How to Throw a Moving Party

Posted on May 8, 2018 by Moved

Moving is a stressful time, and having your friends around to help you through the process can make it a lot less daunting. But instead of asking them “hey, wanna come over to my place to pack boxes and lift heavy things for 5 hours?,” make a fun occasion out of it, and throw and moving party! It’ll make your big day a lot more enjoyable and give your friends a heck of a lot more reason to say yes.

Here are some suggestions to help you throw a great moving party:

Be Prepared

If you read our blog, you’ve probably heard these two words more times than you can count at this point. Like everything else in moving, it ALWAYS pays to be prepared.

Packing is undesirable enough on its own. Your friends aren’t going to want to come over and have to deal with the chaos of organizing your stuff. Have a plan ahead of time. Know who is going to be at the party, what they like, and what they’re likely to be most useful doing. Make sure you have all the necessary supplies.

On the flip side of that, make sure you aren’t running a bootcamp. You want to be productive but also fun and lighthearted. It’s about finding that happy medium.

Have time for things other than moving.

Yes, the purpose of the party is to get you all packed and ready for your move, but it’s still supposed to be fun. Take breaks. If the weather is nice, go outside, maybe even make the packing into some kind of competition (if your friends are the kind of people who would be into that).

Like games? Make the party into a fun drinking game! It might include things like “take a drink every time a box is finished” or “finish your drink if you accidentally break something” (hopefully that one doesn’t happen often). When you’re all done and you have an empty floor, maybe play some Twister.

Lastly, definitely have food and drinks, and most importantly, set the mood with some music!

Music

Ever walk into a nice, relaxing restaurant and wonder why on earth they’re playing the latest EDM hits? The wrong music can kill the mood FAST, and you definitely don’t want that. Granted, you aren’t running an upscale restaurant. This is a moving party. The stakes aren’t nearly as high, but you still want your guests to enjoy the tunes.

Consider having a playlist ready for your party. You’re probably going to want something that is going to give your friends some energy. Here’s a moving playlist we created.

Have your friends help you decide what to get rid of.

Another way to make your moving party fun is to get everyone engaged in your move.

Have too much stuff? As your friends go through your closets, tell them to make three piles: (1) things to keep, (2) things to sell/donate, (3) things to throw out. Now you get to see what your friends really think of that favorite sweater you wear all the time ;).

Alcohol

Loss of motor skills and moving heavy things don’t necessarily go hand in hand, but this also isn’t necessarily a blog about safety. A little alcohol can go a long way in making moving fun. Wine seems like a popular choice for moving parties, but you know your friends better than we do. A nice assortment can’t hurt.

Use Solo Cups

Serving your drinks in disposable cups will allow you to pack the glasses you’d otherwise be using at your party. It also makes for a very easy cleanup. No washing, just throw them away.

The same goes for disposable plates and silverware!

FOOD

Moving is stressful enough, so we aren’t suggesting you go an prepare a three course meal for your guests, but you should definitely provide them with some sustenance, especially if heavy lifting is involved.

Pizza is the most obvious and probably the easiest, but thinking outside the box (no pun intended) is always fun too. Chinese, Mexican, burgers and hot dogs are a few simple things that come to mind. Maybe even have food themed around where you’re moving (if you’re feeling ambitious).

Whatever you serve, keep in mind any dietary restrictions your guests might have and provide enough options to suit everyone’s needs. They’re helping you move, it’s the least you can do :).

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10 Tips to Save Money on Your Move

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Moved

In addition to being tremendously stressful (which we’re here to fix ;)), moving can burn a whole in your pocket QUICKLY. And we don’t know about you, but we’re never opposed to some simple ways to save some cash.

Here’s some easy tips that can help you save big during your move:

1. Use household items instead of bubble wrap.

Want to be environmental and economical all at once? Use bath towels, comforters and blankets, clothing, or any other soft materials you might have in your home to pack your stuff. It’ll save you space, money, and reduce the amount of plastic waste you’re creating. That’s a win-win-win!

2. Don’t buy boxes.

So many retailers use more cardboard boxes in a day than they know what to do with. Go to your local Target or Walmart and ask them if they have any leftover boxes that they’re throwing away. You can also go to places like Craigslist where people frequently post ads giving away free used boxes. Again, save the planet and save money all in one!

3. Buy your own supplies.

Instead of buying things you need from the moving company on the day of the move, go to Lowe’s or Home Depot and make sure you have everything ahead of time. The moving company will charge you an arm and a leg.

4. Be ready when the movers arrive.

Moving companies charge by the hour. If all your things are packed and ready to go by the time they get there, it will save them time and you money.

Along with this, packing yourself instead of having them pack for you will save you lots of money.

5. Bring your stuff outside.

If you’re moving out of a small apartment and can get all of your belongings out to the curb prior to the move, then your movers will have to do significantly less work (you’ll get charged for curbside pickup instead of apartment pickup).

6. Give an accurate inventory.

Movers give you your a based on the inventory you provide them with. If you underestimate the number of things you have, the cost of your move may turn out to be more than they actually quoted you. Be as accurate as you possibly can. For the best results, make a video inventory.

7. Get creative with containers.

If you’re going to be moving with suitcases or laundry baskets, use them to pack your stuff instead of cardboard boxes to save space.

8. Book your move off peak time.

This is a big one! Movers are always more busy during the first and last 5 days of the month. They also do the vast majority of their business in the warmer months. Book your move mid-month or in the winter to save lots of money.

9. Get rid of things you don’t need.

The most obvious way to reduce the cost of your move is to have less things to move. Purge what you don’t need OR save even more money by selling your stuff to offset the cost of your move!

10. Just pay for labor.

Particularly on long distance moves (where the movers traditionally charge you for the time it takes them to drive between locations), you can rent your own truck and just pay for the labor to load and unload your things. If you don’t mind driving, this will limit your moving cost dramatically.

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Do You Need Moving Insurance?

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Moved

Fun (or not so fun) fact: The moment your possessions are loaded onto a moving truck, any damage that happens to them in transit is entirely your responsibility. They are no longer protected by your renters insurance and are only minimally covered by your movers.

