Out with the Old: Cleaning out the Clutter
Before you start packing up your belongings for the big move it is smart to clean out the clutter first. You will find out a few things once you start packing yourself.
- It’s going to take much longer than you think once you come across the old photos, videos and more that you have kept stored away for all these years. Trip down memory lane, anyone?
- You have much more stuff than you thought.
- You’ll think you are done, then oh wait, you remembered a whole other area you completely forgot about.
So in order to help eliminate some of these barriers, we advise you clean out the clutter before you bring out the boxes and start the packing. Here are some tips courtesy of our friends at Good Housekeeping, on ways to clean out the clutter.
Save:
- Family photos: We aren’t asking you to get rid of these memories. Just make sure you store them in acid-free archival albums to make sure they stay in good condition.
- Classic clothing: Hold onto the clothes that will stand the test of time; solid colors are key.
Donate:
- Old clothes and bags: You are going to find clothes you haven’t worn in years. Get rid of them and donate them. In fact, any piece of clothing, bag or shoes you haven’t worn in the past 18 months, it’s going in the donation pile.
- Toys: These can add up, so once again, if they haven’t been touched in awhile, don’t be hesitant on giving it away.
Recycle:
- Old magazines and newspapers: Bundle them up and recycle them. The odds of you getting back to reading them are slim to none.
Toss:
- Anything past its expiration date: It’s there for a reason.
These are just a few suggestions, for more tips on de-cluttering your home, Good Housekeeping is a great resource to check out.
New Home Inventory Site: iKeepm
Keeping a home inventory is an important but difficult task. Lucky for you, there is a new website that makes it easy to catalog your belongings. iKeepm, the online home inventory software, is a new website that allows you to add rooms to your home and then add items. You can include photos, serial numbers and descriptions of your belongings, as well as how much you paid. This is a simple, hassle-free way to manage an online home inventory list.
Another plus to this website, all of the information is stored in the cloud. What does that mean? If you are robbed or your computer is damaged, you don’t need to worry about your inventory being lost with everything.
iKeepm is currently free. Check it out here.
Office and Industrial Relocations with Wheaton World Wide
Relocation doesn’t have to be difficult. When you work with Wheaton, you and your transferees will gain access to a network of professional interstate relocation services that take away the stresses of moving and make the trucks, boxes and packing tape seem like a dream. Ultimately, you need to get your employees back to work quickly, comfortably – and profitably.
Wheaton Logistics Services (WLS) transports a wide array of commodities requiring specialized handling. Our professional movers are skilled in handling a variety of sensitive, non-hazardous cargo not well suited to freight haulers including:
- Medical equipment
- Computers
- New furniture
- Store fixtures
WLS offers complete, professional loading services onto air-ride trailers equipped with furniture pads, straps, decking material and walkboards. Our customers also have the freedom to load the trailer with their crew at origin.
WLS provides interstate truck transportation services throughout the continental United States with the capability of handling truckload and less-than-truckload shipments. We offer dock-to-dock service as well as inside pickup and delivery.
Wheaton Logistics Services understands the critical importance of damage-free, on-time service. We carefully establish date commitments, confirm them in writing and coordinate by phone prior to the driver’s arrival.
For a competitive quote, call 800-985-6070, ext. 247, or email coburn_cutshall@wvlcorp.com.
Indiana Children’s Wish Fund
Wheaton World Wide Moving understands the importance of being a good corporate citizen. Giving back to the community and to specific causes is embedded in Wheaton’s corporate culture.
For many years, Wheaton has donated time and treasure to the Wish Fund in the hopes of helping children with life-threatening illnesses achieve their dreams. Specifically, Wheaton sponsors the organization’s Christmas in the Kitchen program and volunteers to help underprivileged families enjoy the holiday season by providing gifts and meals.
Visit IndianaChildrensWishFund.org to learn more about Indiana Children’s Wish Fund.
The Indiana Children’s Wish Fund mission is to put smiles on the faces of Indiana children who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness by making a dream come true. Our children have had to fight battles that children should not have to fight. These children go through miserable treatments that make them sick for days on end. They forget what childhood is all about. Granting their wish gives these brave children something to look forward to and helps build strength and hope for their futures.
To see the other organizations Wheaton World Wide Moving is active with, click here.
Good Housekeeping Seal
Consumers have relied on the assurances of the Good Housekeeping Seal since 1900. Behind the prestige of the Seal is a staff of highly trained experts who continually review products and advertisements in Good Housekeeping magazine. The Good Housekeeping Institute has great pride in the integrity of its Seal, and the companies that carry it fully understand the weight implied by its designation.
