Category Archives: long distance moving

5 Summer Moving Considerations

June 1, 2022Commercial Moving, Home Moving, long distance moving, Move ManagementLisa Danca

The peak moving season lies between the months of April and September when an estimated 32 million Americans move every year. Of those months, June, July, and August tend to be the busiest of all for moving companies across the nation.

Summer, therefore, ranks top among the seasons for Americans to move whether it is across town or across the country. The reasons are varied but mostly center around the fact that children are out of school at that time, making for a good time to make a move. Additionally, many businesses have a lighter than usual workload during the summer months, making it easier for parents to take time off to schedule, plan, and execute a move.

Unfortunately, summer also comes with some challenges, the first of which is the potential for soaring temperatures and high humidity, depending upon your location. In addition to the heat is the fact that summer is a moving company’s busiest season, which means you will want to book well in advance if you can.

Here are a few tips for your moving plan if a summer move is in your sights.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Moving is physically and mentally exhausting. Even if you are not the one lifting the boxes or making multiple trips to the moving van, make sure to be aware of your water intake. It’s also a good idea to have a cooler of bottled water for your movers as a way of keeping them hydrated if the temps soar and the humidity climbs. They will greatly appreciate it!

Reserve Your Moving Company Early

If you know several months in advance of your moving date, house closing, or job relocation plan as far ahead as you can. Book your moving company and schedule a time when you can have a manager walk through your home to give you an estimate of the cost and time that will be needed.

Plan Your Packing

If you are not planning on having your moving company assist you with packing, you will need to organize your time and plan accordingly to get everything packed in time. Since summer can be brutally hot, get lots of packing done in the early morning hours or late evening hours when it is cooler.

Arrange for Child & Pet Care

Moving can be stressful no matter what the weather or temperature. It can be downright torturous if the heat and humidity are high.

Plan for a playdate for your child where they can stay out of the heat and chaos of a move. The same goes for your pets who may be very unsettled with visitors to the house and the movement of furniture.

Consider Items that May Suffer Heat Damage

Items like medications, candles, electronics, artwork, records/CDs, and other items can be damaged when exposed to high heat. Be sure to inform your movers of any items you are concerned about. Mastodon Moving has temperature-controlled storage facilities that can be used to keep items out of the high heat during a move.

Are you ready for a summer move? Check out our ultimate checklist for your move and get planning!

Things To Consider For Your Cross Country Move

November 3, 2021Apartment Moving, Home Moving, long distance movingLisa Danca

Moving can be an indicator of an exciting time in a family’s life. It could be the product of a new (or better) job for a family member, a desire to find a better neighborhood or region, or a life event, like a marriage, that causes the move to occur.

Moving in general, regardless of the exciting reasons behind it, can be a bit stressful. Moving clear across the country, therefore, can be downright overwhelming.

Long distance moving is probably one of the toughest types of moves, second only to international moving. To make your cross country move less stressful, we have worked with our team on a few things that you should consider should you face a cross country move.

Hire Experience Cross Country Movers

All movers are not created equal.

Some specialize in apartment moving, downsizing, or commercial moving only. Then there are those who are experienced movers who have years of professional practice in successfully moving homes and businesses across the country.

Mastodon Moving is one of those companies who has been helping people take the stress out of moving locally, state-to-state, or even clear across the country. Our team promises something that not all movers can offer. The same team that packed up your home in one state will be the same group who will unpack you in your new home, no matter how many thousands of miles away that new address is. It’s something that sets us apart from our competitors and allows us to know exactly what special needs each item may have when loading into the new home, because we were the team that loaded it in the truck to begin with.

Compare Moving Companies

While you may be able to Google “long-distance moving companies” and come up with a short list of businesses in your area that could move your home, check the details before you hire one of them.

Ask questions about hidden expenses as well as request a cost calculation. Knowing what items in your home will be difficult to move or cost you more to move than to sell could change your strategy for moving. Ask about any large items or high value items that may cost more or require special storage, crating, or wrapping for safety purposes. All of this research can help your moving experience be much less stressful.

Create a Home Inventory

We are not suggesting you write down every item in your home, but rather take an inventory of items that you will be bringing with you and those that you may be able to donate, sell, or put out with the trash.