That in mind, though the decision is obviously up to you, we think purchasing moving insurance is something you should strongly consider. Here’s why:

What will the moving company cover?

All moving companies are required by federal law to offer two types of moving coverage on out-of-state moves.

The first is is called released value protection. This is the most basic coverage. In layman’s terms, what it means is for ANYTHING you own that may get damaged or lost, you will be reimbursed at 60 cents per pound. It doesn’t matter if that’s a $1 million painting or a box of old sneakers. Everything is valued the same. This type of coverage is included in the quote they give you and is of no additional cost to you.

Needless to say, this isn’t great coverage.

The second is full-value protection. For this coverage, the company is responsible for reimbursing the total value of your goods. This type of protection is going to come at an additional cost, and has some caveats:

Firstly, the moving company decides how amends will be made for lost or damaged property. They can either replace your item, repair it or offer a cash settlement.
Second, this coverage DOES NOT APPLY to items valued at over $100 per pound.

This is a fairly comprehensive plan, but it definitely isn’t the best option if you have a lot of jewelry or other small but valuable items. In addition, while some moving companies may offer options like this for in-state moves, they are only required by law to offer it on out-of-state-moves.

So, moving insurance?

If you’ve made it this far into the post, you’re likely at least considering moving insurance. Woohoo! There are a few scenarios that can help you gain a better feeling of whether you need insurance or not:

1. If you’re moving Ikea-like furniture… or other fairly inexpensive things that you wouldn’t be absolutely devastated losing, you honestly don’t really NEED it. Moving insurance can often come with a high deductible which you may not reach if your Ikea coffee table breaks. In this case your insurance wouldn’t even help you. If you want to play it extra safe, then of course buying insurance still won’t hurt.

2. If you’re moving expensive antique tables, precious artwork, or lots of valuable jewelry… then you should DEFINITELY buy insurance. Look, we aren’t trying to say that movers are careless or don’t care about your things. 99% of the time, they do care, and they strive to do the best job they possibly can, but accidents happen. If your precious fine diamonds get lost in transit or your Restoration Hardware dining table cracks in half, you want to be covered.

3. Chances are, your move falls somewhere in between scenarios 1 and 2. In this case, it’s really a judgment call.

Some people are risk averse. Some are more open to taking chances. It really depends on you individually. In an ideal world, everything will be fine, but a lot of times it’s better to be safe than sorry.

ADDITIONAL TIP: If you only have a couple valuable things that you are worried about, and they’re not too large, maybe consider having those valuables on your person, where you know they’ll be safe.

Where do you purchase moving insurance?

There are numerous third-party companies who specialize in covering your move and have a variety of plans for you to choose from.

Best of luck with your move! We hope you love your new home :).

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How to Move with Pets

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Moved

At Moved, we believe in making moving as exciting and stress-free as possible, even your furry, four-legged friends.

Moving with an animal can at times be complicated and feel like a burden, but the key to making sure everything goes smoothly is planning. Here’s a step-by-step guide to moving with a pet:

1. Rules and Regulations

Usually, when moving, you need to bring certificates as proof that your pet has received proper inspections and vaccinations. There are a few things to keep in mind:

When moving to a new state, rules can differ, as each state has their own laws for pet owners. You should check with your states Veterinary Office or Department of Agriculture before your move. Here’s a state-by-state guide courtesy of GoodCall.
You should also be knowledgable of the Local Ordinances regarding pets in your new town or city. These include things like leash laws, licensing rules, limits on the number of pets in your household, and zoning laws that may prohibit specific animals. More than likely, everything will be fine, but it can’t hurt to contact a local official to be sure before your move.
Lastly, you should double check your Apartment or Condo Rules (if you are moving to one) to confirm that your pet is allowed in the building.

2. Transportation

There are three basic ways to transport your pet to your new home.

By Car

The most popular (and the cheapest) way to transport your pet when moving, if you are indeed driving to your new home, is by car. Although this is the easiest way to transport your pet, there are still a few things to remember:

If your pet does not normally ride in the car, you should probably take them on a few short rides prior to the date of your move just to get them used to it. An animal that is panicked on its first trip in the car could be a nightmare.
If your pet gets motion sickness, you may want to consult your vet to get them some medication to help.
Be prepared with leashes, food, bowls, towels, cages, or anything else your animal might possibly need during the trip. We’re big advocates of simplicity, but being underprepared with a pet in the car could spell disaster.
Make sure you book animal friendly lodging. Many hotels permit certain animals, like dogs and cats, to spend the night with you in your room.

By Plane

If you aren’t driving to your new home, moving your pet by plane is slightly more complicated, but still shouldn’t give you much trouble as long as you plan ahead.

Firstly, book early. Most airlines limit the number of animals they will carry per flight.
Get authorization for your pet. Some animals may be permitted to fly in the cabin of the plane (depending on pet size, cabin size, and the type of animal). Some animals, like venomous snakes or lizards, might be prohibited from flying all together. Contact your airline in advance to sort out all the details.

Label your pet carrier with the name of your animal and any other important information (his/her species, breed, necessary medical info, whether it may bite, etc.). If it may not be obvious that your pet carrier contains an animal, you definitely want to label the box as fragile and make it clear that there is a living creature inside.
Like always, be prepared. Flying can be hard enough for people, let alone animals. Sorry to be redundant, but make sure you have food, leashes, medications, or anything your animal could conceivably need.

With a professional pet shipper

Don’t want to deal with the added responsibility of moving your pet and don’t have a problem putting them in the care of someone else? Hiring a trusted professional pet shipper is a great way to transport your pet. Use this link to find a shipper through the International Pet and Animal Transport Association.

When going this route, you will still need to provide the shipper with the necessary details (age, breed, health considerations, documents, vaccination records, etc.). More information is always better than less when you’re putting the care of your beloved best friend in someone else’s hands.

3. Additional Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe

Make sure your pet has identification tags (if it’s an animal that can have a collar).
If your animal has a microchip, gather any necessary information and make sure the chip has been activated.
Always travel with a leash so you can let your pet out of it’s carrier without it running away.
Before leaving your old home, be sure to obtain your pet’s medical records from your old veterinarian so your new vet can provide your pet with the best care possible.

