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MOVING A BUSINESS? FOCUS ON THESE THINGS TO MAKE YOUR MOVE GO SMOOTHLY.

MOVING A BUSINESS? FOCUS ON THESE THINGS TO MAKE YOUR MOVE GO SMOOTHLY.

Packing up and moving a business is a stressful endeavor. It can be expensive as well as disrupt normal operations. 

As an employee, if you want to help your company relocate, follow our set of tips we’ve put together. It’ll help your company and ensure that everything you need to do your job gets there in one piece.

Commercial relocation can be costly. Whether it’s to another state or even just down the street. Here’s how you can make the process go just a bit more smoothly and easier on everybody.

Familiarize Yourself with the Plan

Communication is a crucial part of a business and in the midst of a move is no different. Familiarize yourself with the plan during a move and make sure you and your peers know your role. What’s being left behind? Are you taking the furniture with? Is anything being replaced in the process?

Ensure you know what’s going on. Know who’s responsible for what. Who’s packing what, what’s getting discarded, what’s the timeline, what are the deadlines.

File Cabinets

If you’re the one responsible for the file cabinets, find out your company’s retention policy. You don’t want to get rid of any files you’re meant to hang on to.

Sorting and staying organized is an important part of this job. You’ll likely have three piles: file you’re taking with, ones you’re shredding, and those you can recycle. Getting rid of redundant or unnecessary files is an important part of the process since it can cut costs during the move and make unpacking and setting up a much easier process.

Packing Up Your Own Desk

Packing up your own space is obviously a very important part of the move. Go through every drawer and wrap anything that’s fragile in bubble wrap or packing paper. Don’t put off packing either. Be conscious of your deadlines and make sure you’re on schedule.

Don’t forget to label your boxes and clearly mark who it belongs to so you can avoid any confusion.

The Computers

The moving company your business hired should provide a set of instructions on how to properly pack and protect your computer. Follow these directions carefully. You don’t want to damage expensive equipment like that.

Before you begin the process, backup your data. Take out all disks and drives before the movers get there.

Follow Directions

Your boss and movers should hopefully provide a specific set of instructions for your move.

Follow these carefully and be mindful of the set timelines. Contact your supervisor right away with any questions or concerns you or your peers have.

Working together is a crucial part of a successful move.

Make Yourself Useful

We hope these tips have been useful to you and your upcoming office move. A move is a great time to step up and be a leader for your team. 

For help on your move, contact Arrow Moving & Storage today!

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4 Tips for Moving Long Distance on a Budget

4 Tips for Moving Long Distance on a Budget

Fun fact: Every year, nearly 40 million Americans move their residences.

For some, it’s just a move across the street. While others are packing up and trekking across the country. If you’re planning a long distance move, chances are you’ve looked at the costs are feeling a bit overwhelmed.

But there’s no need to fear.

In this guide, we put together a few tips to help you execute a cross country move on a budget.

1. Downsizing is a Crucial Part of Moving

One of the most important parts of decreasing the cost of a move is decreasing the number of items you’ll be moving.

If you aren’t going to need some of your belongings, don’t bring them. Most household items can be replaced later if you realized that you do need them.

The weight of all your belongings plays a big part in the cost of shipping. Therefore, you should be willing to put the time into deciding what’s really worth bringing.

If, for example, you’ve kept items in storage before your move, chances are you don’t need whatever was in there. Downsize to decrease shipping costs.

Keep in mind bulky and unnecessary items such as oversized entertainment centers, weight sets, etc. Particularly large items cost extra money to ship. Don’t forget to compare the size of your new home and current home to be sure everything you’re planning on taking with you will fit. That’s an easy way to decide if things are worth bringing or not. If they can’t fit, don’t bother.

Additionally, if you have cheap furniture, it may actually cost more to ship than it would to buy new furniture once you arrive.

2. Reuse Materials for Your Move

Rather than go out and buy a ton of moving boxes, it may be worth it to recycle certain materials.

If you’ve got an upcoming move, start saving cardboard boxes.

Hang on to boxes that could be reused during your move. Amazon boxes, cereal boxes, diaper boxes, can all be reused to decrease the amount you spend on moving supplies.

Another great way to get a hold of boxes for free is to ask your local grocery or retail stores if you can have the boxes they use for inventory. These stores usually end up throwing them away anyway so it would be no big deal to pass them along to you. Sites like Craigslist or Freecycle could be great sources for supplies as well.

Your moving company may also offer used boxes at discounted rates as well. So definitely ask them about that.

3. Select the Right Moving Date

The most common time for people to move is during the summer while the kids are out of school. This is when the demand for moving is highest and usually prices are higher during this time.

