Autumn leaves! Photo by Alex Seise

Today is the autumn equinox which means a handful of things.  First, in the northern hemisphere, the days will begin getting shorter and the nights will grow longer.  The temperatures will become cool and the lazy days of summer will be replaced with bountiful harvesting.

For movers, fall has its benefits and downfalls.

The cooler weather is much more welcoming to manual labor.  While not yet dipping below freezing levels, the air is generally just mildly cooler than a typical air conditioning setting.  Imagine moving in a climate-controlled environment where humidity and temperature are regulated quite nicely-that’s what it’s like relocating in the fall!

Since summer is the unofficial moving season, movers tend to increase their rates from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  Now that the season has passed, they will bring their rates down.  Another bonus: many of the more inexperienced movers (such as temporary college students) tend to work during the summer months, so by moving in the off-season, you’ll be more likely to have full-time permanent movers loading and unloading your belongings.

Gas prices tend to be less expensive during the fall than during the summer, though the difference isn’t often tremendous.  Most movers can pass this on to their customers in the form of lowered prices.  While your mileage will be unaffected, the cost per mile will go down slightly-and this can add up for cross-country or international moves.

Besides rush hours, midday traffic during the day is lessened due to the fewer number of tourists and vacations.  With fewer people on the roads, you’ll be more likely to have your belongings arrive on time.  There are also fewer chances for collisions.

Movers can also perform their work without children getting in the way, as most kids are in school on weekdays.  Without children distracting their parents, the adults can focus their attention on organizing and overseeing the move.  With the proper foresight, it’s possible for the movers to arrive as soon as your children are off to school and to finish up before they’re due home in the early afternoon.

Like every season, autumn also has its negative points for movers.

As the season’s name suggests, leaves fall from the trees and collect on lawns, pathways, and streets.  Even the slightest bit of moisture makes fallen leaves as slippery as ice.  When moving a large couch or other piece of furniture, one missed step can spell trouble.

Also, fall weather can be very unpredictable.  While you may have a number of pleasant days, temperatures can erratically hop into the upper 80s and dip well below freezing with little warning.  Rain, snow, and ice are all possible during these months.  When planning your move, make sure to keep the forecast in mind.

Finally, with vacations ending and “real life” starting up again, there are more chances that movers will have additional obligations outside of work to fulfill.  This could spell trouble for weekend moves especially if several movers are out watching their children play sports or marching in the local band.  As long as you plan your move in advance, this shouldn’t affect your relocation.

Moving in the autumn has many great points, and as long as you’re prepared to deal with unexpected weather issues, you should have no problem relocating through Thanksgiving.  Enjoy the fall foliage as you settle into your brand new home!

Have you ever moved during the autumn?  Tell us about it with a comment below!

Elevators make moving easier!

Moving equipment is something that you rarely think about except, of course, when you’re in the process of relocating.  But these unsung heroes have saved countless back muscles, rescued thousands of dining room tables, and made moving easier for millions (perhaps even billions) of people worldwide.

Here are our top ten favorite pieces of moving equipment.  Each one is designed to make our lives easier, and their unique traits make them truly fascinating tools of the relocation trade.  Have you ever used any of them?

1. Moving Trucks - Where would we be without moving trucks?  Regardless of the size, could you imagine transporting your entire home in multiple cars or worse, via horse and buggy?  Moving trucks do, in fact, make relocation possible.  Tractor trailers, straight trucks, and vans are all perfect for different types of moves.

2. Dollies - It’s one thing to load a moving truck and to see it drive from the origin to the destination.  It’s another thing entirely when you need to get a heavy sofa from your living room through the front door.  Dollies, which are small padded frames with four wheels, are excellent at transforming a heavy load into a simple push or pull.  Just like a moving truck makes relocating a large load simple, dollies make moving individual pieces easy.

3. Unprinted newsprint - While not usually considered equipment, newsprint is integral to every successful move.  It can be used to wrap individual dishes, goblets, and other small pieces, and it can also protect large paintings and hanging artwork when packed in a large cardboard box.