Remember, moving long distance may mean a change in climate and a change in thought process. For instance, will you really need your snow blower in San Diego if you are moving from Maine? Probably not.

Make a list of items that are high priority to bring with you such as personal items, furniture, artwork, children’s items, seasonal items, and the list could go on and on.

While making this list, however, you may find that you are willing to let the buyers of your current home have the 10 year old refrigerator and the air conditioning units you have stored in the garage rather than haul them into the moving truck. Your new home may have better appliances or central air that will allow you to offer some items to the new owners of the house or donate them to a worthy charity.

Make Advance Plans for Children & Pets

If you think moving is hard on you, think about the anxiety your children and pets may be going through not knowing the details or being able to control any of the outcomes.

Therefore, it is imperative that you make plans to alleviate some of the stress. To do this, you may need to make a trip or two to your new home to introduce your child(ren) to the new neighborhood, school, or house. Just seeing what is yet to come can put some children at ease and let them know that the move is a good thing and not something to be feared.

For pets, you may want to arrange for care during the packing and moving portion of the event. This can be a very anxious time for your pet and they can sense that something is about to happen. Read our blog on moving with a pet for more ideas on comfort measures.

A Final Word…

Moving long distances is undoubtedly going to be stressful. Choose your moving company carefully and arm yourself with knowledge about what the move will be like to make your change in location a happy one.

7 Ways to Cut Moving Expenses

August 4, 2021Apartment Moving, Commercial Moving, Home Moving, long distance moving, Move ManagementLisa Danca

There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle when it comes to making a move from one location to another. Hiring movers, decluttering the house, finding a new job, enrolling the children in a new school, and packing all the items you have accumulated over time in your current location. The list can be endless and the expenses can add up rather quickly.

As professional movers for over a decade, we understand the eagerness to try to save or cut costs on moving expenses. Our list for your today comes from our experiences with many families who wanted to keep to their budget while still having professional movers take care of their valuable possessions.

#1 Purge Your Home of Clutter

The less your movers have to move from one location to another, the lower your overall costs will be. For this reason, as well as for your own sanity, it is a good idea to declutter your home of items that are no longer useful to you.

From books to toys and clothes to seasonal items that are no longer used, box it all up and donate for a tax deduction or find a family that could use your items. Not only will there be less to move, but your home will be more organized and neat once you have fewer items to unpack at your new place.

#2 Sell Gently Used Items

As you declutter your home, you may find clothing items, furnishings, and seasonal decor that you can consign or sell on places like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.

Not only will you be making a little cash, but again, it will mean less for your movers to pack and move.

#3 Get Multiple Quotes for Moving

Part of your budget crunching should include finding the best movers for your job. Don’t just go by price alone. Talk to them and find out about any hidden fees, insurance, and long distance moves.

Getting multiple quotes can help you understand what the overall cost of moving will be and allow you to meet the leadership at the company.

#4 Get Creative with Moving Supplies

If you are moving an entire home or apartment, you will need moving boxes of varying sizes as well as packing materials to keep your items safe for the move.

Use social media sites to ask family and friends, who may have recently moved for their boxes. Look online for department stores that are giving away wardrobe boxes or storage boxes that they use for their company. Many stores allow customers to take boxes such as Costco and BJ’s. Just be sure to call and ask for them to be put aside.

In terms of tape, labelling supplies, and markers, comparison shop or shop in bulk because most people do not have extras after their move. In this case, more is better.

#5 Pack Yourself

At Mastodon Moving, we do offer packing and unpacking services. However, we have many clients who want to organize their items and pack themselves. Doing this can save money and help you have a better sense of what will need to be unpacked in your new home.

#6 Look for Tax Deductions & Business Reimbursement

If your move is due to work, examine whether the move itself can be used as a tax deduction or if perhaps your company will reimburse for the move.

According to TurboTax, “if you move to a new location because of work, you could qualify to use “the IRS Form 3903 to claim the cost of your moving expenses as a deduction on your federal income tax return. The IRS allows taxpayers to deduct eligible moving costs from the taxable income they report on Form 1040.”

#7 Research Utility Shut Down Dates

As you get closer to your actual moving day, start calling your utility companies, including cable, water, electric, and heating to find out if it is better to shut off utilities at the end of the month or if they can prorate your cut off date.

Mastodon Moving LLC

Moving Beyond Expectations