If you have a flexible timeline, choose time periods that are not as busy. That way rates for moving services and vans are not as expensive. Winter is a cost effective time to move. Just be sure to take weather conditions into account.

Hiring an experienced moving company will also help as they will be familiar when dealing with those adverse conditions. 

4. Research Relocation Packages

If you’re relocating across the country for work, your new company may offer financial assistance.

If you’re lucky enough to have a company that offers assistance, they’ll help with things like moving services, flights, storage, etc. Be sure to give them a call and inquire about any packages they may have.

For long distance moves, that can be a crucial part of decreasing the cost.

Moving Across the Country

For more help performing a cross country move, be sure to talk to professional movers near you.

For moving services in the Cheyenne, Salt Lake, Colorado Springs, or San Antonio area, contact Arrow Moving & Storage for a free moving quote today.

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Moving with Your Children

You’re moving with your family. It’s exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. It’s especially emotional when you have children. There are ways to help make a move less stressful (and less scary) for young children. Here are a few tips to make moving with kids easier.

Time to process the move

Give your children time to process the move before it happens. It is sometimes easier to wait to have the hard conversation. But, when it comes to moving, you should let the kids know sooner rather than later. Combined with some additional tips below, this will give them a chance to absorb and process the change rather than be shocked by it.

Get excited about the new home

Find things for your children to be excited about. It can be as simple as a nice backyard or fun playroom to bigger things like the “big city” or “great outdoors”. Try to envision the new area through the eyes of your children. What will get them excited? Perhaps you’ll be closer to a park or pool. Maybe there is a great sports team or theaters. By taking your children’s perspective, you can find things to talk to them about to get them excited to live in the new area.

Be part of the move

Let them be part of the move planning. Children already feel a lack of control, and a move can make that feeling more acute. While planning the move, keep your children in the loop. Where appropriate, ask for their input. The move should not be something that is “happening to them,” it should be something the are apart of.

Get to know the new town

Help them get familiar with the new place before the move. It may not be possible to visit, but if you can, that’s a great step. If not, see about sharing videos or photos of the new house and the area around it. Another great tool is Google Maps. You can take a virtual drive around the new town and neighborhood on the computer. This will help them know what to expect and alleviate some of the uncertainty.

Have a place to be

When it is time to pack, be sure the kids are involved. They should pack their own “essentials box” (you can pack the real one). This is a box of items that they will want to open as soon as they arrive. Having their own box will give them a sense of control both before and right after the move.

Make time for the family

Unpacking can be a consuming process. Before you get to the broader household items, be sure the kids’ rooms are set up. This will help them settle in and give them a comfort zone during those times when you are focused on other parts of getting settled in.

Have an activity plan for the weeks following your move. It is tempting to spend all your time unpacking to get it done. But, your kids need to see where they live and get to know their new home. Make a plan and set aside time for the family to explore the new town, even if it means unpacking takes a little longer. The time you spend early on will help them be happier in the long term.

By communicating, taking your kid’s perspective, and setting aside time, you can help your children make the most of the move. Keep them in the loop and focused on the positive to make them feel good about their new home. We have moved many families over the decades. If you need help or are looking for a professional mover, give us a call.

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5 Tips for Performing a Move in a Hurry

5 Tips for Performing a Move in a Hurry

Moving is sometimes be an overwhelming process. And if you’re in a situation where you need to expedite your move, it can sometimes be too much to take. That’s why we’ve compiled a set of tips for those who need to move in a hurry.

1. Get your help ASAP

If you need some help during your move (and you probably will), you’re going to want to contact help as soon as you can. Soliciting help may be tricky depending on how short notice the move is.

You can reach out to friends and family or possibly a professional moving company to lock-in their help right away.

2. Come Up With a Checklist

Write down a checklist of moving priorities. This will help things go smoothly in case you forget something. It’s a good way to prioritize too. You’ll have to accelerate your timeline in this case so keep that in mind.

Checklists not only help you organize your goals and timeline but the act of writing things out can help you come up with steps you might not have thought of.

It doesn’t matter how detailed you want your checklist to be. Just having one can be a huge help in expedited circumstances. 

3. Moving is a Great Time to Downsize Your Belongings

Getting rid of anything you don’t really need is a crucial step in a move, regardless of the timeline.

Get to work right away designating “donate” and “throwaway” piles. 

In the circumstances of a short notice move, you don’t really have time to be nostalgic. You’ve got to get everything out ASAP.

Once you’ve got your donate and trash piles boxed up and ready to go, get rid of the trash and take your donate box to your local charity organization.

