When planning a move, what will you do with an extra day?

This year is Leap Year and each of us gets an extra day in February!  Every four years, we are given this gift of time. Historically, it was the ancient Egyptians who found a year was roughly “365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds” instead of exactly 365 days.

Two thousand years ago, Julius Caesar officially added Leap Year into the Roman calendar.  The chance of being born on a Leap Year birthday is said to be 1 in 1,461 births. Such people are called “Leaplings” and are considered to have “unique talents and special personalities.” Do you know anyone born on Leap Day? Do you have a child who was?

In any case, each of us gets an extra day this year.  Let’s think of it as a gift of more time to prepare for your move. While adults may be focused on a long list of what needs to be done, the children are a big part of the equation.  They have their own anxiety and concerns about leaving the familiar – home, school friends and neighborhood playmates, and other regular events.

Here are several ideas to effectively use your extra day when planning a move:

• Take this time to create a records file. In this file you should put important record items from doctors, dentists, daycare/schools, veterinarians, etc. You should also use this time research specialists in the area you will be moving to.
• Have the children create “Memory Books” with photos of your present home, pictures of friends, cards and mementos.  Encourage them to draw or write their thoughts in the books. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. A notebook, tape, and colored pencils can work well.
•  Research your new city or town online and talk to your kids about what you’ve discovered.  Is there a bouncy gym or a children’s museum? Is there a nearby library where they have special story telling times? What about the Y or another community sports and activities complex in your new area? All this will perk their interest and deter some of their concerns about the eminent move.
• Prepare a box with the most important things that you will need in the first couple of days at your new home. You should pack essentials such as: a set of clothes for each member of the family, medications, toothpaste, towels, some snacks and drinks, etc.
• Have the children pack a box you could call a “Treasure Chest” with several favorite items in it for the drive to your new home. This will give them something familiar to literally hold onto.  A favorite toy or stuffed animal are comforting and can make their ride and new surroundings seem less foreign.

Lastly, here’s a timely quote:

“Time is the longest distance between two places.” -- Tennessee Williams

Enjoy that extra “Leap Day” and remember the team at Superior Relocation Services is here for you. Let our excellent professional crew and expert planning team create the specifics for your best move yet. 

What to Update When Moving Your Business

At first just the thought of moving your business – the furniture, computers, files, and everything else – may seem overwhelming. Where do you begin? How will you tell your customers? How do you prioritize?  

First, you must brainstorm and create your own business moving checklist designed with your specific company in mind. Keep it simple and break it down into easy steps.  

The following are necessary basics to any business moving checklist:

• Make sure your current customers know when and where you are moving. Consider sending out a letter or an email. Update your company website including the “Contact Us” and “Find Us” pages. Also, have new stationary letterhead and business cards printed a couple weeks before moving.
• If you can, keep the same telephone number. If you are changing your phone number, setup call-forwarding.
• Your company’s “online presence” absolutely needs to move along with you.  Change your physical address online and in all venues you are in. For instance, consider all Social Media sites, the Chamber of Commerce, Google Places, Yelp, Angie’s List…You fill in the blanks. You know where and with whom your business is listed. Yes, this takes time. However, there is nothing worse than a potential customer finding your business online and then driving to where its location was listed, but is no longer located.
• Make time for getting necessary permits, licenses, and insurance policies. This includes letting the government know by updating the tax entities of your city and state about the move and new address.
• Be sure to update your vendors a month or two before the move.  Will you stay with your current vendors? Will you want new signage? New furniture? 
• It is especially important to hire movers and cleaners as early as 90 days before your relocation. We at Superior Relocation Services will be happy to discuss any and all moving needs with you.  Our time-honored experience and our moving professionals will make your relocation a streamlined, successful event.

There are many other things you may be thinking about regarding your move. Call us and let’s talk. We’d love to hear from you!