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Tips to Spice Up Your Balcony for Summer

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Moved

The days are getting longer and the sunsets are getting prettier. What better way to appreciate the warmer weather than to prep your balcony for summer?

1. Set the mood with string lights.

Gonna be spending the evenings on your balcony? String lights are the perfect way to complete create an ambient mood. Places like Lowe’s and AtHome have tons of options including solar ones if your balcony gets some sun during the day.

Want a cheap option? The Christmas lights you have sitting in the back of your closets work great as well!

2. Hang some curtains or tapestries for extra privacy.

One of the biggest downsides of living in a city is the lack of privacy. Have a balcony that’s really close to neighbors? Hang a tapestry or curtain to act as second wall to your balcony. Will you seem anti-social and unfriendly? Maybe a little. But aren’t you past pretending at this point?

3. Rugs add homeyness to your balcony.

Rugs are the ultimate way to make your space extra cozy (and prevent foot splinters). From a design perspective, use a rug that doesn’t cover the entire balcony. It’s visually pleasing to pair a rug with the wood or concrete elements of the balcony’s floor.

4. Create your own world with plants.

Plants are a great way to accentuate the homey feel of your balcony. They can also be functional for chefs (or wannabe chefs). Some easy herbs to get started with are rosemary, basil, cilantro, thyme and mint. You can pick up seeds or seedlings at your local nursery, garden center or home improvement store.

Pro tip: Get a hanging planter like the one above to save you some precious floor space!

5. Don’t go overboard on furniture.

Furniture really depends on what you want the functionality of your space to be. When furnishing your balcony though, it’s important to remember that less is more in small spaces. If you want to entertain people (we envy the fact that your balcony is large enough for this), you probably need at least a few chairs. If you’re creating more of an unwinding space, maybe a sofa or even a day bed will do the trick.

The most important thing is to get creative! Find unique seating options like this hanging chair (pictured above) that is super comfy and also gives the illusion of more floor space, making your balcony feel bigger.

Want some extra balcony inspiration. Keep scrolling:

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Living Sustainably: A Moved Experiment

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Moved

In the week leading up to Earth Day, we wanted to provide you with some tips on how to be more environmentally friendly. And instead of just giving you a list of ideas, we decided to make it a little interesting by creating a contest for the members of the Moved team. This is the recap.

1. The guidelines:

We divided the set of rules into 3 categories: things that contribute to waste in our landfill and/or oceans, things that use water, and things that increase carbon emissions. The “wild card” category was just a little extra fun. The person who went the most above and beyond to help the Earth earned extra points. The contest lasted from Monday, April 9 until Friday, April 13, a period of 5 days.

2. Takeaways

For the first couple days, the guidelines took some getting used to (especially waking up on a Monday morning). Some of us forgot that the contest was even taking place until we got to work, realizing that our “total shower time” portion of the guidelines already took a big hit. Once we got more adjusted, living eco-friendly was hardly a burden in most cases.

Water

Outside of the early slip-ups, using less water was an fairly easy transition. Most of us had no problem cutting 3–4 minutes off of our showers, even 5–6 if we rushed. Everyone can certainly do that. Being more conscious with the amount of dishes and utensils we were using while cooking and eating also went a long way in having to wash less.

Waste

Creating little to no waste was VERY hard, like harder than we anticipated it would be (and we anticipated it would be pretty darn hard). You really don’t realize how much trash you go through in your daily life until you count it. That being said, while it probably isn’t possible to have no waste (at least for any extended period of time), there are several habits you can adopt that will contribute to less waste. Here’s some tips on that:

Bringing your lunch to work significantly reduces waste, especially if you bring it in a reusable lunch box or plastic container. As opposed to buying lunch, which usually comes in a paper bag with plastic utensils, more napkins than you could possibly use, and some type of plastic container, the only waste we used when we brought lunch were a few napkins and a plastic fork (depending on what we were eating).
There’s really just no reason to use paper towels when there is an air dryer readily available, and yet a lot of us have developed the habit of doing it. So maybe your hands were a little less dry for like 2 minutes, it’s worth it!
Get a reusable water bottle! This is the easiest thing imaginable. We were ALL able to do it, no problem. Nowadays, you can even get one that keeps your water cold for hours.
Recycle. Recycle. Recycle. Recycle. It seems like the biggest factor that prevents people from recycling is that that don’t exactly know what they can and can’t put in a recycling bin. It’s super easy to find a guide for any city on the internet. Here’s one for New York City.

Emissions

Lastly, but certainly not least, limiting emissions was not particularly hard for our team, as the majority of us live in New York City where having a car isn’t even an option. If you live in a suburban area, consider riding your bike or walking. You might even realize that just spending time being active outdoors is therapeutic. Red meat is also a tremendous factor in carbon emissions. We’re not saying eliminate it entirely from your diet, but even cutting back a little every week can make a big difference.

To be honest, succeeding in most of the categories came down to developing good habits. Once we got used to using less, it really wasn’t difficult, and often times even made us feel better about ourselves for the difference we were making.

3. The Winner

With a total of 17 points out of a possible 21, the runaway winner of our Earth Day contest was Erin White. Erin is a CXM here at Moved originally from Seattle, Washington. As the contest unfolded, we found out she does a lot of cool things to go above and beyond the general expectations of “living green” that we thought would be great for her to share. Here’s her story:

On Motivations…

Growing up in Seattle, people are much more environmental. Nature is a bigger part of daily life, and composting is required by law (!). Being brought up in this environment, Erin was exposed to the value of nature right away.

In New York (where Moved is located), Erin has a roommate who is a science teacher and former park ranger that is extremely passionate about the environment. She teaches kids about what environmental changes mean and the importance of recycling and composting. Having her around is a big driver to Erin’s eco-consciousness in her apartment, where they use cloth napkins instead of paper towels.

“She doesn’t use plastic of any kind so I’m nothing compared to her,” Erin jokes.

On what she does to help the planet…

In addition to the basics (recycling, carrying reusable water bottles, taking public transportation, etc.), Erin consolidates her plastic bags and brings them to recycling centers. She goes to Target, but tells us that all large stores that give out plastic bags are required by law to take them.

She also composts her food, a tall task anywhere let alone in New York City.

