Moving Art Pieces

I like art. I have a lot of it – more art than I have walls at the moment. I still have art pieces sitting around waiting for me to hang them. I noticed that my tastes have changed over the years and so I have a lot of art that I may never hang up again. The last time I moved, I used professional movers and they carefully wrapped each art piece and transported it to my new home where I carefully unwrapped each piece and leaned it against the wall in my “library” which is just an extra room full of books and art leaning against the wall.

I have hung a few pieces around the house, but I’ve only hung one or two pieces of art per room instead of a montage of pictures on each wall. I always imagined a wild collection of art up and down the staircases, running along hallways and hanging high above one’s head in a grand entryway. I have none of that. Instead, I have a lot of art pieces leaning against the walls in my extra bedroom. Hmmm.

One of these days I plan to move again. When I do, I plan to take all of my art with me and perhaps the new home will host the wild collections of art I have accumulated. I certainly hope so. I don’t expect to have an extra bedroom just for art and book storage. My next extra bedroom will be for guests. I like them too.

Art comes in many forms. I mostly have paintings – oils on canvass, prints, paintings on glass, and a myriad of others. I also have statuettes and statues, a whole bunch of ceramic Indians my Mom made, and a collection of Chickens. Oh! And don’t forget the Bosson Heads, Painted Plates, and Butterfly collections.

Most of the above can be packed just like you would your fine china. Lots of paper and the right sized boxes – meaning they are not so big items on the bottom will get crushed by items on the top. The paintings though, especially those which were painted on the glass instead of a canvass, must be packaged up much more carefully.

If they are framed with glass, you want to make sure that glass does not break and if they are simple canvas pieces, you want to make sure the painting is not torn or pierced.

Start by collecting boxes that will fit them comfortably and securely and use bubble wrap, newspapers and other packing materials to ensure they are protected during the move. I have found mirror boxes work well for art pieces. If your painting/picture is covered with glass, put a X on the glass with masking tape. For some reason this gives the glass strength and should it crack in transit, it will hold it in place and hopefully protect the painting from cuts. Then cover the glass with a piece of thick cardboard. This could be part of a box that you are not using. The cardboard should be large enough to cover the glass, but not bigger than the entire painting. You can use carpet padding and even towels if you do not have any cardboard. The purpose is to reduce the amount of static cling that can develop between the bubble wrap and the painting.

If they have exposed canvass, don’t place wadded paper directly on the painting as it may put “dents” in it. Put cardboard cut to fit inside the frame against the painting before wrapping the whole thing in bubble wrap.

You should consider protecting corners by cutting cardboard and fitting it over each corner and then securing it with tape. If you use enough bubble wrap, this step may not be needed, but definitely consider it for art pieces in which the paint has been applied directly to the glass. A crack in this glass and the painting is ruined. Obviously, it cannot just be fixed with a new piece of glass.

Use LOTS of BUBBLE WRAP. It is a wonderful invention. And keep the kids from busting the bubbles until after the move – bubble wrap works better to protect your art when it is full of air! Place your art pieces in boxes designed for that purpose. Most packaging stores sell boxes of all types and sizes. Use extra peanuts and/or paper to keep your art pieces from “rocking” inside the box. They should fit securely. Seal up the box an mark it as FRAGILE so anyone moving it knows it can’t be tossed around.

Picture or mirror boxes containing artwork should be placed in the upright position and never be laid flat during shipping.

At the other end, carefully remove all packaging. Box cutters are not a good idea, but if you have to cuts the packaging loose, make sure you keep in mind what it protects. It would be shame to carefully pack, move and unpack Uncle Art’s portrait only to cut a gash across his canvass!

One more tip! Consider hiring experts if you have high value pieces or a lot of paintings in your art collection. Professional movers who specialize in art have wooden crates and other special materials to protect your paintings. And make sure it is a company that will let you insure your artwork for its full value.

Well, there you go. The art has been securely packed, moved and unpacked. Now, hopefully, you will take the time to find a place and hang it where others can enjoy it as well. That’s my plan…….eventually.

So You Are Moving into Something Smaller – Good Grief! Where will you put everything?

There is nothing that can done about it. Demographics in America are such that the bulk of the Baby Boomer Generation is nearing retirement. The kids have grown and have families of their own. That big house with all those stairs is no longer your dream home. You find you live in only a quarter of the house. Your bedroom/bathroom, living room, kitchen and breakfast area. Oh! And you use the laundry room and garage….But the rest? Not necessary anymore and pain to keep clean. What’s more, the house seems to have grown more stairs that are steeper than they seemed a few years ago when you were running up and down keeping up with the little ones. So it is finally time to downsize. I found a great 12-Step Guide that I want to share with you. No reason for me to draft something new when someone else has covered the topic so well.

