The first thing you want to do when considering the garbage cans when moving is to disinfect them before using them as a storage option. Get the garden hose out and spray them down to get the smell, grime, and nastiness out of them. Give yourself enough time to clean the garbage bins and let them air dry completely before starting to pack your items in them. Packing items in a damp garbage container can cause damage or be a breeding ground for mold and mildew, so make sure that you have totally dried out the garbage cans.

The following is a list of possible items to pack in your garbage cans when moving:

• Yard tools like rakes, shovels, and trimmers

• Home tools like your brooms, mops, and dusters

• Boxes of nuts, bolts, screws, and nails

• Shop tools such as saws, hammers, and wrenches

• Automotive stuff like extra oil, windshield wiper fluid and cleaning supplies

• Holiday decorations such as wreathes, lights, and ornaments

• Gardening equipment like plant food, fertilizer or extra bags of top soil

• Household cleaning supplies like bleach, window cleaner, or laundry detergent (note that the Department of Transportation regulates some of these items; check with your moving company)

No matter what you decide to pack in your garbage cans when moving, look at them as the asset they are instead of the waste of space they could be.

1. Set Up the Utilities

This should be one of, if not the first thing, to do when you move. Moving to a new location may involve transferring or setting up new utilities if your landlord is not providing the service. If that is the case, disconnecting, reconnecting or transferring the utilities can take some juggling to make sure that your water, electric, and heating services are fully functioning exactly when you need them to be.

2. Make a To-Do List

There is a lot to do besides just unpacking boxes. Start by making a detailed to-do list of everything that needs to be accomplished now that you are moved in. Some tasks on your list might include: wipe down kitchen cupboards before you unpack dishes, label shelves in the pantry, designate or label certain areas in the garage for storage, get the laundry room in usable condition, etc. The most important thing about a to-do list is that you stick to it!  It will help you prioritize your time and actions.

3. Arrange Your Furniture

Get your Feng Shui on!! Organizing and arranging are not essential to getting everything set in your new home, but they are an important step to making your new house feel like home! See our great blog on how to arrange furniture for some ideas to get you started.

4. Organize Your Closets

When trying to get settled in your new home, it is so much easier to employ all those great organizational ideas you have before you unpack everything. Spend a few minutes on Google looking for closet organizing tips or an afternoon walking around a store like Bed Bath & Beyond to get some ideas. There are also companies that specialize in designing and creating storage solutions for you such as California Closets.

5. Unpack

Most people look at this as such a dreadful task but it is all a state of mind.  Turn unpacking into Christmas morning; if you have children turn it into a game and get the whole family involved. Unpacking does not need to be a loathsome burden. If you discipline yourself to unpack one box every time you walk into a room the unpacking will get done in no time. If you also take to heart the “Organize Your Closets” tip and get everything set up before you start unpacking then it becomes a breeze.

Now you have some steps to getting settled into your new home! You may also enjoy our blog on money-saving tips as well!

If you’ve recently moved into your new home or apartment, it’s time to relax a little, relieve the stress, and come back to finish the unpacking later. It will still be there when you get back.

Here are some of our favorite activities to calm the nerves and relieve stress after moving day:

Get a massage

Nothing gets the knots out better then a good, relaxing massage and with companies like Zen Massage getting a good massage is no longer an expensive trip to the spa.

Read a good book

It could be your kindle, nook, or a good old-fashioned paperback but grab your favorite read, kick your feet up, and escape to worlds unknown for a little while. That new novel can put your mind at ease.

Explore the local area

Since you have just moved in to a new area there are sure to be untold adventures and wonders waiting for you. Get in the car and drive until you get lost or grab the dog leash and pound the pavement looking for new sights. Exploring your new city can be a great way to get acquainted with the area and find local businesses that might beneficial to you.

Enjoy some outdoor recreation

Play some golf, cast a line, or just sit in a lawn chair but whatever you do, do it outside soaking up the sunshine and unwinding.

See a good movie

A dark, cold theater plus hot popcorn equals a great way to relieve stress.

Go shopping

Retail-theory is my wife’s favorite pastime and her go-to activity when she is looking to blow off a little steam.

Enjoy a nice dinner out on the town

Support a local business, try something new, and enjoy some adult conversation. Getting out of the house to try a local eatery is another way to learn the local area, a way to relieve stress, and a nice treat after moving day.