4. Stair-climbing hand trucks - There’s a reason movers charge more for stair carries: they are difficult to do!  Luckily, many heavy items can be placed on a stair-climbing hand truck and brought up and down flights with ease.  Items are placed on the hand truck like normal and strapped in for added security.  Then, with the wheels against the stairs, the mover turns the automated feature on and the hand truck climbs the individual stairs using a strong set of gears.  As long as the piece is carefully secured by a person above and a second person below, it is simple and effective to use.

5. Elevators - Though not designed as moving equipment, elevators make every up- or down-stairs relocation easier.  Just pay attention to weight limits and space constraints when moving bulky and heavy items and this handy piece of equipment will quickly get you and your belongings where you need to be. (next page)

Moving season 2009 is just about over

Labor Day has come and gone, and summer 2009 has met its unofficial end.  Schools have started up for another academic year, and pools are beginning to close up shop for the season.  With summer’s long daylight hours and warm weather dwindling down, the moving season is also drawing to a swift close.

Moving in the off-season has many perks.  Among them are cheaper tariffs and less-expensive gas prices.  There also tends to be less traffic on the roads and fewer tourists mulling about.  Truck rentals are less expensive and it’s easier to cut a deal with a rental agency.  Also, fewer people tend to move between September and May, so pick-up and delivery windows become more accurate and plentiful.  The options available to moving customers are much greater during this time frame.

Naturally, there are also downfalls to moving in the off-season.  School schedules become disrupted when moving during the academic year, a difficulty that children may have additional trouble coping with.  Also, the weather tends to be wetter and cooler during the moving off-season.  It’s difficult moving in a blizzard, and cancellations are much more likely in icy weather.  Also, while many expenses are lessened by moving during the off-season, there are many prices that remain constant.  If you weren’t planning ahead, you might have used your vacation time during the summer and now find yourself scrambling to move in one weekend.

Whether or not you’re prepared for it, the moving off-season has arrived.  Take advantage of its perks and be sure to look out for any seasonal difficulties, and don’t forget to tell us about your off-season move with a comment below, a quick tweet @MoversCom, or e-mail to MoversTeam@movers.com!

Unconventional moving supplies? Get 'em while they're hot!

If you live in a cookie-cutter home with unlimited time, money, and resources, it’s quite simple to purchase brand new moving supplies and pack your belongings with the finesse and glamour of a Martha Stewart Living magazine spread.  Unfortunately, reality is rarely so blissful and it’s sometimes necessary to forego the packing paper in favor of, say, yesterday’s news.  Here are the top ten unconventional moving supplies we’ve thought of here at Movers.com.  A quick note: we don’t endorse or recommend using these methods instead of real packing supplies (though we’d like to think that these are a bit more fun and adventurous than the standard cardboard cartons, bubble wrap, and packing peanuts).

1. Microwave - When I was moving out of college my junior year, I ran out of boxes.  Unfortunately, I was moving myself and didn’t have much cash to spare for additional boxes.  I decided to make do with the closest things that ressembled boxes, the most obvious being a microwave oven.  When thoroughly cleaned, mobile parts removed, and interior covered with moving paper, a microwave is essentially a box with a hinged door.  In a bind, it can be used to pack books, mementos, or other small items.
2. Not-so-skinny jeans - Perhaps you’ve lost a lot of weight and your old skinny jeans sag.  Or maybe your denim is bursting at the seams.  Either way, use scraps from old jeans to wedge between packed items.  Or wrap an entire pair around a favorite lamp or statue–just make sure that any metallic embellishments don’t scratch your precious item.
3. Fresh mulch - This is a great alternative packing supply for outdoor items, though the odor and grit would probably ruin a lot of fine antiques.  If you want to transplant your gnomes or pink plastic flamingos, place them in a box surrounded by fresh mulch.  Larger boxes will quickly become heavy when filled with mulch, so reserve this for medium to small cartons only.
4. Aluminum cans - Wash and dry your aluminum cans as thoroughly as possible.  Use them to line the bottom of a box before adding padding.  They will provide a layer that gives and bends in addition to other padding.  A bonus: when you’re done moving, you can easily recycle them and feel good about your eco-friendly move.
5. Big sneakers - Perhaps you wanted to secure your fine glass animals or holiday ornaments in a packing job that would make Fort Knox jealous.  If so, you could wrap them as normal and then carefully place the wrapped item into an old (albeit clean) sneaker.  Wrap this once again for added support before carefully placing into the box.  The extra support will keep your items secure and safe. (next page)

Meryl Streep as Julia Child

Several months ago, I was reading through a few cooking blogs in search of a particular recipe and I stumbled upon a picture of Meryl Streep with short ruddy curls holding an uncooked chicken in the most peculiar of poses.

