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What is the First Thing You Do When You Move into a New House?

April 20, 2024/0 Comments/in News, Uncategorized/by Steele & Vaughn

Moving into a new house is an exciting yet overwhelming experience. With a multitude of tasks and responsibilities to handle, it’s crucial to stay organized and prioritize your actions. Here’s a comprehensive after-the-move guide to help you settle into your new home efficiently and effectively.

Make a Prioritized List

The first thing to do when you move into your new house is to make a prioritized list of tasks. Your mind will be racing with to-dos, so keep a notebook in a central location to jot down every action item you or your family thinks of throughout the day. After 24 hours, stop adding to the list and prioritize each item with a 1, 2, or 3.

Priority 1: Tasks to be completed within the first week, such as safety concerns, cleaning, and unpacking essentials.
Priority 2: Tasks to be completed within the next two months, including organization, maintenance, and remaining unpacking.
Priority 3: Non-essential tasks to be completed within the year, such as renovations, landscaping, and large purchases.

Address Safety Concerns

Safety should be your top priority when moving into a new home. Here are some critical safety checks to perform:

Change Locks: Replace all exterior locks to ensure you have the only keys to your new home.
Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Ensure all detectors are functioning correctly and replace batteries if necessary.
Locate All Exits: Familiarize yourself and your family with all exits and create an emergency escape plan.
Inspect Electrical Systems: Check for any exposed wiring or faulty outlets that could pose a fire hazard.

Clean and Unpack Essentials

Before you start unpacking, give your new home a thorough cleaning. Focus on high-traffic areas like the kitchen and bathrooms. Once clean, unpack your essential items first:

Kitchen Supplies: Unpack and organize dishes, utensils, and cookware.
Bedding and Linens: Set up your beds with fresh sheets and unpack towels for the bathroom.
Toiletries and Medications: Ensure you have easy access to personal hygiene products and any necessary medications.

Set Up Utilities and Services

Ensure all essential utilities and services are up and running:

Electricity and Water: Confirm that both are turned on and functioning properly.
Internet and Cable: Schedule installation if not already set up.
Garbage and Recycling: Find out your new collection days and set up bins accordingly.

Organize and Maintain

Over the next couple of months, focus on organization and maintenance:

Organize Closets and Storage Areas: Use shelving, bins, and organizers to maximize space.
Maintenance Tasks: Change HVAC filters, clean gutters, and inspect your roof for any potential issues.
Decorate: Start adding personal touches to make your new house feel like home.

Plan for Improvements and Projects

Once you’ve settled in, start thinking about long-term improvements and projects:

Renovations: Plan any major renovations you’d like to undertake, such as a kitchen remodel or bathroom upgrade.
Landscaping: Design your garden or yard to enhance curb appeal and create a relaxing outdoor space.
Large Purchases: Consider any large purchases you may need, such as new furniture or appliances.

Notify Important Parties

Don’t forget to update your address with important parties:

Post Office: Submit a change of address form.
Banks and Credit Cards: Update your address on all financial accounts.
Employer: Inform your employer of your new address.
Subscription Services: Update your address for any magazines, meal kits, or other subscription services.

Explore Your New Neighborhood

Take some time to familiarize yourself with your new surroundings:

Meet the Neighbors: Introduce yourself and start building relationships.
Find Local Services: Locate the nearest grocery stores, gas stations, and medical facilities.
Join Community Groups: Get involved in local clubs or organizations to feel more connected.

Call to Action

Moving into a new home doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. With careful planning and organization, you can make the transition smooth and enjoyable. Steele & Vaughn Moving and Storage is here to assist with all your moving needs, from packing and transportation to storage solutions. To work with a premier local moving company, contact Steele & Vaughn today to ensure a seamless move into your new home. Let the moving experts handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on settling in and making your new house a home.

5 Reasons Why Spring is the Best Season to Move

March 27, 2024/0 Comments/in News, Uncategorized/by Steele & Vaughn

It’s hard not to love spring. With the return of warm and comfortable weather and the many exciting activities and events that start to take place, most people look forward to the arrival of these months. Not only is spring great for many other things in life, but it’s also an ideal time to move. If you have been thinking about moving, or you know you need to move and are just trying to decide when to do it, this article will highlight five advantages of picking spring to make it happen.

When you are ready to hire Greensboro movers to handle things for you on the big day, turn to Steele & Vaughn. As local movers who also handle large, long-distance moves, there will be no doubt that Steele & Vaughn is up to any moving challenge you might have in mind. Get started today.

A Great Time to Buy a House

This first point isn’t related to the actual moving process but rather the task of buying a house. Most years, winter is relatively quiet on the real estate market, and things start to pick up once spring begins. If you are going to be looking for a new place to live, and trying to sell your own place, that process might go much easier – and faster – if you are working on it as winter turns into spring.