4. Gather Moving Supplies

Stock up on lots of moving supplies. It’s always a good idea to check the return policy on items you may not use. Then, overstock your materials. Buying too many supplies is better than having to make multiple trips if you didn’t buy enough.

You’ll definitely need the following materials:

  • Boxes
  • Packing paper/bubble wrap
  • Markers
  • Labels
  • Packing tape and dispenser

5. Organize and Label Your Boxes

Knowing exactly what you have in each box will save a huge headache once you get to your new place.

It’s important to create an organized labeling system for all your boxes. Your label should have both the contents of the box as well as the room it belongs in. Label every side of the box as well.

Bonus Tips

If your move feels too big to handle by yourself or even a few people, it probably is. Avoid headaches and mistakes by planning as best you can ahead of time; however much time that is.

If you like these tips and would like to read more, check out our blog. 

And if you’re looking for professional movers in the Colorado Springs, Salt Lake, San Antonio, or Cheyenne area, fill out our form for a free quote today.

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Your Home Moving Checklist

Your Home Moving Checklist

Moving is a part of life that most people experience many times. On average, Americans move about a dozen times throughout the course of their lives.

Even if you’re a seasoned pro at moving, there are still a million and one things that you could forget to do. Whether it’s registering the kids for a new school, or finding temporary storage, or forwarding mail to your new address, there’s a lot on your plate. And we haven’t even gotten started yet.

But there are ways to alleviate the stress that often comes with a big move. It’s just a matter of being organized and planning. We’ve compiled a few tips on creating a moving checklist. Keep reading below to find out how.

1. Get a Good Team of Movers

One of the best things you can do is hire a competent moving company Too often, people put off hiring movers until it’s almost too late.

You want to be sure that you are working with a company that you can trust. The movers with the best reputation are often in high demand, and you’ll have to plan ahead.

Be willing to put in the time and effort to hire the right company Interview companies over the phone if you can as well. Once you’ve found movers you trust, book them for your dates and cross that off your moving into a new house checklist.

2. Collect Materials

One of the worst things to do in a move is run out of boxes or packing tape or another crucial moving supply. Always try to oversupply your move, that way you can be sure you’ll have enough material.

You know you’ll need boxes of a variety of shapes and sizes. You’re going to want to stock up on packing tape as well as bubble wrap for those fragile items.

3. Take it One Room at a Time

Trying to pack an entire house is a huge undertaking so you’ll want to take it one room at a time. Each room should be separated on your checklist.

Take this chance to get rid of some of the items that you don’t really need. All those years of throwing things in the closet allow unnecessary items to pile up.

Chances are you don’t really need everything that’s in your house so moving is a great time to examine everything you own.

Ready to Put Together Your Moving Checklist?

Moving can be an exciting yet overwhelming process. Creating a moving checklist is a great way to remain organized and alleviate stress.

It’ll keep you focused and on task. Stay focused and excited.

We’re happy to answer any questions you may have.

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Moving With Pets

Moving with Pets

Moving is pretty high on the list of most stressful life events. Add a pet to the chaos of moving, and you and your little furry friend are in for a stressful few days.

Luckily, there are a number of steps you can take to help your pet grow accustomed to their new home. Take a look at our list of helpful tips for moving with pets.

Walk Around the Neighborhood

Before the big day, it might be a good idea to walk around the new neighborhood without your pet.

This will allow you to get a lay of the land. Be on the lookout for any kids, busy streets and intersections, as well as other dogs or cats. Look out for hazards for them to avoid or something they’ll enjoy.

Pack Their Things Last

The packing process for anyone can be stressful but for pets, it can be an especially confusing experience. 

Wait to pack their things last. Or if they have a favorite room, let them hang out there until you’re ready to go. That way, they’ll have someplace familiar during the chaos of moving.

The Big Day

On moving day, try to maintain their daily routine as much as possible. It’s a confusing experience for them so you’ll want to give them something familiar like timely feeding, walks, playtime, etc.

And be sure they’re kept in a room during the process so they don’t escape while you’re loading the truck.

Transporting Your Four-Legged Friends

You may be worried about taking your pet in a truck or plane to get to your new location.

Take the time prior to the move and acclimate them to a crate if they haven’t been already. Maybe take them for short car rides in the crate so they can get used to it.

Your New Home

It may be a good idea to acclimate them to the new place slowly. The entire experience can be overwhelming for a pet so take them through room by room so they can become accustomed to their new environment

Professional Movers 

If you’re planning a move from Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, Colorado Springs, or San Antonio, contact us at Arrow Moving & Storage to receive your free moving quote today!

