The Moving Planner Blog

Properly storing family heirlooms and antiques can be a daunting task filled with anxiety. Often antiques are oversized and difficult to move without the help of a professional movers and just storing your irreplaceable items in-doors doesn’t ensure that they will be protected from the elements. Spending a little extra time to research experienced movers and well maintained storage facilities can save your antiques from being damaged and your sanity.

Protecting antiques from dust, mold, and extreme temperatures is critical in ensuring the preservation of antiques. When researching storage facilities, be sure to ask about environmental conditions, and inform the facility manager that you are storing antiques. Do not assume there is climate control in all their vicinities, often climate and humidity control will cost extra.

To ensure your antiques arrive safely into storage, find a facility with a successful track record of handling antiques, which also offers moving services. The mover should utilize special crating, packaging, and padding methods; like anchoring crates to prevent motion and air controlled hydraulics to ensure a smooth ride for your possessions.

Finally, you may need to provide the storage facility with proof of insurance, before they will agree to store valuable objects. Do not just rely on the mover’s free insurance because it is based on weight, ask about a better insurance plan and consider third party insurance. Before purchasing coverage, inform the insurance company about your objects of value. Be prepared that some insurers insist on a formal valuation of antiques by an accredited appraisal expert.

We have talked in the past about the best ways to pack your goods for storage, but what about choosing the right storage facility? In this post we offer some tips to help you make that decision.

Know Your Options
There are two types of personal storage, with conventional storage you rent a room of a particular size and it is up to you whether or not the space is filled. FlatRate Moving offers another possibility. You pay per item for storage and to top it off your boxes are picked up and delivered by our courteous and professional movers.

Things to Consider
Consider facility conditions, ease of access, and hours of operation when choosing a storage facility. If possible, visit the premises to examine the cleanliness, organization, and location of available units. You can also ask for recent photographs of the facility. It is important you feel comfortable with leaving your possessions in their care.

Questions to Ask
•   Are they listed with the Better Business Bureau?
•   When can you access your possessions?
•   What kind of security systems do they have in place? (The issues are not just about your possessions, but your personal safety.)
•   Is there adequate fire and flood protection?
•   Is there air conditioning / climate control?
•   Have they had break-ins?
•   How long is the commitment period when moving in or vacating a space?
•   How much deposit is required?
•   How many elevators/loading bays do they have?
•   What do available units cost and how long are the rates guaranteed?

As I’m sure some of you have noticed the days have started to get shorter and the cool breeze of fall has begun to waft through the air. Today at 5:18 pm EDT the official first day of fall began. Gone are the days of lounging by the pool and sporting flip-flops, it’s time to pack up the summer gear and bring out the layers of fall.

To help you prepare we are going to share some tips on how to pack and store the shorts, t-shirts, and lines that encompass summer, so next year when you emerge from hibernation you are ready to soak up the sun.

To Store of Not to Store

The first step when getting ready to pack away summer clothes is to ask yourself “do I have the space to comfortably store these items without sacrificing personal space?” If you answered no, it would behoove you to rent storage space. FlatRate Moving & Storage offers various storage options, including climate controlled private spaces. Give us a call to find out more 1-800-486-3528.

Deciding on a Container

There are two important factors to consider when deciding on how to box your belongings: Are you storing them in a climate controlled facility or are they susceptible to the elements? If you are using a climate controlled facility gathering a few clean cardboard boxes will suffice, but if you are taking the risk of exposing your belongings to the elements then a sturdy plastic tub with a latching lid should provide the extra protection for your summer clothes.

Sorting Clothes

This is a great opportunity to give a something back to your community by sorting your summer clothes and deciding what to donate. I use the rule of thumb, did I wear it more than 3 times this summer? If not, it gets tossed in the donation pile.