Enjoy Summer in a New Place

You are probably excited to start living in a new area, and what better way to get started than by moving in right before summer gets going? With nice weather ahead, you’ll be able to explore all of the interesting places and attractions that your new home provides, so the timing couldn’t be better.

Benefit from Improving Weather

Speaking of nice weather, moving in winter is a pain in many places, simply because of the conditions that you could face. Even in places with a relatively mild climate, there can still be cold mornings, rainy days, and other issues to overcome. In spring, it’s still possible to get unlucky with the weather, but the odds are much better that the sun will be shining.

Get on the Schedule

When booking a moving service, you’ll notice that their dates are reserved far in advance for the summer months. While spring is usually busier than winter, it’s much easier to get on the schedule at this time of year. That means you can have your pick of days and make sure the move is executed exactly when you need it to be.

Plenty of Light

Moving in the dark can be a frustrating – and even potentially dangerous – experience. It’s far easier to complete your move when it’s daylight outside, and spring has abundant daylight hours that you can use to your benefit. Each day in the spring is longer than the previous day, so you’ll quickly find that there is plenty of light both morning and night to get the job done comfortably.

There are plenty of moving companies available to pick from but working with a proven name like Steele & Vaughn means you can set your worries to the side and focus on starting to build your new life in a new place. Get in touch today to learn more.

How Long Does It Take for Kids to Adjust to a Move?

March 6, 2024/0 Comments/in News/by Steele & Vaughn

Moving is a challenge for everyone in a family. Even if the family members are excited about all of the possibilities that a move will open up, there are still some bumps in the road that need to be cleared. For kids, change can be a little harder to accept, and parents will naturally want to help them get through it as quickly as possible so they can embrace their new life. The content below will look at some of the basics regarding how kids can adjust to a move successfully.

Working with the best movers Greensboro has to offer is definitely one way to make this whole process easier, so contact Steele & Vaughn today to get started.

Lay the Groundwork for Success

While there is no one set timeframe that will apply to all kids who have to adjust to a move, there are plenty of things parents can do to help this process go smoothly. The first step is to talk to the kids about it as soon as possible. They are going to need time to get used to the reality that they will be moving, and you don’t want to spring it on them too suddenly.

There is a good chance that some of these conversations will be a little difficult, but that’s to be expected. Providing your family with enough time to process the change and talk through their concerns is going to be an important step. Then, when the time to move does come around, it will be less of a shock, and hopefully the emotional adjustment will be smoother.

Give Them Power

It’s going to be harder for the kids to adjust to a move if they don’t feel like they have any power or control during the process. While it’s an adult decision to move, you could give the kids some agency over things like new activities that they are going to start once you land in a new place. Or, you might simply let them help pack up their things and decide how to organize their boxes. Small steps can go a long way toward making this easier on everyone.

Getting Involved

The best way to wind up feeling connected to a new place and adjust to new routines is to get involved in that area. If your child is interested in sports, joining a team or a school program can help them to meet new friends and do something that is fun and active. For young kids, even just going to the local playground to interact with others and start to form connections will be a big help.

Kids are excellent at adapting, but sometimes they need a bit of time and assistance to get settled in properly. Whether you need a long distance moving company to help with a major transition, or you are looking at local moving companies for a smaller shift, Steele & Vaughn can handle the logistics so you can worry about taking care of your family and making everyone comfortable during the move.

How to Make New Friends and Expand Your Network in Your New City or State

December 15, 2023/0 Comments/in News/by Steele & Vaughn

Moving is a challenging time. Not only is there the physical act of moving all of your things to a new place, but there is the emotional matter of leaving people behind and living in a new place where you might not know anyone at all. To help you get over that hump, this article is going to offer some practical tips for getting to know people and setting down new roots.

Of course, if you need help with the physical act of moving, Steele & Vaughn is a moving company that you can trust. As local movers in Greensboro with an excellent reputation, Steele & Vaughn will handle your things with care and complete the job for an excellent price. Get in touch today to learn more.

Attend Events Right Away

One of the fastest ways to get involved in a new community is simply to put yourself out there and engage with events and other outings as quickly as possible. When you arrive in your new city, or even before you make it there, start using the web to find events that might be interesting to you. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to immediately make friends at such outings – just get out in the community, introduce yourself to some people when given the opportunity, and see how it goes from there.

Take a Class

While this is not a free option, it is a great way to get involved with people who have similar interests. For example, if you have always been interested in woodworking, look for local classes on that topic and sign up. By definition, the other people in the class will be interested in the same thing as you, which is a great foundation on which to build a new friendship.

Volunteer to Help

This is another easy way to get to know people, and it should be free of charge. Look around online for various places that might need volunteer assistance to further their mission. It could be something like helping at a food bank, a local school event, or anything else where community members will be involved, and you can get to know some new people.

Be Willing to Chat

Above all else, perhaps the most important thing you can do to meet new people and make friends in a new place is to simply be willing to talk to others. It’s hard to build a new network when you are closed off or cold, so do your best to relax and engage with others day after day.

