Chicago Movers-ID Pets Before You Move

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the third week in April is National Pet ID week. This prompted us here at Meyers Movers to remind our Chicago movers to have your pet identification updated immediately upon arrival. It is a good idea to prepare at least a collar tag before you get there so you can place the updated tag on your pet when you arrive in your new home.

For Chicago movers traveling a long distance with your pet, it is also a good idea to get a temporary tag that you place alongside the regular tag on the collar with the location of the places you plan to stop and stay along the way. This is a good idea for regular traveling as well.

You can visit American Humane Society for tips on Identification Tags and Microchips. You will need to pick up your pets veterinary records shortly before you move. This would be a good time to bring up pet identification options with your veterinarian. Also, do not forget to research ahead to find a new veterinarian so that you are prepared with that contact upon arrival. You can call ahead, introduce yourself and ask questions about your pet moving to the new environment.

Moving can be a bit disorienting or stressful for your pet. They may respond to the move by running and hiding somewhere outside in the new unknown environment. Please protect your furry family friend with proper pet identification. Check back next week for tips for Chicago movers on helping your pet have a stress-free move. At Meyers Movers, we are all about your stress-free move. That goes for your pets too!

Movers in Chicago Connecting with Libraries

Recent movers in Chicago might appreciate knowing that April 13-19, 2014 is recognized this year as National Library Week.  National Library Week is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) since 1958. According to the ALA, “It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. All types of libraries – school, public, academic and special – participate.”

Wm Meyers Movers would like to inspire our recent movers in Chicago to visit their local libraries within their new communities. This year’s theme is “Lives change @ your library®.”  We couldn’t agree more. Libraries are hubs for community members sharing a love of books and knowledge. What a great way for movers in Chicago to make new connections within their community. Libraries hold many events for children and adults alike. Events such as book groups, story time for children, informative topic evenings, etc.  Obviously your local library is the perfect place to enrich your love for reading but also may be the perfect place to make new friends and get involved.

To find the library nearest you and obtain more information on National Library Week, we encourage you to visit @ Your Library; The Campaign for America’s Libraries.  Once the boxes are unpacked and you have created all your new perfect spaces in your new home, why not curl up with a good book-a true housewarming gift.

Wm Meyers Movers wishes our movers in Chicago a joyful National Library Week. We hope you find your new library soon!

Potential Tax Deductions for Chicago Movers

Here we are again. April 15 is right around the corner. Many have already filed their taxes but for those Chicago movers who have not, Meyers Movers wants to remind you to look closely at your moving expenses if your move took place in 2013. Please be sure to go to the IRS section for Moving Expenses to see if any of your moving expenses qualify for deductions.

There may be other home owner deductions for Chicago movers to consider as well. If you are preparing to move, you may have completed home improvements to ready the home for sale. Some of these improvements may be tax deductible. Or perhaps you made major improvements in your home over the course of time you lived there. Whether you moved recently, or are moving soon or thinking about moving, you will want to be sure to save all necessary receipts for home improvements that may be deductible on your tax return. Go to this IRS section on Tax Information for Homeowners for more information about what a home owner can deduct. Also covered in this section are all specifics concerning mortgage interest credit, real estate taxes and mortgage insurance premiums. And of course, check with your tax professional before making any tax decisions.

Chicago movers who just moved into a new home should consider preparing a file folder for storing records of any home improvements made to the new home now and in the future. The organization of these documents will save much time and money later when it comes time to selling.

Meyers Movers wishes Chicago movers a stress-free tax time!

Volunteer Opportunities for Recent Chicago Movers

National Volunteer Week is coming right up. This year it falls on April 6-13, 2014. Meyers Movers is happy to take this timely opportunity to encourage our recent Chicago movers to deepen their connection to their new communities through volunteering.

We have been in the Chicago moving business for over 88 years. We know the importance of understanding the needs of the community that we live and work in. Reaching out to volunteer rewards us with pride for our community while strengthening our roots in the community.

