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Moving & Packing Sentimental Items

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How do you decide which sentimental items you should keep when you move?  Everyone has items in their home that are of sentimental value.  They are irreplaceable but also not worth much.  Some sentimental items that you may have are high school mementos, wedding keepsakes, baby clothes, or things that belonged to your parents and grandparents.  You can’t keep all of these things because you don’t have room for them.  But it’s really hard to think about getting rid of them.

Moving & Packing Sentimental Items

Here are some suggestions for some meaningful ways to preserve your memories without having to find a place for everything in your new home.

T-Shirt Quilt

You probably have several t-shirts from your favorite events from high school and college, and there are memories connected with each shirt.  You most likely don’t wear these shirts, but you want to keep them because of the memories attached to them.  You can make a quilt out of your favorite shirts so you can keep your memories forever.

Keeping 1 or 2 similar items

You don’t need to keep your grandmother’s entire china set.  Instead, you could keep 1 or 2 favorite pieces that remind you of her.

Making meaningful donations

You probably don’t need your wedding gown.  Check out this organization that uses old wedding dresses to make infant burial dresses.  This way, you can feel good that your dress is going to help someone.

 

After you have decided which sentimental items you want to keep, Call Brown Box Movers  to help you with your move!

Organizing Your Move

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Moving time can be stressful.  It’s hard enough getting everything packed up, moved, and unpacked with everything in one piece.  And it doesn’t help that something always manages to get lost!

Planning and organizing your move will help ensure that all of your belongings get to the end location along with you!

  1. Start with packing one room at a time. Put a few empty boxes and tape in each room and work your way through each room of the house.  Make sure that each box is properly labeled with the contents and the room that it belongs in.
  2. Make a master list of what’s in all the boxes and which room each box goes into, so you have control over what’s where and where it’ll go in your new place.
  3. Label everything! Make sure to label each box with what is in it and what room it goes in. Also, make note if the contents are “fragile” to help avoid broken items.

 

Moving day can definitely be a pain and so can packing, but being organized will help make unpacking go that much smoother!  Call Brown Box Movers to get your move scheduled today!

Organizing Your Move

Packing Your Kitchen

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Proper packing procedures are vital to protecting your belongings. Brown Box Movers can pack and unpack your belongings to make your moving experience easier.

Packing Your Kitchen

While packing & unpacking services are an additional expense, there are many benefits such as saving time and assurance of packing expertise.  However, if you decide to pack yourself, Brown Box Movers wants to give you a few tips. It is overwhelming to try to pack a whole house, but tackling the project one room at a time can make the task go faster and seem less frustrating.

The kitchen is often the most time-consuming room to pack because of the breakable items and bulky appliances.  Follow these steps to help as you prepare to move.

  • When you know you are about to move, stop buying groceries. Try to use as many of the items in your pantry as possible.  This will mean will you have fewer items to pack and move when moving day comes.  You may need to be creative with your menu planning!
  • Start with larger appliances such as mixers and blenders and toasters. Make sure not to pack them all in one box because it will make the box too heavy.
  • Pack your dishes. You don’t need to wrap each plate individually.  You can put a paper plate in between each plate in order to protect them.  You can use newspapers to wrap other fragile items.  However, if you run out of newspapers, use your dish towels and tablecloths.  You need to pack them anyway!
  • Set aside one box labeled as “essentials.” You will unpack this box first. Put your most needed items in this box. For example, this box could contain paper plates, napkins, sippy cups, and a coffee maker!

After you have done these things, you are ready to pack the next room in your home.  Be sure to call Brown Box Movers in Denton so we can help!

Deduct Your Moving Expenses

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Did you move last year for a new job?  If so, you may be able to deduct some of your moving expenses on your taxes this year.  There are many detailed rules for who is able to deduct expenses, what expenses he/she can deduct, and what expenses are not allowed.  You can find the complete details here, but a short summary is presented below.  Please make sure to read the guide to check for your specific situation.

