The lease has been signed, you have your keys in hand and you’ve been busy scouring the local grocery stores for piles of free boxes. It’s official: you are moving out of mom and dad’s home and into your first apartment.

Although it may seem like selecting which apartment to rent and packing up all of your stuff is the most challenging part of moving (when did you purchase so many pairs of shoes anyway?), there are several things you should keep in mind before you rent the U-Haul and begin moving in.

The following tips should help make setting up your first apartment a bit less stressful, and help the whole process run a lot smoother.

1. Set up your Internet.

An Internet connection is vital these days, so it’s best to get everything set up prior to your move. While your folks can certainly let you know what they think of their existing Internet provider, do your own research, because you might find something better. Shop around, and call a few companies to see what sorts of deals they offer. For example, on the DSL.com website there are several bundles listed that can save people an often significant amount of money if they sign up for both Internet and cable all at once. When you move your desktop or laptop into your new space and it’s ready to use, you’ll be really glad you took care of this ahead of time.

2. Introduce yourself to your new neighborhood.

It’s important to know where the closest grocery store is, as well as restaurants and other local places. Park your car at your new place and then set off on foot, learning what you can easily walk to. You might even get the chance to introduce yourself to some of your new neighbors along the way. Then, get back in your vehicle and drive around the local neighborhood. On those first few days when it seems like you need to run to the store every few minutes for items to help with your move, it will be really handy to know ahead of time where the closest stores are located. And, of course, where you can order pizza.

3. Know how much space you have.

Your empty apartment probably seems like it can easily hold all of your belongings. But that seemingly cavernous space will fill up quickly and, in some cases, some of your items may not even fit. Before moving in, spend some time measuring your new apartment and don’t forget the width of the doors and any hallways and staircases you might need to maneuver your way through. It would be such a bummer to purchase that brand new cool couch only to find it won’t even make it through the door.

4. Pre-clean the place.

Yeah, the previous tenants should have cleaned out the apartment, and the landlord should have arranged for a professional cleaning. But, to be on the safe side, give your new apartment a thorough cleaning before moving day. Scrub down the fridge, put down some fresh and clean shelf liners, and make sure the bathroom and tub are looking super-clean. Arranging for a professional carpet cleaning might also be a good idea. This can be especially important if the previous tenants had pets, just to be sure any allergens and fleas are removed from the carpeting.

Do you have any tips for first apartments? Share them in the comments.

Image my Flickr user mashleymorgan

Portugal in many ways is still like a hidden gem. Whereas many will think of buying a place in Spain or elsewhere to live, Portugal can offer so much more. It's a country full of character and beauty, from the Atlantic coast inwards, from the far north to the far south. It's no wonder so many are now discovering and choosing to live in this country which has wonderful scenery, wonderful weather and wonderful people.

 

If you're moving to Portugal here's some packing tips to help you on your way. First of all, think ahead. Once you have your date confirmed for moving and have notified your removal company of that date then you can start preparing straight away. No matter if it's six weeks or eight weeks ahead. You'll be amazed at just how fast the time will fly as your removal day approaches. In addition, there's a good chance other things in your everyday life will interrupt your future plans, so when you have the chance to get things done do them and don't put it off. 

 

For instance, think about the clothes you'll need for your removal day. If it's summer, you can pack away your scarves and gloves and other winter clothes. If you have three or four radios, keep one and pack away the others. See what other appliances you can pack away in advance.

 

Look at the foodstuffs you have in your kitchen. You want to be taking as little as possible so for the next few weeks till moving day don't buy any bulk buy items and use what's in your kitchen already. This is especially the case with liquid foodstuffs and those in glass bottles or jars. These can break and cause spillages and are best avoided for your long journey to Portugal.

 

 

This also applies to cleaning supplies. Washing up liquid, detergent and so forth. You will be needing these items until very near your removal day. Yet you do not want to take them with you on your journey when they can take up vital space as well as spill. So ideally you want to be able to discard them or use them up. You can do this by planning ahead, using little by little in the time before you move. When it comes to acidic, flammable or corrosive items don't even think about taking them to Portugal with you. Dispose of them in a safe manner well before you leave.

