Moving News

Could a job relocation be on your radar? Before you pack the car and hit the road, there are some significant factors that you should think about before deciding to stay or go. Here are four things to consider before a job relocation.

#1: The Cost of Living

A new job can be exciting and full of promise, but not if you end up with a pay cut due to an increased cost of living. Before committing to relocating for work, research the cost of living in the new location and compare it to where you live now, your current income, and how the salary offered might impact your lifestyle.

#2: Schools in the New City

Sure, the new job sounds great, but how will it affect your kids? Look at the schools in the area in and near your new job’s location. You might want to reconsider the job offer if the schools are not up to your expectations.

#3: Advancement Opportunities

With any new job or promotion, it’s vital to look at the job itself as well as how it will affect your career trajectory. Understanding advancement opportunities, or lack thereof, will help you make an informed decision about whether the relocation is right for you in the long term.

#4: Do You Like the Destination?

The most important factor to consider when weighing the pros and cons of a job relocation is whether you want to live in the new location. Do you like the weather and the climate? Is it too urban or too rural for your lifestyle? Does it have access to recreation, culture, restaurants, and other activities you enjoy? Will your family be happy and thrive there? Before deciding, you should spend time there to be sure it’s a good fit.

If a job relocation is the right move for you, let the experts help you get there. Contact Nilson Van and Storage for a free estimate.

If your business is moving, one of the most crucial elements in knowing how to prepare for an office move is to keep the business running during the relocation. Instead of running screaming from the building, take a look at some tips to keep things humming along, even when you’re moving to a new building.

Get and Stay Organized

The best advice we can give for an office relocation is to get and stay organized. This means coming up with a master plan for the move from long before the trucks arrive until everything is back in order. Make a list that includes what needs to be done, who is doing what, and where things need to be when.

Communicate With Your Staff

Communication is key whether you have a handful of employees or hundreds of them. As soon as you decide on the move, let your crew know. Get them involved. Help them create committees to handle different aspects of the move, answer questions, and keep everyone on track. They’ll have more skin in the game to help make things go smoothly if they’re in the loop on the process. And you won’t have to do it all on your own, so they can help keep the business running at the same time.

Hire Professional Movers

When your business is relocating, you have a lot on your mind and on your to-do list. But, even with a small business and a few employees, you want to avoid managing the physical packing and moving yourself, especially if you’re trying to keep your business running at the same time. Professional movers can pack, load, transport, unload, and unpack your office equipment, technology, electronics, files, and furniture much more quickly, efficiently, and safely than you can, which will help you keep running the show even on move day.

It’s critical to keep your business running during relocation. A reliable moving company can help. Contact Nilson Van and Storage today for a free quote.

Is your lease up but your new office space isn’t available yet? There is a solution if you have a gap between move-out and move-in. Temporary storage between moves is the answer. Here’s how to navigate that process.

How to Prepare for a Move with a Gap

Preparing for a move with a gap between move-out and move-in is like prepping for a same-day. Get organized, create a plan, and then pack your belongings or have the pros at your moving company pack them. The only thing that requires different consideration is the items you’ll need between the old location and the new one. Think about how much time you’ll have before moving into your new office, and keep that in mind when you pack what you’ll need for your staff to continue with daily operations. A move-in/move-out checklist can help keep you organized with what you’ll need and when.

Take Advantage of Temporary Storage

Whether you have one day or one month between your move-out date and your move-in date, you need a solution for storing furniture between moves, and safely storing electronics, documents, and files. The process should never include leaving them in a rental truck in a parking lot. However, the last thing you have time to manage is renting a storage unit for the gap in your move. Instead, hire a moving company that offers temporary storage between moves. Short-term storage provided by your moving company will ensure safe, secure, climate-controlled storage for your items.

Contact Nilson Van and Storage today for a free quote on your move that includes a gap, including packing, transporting, and warehousing service.

The first priority for any hotel is guest experience, including during hotel furniture installation. Any furniture or fixture upgrade is a significant investment in your facility, and losing customers because of a poorly executed installation process is unacceptable. Therefore, reducing guest disruptions is job number one. Here’s how to get it done.  