“It’s about a 20 minute walk to the composting center,” she says. Her and her roommates make a trip out of it. They’ll enjoy the walk or grab a bagel, something to make the trip a little more fun.

More than anything, Erin stresses the importance in being “intentional about it.” She stresses that 20 minutes here or there every week is really not much of a burden. It’s just something you have to keep up with.

On tips for people who want to be greener…

“Getting a reusable water bottle is so easy,” she tells us, noting that New York City water actually tastes great. She mentions how many cool varieties of reusable water bottles are out there. Hers has a little counter to tell her how much water she’s drank today.

Erin says that cloth napkins aren’t bad at all either, or you can just buy thin towels and use those.

She also tells us there’s tons of really cool environmentally friendly shops in Brooklyn. On that comes to mind, @zerowasteannual, uses the remnants of other clothing makers to create clothes of his own, creating zero waste! There’s also stores that don’t use tags on their clothing.

In closing…

Something Erin is working on now is being more conscious of where she gets gets her clothes and shopping secondhand. “Where do they come from? How were they produced? What impact does that have? Do I really need this?” are just some questions she asks herself.

“I don’t feel super environmentally friendly at all,” she says. “I have a friend doing zero waste in 2018. I know people with backyard composts and solar panels.” Her attitude is constantly forward thinking.

“It may seem like I do a lot, but there’s so much more I can do. There’s so much more everybody can do. It’s not like it impacts my quality of living.” If everyone had that attitude, the Earth would be a much cleaner place.

4. Conclusion

All in all, though some of us succeeded more than others, this exercise at the very least made us all much more conscious of how much we are actually using. The difference that spending a few less minutes in the shower or bringing a reusable water bottle to work had on our lives was insignificant, but the impact they could have on our planet if everyone did their part is massive.

How to Garden in Your Apartment

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Moved

Love growing your own herbs and vegetables, but also love the hustle and bustle that living in a big city has to offer? Well, while the two don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand, just because you want one doesn’t mean you can’t have the other.

Here’s a quick guide on how to garden indoors:

Getting Started

There are 4 main things you’ll need to consider before starting your apartment garden. (1) the amount of space you have available, (2) what kind of light you will give your plants, (3) the temperature of your apartment, and (4) the level of humidity.

Space

An indoor garden can really be as big or as small as you want it to be. That just depends on how many plants you want to grow (and how much space you want to dedicate to your garden). People who want to have larger gardens or grow plants that require more space might want to consider specifically dedicating a table or bench to their garden — even a small room if you have it (which if you do, we as New Yorker’s envy you).

Pro Tip: Shelves can provide you with a ton of room for plants without taking up any floor space. Put a simple shelf by a window, or even use a window sill.

Light

Light is slightly more tricky. Ideally, your apartment has a big enough window to provide ample light for your plants to grow, but this isn’t always the case in small apartments surrounded by big buildings, especially in the winter months. More than likely, you are going to need some additional artificial light.

When choosing an artificial light source, there are certain options you need to consider:

Plants can only absorb the same wavelengths of light that the sun gives off. Therefore, normal light bulbs won’t work. We’re not going to get into the science behind that, but just trust us.
Incandescent Lamps are fairly inexpensive and can be bought at most hardware stores. They can work, but aren’t ideal. They get hot very quickly and aren’t very energy efficient.
Fluorescent Lights are best for plants that don’t require a lot of light, like herbs (scroll down to see more about lighting requirements). They will not provide enough light for flowering or budding plants. You can also buy these at your local hardware store.
Compact Fluorescent Systems, a newer version of fluorescent lights, are much brighter and more efficient than their older counterparts and can therefore be used for all plants. They produce less heat than the other options so they can be placed closest to the plants. These are probably your best bet if you want to light a garden with a variety of plants.
HID (High Intensity Discharge) Bulbs are the brightest and most efficient lights available, but also the most expensive. They are the most complex lights to purchase as they come in several types with lots of different specifications. At Moved, we don’t really like complexity ;).

**Check out this link for a guide on building your own grow light system.

Temperature

The ideal temperature for most plants is between 65°-75°F.

Plants grown in temperatures that are too warm will be small and weak. Plants that are too cold may have dry, yellow leaves that fall off.

Humidity

Too little humidity can be challenging for indoor gardeners, especially in the winter months when the air is dryer.

While humidity levels aren’t very easy to measure, three signs you have a humidity problem are if (1) the tips of the leaves are brown, (2) your plants look withered, or (3) the leaves are falling off your plants.

Some options to increase the humidity levels of your indoor garden are positioning the plants closer together, setting the plant containers over a bed of moist pebbles or spraying them with a misting bottle.

Types of Plants

So what can you grow in your indoor garden? Well theoretically, when provided with the right amount of light, water, and space, anything CAN grow indoors. That being said, certain plants lend themselves to growing indoors more easily. We recommend you try some of these, especially if this is your first time.

These plants (which generally consist of leafy greens, herbs, and root vegetables) include:

Lettuce
Spinach
Bok Choy
Herbs (cilantro, basil, parsley, oregano, chives, thyme, sage)
Raddish
Carrots
Microgreens (kale, pea shoots, cress)

Planting Your Garden

Once your gardening space and lights are in place, you’ve chosen your plants, and the conditions in your apartment are ideal for growing, you’re ready to plant! There’s 3 things you’ll need: growing containers, soil, and seeds.

Growing Containers

For most greens, you’ll need containers that are about 4 inches deep. For carrots, you’ll need at least 6 inches. You don’t necessarily have to go to the store and buy new planters. Consider using things like recycled produce containers or window boxes. Get creative!

Whatever you use, you’ll want to put a plastic tray beneath the containers to prevent water from dripping.

Soil

Different people will recommend different things, but in general, you should buy an organic, all-purpose potting mix for your indoor garden.

Seeds

You can buy seeds for the plants of your choosing at your local nursery or home improvement store. If you’re less patient, you also have the options of buying seedlings (plants that have already started to grow). Herbs grow especially slow so you might want to consider seedlings for a quick harvest.

