Monthly Archives: January 2017

Have you outgrown your house or apartment, or do you need to find a better job? Moving can help you fix your problems, but you need to figure out where to go. You could theoretically move anywhere in the country-but maybe staying in Seattle, Wash. is the best option.

 

Moving locally within Seattle is much easier than moving across the country, and Seattle’s a great place to live. Staying in Seattle will let you keep your friends and continue to visit the places you love. If you’re considering a move, read the following reasons why you should stay here.

1. The Great Jobs

If you’re thinking about moving because your job isn’t what you want it to be, you don’t have to go far. Seattle is one of the best places in the nation to look for work-the job growth rate is much higher than average. Plus, if you work in tech, sticking close to Microsoft and other local tech companies isn’t a bad career move.

If you’d like to break into the tech world, you can start learning the skills you need at Seattle Central Community College. You might have visited their campus already for community events like the farmers’ market they host.

 

2. The Coffee

Starbucks started in Seattle, and you can still visit the first location. Even if Starbucks doesn’t make your favorite coffee, you’re still in luck-Seattle has so many options to choose from. If you leave Seattle, you should know that the coffee scene probably won’t be as rich or varied in other cities.

 

3. The Plant Life

You may be ambivalent about Seattle’s near-constant drizzle and rain. Maybe you’re sick of getting wet feet or keeping your hood up, and you’d like more sunshine. While moving away may get you better weather, don’t forget what you’ll be missing: the greenery.

Seattle’s weather makes it one of the greenest places in the United States. You may take the ivy, ferns, enormous fir trees, moss, and rhododendrons for granted, but if you move away, you won’t get to enjoy them anymore. Seattle’s abundant flora makes the city special and vibrant-you can find so many hidden green spaces, like parks nestled under bridges or between tall buildings, all across the city.

Large chunks of the United States are deserts, where green things grow only with cultivation. Either pick your next location carefully while keeping the local plant life in mind, or don’t give Seattle up if you don’t have to. Move within Seattle instead of moving away.

 

4. The Water

You’ve gotten used to seeing Lake Washington and the Puget Sound, but you should know that those spectacular views aren’t common. Unless you’re thinking about going to another coastal city, moving away might mean giving up your access to the ocean and the related perks, including the orcas, floating bridges, ferry rides, and the San Juan Islands.

Stay in Seattle instead. If you need a change of pace, maybe it’s time to take up a new hobby-take advantage of the water by learning to sail or by taking a tour of the Sound. If you’re taking Seattle’s best feature for granted, maybe you just need to remember to admire it more often.

 

5. The Mountains

Mount Rainier is a staple of the Seattle horizon, but if you’re thinking about leaving, maybe visiting the mountain will change your mind. No matter how many times you go, Mount Rainier can always take your breath away.

Enjoy Seattle’s nearby hikes in the Cascades, and watch for local wildlife like elk and black bears. If you’re up for it, take a camping trip or even go backpacking. If you love being outside, Seattle’s a great place to live. Stick around for a while longer yet.

 

6. The Sports Teams

While you’ve lived here, you might have gotten attached to the Sounders, Mariners, or Seahawks. No matter what sport you follow, there’s a team to cheer for here. And Seattle even makes games more comfortable with retractable roofs. Stay dry, but don’t leave Seattle when you can keep cheering on your team in person.

Moving often sounds like it’s the answer to your problems. Just picking up and leaving can sound very appealing-maybe a fresh start would do you a lot of good. However, you don’t have to go to a lot of trouble or expense to start over. Moving locally is a great compromise: keep what you love about Seattle while still getting to meet new people, try new things, and live in a better home.

The post Hello, Seattle: 6 Reasons to Move Locally appeared first on Wheaton.

When you begin planning for a move, you may not think about all of the paperwork involved. In addition to your physical tasks and any closing paperwork you need to secure your new home, you must process a change of address.

 

In this blog, we provide five guidelines to get you through the change of address process.