Preparation is Critical

Minimizing the impact of hotel furniture installation requires careful preparation and planning. Knowing essential information ahead of time will reduce hotel disturbance and make for a smooth installation day. It’s critical to document the building layout, doorway dimensions, freight elevator location, room floor plans, and short-term storage locations. Also, create a call sheet of what goes where to help the move-in and installation go smoothly with minimal disruption to the hotel operation and the guests staying during the installation.

Planning the Install

Day-of planning is as important as installation preparation. To minimize noise and common area interruption, create a logistics plan asking these questions:

• How many pieces are moving in?
• Is assembly required, and where and when will assembly take place?
• Are there days and times with less traffic that will impact hotel staff and guests less?
• Does existing furniture require removal and disposal?
• Are there packing materials included with the new furniture?
• Who will clean up post-installation?

Partnering with the Right Team of Professionals

Moving and installing your new furnishings requires a company with experience in hotel installation services. Knowing how to protect the pieces, move them securely, and install them efficiently is the best way to ensure a successful project while reducing guest disruptions.

For unparalleled service with pickup, transport, storage, and delivery of your new hotel furniture, count on the local team that has been in business since 1938. Contact Nilson Van and Storage to discuss your hotel installation and get a free quote.

There are many reasons for a company to consider relocation. From growth to downsizing, changing demographics to searching for more traffic. Whatever the reason, one thing is sure – a corporate relocation policy should be in place long before the move ever comes to the table. If you don’t have one, we’ve got the guide you need to get started.

Outline the Why

Why does leadership believe a move is in the company’s best interest? This is the first step in creating a sustainable policy. Be clear about the intent, the why, and who it will impact. Consider employees, vendors, customers, clients, and the community.

Create a Budget

A corporate move can have a substantial cost attached, so a budget is critical. Expenses include the cost of the building, whether buying or leasing, new furniture if needed, retrofitting the new location to suit your needs, repairs and reconfiguration, property agents, legal consultation, and moving company services.

Identify Locations

Finding the best new location is vital to the company relocation policy. Don’t just point and pick a new building – compare available options, weigh the pros and cons of the locations, look at the demographics and surrounding community, and the accessibility for customers, vendors, shipping, deliveries, and employees.

Prepare a Checklist

Your move checklist should include relocation policy best practices, including communication, information, important dates, and resources for the new location. It also needs to include the prepping, packing, and transportation details of the move from the time of the decision to completion.

Rely on Professionals

Corporate moving professionals are your company’s best resource when creating a corporate relocation policy and planning a company move. Reach out to the Nilson Van and Storage’s experienced corporate move team to get started.

Are you starting to line things up for a company relocation? Are you wondering if you should wait until spring? Corporate moving is full of logistical challenges no matter what time of year you do it, but the truth about moving in winter might not be what you think. In fact, it might be the best time to move.

Benefits of a Winter Move

Though winter moving might seem like a bad idea, there are many benefits you can take advantage of during the colder season.

• Moving companies are less busy, so you can often schedule with less lead time and still get the date and timing you need for your business.
• You can often get a discount or reduced rate when business is slower in the winter for the commercial moving business.
• With less competition for prime shipping times, your office equipment is more likely to arrive at or earlier than the estimated time, especially if you’re moving out of state or long distance.
• Special requirements and unique circumstances are easier to accommodate when moving companies are less busy.

Some Considerations for Winter Moving

Even in the south, winter weather can be extreme and unpredictable. Planning for rain and cold will help make your move go smoothly. Consider that doors will be open for an extended period as the movers take things out of the building to load the trucks. Walkways may be slippery, and everyone will need a safe way to get into and out of the building on moving day. And although moves don’t need rescheduling due to weather very often, it can happen. So have a backup plan in place just in case.

Saving money and having greater flexibility with your move date are just two benefits of moving in the winter. Contact Nilson Van and Storage for a free quote from their experienced commercial moving team and to find out how they can help make your winter company move go smoothly.

Residential moving often includes putting items in storage for the short or long term. Before you do, make sure you prepare them for winter storage. Here are some tips from the pros that can help keep your items safe.

Clean Before You Store

Cleaning before things go into a storage unit might seem unnecessary, but it’s a great way to help protect them. Dirt and dust can damage your things if left on them for an extended period, especially if you stack other items on top of them causing friction. Additionally, dirt can attract pests which you do not want in with your stuff.

