Recent Greensboro Movers and Crime Prevention

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October is National Crime Prevention Week. Since 1984, the National Crime Prevention Council has designated October as the month to promote awareness and education surrounding crime prevention. Steele & Vaughn would like to take this opportunity to discuss this topic with our recent Greensboro movers. Being aware and proactive is your best defense against crime.

Moving to a new area is a huge undertaking and probably the busiest time of your life.  It can be all too easy to put off thinking about all kinds of things that have to do with your new home as you tackle the tasks in front of you. Recent Greensboro movers certainly have plenty to do. October is here and speaking loud and clear about National Crime Prevention.  We hope you are listening.

It is important after moving to take the time to know your home, surroundings, your neighbors and the resources available to you about safety in your unique community. Certainly home security merits your immediate attention.  We suggest our recent Greensboro movers use this Checklist for Home Security provided by the National Crime Prevention Council.  When your mind is flooded with post moving details, this is a really simple way to organize and stay on top of home security in your new residence.

After you have seen to home security issues, you will want to turn your attention to your community.  Perhaps October is a great time to visit your new local police department to inquire about Crime Prevention events in your town and gather information about safety issues and concerns in your new community. If you have school age children, schools often acknowledge Crime Prevention Week with activities at school and/or delivering communications about community events. There may be opportunities to volunteer and get involved in community safety activities and events and what a great way to meet new people and feel a strong part of your new community. Check out this list of articles provided by the National Crime Prevention Council that are all related to Neighborhood Safety.

There are so many issues involved in crime prevention we want to be sure you are aware of them. We encourage our recent Greensboro movers to connect with all the crime prevention programs offered through NCPC. Their entire site shares a wealth of information surrounding this important topic.

Steele & Vaughn wish all of our recent Greensboro movers a happy and safe new home experience. Celebrate National Crime Prevention Month along with us. Be safe!

Seasonal Greensboro Storage

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Happy Autumn! It is a great time of year to take stock of what we have. It may be time to put away the lawn furniture and lawn ornaments. A time to change the clothes in our closets to reflect the cooler temperatures. Certainly it is a time for change.

Is storage space limited at home? Could you use more storage space to protect and secure your seasonal items? Choosing a Greensboro storage facility to help unclutter your home and yard from season to season might be just what you need.  Here are some examples of seasonal household items that might benefit from a safe professional storage space:

  • Lawn furniture
  • Empty planters
  • Hoses
  • Trampolines
  • Summer clothing and shoes
  • Summer toys and backyard games
  • Pool floats
  • Beach chairs and umbrellas
  • Camping equipment
  • Boating equipment

And thinking ahead, professional Greensboro storage may be just what you need to store your holiday decorations each season as well as your winter items-clothes, sleds, winter toys, etc.

Steele & Vaughn can provide short-term Greensboro storage for your seasonal items. Protect your seasonal items from the elements by placing them in a clean, dry storage space in our secure facility as well as provide you with more usable space at home.  Call us today for a quote or for more information.

Greensboro Moving Company Recognizes National Truck Driver’s Appreciation Week

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It is National Truck Driver’s Appreciating Week and Steele & Vaughn would like to honor this week by saying thank you to our Greensboro moving company drivers.  Our drivers work tirelessly to ensure that your goods are delivered safely and on time. They are dedicated with a work ethic second to none and we are proud of their safety record.

National Truck Driver’s Appreciation Week began in 1988 by the American Trucking Associations. This year it is celebrated from September 14-20. It is a week where Americans recognize and honor professional truck drivers for their hard work in delivering just about everything we need and use. According to America Trucking Associations, there are 3.2 million professional truck drivers driving 400 billion miles a year all while keeping our highways safe in the process.

Steele & Vaughn say THANK YOU to our Greensboro moving company drivers! We appreciate all that you do to ensure a smooth move for our customers. Nothing moves without you.

Why not thank your Greensboro moving company driver this week and while you are at it, wherever you are, give a wave and a word of thanks to all the drivers you see out and about delivering America’s goods. The smiles you share will go a long long way.

Greensboro Movers Recognize National Preparedness Month

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September is National Preparedness Month sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the US Department of Homeland Security. The month serves to educate Americans on how to prepare for all types of emergencies, including natural disasters and possible terrorist attacks. Whether you are Greensboro movers about to move or have moved recently, Steele & Vaughn wants to bring National Preparedness information to your front door.

