10 Ways You Can Conquer the Move!

Whether you’re moving out of Mom and Dad’s house for the first time or are an experienced mover, there are things to learn each time you move.  The more prepared you are, the easier the transition will be.

One bit of advice is to not underestimate the amount of time it will take to prepare for the move.  While a move, if necessary, can be thrown together in a couple weeks, the most successful moves are those that are thoughtfully orchestrated.  Starting the process a few months ahead will leave fewer things that can go wrong when the date actually arrives.

You’ll want a fresh start at your new place.  This is a good time to purge the things you thought you needed to save from the last move or some of the many things you may have accumulated over the years.  Think about weeding out some of the items that you haven’t used or even seen for the last year or two.  How much do you love those items? Do they coordinate with your new home?  Do they deserve your attention and time going forward? Do the clothes fit? Do you even like them?  Have your kids outgrown their toys?   As you move along keep the three R’s in mind:  reduce, reuse, and recycle.  Reduce your stuff to things you really love or need at your new residence. Reuse blankets, soft t-shirts, and even socks to wrap fragile items, and recycle anything you can by passing it on to someone who wants or needs it, maybe even a member of your moving crew.

In our June 5 blog we mentioned some essential moving tools that you truly won’t want to be without.  They are so important that it bears repeating.  Here’s a quick list:

·      Sharpies

·      Tape gun

·      Box knife

·      Blankets

·      Furniture dolly

·      Rope

·      Plastic wrap

·      Walkie-talkies

Armed with these tools you’re ready to begin.

As soon as you know that you’re moving is a perfect time to start packing.  Don’t let it overwhelm you; just starting is step one.  Don’t let the move defeat you!  Conquer it!  Here’s how.

Start early.  Don’t wait till there’s not enough time.  Start by setting the exact moving date and assemble your moving crew or your moving company.   Enlist your soldiers—family and friends—and promise them to reciprocate when they move next.  (wink, wink) They’ll appreciate the advanced notice.

Think thin. By that we mean to lighten your load; take just the important things.  You’ll be so much happier if you get to the new house and aren’t looking at and trying to find places for things that you don’t even use.

Label everything.  You won’t be sorry.  Label your boxes according to which room you want them to be placed in as well as what’s in the box.  You’ll probably not be able to unpack every box at your new home on day one, so you’ll appreciate not having to dig through 10 different boxes to find your favorite pair of shoes.

Pack one room at a time.  This will help you stay organized and help keep from having random boxes all over the place.

Think outside the box.  If you know for sure that some of your things will go straight to the basement, garage, or attic at your new home, invest in some plastic storage bins for these items.  Try to get clear bins so that you can easily see what’s inside.

Nest boxes.  By that we mean if you have some small boxes, put several into a larger box.  It will be less likely that one of the small ones will be misplaced during the moving process and require less back and forth trips.

Keep your personal information with you.  Transport your personal documents, checkbook, and financial documents yourself.  This will eliminate the possibility of identity theft, losing or misplacing any of these items, and make them available if you need them right away.

Keep your valuables with you.  Of course, everything you have is valuable, but we’re referring to jewelry, artwork, and other collections you may have.

Have a box for essentials.  Essential items will vary from family to family but could include things like bathroom tissue, sheets, paper towels, soap, bath towels, basically anything you might need right away.

Take inventory.  Make a list of everything you’re moving, especially if you’re using professional movers.  Have someone check as the items go on the truck, and then again when they are taken off the truck.

Now you have everything you need to prepare for your move.  A new adventure is waiting.   If you’re just beginning your home search give us a call at 618-791-5024 or 618-791-9298 or visit us online at www.dianamasseyhomes.com!  We’ll help you every step of the way!

7 Amazing Reasons Why You Should Live in Edwardsville!

Everyone wants to live in a good town. Somewhere safe, secure, socially alive, and full of opportunities typically qualifies any place on the globe as a good place to live in many people’s books. So often we have to choose a location that doesn’t have it all. Usually, we choose to live the city life with little privacy but great opportunity and social activities, or we elect for the country life in which there’s plenty of space to spread out but not a lot to do.

Did you know that there’s a wonderful little city in Illinois that has all that you could be looking for and more? Of course, this gem of a city has probably been under our noses the whole time. That city is, of course, Edwardsville!

Read the 7 reasons below to see why Edwardsville is THE best place for young families (and pretty much everyone else) in Illinois to live!

It’s Close to the City – If you want to live in a place with a small-town feel yet close to the city, then this is definitely the place for you! Edwardsville is less than 30 minutes away from downtown St. Louis and is very close to the St. Louis International Airport. Only minutes away from shopping, countless job opportunities, major sporting events, and so much more, you’ll never run out of great things to do!

Get a Good Education Here – Quality educational systems always make a location that much sweeter to live in. From kindergarten to high school all the way through the university level, Edwardsville features excellent quality of education in both private and public schools with near-perfect ratings. With Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville and Lewis and Clark Community College nearby, getting a good education for a negotiable price has never been easier than in Edwardsville!

Diverse Housing Options Are Aplenty – No matter what your housing needs are, Edwardsville has it all! Ranging from new home construction to grand historic structures along mature, tree-lined streets to apartments, you can easily find affordable housing to suit all of your housing needs.

Business Is Booming – It’s common for people to want to live where the jobs are, but oftentimes that isn’t very likely anymore. A good majority of the jobs lie within larger cities, but living in the city can prove to be expensive. In Edwardsville, you can live in a great home AND have an array of available, diverse, and skilled workforces at hand. With the growth rate up in the city, finding a good job only minutes away from where you live is much more possible in Edwardsville!

Transportation Is Never a Problem – Bordered by 3 major interstates, Edwardsville offers fantastic and easy access to all areas of the nation and incredibly easy access to the city of St. Louis. The city of Edwardsville also features a progressive public and recreational transportation system, which includes a hub and spoke mass transit system with bike racks and WiFi on buses, and much, much more! Bicyclists will also find a way around with the city’s multiple connections to the county’s 100-mile interconnected bike trail system!

The City is Rich in History – Did you know that Edwardsville is the 3^rd oldest city in the state of Illinois? Incorporated in 1818, it is a city rich in history, a land that even Abraham Lincoln visited – TWICE. The region around Edwardsville is also rich in history and gorgeous geography, many tales of lore and legend, and countless ghost stories. With nearly every corner you turn, you’ll find something new and exciting to learn about the city and the region around it!

Live In an Award-Winning City – Have you heard the fantastic news? Edwardsville has recently been named the #1 City For Young Families in Illinois! This was determined from three essential aspects of a good city – good public schools, affordability of living, and if the town is growing and prospering. Edwardsville was the city that dominated the list of requirements and became the best city in Illinois for young couples to live in! Also notable is the fact that the city was ranked by Family Circle Magazine as one of the 2010 Top Ten Towns and Cities for Families.

(Oh, and in case you’re curious, the other 9 places named in the list include O’Fallon, Charleston, Grayslake, New Lenox, Geneva, Huntley, Downers Grove, Elmhurst, and Orland Park, respectively.)

Ready to move? Want to find an even better home in Edwardsville? You’ve come to the right place – we can help! Just call us at (618) 791-5024 or at (618) 791-9298 or visit us online to see our listings and what we do at www.DianaMasseyHomes.com! Together, we can help you find your dream home in the state’s best city to live in. Visit us or call us today!