Head to the lake

Grab the suntan lotion, fishing pole, water skies, and cooler of your favorite frosty beverages. Kicking back at the lake is a perfect way to enjoy a little R&R time after a crazy moving day.

Plant your garden

Working in your garden is therapeutic. No matter how stressful your life is, spending time with your plants will calm you down and give you a connection with the earth and your food.

Use and share these handy ideas to relieve your stress and help you relax after moving day!

Prior to Starting Your Remodeling Project

• Develop an idea of what you want to do. Write a prioritized list of your needs and wants.  Look at magazines, websites, and collect pictures of what you like. The more clearly you can envision the project, the easier it will be to convey a clear image of your project to a remodeling contractor.
• Figure out how much money you have to spend on the remodeling project. If necessary, talk to lenders.
• A remodeling project can turn your home and sometimes your life upside-down due to disrupted routines and the mess and workmen being in your space at 8:00am!

Right Contractor, Right Job

• Seek referrals from local trade associations like NARI, friends, family, coworkers, or others who have had a remodeling project done.
• Ask independent trade contractors, architects, local lenders and insurance professionals who often work with and refer contractors.
• Check with your city or county office of remodeling contractor licensing. Ask if the remodeling contractor has had had any complaints about them and if so, were they resolved satisfactorily? Verify that the remodeling contractor has the appropriate licenses and registrations.

Your Personality and Theirs

• It is important that the remodeling contractor you hire is someone with whom you are comfortable.  Personalities matter when it comes to people being in your home. You need to be able to trust them on several levels.
  • Are they someone you would feel comfortable having in your home?
  • Do their communication and listening skills meet your needs?
  • Do you like them?

Things to Remember

• Never pay for the entire remodeling project in advance.  The usual amount given up front should range from 1/3 to 1/2 of the total amount.
• If the remodeling contractor will not supply references – MOVE ON!
• If the references supplied say they were not happy with the work – ASK WHY!
• Do not hire someone whose credentials you cannot confirm.
• Do not hire someone with whom you do not feel comfortable – Trust Your Intuition!

Christine Snyder, the President of Snyder Homes Remodeling LLC, shared these practical home remodeling tips. Snyder Homes Remodeling is located in Shawnee, Kansas and is a local, family-owned company. They have served the Kansas City area with many successful home remodeling projects for the past 12 years. Snyder Homes Remodeling specializes in basement, bathroom, and kitchen remodeling projects. Contact Christine to help with your next remodeling project! She can reached at 913-248-8945 or csnyder@snyderhomes.biz.

And if you need a professional mover to clear out your living space for the duration of the remodel, be sure to call Great Day Moving!

There’s nothing like the welcome warmer weather, leaving your windows open during the day and letting that first gush of fresh air fill your house. You have to love hanging up that winter jacket in your closet and switching to something a bit lighter. With all of this comes the need for a good spring cleaning around your home.

Spring cleaning originated from the dirty heating systems of the past. The cleanup was necessary to get rid of the greasy deposits of carbon from coal stoves and open fires in the home.  With today’s modern and efficient heating and cooling systems “spring cleaning” is more of a tradition than a necessity.

Keep the tradition alive with our Spring Cleaning Tips:

Focus on De-cluttering, Clean if there’s Time

The key step in spring cleaning is picking up and getting rid of extra ‘junk.’ If you only have time for one weekend of cleaning, tackle the clutter. Organizing your stuff and donating worthwhile items to charity may give you the boost you need to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If you have time, start with the deep cleaning such as scrubbing baseboards, wiping down ceiling fans, and concentrating on the most used, and often dirtiest rooms, the kitchen and bathrooms.

Make It a Team Effort

Everyone should be doing the spring cleaning in your house. Make it a family job, assign tasks to each family member, and crank up the volume on the radio to make it fun.

Change Things Up

Consider rearranging the furniture. Not only is it fun to switch things up, but moving the furniture in frequently used rooms will save your carpet from wearing out in places where most of the foot traffic is. It may also be a good idea to arrange certain upholstered pieces of furniture out of direct sunlight to reduce fading from the sun’s rays.

Let in the Natural Light

Bring the bright, spring sunshine indoors. Clean all your windows inside and out as well as all your glass light fixtures. Letting in all the natural light will make your home feel more cozy and inviting after a cold and dreary winter.

Open Up The Windows

The best air freshener is, without a doubt, nature’s breeze. So as the temperature rises outdoors, open all your windows and let the air swirl away the stuffiness from being closed up all winter.

