Keep Hydrated In The Summer Heat

Victoria BC has gone and broken a record for sunshine in the month of July. It has been hotter and dryer than it has ever been since the records were first recorded. This little blast of paradise may seem like fantastic beach weather, but it can mean a long hot day when you’re moving a ton of belongings from one location to another.

Staying hydrated is so important for a healthy body and mind.

Here are a few tips from the Foster’s Moving Team for staying hydrated.

1)      Drink Water Before, During, And After Your Work

Water is the key to staying hydrated after all, but when you’re about to start a big work day, you will need far more water than you might expect. Don’t wait until you start to feel thirsty. By that point, you’re already starting to get dehydrated. Drink a tall glass of water ½ hour before you start, and keep a refillable bottle with you while you work. After the job is done, drink some more. You’ll feel better at the end of the day, and your muscles will thank you on the day after.

2)      Wear Gloves

Wearing gloves on a hot day might sound like bad advice, but this tip is a real lifesaver. Paper and cardboard have an incredible ability to draw moisture from your skin. On a day like moving day, you could be handling hundreds of cardboard boxes. Sure, your hands might get a little sweaty, but it sure beats the alternative. I forgot my gloves one day, and had chapped lips from dehydration by lunch time.

3)      Coffee and Tea are OK. Beer is not.

Any liquid you drink should be good at re-hydrating you. Even caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea can re-hydrate a person on a hot day. Although caffeine is a diuretic, the levels of caffeine are not high enough to counter the liquid contents of your drink.  Sadly the same logic does not work with alcoholic drinks, so a beer or cooler may not be as refreshing as you think when you pull it out of the fridge.

Nothing wrong with a beer at the end of a hard day. Just make sure you have had enough water to drink first!

Moving people into and out of storage facilities is a familiar process for us. We are able to supply storage to many of our own clients for long term stays, or sometimes in the short term when the need arises. During all of our time as a company, storage has never been a problem for our customers, because their goods come out of storage in the same condition that they went in.

Storage For Every Season

Indoor climate-controlled storage makes a huge difference to our goods and valuables, and this becomes evident not just in the wet spring and autumn seasons, but in the warm summer months as well.

Air can carry a surprising amount of moisture. On hot days, it might be carrying more than normal. Evaporated water wants to turn back to its liquid form when it touches something cooler than the air around it, and on summer days that can be just about anything. Maybe it’s your vintage stereo, or your brothers couch that your holding onto for a few months, but that moisture needs to go somewhere to cool down, and if you’re not in a climate controlled storage facility, that moisture will find a nice comfortable place to rest: all over your stuff.

Moisture damage is by far the biggest issue for clients who hold their items in storage, so be sure to protect yourself if you’re planning to keep your things tucked away any longer than a month.

When you’re looking for a good mover in your hometown, whether that’s in Victoria BC or anywhere else across the globe, there is one universal suggestion that comes up time and time again: Try to get at least three quotes for your move.

This is more than just a suggestion from consumer advocacy groups. Reputable moving and storage companies routinely suggest that you get more than one quote. Why is that?  The answer is that it protects everyone involved.

Professional movers take pride in the work that they do, but not all movers should be considered professionals. The unfortunate reality of the industry, is that anyone with a truck and a craigslist ad can call themselves a mover. People always seem to be looking for a good deal, and there are those out there that will cut corners to save money on overhead expenses like signage or uniforms (or insurance).  There are also those that will take advantage of a consumers ignorance by charging extremely high prices for simple moves, or by sneaking extra fees into a contract.

Use A Mover With A Good Reputation

When you ask for multiple quotes, you will get a glimpse of how the mover actually operates. Do they show up to your home to provide an accurate estimate? Are they courteous and polite? Or do they try to intimidate you from asking questions? It’s easy to tell the difference between a professional and a fly-by-night operation pretty quickly.  Movers with good reputations should be more common, but without an official overseeing body, we need to keep our customers safe by providing good advice before they ever ask for a quote.

If you’re ever unsure about a moving quote, ask questions. Ask the same questions to each moving company, and examine the answers. A professional mover will make you feel much more at ease, both on moving day, and weeks ahead.

