The Moving Planner Blog

Nice article written by David Thompson.

It might be the City of Angels, but you’ll need to pray to your guardian angel to move here safely. That’s right, Los Angeles is a mover’s nightmare. The city is, of course, literally moving: the area’s twenty million residents are constantly driving to-and-fro, and all too often the ground ends up moving too. Maybe the only things that don’t move around here are the freeways. But, against all odds, this city of immigrants and migrants makes moving in a challenge. Maybe it’s an admissions test of sorts; those who are strong enough to survive the gauntlet of moving into LA deserve the reward of enjoying the city. The weak are left by the side of the road, wondering what happened.

Trying to self-move into LA was my first mistake. Trying to navigate the maze of freeways (“the five”, “the four-oh-five”, “the one-ten”, and all the rest) is an adventure best left for the professionals. This may be a city built for the automobile, but it doesn’t come with easy directions. It took a couple stops at gas stations to make the intersection of “the” 101 and “the” 110 make sense to a newcomer.

Traffic is a nightmare, and it only gets worse at night. The drivers make the roads even more of an adventure. As I tried to pilot my rented van down the packed freeway system, cars kept dodging in and out of lanes in front of me, each trying to race the others toward a destination unseen ahead in the bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Finally, I arrived at my destination late and tired from the road. Of course, there’s no overnight street parking in many areas. But, having nothing else to do with the truck, I blithely ignored the signs and left it there anyway. What kind of police officer would ticket a rental moving van, especially one that still smelled like hot engine and burning oil? Well, it turns out there is such a cop in L.A. and he happened to be patrolling Pasadena that night. Sure enough, I got a parking ticket on my first night in Los Angeles. Thirty-five dollars and a forty-one cent stamp later, I was back in the city’s good graces, but it was a rude introduction to the parking nightmare that is LA. The odds are that if a spot is big enough for a moving van, it’s probably not a legal spot.

The rest of the move was uneventful; I unloaded my belongings and returned the rental truck without incident. I’ve since enjoyed my time in LA, but I’m certain that I’m not the first to encounter trouble moving in Los Angles. A mobile homeowner became temporarily famous, then infamous, when his moving operation came to an untimely halt in the middle of the Hollywood Freeway. His mobile home was too tall to clear a bridge on the 101 and traffic was too dangerous to back up. So, on September 15, 2007 the mobile home stopped. It was eventually pulled to the side of the road, where it was left for days. Of course, Los Angeles is a city obsessed with both cars and itself; the traffic story became the topic du jour. Well-coiffed news reporters breathlessly reported from the scene, speculating on when the trailer might move as if it were a major political movement. Los Angeles traffic blogs-yes, there are such a thing-spilled thousands of pixels charting the every action of Caltrans workers as the highway workers plotted a strategy to remove the home from the shoulder. Witty pranksters adorned the home with “for sale” signs, and the venerable Los Angeles Times couldn’t resist the headline “Open House Lacks Curb Appeal.” Eventually the problem was solved, the house went on to complete its journey, and one more Los Angeleno managed to complete his moving adventure.

They don’t call this city Lalaland for nothing.

Related Link: California moving company.

Moving house brings with it much stress, stress brings forth perspiration, we then feel uncomfortable, worrying that we do not smell feminine as we should. Yes it may sound a little foolish that one would care to worry about this on such a stressful day yet so many of us do. I know I am always checking my deodorant and perfume on a stressful day. Yes in actual fact, I am so much more aware of my personal freshness than usual.

It’s all about personal hygiene, self pride and simply still wishing to smell like a woman rather than a lumberjack. So what perfume do we choose to choose? Well firstly, may I simply state that statistics have actually found that different aromas can play an important role in our moods and stress levels.

Studies actually found that many scents can have a soothing affect on us, that is why Jasmine, lavender and assorted roses have been introduced to many mental health departments such as the psychiatric wards of hospitals. Is there any wonder then, that we may wish to have a calming scent on our body?

JOVAN WHITE MUSK:

Jovan White Musk is a beautiful perfume, which was launched by The Design House Of Jovan, back in the year 1992. It is a sedate, soft, Oriental style fragrance, which tantalizes the senses gently, with a blend of spice,wood-scent as well as white floral aromas. Lasting all day without being overpowering, it gives a delicate aura to the word perfume.

Jovan leaves a natural musk aroma, with the added blend of floral delicacies. Not at all a heady perfume but a soft subtle blend of sheer femininity. Being so concentrated, it lasts for ages and is so well priced.

Cologne Spray 26 ml $16.77 – $20.00

Cologne Spray 60 ml $21.88 -$36.00

Eau De Cologne Spray 95 ml $25.75-$50

Concentrated Jovan oil $30-$42

BEAUTIFUL:

Another perfume which stays on all day is Beautiful: The name says it all, this is simply a stunning perfume. There’s no other word for it, I received some for a gift and after putting a tiny little bit behind my ears, I asked what it was called. My son said “beautiful” and that’s exactly what it is!