It’s not always easy to meet new people and make new friends, but the strategies above should help you get started. And, if you need some storage in Greensboro while you move, or if you need help with the whole process from start to finish, take a moment today to connect with Steele & Vaughn to learn more about the services that are available. It’s never too early to get started!

Should I move During the Holidays?

November 30, 2023/0 Comments/in News/by Steele & Vaughn

Moving is a big project. Even if you work with some of the best movers Greensboro has to offer – like Steele & Vaughn – you will still have a lot on your plate and may feel a bit stressed about the whole situation. Given that fact, should you even try to move during the holidays, a period known for being busy and stressful? That question will be discussed in detail below.

Whether you need local movers to handle your things carefully, or you have to hire a long distance moving service to make your way from coast to coast, Steele & Vaughn would love to be your partner for the project. Take a moment to get in touch today and learn more about the services that are available.

You Might Not Have a Choice

The first point that should be made about moving during the holidays is that you may not have much of a choice in the matter. If there is an external force that is causing you to move – such as a change in your job – moving over the holidays may be the only practical approach to the situation. Fortunately, with good movers like Steele & Vaughn available, you should be able to make quick work out of what would otherwise be an intimidating process.

One Big Positive

Depending on your personal situation, you might find that you have a little more time than usual available to work on your move, since you could have some time off during the holidays. Not only that, but some of your friends and family members may also have some time off, so you could have more hands available to help out than at other times of the year. Of course, be sure to work closely with them to find a time that they can help without interrupting their normal holiday traditions.

Book Services Well In Advance

One tricky thing about moving over the holidays could be the lack of availability of service providers like movers and other professionals. This isn’t the busiest time of year for those in related industries, but like others, they could be taking some time off or downsizing their staff during this period. By reserving services as early as possible for your holiday move, you can be sure you won’t be left out in the cold when the time comes to get started.

Pay Attention to Travel Conditions

This last point is going to depend largely on where you are moving to or from. In some climates, moving during the holiday season has the potential to be impacted by adverse weather conditions. If your move is going to involve an area that is prone to snow or ice issues, pay attention to the forecast and try to be flexible to avoid the worst of the weather.

Yes, it is absolutely possible to execute a successful move during the holiday season. The key to making it happen is having the right team working with you for the move. With Steele & Vaughn, you’ll have an experienced group of professionals on your side, and you’ll be able to relax and know you are in good hands. Don’t wait any longer to get started!

10 Tips for Using Movers

November 10, 2023/0 Comments/in News, Uncategorized/by Steele & Vaughn

If you have never used movers before, you might be a little unsure about how the process works – and a little uncomfortable with the idea of letting strangers move your things. Not to worry! Using Greensboro movers is a simple and reliable process, especially when you partner with Steele & Vaughn. The 10 tips below will get you off to a good start.

1 – Start Early

It’s important to start as early as possible when you plan to use movers to help you get from one place to the next. Moving services will often be booked up during busy times of the year, so secure your spot on the schedule as soon as you know when you’ll be moving.

2 – Pick a Qualified Candidate

You don’t want to trust something as important as moving all of your stuff to someone who hasn’t proven their ability to get the job done. Go with a tested company that has a great reputation so you can be sure that you are in good hands.

3 – Get a Clear Quote

All movers that you talk to about this project should be willing to give you an honest, upfront quote for their services. If you can’t get a quote in writing, simply move on to the next option on your list.

4 – Cut Down on Clutter

There is no need to move things that you are simply going to throw out or give away when you get to your next home. Take some time to go through that process now so you can move less stuff, save money, and avoid cluttering up your new place.

5 – Clear Labels Are Critical

Since you won’t be the one doing the moving, make sure to label everything clearly before the day of the move arrives. Labels on boxes that indicate where those boxes should go in the new house will make your life much easier.

6 – Keep Important Personal Items with You

Even when working with a trusted moving team, it will still put your mind at ease to know that you have kept important personal items – like certain pieces of jewelry – with you instead of handing them over to the moving company.

7 – Be There

You don’t want to leave the movers alone to make decisions on things that they might not know how to resolve without your input. Be available on moving day to make sure things run smoothly.

8 – Show Appreciation

It’s a good idea to tip your movers for a job well done to show them that you appreciate all of the hard work that has gone into the process.

9 – Ask About Special Situations

If you know there is a complicating factor involved in the move, ask about that issue upfront to make sure it won’t pose a problem later on.

10 – Check Everything Carefully

When the move has been completed, take some time to go through your belongings, check the boxes, and make sure no problems are found. You will want to address any issues with the moving company right away so you can get any issues resolved.

Having a long distance moving company on your side can take much of the stress out of the moving process. Whether you are coming or going from this area, Steele & Vaughn is the Greensboro moving company that you can trust to handle your things with care and deliver great value from start to finish.