The Most Essential Contacts You Should Notify of Your Upcoming Move

So, you’re ready to move. Have you begun all the prep that comes with it? Besides packing, there are a few other essential steps you must take; one of them being notification of your change of address. And, it is important to notify all the right people too. In addition to Aunt Edna, there are also a few other contacts that must be notified. As the trusted, professional movers for Dakota County and the surrounding areas, 1st Choice Movers know thing or two about the moving process. That’s why we’d like to take a moment to offer a checklist of whom you should inform of your move and how to get it done. It is important to take care of this list at least a week before you move to make sure you don’t miss anyone.

Start by contacting the post office; that’s the big one. And, it’s not as difficult as you might think. Simply visit the U.S. Postal Service‘s website to start your official change of address. They just charge a $1 fee to verify your identity when changing your address online, so you’ll need a credit or debit card.

Have you told your employer yet? While chances are you’ve been telling everyone at work about the move for some time now; you’ll still need to let human resources know too. Even if your paychecks get deposited directly into your bank account, you still want other important documents sent to your new address, as these papers may contain personal information you don’t want others to get their hands on.

And, don’t forget to register to vote! If you’re a registered voter, an address change is required if you want your vote counted in upcoming elections. In some cases, when you update your address with the DMV, your address on your voter registration will automatically update, but contact the office of your registrar of voters to confirm this.

Some other odds and ends: Update your address with cable, cellphone and internet providers, as well as your electric and gas companies. And, when it comes to your electric, make sure service at your new house starts either the morning of your move or the evening before so you don’t end up moving in the dark or sans air conditioning. Also, it is important to tell your doctors and other health care providers. To avoid missing and falling behind on your medical bills, update your mailing address with all of your health care providers.

And, don’t forget to update your meal delivery subscriptions, newspaper and magazine subscriptions! Either update your mailing address online, or call customer service and ask for an address change over the phone.

Last but not least...let your close friends and relatives know about your move. This is an exciting time so let everyone know the exciting news! And, any time you move, always hire trusted movers to get the job done right.

Interested in learning more about our movers in Dakota County? Call 1st Choice Movers at 763-559-5934 or you can contact us to set up your Free Estimate.

The Real Price of a Do-It-Yourself Move

Considering renting a truck and having a few family members or friends help you move? There are a few things you should consider first. While DIY moving does have a few perks, hiring professional residential movers comes with some of its very own. And, as residential movers for the Twin Cities we’d like to provide you with some information to consider when making the decision.

Has your family grown since your last move? As your family has grown or your taste for the finer things in life has grown, you may not realize just how much you’ve accumulated. It is important to really take a look at everything you have and decide if it’s something you and your friends or family could manage to move. As you accumulate more stuff and more members of your family, the advantages of hiring professional movers continues to grow.

Renting a moving truck or borrowing a friend’s pickup may come at a lower price tag but the added stress and exertion must also be considered. When it comes to renting a truck or van here are also several hidden costs you may be overlooking. Many people forget to include tolls, packing materials, the cost of their time and the cost of fuel into the total for renting a truck. The difference in the price of moving yourself verses hiring professional residential movers usually isn’t worth the stress, sweat and aggravation of moving on your own.

Moving and packing is also labor-intensive and it isn’t always something friends and relatives can manage. If you have a considerable inventory to transport and some of it is valuable or irreplaceable, think twice. Friends are not necessarily experienced movers and are not insured for damages. If your friend breaks the stereo, there really isn’t anything you can do about it. Professional movers can save you a lot of stress and you might be surprised how affordable residential movers can be.

If you’re not experienced with driving big trucks or properly securing furniture, accidents can happen. With professional residential movers they take care of all of this for you for a safer, smoother moving experience.

Are you ready to learn more about residential movers in the Twin Cities? Call 1st Choice Movers at 763-559-5934, or you can contact us to set up your Free Estimate.

Moving Tips for the Busy Season

When people seem to choose the same time period and the same approach for a certain task, there is likely good reason for it. The peak season for house hunting and moving is late spring through summer. That is likely due to the nice weather, tax refund checks and a variety of other variables. As trusted, professional movers for Hennepin County and the surrounding areas, we see many moves during this time.

An increased demand for reliable professional movers during the peak season can pose a number of challenges. So, if you intend to move this spring or summer, you need to be fully aware of all the aspects of a peak season relocation. And, as experts in the industry, we thought we’d provide helpful moving tips for your peak season move. Keep these important tips in mind: 

Try to be flexible if possible. If your own schedule allows flexibility concerning the exact date of your relocation, you can better ensure the moving services and professional movers you want. At 1st Choice Movers, we are a top choice in moving companies for many local residents and do our best to accommodate all those who reach out to us but during peak season, flexibility can help and even provide benefits like mid-month discounts.

