3 Organizers That Will Change Your Life

Moving into a new place: freshly painted walls, clean windows, empty shelves…. Spacious rooms look so neat without furniture. But then you move in and your stuff fills all the space. You promise yourself to keep the new place in order, get more organized but before you know it your things begin to pile up everywhere. Empty perfectly-clean rooms are just a distant memory - this place is now a mess most of the time.

Celebrate moving into a new house by getting more organized. We found three great organizers that will help you sort things that tend to create the most mess: clothes, tools, bills.

1. Closet Carousel. Not only it’s convenient to use, but will also guarantee to make your existing closet space more efficient. It comes with a bunch of accessories such as handbags and baskets; it’s easy to assemble and its parts are adjustable to maximize the individual convenience. Getting a closet carousel will help you keep your wardrobe neat and all in one space. Finding the right clothes in the morning will no longer be such a daunting task: everything is visible and easy to pull out. You can order your closet carousel at Closets.net.

2. Tool Organizer. All your tools will finally be in one place: a great display, easy to take, easy to put back. Moreover, because it’s a clear pegboard that you get to hang on the wall, it minimizes the need for shelves and frees up lots of space. And it’s only $59.99 at Organize.com

3. Rotating Bill Organizer. It’s designed to organize your unpaid bills in corresponding date spaces (from 1 to 31 for each day of the month), which serves as a great reminder when it’s time to pay your bills. It also has a convenient stationery compartment to keep some of your desktop tools. You can buy your bill organizer at StacksandStacks.com.

Ready to win the battle with mess now?

A Useful Tip on How to Move Your Glassware

You can certainly use china boxes to move your dishes and glasses since they have thicker walls and can carry more weight than a regular box. But you will need to wrap each item in paper or bubble wrap. Besides those china boxes (also called dish pack) may run expensive. So here is a better alternative: why don’t you use wine boxes instead? They will work well with their little cardboard dividers. Most liquor stores will give you as many as you need free of charge, they toss them anyway. It’s a great way to protect you glassware without too much extra packing and you will save a few bucks as well.

How to Conduct Inventory Check When Moving In

As confused as you may be with all the paperwork your moving company will ask you to fill in and sign, it’s important that you hold on to all your copies. One of the documents that will help you make sure all your belongs have safely arrived to your new location is called “Inventory List Sheet”. All long distance movers are required to make one: they put numbered stickers on each and every one of your items – from large pieces of furniture to the smallest of boxes. Each sticker number is then recorded on the inventory list along with the item description. The mysterious “PBO” that you can see here and there on the list stands for “Packed By Owner”.

Once the movers arrive to your new destination, make sure to check-off each item on the list as movers begin to unload your belongings. The best way to do it is to stand in the doorway and check-off the items as movers carry them in – this way you won’t miss anything, since there can be several workers and they can carry several items at the same time. If you discover some missing or damaged items, make a notation on the movers’ copy of the inventory list prior to signing it. Ask the movers to look inside the truck – sometimes if there is more than one load they are carrying, the missing item could have shifted to another person’s lot. If movers are unable to locate the item, check with them about claim filing procedure.

Funny Moving Company Accident

Funny accidents happen in any industry. Moving is not an exception - every moving company should have a couple of funny stories to tell. We found the funniest video of a moving accident on YouTube - was it real or staged is highly debatable. We enjoyed it nonetheless.

Are Moving Expenses Tax Deductible?

It turns out you may be able to deduct your moving expenses if you:

- moved due to a change in your job or business location
- moved because you started a new job or business

You need to satisfy two conditions in order for your moving expenses to be tax deductible:

1. Your new job must be at least 50 miles away from your old home
2. You must work at your job full-time for at least 39 weeks during the first year right after you move.

Those conditions however don’t apply to members of the armed forces who moved due to a permanent change of station.

If your moving expenses were reimbursed by your employer, you can no longer deduct them.

Visit the IRS.gov site to learn more about the topic.

