We are Fully Licensed and Insured!

localmovingcompany — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:09:22 +0000

When planning a move, it is very important to make sure your moving company of choice is fully licensed and insured. After all, you will be trusting them with all of your personal belongings!

You can verify a moving company license with your local DOT (Department of Transportation) office. If you are moving within your current state, your moving company needs to be licensed with that state. If you are moving to a different state, your moving company needs to be licensed by the Federal Department of Transportation.

You will also want to find out what level of insurance coverage your moving company offers. Most likely, this coverage will be offered per pound. You can usually pay a small additional fee to up that coverage as well.

To recap, the first question you should ask any moving company is whether or not they are fully licensed and insured. Good Stuff Moving is both! Contact us today for a moving quote! We help people move locally here in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, throughout all of Minnesota, and even cross-country.

Taking Furniture Apart (and putting it back together)

localmovingcompany — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:53:33 +0000

If you are moving, chances are you are going to have to take apart and re-assemble at least one piece of furniture. I used to dread this task. Not necessarily the taking apart portion, but the re-assembling. More specifically, the “where in the world did I put those screws?” phrase I asked myself pretty much every time I moved my futon in college. I finally figured out a few ways to ease the pain of disassembling/reassembling and am sharing them with you!

Always have several plastic baggies around for pieces. Use one bag per piece of furniture (never throw all of the screws in one bag and assume you will be able to figure out which bed frame they go with!) and label it clearly.
Tape said baggie to the back side of the piece of furniture, or better yet, inside of a drawer.
Using a camera (or your phone) take photos of any complicated item (such as the CD stand with 4,000 pieces) before taking it apart so you can refer to it when putting it back together!
Keep all pieces together! If you have a bed frame with 4 extra bars (for making it different sizes), use painters tape (no sticky residue) to bind everything together.
Have a small box for any extra screws/bolts/etc that you find while moving. It has been proven that approximately 5 minutes after the garbage truck comes, you will remember where that screw you threw away yesterday belongs.

If you follow these simple tips, reassembling your furniture should be a piece of cake!

December Moving in Minnesota

localmovingcompany — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:30:39 +0000

As most people are aware, December is typically NOT the best month to move in Minnesota. Snow, cold, ice- these are all factors in Minnesota’s beautiful winter. But not this year! If you had to move in December, this is definitely the year to do it. We are looking at breaking records as we inch toward 2012! Here are a few fun facts from the Minnesota Public Radio website:

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+6.9 degrees December temps vs. average at MSP Airport

8.6″ snowfall so far this season at MSP Airport

-11.4″ vs. average snowfall to date at MSP

1″ approximate total snowfall potential next 16 days according to GFS model output

14.2″ least snowiest winter on record at MSP (1931-’32)

January 15th midpoint of “meteorological winter”

40+ degrees possible New Year’s Eve, January 5th & January 11th!

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So did you move this December? We have been enjoying the mild weather, dry boots, and warm hands. Our sleds have been collecting dust though. Mother Nature, feel free to give us some of that white stuff any time! If you need help moving this winter, contact us for a free quote!

Why Use a Moving Company?

localmovingcompany — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:12:26 +0000

If you don’t move frequently, you may tend to forget just how much work goes into the process of actually moving from one home to another. You may also forget just how much stuff you have. Here are a few reasons why using a moving company is a very good idea.

No moving truck responsibilities. If you are moving more than one room, there is a very good chance your vehicle will not be big enough to haul everything. By using a moving company, you do not have to deal with renting a moving truck, buying gas, or driving that truck.

Your belongings will arrive safely. Moving companies know how to safely pack a truck. They know how to maneuver furniture, and how to safely team-lift and support heavy items. They also have all the necessary equipment (lifting straps, appliance dolly, etc.)

You can do as much or as little as you want. Movers are also expert packers and loaders! If you want your whole house organized and packed up, moved, and unpacked, it can be done. If you just need help with the heavy lifting, that can be arranged as well!

Are you planning a move? Contact Good Stuff Moving for a free quote!

