Category Archives: Packing Tips

5 Tips for Success When Moving With Pets

Home Moving, Packing Tips, pets and moving

The moving company is scheduled, the new home is purchased, and the kids are on board with a new place to call their own! While it may sound like you have all your ducks in a row for moving, you don’t want to forget about your beloved family pets leading up to moving day and beyond. 

Fido and Fluffy are important members of the family. As such, they need some special considerations in the weeks and days leading up to the move as well as in their new environment. 

Here are our 5 tips to help pave the way to a smooth transition from one home to another for your pets. 

pets and moving

Maintain a Routine

Our pets thrive with routines. From the time they are fed to the time they normally head out for a walk, your pup can tell if a routine is being followed (or not). 

In fact, most veterinarians believe that pets, dogs especially, can tell when something is about to change in a home. Boxes have started to arrive, routines are changed, and things are a little “off.” This slight change in routine can be a great cause of anxiety for a pet. 

Therefore, try to keep your daily routines as close to normal as possible. This may include bathroom breaks, walks, meals, and playtime. If they realize that their routine is being maintained they will have less stress in the weeks leading up to this major upheaval. 

Contact the Vet 

Moving may mean your pet may need to update their medical records, ensure that vaccinations are current, and potentially meet a new veterinarian in a new city. 

To make the transition smooth, contact your vet to find out if shots are updated and if they have any suggestions for helping your pet adjust to the new environment. 

During your visit, you will want to request a copy of your pet’s medical files and records if you are moving away from your current neighborhood. Additionally, it is a good time to ask your vet for a recommendation for a new vet if you haven’t found one in your new community yet.

Arrange For Pet Care on Moving Day 

There’s going to be a lot going on in your home on moving day. New people, boxes, and furnishing are being moved, and doors are wide open. This could be dangerous for your pet not only with the idea that they could be underfoot all day, but that they could get spooked by strangers going in and out all day long. 

To avoid the stress of settling your pet down throughout the day, arrange for a pet sitter to watch your furry friend on the day you plan to move. If this isn’t possible, schedule a day at the groomers or a puppy daycare to keep your pup happy and busy during what will probably be a stressful day for family members. 

Pack a Pet Bag 

Your cat, dog, or hampster will need to have access to certain items during the move. This may include their favorite lovey, dog bed, and (of course) meals and snacks. 

To accommodate these items, pack a separate bag for your pet that can be easily accessed during the moving process. Don’t forget a favorite toy or leash! 

Find Pet-Friendly Accommodations

If your move is taking you across the state or country, be sure to book a hotel that is pet-friendly. It is never advised to allow your pet to sleep in the car and this is no exception. 

A pet-friendly hotel will allow you and other family members to comfort your dog on a night when extra snuggles are needed by your pup and family members alike. 

For more tips and tricks on moving with pets, check out our blog on our site. 

professional packing

The Benefits of Professional Packing Services

Apartment Moving, Commercial Moving, Home Moving, Move Management, Packing Tips

What’s the worst part of moving? In our experience, families and businesses that are on the move, report that the most painful part of moving is packing and unpacking years worth of belongings. Thankfully, there’s a solution to this dreadfully slow and arduous process. 

Hire our team to do the packing and unpacking for you. 

Professional packing services are a huge time and energy saver for most families and businesses that find themselves needing to move from point A to point B. Here are the top reasons why many of our clients use our services to pack and unpack their homes. 

the key to packing

Saves Time & Energy

Moving can be a huge drain on your time and energy. If you are busy with work, family obligations, and children in the months leading up to your move, you could probably use some help to take some of the tasks off your growing list of things to do for your move. 

Using packing services can instantly unburden you and free up your time for managing the other logistics of your move. Professionals know how to sort, organize and properly wrap belongings so they make it to your new location safely. They also know what size box, crate, or speciality container your valuables should be packed in. 

Save Money

While it may not seem like a money saving service, it can be, depending upon the amount of time you would need to take off work and the number of boxes or containers you would need to buy/find. 