Common Misconceptions about Moving – Part II

Estimate is what you will pay once the job is done. An estimate is only… an estimate. The actual amount can be close to it, or it can be nothing like it. But before rushing to accuse the moving company of hidden or unjustified charges, ask yourself if you provided your estimator with an accurate inventory. When you receive your estimate over the phone you have to describe the furniture that you have and give an approximate amount of boxes. It’s common when customers forget to mention certain items, or underestimate how many boxes they will actually have. So if you want to get a binding estimate – request for company’s representative to come in and take a look at your furniture. If you are fine with getting your quote over the phone – be prepared to pay a different amount for the actual move.

You can ride with the movers on the truck to your new location. Moving companies as a rule don’t allow customers to ride on their trucks. First of all the back of the truck might be the only available spot for you to sit in – since the moving crew occupies the cabin. And trailers are not designed to provide protection in case of a crash. Besides no moving company wants to be liable, if something happens to you on the trip. They have workers’ compensation insurance which protects their employees, but not you. So it’s a good idea to book a cab or arrange for a friend to give you a ride, if you don’t own a car.

Anything can be loaded on a moving truck. In fact by federal law or internal policy, professional moving companies cannot transport the following items:

Hazardous Materials
Items that are flammable, corrosive or explosive:

Aerosols
Ammonia
Ammunition
Car batteries
Charcoal
Charcoal lighter fluid
Chemistry sets
Cleaning solvents
Fertilizer
Fireworks
Gasoline
Kerosene
Lamp oil
Loaded guns
Matches
Motor oil
Paint thinner
Nail polish remover
Paints
Pesticides
Poisons
Pool chemicals
Propane tanks
Sterno
Weed killer



Perishables
Food, plants or living things that may die or spoil in transit:

Frozen foods
Plants
Produce
Refrigerated foods
Open or half used foods

Common Misconceptions about Moving – Part I

Adjusting your expectations means being more prepared and less disappointed. When you hire a moving company, keep these common misconceptions in mind so that you know what to expect:

1. Movers are Always on Time. The truth is delays in moving are as frequent as those at the airport. However when your flight is delayed, you sit patiently at your terminal since there is not much you can do. When movers don’t show up at 9 am sharp, most people start calling the office at 15 minute intervals to express their rage and frustration. Don’t forget that you are dealing with transportation so delays on the road will affect you directly. Just sit back and wait till your moving truck gets through the heavy traffic. Keep in mind that many parkways are closed to trucks, so the driver might have to take an alternative route, which could take longer. Your moving crew will often consist of three of more people – all of them have to get to the company’s parking lot first, some of them taking a subway and occasionally being stuck there. And when one member of the crew is late, the rest have no choice but wait for him. If your move is scheduled for the afternoon, be aware that there is probably another moving job prior to yours, which may take longer than estimated. So thinking that movers are likely to be late is the right bet.

2. Movers Never Feel Tired. Or at least they shouldn’t on your move. Especially if you are paying by the hour. Some people expect the movers to work non-stop for hours: taking smoking, bathroom, or lunch breaks is not quite appreciated. Others find that their crew is not moving fast enough: could you guys run a little faster on the stairs with our extra-heavy grand piano? But speed affects the job quality: things get damaged more frequently if they are being moved in rush. So remember a simple thing: movers are humans, not robots! They need an occasional break and there is clearly a limit to how fast they move around.

3. Everything Can be Wrapped in Moving Blankets. And you can save on the packing supplies – who wants to buy boxes when blankets can be used for free? Some people go even further – they throw their small stuff in large trash bags instead of using the boxes. And they put little consideration how much weight those bags can really hold. Then they demand movers to use blankets to wrap their flat screen TV, an antique mirror and their glass china cabinet. To which the movers will respond, “We will, as long as you sign that you won’t hold us liable for damage”. The point is if you want your furniture intact, use proper packing supplies. Moving blankets are good for your couch, but not for your breakables.