Planting Procedure

With everything ready, it’s time to plant:

Fill the growing containers with soil and plant your seeds or seedlings, following the instructions on the back of the package for each individual plant.
If using seeds, keep the soil evenly moist until the plants germinate.
Hang the grow lights approximately 2 inches above the plants. As your plants grow, you’ll have to adjust the light. Plants grown under artificial light will need 12–16 hours of light each day. You can purchase a timer to make this easier.
Water twice weekly, or when the surface of the soil feels dry.
If the leaves of the plants show signs of stress, fertilize them with a weak solution of fish emulsion.
Enjoy your delicious plants!

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The Future of Sustainable Moving, featuring Eko Movers

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Moved

Randy Smith has moved a lot. From Los Angeles to Colorado to Dallas to Florida (lots of times) to Ohio to Kentucky and many places in between, “a moving truck has always been in my life,” he says. And while Randy had seen his belongings packed up and loaded onto a truck many times, never once had he noticed a company in the industry that placed any emphasis on protecting our environment. That is, until he discovered Eko Movers, a sustainably minded moving company that plants a tree for every move they complete.

The idea for Eko Movers came into existence almost 10 years ago at Xavier University when two classmates were assigned a business plan project. The guidelines for the project were simple. They were to create a company, a restaurant, a shop, anything they’d like, so long as it’s business model was centered around protecting the environment. So, when a friend of the students asked them to help her move out of her apartment that weekend, and they spent a few hours inhaling exhaust smoke while unloading piles of cardboard and plastic off of a U-Haul truck, a lightbulb went off (an extremely energy-efficient solar-powered lightbulb, if you will). The moving industry was a place where they could make a huge difference.

A semester later, not only did the two get an A for their exceptional business plan, but also a $10,000 investment from their professor to buy their first truck and eco-friendly moving supplies. Eko Movers was launched.

The company is now run in part by Randy Smith (no he wasn’t just a cool guy to intro this story with). His vast experience in moving allowed him to see the value in Eko Movers and he and his partners haven’t looked back.

Today, Eko Movers has offices in Cincinnati, Dallas, Tampa, and Orlando and are serving customers nationwide, still making a difference one tree at a time. We got the opportunity to chat with Randy to learn more about what Eko Movers does, what we can do to move more sustainably, and what the future of the industry looks like.

On how Eko Movers makes an impact:

You have to think about it from the perspective of “ozone to oceans” Randy says, discussing the different ways that moving affects the environment. From an emissions standpoint, Eko Movers understands the toll that big trucks, especially ones traveling long distances, can take on our ozone layers. To combat that, they use biodiesel as a cleaner alternative to diesel fuel wherever possible and have even gone as far as buying half a dozen unleaded box trucks. Though they are worse on gas mileage, unleaded fuel is much better for the environment, a sacrifice Randy & co. are willing to make to save our planet.

On the flip side of that, Eko Movers does several things to protect our oceans, of which Randy notes 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into every day. Firstly, they use biodegradable shrink wrap which, as opposed to traditional types that will literally sit in landfills until the end of time, can decompose. They also use 100% recycled packing paper to limit waste and 100% recycled boxes as often as they possibly can — while they have to be layered with virgin boxes for longer moves because they aren’t sturdy enough on their own, Eko Movers uses entirely recycled ones for local moves and makes sure to reuse all the new boxes that they do have to use.

Biodegradable shrink wrap

Lastly, everyone’s favorite, they plant “at least one” tree for every move and even invite customers from their local communities to help. They plant domestically in places like Florida (where Randy said he was personally helping plant palm trees in the sweltering heat of June last year) and even internationally in places like Africa with the help of organizations like trees.org, who Randy says is “somebody that should definitely get a shoutout.”

On what anyone can do to make their move more environmentally friendly:

Outside of using an eco-friendly mover (which we’re sure Randy wouldn’t mind you doing ;)), he gave us several tips as to how anybody can make their move greener:

Use plastic storage tubs instead of cardboard boxes. Though they are made of plastic, they’re reusable. If you move 5 times in your life and use 10 storage tubs each time, you just saved 50 cardboard boxes.
Use biodegradable packing peanuts. They’re from of natural, non-toxic sources like corn starch and dissolve in water.
UsedCardboardBoxes.com will provide you with quality (often new, but unusable by large companies because of labelling issues), pre-used boxes. Over the course of their existence, they’ve saved 2,131,636 trees, and counting!
Use 100% recycled cardboard boxes. You can buy them at most home goods stores, and they’re CHEAPER than new ones.

On the future of moving:

“Moving is never going to go away,” Randy wisely notes. For as long as people have homes, jobs and families, they are going to move. And as the world we live in continues to shift towards environmentally friendly solutions, the moving industry actually seems to be falling behind. “You might find ten in the whole country,” says Randy, talking about eco-conscious companies like Eko Movers in the industry.

The fact of the matter is, when it comes to moving, providing sustainable options is simply more expensive. And until there is a big enough shift in consumer needs to warrant it, most moving companies aren’t willing to sacrifice their margins to make that change.

For Eko Movers, their mission of saving our planet hasn’t wavered. They recently had to hire an arborist to keep up with the amount of trees they’re planting, almost 1,500 in 2017 and continuing to grow.

“I wouldn’t call us tree huggers,” Randy jokes, but he certainly understands the impact that planting trees will have on the generations to come. We can all certainly appreciate that.

Main post photo by Sarah Dorweiler, Evano Community

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Homes Immersed in Nature

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Moved

We often think of our homes as an escape from the elements, a way to be removed from the discomforts of nature. For Earth day, we wanted to highlight some homes that flip this notion upside down and instead are built amongst nature in ways that celebrate the natural beauty of our planet.

Here’s our favorites:

Mountain Retreat

Jackson, Wyoming

Residents of this mountain retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming wake up to the sun rising above the Grand Tetons. The home sits on a mountainside, 800 feet above the valley.

A sprawling floor plan with huge glass windows allows the home to feel like it opens up right into the wilderness.

Cabin on the Gorge

Hrensko, Czech Republic

Sitting on the edge of a gorge in Bohemian Switzerland, a picturesque region in the north-western Czech Republic, this Walden-esque escape from traditional society is a nature-lovers dream.

Finca Bellavista

Costa Rica

Immersed in 500-acres of jungle on the southern coast of Costa Rica, Finca Bellavista is the world’s first modern sustainable treehouse community.