We have offered articles in the past sharing ideas for feeling at home once you move to a new place. We would like to honor National Volunteer Week by encouraging our recent Chicago movers to consider reaching out by lending a hand in their new community. Through volunteering you will make wonderful connections with new friends. You will learn more about your community and the needs there. There is probably no better way to feel at home in a new place then to begin to invest your time, energy and heart into that place.

You may already have a favorite organization that you volunteer for. If so, a great place to start would be to look into whether that organization has a branch or presence in your community. Religious affiliations are another way to find connections to volunteer opportunities. Also, local hospitals, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, animal shelters and schools might be places to start your search, but there are many organizations out there waiting to be found.

We found a fabulous resource on-line for connecting with volunteer opportunities. At http://www.volunteermatch.org/ you can search based on what you care about and the city you live in, and they will match you up with a non-profit organization that could use your help.

Just another simple and meaningful way for Chicago movers to plant roots and feel at home in their new communities. Meyers Movers wishes you happiness wherever you move.

Chicago Movers Welcome Spring!

It has finally arrived, if only by date, but winter is in fact fading away and most places in the country this year can say, “Good Riddance!” Major cities nearly everywhere dealt with more snow than usual and colder than average temperatures. And according to most long range forecasts, winter is not finished with the US just yet with below normal temperatures forecasted next week and the possibility for another major snow event for the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

One thing is clear, winter is losing, so face the bright future and begin thinking about your spring plans. Many Chicago movers will be choosing to list their homes on the market to take advantage of the busiest upcoming home selling season. Are you ready? We are. At Meyers Movers, we stand by our Chicago movers ready to handle local, long distance and international movers.

Perhaps you are getting ready to list your house. Here is our short list of reminders for things to do outdoors now that the weather is breaking, to prepare your home for the market.

  • Spring yard clean up-time to remove the dead debris of winter. Clean out your garden beds, add fresh mulch and some ornamental annuals to cheer everything up.
  • House washing-renting or hiring a power washer to make your home sparkle and look its best
  • Paint your front door with a fresh coat and maybe even the shutters and porch trim etc.
  • Purchase a new doormat-any little touch to present a clear and welcoming space is helpful.
  • Clean your outdoor light fixtures so that the glass shines and the light glows beautifully
  • Look for any winter damage to trees and shrubs and remove what is unsightly
  • Place a pot of flowers by your front door
  • Clean up any outdoor furniture to make your patios and decks look their best
  • Give lampposts a fresh coat of spray paint
  • Consider any driveway repair or a fresh asphalt coat if needed.
  • And….do not forget to do that final walk around your yard. Stand back on the street and look at the overall appearance of you home. What did you miss? Take a photo for a different perspective.

Of course your realtor will also give you all kinds of tips too and be most helpful in deciding what you need to do. There are so many little inexpensive things you can do to make your house look like the perfect home to a buyer. Good Luck Chicago movers! And when it is time to get moving, Meyers Movers is here to help!

 

Choosing a Trusted Chicago Moving Company

We sure are glad you stopped by to read our article this week. March 2-8, 2014 is National Consumer Protection Week. Meyers Movers is the Chicago moving company dedicated to getting the word out about Chicago moving fraud. We are in the beginning preparation stages for the busiest moving season of the year. We know many of you are beginning to search for the Chicago moving company you can trust to deliver your move.

National Consumer Protection Week is a campaign designed to inform consumers of their rights and to help them make better informed decisions.  They offer resources and partners to bring you information about all types of fraud and scams. We live in a world where it is absolutely imperative that we stay on top of the newest ways scam artists try to cheat us. You need to protect our family, identity, home, business, privacy, banking and the list goes on. It seems every day, there is a new way to scam us. Help yourself and recognize the warning signals. Do your own research rather than trusting all that something or someone tells you. We encourage to visit National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) for information, materials, a list of partners and more to become informed and protect yourself from fraud.