“That’s odd,” I thought.  “She bears an almost uncanny resemblance to Julia Child…”

I read on and learned about “Julie & Julia,” the upcoming summer flick about the late French Chef and a blogger who took to following her tome, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”  Immediately I vowed to see the film as soon as I possibly could.

Naturally, opening weekend of the film was filled with things to do and places to go.  The next weekend was equally hectic.  I was finally able to see the film in theaters this past Saturday, and it was quite good.  One of the underlying themes in the movie struck me: moving.

Moving was an integral part of Mrs. Child’s life.  She dotted around Europe and the United States with her loving diplomat husband, Paul.  From Paris to Oslo to Cambridge, the Childs experienced life all around the world.  There was one particular line in the film when Paul suggests to Julia that they would go home and sort through her collaborative work on the cookbook.  She ponders where home is.

“Home is wherever we are,” he says gently, pulling her in close for an intimate moment.

The film is filled with equal parts of cooking gadgets, delicious cuisine, and moving boxes.  Right off the bat we see 21st century blogger Julie Powell moving into a studio apartment in Queens.  She and her husband have the back seat piled high with boxes and knick knacks, including an orange cat.  Shortly thereafter, we see Julia and Paul moving into their Parisian home of four years (”It’s Versailles!” Julia exclaims) only to move out when his assignment shifts them to the south of France.  They go from place to place accompanied by thick, wooden moving crates.

In one scene, we see Julia holding her cookbook as she wraps it in newsprint.  Her face is forlorn and sad, but her warbly voice exudes her signature charm and forced optimism (clearly put on to keep her beloved husband from worrying).  Paul, meanwhile, carefully wraps her teapot and other ceramic pieces in old newspapers, ensuring that each item will be safe during the overseas voyage.  He knows how important cooking is to his wife, and he wants to make sure that she can continue cooking in her new home.

Toward the end of the movie, we see the couple’s Cambridge, Massachusetts home.  The porch is covered in crates marked “CHILD” and the entire home is stacked with relocation supplies.  It’s during this scene that Julia achieves her most poignant victory: her publisher notifies her that they’d like to give her an advance on the book, and she gleefully accepts.

While most people saw the boeuf bourguignon and buttery lobsters in the movie, I was most pleased by the way that the writers and producers integrated moving into the two main characters’ stories.  Moving is a part of life, and it’s one that is often forgotten or downplayed in movies.  Not in “Julie & Julia.”  In fact, you might go so far to say that relocation was an hors d’oeuvre for a main course helping of Julia Child.

Last Friday, I worked with GV, Pradeep, and Adam to assemble our brand new conference table and ten chairs.  It was a long process but well-worth the effort.  Our conference room is incredibly useful, and we’ve had meetings in there every day this week.  The assembly process was a little difficult, but we managed through it and had a great time working together to get it all set.  And, in case you’re wondering, our website is still Movers.com–not ConferenceRoomAssemblers.com!

Next week, we’ll be bringing you a first-hand look at our new videographer’s first week at Movers.com (including a profile of our new writing intern).  Be sure to check back, and remember: Movers.com is always here each and every day for all your moving needs!

1. “Wait, which box did I pack that in again?” - The nightmare of any sane person preparing for a move is packing everything up only to realize that an important document, medication, or other crucial item has gotten mixed in with the kitchen utensils and stuffed animals.  There’s little recourse but to bite the bullet and begin unpacking…

2. “I know my wallet is around here somewhere…” - Guarding valuables during a move is never easy.  The front door is wide open, all of the usual hiding places (like dressers and coat pockets) are heading onto a truck, and there are strangers rummaging through everything.  When something valuable goes missing, everyone panics just a little.

3. “CRASH.” - The sound of a crash–loud or quiet–is enough to unnerve even the staunchest of grown women and men.  Perhaps it’s the uncertainty–was that Aunt Greta’s hideous olive green lamp, or was it my prized bottle of vintage merlot?–or perhaps it’s the sheer shock of listening to something breaking apart, but crashes are sounds that make any moving day even more stressful than it already is.