 

Kitchen utensils can also be pared down. Keep the minimum of what you need and pack away the rest. This applies to bathroom items as well. Those bottles of aftershave or perfume you never use you can pack away. Wrap them carefully and place them in sealed plastic bags. Otherwise you could be arriving in Portugal with the best smelling removal van in town but also one where other items will be smelling of your favourite scent for weeks on end afterwards.

 

One other way to avoid a last minute packing panic is to go round your attic, cupboards, garage and garden shed and pack away those other items which you rarely use but are still taking to Portugal. If you have personal items such as photographs, you may want to take them with you personally. These are the kind of things you'll be needing to do in the build up to your removal day. Think ahead, keep ahead and your move to Portugal will be all the better for it. 

 

Making home improvements before you move is somewhat bittersweet. It’s bitter because a repaved walkway or a refinished deck would have been great while you occupied the residence. It’s sweet because even minor repairs can speed up your sale, as realtor.com notes. Now is the time to completely switch the way you think of your home.Think of it as just a house on a street —not the home you’ve come to know and love — and you'll be ready to fix up and sell!

Curb Appeal

It's easiest to take a look at the exterior first when deciding what you'd like to work on. Ask yourself: What are important structural qualities?

First, consider the actual structure:

• How is the foundation holding up?
• Is it well insulated?
• Does the house have mold or asbestos?

Second, the appearance:

• How does the roof look?
• Are the gutters unclogged and secure?
• Is the lawn maintained?

These should be at the forefront of your mind when selling your home, as you want to convey to buyers how well the house has been cared for. Pay attention to your entrance and create a great impression the moment a buyer arrives — aka amp up the curb appeal. If the walkway, front door and the front yard don’t look up to snuff, potential buyers may get a bad taste in their mouths before they even walk into the home.

For larger projects, such as removing old trees, repaving the front walk, putting new shingles on your roof, or attaching new siding, you may need some equipment to make the job more manageable. Sunbelt.com suggests renting scissor lifts, wood and brush chippers and other general construction tools instead of purchasing something you may not use again. However, if you have no experience with these types of jobs, it may be wise to leave it to the professionals. Using large equipment can get dangerous if the user lacks knowledge and experience, and the last thing you want to do is create a larger eyesore than what you previously had.

Hands Off Hazardous Materials

Other projects that you should leave to experts are those requiring handling moldy or rotted wood as well as any hazardous material. A lead hazard becomes far more severe when the stripping and removal is not handled correctly. If you discover that you have lead paint or asbestos in your home, do not attempt to remove it yourself. Call a professional.

No Brainers: What to Fix Yourself

Many aesthetic projects are relatively easy and can be accomplished with limited supplies and within the span of a few weekend afternoons. Try to recruit help from friends and family to lessen time expended and make it more fun. These projects include:

• Filling nail holes
• Sanding, priming and repainting walls
• Clearing and caulking your gutters
• Replacing scuffed baseboards
• Fixing leaky faucets
• Repairing sagging or broken screens

What to Leave to the New Owners

New owners will want to make the house their own. They will most likely repaint and renovate the home to better suit their lifestyle. Unless it's a neutral, universal and amazing kitchen backsplash, it may not be worth the time, effort and money to install. Realtor.com notes another risk: a home with too many improvements may result in the house being too expensive for potential buyers. Don't over improve your home before you sell it. Leave a blank canvas for someone else to work with, not a masterpiece that is not their own creation.

If you don't experience at least one item breaking during a move from one home or office to another, then you're doing better than a lot of people across the nation. Without packing your belongings securely and safely, you are risking damage to virtually everything you own except perhaps clothing. If that is your goal, there are easier ways to get rid of your stuff outside of purposely destroying them during a move.

1. Boxes - The bigger the box, the more stuff you can fit in it. It sounds better to move one box than it is to move several.