But what they don’t cover is the emotional dynamics of downsizing. I just want you to be prepared.

Mom, Dad, as you know, starting about the time they become teenagers, your children start finding their friends more interesting to spend time with than you. You start to see them less and less. Then they grow up, get married and have children of their own. You have kept all their old memoirs in safekeeping for the day they have their own home and can come get everything. But they don’t. Their first home is either too small, or their jobs have forced them to move away or move often. The day comes that you want to sell and move into something smaller.

One of two things will happen with regards to those memoirs. They will either come get them or they will tell you that they really don’t want all that junk from their childhood. They have moved past that….. It saddens you and as you go through things you must make tough decisions of what to keep and what to get rid of. My advice? Sell it all and set the funds aside for your grandchildren – or spend it on your next vacation.

The next emotional dynamic? Half the kids want you to sell and move into a ranch style home in a nice 55+ Community where you will be able to enjoy friends your own age. The other half doesn’t want you to sell the home they grew up in and hoped to raise their own children in someday. (Well, not really, but for some reason they feel impelled to say so.) Don’t let them make you feel guilty. Take lots of pictures and give them to them. Don’t forget to include pictures of all their old memoirs they didn’t bother to come get and you subsequently sold at the yard sale.

Don’t let the past hold you up. Even though you may now be considered a Senior Citizen, you are vibrant, have a whole lot of living to do and not quite as much time ahead of you as behind you to do everything, so you better get crackin’!  Sell the old place, move into the newer, smaller, less cluttered and easier to keep clean homestead and invite the kids over for dinner. And order pizza so you don’t have to cook!

Oh! And those of you who are downsizing and don’t have children to deal with? Here’s that link again for the 12-Steps to downsizing.

That’s it for this blog. Hope you found entertaining as well as helpful.

 

Moving? Here are some things to think about

Moving day is looming in your near future. The stress is mounting. Well, if you plan well, your stress level will go down and the better you plan the smoother things will run. What are some things you should concern yourself with?

Should you pack yourself or use a professional?

While this may seem simple at first, there are pros and cons to take into consideration.

For many families hoping to save money on moving expenses, do-it-yourself home packing is the logical option.

Successful DIY house packing requires extensive preparation to take inventory of all your belongings and carefully pack and load the moving truck yourself. You will also be responsible for purchasing your own packaging materials for the move.

Self packing and moving will allow you to save a significant amount on your total moving budget. One disadvantage to this method of moving is that you will probably need to ask friends and family members to help move your boxes and load your furniture into the moving vehicle. You also need to find and rent an appropriate sized vehicle. Although you can pack at a leisurely pace, normally there is a last minute rush to get everything on the truck and get moving. And don’t forget to have help lined up to off-load the truck at the other end.

Using professional packers costs more than doing yourself.  But if you’re looking to relieve stress on your moving day, hiring professional movers is the way to go.

You will be able to turn over all of your boxes, furniture, and belongings to a moving service, who will pack, transport, and unload it for you.

And here is something to think about. You can save money by booking movers on weekdays instead of weekends and by moving in the middle of the month instead of at the end when most leases are up.

There is a middle of the road options out there that you can consider. You can rent a PODS Container and take your time packing and loading your belongings into it. The POD is delivered to your home, you pack it up, they come get it. And they will either store it for you or move it to your new home.

How soon should you start your move?

At a minimum, you should organize your belongings 6-8 weeks in advance. This gives you time to sort through your storage spaces and throw out or donate any items that you no longer need. The rest of your belongings should be packed into boxes and clearly labelled.

Start purchasing and gathering packing supplies at least 6 weeks in advance. There’s nothing worse than running out of boxes on the day of a move. You can purchase all of your packing materials from a moving supply company, or you can save money by gathering boxes from supermarkets, liquor stores, and retail shops.

If you’re moving across country, you may need to book temporary accommodation, flight and possibly even car rental as early as possible. Again, try to book your travel arrangements 6 weeks in advance. But even if you are moving from one neighbourhood to another, take the time to book your moving service far in advance to secure a lower rate. If at all possible, keep your travel arrangements flexible to account for any delays or cancellations.

In the month leading up to your big move, it is the perfect time to inform your change of address to organizations such as credit card companies, utility companies, insurance companies, banks and especially to friends and family. You should also notify the US Postal Service of your pending  move and provide them with the date you want them to start redirecting your mail.

Other Considerations

That will get your started. I’ll be giving your some tips on How best to pack boxes for moving, how to downsize if you are moving from a large to a smaller home or an apartment, how to reduce your moving costs, and provide a couple handy checklists. So watch for my nest posts.

And if you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section and I will do my very best to answer them!

Have a great week!

 

 

So You Are Moving… Make sure you keep these important documents with you!