4. “What do you mean you have a garage?!” - When getting estimates, it’s common for people to forget little things here and there.  Some forget an old dresser, and others neglect a chair.  Still, there are people who neglect to open the garage door during an estimation session.  The result is not pretty: huge overage charges, longer hours, and additional equipment to load.  No one wins when a forgotten room needs to be packed last-minute.

5. “This afternoon, there is a 100% chance of ice, snow, and freezing rain.”  - Contrary to what Bill Gates may think, we can’t yet control the weather.  Sure, moving in the rain is far from pleasant–but it’s usually bearable.  And relocating in a wind storm can be managed with strong help.  But snow, ice, and freezing rain make any normal move into a treacherous journey from the front door to the truck, to the destination, and then into another house.  Besides worrying for the movers’ safety, there’s always some white-knuckling involved when it comes to thinking about your life packed up on a truck cruising along an icy highway. (next page)

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”
-Conrad Hilton, American hotelier

Though I’m fairly certain Mr. Hilton was not talking about relocating, I do believe that wise people move around from time to time.  And the wisest of all get their free moving quotes from Movers.com!

Alex with six people he appreciates a lot (though Dave, Mike, and Luke are all missing in this older photo!)

Is there someone in your life who you really appreciate?  Maybe it’s a friend, a spouse, or a family member.  Perhaps it’s someone you see each day–a coworker who always puts on the pot of coffee a little earlier than usual so you can enjoy an 8:00 cup of joe, or maybe it’s the tollbooth collector who knows your name and gives you a friendly smile as you see him on the freeway for a quick moment each weekday afternoon.

Some people get along really well with their neighbors–right now, I only really know one of my neighbors, but she is a real gem.  When we moved in, she brought over a ton of cold water and great cheer to help us along.  She’s a nice person, and someone who I’d like to get together with again soon.  I haven’t always had nice neighbors–usually they were a little too loud for my tastes, but I suppose things could have been much worse.

I always appreciate my family members, even when I don’t say it.  My family is large–I have four sisters, countless cousins, and over half a dozen aunts and uncles.  It’s not always easy telling each person that I appreciate them, but I promise: I always do keep them on my mind.  Always.

In college, I had a penpal.  She was from California, and though we lost touch recently, I still appreciate all of our letters that we wrote back and forth.  One day I’d like to start up our conversation again–but for right now, I’ll look back on our old letters and appreciate those.

I appreciate certain television personalities, though they’re far from being on the top of my list of most important people.  It’s still nice seeing them each day, whether it be in a rerun or a live newscast.  I appreciate their work, even though I’ve never met them in person.

It’s easy to appreciate coworkers.  You see them more than anyone else, I’d be willing to bet.  They each have a personality that’s vibrant and unique.  I know I’m lucky in that department–we’re quite the interesting group here at Movers.com.

And, of course, I appreciate my friends.  Friendship isn’t something that keeps itself up, and it’s not always easy to balance it.  If ever I’ve seemed to forget about a friend, I can tell you that I probably haven’t.  I still remember meeting lifelong friends my first day of pre-kindergarten class.  Though I haven’t talked with a lot of them in quite some time, I still remember them.  And I have many college friends I need to get back in touch with.  Maybe once this sultry summer weather moves out, I’ll be able to host some more dinner parties and see them all again.  After all, isn’t autumn a time for coming together?

In the end, I suppose appreciate a lot of people for different reasons.  And believe it or not, I’ve left quite a few people off that list (mostly because I didn’t want to write a novel here).  Ah, well–like everything else in life, listing my appreciation is a work in progress.

Who do you appreciate in your life, and what makes them so special to you?

This week, I’d like to share a quote from “The Hours,” one of my all-time favorite films.  I’m hoping to see Meryl Streep’s “Julie & Julia” this weekend, so I think a quote from another movie with this incredible actress is only fitting.

“I remember one morning getting up at dawn, there was such a sense of possibility. You know that feeling? And I remember thinking to myself: so, this is the beginning of happiness. This is where it starts. And of course there will always be more. It never occurred to me it wasn’t the beginning. It was happiness. It was the moment. Right then.”
-Clarissa Vaughn, as portrayed by Meryl Streep in “The Hours”