Go through your sandals and flip-flops, bearing in mind that most inexpensive flip-flops are only good for one season. Save yourself the storage room and toss the worn flip-flops. You can easily pick up a new pair next year for usually less than $5. Once you have the keepers, clean them with a damp cloth to get the dirt and sand off and place them into a storage container.

Time to Pack

By now you have sorted though all you summer clothes and have a “keeper” pile. Now make a dark and lights pile and wash and thoroughly dry all your clothes. This will ensure your clothes are fresh, clean and ready to wear next year. Once the clothes have been washed and dried, sort them into tops and bottoms. Carefully fold the tops and bottoms and place them in the storage bins. Take some tissue paper (I use the tissue from gift boxes) and cover the top of the clothes. Place a dryer sheet on top of the tissue paper and either snap the lid shut or tape the box up.

Moving your office to another floor in the building or moving your entire company across the globe? No matter what your commercial moving needs are, it’s essential to hire a company with extensive experience in the corporate relocation sector. The number one priority of corporate relocation is to make a smooth, seamless transition that does not affect your business’ productivity before, during, or after the move.

From moving office furniture and fragile equipment to transporting important documents, make sure to find business movers who understand the ins and outs of corporate relocation. It might be enticing to receive multiple quotes and then choose a cheap mover in order to cut costs but it’s not worth it in the long run when you think about the possibility of the mover damaging your equipment or not getting your belongings to their destination on time. Find a mover that will do more than just lend you a helping hand and provide you with a truck rental – select a mover that can help you plan every aspect of your move.

The FlatRate group of movers is a specialist in the corporate moving sector. They provide our corporate clients with a corporate relocation specialist who will assess your situation carefully to create an optimal relocation plan. Thanks to our special corporate relocation checklist, our staff members can ensure that every aspect and detail of your move is assessed. If you are providing your employees with a relocation lump sum, you want to be sure that the moving services provided are as cost-effective and efficient as possible. Select an experienced mover like FlatRate for your local and nationwide office relocation needs to guarantee complete satisfaction with the end results.

Flat Rate Corporate Relocation

FlatRate takes care of all aspects of your commercial move from the planning stages to the unpacking. First, a corporate relocation specialist will meet with you to come up with strategies for an optimal relocation plan. In addition, a foreman will do a walk-through with you to assess every detail of your particular situation. Prior to your move, tags and boxes for all of your equipment and belongings will be sent to you for your convenience. Then our staff will visit your office in order to mark and label all of your items. The new office space will also be marked and labeled to ensure proper placement of all of the items.

The walls and floors of your office will be protected during the move. Your office equipment and furniture will be packed wrapped and packed efficiently as well. Our staff will load your belongings onto dollies for quick transport via elevator on the day of the move. Our specially trained crew members and a field manager will safely load your items onto our air-ride trucks and transport them to their final destination in perfect condition. Once your items arrive, our crew members will unload, unpack, and set up your new office to your complete satisfaction.

There are several commercial movers and interstate movers that offer corporate relocation services and they include Uhaul, K2, Atlas, and United and Van Lines. But when you measure customer satisfaction and reputation, the FlatRate group of moving companies clearly comes out on top. From offering challenging and rewarding careers to providing affordable moving services of the utmost quality, FlatRate is undoubtedly a leader in the commercial moving sector.

Storage

When you are planning a stressful move within the New York City area, the last thing you want to worry about is where to put all the company belongings. FlatRate will pack firm’s belongings and then transport them to your self storage units in New York without you having to lift a finger. If you end up needing an item or two from your storage unit, there’s no need to fret. Simply give them a call and they will bring whatever items you need back to your office on the same day. More about office storage >

Storage companies will generally provide an estimate on request. Before accepting your goods for storage the storage company must provide you with a written estimate which is usually free of charge although in some states a maximum nominal fee can be applied. It is important to stress that the choice of company should not be based solely on price. Remember the cheapest estimate may have the worst service and the last thing you need is to take your important business documents, high end kitchen or home furnishings out of storage after a period of time and find they have been damaged due to poor service. The estimate a warehouse will give you differs from an estimate a mover can give you in the sense that no extra charges can be applied without being agreed to by the customer.