Moving to a new area will present many unknowns that will be understood in time as you settle in and adjust. At Steele & Vaughn, we think understanding the risk of certain disasters occurring in your new community is one unknown Greensboro movers will want to understand before or shortly after a move so that you can be prepared as soon as possible.

We encourage Greensboro movers to join us for this eleventh annual National Preparedness Month by knowing the risks for disasters in your new area and preparing for them. We have compiled this list of informative internet articles to educate our Greensboro movers and help them take the steps necessary to be prepared. We hope you take some time to read over the many resources for protecting yourself, your family and your home in case of an emergency.

Stay informed and be prepared in case of a disaster. National Preparedness Month reminds us to and shows us how. Steele & Vaughn wish all of our Greensboro movers the very best in your new homes and communites!

 

 

 

 

What Can a Greensboro Mover Do With that Old Piano?

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Well what do you know? September is National Piano Month as celebrated by The National Piano Foundation. The piano has been around for over 300 years.  It is indeed a beautiful instrument and also one of the largest and heaviest of instruments.  The words large and heavy always grab our attention at Steele & Vaughn because when it comes to moving, large and heavy items are the reasons you should hire a Greensboro mover.

Ideally, if you own a beautiful piano and enjoy it, you will want to move it with you wherever you go and certainly a Greensboro mover can help with that. But what if you no longer want a piano that has been taking up space or hidden in the basement? What can you do with it to avoid the cost of moving an unwanted piano to your new home?

Of course selling it is always an option but that will depend on the condition of the piano. If in good condition, you could list it in the classified section of the newspaper or on Craig’s list. If it is in ok condition, you could even list it as “Free” with pick-up.  A free piano might appeal to a family with young children just starting piano lessons. You might also consider listing your free piano on pianoadoption.com. This is a great source for finding someone that may want to adopt your piano. You create a listing on the site by state with information and a photo of your piano. Someone just might want to give it a good home.

If you would like to donate your piano to a qualified non-profit organization, you could possibly get a tax deduction for the value of the piano as well as your costs to move it. For more information on donating your piano, check out Pianofinders.com

For the Greensboro mover who happens to be crafty or artistic and may want to keep an unused piano that has sentimental value, we got a kick out of this article-26 DIY Inventive Ideas how to Repurpose Old Pianos. Here are some brilliant and fun ideas to consider or perhaps the article may spark a creative idea of your own.

Maybe your children took lessons on your piano, but they are grown and it sits alone in silence. According to The National Piano Foundation, the fastest growing group of aspiring pianists in the U.S. today is not children, but adults aged 25-75+ years. It is never too late to learn.  Maybe you decide to move that piano along with you after-all so you can explore a whole new learning experience with music.

If you definitely have a piano to move, Steele & Vaughn is your Greensboro mover with the experience needed to carefully move your piano and deliver it safely to your new home. And certainly if you can play it, we wouldn’t mind being treated to a song or two while we finish our work!

Is a Greensboro Moving Company Needed for Your College Move?

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Welcome back to your Greensboro moving company moving tips blog! Last time Steele & Vaughn provided our local college freshmen with tips for moving into their dorm. This week we consider students moving back to college to live off-campus.

Students decide to move off-campus for any number of reasons. Popular reasons are to save money and take the next step toward living more independently as young adults. Whatever the reasons, parents will most likely have concerns and questions. We suggest this article on College Parent Central-Should My College Student Live Off-Campus?  The whole site is a fabulous resource covering a myriad of topics for parents of college students.

So here you are in August ready to move off-campus.  Off-campus housing brings unique moving needs and can be more complicated than moving into a dorm. There are so many different factors involved depending on the type of housing you choose.  Are you moving into an apartment or house? First floor or higher? Are you renting the space furnished or will you need to furnish it? Whether it is furnished or not, you will certainly be bringing more along with you than you could bring to a dorm.  Will you need to hire a Greensboro Moving Company?

Most college moves are fairly easily handled without hiring movers. Usually a few friends and small truck will suffice. If you are moving yourself, be sure to check out our packing tips for information on packing supplies and packing methods.