Deduct Your Moving Expenses

Who can deduct moving expenses?

The federal tax code allows for moving expense deductions if you are moving to start a new job or new business, and you are starting it reasonably close to your move date.  The distance must be 50 miles in order to be deductible.  If your employer provides reimbursement for your expenses, you cannot claim them on your taxes.

What moving expenses are tax deductible?

  • Storage
  • Travel expenses
  • Moving household goods and personal effects

What moving expenses are not allowed?

  • Anyone who has moved knows that eating out frequently is unavoidable. However, you cannot deduct your meals.
  • You may have lots of expenses related to selling your home or buying a new home, such as paying a realtor, making improvements, or house hunting trips. These expenses are not allowed.
  • Your new home may require some improvements, such as new carpet or flooring, paint, etc. These are not deductible and neither are security deposits for your new place.
  • Although the cost of transportation is deductible, if you do sightseeing on the way to your new location, this cost is not allowed.

There are different rules for Military and for if you are moving out of the country.  Be sure to read the moving guide for information about your situation. Call Brown Box Moving today for help with packing and moving your household goods!

Should It Stay or Go

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Should It Stay or GoMoving is a great time to go through your things and decide what you really need.  You may be moving to a smaller place, or you may just want your new place to be less cluttered.  So how can you decide what you should keep and what you should get rid of?  Focus on these areas of your home as you declutter.

  1. Closets – Most people have a lot more clothes than they ever wear.  A good tip is to get rid of one item of clothing every time you buy a new one.  Since most people don’t do that, moving can be a good time to assess your wardrobe and get rid of things that you haven’t worn in the last year.  If you haven’t worn it in a year, chances are you probably aren’t going to wear it again!
  2. Kitchen – Most homes have lots of small kitchen appliances they don’t use often.  Food processors, big kitchen mixers, blenders, and more.  It’s a good idea to get one appliance that can do everything and get rid of the rest.
  3. Kids’ Rooms – It’s really easy for toys to accumulate.  Now is a good time to go through the toys and get rid of things that your kids have outgrown, have missing pieces or parts, or are no longer played with.  Toys that are still in good condition can be donated to your church or local women’s shelter.
  4. Garage – This is probably the easiest area for junk to pile up.  The typical garage or carport has tools, equipment, and trash that you don’t want to take to your new home.  After you decide what you want to keep, use Brown Box Mover’s Junk Removal Service to do the heavy lifting.

Finally, after you are finished getting rid of unwanted items, call Brown Box Movers, and we will move the rest of your household quickly and carefully.

Changing Your Address

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Moving can be a lot of work, but if you plan ahead and spread out the tasks that need to be completed, it will make things go much more smoothly.

Changing Your Address

One thing you should do is call your banks, credit card companies, friends, and family to let them know your new address.  The post office suggests doing this 2-4 weeks before you move.   It’s easy to forget or leave someone out, so it’s a good idea to fill out a change of address form at the post office.  You can do it in person (for free) or do it online here: https://moversguide.usps.com.  An advantage of doing this is that you will get a welcome kit in the mail with coupons for stores and restaurants in your new town!

Magazines will be forwarded for 60 days, and most other mail will be forwarded for 12 months.  This will give you enough time to notify everyone about your new address.

 

 

 

Winter Moving Tips

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Winter Moving Tips

Moving during the winter presents a unique set of challenges, but our winter moving tips can help make sure you and your belongings arrive at your new home safely:

  1. Hire A Moving Company.
    Hiring a professional moving company will minimize your time in the cold and relieve the stress associated with moving day. Get An Estimate!
  2. Weather Changes
    The temperature can change quickly in the winter. What starts as slush can turn to ice within a few hours. It also gets dark earlier in the winter, so plan trips to and from the new location accordingly.
  3. Wear Additional Layers
    It’s important wear multiple layers, even though you will be working hard on moving day. Consider wearing layers you can peel off as necessary. It’s better to start with too many clothes on than to deal with being cold all day. Make sure your ensemble includes a hat and warm gloves.
  4. Stay Hydrated
    Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you won’t sweat. Stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the moving process. It’s also a nice gesture to provide warm drinks or water for your crew to enjoy during or after the move (coffee, tea, or hot chocolate are inexpensive and will be much appreciated by your friends, neighbors, or professional movers).