If you can, it is important to book your move with your preferred professional movers weeks or even months in advance. And, once you’ve got your move on their calendar, create a detailed moving calendar and timeline of your own to keep organized. List all the moving tasks you need to take care of with the appropriate time limits for each of them. This can help you pack and prepare in efficient manner and keep you from forgetting important tasks.

When searching for moving services in peak season you are very likely to encounter incompetent movers. Their services may seem affordable at first; but once they secure the job, scam artists will disappear with the deposit money or worse. That is why it is important to be diligent, patient and only hire professional movers. And, professional movers like ours are specially trained in taking care of a move quickly and efficiently without accidental damage to your property.

And, these are just some of the things you should consider before your big move this spring or summer. 
Give us a call today and we can tell you even more about our professional movers in Hennepin County and all we can offer. Call 1st Choice Movers today at 763-559-5934, or you can contact us to set up your Free Estimate.


Benefits of Buying a Home and Moving in the Fall

Fall is in full swing and the holiday season is already here! This time of year, most people are focused on holiday preparations or just staying inside where it’s warm. Because of other things vying for your attention, the fall season can be an ideal time to buy a house! As a moving company serving Washington County and surrounding areas, we want to provide some benefits of buying a house and moving in the fall.

Get A Better Deal

Most houses go on the market in the spring, and many sellers list their homes high to start, hoping to get the best price. If it doesn’t sell right away, they will usually begin dropping the price throughout the later spring and summer months. It’s more difficult to catch buyers after Labor Day, so if the house still hasn’t sold, many sellers begin to get desperate around October and November. At this point, the house may be offered under market value.

Less Competition

Most families want to move in the summer while the kids are out of school and be in a new home before the new school year starts in fall. So, if they didn’t find a home over the summer, they will generally stop shopping at this point. That means less competition for current houses on the market and more opportunities for buyers. Most open houses in the fall will have fewer buyers attending. This can be a great opportunity to make an offer.

Motivated Sellers

As the end of the year approaches, home sellers may also have tax reasons for getting their house sold. They may want to take advantage of a gain or loss during the current tax year. With the impending timeline of December 31, some homeowners may be ready to close the deal. This can mean lower prices or incentives to close before the end of the year.

Holiday Season

As mentioned earlier, we are now officially in the holiday season. Most people are focused on holiday events and activities, so looking at houses for sale is put off until next year. This again means less competition in the market for buyers. Likewise, sellers are ready to get their house sold so they can enjoy the holiday season and not need to worry about disruptions that come with their house being listed.

See Home's Flaws

Although homes don’t look as appealing this time of year due to dead grass and fallen leaves, it can be a good time to truly see the home for what it is and discover flaws that may otherwise be covered up by beautiful landscaping. The best time for a property inspection is during the rain or snow when you can see if there are leaks or issues that need to be fixed. It’s better to know the home’s flaws before you buy rather than be surprised several months after you close.

Buying a home during the fall can be a good decision. Once you get that new house, you can count on us for professional moving. Since fewer people are moving this time of year, we usually have more flexibility to work with your schedule – just another advantage of moving in the fall!

To learn more about our moving company that serves Washington County and the surrounding Twin Cities area, give us a call at 763-559-5934 or contact us for a Free Estimate.

Moving Prep: Tips, Tricks & Must-Haves for Moving Day

Moving soon? Whether it’s a big or small move, residential moving can be a daunting, overwhelming task. But one strategy to ensure a smooth move is to hire a residential moving company. Local homeowners have been entrusting 1st Choice Movers for years with all of their residential moving needs in Ramsey County. 1st Choice is here to help. As your local movers, we would like to provide a few tips, tricks and supplies to make sure you’ve got what you need for a fantastic move. The following is a set of tips that can help:

1. When it comes to residential moving, keep a printed list, folder or digital file to help ensure proper organization for moving day. Stow away important paperwork, business cards and notes. Staying organized keeps all that you need in one place, ridding you of worry and the potential for panic.
2. Create and follow a budget. In addition to the cost of hiring a residential moving company, make sure to budget for other smaller elements of your move. Some of these may include boxes, bubble wrap, storage services, gas, pet or child care—really any costs that may arise related to your move.
3. Keep some extra empty boxes around. You may have forgotten to clean out under the bathroom sink or the small closet right beside it. Times like these, extra boxes and packing tape are invaluable.
4. A couple of days before your move, consider heading over to the new dwelling to do any prep work. Clean, put some food and drink in the house—get any advance work out of the way to ease the burden of the big day itself.
5. You might need to do some quick cleaning on moving day, so having a multi-purpose cleaner around is helpful as well.
6. Even if you were done packing before your residential moving team arrived, you still might want to have a permanent marker or two on hand. You might notice that you forgot to label a box or another item and having a marker ready for this task can make it a bit less frustrating and time-consuming.
7. Don't forget to leave a spare roll of toilet paper in your bathroom, and be sure to have a roll or two of paper towels too. Spills and accidents happen, so it makes those situations a lot less stressful if the paper towels are easy to find.
8. Not only are trash bags good to have one lying around so people have somewhere to throw their trash but they are also good to carry items in, including softer items you might have to pack at the last minute, like bedding or towels.

