Some Moving Tips to Keep in Mind:

* Notify your telephone, electric, gas, water, and credit card Companies.
* Forward necessary mail to your new address. Discontinue service on a specific date.
* Notify former employers. This will make tax time less taxing.
* Be there and give direction. Let them know what you want loaded first and loaded last.
* Get a copy of your inventory sheet from the foreman. Double check his notations about existing damage to your goods.
* Have your insurance plan readily available. Hopefully you will have no use of this tip.
* Devise a system. You should label your boxes with their destination in your new home. Hang numbered signs on the doorposts of each room and write the same numbers on the appropriate boxes. (Example: “2nd Fl./Room 4″) If you’re handy with a pencil, sketch a sample layout of your house, number the rooms on it, and post the layout on the truck for reference.
* Load the rooms to be unloaded first�last. Whatever room is furthest from the entrance in your new home should be that room. In other words, unload back to front. The kitchen should be done at the very end though, because heavy appliances should go in the truck first.
* Don’t forget to have your tools ready when you start unloading. You should put your tool box in when everything else is loaded in the truck.
* Take all your valuable documents and jewelry with you! Don’t forget about your plants either. Most are too sensitive to make a long journey in a hot, dark truck. If you can take them with you too.

DORIAN AND LUKE HOWARD needed to clear the clutter.

The Howards are planning to move from Clifton, N.J., to the Atlantic City area, and Mrs. Howard, who is a real estate agent, knows that a tidy home is more attractive to buyers than a cluttered one.

“My garage is loaded, my basement is loaded and I just need to put the stuff in storage so I can make my house look presentable to show,” she said.

The Howards turned to a solution that more people who are moving or renovating or are just pack rats are choosing — portable storage. Companies like Pack-Rat, Store and Move, Go Mini’s and Portable On Demand Storage, or PODS — which the Howards are using until their move next month — will deliver a metal storage container to a driveway or yard.

Prices vary based on size and where the unit is stored but range from $150 to $200 a month. Units are generally 8 feet wide and 8 feet tall and range from 12 to 20 feet long.

After they fill up a unit, renters can have it picked up and stored away from their property, or they can leave it where it was delivered.

Read more: NYTimes.com

One of the new trends of the millennium is geared towards outdoor living. This means that people are maximizing the rest of their land as living spaces, and moving their living areas into patios, decks and even lawns. In doing so, people can enjoy real nice outdoor weather and at the same time still manage to have the comfort that they deserve.

So don’t let living in a high rise condo stop you from creating your own outdoor living room. Incorporating an outdoor living space in your own home is not only easy and trendy, but it also conveys a true sense of freedom.

If you are a domestic property owner or business owner, you will most likely need extra storage space for your extra belongings. Most of us do not really realize that we have accumulated a large amount of belongings throughout our life, and when the time comes for you to have property renovations or when you are already moving out of the house, you would need a domestic or business storage solution to help you.

Storage solutions will also come in handy if you are clearing out a portion of your home to make way for new furniture or re-decorating your home. In business, storage solutions will bring you extra spaces when your business is overstocked.

More than 40 million Americans move each year for personal reasons and career opportunities. It’s a significant event in anyone’s life. Your money, your memories are at stake. It can also be stressful, even under the best of circumstances. Know how to avoid one of the most stressful situations that can arise; protect yourself from dishonest, “rogue” movers.

Most moving companies are legitimate businesses that do quality work. But in recent years, a growing number of complaints have been filed against interstate movers—and many of those complaints spring from the fraudulent practices of a small percentage of dishonest movers known as rogue movers. It stands to reason that if we can teach you how to spot a rogue mover the odds that you will become a victim of one are greatly reduced. Fortunately, there are several logical steps you can also take to help ensure that you are choosing a reputable mover.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), has initiated a partnership with other Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies, consumer groups, and the moving industry to make sure you have the information you need—and answers to your questions—to “Protect Your Memories. Your Money. Your Move.” from fraud.

Doing Your Part
The Federal government, State and local law enforcement agencies, and the legitimate moving industry have joined forces to combat moving fraud, but you have an important role to play as well. If you’re planning to move, it’s important to learn as much as you can about your rights and responsibilities.