Victoria BC has 18 different assisted living homes recognized by the ministry of health. Assisted living can be a real benefit to our loved ones in their old age, and many choose to move to Victoria for just such a reason.

There are a few things to consider when moving into assisted living however. Both during the packing stage, and during the actual move itself.

Packing

By the time an assisted living program has become the preferred choice, a collection of valuable belongings will need to be sold or given away.  The reality of an assisted living home, is that these are very small apartments with little room.  Large pieces of furniture such as couches, dressers, and china hutches will not be required for daily life any longer.  When you begin packing, sort all of your items into three categories: keep – sell – give away.

In this way, truly valuable items can stay in the family, while the smaller sentimental items can still come along.

To give yourself an idea of how much you are able to bring with you, it is important to visit the facility before moving day. If you cannot decide what to do with particular pieces of furniture, we welcome you to ask about temporary or long term storage options.

On Moving Day

Moving day takes special planning in any case, but assisted living houses will include their own little quirks. The move in should be scheduled with the home director. They can tell you when the most convenient hours will be for gaining access to elevators, how to take the shortest route to the new apartment, and what time you can expect meals.

Meal times play a large role on moving day. Those who have trouble with stairs will be crowding the elevators to reach the dining rooms. This is an inappropriate time to be filling an elevator with couches and tables. By coordinating the move beforehand, moving day will go much more quickly, and you can take some time to relax at the end of it.

From time to time, a business will find it necessary to change locations. Moving a business is no different than moving a home in theory. You will have items in one place that need to be moved to another place.  Simple right?

If only it were that easy!

Packing Smart

Businesses typically have customers relying on uninterrupted service.  You want to have as little impact as possible on the bottom line, so how do you accomplish this?  By packing smart.

• Take an inventory of your business holdings.
• Look at your calendar to determine what materials you will require to maintain scheduled business.
• Sort your inventory into two groups essential and non-essential.
• If an item is essential, give it an expiry date (eg: Pack this 2 Days before moving day).
• Draw a floor plan for the new space. Make sure everyone knows where they will be working.
• Plan and draw out where each large item (desks, filing cabinets, photocopiers etc.) will go.
• Speak to service providers (such as electrical, waste collection, and Internet service providers) to ensure a smooth transition.
• Schedule the move as early as possible for a day that will impact your business the least.
• Give your clients plenty of warning about the move, and when it will happen.

Staggered Packing

By sorting items into Essential and Non-Essential categories, you can stagger your packing to make moving day that much easier.  It is possible in some situations to begin moving the smaller non-essential items before moving day.  This will make your move faster, and easier, saving you both money and time.

It is common for commercial moves to have larger items. Make sure your team of movers is aware of these items, and knows where they will be going once you reach your next space. Unlike some of the smaller items, these will all be moved on the same day, so having your floor plan drawn up is extremely useful.

Hopefully, a few of these tips will help you to keep the impact of your commercial move at a minimum. Have a look at some of our other common packing tips for more help on safely packing away your possessions.

There are a large number of apartment buildings in Victoria, and you might think that most of them are easy to move.  You would be right, of course, but even the simplest apartment moves can become an extended chore when the right planning doesn’t take place.

3 Ways To Speed Up Your Apartment Move (And Save Money Doing It)

1) Parking

Some buildings have a designated loading zone.  Some buildings rely on street parking.  Whatever the case, make sure you have access to parking on the day of your move.  Talk to your building manager before hand to make sure that your moving day does not conflict with any construction or large deliveries.

If your parking is limited to the street, try to reserve a spot close to the most convenient entrance.

2) Elevator Access

Having a great view on the 15th floor is such a nice perk, until you need to get your giant sectional sofa to the lobby. Most apartment buildings in Victoria have 2 elevators, and will allow you to reserve one on moving day. Having your own elevator will save you a lot of time (and thus, money).

If your building is limited to a single elevator, letting your building manager know at least a week in advance is considered good form.  They can alert other tenants of the limited elevator service, and they might just provide a key for loading the elevator.