It serves as a resort and escape as well as a as a local community and features a community center, restaurants and homes, all amongst the trees.

Every structure is one-of-a-kind, built to accommodate the necessary elevation and available trees. The community places a huge emphasis on sustainability, encouraging small homes, utilizing rainwater collection and solar power.

Tye Haus

Skykomish, Washington

Tye Haus is located between the pines in the private cabin community of Timber Lane Village just outside Skykomish, Washington. It’s just like camping, but without the mosquito bites and jagged rocks under your sleeping bag!

With hot tubs that run on natural hot springs and amazing views, the cabin is the perfect place to relax and take it easy while you enjoy the sounds and sights of the woods.

Takasugi-an

Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Every kid, at one point or another, dreamt of having a treehouse in their backyard. This is that dream in real life. Built by Terunobu Fujimori, Takasugi-an, which literally means “a tea house too high,” sits atop three chestnut trees in Chino, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. It’s accessible only by ladder and serves tea to local guests.

Lake House

Banff, Alberta

A cabin gives the phrase “lake house” a new meaning. Located in the middle of Lake Minnewanka, a glacial lake in the eastern portion of Banff National Park, this home is probably not ideal for those who are weak swimmers. The view though, is sublime.

Cabin in Grotli

Skjak, Norway

Anka Lamprecht and Lukas Wezel’s rustic cabin in Grotli, a tiny, mostly abandoned village in Norway, features a view that looks like it’s straight out of Westeros. While living conditions are far from convenient, the tradeoff for a life of simplicity in the mountains is pretty extraordinary.

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Tax Day: Deducting Your Moving Expenses

Posted on April 12, 2018 by Moved

Filing taxes is just about as fun as a moving without Moved. The silver lining: moving can be quite beneficial for your tax return!

Let’s break it down for you.

Do you qualify?

There are 2 things you have to keep in mind when determining whether you qualify for a deduction:

#1: The reason for your move.

The IRS only allows you to deduct moving expenses if your move was because of work. Sorry, your impromptu move to Montana to “find yourself” doesn’t count. But we support you. Do your thing! Therefore, the timing of your move must be closely related to the start of your new employment.

What exactly does that mean? The IRS’s standard is that you must1. start your job AND 2. work full-time for 39 weeks within the first 12 months after your move.The only exception to this is if you begin working BEFORE your family moves due to a special circumstance (like a family member receiving medical care, or a child waiting to finish school). Then you’ll still qualify.

#2: The distance you traveled.

According to the IRS, to deduct your moving costs, your new job must be AT LEAST 50 MILES further away from your OLD HOME than your old job. Easy enough, right?Let’s try to simplify that for you.

Basically, your move only qualifies if your new job is far enough that it would have been unreasonable to expect you to keep living in the same household and commute to work (a distance that they equate to 50 miles further than your normal commute).

For example: If your old place of employment was 10 miles away from your old home, your new place of employment must be at least 60 miles from your old home to qualify for the deduction. The only exception to this rule is for members of the military, who can deduct their moving expenses regardless of distance.

Got it? If not, here’s a simple calculation that can help:

Distance between OLD home and OLD job = A mi.

Distance between OLD home and NEW job = B mi.

B minus A must be greater than or equal to 50 mi.

What expenses qualify?

So you made it past step one. Phew!Now what expenses can you actually deduct? The IRS states that all the expenses you claim must be both REASONABLE and NECESSARY to your move. Very vague, huh?

Reasonable things may include the cost of gas mileage, boxes, rental trucks, movers, storage, etc…basically the things you generally would associate with moving. For longer trips, this may also include hotel lodging, tolls, and parking fees.

Note: The IRS includes a standard mileage rate you can use when calculating the cost of gas mileage. This rate is 18 cents/mile for 2018. You are more than welcome to calculate your actual transportation costs and use that instead.

How do you file for the deduction?

To formally file for the tax deduction, you have to complete a Form 3903, pictured below and linked here.

The form is fairly straight forward. Mover fees, shipping and storage costs go on line 1; travel, lodging, and gas costs on line 2; reimbursements from your employer for any moving expenses on line 4. Sites like TurboTax and TaxAct will also guide you through this form.

If your reimbursements from your employer happened to be greater than your moving expenses, then your move is not tax deductible, and you will have to claim the excess as taxable income. If the opposite is true (which we assume it is if you’re reading this), then you can deduct your excess expenses to reduce your taxable income.

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Tips to Spice Up Your Balcony for Summer

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Moved

The days are getting longer and the sunsets are getting prettier. What better way to appreciate the warmer weather than to prep your balcony for summer?

1. Set the mood with string lights.

Want a cheap option? The Christmas lights you have sitting in the back of your closets work great as well!

2. Hang some curtains or tapestries for extra privacy.

3. Rugs add homeyness to your balcony.

4. Create your own world with plants.

Pro tip: Get a hanging planter like the one above to save you some precious floor space!

5. Don’t go overboard on furniture.

Want some extra balcony inspiration. Keep scrolling:

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How to Take a Video Inventory

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Moved

The days of scheduling in-home estimates are over. Video inventories are a much quicker, more convenient alternative to getting quotes for your move.

Here’s a guide on how to to make a solid video inventory:

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Make sure your home is well lit. If you’re filming during the day (recommended), open the windows to let in as much light as possible. Turn on the lights in darker rooms. You want your possessions to be as visible as possible in the video.
Open all of your cabinets, drawers, and closets (especially in kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms) beforehand. This way you won’t forget to show any of the items hidden inside.
When you enter a large room, pan the camera from left to right to give the viewer a perspective of the entire space. Then, sweep the room providing close up footage of all of your things.
Specify any fragile or especially valuable possessions like wall art (pictures, paintings, etc.), valuable antiques and electronics.

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Image credit: Smart Photo Courses

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Spring Cleaning: iPhone Edition

Posted on March 20, 2018 by Moved

Today officially marks the first day of Spring. And while it certainly doesn’t feel like it yet, spring cleaning time is upon us!

Traditionally, spring cleaning is a time to go through your abode and get rid of unnecessary possessions you may have collected over the past years. This year, we thought we’d switch it up a little and offer you some tips on how to clean the part of your life you spend most of your time on: your iPhone!

