easier and more enjoyable for the entire family.
Create an “Emergency Kit”
It’s easy to misplace certain items when you’re moving dozens of boxes and furnishings from your old home to your new home. Even if you marked a special box as “important,” someone may unknowingly load it onto the back of the moving truck.
This is why it’s a good idea for parents to create an emergency kit with essential items that infants may require.
See below for a list of some items to include in your moving-day emergency kit.
- Diapers
- Baby wipes
- Baby powder
- Bottle
- Formula/milk
- Food
- Blanket
- Toys
- Change of clothes (minimum of two)
Car Seat and Stroller
In addition to an emergency kit, parents of infants and young children should also set aside both a car seat and stroller for the moving day. I know this probably sounds like common sense to most people, but it’s easy to overlook these basic items when you’re busy orchestrating a move.
Place your child’s car seat and stroller in a safe area (along with the emergency kit) where there’s no chance of it being hauled off to the moving truck.
Prepping Your Child For The Move
Here’s a tip to make long-distance moves with small children easier: allow your child to stay up late the night prior to the move, as this will encourage him or her to sleep during the car/truck ride.
Of course, you’ll want to make sure your child is comfortable, so bring extra blankets and familiar toys to give them a sense of familiarity.
When you arrive at your new home, you’ll need to keep a close eye on your child to ensure he or she is safe. Alternatively, you can hire a babysitter in advance to watch him or her while you move your boxes into your new home.
These are just a few tips that will make moving a little easier for families with small children.
Our team of moving professionals specialize in making your move as easy and stress-free as possible and we would love to help with your next move. Get a free online moving quote today.
Published in categories: Moving With Children
How To Avoid Unforeseen Costs When Moving
Comments Off on How To Avoid Unforeseen Costs When Moving
Purchase Supplies Ahead of Time
Don’t wait until the week you intent to move to buy your supplies. The earlier you acquire them, the more time you’ll have to pack all of your clothes, electronics, decorations and other household items.
Failing to acquire the necessary supplies could force you to make “special” trips to the local post office or office supply store on the day of your move, during which you’ll have to spend extra time and money.
Here’s a short list of some essential moving supplies:
- Boxes (multiple sizes)
- Tape
- Packing paper
- Bubble wrap
- Box-cutter
- Permanent marker
- Packing peanuts
Hiring a professional moving company will take the burden of having to physically transport all of your belongings off your shoulders. At M&M Moving we have both the experience and tools necessary for a fast and efficient move.
Being that each and every moving company charges different rates for service, it’s usually a good idea to ask for a quote beforehand. Most moving companies won’t be able to give you an exact price for service, but we’ve been doing this for a long time and we can provide you with a very close estimate.
Do-It-Yourself Moving
If you intend to move everything yourself, without the help of a professional moving company, familiarize yourself with the costs of renting a moving truck.
Most truck rental companies charge a flat per-day fee plus mileage. Larger-sized trucks, however, cost more than the smaller trucks, so keep this in mind when arranging a rental truck for your move.
It’s important to note that most individual insurance plans won’t cover commercial vehicles; therefore, you’ll need to purchase a plan from the rental truck company if you want coverage.
Of course, this costs additional money, further increasing the price of your rental truck. Find out what type of insurance the truck rental company offers, and how much coverage is included in each of the plans.
Activate Utilities In Advance
Why should you activate your utilities in advance? Well, there are a few reasons, one of which is the simple fact that it will avoid any hidden activation charges on your moving day.
Some power, water and gas companies charge a fee when initially activating a new customer’s service. These fees may range anywhere from $10 to several hundred dollars. To prevent this type of sticker shock from occurring, contact the utility companies in advance and ask them to activate service in your new home.
Our team of moving professionals specialize in making your move as easy and stress-free as possible and we would love to help with your next move. Get a free online moving quote today.
Read more home moving tips here.
Published in categories: Home Moving Tips