The more stuff you put into a box, the heavier it will become. You also run the chance of the bottom of the box falling out spilling your possessions all over the sidewalk. Pack your boxes wisely and don't over flow them with everything you can get your hands on. You are not in competition for a world's record of cramming as much as possible into a single box.

2. Fragile - Just toss everything into a box that will fit. You'll sort it out later when you have the time. As long as you drive carefully, all will be well.

Loading everything you can fit into a box may not work as well as you'd hope. If you place fragile items in the bottom of the box, the weight of other things on top of them could cause irreparable damage.

3. Plates - They fit just fine in the cupboard stacked as they are. Why should you need to worry about wrapping each one of them up individually?

Even if you are extremely careful when placing the box of plates on the moving truck, it doesn't mean that they will not shatter during transportation. Vibrations within the truck itself could cause the plates to rapidly clang together until they eventually break apart. A vibration at just the right frequency can cause havoc to a stack of plates.

4. Straps - The couch is heavy enough that it doesn't need to be strapped down while sitting in the back of a flatbed truck. Don't waste your time securing them.

Not securing your furniture or appliances can cause far more damage than you may realize. If an unforeseen circumstance happens and you lose control of the vehicle for even the most split of a second, the piece of furniture could find its way into the windshield of the car behind you.

5. Tables - Why worry about protecting the top of a table from being scratched on the floor of the truck? Just stand it upright and put some boxes on it.

This is an exceptionally bad idea if the table is sitting on a trailer or in the flatbed of a pickup during the move. One good gust of wind while traveling could tear that table free from the vehicle and toss it onto the road causing damage to anything in its path.

As long as you take your time packing and moving, you greatly reduce the chances of you losing something in the process. Although there are times when the move is a faced-paced rush to get out before a specific time, you can work smarter instead of harder. If you are being pushed to be out as soon as possible, keep your distractions to a minimum and pay attention to what you are packing and where it's going.

 

Boston summers are notoriously hot and muggy, which can make lawn care a dreaded and sweaty chore. If you're new to eastern Massachusetts or just need some good lawn care tips for our neck of the woods, we can help.

Sleep on It

If your grass goes brown in summer, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Grass has adapted to drought conditions and the summer heat by going dormant for a time. According to The Lawn Institute, turf grass can actually go dormant for up to four weeks without any issues.

Of course, there's a right and a wrong way to let the grass go dormant. It's essential to get the grass at the peak of its health before it goes dormant. Mowing techniques that help prepare the grass include mowing with the blades set high and mowing in the morning or evening to minimize stress. Keep the mower blades as sharp as possible so your mowing is efficient. Continue weeding the yard as normal, and lightly water if need be. Bring the yard out of dormancy by rehydrating the lawn.

Summer Lawns in Mass.

You might think that all grass is the same, but there are two distinct categories of grass that are significant. Bluegrass and rye are good for cool seasons, but stick to warm season grasses like centipede and Bermuda in summer. To make your grass more tolerant of summer, Today's Homeowner recommends you water in the morning and do a weekly deep watering. Wait until fall to wake up your lawn if it goes dormant.

If you use a leaf blower in fall, you can use it now to clear debris from your driveway and sidewalks. Husqvarna blowers in particular are especially useful—they can be converted to vacuum mulchers for easy extraction. 

Seeding and Fertilizing

Don't fertilize during the summer; save that for fall and spring. If you have bare patches, seed the area once and give it plenty of water (and time). LawnCare.org advises against seeding the area multiple times.

Insects and Diseases

When your grass is dormant, it is more susceptible to opportunistic insects looking to do some damage. Chinch bugs, mosquitoes, fire ants and fleas will make a move on your lawn. Keep an eye out for severe problems, but don't worry about minor infestations.

Check your lawn for fungal infections as well, especially if you're watering a lot. Do not apply fungicide or pesticides unless your lawn is going to completely wither and die without it; better yet, try natural pest control measures. You don't want to add a lot of chemicals to your lawn when it's laying dormant or trying to survive a Massachusetts summer.