The storage facilities reputation must always be considered. Ask family and friends and business colleagues for referrals and check with the better business bureau on any complaints they have on file on a particular warehouse you may be looking in to and how these were resolved. It is highly recommended that you obtain at least three estimates before making a final decision. All estimates must be based on the warehouse operator physically inspecting the items to be stored in person and you should always receive a written copy of the estimate. If you are offered an estimate over the phone do not accept this and think twice about using this company.

Here is a guide on what to expect in an estimate.

• Name, address and telephone number of company
• Address of actual storage location (this may be different from the office location, especially in larger companies)
• Warehouse storage rate per unit
• Minimum monthly storage charges
• Minimum number of month’s storage
• Any applicable charges for storage preparation, padding or packing
• Any charges applied for transportation if this service is available and accepted
• Other charges the warehouse may apply

The cost of storage can vary depending on the options you decide to accept. The basic cost will cover items such as light, electricity, insurance, security and pest control. In order to calculate the actual costs it is important to think through the storage options you NEED. I stress the word need because if your goods do not require conditioned storage to remain in good condition it is probably not worth paying for it, however if your goods do need special storage conditions it is advisable to pay for it as it will be worth it in the end. For example, paper products going in to storage should be stored in rooms that have humidity control. You will pay extra for environmentally controlled rooms such as temperature and humidity control and you will also pay extra for non standard insurance.
A warehouse must insure goods against loss or damage for a minimum of about $0.30 per pound per article up to $2,000. The figure may vary slightly depending on the state. If your antiques china set weighing 10 pounds and valued at $1,500 is broken in the warehouse you would be entitled to the tidy sum of $3.00. You may want to take out additional insurance and the warehouse operator is required to inform you that additional insurance is available. Be sure you understand what the insurance covers in the unlikely event any goods become damaged. For example if you take out $3,000 worth of insurance on $12,000 worth of goods, i.e. ¼ of the value, if there is $4,000 worth of damage you would be covered for only $1,000 of the loss.
Source: http://www.newyorkmovers.org/storage-estimates.htm

Recommended New York Storage

Storage New York – FlatRate moving provides storage facilities in New York to accommodate every sort of residential and commercial requirement in your own unit. They operate their own facilities in Manhattan & NYC, which are climate controlled, with modern sprinkler systems, freight elevators, and loading-dock access for any size truck. Flatrate New York facilities are safe and completely insured. FlatRate New York City storage provides short-term and long-term storage units or storage to consolidate your goods for long-distance shipment.

RECOMMEND New York / Manhattan Storage Facility

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New York Storage 

Before you move, you must make sure that you have a place to store your belongings for the time being. There are many different sizes of storage rooms and many different size lockers. For more information go to New York Storage website.

Many moving companies provides mini storage facilities to accommodate every sort of residential and commercial requirement in your own unit. We operate our own facilities, which are climate controlled, with modern sprinkler systems, freight elevators, and loading-dock access for any size truck. Our facilities are safe and completely insured. FlatRate provides short-term and long-term storage units or storage to consolidate your goods for long-distance shipment.

Looking for a quality New York moving and storage service?

In 1991, FlatRate Moving Systems developed a totally new concept offering customers an all-inclusive, guaranteed, one-price moving and storage service. Their intention was to eliminate the questionable pricing practices inherent to the moving service industry, while at the same time providing quality service and storage at competitive prices. Their commitment to these goals remain steadfast.

They perform every type of moving and storage service: residential, commercial, long distance, or overseas, providing the finest overall moving service, from initial planning of your move to final follow-up.

FlatRate Moving is one of New York City’s most recommended moving services. Their estimates are always accurate and always competitive. Their moving and storage service is the most complete. They help you plan well in advance of your move, or quickly assist your in an urgent or immediate situation. They are fully equipped to move an entire home or apartment, or simply one piece of furniture.