1. Double Check Your New Address

Before you change your address, you must know your new one. If possible, verify your destination address with official paperwork. This is particularly important if you are moving to a region you’ve never visited. Leaving off a directional marker or your apartment number may guarantee some mail mix-ups.

Additionally, memorize your new zip code as soon as you have it available. This simple knowledge can prevent you from getting directions to the same street address in a different state.

2. Create a List of Organizations to Notify

Once you know your new address, provide an accurate change of address to each of the organizations you deal with, starting with the Postal Service. Change your address with the following organizations:

• Bank, creditors, and credit card companies
• Clubs, associations, and church congregation
• Education providers and employer
• Health and dentistry providers
• Mail subscriptions
• Relevant government offices

As you notify more organizations and people of your address, remember to use common sense. Instead of posting your address publicly, encourage your friends and family to speak to you directly to get your change of address.

3. Include All Members of Your Family

As you work through the process of changing your address, remember to include all members of your family. For example, most government offices ask you to list your spouse’s name and the names of any children moving with you.

Additionally, remember to provide a change of address to your child’s school, your family vet, and other entities who might not always deal with you directly.

Once you arrive at your new home, go over which organizations have received a change of address for you. Remember to update your state ID card or driver’s license to reflect your correct current address within 30 days of your arrival.

4. Provide the New Address on Labels and Tags

Before you begin your physical move, update all your address labels and tags. These items may include any of the following:

• “If found” addresses in notebooks, planners, and electronics
• Luggage tags
• Pet identification tags or microchip
• Return address stamp or sticker

It is particularly important to use an up-to-date address on anything you’ll carry with you while in transit. For example, changing the tag on your checked baggage takes priority over most other objects.

5. Use Mail Forwarding as a Safeguard

The United States Postal Service provides a mail forwarding option which can help catch mail from any organizations you forgot. The Postal Service will forward to your new address for a full 12 months after your change of address is processed.

If you won’t move directly to your new permanent address, have your mail forwarded to a PO Box or other temporary address.

If you have questions about the policies for a specific organization, reach out to a representative. To avoid moving fraud, you may need to provide identification when changing your address with government bodies such as the Postal Service, IRS, and DMV.

Luckily, many civilian organizations offer the option of changing your address online, in person, over the phone, or via traditional mail at your convenience.

Follow the guidelines here to make your change of address simple and stress-free.

The post 5 Guidelines for Changing Your Address When You Move appeared first on Wheaton.

When you think about the costs of an upcoming move, you may think that renting a truck and handling the process on your own will cost less overall. While moving yourself can work in some situations, it can also have disastrous consequences, as discussed in our blog “Taking on a DIY Move? Why This Can be Problematic.”

One of the biggest reasons not to move without professional help is because DIY moving can waste money. In this blog, we expand on the reasons why hiring a professional moving company is often more cost-effective than working with just the services you and your friends can provide.

Access More Resources

The prospect of moving yourself may motivate you to cut corners when it comes to equipment or materials. For example, you may hesitate to rent a dolly cart because you believe you can carry everything in your home.

Moving companies have access to equipment that you don’t on your own. These resources lead to a safer, more efficient, more cost-effective process.

 

Combine Your Expenses

When you move on your own, you have to account for many individual expenses. You have to pay for packing materials, a rental truck, fuel for the truck, mileage rates for the truck, and more. Because you look at each expense on your own, you may feel like you’re making cost-effective decisions.

However, these expenses can add up quickly, as we’ll explain in the materials and complications sections. When you work with a mover, not only do you receive an informed estimated cost, but you also combine almost all your costs into one sum so you actually know how much you’re spending on the transition.

 

Create a Definitive Schedule

Uncertainty can make your move more stressful, but did you know it can also make the process more expensive? When you can’t give definitive predictions for how much time packing, loading, travel, or unloading will take, it could cost you money.

For example, many people who move on their own have to miss longer periods of work. Similarly, rental items may cost you more the longer you have them. Driving in an unfamiliar area in a vehicle that’s larger than you’re used to could increase the cost of your transportation.

Professional movers can set a more definitive schedule, allowing you to make informed decisions and avoid the financial loss that can come from lack of planning.