Obviously as a Chicago Moving Company, Meyers Movers is concerned with moving fraud. It happens all the time. We do not want it to happen to you. We see it nationwide in the news more and more frequently. Luckily it is quite simple to protect yourself when you have the right information. You will then be able to choose a Chicago moving company you can trust.  We highly recommend that before choosing your Chicago moving company that you visit Protect Your Move. This resource put out by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in partnership with the moving industry, law enforcement and consumer groups, aims to provide consumers with information to protect themselves from moving fraud. The website it packed with things to know and do to ensure a safe and protected move.

Meyers Movers wishes you the best of luck in choosing a trusted Chicago Moving Company. Protect yourself with the facts and your rights and you will be moving in the right direction.

Creature Comforts for Chicago Movers

Meyers Movers has been taking this winter month of February to bring our Chicago movers ideas for finding connections that will help them feel more at home in the new community they anticipate moving to.  We enjoy helping our customers to be proactive with this by providing ideas and resources.

Read our earlier posts this month if you missed them. We are sure that you will find some of the information useful. It is a time for getting excited about moving and anticipating what it will be like where you go. Chicago movers have shared with us the things that helped make them feel at home when they moved. You will find some of these ideas in the posts from the last 2 weeks.  Here are a few more ideas from our Chicago movers:

  • Fitness-check your local community for where you can enjoy your favorite classes and work-outs. Classes are a great way to meet new community members while staying fit. Perhaps you want to sign up now to ensure your spot once you move.
  • Museums and art galleries-connecting with the history and culture aids in feeling more invested in where you live
  • Music and theater venues-for those of you who enjoy the performing arts, check out what is going on. Perhaps you would even like to purchase tickets to an event in the future providing you with a new community activity to look forward to.
  • Dog friendly places-for our dog loving Chicago movers, you might want to look into fun places to take your furry friend and meet other dog lovers and their dogs.  Dogs are a great way to break into conversation and meet new people.
  • Cafes and coffee shops-Who doesn’t want to find these ahead of time? Perfect places for learning more about where you live and striking up conversations.

The ideas are endless and you are sure to find gobs of good stuff in your research so we suggest you keep a file on all these possible new haunts and set the intention of visiting soon after you move.

We hope we have inspired Chicago movers to think and dream about where they are going. When you move to a new place, finding your creature comforts in research you do ahead of time can create a sense of belonging there.  Check back here in the future. Meyers Movers likes all things moving and has much to share to help out our Chicago movers before, during and after their moves.

 

Chicago Movers Searching for Local Farmer’s Markets

Welcome Back! Meyers Movers has been sharing ideas the last couple of weeks for how to help Chicago movers connect to the communities that they will be moving to in the near future.  These quiet months are a good time to dream about what is coming up. A move is always easier when you can look forward to things about where you are going.

Recently when speaking to Chicago movers about what helps them feel at home and connected to a new community, we heard about the importance of farming communities and the availability of locally grown food. It makes perfect sense that one of the things that helps us connect with community is connecting with the growers and products that come from local sources. So while looking ahead, you might enjoy researching what is locally available in your area.

We here at Meyers Movers found two useful resources for looking up local farming.  We found that at localharvest.org, you can simply put in your zip code and get connected to Community Supported Agriculture, Small family farms, Food Coops, and Farmer’s Markets. It is quick and easy and provides a lot of information on all the local farming businesses that are located in your future home community.

Another great resource for Chicago movers who are searching for local farming communities is the USDA National Farmers Market Directory. Here you can find one of the most comprehensive listing of farmer’s markets across the country. They update regularly and often for the most accurate information. Again it is as easy as putting in your zip code and then you are on your way to connecting with farming in your future community.

Check back next week where we will be sharing more ideas for feeling at home in a new community. It is all about home at Meyers Movers. We want to help our Chicago movers gets there.