When you start your house cleaning, if the house is particularly full, you may struggle with places to put things securely that you need to come back to at a later date.  As you start putting boxes together to pack things into and start pulling things off your shelving to sort, you will see your already limited space getting smaller and smaller.  This is where a storage container can really come in useful. 

A storage container is basically a container that would be delivered to your home and placed somewhere like your front lawn, it would have a lockable door and you would be given the key. You can then use this to store the boxes of things that you have sorted and placed into labelled boxes, while you continue to clear the rest of your home.

Once everything within the house is inside a labelled box, you can then start sorting through the boxes that you have, put all the stuff you are keeping together, all of the stuff you are storing, the things you want to sell or donate and the recycling and rubbish together.  Only the boxes that you want to move to your new home or things that you are placing into storage should now be put inside these storage containers, all of the other boxes can be left inside the house.  Once everything you want to move with you or store is inside this storage container it can be locked and you can arrange to have it collected and moved to your new home or placed into storage.

In your house you will then be left with a collection of boxes, some will most likely be things you want to sell or donate to charity and you should start looking at selling these as quickly as possible, consider using free advertising website’s or visiting a local charity shop and donating anything in good condition. The majority of stuff, however, will be in the rubbish pile. You should sort your rubbish into things that need to be thrown away and stuff that can go in the recycling, consider that a house clearance company will be able to recycle up to 90% of your things so the majority of your rubbish should be in the recycling pile.  Once this is done you will need to start sorting through the recycling and sorting them into their categories by placing all plastics together and all paper items together, for example.  Once the rubbish is sorted you will need to arrange taking this to a recycling centre or a waste disposal centre. 

There are a number of benefits to using a storage container to help you clear your home, the main one being that it allows you more space to work in and help you to sort through the things in your house.  Because you can keep the storage container for as long as you need to it allows you to clear your property at your own pace, there is no need to rush which takes out a lot of the stress of the house clearance. You will load the storage container and keep the key, this gives you peace of mind that you are the only person able to access your belongings, whereas if you hire a clearance company lots of people will be going through your stuff. Storage containers are lockable and therefore they are better than hiring a skip as passers-by can’t rummage through your belongings or decide to use your skip space for their rubbish too.   Companies who offer storage containers are also able to offer storage facilities if you have things you want to keep but can’t accommodate right now.

 

 

Buying a home for the first time is definitely a major challenge, especially if you are looking for a place in a megalopolis like Boston. Some folks might even feel so desperate and discouraged that they will jump at the first opportunity they come across. However, in order to get the most of your purchase, here are some handy tips for you to consider when looking for a property in Boston.

1.What is the type of home that will suit your needs best?
In other words, what is that you actually need? This can be determined best by the number of people that will be living in your home. Depending on this, you will more easily decide if you need a single family home, a small apartment or a multi-family building that has two or more units. Don't worry, in a huge city like Boston there are numerous real estate agencies, offering all kinds of apartments and houses, so you will surely find what you need. You just need to know what you are looking for.

2.What features do you want your future home to have
This is easily the biggest purchase of your life and that is why it has to fit both your wants and needs as much as possible. While it might be quite easy to choose according to size and exterior, don't forget to pay attention also to the smaller details: kitchen, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathroom">bathroom</a>, furniture, etc.

3.Think about mortgage and how much will you qualify for
Prior to starting your shopping adventure, know how much your lender will be willing to give you in order for you to buy your home. Whether you have any other debt, what your monthly income is, the up to date duration of your current employment.

 

4.Who will be helping you in the buying process
It is almost obligatory for you to have a Boston based real estate agent to help you locate those homes, which meet your standards and are also in the price range you have established. Trying to do this solo will, almost definitely, prove to be a quite difficult task, especially if you are not a Boston  resident, but have moved from a different city. It will be even harder if you come from a foreign country. Whereas, a Boston real estate agent has plenty of experience in this area of business and will surely be of much help. Plus, a good professional will protect you from the pitfalls you may encounter during the buying process.