You can also use this site to link to other government, law enforcement and moving industry information sources. This is very important if you’re looking for more detailed State and local information, including how to file a complaint.

Source: protectyourmove.gov

Binding Estimate: An agreement made in advance with your mover, which guarantees the total cost of the move based upon the quantities and services shown on the estimate.

Non-Binding Estimate: This is what your mover believes the cost will be, based upon the estimated weight of the shipment and the accessorial services requested. A non-binding estimate is not binding on the mover. The final charges will be based upon the actual weight of your shipment, the services provided, and the tariff provisions in effect. You must be prepared to pay 10 percent more than the estimated charges at delivery (110 Percent Rule).

Order for Service: A document authorizing a mover to transport an individual shipper’s household goods.

Primary Company: The primary company is the company that has been identified as primarily responsible for the violation. If the complaint has more than one company associated, use the radio button to indicate the primary company. If you are unable to make this distinction, make the best selection possible. Your complaint will be reviewed by FMCSA staff and adjusted if necessary.

Source: nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov

Remember that the refrigerator in your new home will be empty. If possible, en route to your new home, pick up some snacks, imperishable foods, cold drinks, a cooler and some ice to keep the drinks cold. Every hard worker can appreciate a break and a good snack.

Before unpacking anything it makes more sense to clean up the space before you put things into their respective places. It will be much harder to go back to do the cleaning after all the unpacking is done. If you used an inventory system, it should be easy to locate your “last minute items.” These will be the essential items you need to get through until you’ve unpacked.

Create an unpacking agenda. Keep in mind that it will take you more than a day to get organized. Prioritize the items that need to be unpacked first. Any furniture that requires assembly should be a priority. Furniture such as: beds, dressers, night-stands, entertainment centers, computer desks, etc. Once these items are standing sturdily it will give you room to move on to unpack other things.

Your fragile items such as lamps, fine art, picture frames, should be given their own designated area to avoid breakage. Bedrooms closets are usually a good place to tuck these items away until you need them.

It helps to make a list of the rooms in the house and decide which rooms will be organized first. You will want to put the kitchen and bathrooms at the top of that list as they usually do not require any major furnishings to be assembled. Keep in mind that as you unpack the boxes, either stack them neatly in a corner or throw them away. The empty boxes will only confuse you and maybe even give the impression that there is more to unpack than there really is.

Once your furniture is assembled, you will want to begin to hook up your large appliances such as refrigerator, washing machine, dryer, televisions, computers, microwave and stereos where they belong. Then you will want to start unpacking items that belong on shelves that are already in place. These include: books, videos/dvd’s, cd’s and video games.

Unpacking and organizing the bedrooms will take some time and therefore should not be on the top of the priority list. Organizing your closet alone can take a significant amount of time. If you have children, depending on their ages, delegate different tasks for them to help arrange their bedrooms. If they are younger, maybe ask them to put their shoes away. If they are older, you can ask them to unpack the boxes and put items away that go to their rooms.

Your inventory system will come in handy now. Make sure everyone who is helping with the unpacking has a copy. As each person unpacks, be sure to have him check off the items on the list. This is a good way to keep track of things and make sure nothing was lost or left behind.

Since there’s a good chance all the rooms will not be unpacked by the end of the night, locate the boxes containing your blankets, sheets and pillows and make it a fun night of indoor camping! Within the next few days it should be progressively easier to unpack.

The percentage of Americans who say they moved from another state the previous year has risen every year this decade. At 2.2% in 2003, it reached 2.5% in 2005 and 2.7% in 2006, the first year that the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey counted people in dormitories, prisons and other group settings.

The increase in movers from 2003 to 2006 amounts to an extra 1.5 million people moving to another state every year or a total of 8 million in 2006. Mobility is a good barometer of changing demographics and economic conditions nationwide.

Learn more: usatoday.com

Add some decorative touches that go well with your furniture. Also include flowers and plants to complement the outdoor feel.

www.kauaivacationrentals.com