Are you ready to start preparing for your move? To hire our residential moving team in Ramsey County, call us at 1st Choice Movers at 763-559-5934 or you can contact us and get a Free Estimate.

Ask the Experts: Residential Moving Tips and Tricks

When planning a big move, it can help to come up with a few tricks to help along the way. At 1^st Choice Movers, we provide residential moving for St Paul and the surrounding areas and we know a thing or two about planning a successful move. So we would like to provide some expert advice! Here are a few great tips and tricks to help make your move as smooth as possible.

• Vacuum seal any out-of-season clothing or any clothing you don’t plan on wearing anytime soon. Not only will they take up less space, they will be a breeze to unpack and go directly into storage at the new home.
• Keep clothes on their hangers for much faster packing and unpacking. When you choose 1^st Choice Movers, we provide the free use of wardrobe boxes! Each 4’x3’ box comes with a metal rod so you can simply take your clothing directly out of your closet on their hangers and hang them up in the boxes. We can provide as many boxes as you need!
• Number your boxes. Make a list of what’s in each box by number. This can help you make sure you aren’t forgetting anything.
• Use color-coding! Pick a color code for each room in the new home and label that room’s boxes accordingly with brightly colored tape. With 1^st Choice Movers, we can even provide these color coding systems and labels for you!
• Hire professional movers especially if you have a lot of fragile valuables. Also, remember to book your residential moving company weeks in advance. Moving on the last day of the month? This is an especially busy residential moving time; so be sure you book well in advance.
• For same-city moves, hiring a sitter for children and pets can help alleviate some of the stress. 
• If you have some items that you want to get rid of, schedule for a charity organization to come pick up your items at least one week before your residential moving company arrives. Or, if you prefer to sell, start selling online at least six weeks before moving.
• Make your last and final grocery trip two weeks prior to moving in order to cut down on what you need to throw away when it comes to moving time. And, don’t forget to defrost your refrigerator at least one day before moving and wipe up any liquid.

We hope that some of these tips and tricks will help you on your upcoming move. And, we hope you will choose 1^st Choice Movers for all of your residential moving needs. If you need more information about residential moving in St Paul, give us a call at 763-559-5934 or contact us to get a Free Estimate.

10 Moving Tips from St Paul Movers

It seems you can never get enough moving tips. Here are some simple things to remember the next time you move to make the transition easier. If you need movers in St Paul, you can give us a call to make transporting your items from your old place to your new a swift and easy process.

1. Pack an overnight bag containing all the essentials
   Most likely you’ll be too tired to unpack your things, so you’ll want your essentials within easy access, including toiletries and a change of clothes.
2. Pack the items you will need first in a clear plastic bin
   This can include items like a box cutter, paper towels, trash bags, toilet paper, tools, eating utensils, select cookware, power strips, phone chargers, etc. The clear bin allows you to see inside and also separates it from the myriad of cardboard boxes.
3. Wrap breakables (glasses, dishes, etc.) in clothing or towels to save on bubble wrap
   You’re packing two things at once – clothing and kitchenware. Clean socks are great to add extra padding around glasses and stemware.
4. Pack plates vertically, like records
   They are less likely to break when packed this way.
5. Label boxes and mark by room
   You want to unpack by room once you get to your new place. This will make the unpacking process much more manageable. So label each box by the room it needs to go to. Also, remember to label the sides of the boxes, rather than the tops. That way, you can identify them even when they are stacked.
6. Buy a roll of stretch wrap
   This will allow you to group items together and protect furniture from getting scuffed and scratched.
7. Keep sandwich bags handy
   These are great for holding small parts of things you have to take apart, like curtain rods or mounted flat-screen TVs.
8. Try to show up at the new home before the move to pre-clean
   The main areas you will want to clean will be the kitchen and bathroom. You can put up a shower curtain and stock some bath towels and toilet paper to be ready for moving day.
9. Take a photo of electronics
   If you take a photo of how your electronics are connected, you’ll be able to remember how and where all the wires go when you hook them back up.
10. Cut down on boxes by making all your baskets, hampers, laundry bins and suitcases work for you
    They need to be moved too, so pack them with stuff! Use wheeled suitcases for heavy items like books.

We hope these tips will make your next move easier. Keep checking our blog for additional moving tips. If you need movers in St Paul, give us a call at 763-559-5934 or contact us to get a Free Estimate.