Holiday Light Displays

localmovingcompany — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:30:15 +0000

Can you believe it was already a month ago that I shared some of my favorite Halloween house displays? Me either. I had a great time collecting my favorite photos from around the web however that I thought now would be a great time to share some pretty crazy holiday light displays! Some of these are funny, some are strange, and some are just downright crazy. (click on an image to go to the original source.)

And my personal favorite…..

Maybe we should decorate a moving truck this year?? Just kidding!

Happy Thanksgiving!

localmovingcompany — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:23:12 +0000

This is a week of thanks, and we would like to say thanks to you! We are thankful for our customers, friends and family. We are thankful for a successful business, and all of the great people we get to meet week in and week out. From Good Stuff Moving to all of you, have a most wonderful Thanksgiving! And please, eat some pie!

“Cut my pie into four pieces, I don’t think I could eat eight.”
-Yogi Berra

Pack a “Special Box”

localmovingcompany — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:21:02 +0000

Remember last week when we suggested packing a box or two of your favorite holiday items? The purpose of that was to allow you to easily find and be able to unpack those boxes first. Well we are here today to tell you that every move should have a “special box.”

This box doesn’t have to be categorized or fit into one room. It should just contain items that you will need first, right when you get to your new home. Some items that could be included in this box:

kitchen items used every meal
a couple of towels and a shower curtain
phone chargers
simple bedding
a few of your kid’s favorite toys (if you have kids)
pet food

This box is not for important personal items such as medication, glasses/contacts, laptops, etc. Those personal items should be kept with you at all times and not packed in the moving truck!

By having a “special box,” you will ensure your first few days in your new home are comfortable and time is not wasted searching for needed items.

Easier Moving During the Holidays

localmovingcompany — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:05:06 +0000

Moving during the holidays can be difficult, not only because you often have more obligations and events to attend, but also because it is a time of year when most people really want to feel settled. It is hard to think about decorating and baking and wrapping gifts when your home is packed into boxes. Here are a few tips to ease the hassle of moving during the holidays:

-Pack a couple of boxes specifically for holiday items such as few favorite decorations, your special holiday pie tin, and a couple of rolls of giftwrap. Clearly label these boxes so you can quickly find them without opening all of the others!

-If you normally host a holiday meal, don’t feel guilty asking someone else to step in this year. Your sanity will thank you

-Have fun with it! Turn on some holiday music, drink hot cocoa while packing, and let the kids use the excess packing materials to creatively wrap/decorate holiday gifts.

Moving during the holidays can be stressful, but if you plan ahead a bit you will do just fine!

Halloween Houses!

localmovingcompany — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:11:15 +0000

In honor of the sweetest (ha ha) holiday of the year, we have rounded up some of our favorite Halloween house displays ever! From cute to scary to downright crazy, we have covered it all. Did you decorate your house this year?

Beautiful! Image found here.

This is impressive. Image found here.

Creepy crawly! Image from here.

I hope this house doesn’t burn down! Image from here.

WOW! I have no words! Image from here.

Preparing for Winter

localmovingcompany — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:19:10 +0000

It is getting chilly up here in Minnesota, and now is a great time to get your house ready for winter! If you live in a warm climate, kindly skip this post and go enjoy the heat. For the rest of us, read on for a few simple things you can do to protect your home from the better cold.

1. Insulate all water pipes that run along exterior walls. This will help prevent pipes from freezing and cracking, which is something no one wants to deal with!

2. Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows if necessary. You will save on heating costs and be more comfortable.

3. Purchase any items you will need before that first big storm NOW. If you wait until the snow flies you will be scrambling to find what you need. Salt for the sidewalk, a good shovel, and a scraper for your car window are the big ones. You probably already have these items- if so, dig them out of their summer hibernation spot!

4. Clean out your gutters, cover any fragile plants, and move outdoor furniture/grills inside or in the garage if possible. It is much, much easier to do this before it snows. I am speaking based on experience here!

Do you have other winter prep tips? If so, leave them in the comments, or tweet them to us @goodstuffmoving!