One of the worse things that can happen to you is to watch the moving truck pull away from your house and realize they packed all your important documents you meant to pull together before they arrived, and forgot!

Here is a short list of items you should set aside before the movers arrive. And don’t let them pack them!!

Passports and Visas (even if you aren’t moving out of the country)

Driver’s Licenses

Professional licenses, skill qualifications,  and work permits

Birth certificates (originals or copies)

Marriage or Divorce Certificates

Vaccination Records

If moving with a pet, take their vaccination records as well. (It wouldn’t hurt to get a copy of the pet’s veterinary records to provide to their new doctor)

Veteran Records (DD214, Health, Retirement, etc.)

Social Security Numbers/Cards

Car Title(s) (If you are moving your vehicle to another state, you will need it for registration or ownership transfer)

Insurance Policies (health, auto and home)

An up-to-date Address Book (it is important to notify all relevant service providers, persons and institutions that you are changing address – post office, cable and internet provider, insurance company, bank, school, local authorities, magazines, newspapers, club memberships, electric/water/gas/phone company and other utility companies.)

School Records (if you are enrolling children in a new school – or college transcripts if you or a child are transferring to a new one)

Financial records, to include bank statements, receipts, account information, credit cards, saving statements, tax documents, and loan documents

Manuals, contracts and warranties for any household appliances you may be moving with you. If some of the items are dismantled, manuals may be needed when you try to reassemble them. Also, without a warranty you cannot obtain any kind of service in case any of household items get broken.

A list of all your current service providers, persons and institutions that you will need to send a change of address to. Also, having those account numbers handy may save you money when setting up service at your new address.

Take your moving-related documents with you, such as the moving estimate and quote (binding or non-binding estimate), bill of lading – a contract between the moving company, your customer receipts (that might be used for tax deductions when the move is completed), moving insurance, and inventory list.

Remember as moving day draws near, there are going to be dozens of things you will need to do and a lot of unplanned for activities (friends and colleagues wanting to take you out for coffees, lunches, dinners and such), so plan as far ahead as possible and get your special box together with all the documents listed above. Shred any documents with personal information on them that you are not keeping. Clear out your home office as much as possible.

 

Moving Yourself? What do you need?

One of the frustrating parts of moving is… every time you get home from the store you realized you should have gotten.. yet another item you need to pack with and ran out of. Here is a list of items you need in order to pack as well as items that would be smart to keep out of the moving truck until the very last second.

Boxes

Packing Tape

Packing Paper

Bubble Wrap

Moving Blankets (you could also use old towels)- to wrap furniture or artwork and tape over the fabric; this creates extra layers of protection for your glass or delicate belongings.

Markers or Label maker-Label, Label, Label. You will not regret it.

String or Rope

Screw Drivers-sometimes you have to take doors off the hinges to get furniture through, or you have to take furniture apart

Cleaning supplies-clean as you go, it makes the process easier (broom, dustpan, vacuum, Clorox wipes, Windex, paper towels, etc.)

We know how fast moving tape is used, and depending on how many “movers” you have, you might want to invest a tape gun per mover, or have two people share one and label it. Have a designated spot to sit down your moving supplies so you are not constantly looking for what you need.

Hope this helps you in your DIY Move!

What time of year is the best time to move?

As we continue to kick off the New Year we can see how full our schedules are. We all know that different seasons, months, holidays of the year bring different pros and cons. So what are the best and worst parts of moving during different seasons? When is the best time to move?

Unfortunately, the best time to move can also be the most inconvenient time to move for some. The slower months for moving companies, realtors, etc. are during the holiday season of November through January which also mean the cheapest prices for you as a mover. The con to consider as you move during the holiday season though is traffic. When considering the time it will take to move, double the amount of time it should take you to get to your new home, that way you are not frustrated and you do not feel behind. As many travel during the holiday season roads are easily clogged and traffic is guaranteed.

The same also goes with the days of the week. Monday through Thursday are the slowest and cheapest because no one prefers to take off of work to move. It is easier to acquire a mover and cleaners for your home on these days, which you might want to be mindful of.

Parents: I know you are thinking right about now.. gosh. These are not beneficial to my kids at all. This will disrupt their lives even more than the Move itself and it will be so hard for them to keep up with homework, make friends, etc. The idea is though: it will not make the Move transition any more difficult than it will be already. Why you ask? Because the kids will be at school during the day. You do not have to worry about them, take long lunch breaks, find something to entertain them, etc. Fact: you will need that half hour mental break when you go pick them up. They very well might be excited to see the progress made each day during the Move. Transitioning schools during the school year allows them to make friends instantly in class rather than during the summer the chance of them moping around the house wishing they knew someone in the neighborhood. Moving during the school year can be potentially best for everyone involved and cheaper for your wallet.

