Moving
Moving and Storage Options for Fitness Equipment
Tips from the Moving and Storage Experts at Great Plains
Whether you’re relocating your whole household or just your personal gym, fitness equipment can be some of the most stressful items in your home to move. Because fitness equipment is designed to be sturdy, it’s often far heavier than you’d estimate it to be, and the build and shape of most machines make them unwieldy to move through hallways and doorways. Allow the expert movers at Great Plains Moving and Storage to help you make your move a little less stressful.
Flexible Moving Quotes
Great Plains Moving and Storage can work with you on any scope of a household move, and can even provide a quote to just come to move a single piece of exercise equipment for you. We’ve seen DIY movers stumped by fitness equipment in the past, and even some at-home injuries; so we’ve compiled our list of the best tips for moving and storage of fitness equipment, including how our own teams deal with this challenge.
Moving Fitness Equipment
First, make sure the machine is unplugged. Never attempt to move anything that has an electrical current. For some machines, you’ll be able to disconnect the cord from the machine itself; disassembling parts that are easily taken apart will make the moving process easier on you.
Next, make sure you’re prepared to move the machine. This means you should walk the path you’ll be moving the machine, and make sure that there are no trip or slip hazards, and that you have a plan for any doorway or stairwell you’ll have to navigate. Preparing to move the machine means you should also arrange to have help. Try to plan to have several pairs of hands available—the more help you have, the easier it will be on each of you individually.
The moving and storage experts at Great Plains Moving and Storage know the most important thing you can do during a move is to take good care of your body. Bend with your knees; never lift with your back. If you can’t lift something easily, you should get help from a friend; never jerk or wrench upwards on a heavyweight. Taking care of your body means also having the right moving equipment: where possible, use a dolly or a lift, especially if you’re moving the machine onto or off of a truck.
On a truck, in a storage unit, or in your basement or garage, it’s important to take precautions to keep the machine in good shape during transit and storage. The moving and storage teams at Great Plains Moving and Storage recommend using moving pads and blankets underneath and around the machine during transit, and covering the machine during storage. This helps keep the machine free of dust, dirt, and safer from damage during moving and storage.
Contact Great Plains Moving and Storage
Great Plains Moving and Storage can work with you on any residential moving needs, no matter the number of items you need to be moved or how far you need to go. Contact us today to get started with your free quote and to see why we are considered one of the top moving companies in Colorado.
How to Reduce your Moving Costs
Tips from Denver, CO Movers on How to Reduce Your Moving Costs
At Great Plains, we’re proud to serve all members of our community in their residential and business moving needs. No matter your budget, we can help make your move easier, and figure out the timeline and services that will be right for you.
Keep Track of your Moving Costs
Moving doesn’t have to break the bank—in fact, you should be aware of most of your moving costs from the start! Dishonest moving companies might try not itemizing their services or providing costs that are customized for your particular needs, so that later they can hike up the costs when you’re too far into the process to object. At Great Plains, you’ll understand your moving costs from the start. Our comprehensive quotes take into account the scope of your move, how much you need to move, how far you need to go, and the timeline you need in order to provide the most accurate information possible.
There are lots of ways to save on moving costs, especially when you have time to plan ahead and gather resources in advance. One of the easiest ways to save money is to use cardboard boxes from businesses. Ask local businesses (particularly grocery stores or liquor stores) if they have boxes you can take before they flatten and recycle them. Stores that ship and vend breakable items might also have heavy duty or reinforced cardboard boxes, which will be great for your kitchen items and other fragile household items.
Work with your Dedicated Move Coordinator
You can also work with your coordinator at Great Plains to reduce moving costs by selecting the services you need most. You don’t have to get a quote for us to move your whole household; plenty of clients choose to have us move just furniture pieces, or just a piano or other fragile, heavy item. Your coordinator can help you understand the costs of our various services so that you’re in the best possible position to choose what help you need for your move.
To save on moving costs, you can also consider the time of year when you’ll move. Because the busy season is during the spring and summer, you can find off-season rates from movers when you schedule a move during the slower months of the year. You can also find some movers who will reduce your rates if you’re willing to schedule your move on-call, meaning they’ll slot you in if another client cancels.
Contact Great Plains Today!