We certainly can’t tell you the best way to arrange a room, but we can give you some ideas and suggestions to make the process less daunting.

Things to Consider to Properly Arrange a Room

• Are there doors? Do they open in or out? If they open in, you will need to allow room for those to open fully.
• Is the room used as a pathway to another room? Is it a destination room?
• Is this room one that people go to or go through? If they go through, you need an easily navigable pathway from one room to another.
• How do you want people to feel in the space?
• Do you want it to be cozy and intimate? Do you want an open and spacious feel? Furniture in a cozy area tends to be placed closer together but a more open feel needs more space between pieces.
• Are you going to use the room for entertaining? If yes, then you need flexibility in your furniture choices. Extra seating may be placed out of the way and can be moved into use when guests arrive.

Guidelines to Follow to Arrange a Room

• Ideally you want 48 to 100 in. (4 to 8 feet) between sofas and chairs. But you can adjust and arrange a room according to your family’s needs. If you feel more comfortable with the chairs closer or if you are better able to hear conversations, then move them closer together.
• If you are using a coffee table in front of the sofa, the typical placement of the table is 14 to 18 inches from the sofa. But again, if you have short arms or long legs, adjust the table until you are comfortable.
• Three feet of space is recommended for traffic lanes. But if you have large family members or lots of kids or animals allow an extra foot for safety for your family members.
• In the dining room, an average adult needs a depth of 20 in. for a dining room chair plus an additional 16 in. to scoot the chair back from the table. Again, adjust the measurements to fit your family’s needs.
• At the dining table, you should give 24 in. per person or more. If your family tends to talk with their hands and make big gestures as they eat you should allow another 6 to 8 in. between place setting.
• In your bedroom, give at least 24 in. between the bed and the wall to get out of bed comfortably and 36 in. between the ends of the bed and the bedroom or bathroom door.

Now you have some ideas to get you thinking as well as points of reference to arrange a room in your home. If the idea still seems too overwhelming, feel free to outsource the task to an interior designer that specializes in redesign.

Myth 9: My movers will be day laborers or criminals

It is true that there are companies who do not have standards in their hiring practices.  But a good, reputable moving company does not hire day labor workers to move their clients. They also conduct background checks on their employees before hiring them and sending them out to you on moving day. Before you commit to hiring a moving company, ask about their hiring practices.

Myth 10: I’m only moving a few blocks, so all my stuff doesn’t have to be packed

We run into this all the time!!! People believe that the lack of distance involved in their move is an excuse for a lack of preparation because they can just “run back and grab something” or “throw it in my car the next time I go that way.” The process of packing your home and preparing for your move should be the same whether you are moving ten houses down the street, ten minutes away, or a thousand miles away! Don Williams Jr. once said that “Despair is most often the offspring of ill-preparedness” – a great reminder when planning for your next move. One of our favorite phrases, generally speaking, is: “If it’s not a piece of furniture, it needs to be in a box.” This is a great reminder when you’re not sure if something should be packed or not. Our checklist may be useful as well.

Myth 11: I don’t have to pay the bill until everything is unpacked

The “product” that you are purchasing from the moving company is the professional moving service or ‘labor’ of the movers. You will not have time to open all of your boxes and examine the contents before you pay the final bill and the crew is able to head out to their next client.

Myth 12: The movers will move anything that I want them to

As nice as this might be the United States Government does regulate the moving industry just like all industries.  There are many items like live plants, aerosol cans, and ammunition that a professional moving company is not allowed to transport by law. For these items, you may have to make other arrangements. Check with your moving company for a full list of items that they will not be able to transport for you.

Myth 5: Labeling boxes doesn’t save time

The front loaded effort that comes with labeling will be made up on the back end of your move when you have four strapping men asking you where you want all of your boxes. You will save countless hours of frustration when unpacking. Nothing is worse than being unable to find that one item you need without a clue as to which box you packed it in. Ignore this myth and save yourself that stress and label at least two sides, not only the top, of each box with a basic outline of contents and in which room it belongs. Also, make Open First boxes for each room and/or family member.

Myth 6: Boxes are boxes

This is one of the moving myths that is 100% not true! You try and carry a heavy load with books or canned food in a used box that your brother-in-law picked up from the local grocery store last week for his move. It might be too wide to comfortably carry or too weak in the middle because of the weight of the contents. Used boxes that are soiled or stained may be weaker and provide less protection to your fragile items. On the other hand, real moving boxes are much stronger, stand up to more abuse, and protect your valuable possessions much better. They are the proper shapes and sizes and are designed to be packed easily on a moving truck since they are the same general proportions.