Another obvious consideration to moving is the weather. It cannot be controlled, but being mindful of the climate and reoccurring weather in the area that you are moving each year can help you better plan your move. For instance, it would be extremely difficult to move in the south in July because of the extreme heat. It will take double the amount of time to move because the need for water breaks for your professional or volunteer movers. Know the typical weather patterns for your area and use them for your moving wisdom.

Sometimes, as movers we do not have a choice on when we need to move, but this helps us highlight pros and cons if we do have the choice to better enhance the Moving adventure.

 

The Moving Company

Many thoughts come in when selecting movers and thinking about who will be handling all your belongings. The first decision is “is it worth hiring a mover over asking friends and family to help?” Followed by, “Will my belonging be safe from damage or theft?”

That is entirely up to you, but most of the time it is worthwhile to have fewer hands in your home during the process. And there is something to be said for hiring a professional in the strategy they have set in place and all of the protection they establish for you and your personal items.

If you are selecting a professional mover, Promover, is a great place to start in checking out all the professionals and knowing who is trustworthy in the moving business.

You can also receive free moving quotes on moving.com. This can get your price estimate to know if you can afford professionals along with purchasing a new home or selling your old home. All the fees of these transactions add up so be wise with your money!

Do your research into each company and the company you select. Make sure you know about the insurance or coverage they will place on your belongings. What fees will be added if they have to carry belongings up stairs or far distances or if you have over-sized or heavy items. Ask if your belongings will have to be transferred along the trip as well. Also think about if you are going to want to tip your movers and have change ready to give each individual mover their piece of your gratefulness.

The bottom line with moving is that you are ready and prepared in knowing your belongings for the movers, for knowing who are handling your personal belongings, and what the costs are of protecting everything you own. Research and know the ins and outs in order to be protected during your Move.

Henry County, a County of Growth.

Henry County has grown and developed so much in the past 5- 10 years. It is a beautiful county with lots of diversity of people, interests, shops, restaurants, stores, activities, etc. Having been in Henry County my entire life, it has been very different to research it like I have never been here. But I have found so many great tools online and in person because of it! For instance, Henry County has a tourist website, including any information you might need consisting of weddings, small town shops, large retail stores, exciting and unique attractions or options for life events.  At the Henry County Tourist Website, you can find anything you want to and it makes you feel so at home with all of the details at your fingertips.

One of the things you are wanting to focus on this month is shopping. I briefly listed some of the local shopping areas in Shop until you Drop in Henry County. But I did not go through the shops like the Tourist website does along with the South Point shopping center off of Highway 20.

South Point retail also gives us a yearly growth slideshow to exhibit how much Henry County is grown! It is incredible! And all of this has been created and sustained by our loyal Henry County Family supporting the stores and our economy. Please do the same! Test out all of our shops this Christmas and holiday season to support your future home and Move to Henry County, Ga.

Moving for the Holidays (Part 2)

No fear! Mommy’s here!

Just kidding. Although Kevin’s family did come home… twice… to save him and calm his fears and shenanigans.

The Mom we are referring to is Realtor.com! We at the Move look up to the Realtor in the experience and wisdom they share. They published an article, 10 Reasons You Can Sell Your Home During the Holidays Without Hassle, which gives great holiday moving knowledge and encouragement! It tells us the positive side of listing your home during the holiday season and how that can work out in your favor as a seller. We love their realism and input into how it can help you sell your home as well as it encourages you to still enjoy your holiday season. Enjoy the article! We sure did!

 

Moving for the Holidays

I was listening to the radio on the way home yesterday and they were listing the stress triggers of the holiday season. It included financial issues, family problems, health problems, family visiting for an extended vacation, traveling, and making your home holiday picture perfect. Those are all very valid stresses when it comes to the holiday season because we all long to enjoy every minute of our time off of work and school and truly want everything to go perfectly as we are spending time with our loved ones.

So can you imagine if someone (Aka YOU) were to move during this holiday season?

Some of you are already saying, “YES I CAN IMAGINE! HELP!”

Moving is stressful all on its own, not considering during the holiday season, when we are supposed to hunker down for the winter, gather around our fires with our loved ones and have decorations up.

Well that is what we all try to envision anyway, but that does not always happen, especially if we are in the process of moving. It is especially difficult to bring joy to your children while you are not at home and it is hard when you have to switch up family traditions because you are not in your own home.

The One Step Holiday Season Survival Guide:

Keep it simple. It doesn’t matter how much you have decorated, how many presents are under the tree, how much food you have prepared. Being together is all that matters. Remove the stress for a day and be creative with your family. Create a new tradition, become minimalist for a day, enjoy the outside and go to a park to play with the kids and pack a picnic. Do not be so dependent on a stationary house, but find something for the family to do elsewhere while you are in transition mode with boxes everywhere or in a Uhaul.