Instead of wasting your money buying boxes and using your vacation days to pack and unpack, this service can save you from using that precious paid time off. Usually when you hire your movers to pack/unpack for you, the price includes all the supplies necessary from boxes and tape, to inventory lists and bubble wrap. 

Less Risk of Damage 

Damage to your belongings is always a risk when moving homes or businesses. Thankfully, more experienced packers such as members of our team, know how to pack so that your precious china, pictures, and high valued items make it to your new location safe and secure. 

No one wants the hassle of getting repairs on their tv, electronics, or artwork once they arrive at their new place. Licensed and insured packers can guarantee a safe journey for your valued items.

Reduces Stress

When professional packers take on the task of packing your home, they can take some of the stress off you in trying to carve out the right amount of time to pack all of your belongings. All you have to do is supervise and let them know if any items can be donated, tossed, or are special in any way. Your professional packers can also label and mark each box so you have no stress as to where all of your items are once you reach your new location. 

A photograph of overflowing boxes stacked on top of one another.

Why Do-It-Yourself Moving is a Mistake

Apartment Moving, Home Moving, Packing Tips

If you watch any HGTV or home improvement shows, you know how deceptively easy many of these programs make the process of moving appear. Unfortunately, there are many pieces to the moving puzzle that need to fall into place for it to go smoothly without losing or breaking possessions or potentially harming oneself. 

On the surface, moving may look like the perfect DIY project. After all, how hard can it be to gather up your own belongings and move it to a new location? 

Unfortunately, this common thought process is flawed for many reasons. The difficulty level of moving from one home to another may actually surprise you! 

A photograph of boxes sitting in the living room of an apartment on move-in day.

Mistake #1 Pro- Movers Are Too Expensive 

Like everything else in life, cost is relative. It’s a fairly common misconception that hiring a professional mover is more expensive than getting a few of your buddies to help you move with a rented truck. 

Let’s let this scenario play out. 

Assume that on the day of your move you have everything perfectly packed and ready to go for your friends and family to transfer into the van that you scheduled for the day. 

Any number of things could go wrong that could cost you more in the long run. For instance, if expensive, hard-to-replace items are damaged or broken during the moving process, you need to replace or repair your items, costing you more. 

If your friends damage the walls, floors, or other components of the home you are leaving you will need to repair before the new owners move in. Not only is that a hassle, but a cost that you would want to avoid on your moving day. 

Professional moving companies are experienced in how to move high-end, high value, and awkward items in tight places. Mastodon Moving prides itself on its moving excellence and has insurance to cover incidentals that rarely occur. 

Mistake #2 Packing Mistakes 

Mistakes having to do with packing usually fall into two major categories. 

The first mistake many homeowners commit is improperly packing boxes. These types of mistakes could range from overpacking boxes or bins that make them too heavy and unsafe to lift, or forgetting to label or mark each box so you can find your stuff at the new location. 

The second mistake is a bit more dangerous and involves packing the truck improperly so that items might shift, fall, or potentially become damaged during the drive from one location to the next or even unsafe for driving. 

Professional movers are experienced in how to not only pack individual boxes so they are manageable to move but also the right order to pack the moving truck so that items remain safe and secure throughout the trip whether it is across the country or across town. 

planner and binder

Mistake #3 Planning & Time Management Blunders

If you have ever moved, you know that it takes weeks of planning and gathering of supplies to make moving day go smoothly. 

The clock starts ticking once you have confirmed that the move is imminent. That may mean weeks in advance finding packing boxes and materials, starting the process of downsizing your belongings to remove extraneous items, and packing boxes, crates, and bags so that they are manageable. Even the “last minute” items should be packed and ready to go in the days before the move so you have plenty of time to oversee the process rather than be madly packing in one room whilst they move another. 

Professional moving companies like ours can help you plan what needs to be done and when.We can not only help you with the actual packing but can give you endless tips on strategies that can help you make your moving day one that is as stress-free as possible. 

Don’t make the costly mistake of DIY your next move. Talk to our team at Mastodon Moving about how we can help facilitate your move.