If your off-campus move involves more than you want to handle on your own, Steele & Vaughn is the Greensboro Moving Company with affordable small move solutions. Contact us for information about handling your college move. There are a number of ways we can help.  Have a wonderful year in your new college town dwelling and Good Luck!

 

Greensboro Moving Company Provides College Freshmen Moving Tips

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Here it is again! Every mid- August the tide of students leaving home and moving to college begins. We are at the beginning of this season and it will take us into the beginning of September depending on college start dates. Steele & Vaughn has many years of experience as a Greensboro Moving Company. We know this annual migration well and are here to help.

We have noticed over the years that there is usually a lot of mystery surrounding moving into a dorm for college freshmen. Most freshmen students do not get to see their actual room ahead of time. Colleges may provide a short list of things to bring to the dorm but without exact room and included furniture measurements, it is hard to know what you need or how much you can actually bring. Check your college’s website thoroughly for any and all information you can get about your dorm and building. Most sites provide lists of what you can and cannot bring. We suggest you try to find out the following things:

  • Does the desk provided have a built in lamp?
  • How far off the ground is your dorm bed and can the height of the bed be adjusted to fit more underneath?
  • If you have a wardrobe space, is there a full-length mirror on the door?
  • What are the policies for hanging things on the walls?
  • Dimensions of the room and furniture

 

Typically it is not necessary to hire a Greensboro moving company to move freshmen to a college dorms as they really just can’t bring that much with them. A typical trap as you browse the fabulous displays in stores that are filled with all kinds of snazzy fun college living things, is to overbuy just to find out when you get there, that you don’t have room for everything that you bought.  Once you see your actual dorm room, you will understand more about your living situation. If you find you could really use something that you did not bring, you can easily order it on-line and have it delivered directly to your dorm.

It is a great idea to get in touch with your roommate(s) and see what they might be bringing. You may find that several things you were both planning to bring can be shared such as a small refrigerator or a TV. It will save space if you are not doubling up on the same items.

Make sure you bring a few of your creature comforts from home-photos, a favorite throw, a supply of your favorite snacks, etc. Your dorm room and building will be your home away from home, so bring a little bit of home with you to help you feel at home.

Steele & Vaughn wish all our college freshmen a successful and happy first year at college! We are the Greensboro moving company you can turn to for everything moving!

Cleaning House before a Greensboro Move

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Welcome Back to Steele & Vaughn Greensboro Moving Tips Blog!

Last week we discussed what should be left behind in the home by the sellers before their Greensboro move. This week we will address the condition your property should be left in before going to closing.  It is really quite simple. Leave it the way you would want it if you were moving in. You would want it clean and clear of trash and debris.

Your Greensboro move process has kept you busy for quite some time now. You are almost done! After your Greensboro movers have cleared your home of your belongings, it is quite easy to make your home move in clean.  Here is a check-list of common cleaning courtesies:

  • Floors should be swept clean
  • Carpets should be vacuumed
  • Refrigerator should be empty and wiped clean
  • Oven should be clean and empty except for broil pan
  • Kitchen and bathroom counters should be wiped clean and dry
  • Sinks, tubs and shower stalls should be wiped down
  • There should be no trash or debris anywhere in the house or on the property

In most cases it will state in the purchase agreement what condition the house will be left in before closing. Sometimes it is agreed upon to have professional cleaners clean the house. Other times a simple broom swept condition is all that is required. Read your agreement over carefully and understand what is required in your case.

Having been in the Greensboro move business as long as we have, we often notice the little extra touches our customers have left for their buyers. Of course these are not at all necessary but very nice indeed. Some examples have been to leave a new roll of toilet paper in the bathroom and a new roll of paper towels on the kitchen counter in case the buyers arrive and can’t find where they packed these immediate necessities. Some people have left take-out menus to their favorite restaurants in the area with the house manuals. How nice to arrive in a new home and then easily order dinner in from a recommended local shop when you are not yet unpacked or too tired to shop or cook. Some sellers have left a few copies of old photographs of the home so the buyers had a visual history of the home and property. It seems to help sellers leaving a home they loved to share a sentiment with the new owners.

The staff and crew here at Steele & Vaughn wish you all the best with your Greensboro move. Good luck in your new home!

 

 

 

Greensboro Moving Company Provides Information on What to Leave Behind

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You are all packed up and ready to leave your home. Your Greensboro moving company will arrive to load everything up and move you to your new home. What should you leave behind?