At Great Plains, we believe you have the right to understand every expenditure during your move, and we’re dedicated to providing you with accurate, up-front information so that you can make the choices that are right for you. Contact us today to get started with your free quote.
DIY Moving Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
Tips from Local Moving Companies in Denver & Colorado Springs
Planning a move is stressful on your body, your schedule, and your wallet. Local moving companies like Great Plains Moving and Storage know that many individuals or families might think it’s easier or cheaper to try to manage the move themselves. Renting a truck and asking your grocery store for cardboard boxes might sound like the most cost-effective option but moving is a big endeavor that involves all of your household possessions and huge chunks of your time. Avoiding help from local moving companies isn’t always the right answer, even for the most budget-conscious among us.
Ask for a Quote
First, know that you can ask local moving companies for quotes on your whole move or any part of it. You and your family might decide to manage lightweight or boxed parts of your home, while still getting expert help in moving furniture, exercise equipment, antiques, or other challenging items. Great Plains Moving and Storage can give you a quote on any of these options.
Packing and Unpacking
Next, consider how you’re protecting your household goods. Is it really cheaper to risk damaging your furniture, your kitchen items, or your valuables? After reviewing your quote from Great Plains Moving and Storage, you might reconsider; or you might decide that packing yourself and letting our moving teams handle the rest is a good compromise. If you decide to pack yourself, make sure to use high-quality packing materials, and use plastic bins or heavy-duty cardboard boxes for items that are both heavy and fragile.
Let Someone Else Do the Work for You
Don’t forget to consider your time commitment. Especially if your move is long distance, it’s often more economical to let local moving companies move your household in one trip, rather than making multiple trips yourself. If you find yourself needing to take multiple days off of work or planning days of travel to accomplish your move, you might not be saving yourself money in the long run.
Understand Your Limitations
DIY packers or movers should also remember to be aware of their physical limitations. Our professional moving teams have extensive personal equipment (back braces, knee braces, training on lifting techniques) and moving equipment (dollies, lifts, standard size boxes) that make lifting heavy items safer and easier. When you do it yourself, try to mimic these best practices as closely as you can. Fill any void area in a box with packing paper or air bubbles. Only use boxes that are in good shape and be sure to clearly label each box. Ask for help lifting furniture and other items, and be cautious in hallways, doorways, and stairwells. Always clear your moving path before you begin to move heavy items.
Contact Great Plains Moving and Storage
Great Plains Moving and Storage offers a comprehensive packing, moving, and storage service that can be customized to fit your needs. Contact us today to get started with your free quote.
Tips from Expert Moving Companies on Consolidating Households
Consolidating households with a partner, roommate, fiancé, or family member is a great opportunity to start fresh and build a relationship. The logistics can also be overwhelming as you navigate names on leases, mortgages, utilities, and more, layout and floor plan questions, and more. One great way to reduce stress is to seek the help of professional moving companies.
Great Plains Moving and Storage has served the families and individuals of our community for more than 100 years, and we’d love to help you with your next residential move. We offer full-scale residential moving services, including packing, moving, unpacking, furniture building, IT set-up, and more. Our expert movers can also provide you with a quote for smaller needs, like moving a few heavy pieces of furniture, or transferring vehicles from one residence to another.
Combining Households Without Raising Stree Levels
Moving in with someone else means you’ll need to spend some time planning before you move and figure out what items need to go into your new space. Professional moving companies like Great Plains Moving and Storage know that the more time you can spend planning and prepare, the easier your move day—and after—will be.
· Take an inventory. Each member of your new household should make a list of what they can bring into the new space. Try to also mark each list with what items are most important to each individual. For instance, if you’ve had the same couch since college, and your housemate has a beloved living room set they don’t want to part with, it will probably be an easy choice of which sofa winds up in your new living room.
· Decide how to proceed. If you and your roommate both own full-size dining tables, chances are you don’t want both of the table sets to wind up in your new home. You can decide to sell, donate, or discard duplicated items across your household inventories.
· Downsize wherever possible. Beyond items which both you and your new housemate own, downsizing your amount of possessions generally is a great idea as you combine households. Downsizing means you have fewer items you need to pack and move, which will make your move easier, and it also means you’ll have fewer items to have to find places for in your new home, which will make unpacking and organizing easier.