Nearly all storage companies will have restrictions on what they will allow you to store on their premises. These restrictions are to protect both the storage company and the items being stored. The list of items a storage company will not allow you to store is very often similar to the list of items a moving company will not transport for you.
Read this section before doing your own packing and loading so that you do not find out on the day of the move that you are not allowed to store some or all of the items you have carefully packed. It is important that you understand which items you can and cannot store. There are also items you should not pack yourself, for example you may need professionals to pack up your exercise equipment correctly. The following list serves as a guide only on what not to put in to storage. If you have any specific questions contact your storage facility directly.

• Hazardous Materials / Combustible Materials / Aerosols

Flammable, corrosive or explosive items including:

• Acid / Gasoline Poisons / Charcoal / Lighter Fluid
• Fertilizer / Paints / Car Batteries / Matches
• Nail Polish & Remover / Ammunition / Liquid Bleach / Stern
• Aerosols / Kerosene / Pool Chemicals / Chemistry Sets
• Fireworks / Pesticides / Motor Oil / Paint Thinner
• Batteries / Loaded Weapons / Weed Killer / Ammonia
• Lamp Oil / Propane Tanks / Cleaning Fluid
• Do not store perishables such as food
• Plants  Plants are notorious for not traveling very well and often die in transit. They also do not survive well when moved from one location to another and are thus not generally stored. Some plants also attract pest such as insects, and so we will not allow them to be stored on site. Contact the Department of Agriculture before moving any plants across state lines as many states have rules and regulations that prohibit the entry of plants.

Examples of items you may not want to store are as follows:

• Address Books / Files / Air Line Tickets / Financial Statements / Photos and Albums
• Car Keys / Furs / Research Projects
• Bond / Deeds/ Tax Records / School Records
• Check Books / Jewelry / Sterling Silver / Valuables
• Coins / Letters / Stocks / Stamp Collection
• Computer Software / Disks / Medicine

Source: http://www.newyorkmovers.org/storage-restrictions.htm

There can be many reasons private people and businesses need to store goods away to be used at a later time. Sometimes when moving your household goods may need to be stored temporarily. This may be due to timing and not having located a permanent home in your new city and you may need to store your belongings for a few weeks as you find a new home. You may decide to do some remodeling of your new home or build an entirely new home and you will need to have your furnishings out of the way while this is going on and storage is an obvious choice. You may just need to store items you do not or cannot have in your home due to space constraints, and storage can is an option in situations like this.
An advantage of storing with your moving company is that the company will then deliver your furniture and other possessions when you are ready for them. You will not have to be present at the pick-up at the storage facility if you are moving with us as well.

If the storage is for overnight only, we will usually allow for storage within our truck itself, which is locked and parked in our safe and guarded depot, providing we have the availability. There is an extra charge for this service, and it varies according to the size of the truck. Please check with your relocation consultant in order to determine if this is option is available at the time of your move, and what the size of your shipment will cost for overnight storage.

At the time when you are making a decision on whether to store or not to store your goods, think about the other options that may be available to you. Do you really need all the items you are planning to put in to storage? Can you get rid of any without any regrets? Remember if you are moving, that everything you get rid of now is something you won’t have to pay to have moved. On the other hand you may need it someday!

Ask yourself some questions before deciding to store particular items or not.

1. Do I need the item?
2. Will I ever use this item again?
3. When did I use it last?
4. Has it got sentimental value?
5. If any of the items need repair will you really have them repaired?
6. Clothing items if you have not use any item will you really ever wear it again?

You may decide after answering the question above that you do not really need some of the items. The next big question is what to do with all this stuff. There are many options available to you. You could throw the stuff out, give it away to charity, or sell some of the items.
Source: http://www.newyorkmovers.org/storage.htm