5.Make an offer
Even if the house you have chosen already has a set price, negotiating is always possible. Again, the estate agent you have chosen will help you in this delicate matter. As a matter of fact, your agent will be the one making the offer to the seller, who will either accept it, or make you a counter offer. This can, in a way, go 'back and forth' until a common ground is reached and one of the both parties makes an offer that satisfies both seller and buyer.

When it comes time to move, many people will pack up everything they own and transport it to the new location. A large portion of the time, this could include items that you don't really need or items that you plan on replacing anyway. Your home or office could be filled with materials that do nothing more for your existence than take up space. While you could put these items in storage, do you really need to hold on to that 1990s cordless telephone with a bad battery and missing power cord?

1. Less Packing - Of course, selling off everything you can at a yard sale, flea market, or classified ad in the newspaper can help you decrease the amount of stuff you have to pack up in boxes. Depending on the condition of your goods, you could sell these items for a decent price and essentially pay for the moving truck. With less packing to complete for your move, you could save money on materials such as tape and boxes as well.

2. Mileage - Depending on how far you need to move your belongings, a heavier truck-load will cost you more in gasoline in order to transport those boxes. While the savings may be minimal if you're only traveling a few miles, the gasoline you save when moving to other cities and states could easily add up to significant amounts. Why not put more money in your pocket instead of the gas tank?

3. Faster Move - Reducing the amount of goods you have will decrease the time it takes you to move. Instead of loading several vans, trucks, and cars, you could reduce that load. Instead of taking several days to load the vehicles up with boxes and bags, you could move out in less than a day. While it may be exciting to move to a new home or office, the elation is quickly replaced by fatigue when loading box after box.

4. Justification for Shopping - While this depends on how much money you are willing to spend on your new furnishings, getting rid of old furniture and clothes could give you justification to go shopping. Wouldn't you rather adorn your home with a new sectional couch rather than that old one that the dog chewed up? A new home could be considered a new chapter in your life, and having new furniture could solidify that feeling.

5. Cash Reserve - Whether you sell your items at a yard sale, eBay, or in the newspaper they can put more cash into your pocket for a variety of reasons. This could pay for moving expenses, new furniture, or to simply put extra cash in your bank account for a rainy day. It's always better to be prepared financially for unexpected expenses.

Many of us around the country are dangerously close to being seen on an episode of "Hoarders." We hold on to a great deal of goods for several years with the intention of "fixing them." Is it truly worth your effort and time to hold on to goods that are too small, unusable, or easily replaceable? Moving into your new home could become a way to begin a new life by replacing what is old and worn out. Embrace a new beginning and leave the old life behind.

This article is contributed by Madoline Hatter. Madoline is a freelance writer and blog junkie from ChangeOfAddressForm.com. You can reach her at: m.hatter12 @ gmail. com.

 

Boston Movers can store Your Household Goods between Home Sales

 

 

The purchase of a new home can be an exciting time. Unfortunately, it can also be a frustrating time; especially if the move in date does not coincide with the date that you need to move out of your old home or rental. Most people are worried about where they are going to stay while waiting to move into their new home and they totally forget that they also have plenty of household goods that need to be stored somewhere.

 

There are plenty of Massachusetts home sales every single month and the Boston moving companies have to make sure that they keep their customers happy. Therefore, they are going to do as much as they can to be an all-in-one stop; providing a safe storage facility is just one of the many services that they could provide. Even so, sometimes they just do not have the ability to store your household goods. When this happens, you may need to find a suitable home for your goods while you wait to move into your new home.

 

Now, if you have enlisted the service from one of the Boston moving companies, you can ask them what they might recommend. Some of the Boston movers actually have their own storage facilities in the event that you cannot move from one house to another immediately. Many may even have a discount or special offer on storage services. Even if they do not have their own storage facilities; they probably know where you can store your household goods during your transition period.