1. Purge those unused apps

This is the big one. Remember that time you downloaded that fitness app so you could start counting your calories and tracking your workouts? And then got sidetracked and decided to go to the ice cream shop across the street? If you’re not using that app, press for a second and delete!

Unused apps take up storage on your phone and add unnecessary clutter to your life. Luckily, Apple provides some easy ways for you to see what apps you’re using and which ones you aren’t. First, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. This will show you how much of your physical phone storage is being used by each app (pictured left). It will also tell you the last time you used each app, or if you’ve ever even used it at all.

If you haven’t used an app in over 6 months, chances are you probably don’t need it. You also might be surprised at how much storage the apps that you rarely even look at are using. For example, the Podcasts app might be auto-downloading new episodes, taking up [many] gigabytes of space on your phone. If you don’t ever listen to podcasts, this is a tremendous waste. All that excess information adds up and can really slow down your iPhone.

Additionally, you can also go to Settings > Cellular to find out how much data per month you are using in each app. This will give you a clearer picture of what you’re actually using your iPhone for. Be mentally prepared when you see how much data you spend on social media; it might make you seriously reconsider the time you spend on editing the perfect Instagram photo.

2. Clean out your photos

Calling all accidental screenshots, selfie bursts and miscellaneous photos from who-knows-how-many-years-back. Going through and deleting them will save you a lot of storage (especially the videos!) and make it much easier for you to find the pictures you actually want to keep.

3. Remove contacts

Traditionally, New Year’s is everybody’s favorite time to remove “toxic people” from their lives. Not saying you have to do that (you can if you want) for your spring cleaning, but definitely scroll through your contacts and remove the people that make you ponder, “Wait, who is this again?”

4. Delete old text conversations

Just as you went to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to get rid of the applications you don’t need, you can use the same feature to Auto Delete Old Conversations. Enabling this will delete any texts and attachments that were sent through the Messages app over one year ago.

If you want to keep fond memories (or blackmail), you can also manually browse through old text conversations and delete the ones you don’t need anymore. Your iPhone’s internal storage will thank you.

5. Optimize your email

Emails. Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em, right? What you can do though is stop receiving emails that you actually don’t need. Check out unroll.me, a service that goes through your inbox to detect mailing lists you’re subscribed to, and allows you to unsubscribe immediately. Saves phone storage and [some] Monday morning headaches.

6. Silence notifications

In 2018, cellphone addiction is an extremely legitimate thing, a horrifying one in some cases. Do you really need to know what your aunt recently posted on Facebook? Or that someone liked your Instagram photo the moment it happens? Okay, maybe you do. But for the majority of people, it’s just unnecessary. Silencing notifications will make your phone look cleaner, operate more smoothly, and provide significantly less distractions. After all, you spent so much time picking out that beautiful lock screen image. Don’t you want to see it when you open your phone?

Conclusion

All in all, depending on how much excess stuff you had on your iPhone prior to your spring cleaning, it may or may not look all that different. What you do now have though is a much more functional phone .

On top of that, you may have found that the most valuable thing you got from this exercise is that it forced you to consider what you’re dedicating your time to. When you see that you’ve already used over 100 GIGABYTES of data on social media this month, it may make you realize that you should allocate your time differently. Maybe spring cleaning your iPhone enabled you to declutter your real life after all.

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6 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Move

Posted on March 15, 2018 by Moved

Each year, movers in the US consume the equivalent of 28.5 million trees, 132.7 million gallons of oil, and 11.7 billion gallons of water! With the current state of our environmental crisis, these numbers are alarming, and it’s important for us all to do our part in changing them.

Thankfully, there are many ways you can reduce your carbon footprint during upcoming move. Here are 6 tips to get you started:

1. Donate/ Recycle Old Clothes

Be honest. How many pieces of clothes do you have hanging in your closet that you haven’t worn in three years? We all do, and moving is the perfect time to get rid of them while simultaneously making a difference in the world. Instead of throwing away your clothes and letting them become waste in a landfill, donate them to one of these organizations:

Madre.org — a grassroots organization that helps women around the globe.
Big Brother Big Sister Foundation — helps children in the New England area by providing them with adult mentors that they wouldn’t otherwise have.
Brides Across America — gives free wedding dresses to women who’s loved ones are serving in the armed forces.
Soles 4 Souls — provides footwear for those who can’t afford it.
Goodwill — pretty universal, there’s probably one near your home!

**Side note: Many of these organizations take furniture donations as well. If you have an old sofa or table that you don’t plan on using in your new home, schedule a donation pick-up; it’s free!

2. Boxes

The average move requires approximately 60 cardboard boxes, aka more than half of a one-ton pine tree! Instead of buying new ones and perpetuating the cycle, grab some used boxes from grocery stores, Craigslist or sites like UsedCardboardBoxes.

Wanna take it a step further? Forgo cardboard boxes altogether and rent waste-free moving bins from companies like RentAGreenBox, Gorilla Bins, Bin-It, and JuggleBoxMoving.

In the event that you already bought cardboard boxes before reading this, it’s okay. We understand. Just make sure they find the recycling bin when you’re done with them OR extend their life by creating an ad for them on Craigslist. Maybe you can even get a little money for them to make up for that costly move ;). A good quality cardboard box can typically be reused up to ten times.

3. Packing Supplies

There are green alternatives to almost everything you’ll need for the move, including bubble wrap, packing peanuts, foam wrap, edge protectors, bags and more. Uline.com has a wide selection of supplies made from environmentally friendly materials.

Don’t want to spend the money for these supplies? Get creative with it! Towels, blankets, and clothes are great substitutes to bubble wrap and moving pads!

4. Transport

Several moving companies nationwide have shifted to bio-diesel fuel to be more environmentally friendly. Eko Movers, for instance, goes above and beyond and pledges to plant a tree for every move they complete!

You can also use services like MovingPlace: carpool-like moving services where you share space on a large truck with others moving cross-country.