 

Looking Forward to Your New Community

Last week we talked about taking this quiet less busy time before a Chicago move that may be 2-3 months out, to dream your space using a floor plan to plan furniture placement.  It saves having to rearrange heavy things later after the movers leave. Meyers Movers has been sharing the Chicago move experience with our customers for over 87 years. We have been there alongside them helping them with everything “moving”. One thing we have learned about the Chicago move process for families is sometimes it can be fraught with the unknown about where you are heading and how to make that new destination feel like you are coming home.

These days, the internet makes it so easy to research all about where you are going.  While you are anticipating all you will be busy with in the few weeks and days right before your Chicago move, why not look ahead and learn about your new community.  What helps you feel at home in a new community? Here are some suggestions to research ahead of time and help you and your family look forward to your Chicago move and new home community:

  • Your favorite chain stores and restaurants-many of us like our routine places. You might enjoy finding out that the stores you enjoy shopping at can also be found where you are moving.
  • Parks-Perhaps you love the outdoors and enjoy walking, running, biking, kayaking. Check out what parks are near your new home and what facilities they have.
  • Fun places for kids-If you have children, they can look forward to what is available in your new community for them.
  • Local contractors-Perhaps over the years, you have become attached to your short list of home maintenance contractors such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, landscapers etc. The internet makes it very easy to research reputable trusted contractors who are ready to serve you in your new community.  You can enter your new home with a new short list for anything you may need right away.
  • Place of Worship-A fine way to connect with your new community is through your faith. Find your denomination and make the call to introduce yourself and family.
  • Community Centers-Check on-line to see if your new community has a community center where you can make connections or learn more about your community.
  • Local businesses-Sure, we all like our comfort chain stores and/or restaurants but it is fun to explore what is unique about where you are going. Check out business directories or city/town websites to read about privately owned stores, boutiques, and restaurants. You may find that you cannot wait to visit some of these locally owned businesses.

This should give you much to read and learn about where you are headed. Take advantage of all the ways the internet can help you warm up to your future community through photos, videos, reviews and guides all to do with your future home.

If you have kids, get them involved and give them some things on the list to research and see what they can find out too. They will most likely enjoy sharing their excitement over what they find. They might think it is fun and feel a sense of involvement. Check back in the next few weeks for more ideas and resources that help you feel more at home wherever your Chicago move takes you. Meyers Movers likes to help you feel at home no matter where you are. Have fun!

Planning Ahead With Your Chicago Moving Company

So you know you are moving in the next few months. The decision has been made. You have done the sorting and purging and have packed up what you will not be using between now and then in secure labeled boxes. Surely it will get very busy in the last few weeks before your move. But what to do now?

2-3 months out is a great time to wrap your mind around the arrangement of your things in your new space. If possible, obtain a floor plan of your new home and begin taking measurements of your furniture and begin to dream you space. This can also save time on moving day and help your Chicago moving company get you moved in more quickly.  A floor plan is a great tool for seeing how it will all fit ahead of time.

This can also be a fun activity for children. If you are moving with a family, they can be part of the planning. This may help everyone feel involved in dreaming the new home space. You can show them their rooms and how their things can be arranged in them. They may want to use colored pencils or crayons and draw their room alongside of you while you work with the floor plan. This can be a fun time to talk about room colors and curtains etc. Giving kids a chance to begin to emotionally connect to their future home through art and dreaming can make the home feel less foreign to them when they do get there because they have invested their vision into the space and have in a way taken ownership of it.

Of course, if you do not have access to a floor plan, then perhaps you can get some basic room measurements from your realtor or future landlord. Taking photos of the space when you are choosing it is a great idea as well.  Note where windows and doors are in the home and how to make the best use of natural light in your arrangement.  Avoid needing to move heavy furniture later by planning ahead. Let your Chicago moving company handle the heavy weight and place it in the perfect spot.

Also, WM Meyers Moving is the Chicago moving company able to provide you with everything you need to plan for your move.  Check out our Chicago moving resources page for countless tips on planning your move and preparing for the big day.

Have fun dreaming your new space and do not forget to contact WM Meyers Moving with any questions you have regarding your Chicago move.