 

Moving Insurance for Your Household Goods

Be aware that you are technically involved in three events and most likely three contractual agreements; the move to storage, the storage itself and the move from storage. Movers, moving companies who provide storage and self-storage facilities usually do not provide insurance. What they normally allow is for you to increase their level of liability. This is done by choosing a specific level of declared valuation. Research your options thoroughly, and you will be able to choose the correct level of protection for your specific circumstance.

 

Boston Storage Companies and Facilities

 

            

A storage facility is generally the best approach when it comes to storing your household goods between home sales. Most facilities offer heated and cooled storage which is the best option, especially if you have furniture that could sweat, electronics that are heat sensitive or anything else that needs to be kept at a safe “room” temperature. Again, it is best to speak with several Boston moving companies to see if any offer storage facilities as part of their customer service. If not, make sure you have made arrangements ahead of your moving date so that you can inform the Boston movers where to deliver your goods.

 

 

Family or Friends

For some, all of their funds have been depleted after putting up a down payment and covering all the closing costs of the new home. If you find yourself in this situation, it is a good idea to start talking to your family and/or friends and see if they would be willing to hold your items for you. Most of the time, you will find out that you have plenty of resources available to you. Once you have secured a place to store your goods, make sure to inform the Boston movers so that they can deliver them for you. Otherwise, you may have to deal with the move without the help of anyone.

It is extremely important that you make sure you have somewhere to stay while you wait to move into your new home, but you should not forget all of your household goods either. Therefore, take the time to ask several Boston moving companies if they have on-site storage facilities or if they have any good recommendations. Doing this before you move can save you a lot of stress and headaches, especially as the moving out date approaches … don’t wait too long.

 

 

If you think your new one-bedroom micro apartment is small, consider the innovative strategies required to live in an even smaller space as some brave, yet efficient, people around the world have done. Necessity inspires all types of creative solutions for downsizing from a larger home to a smaller one. Whether you're going through a major downsize or just need to "have less," plan ahead with these strategies that help you fit comfortably and happily into your new home.

Eliminate Clutter

Clutter— meaningless, useless and purposeless things that accumulate and take up a lot of space. Elder Move Managers calls this the 80/20 rule: You use 20 percent of what you have and the other 80 percent just sits there. Simplify you surroundings and sort through your belongings to get rid of the 80 percent, or at least cut it down. Toss anything you haven't used in the past year. While pondering sentimental items, consider taking photos of them, instead of hanging onto them, to keep the memory. A photo often carries the sentiment for you and can digitally be stored on your computer or a social networking site such as Instagram. You can also pass keepsakes along to other family members or friends to keep the nostalgia alive.

Get Rid of Furniture That Won't Fit

Measure the rooms in your new place and plan ahead by arranging furniture that will go in each room. Draw a miniature floor plan of each room on graphing paper and place miniature cutouts of all of your current furniture in the same scale. You can move pieces around the room to get an idea of how your current furniture will look in your new place in a wide range of configurations. Anything that won't fit needs to go. It's more convenient to know that before you haul furniture into your new place.

If furniture pieces won't fit, use this as an opportunity for an upgrade. For example, maybe you've had a king-size bed for decades but your glorious bed leaves no extra space in the bedroom. Even if you have to replace your bed with a smaller one, you don't have to compromise on luxurious rest and comfort. Shop for a new bed, order by mattress size and accent your bed with a stylish new quilt in a comfortable, breathable fabric to help you enjoy your new bed despite its smaller size.

Maximize Storage Space

A lack of storage space can feel limiting. Going from a huge walk-in bedroom closet to a nonexistent closet requires some creativity. Moving into a space without a large hall closet, attic, basement or garage demands some strategy. Think vertically and utilize every inch of storage space that you do have. Install shelves near the ceiling in your closets for lesser-used items like spare bedding and seasonal clothing. Put beds on raisers so you can fit plastic storage bins underneath. Choose furniture with built-in storage, like a coffee table with drawers in the base. Each of these provides you with more space to fit — the worthy — belongings you bring along. 

Photo credit: Flickr user BeckyF