I can’t find a perfume I love more, and I am very fussy indeed. This wonderful womanly scent was launched by the Design house of Estee Lauder back in 1985 and it certainly saw record sales, and still does. It’s popularity has not waned irrespective of its age. Classified as a sharp, floral fragrance which brings the most beautiful gardens to your very doorstep.

Beautiful Perfume incorporates a blend of intoxicating cut flowers such as jasmine, roses, and carnations. Accompanying these scents are the added under tones of various fruity scents such as citrus, peaches, plums, and melons.

What an awesome blend of sensual soothing aromas. These beautiful perfumes will have you forgetting where you are, and thinking you are on a tropical island. Prices range from approximately $15.00 for a mini spray.

I can assure you that these perfumes will not let you down, you will smell so feminine and fresh. If you are searching for a perfume that not only smells heavenly, but works on your senses to calm you, look no further.

Nice article written by Kim Shuskey.

My family and I were planning a move from North Carolina to Sunny California! All was exciting and scary at the same time. We did not know where we were going to live. We knew the city as it was located near the location of my husbands company that he was transferring with, but we had to find the apartment. This was also not a company sponsored move. It was just a move. So, all the bills for this move were our responsibility. Our finances did not allow for us to hire movers, therefore we did all of the work ourselves.

For months, we planned, budgeted, gathered boxes and did everything that we felt we needed to do. We procured the apartment, that we found online and rented it sight unseen. I know, that sounds just crazy. We did not go with the first apartment that came along. In fact we settled on a place only a week and a half before the move. This was probably the most stressful thing of the whole move. Or at least it felt like it at the time. You see, we spent many a sleepless night searching the internet for the perfect apartment. During breaks at work, I would call places and gather information. We felt like it was a total leap of faith when we finally settled on something. It was scary and I often questioned our sanity.

It took a month to organize our household and pack the boxes as we were both working full-time jobs. We stacked all of the boxes in the dining room. There were several piles of boxes stacked up to the ceiling. I then reserved the truck, called the utility companies in California to get that all set up and faxed the necessary paperwork and sent the necessary checks to their designated locations. All seemed to be going fine. We put in the necessary two weeks notice with my employer and my husband began the transfer paperwork for his job. We enjoyed nights out with friends to say goodbye and special dinner with family members that we would not be seeing for awhile. It was all very difficult to say goodbye but yet, it didn’t feel like that is what we were doing. It felt to me like we were saying, “see you soon.”

At last moving day was here. We drove over to the truck rental location only to find that the truck was too small. We felt blessed that they had a bigger one on site so it was not too much of a problem. A few friends came over and helped us load the truck. It took seven hours but by 6:30 pm we were on the road to California without any major incidents at all.

After driving down the nearby streets for about thirty minutes we finally got on the highway, and that was where it all began to go wrong. You see, the truck would only go sixty miles per hour. It was slower going uphill of course and our route took us through many hills. What should have been a 9 hour drive ended up being a 23 hour drive. The truck also used much more gas money than what we had anticipated. Finally, however we did arrive safely at our new home in California. The office at the apartments closed at 5:00 pm and we walked in at 4:55 pm so that we could pick up the key. We had no time for a walk-through with the apartment manager. We simple only had time to get the key.

To our surprise and relief the apartment was great. It took two days to empty the truck as we decided to take our time as we were just too tired to push it any further. I called the truck rental company and complained about the slowness of the truck. After finally convincing them that something was wrong with it, (they told me there was no governor on the accelerator) they did give us a partial refund. Another nice surprise in Moving to California is the lack of state income taxes that is taken from your paychecks. North Carolina seems to have many taxes on pretty much everything. California does not have as much but does have toll roads to make up for it. The thing with those however, you don’t have to use them. Switching your driver’s license is pretty easy as well and the cost for getting tags for your vehicle is initially $100.00. Rent is expensive though, so it all evens out. It has been a month now and all seems to be going very well. I will say, however that the next time I plan a move, I will allow more time to save money and hire the best California moving company.

There are many questions that come up as one moves to an oversea country. These questions don’t come up right away, they are usually the effects that come with the move itself. The closer you get to the moving date the more pressure you get and more questions come up

Moving Overseas will be one of the biggest steps in your life. I hope that with my help it will also be the most rewarding step you’ve ever taken.

Moving abroad is a big step. Apart from any considerations concerning family and friends, there are issues about pensions, tax and health care costs that you will need to be aware of.

Most of the time spent on  a long distance move is spent on the planning. Some people take it as a total waste of time while others see it very important to make sure that their belongings reach their destiny in the best condition and everything will be running smoothly. The relocation itself is the last and most simple step of the entire move. During the move itself the movers will sometimes have to deal with very expensive furniture, paintings and other items of this sort, these are some of the things that the owners have to discuss with the movers so that the items are taken care of by our very own professionals.