With a few extra precautions, moving during the winter can be easy and safe. Be sure to contact Brown Box Movers for your next move!

How To Organize Items During Your Move

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How To Organize Items During Your Move

If you stop, take a step back, take a deep breath and think realistically about your move, there’s a lot you can do to minimize loss. You can also reduce some of the stress associated with moving. It’s all about being organized.

Pack one room at a time

Sounds like a pain, right? And maybe it is, but you’ll appreciate your diligence once you’re in your new place.

Put a few empty boxes and packing materials in each room of the home you’re vacating. Start at one point in the room and work your way around the room until everything is packed.

You can also tape a piece of paper to the inside top flap of each box. Each time you put something in the box, make a note of it on the paper. When it’s time to unpack, you’ll know exactly what’s in each box.

Keep electronics and accessories together

With all the electronics and gadgets in our lives—laptops, TVs, game systems, music-streaming devices and more—there are many ways to lose the power cords and accessories that go along with them during a move.

We recommend putting all cords in a bag! For each item, get a zip-lock bag and load it with the corresponding cords. Then tape the bag directly to your TV, stereo, or what-have-you. This way, when you set up the items on the other end of your move, you’ll know exactly where everything is.

Make a master list of what’s in all the boxes and which room each box goes into, so you have control over what’s where and where it’ll go in your new place.

Label your boxes

On each box, clearly mark the name of the room where it’s to go in your new home—do this on the top and the sides of the box. Also, mark the box with “this end up” (arrows will help, too) or “fragile,” so proper care can be taken, reducing the likelihood your stuff will get broken.

Is going to all this trouble adding extra work? Probably. But we promise that once you’ve made the move and start unpacking, you’ll thank yourself for your hard work over and over and over again.

Call Brown Box Movers today to learn more about how to organize items during your move!

Benefits of Using Packing Services

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Benefits of Using Packing ServicesProper packing, padding and boxing procedures are vital to protecting your belongings. Brown Box Movers can pack and unpack your belongings to make your moving experience easier. While packing & unpacking services are an additional expense, there are many benefits:

Save Time During Your Move
When moving, you are thinking about many things that must be accomplished to ensure a smooth move. Packing is a stressful, boring and annoying job that not all of us are willing to do. Brown Box Movers can free you of some moving burdens such as acquiring boxes and packing up every room in your house including the kitchen, bathroom and attic.

Packing Expertise
Packing services ensure that all items regardless of their fragility are packed safely and securely. Our packers also have immediate access to high quality packaging materials that you may not even consider when deciding to do the packing or not. Hiring packing services is the most important decision you’ll make when moving.

Quality Packing Services
One of the greatest stresses you will have to deal with when preparing to move is packing your stuff. In as much as it may seem all that easy, getting all that stuff into packing boxes is not the easiest thing to deal with. Again, you need to be more careful and cautious when it comes to packing and moving breakables like kitchenware. Hiring will ensure access to quality professional services which in turn guarantee protection of your investments.

Contact Brown Box Movers for a free packing estimate!

Take the Stress Out of Moving Day

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The idea of moving can be stressful for a lot of people. Let Brown Box Movers help alleviate some of that stress by handling the process from start to finish. From packing up your current home to helping you set up your new one, our movers are available to assist you every step of the way. Best of all, when you work with us, you’ll get the benefit of:

  • Reasonable moving rates
  • A licensed and insured moving company
  • Flexible scheduling
  • Prompt, dependable service

Don’t trust your belongings to just anyone. Take the stress out of moving day with a hassle-free move. To speak to a mover from our team or to schedule an on-site estimate, call us today.

Take the Stress Out of Moving Day