What do you have to leave behind?  Typically anything that is a “fixture” stays behind when selling your home. A fixture is defined as anything that is affixed or fastened to your property. A fixture becomes part of the property and therefore part of the sale. Each state has its own guidelines for defining fixtures so check with your real estate agent for specifics involving your home in your state.

Some examples of fixtures:

  • Mounted light fixtures and their shades
  • Ceiling fans
  • Mirrors that are fastened rather than hung on walls
  • Curtain rods
  • Shades/blinds
  • Built-in bookshelves
  • All cabinet and door hardware
  • Built-in appliances such as dishwasher and oven/range
  • Anything planted and rooted in the landscaping-shrubs, perennials, etc.

If you are really attached to a particular fixture in your home and do not want to leave it behind, remove it and replace it before a buyer ever sees it. For instance, if you hand-crafted a crystal chandelier and you do not want to part with it, take it down before you show your home and replace it with another light fixture.

Other items to leave behind:

  • All keys to doors, windows, gates, mailbox etc.
  • All remotes for garage doors, ceiling fans, security systems, etc.
  • Appliance manuals, warranties and necessary receipts should be neatly left in one place
  • Touch-up paint to match the current wall color
  • Pertinent flooring material or roof tiles can be neatly left and stacked in the garage if new owner wants it

Some items may be expected to sell with the house but aren’t required to be. To avoid any complications on closing day or after, have anything expected to sell with the house to be included in the purchase agreement between you and the buyer. Examples could be curtains/drapes, appliances that are not built in like refrigerators, washers and dryers. Be clear ahead of time about what you are offering to leave behind so it can be included in your purchase agreement. Make sure your Greensboro moving company is aware of what stays or goes according to the agreement.

Once your Greensboro moving company loads the van with your belongings, your home and property should be empty of all debris, trash and personal belongings. Check back next week when Steele & Vaughn your local Greensboro Moving Company, will discuss cleaning your house before sale and other final sale day details.

Ways for Greensboro Movers to Go Green

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We are in the green of summer and the busiest moving season. It is a perfect time for Greensboro movers to consider making choices for a greener move. Greensboro movers can lessen the impact that a move can have on the environment by following a few easy tips.

Recycle-People often clean out and clear out what is no longer needed before a move. They often find items in the home that are no longer used or needed. We encourage you to recycle as much as possible rather than just throwing these things away. To find out what can be recycled in your area, we recommend earth911.org where you can find a recycle guide as well as a search tool for finding recycling in your zip code area. Plus, you can lower your move costs by moving fewer items that you really don’t need anyway.

Donate-There are many organizations who would be willing to take things off of your hands and keep them out of the landfills. We recommend donationtown.org where you can find a charity that will pick up your donations for free.

Boxes-You will need many boxes for packing up your things but they do not need to be brand new. Consider recycling boxes by using them again. There are several ways of doing this. Some stores give away boxes from shipments of goods. Sometimes you can find these boxes stacked in the front of a store free for the taking. If they are in good shape, sturdy and dry, they can be used. If you know you are moving in a few months, start collecting boxes and packing material from packages you receive in the mail and let your friends know you are collecting them as well. Even better-if you know a friend that has recently moved, ask for their boxes once they are finished with them. Bet they would be happy to have you take them off their hands. When you are finished with your boxes, be sure to recycle them or pass them along to another friend who will be moving. Another way to save on purchasing new cardboard is to use containers that you already own to pack things in. You can also rent heavy duty plastic tubs. Check with your Greensboro moving company-Steele & Vaughn for green saving packing ideas and resources.

Packing materials-Consider using items around the house for packing your belongings instead of purchasing bubble wrap, packing peanuts and other new packing material. You can use towels, blankets, pillows, newspaper, junk mail, used office paper, shredded paper, plastic bags, brown grocery bags and many other items you regularly have around the house. You will help with the environmental impact and save money too. Ask us for advice – we can offer information about safe and green packing materials, as well as money savings tips.

Steele & Vaughn hopes that we have inspired our Greensboro movers to consider a greener move. There are countless sources and ideas on-line for reducing waste and the environmental impact of your move. We hope this just gets the ball rolling with your thinking and choices surrounding your move.