Cover with Cotton

If you decide to cover any of your furniture or belongings, be sure to use cotton covers. Cotton will keep dust and dirt out and protect the surface of your items without trapping moisture which can lead to mold and mildew. Another option is wool, which won’t trap moisture in but will help keep dust and pests out.

Elevate the Electronics

Electronics are sensitive, and the winter cold can seep in and cause irreparable damage. Avoid putting them on the ground or the floor, which can hold onto the extreme cold and moisture, leading to damaged electronic equipment. Instead, put it up on furniture or stacked boxes to keep it cleaner, warmer, and drier.

Moving is hard, but combining a move and storage creates some new challenges. Make sure you prep your items for winter storage to keep them safe, and use a moving team that can ensure the safest and cleanest storage options. Contact Nilson Van and Storage to find out about mid-move storage and to get a free quote.

Residential moving requires serious planning, including knowing the best time to contact movers. You can’t wait until the last minute, or you might be stuck moving yourself in a rental truck. You also don’t need to book a year out because who can plan a move that far ahead? Your destination and how much stuff you have are factors but there are other things to keep in mind when booking a moving company.

The time of year makes a big difference regarding pricing and availability of moving companies. During the busy season, they’re going to cost more and have limited dates and times available because everyone else is moving at the same time. You’ll have more time during the off-season. A quick guide for reference includes:

• Moving in the summer – book at least eight weeks out if you can. You’re more likely to get the day and date you need for your move. Peak season runs from April through September, with the busiest months including June, July, and August when most kids are out of school.
• Moving in the off season – fall and winter are significantly slower than the summer months for residential moves. Except for the holidays, which are surprisingly popular for relocations, the cooler months are less hectic for moving companies. Two to eight weeks should be enough planning to schedule your move.

No matter when or where you’re moving, the best time to contact movers is as soon as you know your relocation date. Contact Nilson Van and Storage for a free quote and to get on their schedule as soon as you know the date you want to head to your new home.

Moving in with your significant other is a big step and can be life-changing. Before you risk your relationship with poor preparation, take a look at our quick guide to cohabiting.

Compare Notes

Being on the same page is the foundation of a successful move when combining two households and lifestyles. It’s essential to consider your finances, how you’ll manage them, how you’ll combine them, and how you’ll resolve conflicts that arise when you can’t just hang up the phone to end them. It’s also important to talk about your belongings and furniture and what will make it to the shared space and what won’t. This can mean deciding what to keep and what to toss, and you might not agree on everything. Be honest and work on compassion and compromise in areas where you might not be in sync.

Talk Logistics

Residential moving is exciting, but it’s also challenging and stressful. This is especially true when two people are moving from two homes and combining them into a new one. Understanding the move process will help it go smoothly, as will working with an experienced moving company that can help you manage the logistics. Professional packing and scheduling to help you and your significant other arrive at the same place will take some of the stress out of the process.

When you’re taking the leap and moving in with your significant other, the first thing to do after celebrating the decision is to schedule your moving company. Contact Nilson Van and Storage for all the support you need to make your new togetherness a reality.

Whether you’re looking at local or long-distance moving, there’s lots of prep and planning involved, but there are big differences between the two. Here are the three major things to know about these two types of moves.

Moving Locally

Local moves are usually within a short distance. Technically a local move is generally within a 30-mile radius. However, local moves often go over that, sometimes up to 75 or even 100 miles, if the city or metro area is large or if it’s in the same state. When it comes to pricing a move, local or intrastate moves are usually by the hour, and the moving company determines the cost based on the number of trucks and movers needed to do the job.

Long Distance Moving

Interstate and cross-country moves are generally when moving to another state, usually 100 miles or more. Pricing for long-distance moves bases the estimate on the weight and size of the items going on the truck and additional insurance, gas prices, distance, and the number of trucks and movers needed.

Packing and Loading

In addition to price differences, moving local vs. long-distance also differs when it comes to packing and loading. Local moves tend to take place over one or two days, going short distances with items spending minimal time in transit. Movers still pack and load securely. However, long-distance moving requires greater consideration of how the load will shift and move as it travels across the country over many days.

Whether you’re planning to move a short distance or are facing long-distance moving, having the right team in your corner can make all the difference. Contact Nilson Van and Storage for all the move information you need and to get a free quote on your move.