Another issue that the movers have to deal with is moving pets. Pets are not always the most fun to move around with, and therefore need to be taken care of before the day of the move. Before taking your pet on your move one must have the right tools to pass the pet through the authorities, in order to do that watch the following list:

Obtain a copy of health records from your current veterinarian. This information needs to be passed on to the veterinarian at the new location
Obtain a Health Certificate less than 10 days old. Certificates must be issued by a licensed veterinarian and be accompanied by an inoculations record.
Obtain a permit allowing entry into the new destination. Your current vet can help you apply for one.
Have identification secured to your pet’s collar. ID tags should include pet’s name, your name and destination address. Most states require dogs and cats to have a rabies tag on their collars.
Check with your new destination City Clerk office for local pet ordinances. “Leash Laws” are common.

Read more and get free advice at http://www.flatrate.com/nyc_movers/long_distance.asp

For your own peace of mind, you should consider moving jewelry and other small valuables yourself in your personal vehicle. As for larger valuables, point these items out to your moving crew. Awareness breeds care, and you should feel confident that your movers will pay special attention to any items you have designated as having high monetary or sentimental value. Most moving companies will have some variation of a “high value declaration” like diamond pendants form and will request that you itemize all precious items to ensure that they receive VIP attention and that in the event of breakage, the crew is aware of their value. Completing these forms up front will streamline any insurance claims you may have following the move.

Wrap your Sterling Silver, diamond pendants jewelry and other Sterling Silver items with sealed nylon bag

You want also to clean them onces you have moved.

Elite moving is a on of a kind thing, where the customer has the whole process of moving done for him without worrying about a thing. Discover the decadence of Elite, the industry’s first true luxury moving service.

Led by your personal Elite Liaison, we’ll handle everything you need for your move from start to finish.  From planning and logistics, to unpacking and setup, we’ll move you to your new home while beautifully managing and protecting your Art, Antiques, Wine Collection, Pianos, buildings, and more in the process. 

With Elite, you’ll have a handpicked team of trained professionals working constantly to see to your comfort and satisfaction in every way. At Last, a Luxury Moving Service from an Industry Leader
FlatRate revolutionized the industry over 15 years ago with the concept of a flat-rate move without nebulous pricing or hidden costs. Now over 200,000 moves later, FlatRate has five locations nationwide, a prestigious Forbes Enterprise award, and a Best of Citysearch (BOC) Award. FlatRate is proud to be one of the most acclaimed movers in the nation, with excellent moving services for almost any budget.

Elite is the latest revolution from FlatRate Moving & Storage, created in response to today’s growing need for a comprehensive moving service.  Elite meets that demand in style, bringing elegance and comfort to moving on an entirely new scale, and supporting those clients for whom total management and convenience are the highest priorities.

From planning to transport to setup, Elite anticipates and meets your every need on moving day.

Some Elite stuf includes: Zody Chair, Lounge Sofa,

People have to know how to compare a few different quotes, most of them look at the bottom line which is the price and decide to go with the lowest one.

They should compare the services offered and quality of the company and not necessarily the price. They should compare reputation and reviews.

I realized that people don’t read the small words on the quotes sent to them which 99% of the times say  black on white: here are your hidden charges.

When it says packing materials are excluded, they think that the fact that they are packing their own boxes means that they will not be charged for packing materials but it is not true, because when you move, you have to get your sofa covered (and usually you don’t do it yourself) and if you have a glass coffee table, you cannot expect to move it without protecting the glass, protecting this glass is packing materials. When you get an estimate that says this and this is not included ask what it means so there will be no misunderstandings later.

Natalie, FlatRate Moving  www.flatratemoving.com

Mini storage can be a lifesaver! Who do you know that has enough room for all of their belongings? And, if you are moving, these locations can provide you with just the right place to store then in the process. There are many reasons to need this type of storage, but how do you go about choosing one location or the next? Really, is there a difference? There are several things that you should look for in the mini storage units that you plan to purchase.

First, start by knowing what is available in your area. In most cases, you will be able to find several storage units that you can rent. You’ll find them advertised on the web on various websites. Look for several so that you can compare what they have to offer.

Next, you will want to understand just what is out there in several aspects. The first thing to consider is quality. You need an establishment that can provide you with high quality. The environment should be clean and organized. The facility should provide for temperature control as needed. And, you should find no problems accessing the location when you need to.

Next, you need to look at security. What type of security does the location provide for your needs? Although you can lock the unit, can they still get in to it? And, do they provide you with a monitoring system to monitor who tries to enter you storage unit?

Next, you need to check if the mini storage facility provides climate controlled units for your comfort and to protect your personal or business items in all weather conditions.

Finally, you will want to look for a competitive price in the storage units as well. Depending on the area, the quality and the security provided, you should be able to find a very affordable price to choose.

It is important to realize that quality and security are more important aspects for the choice in one mini storage unit over the other. But, it is essential that you get the best price as well.

Read an article By Tom Vanderbilt: Self-Storage Nation – Americans are storing more stuff than ever.