As you’re preparing to move and packing things away, there are a few things you should be putting on the side to make the whole process easier.

Direct Moving Boxes is your source for Packing Boxes and Moving Supplies

AN INFLATABLE MATTRESS. The last thing you want to do your first night at the new house is to spend a couple of hours putting your bed together.

Sleeping on the floor may sound like an easy option, until you wake up the next day with a sore neck and a room full of moving boxes to unpack. An air mattress is easy to transport (you can bring it along in the trunk or even as a carry-on bag) and will provide a comfortable place to relax that first day.

TAKE OUT MENUS. If you’re moving fairly nearby and you can walk around the neighborhood in advance of your moving day, pick up a few menus

from local places that offer delivery. You will probably be too tired to cook on your first night, so this would certainly make things easier. If you don’t have the chance to stop by the area early on, search online for local restaurants and print out their menus and phone numbers.

A PORTABLE TV OR STEREO. On the odd chance that you’ll be there before the truck arrives, or if your TV is a 50-inch monster that needs a dozen cable connections in order to work, taking along an alternative source of entertainment would certainly help you relax after a long, difficult day.

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Packing boxes fast!

If you want to get your moving boxes packed fast you need to be a little organized.

Before you even buy moving boxes you should make a list of everything you need to pack. Your packing list should be broken down by room and or person. After you finish making the packing list of items from each room you should then group items that can be packed into cardboard boxes together. For example, Bedroom items such as pillows, blankets and bed sheets can be placed into extra large moving boxes.  Dresser draw items such as make-up, hair combs, perfumes, non valuable jewelry etc. can be placed into medium moving boxes. Make sure to fill in empty spaces in your moving boxes with have crumbled up packing paper so your items will not shift around.

Creating this list may seem like work but it is quick and easy to create. Having a moving list like this will help you be more exact when buying moving supplies and packing boxes. If you still need help on how many moving supplies and packing boxes you need, try one of our pre-made moving kits. Each moving kit we sell is broken down by room size and will help you with packing boxes fast.
Visit our home page and start shopping for your packing boxes and moving supplies.

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When packing for a move, you may be tempted to throw everything you own into moving boxes and just ship it to your new home. Unfortunately, moving companies have strict guidelines regarding what can and cannot be packed and sent. These items are basically divided into three major categories:

Hazardous materials

Anything that has a risk of exploding, causing fires or burning/corroding the surfaces they come into contact with. Obvious items such as kerosene and propane tanks are included here, but there are also lots of other items you wouldn’t necessarily consider dangerous, such as darkroom chemicals, motor oil, charcoal and nail polish. Even matches and household batteries are usually in the forbidden list.

Perishables

Most foods cannot be shipped, not matter their present condition. This is especially true of anything that needs to be refrigerated or can spoil during transit (such as fresh produce). Many companies have rules regarding live plants, and most won’t carry open packages of food, even if it is dried.

Items of Sentimental Value

Anything that doesn’t have a real money value should usually not be packed and shipped. This is because companies need a real number to attach to items in order to be able to provide you with insurance. Papers that cannot be replaced easily, such as airline tickets or insurance policies should be kept out of moving boxes. More surprising, however, is the list of items that are considered “personal valuables” and are not subject of insurance, including cell phones, jewelry, laptop computers, family photographs and even CDs and DVDs.

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When it comes to moving, the earlier you start preparing your things, the less trouble you are likely to run into. Moving is more than just putting things away in packing boxes, which is why having a specific time line in mind will help you streamline the process and make the most out of every minute.

The best time to get started is about a month before you actually move. This is the time to research the basics, including finding out about your new neighborhood, how and when you will need to turn the utilities on in your new place and whether you should be looking into opening new bank accounts or renting a P.O.Box there. This is also the time to look into pet-friendly hotels, in case you need to sleep overnight somewhere before the movers get home. If you are hiring a full-service moving company, which will pack and move everything for you, you should also create a detailed inventory of everything you’re shipping. Taking pictures of your most valuable items would also help.

Two weeks before the move is the right time to make all needed reservations, confirm with the moving company and start packing boxes. Fifteen days may seem like a long time to spend putting moving boxes together, but you probably need that much time if you want organized cardboard boxes that will be easy to unpack once you get to your new home. This is also the right time to verify your insurance and see if you need any additional coverage for special collectibles or valuable objects.

Seven to five days before you move, make sure your moving boxes are all packed and ready to go. Start putting together a bag or smaller box to take along with you, packed with all the essentials you need to survive a few days in your new home (you probably won’t feel like unpacking as soon as you get there). Also, check with the electric and phone company and have your utilities turned on. Don’t wait until the day of the move to do this –If you run into a problem or something fails, you’ll be stuck in the dark.

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You need packing supplies and boxes from Direct Moving Boxes for your next move.

Shipping your possessions internationally requires a little bit more planning than it would just to fill moving boxes and send them across the country. Finding the right moving company is key in an international move, as you need somebody who knows international laws and regulations, as well as has all the necessary permits and insurance coverage to guarantee the safety of your items.

International moving usually requires lots of paperwork in order to ensure that your items do not get stopped at customs. Depending on the type of items you are shipping and their final destination, this may mean taking lots of photographs, providing pricing estimates and signing lots of paperwork.

One important thing to keep in mind when shipping overseas is that some things are better left behind. A good example is appliances, which probably won’t work in other countries because of electricity differences. You could, in theory, buy adapters, but they don’t work on all appliances and they end up putting a lot of strain on the items themselves, which means they are likely to burn out faster or work at a lower capacity. Furniture or other heavy items may cost too much to ship as well, in which case it also makes more sense to simply sell them and buy new ones once you get to your final destination.