Myth 7: Packing all of the boxes is my responsibility

Most moving companies will not only provide full-service moving that includes professional packing services, but they are also more than willing to provide packing materials and boxes, creating a stress-free move for you. To save yourself money, you can definitely pack your own possessions. Feel free to reference some of our packing tips here and here before the big day or just have the professional movers take care of all the packing for you!

Myth 8: Since I have hired a moving company, my friends and family can’t help me move

The extra man power makes the job go faster and can save you money. Many professional movers have no issue with the extra set of hands on the job site to move boxes or small items. However, most companies will not take liability for items their crew does not move or pack. Family and friends getting on the back of the company truck is also a no-no due to insurance liability. But carrying stuff from the home to the truck is generally welcome.  Check with the company you hire for their policies about extra help.

Myth 1: I need to buy lunch for the crew

This moving myth is pretty popular and it stems from the idea that you are going to reward your friends with pizza and beer if they help you move. Remember these are not your friends; these are professionals you have paid to complete a task for you. While it is a very nice gesture, it certainly isn’t necessary, and they sure don’t expect it! In fact many movers prefer to work until the job is complete and grab some lunch after they are off your job.

Myth 2: Insurance will cover everything broken during the move

I am afraid not, my friends!! Most insurance policies cover only a portion of what is moved or insure a dollar amount based on your items’ weight. How this amount is determined may vary from company to company. Be sure to get a full understanding of your company’s insurance policy before the big day. There are typically several options for coverage required by federal government regulations.

Myth 3: I have to ride along with the movers on the truck

It is actually a liability for you to be on a truck if you are not employed with the moving company. So you are not allowed to ride with the crew. Commercial trucks are not considered passenger-type vehicles and are not insured as such.

Myth 4: I expect my stuff to end up broken

This is definitely the most common of all moving myths. It is also the least true. You can be sure that a reliable moving company will take the utmost care with even the most precious of your possessions. While accidents do happen, they are uncommon. Your best bet is to work with a professional moving company that has an established reputation. They are far more motivated to keep all of your belongings in perfect health than you realize.

Do you want to save both time and money? Then staying on a healthy track all year long will lead you in that direction. Just imagine what it costs you to take time off work, rushing you or your sick kids to the doctor, then running to the drug store for medications and finally falling into bed exhausted. Over time, it can take a toll on you and your family’s well-being.

The solution and secret to a long and healthy life is proper maintenance of your body. Think about it, we do maintenance all the time for material items that can be replaced like our cars, appliances, computers, home furnace and the list goes on. You can’t replace your whole body when it stops functioning. So why not keep your body tuned up on a daily basis by simply eating well and exercising?

Simple maintenance steps to living a healthy life that you can start today:

• Exercise plays a vital role in a healthy life. Decide on a time of day that works best for you to squeeze in a workout and stick to it. Early mornings tend to be best so when unexpected events pop up you decrease the chance of skipping a workout. Pick a physical activity that you enjoy; walking, Zumba, swimming, biking and yoga.
• Nutrition is the key to a healthier body inside and out. Every Sunday sit down with your family and plan out your meals for the week. Shoot for smaller meals combining a protein or a fat with every carbohydrate you eat to slow down the absorption rate of the carbohydrates.
• Sleep benefits are endless for the body including weight loss, improved memory and mood booster just to name a few. It is easy to stay up late trying to get more work done but sleep is necessary to refuel our bodies. When you start the kids on a school bedtime routine, start one for yourself too.
• Water is a major component carrying nutrients and oxygen to the cells. Make a conscious effort to drink more water each day and don’t wait until you are thirsty. A good reminder to drink more water is to carry around a refillable water container that you can take anywhere you go; the office, on a walk, to the store, etc.

You have the power to live a healthy life and slow down the aging process if you want to!

About: Lou Ann Donovan is a Midwest gal who began on a journey to live a healthier life when she was in college. Over the years, she’s researched both nutritional supplements and healthy eating in order to reach optimal health and longevity. Lou Ann is an independent distributor with Visalus Sciences and and is helping transform lives 90 days at a time. She can be reached at 913-593-6071 or louanndonovan@gmail.com.