Each year since 1964, Wheaton World Wide Moving has earned the Good Housekeeping Seal for interstate moving – and continues to be the only moving company to receive that honor. With customer satisfaction ratings perpetually at 95 percent or higher, the industry’s most qualified drivers, and Wheaton’s state-of-the-art tracking and communication systems, you can rest assured Wheaton will uphold the Seal’s standards for service. Trust your belongings and memories to this Good Housekeeping Seal holder. Trust Wheaton to move your life.
It takes a super consumer review site to issue 2011 Super Service Awards
Wheaton World Wide Moving awarded 2011 Angie's List Super Service Award
The world of online consumer reviews is a challenging place for any service company to live. Consumers have a great platform to air their grievances and demand their service providers perform to the standards that were promised at the point-of-sale. And that’s how it should be. It certainly keeps us on our toes.
As a result, we take our online reputation very seriously. Wheaton was particularly honored to receive a 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award. While there are many worthwhile places for consumers to post reviews and comments about their service providers, Angie’s List is quickly earning a reputation for being tough, useful, fair (to both the consumer and the service provider) and relevant.
We’re proud that Wheaton World Wide Moving and a growing number of our 240 agents nationally are listed on Angie’s List and are Super Service Award Winners. No service provider is perfect. But we certainly believe that the response to the mis-steps that inevitably occur during the course of business is the true measure of a service provider – whether it’s the household goods moving and storage industry or any other. Angie’s List holds our industry and many others to higher standards – and we think that’s a wonderful thing for our customers.
What to Expect as you get Ready to Move
Plan ahead
A little time and thought can make a big difference in the relocation to your new home. Your local Wheaton World Wide Moving agent will complete a free in-home, no-obligation moving estimate to give you the best idea of cost and range of services available. To save time and reduce costs, check out the weekly planning calendar and money-saving tips in our Planning & Guides section.
Pack it up
Your local Wheaton World Wide Moving agent will gladly handle the packing and crating of all your goods, or only those you select. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, be sure to ask your agent about the self-packing guide and range of quality materials they have available. Our Packing & Unpacking page is a great place to start planning for packing for your upcoming move.
Load it up
On moving day, your driver carefully prepares your belongings for shipment, individually labeling each box to guarantee it won’t be misplaced. The condition of all goods is verified, and a detailed inventory is provided to you; only then are your possessions protected and secured inside the van.
Accept delivery and make payment
Wheaton World Wide Moving establishes firm departure and arrival times, and in-transit information is always available through your local agent or Wheaton’s Customer Service Department. This ensures you are secure in knowing where your belongings are and can adequately plan for their arrival.
At your destination, your driver professionally manages the unloading of your shipment after payment has been received. During this process, you’ll use the original inventory sheets to confirm the safe arrival of all items at your new home.
Unpack it
Wheaton’s packers can help make your transition into your new home a smooth one by unpacking your belongings and removing all the cartons, or you can choose to settle in yourself.
The 10 Best U.S. Cities to Retire in 2012
Boone, North Carolina
U.S. News selected 10 key attributes that many people look for in a retirement spot, along with a city that excels in meeting each need. Here are their recommendations for the Top 10 Places to Retire in 2012:
- Pleasant year-round weather: Flagstaff, Arizona
- Affordable mountain town: Boone, North Carolina
- Water views on a budget: Traverse City, Michigan
- Greenest place to retire: Walnut Creek, California
- A college town for retirees: Ithaca, New York
- Place to launch a second career: Lincoln, Nebraska
- Best mix of affordability and amenities: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Best place for affordable housing: Port Charlotte, Florida
- Best place for single retirees: Pittsfield, Massachusetts
- Best place for recreation and culture: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Creating the Perfect Moving Announcement
You just moved, hurray! Now it’s time to announce your new home and address to all your friends and family with a moving announcement card.
Not the creative type? No worries, there are plenty of Web sites out there that will do the creative part for you. All you need to do is:
- Pick one of the Web sites we have listed for you (see below)
- Choose the template that you like the most
- If it includes a place for a photo, snap a picture of your new home
- Input your new address information
- Follow the ordering instructions
- Send away!
Check out these Web sites and their moving announcements templates:
Top 5 Metro Markets in 2011
Here’s a look at the top five metro markets based on year-over-year price changes:
| Metro Area | Home Value | Year-Over-Year Price Change (10/10 – 10/11) |
Peak | Fall From Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa, Okla. | $101,000 | 6.2 percent | October 2011 | 0 percent |
| Oklahoma City, Okla. | $105,900 | 3.1 percent | October 2011 | 0 percent |
| Lincoln, Neb. | $127,400 | 2.7 percent | February 2006 | -2.7 percent |
| Honolulu, Hawaii | $474,200 | 1.3 percent | April 2007 | -7.9 percent |
| Madison, Wis. | $192,400 | 1.3 percent | February 2007 | -6.2 percent |
Read the full article from US News & World Report