Contact Great Plains Moving and Storage
The best tip to make moving in with someone else easier is to hire a professional. Moving companies like Great Plains Moving and Storage offer comprehensive services that can take some of the labor and stress off of your shoulders, leaving you more able to focus on other logistics of your move and the joys of partnering up your living situation. To learn more about the moving services offered by Great Plains Moving and Storage, call or contact us today.
Settling into Your New Home When Moving to Colorado
If you’ve moved recently, or you have family or friends moving to Colorado, it’s important to take the time to make your new space feel like home. Often, we spend the first days or weeks after a move surrounded by boxes, just trying to make sure we’re getting to work or school on time. Making the time to make your new house feel like a home can also make moving to Colorado feel like coming home.
Finish Unpacking
It helps to have a strategy as you approach your unpacking, like going room by room. Start by setting up pieces of furniture and arranging the layout of the room, and then unpack the items that belong there.
As you unpack, make sure to remove the cardboard boxes from your new home. We’re guessing you don’t usually decorate in cardboard, so having it hanging around the rooms of your house won’t make you feel more at home. You can often donate or recycle moving boxes. (Moving to Colorado means finding green solutions for almost everything!)
Settling In
Finding homes for your décor, your art, and all the little touches that make a space look and feel like you. As you unpack your art, you can think through which rooms or spaces you’d like to hang it in.
Unpacking your kitchen gives you the opportunity to decide which small appliances, baskets, or vases you’d like to have out in your kitchen. And as you organize your living room, don’t forget to add throw pillows, family photographs, your game collection, and all the other odds and ends that make the room your own.
Moving your household also gives you the opportunity to throw a great housewarming party. Nothing makes a house feel more like it’s really yours than filling it with family or friends. Giving loved ones the opportunity to celebrate your moving to Colorado, enjoying your new space, and adjusting to your new life will also give you the opportunity to feel more at home.
If you haven’t yet planned your move, or you know someone who will be moving to Colorado, the full-service team at Great Plains Moving and Storage would be happy to help. We offer comprehensive packing, moving, storage, and logistical support for residential and commercial moves. Learn more by contacting our friendly representative for your free quote today.
Moving Tips for Relocating During the Holidays
While moving during the winter holidays might seem like a last resort, there are actually many benefits to choosing the winter months for your next move. Real estate and rental prices tend to be lower during the winter months. The costs for movers tend to be lower as well because the winter is the off-season, and because it’s less busy, you’re more likely to get the moving dates and times you want.
Moving during the winter months can present different challenges. The teams at Great Plains Moving and Storage have gathered these moving tips to help you make your holiday move stress-free:
Plan Your Move in Detail
When you partner with Great Plains Moving and Storage, we’ll help you build a moving plan that works with your timeline, your budget, and incorporates all the services that you need. When you have your moving plan finalized, you’ll know exactly what to expect, and you can plan out the rest of your logistics as well.
Schedule Your Move Well in Advance
Your moving team can schedule the day you’ll move out of your old residence and into your new residence, and you may be able to pin down the time of day for your move, as well. Ironing out as many details as possible ahead of time will help your move go smoothly.
Make Plans For Your Pets
No matter how you’re planning to travel to your new household, you’ll need to make a travel plan for your pet, too. Your vet can offer tips for extended airline or car travel and how to make that easier for your pet. You should be prepared to travel with food, water, and any needed medications for your pet. Keeping your pet safe from the weather during winter travel can be more challenging; make sure you have a plan for any downtime or in case of emergency.
Be Mindful of Holiday Closures
Preparation ahead of your move will go a long way to making sure that your utilities are on, cable or internet is installed, and there’s food in the fridge for your first few days in your new home. When you move over the winter holidays, you’ll need to be mindful of any closures for the utility service companies, cable or internet providers, and local services like restaurants and groceries. You can research in advance to make sure you can set appointments around holiday closures.
Moving over the holidays might make you feel like you’ve missed the opportunity to celebrate with family or friends. That’s why our moving tips include recreating holiday celebrations. A housewarming can be a great reason to gather those you love, too! Recreating a family tradition or homecooked meal in your new space can make it feel more like your home.
The best moving tips from Great Plains Moving and Storage are to use our comprehensive packing, moving, and storage services to their full extent. Your move will become easier the minute you had off the hard labor to our team.
Get started today by requesting your free quote.