3) Arrange Similar Access To Your New Home

Moving out of apartment number one is fairly simple, but make sure to organize all of the same things for moving in to apartment number two.  Have a key ready for both the floor entrance and your apartment or suite.  Have someone ready to welcome the movers. Have parking ready near the door, and have an elevator ready to go when they get there.  When everything goes smoothly, you can save a lot of time on an apartment move.  Less time moving means a cheap move over all.

It makes you wonder why we tell people this stuff.

Call us directly if you’re looking for a quote on your next apartment move. Estimates are always free.

Anyone who has experienced a back injury can tell you, it’s worth avoiding.  The Internet is full of tips and tricks for proper lifting techniques. Take it slow, bend at the knee, direct movement with your hips, and hold objects close to your body. This post isn’t meant to add to the noise, but I thought you might enjoy a little story about avoiding injury.

A Mover’s Story

A man who worked in employment insurance once told me about a logging company that wanted employees to move equipment around faster. Employees were getting injured, and it was costing the company money.  So the company decided that they would hire a group of professional power lifters from the gym.  These were men that picked up heavy things for fun! Why shouldn’t they do it for money?

Improper lifting technique

When the muscled men arrived for duty, the logging company showed them the equipment and material that needed moving. The response of the lifters was shocking. Each of them walked off the job.  The logging company was asking too much. Lifting heavy awkward material and moving quickly would put the lifters backs at risk, and each lifter understood the importance of a healthy back better than the average worker.  In the end, the company was forced to change their practices.

So what does this teach us?

Knowing the proper techniques for lifting can help us avoid injury, but if something is beyond our ability to lift, there is no shame in asking for help.  Professional movers lift every day, but they also have dollies, skids, and blankets that make certain items much safer to move around.

If something is beyond our capacity to move (yes, sometimes that happens), we can arrange for the proper help to get it done. Nothing is worth a back injury.

Having your stuff packed properly can really help to make lifting less awkward. Take a look at some of our packing tips before the big day arrives.

Things left in storage are usually “for another day”.  When was the last time you looked at your things in the basement or attic?  Storage space is extremely useful, but rarely the first thing on our mind.  Regardless of how useful it is, storage is easy to forget about!  Well here are 5 reasons to remember storage (especially as we enter a new spring season).

1)   Between Housing

Timing isn’t always perfect.  Temporary housing is sometimes necessary when you move from one home to another. Staying with friends or relatives can help to bridge the gap, but most will not have room for all the household items. Dry container storage is an absolute lifesaver at times like this.

2)   That Once In A Lifetime Trip

Europe.  Asia.  Central America.  Your favorite place. A place you have never seen before.  All of these possibilities, and so much more potential.  You have the date set, and your ticket purchased.  Now where will you put all your stuff?  That big backpack with the flag sewed proudly on the back probably isn’t large enough to fit everything on your journey. Store it cheaply, in a container, and come back whenever you’ve seen enough of the planet.

3)   Too Much Stuff!

Victoria has a significant number of great looking apartments. Stylish, affordable dwellings with plenty of light, they’re close to bus routes, and there’s a great little coffee shop just on the corner. The only problem?  You guessed it… storage space. Not everyone can fit the things they own into a smaller living space, so they store their items seasonally. Spring is a good time to pack away those heavy winter clothes, and the ski’s can always come out next year.  Pull out the golf clubs, the box of summer sandals, and the barbeque in preparation for summer.

4)   Estate Storage

Upon the death of a family member, the handling of estate property is a delicate matter that deserves patience and respect. Containers can be rented until the matter of divided property can be resolved. Practical concerns are rarely the priority during such a difficult time, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Store it away for another time.

5)   Business Storage

Homes are not the only spaces that run out of room. Businesses need to adjust to the priorities of the day, and when space runs out, new space must be found. Filing cabinets fill up.  Christmas decorations are only supposed to be up for 3 weeks at the most, and those old desk chairs need to go somewhere until someone replies to your Used Victoria ad.

Get A Free Month!

If you are looking for a long term solution for storage space, here’s a tip for you.  Call Andrew using the number at the top of the website. Negotiate a full year of storage, and get a month free!  It’s as easy as that.

Happy Spring cleaning to you!

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