 

Get Better Materials Without Paying Extra

One of the largest expenses during a move is packing materials. You need numerous boxes in many different sizes as well as bubble wrap, packing tape, butcher paper, and other moving essentials.

Cross this expense off your budget by working with a team of movers. Moving companies have all the necessary supplies in their inventory and don’t charge extra when you need a specific box size or use more packing tape than expected.

 

Protect Your Belongings

Think about the fragile or valuable belongings in your home. If one of these items got dropped, bumped, or scratched by a family member who was helping you move, you would have to pay for any repairs or a replacement out of your own pocket.

When you work with movers, the risk of property damage decreases due to the experience and tools the team has on hand. Additionally, most moving companies offer valuation options to ensure that your items are covered should an accident happen.

 

Reduce the Risk of Expensive Complications

When you handle a move on your own, you have to work with many unpredictable factors. Last-minute expenses can start to add up quickly, especially if you don’t have a lot of practice moving. For example, newly married couples will have significantly more items to pack and transport than the individuals each did during their last move.

If you experience an injury, have to rent additional equipment on the day of the move, or forget an important step, you could dramatically increase the overall cost. When you hire professional movers, most of these issues are covered.

 

Shorten Your Move Time

Professional movers and packers often have years of experience completing move-related tasks that you may only attempt once every few years. These experts pack, load, unload, and deliver items to their designated places as efficiently as possible.

Additionally, most moving teams include many workers who all have the capability to lift heavy items, solve issues related to oddly shaped items, and foresee potential problems. Even if you have many volunteers working with you at your current location and at your destination, the process will take more time when you rely on inexperienced workers.

Take advantage of the expertise and resources that professional movers bring to the table to simplify your next move.

The post How a Professional Mover Makes Your Transition More Cost-Effective appeared first on Wheaton.

In your hurry to meet your moving day deadline, you may become a little lax with your organization. You might stuff odds and ends into miscellaneous boxes rather than carefully sorting everything by room. Perhaps you tell your kids to cram their plush animals in with their snow gear. Or maybe you stop making a donation pile and take all unwanted items to an already overflowing dumpster.

While some of these shortcuts are forgivable during a move, don’t let your speed and hurry make the last leg of your journey uncomfortable. As you pack, remember to organize an “open first” or “essentials” box or two for your family. When you can easily access the following items, you won’t have to worry about desperately searching your boxes for important belongings.

For Your Bedroom

Unless you plan to sleep in a hotel for the next few nights, make sure to hold onto these basic bedroom essentials rather than combining them with your other bedroom-related boxes:

 

• Several changes of clothing and underwear
• Bed linens (sheets, pillows, pillow cases, and blankets)
• Phone chargers and batteries
• Small electronic devices (laptop, tablet, and phone)
• Medication

 

If you don’t think your bigger furniture will arrive at the same time as your family, consider bringing along a few cots or air mattresses for everyone to sleep comfortably.

 

For Your Bathroom

Bathroom supplies are a must-have for every move. Although you can pick up many of these toiletries for an affordable price at your local gas station or grocery store, you’ll save time and money if you keep the following in your essentials box:

 

• Hand soap and towels
• Toilet paper
• Shower gel or bar soap, shampoo, and conditioner
• Larger bath towels
• Hair dryer and hairbrush
• Shower curtain
• Deodorant
• Lotions
• Shaving cream and razor
• Toothbrush and toothpaste

 

Do you plan to move into an older home? You’ll want to carefully clean any bathroom surface before your family uses it. Bring along rags, disinfectant sprays, and dish soap as well.

 

For Your Children

At the end of a long day of packing, loading, driving, and unpacking, you and your partner may feel ready to curl up and sleep as soon as you can. Your children, however, may feel antsy or worried in their new environment. These items can help keep them calm and content:

 

• Books
• Favorite toys
• Portable games
• Drawing materials (paper, pencils, crayons, and markers)

 

If you have a baby, make sure to keep your diaper bag well stocked with the basics, too: diapers, bottle, wipes, sanitizer, pacifiers, and clothing.