5. Cleaning

Let’s be real…cleaning sucks. But at least nowadays you can feel good about yourself while doing it. Eco-friendly cleaning products are all over the place these days. Mrs. Meyers, Method, Seventh Generation, BioKleen and Shaklee are all high-quality brands you can try. If you’re busy and have the cash to spare, you can also hire the services of a green cleaning service such as Ms. Green-Clean or Eco Green Home.

6. Build Good Habits In Your New Home

A lot of people view moving as a fresh start. And why not use that fresh start to turn over a new leaf and start protecting the environment. Here are plenty of options:

New home closer to work? Fun fact: the #1 reason people move in the United States is to make their commute easier. Maybe you can walk or bike on your commute instead of driving. Get your exercise in and support the planet at the same time!
Switch to paperless banking.
Continue using green cleaning products whenever possible.
Recycle!
Use eco-friendly paper products. There are greener alternatives to paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, and anything else you can think of.
Use more energy efficient CFL or LED lightbulbs.
Get reusable paper bags for when you shop. The majority of grocery stores offer them for a cheap price where you check out. Lots of stores even offer them for free nowadays. Save up!
Solar panels. Limit your gas and electricity use by installing solar panels in your new home. If you plan on staying for a while, they may even be cheaper in the long run!
Install eco-friendly plumbing parts.

We want to wish you the best of luck with wherever your move may take you, and thanks for wanting to do your part in helping save our planet!

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5 Easy Ways To Save Money While Moving

Posted on March 13, 2018 by Moved

Moving burning a hole in your pocket? We’ve been there, and we want to help. Here are some small things that could go a long way in helping you save money while you move.

1. Find Used Boxes

Boxes are pretty easy to come by in the age of online shopping. Some ways you can find used boxes include:

Shopping online and saving the boxes that your items come in- as long as they’re big enough to be useful!
Ask your friends to save extra boxes for you.
Check the free section of Craigslist for peoples’ used moving boxes.
Ask local stores if they have any extra boxes from shipping merchandise. Chances are they’ll be happy to recycle them.
Bonus tip: skip the bubble wrap/packing peanuts. Use these free items instead.

2. Get Free Help from Friends and Family

The more free labor you can find, the better. That’s why people have kids in the first place, right? Here are some tips on getting help while packing:

Family is most likely to care and want to help you, so start there.
When asking someone to help you do manual labor for free, consider offering to buy them dinner in exchange. It’s a great way to say thank you at the end of the day.
Return the favor. When it comes time for your friend to move, offer to help!

3. Get Rid of Junk Before Moving

If you’re going to hire movers, you might be paying them hourly, meaning the fewer boxes you have, the fewer hours you’ll need the movers for. If you’re renting a truck and moving yourself, the lighter the truck, the less gas you’ll have to use.

Regardless, there’s no better time than right before a move to get rid of unnecessary items! Here are some things you should consider getting rid of before your big day:

Furniture you won’t be using. This will save lots of space and energy.
Clothing that nobody wears. If it’s still in good condition, donate it!
Old textbooks that you pretend that you’ll reference in the future, but never actually will. Welcome to 2018. We have the internet!
Heavy exercise machines located under the thick layer of dust in your basement

4. Shop Around for the Best Moving Quotes

When looking into finding movers, junk removal services, or painters to cover up all of the holes you weren’t supposed to make in your walls (oops), you’ll notice that there is a range of prices different people will charge. To find the best price for you, it’ll take a little shopping around. Here’s how to find the best prices:

Create a list of people who provide the service you need as well as phone numbers for each. Call each of them and get a quote based on your situation. Write this down next to each listed person, as well as your impression of the quality of their service.
Ask friends or family who have moved recently for recommendations if they had a good experience with their last move.
Use the Moved app to get a free personal assistant to compare quotes for you, book you services, and get rid of the stressful and time consuming part of coordinating a move!

5. Time Your Move Properly

Timing is everything, especially when it comes to moving. Here are some things you should know when deciding when you want to move:

Most people move between the months of June and August. If you chose a date in this time period, not only will you have fewer available movers to choose from, but you’ll have no room to negotiate pricing.
If you live in an apartment and you want to move soon but your lease isn’t up, consider sticking it out those last couple months so you don’t lose your security deposit.
Plan your move around the start and end dates of utility billing so you don’t end up paying an extra month for a service that doesn’t prorate.

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Be Prepared

Have time for things other than moving.

Music

Have your friends help you decide what to get rid of.

Alcohol

Use Solo Cups

FOOD

1. Use household items instead of bubble wrap.

2. Don’t buy boxes.

3. Buy your own supplies.

4. Be ready when the movers arrive.

5. Bring your stuff outside.

6. Give an accurate inventory.

7. Get creative with containers.

8. Book your move off peak time.

9. Get rid of things you don’t need.

10. Just pay for labor.

What will the moving company cover?

So, moving insurance?

Where do you purchase moving insurance?

1. Rules and Regulations

2. Transportation

3. Additional Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe

1. Set the mood with string lights.

2. Hang some curtains or tapestries for extra privacy.

3. Rugs add homeyness to your balcony.

4. Create your own world with plants.

5. Don’t go overboard on furniture.

1. The guidelines:

2. Takeaways

3. The Winner

4. Conclusion

Getting Started

Temperature

Humidity

Types of Plants

Planting Your Garden

Growing Containers

Soil

Seeds

Planting Procedure

Mountain Retreat

Cabin on the Gorge

Finca Bellavista

Tye Haus

Takasugi-an

Lake House

Cabin in Grotli

Do you qualify?

What expenses qualify?

How do you file for the deduction?

1. Set the mood with string lights.

2. Hang some curtains or tapestries for extra privacy.

3. Rugs add homeyness to your balcony.

4. Create your own world with plants.

5. Don’t go overboard on furniture.

1. Purge those unused apps

2. Clean out your photos

3. Remove contacts

4. Delete old text conversations

5. Optimize your email

6. Silence notifications

Conclusion

1. Donate/ Recycle Old Clothes

2. Boxes

3. Packing Supplies

4. Transport

5. Cleaning

6. Build Good Habits In Your New Home

1. Find Used Boxes

2. Get Free Help from Friends and Family

3. Get Rid of Junk *Before* Moving

4. Shop Around for the Best Moving Quotes

5. Time Your Move Properly

3. Get Rid of Junk Before Moving