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Setting up Utilities? Here Are 5 Tips for Before You Move

Setting up Utilities? Here Are 5 Tips for  Before You Move

Have a move coming up?

If you are, certainly you don’t want to show up to your new place with no water and no power.

That’s why it’s important to set up your utilities before you arrive.

We put together some helpful tips for setting up utilities.

1. Have a Plan

You don’t want to wait until you’ve moved in to call your utilities.

This process should begin a month in advance. Find out how much time you need to give your providers to start or stop service.

These are the most common utilities:

  • Water/Sewer
  • Electric
  • Gas
  • Cable/Satellite TV
  • Internet
  • Security System

If you’re moving locally, you can transfer your account.

Interstate or cross country moves may require the creation of new accounts. It may require deposits and credit checks.

Is your new house ready for your services? Your home may need installations in certain cases.

2. Perform Research and Gather Referrals

Do you know what the local providers are? Your landlord and future neighbors may be able to recommend certain companies or know of good deals.

Look at the reviews on Google, Yelp, and social media to gauge customer satisfaction.

You can get quotes from the provider’s website as well. Shop around for the best price and weigh that against their reviews

3. Set Up Your Utilities

Call your provider or visit their websites again to start service.

Some services like water and electricity don’t require you to be home when you start. Others, such as the Internet, can only be set up if you’re home.

If a provider has offered service to your house before, that should make things easier.

If you’re adding new services, it may take more time to install and may end up costing more.

4. Details are important

Prepare any questions you may have. When you call, take detailed notes.

Things like price and the name of the person you talk to may be handy later.

Your service may have additional costs, such as installation; Make note of these. This will be useful if hidden costs appear on your bill.

Ask whether or not you must be present during installation. Some companies charge for simple things you can do yourself. Ask if you can install equipment you know how to do yourself, like wireless routers.

Make sure your old providers have your forwarding address. You’ll want to be sure to get any refunds your owed or pay any balance that’s outstanding.

5. Cost-Savings

Here’s how to save a bit on your utilities services.

Ask for a Discount

Many companies provide seniors, veterans, and students with discounts. You may even get a new resident or new customer discount.

Call in the Morning

Customer service is better first thing in the morning Customer service reps are in a better mood after a cup of coffee.

Negotiate

Sometimes the rates will go up after a year. They may have provided you with a promotional offer.

Give them a call to negotiate

Now You’re Ready to Move

With these helpful tips, Setting up utilities can be much faster, cheaper, and easier.

If you’re looking for a moving company to take the stress out of moving? Contact Arrow Moving & Storage for a free moving quote.

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Tips for alleviating the Stress of Moving

Tips for alleviating the Stress of Moving

So you’ve found your brand new home.

There’s a lot to be pumped for. And there’s also a lot that’s giving you stress.

That’s just part of the moving process. Along with the joy of creating a new home, there’s the cost of moving, the paperwork, the planning, and you haven’t even lifted a box yet.

We’ve found that just a little help along the way is a giant help to movers. So, we’ve assembled a list of tips to help make your move as stress-free as possible.

Before Your Move Begins

Proper planning can help take a ton of pressure off of your back once the big day arrives. For instance, forgetting to set up utilities is a common mistake that many movers make. You certainly don’t want to show up at a house with no water.

Finding a reputable moving company is also a must, especially for larger movers. Put the time and effort into finding the right team of professional movers so that, come moving day, everything goes as smoothly as possible. 

Tips for the Best Packing System

There are many ways to organize your boxes. Some like to pack based on category, like sorting by books, documents, clothes, etc. On the other hand, you can also sort based on the room your items are in. Either way, be sure to label all your boxes.

Make sure you keep an essentials box handy with your toiletries, cleaning supplies, and a few days worth of clothes and food. You’re not going to unpack everything right away so it’s important to keep everyday items accessible. 

Tips for Moving Day

So you’ve finished packing. The worst is over with right? Well, hopefully, you’ve prepared.

Make sure you pack a cooler with enough food and drinks to get you and your family through the entire day. If you have young kids or pets, it’s probably a good idea to hire a sitter for the day or let them stay with a friend or relative. Moving can be both tedious chaotic for kids and pets.

That way, you don’t have to worry about keeping an eye on them and you can attend to the movers.

Enjoy Your Home

The more quickly the moving process goes, the more quickly you can just sit back, relax and enjoy your new home. However, for some, the process has just begun; next comes unpacking.

Luckily, there are systems you can use to make your unpacking go much more smoothly. 

After your essentials box comes the kitchen. Once you’ve finished setting up the kitchen are the bedrooms. Unpack everyone’s clothes and set up bedding. Then there is all the furniture to assemble: couches, entertainment centers, desks and computers.