 

For Emergencies

Emergencies can happen anytime and anywhere. Your car could break down on the way to your new home, or your child may slip and fall while exploring the new backyard. In addition to a basic first aid kit, you may want to keep these in the trunk of your car:

 

• Extra water and snacks
• Duct tape and WD-40
• Flashlight, candles, lighter, and matches
• All-purpose cutting knife or Swiss-army knife
• Basic tools (screwdriver, adjustable wrench and hammer)
• Important documents (medical records, leases, passports, and bank records)

 

Hopefully, you never have to use these items, but you’ll feel more confident if you have them on hand.

 

Keep These Items With You During Your Move

Ideally, you should keep these items with you in the trunk of your car or under your seat rather than in the moving van. When you drive with these items, you ensure you that have them with you when you need them most, just in case your moving van is scheduled to arrive at your new home a day or two later than you and your family members do.

The post Must-Have Items to Pack in Your Essentials Box appeared first on Wheaton.

Are you a city mouse who has decided to try the country life? Have you finally decided to fulfil your dream of rural living?

Whatever your reasons for moving to the countryside, realize that life in the country requires an adjustment for most people. Your country home offers you a tranquil environment and a beautiful outdoor landscape, but country living also puts you far away from familiar city conveniences.

You and your family have prepared for some lifestyle adjustments, but you will still encounter unexpected bumps along the way. Here are six tips to help guide you in your transition to your new home more easily.

Shopping: Buy in Bulk or Grow Your Own

You are probably used to driving down the street to buy groceries, but in the country you may have to drive to the next town. If you don’t want to drive to a faraway supermarket every week, stock up on bulk food items at warehouse retailers like Costco or Sam’s Club. You can buy food and household items in bulk to last your family for several weeks at a time.

If you have a green thumb, moving in the country gives you the perfect opportunity to plant a garden. When you grow your own food you not only provide your family with fresh produce, but you also lower your monthly expenses.

 

Traveling: Make Time to Stay Home and Time to Go Out

The commute from the countryside takes a little bit longer than what you’re used to in the city. Your child’s elementary school, your new office, the movie theater-anywhere you go will take a planned trip. To avoid driving all over the place, find a way to stay home or consolidate your trips. For example, see if you can work from home instead of commuting to the office five times a week.

To help save time and money, plan out when you need to make trips to town. Advance planning will help you avoid unnecessary travel and help save on gas costs.

 

Peace and Quiet: Let Yourself Relax

If you’re used to the noise of cars passing by or your upstairs neighbor playing music at 2 a.m., the quiet solitude of the country can make you feel uneasy. Don’t worry, it will take time to adjust to your new bedtime noises.

You may struggle to fall asleep the first few nights in your new home, but after a little while you’ll acclimate to the sounds of nature and enjoy a peaceful night’s rest.

 

Small-Town Community: Lend a Helping Hand

Small towns provide tight-knit communities. Everyone knows everyone, and most people like it that way. Unlike the city or the suburbs where you can live in relative anonymity, country residents tend to have close relationships with their neighbors.

As a new resident you may have to work to fit in, but when you volunteer and participate in community organizations, you’ll meet your new neighbors and form friendships.

 

Slow Pace: Appreciate the Finer Things in Life

Life in the country moves more slowly than you’re used to. People might show up an hour late to an appointment or spend all day napping by the river.

People aren’t necessarily rude or indifferent to your commitments-they just enjoy a different pace. When you live in the country you realize that your greatest priority is the amount of time spent doing what you love.

If you’ve accustomed yourself to a jam-packed schedule, a move to the country gives you the perfect opportunity to spend more time doing something you love.

 

The Big Move: Transporting Your Life

When you’ve found the perfect piece of country living, make sure you find the right people to move your life. You want someone who will give you the personal attention you need to safely pack and unpack all your belongings. The right movers will make sure your belongings arrive to your new home-no matter what location you choose-exactly as they were.

Find the right movers today to help you move into your new country home.

The post 6 Tips to Help You Adjust to Country Life appeared first on Wheaton.