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Ready for your own home? Sure that you don’t want an apartment? While this may make things simpler, there are still a lot of choices out there regarding homes. Besides the obvious, such as size, location and design, you also need to choose the type of home you want.

Single family homes are the obvious choice for many. They offer homeowners privacy and allow you to have as much land around you as you want, just for yourself.

Multifamily homes can look the same as single family homes, but they are usually found in cities and often don’t have a backyard or land around them. New York City’s brownstones are a good example. These two or three story homes are a great investment choice for those who need supplemental income, as they can be rented as more than one unit.

Co-Ops are a different element. Because you own shares, rather than actual property, your rights and obligations are different. Most co-ops are apartments, but some are now being build as house-like developments, where you have more of a feeling of community living than city dwelling.

What type of house is right for you depends on a lot of factors, so it’s important that you examine your needs and wants before you make a final decision.

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Ready to remodel? Hiring a contractor can be a daunting experience, especially if you don’t know what to look for. If that’s the case, here are some tips on how to make the right decision.

Ask for a recommendation. If you know somebody who hired a contractor recently, find out how satisfied they were with his performance.

If you can’t find anybody through personal recommendation, it’s ok to check the phone book or do an online search, but make sure that you look for reviews and contact the Better Business Bureau to see if there are unresolved complaints against the company.

As a general rule, contractors who have been in business for a long time are a better choice, as they will have connections with suppliers (and can get you better prices) and will know how to solve pretty much any issue that comes up during construction.

Don’t choose the cheapest option out there. Saving a few hundred dollars can be a mistake if it turns out the contractor uses cheap materials or has no experience with a particular type of remodeling.

Make sure the contract has no hidden fees or clauses. Cleanup and debris removal, for example, should be included in the quoted price. Brand names of supplies to be used and number of items to be bought (or where) should also be specified.

Find out if the contractor has all the necessary insurance and licenses to allow him to get building permits and obtain other paperwork as needed. Keep in mind that a beginner may be charging you less because he’s not able to get everything you need and is counting on you doing it for him.

Be wary of contractors who require a large deposit before they start the job. A small payment is ok to cover start-up expenses, but requesting too much money may lead to the company slacking on the job later on because they have already secured the money.

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Use labels on your fragile moving boxes.

If you have expensive or fragile items that you are taking along with you to your new home, you have two options: find a specialist that will pack and ship the items for you or follow some special steps to make sure they stay safe and take them yourself. Which option you choose depends a lot on your budget (moving supplies do cost some money) and how much time you have (if you’re using a company to do it, you will have to fill insurance forms, provide photos of each item, etc.).

If you choose to pack and ship your collectibles along with other household items, there are still things you can do in order to ensure they will make it to their destination in top shape.

1. Wrap each item separately. Use bubble wrap (not newspaper) and secure it with lots of packing tape.

2. If you have the original box for an item, put it inside and then wrap the item with bubble wrap.

3. If the item has small parts that can be removed, do so, to prevent them from breaking off during the trip.

4. Pack the items into small moving boxes, so there is no too much room for them to shift during transit. Fill empty space in the boxes with crumbled packing paper.

5. Make sure there are lots of cushioning material in the cardboard box, both around and in between the objects. Foam peanuts or extra bubble wrap would work.

6. Mark the moving box as FRAGILE. Rather than using just a permanent marker, you may want to buy the red stickers sold at office supply stores. They’re easier to spot.

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We have home moving kits that fit everyone's moving needs. They contain all of the moving supplies that you need to get your belongings packed right.

Bigger is not always better. When it comes to buying a home, especially a first home, choosing a small space can actually be the wisest choice.

Assuming a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and a low interest rate (8 percent or less), a small house will probably end up costing you the same per month than you would be paying for rent. This is a huge plus, as many people put off buying a home because they assume the costs would be astronomical. On the other hand, a large house that costs twice what you would normally pay in rent could end up being a huge financial burden.

Smaller houses are easier and quicker to fix, a big plus if you’re planning on selling early or are interested in an investment, rather than looking for a permanent place to live. Also, the smaller the home, the easier it would be to make at least part of the repairs yourself without feeling overwhelmed.

If you’re a first-time buyer who just spent all his money on the down payment, a smaller house could also benefit you because it’s easier to maintain: less electricity, less furniture to buy, less heat needed during the winter to keep the place cozy. While these may sound like small things, they add up over the course of a year.

Finally, buying a smaller home can mean having some money leftover every month to invest in other ventures. For example, you could contribute more to your IRA or 401(k) or buy stocks. You could probably also afford to repair your car without having to use your credit card in the process.

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Save money by buying our home moving kits that contain all the packing supplies that you will need.

Whether you’re trying to save money or looking for ways to make your home greener, making your home more energy-efficient is a great idea. Despite what you may think, most of the things that can save you tons of money in the long run are actually cheap and easy to implement.

• Defrost your freezer or consider switching to a frost-free one.
• Keep the freezer as full as possible, since that makes better use of the space and saves electricity.
• Only run machines when they’re full: this goes for the dishwasher and the laundry.
• Make sure the door on your kitchen appliances close properly so there is no leak or energy waste. This includes the oven, refrigerator, toaster oven and microwave.
• Wash your clothes in cold water if they’re not too stained.
• The dryer is pretty much the only appliance that shouldn’t be too full when you run it because it actually spends more energy that way. So load it halfway and make sure the clothes have enough space inside to turn, so they can dry faster.
• Turn everything off if you’re going away on vacation.
• Fix leaks, dripping faucets and toilet tanks that never get full. Even a few drops a day amount to a lot of water over the course of a year.
• Close up any window or door openings so there is no heat escaping or cold wind coming in during the winter. Then lower the thermostat a couple of degrees and use an extra blanket.
• Use low-flow showerheads.

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