Following that are the utility areas like the garage, deck, and basement.

Your Upcoming Move

Hopefully, these tips have been a useful guide for your upcoming move. If you’re looking for a reliable moving company, fill out our form to receive a free moving quote.

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Arrow Moving is the Official Moving and Transportation Company for University of Wyoming Football Department

Arrow Moving and Storage Co., Inc. of Cheyenne, WY is proud to announce, for the 13th year in a row, we are the official moving and transportation company for University of Wyoming Football Department. Our trailer is pulled by a Peterbilt Model 387 tractor from Peterbilt of Wyoming and is wrapped in a design from Western Specialty Manufacturing Corporation of Cheyenne. Jonah Bank of Wyoming also partnered on the trailer. The trailer is 53 feet long and contains 4,100 cubic feet of space to haul Wyoming Football gear.

After many years, this is still exciting and it’s an important relationship between the UW athletic department and our company,” said Owner, Mike Ottoes. “We’ve been hauling the team’s gear for many, many years. It means a lot to us to be a part of this.” It is exciting to produce a custom truck like this to drive around the country and show the pride we all have in Cowboy Football. People tell us how much they love the truck and they want to take pictures with the truck. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s great to be able to help represent the university.”

 It is a unique project to complete,” said Bill Miller of Western Specialty Manufacturing of Cheyenne, who created the design for the trailer. “It was fun working with Dan (Stinson, Equipment Manager for Cowboy Football) and the athletic department, sorting through photos and trying to find images that would work on the trailer. It was amazing. It took a little bit longer to get done than what we anticipated, but at any rate it was a fun project and a challenging one too.

We’ve done this project before, and we’ve made some changes to past trailers to reflect bowl wins and things like that. But this was a completely different process. We completely body-wrapped this trailer. One of the challenges of doing that was this truck has many, many rivets on it, which made it harder to do. While it was a challenge, that is what makes these types of projects worthwhile.”

Stinson said that he and his staff will load approximately three dozen equipment trunks, including an estimated seven tons of player gear, staff apparel, coaches’ communications systems, sports medicine supplies, radio broadcast equipment and video equipment into the trailer for each road game. The new 53′ trailer also features a lift gate to assist with the loading process.

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6 TIPS FOR A NEW MOVER’S HOUSEWARMING PARTY

6 TIPS FOR A NEW MOVER’S HOUSEWARMING PARTY

Americans move a lot. Annually, about 14% of the population relocates to a new home(that’s 40 million people!).

Are you one of those 40 million? Are you settled into your new house?

If you’ve already moved in and would like to celebrate your relocation, a great way of doing so is by hosting a housewarming party.

Don’t have guests over for parties that much? Are you trying to keep it low key?

We put together six tips for throwing a housewarming party.

1. DON’T THROW A PARTY RIGHT AWAY

You don’t want to have tons of people over before you get settled.

Give yourself some time before to really move in before you decide to celebrate. A great housewarming party can be thrown a month and a half after you move in.

2. THE INVITATIONS

You certainly don’t have to mail out invitations to your party.

Email invites will work great, especially for a casual housewarming party. Plus, this makes it easier to keep track of RSVPs and you don’t need to pay to send them out via snail mail.

3. AN OPEN HOUSE IS A GREAT OPTION

One of the best ways to keep it stress-free is by holding an open house party. Give your guests a three house window to drop by.

This will save your party from getting overcrowded any once and you’ll have more opportunities to socialize with your guests if they’re not all showing up at the same time.

4. DON’T FORGET TO INVITE YOUR NEIGHBORS

While organizing a guest list, make sure to include your new neighbors. It’s a good chance to get to know everyone around you. They will surely appreciate the invite.

5. DECOR IS UNNECESSARY

Spending a ton of time and money on decorations isn’t necessary.

Don’t forget, that the whole point of a housewarming party is to show your friends and neighbors how you’ve decorated your new house.

Extra decorations will just hide what you’ve done with the place.
All you need to do is make your house nice and presentable.

6. YOU DON’T NEED A TON OF FOOD

Don’t go overboard with your food options. Your guests won’t expect a fine dining experience.

A good alternative is fun appetizers that guests can help themselves to.

Let your friends help if they want to bring drinks or food to serve. Your friends will enjoy helping and it’s a great way to remove some of the weight off your back.

READY FOR YOUR HOUSEWARMING PARTY

Throwing a housewarming party doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated.

If you keep it simple, both you and your guests will enjoy themselves more.

Do you need help moving to your new home? If so, the movers at Arrow Moving & Storage can help.

Contact us today to get a quote or to learn more about our moving services.