So guess what? Moving is stressful… As one of the oldest moving companies in Boston, we have seen countless families do well on moving day and we have seen others that might not have had a great experience. So it is important to find a moving company that you know will get the job done and more importantly, one that you can trust. Listed here are some questions that we believe every customer should ask their moving company.

• Are you bonded or insured? What is your DOT number? These are legal requirements that every moving company should have.
• What Quality organizations are you tied to? (American Moving & Storage Associations ProMover and BBB are two such examples).
• Have the company’s crew and employees been background checked and drug tested? These people will be handling your most valuable items, so you need to be able to trust them.
• Ask for references to past similar moves.
• And lastly, to avoid the fly by night moving scams, it is important to ask how long the company has been in business.

The next set of questions we suggest asking involve your move estimate.

• First. It is important to ask if the estimate is bound. This means that the price cannot change unless new services are added. If an estimate is not bound, the price may go up or down based on things like the weight of the shipment or the services on moving day.
• Is full valuation included on the estimate? Valuation is like insurance during the move. All movers are obligated to provide $.60 per pound valuation at no cost. Still, we like to recommend that it is always recommended that a shipper gets full valuation to insure protection against damage or loss. Some movers include full valuation and others don’t. It’s worth it to ask.
• Finally, ask what the delivery spread will be. No, this isn’t gambling…If you’re moving to a different state, for example, most companies may give a window of dates for delivery. It is important to take into account and understand if the move exceeds this timeframe, you may be charged additional temporary storage fees.

Our own Jim Sullivan reminds us that “ultimately, it comes down to finding a moving company that you can trust. Moving is stressful and you want to make sure that the people that are handling your most valuable possessions are trustworthy and capable.”

I had a chance to take some time with Jim and go over the things you need to ask your moving company. Take a quick look at the video:

We’ve noticed in recent years that with the difficult job market and other reasons, companies are less likely to pay for the full move cost for their relocating employees. Instead, we are seeing an increase in lump sums – a single payment that is given to the employee to put towards the move as well as other expense related to relocating. The employee is then responsible for their own move: from finding a moving company and other vendors, to seeing the moving process through to the end.

So, what kind of advice can we give you?

Bigger companies should have relocation packages that clearly state what they will offer to their employee, and what the employee is responsible for. Smaller start ups and tech companies will often have less formal policies. We suggest becoming familiar with your company’s individual policy before starting the process on your own. The best scenario is a specific relocation policy. But, as we’ve said, these are becoming more and more rare.

If you have been given a lump sum to relocate, we’re going to tell you what we tell everyone beginning the moving process: do your homework. This is absolutely crucial. Websites like movingscams.com will help you avoid a negative move experience. We suggest talking to friends and family members who have moved. Find a reputable moving company. You don’t want to be scammed and we don’t want you to be either. Moving can be stressful and as always, we want to do anything we can to limit that stress.

We know there are several moving companies in Boston but we hope you choose Humboldt to help you relocate. If you’re moving for your company and need an international mover, we conduct over 1,500 of these moves each year. Just sayin’…Check out the video with Howard.

Here at Humboldt we have noticed that more and more people are looking to downsize. The rough economy certainly has a lot to do with trend and there are definitely other factors as well in people’s lives. Maybe they are older and can’t take care of a larger house or maybe their kids have moved out and they simply don’t need the space anymore. Whatever the reason, this Boston moving company has some important advice for families beginning the sometimes difficult downsizing process.

The first step is to get the family together. This can sometimes mean extended family too. The goal here is to get a conversation started. We all know that a lot of “stuff” accumulates over the years. From silly impulsive buys to priceless family treasures, we all have them. So start a dialogue: what to keep, who wants what, what to donate and what to take with you. These are all important questions in starting the process.

The next step is to get help. Moving companies like Humboldt can certainly help to an extent. We can help you organize and we can help find an auctioneer or a place to donate unwanted items but if a family decides they need more help; there are other professionals they can contact such as a move manager. There are people who will go through the space room by room with them to help in the downsizing process. Many specialize in certain areas such as working with elderly individuals and we can refer you to one that makes a good fit.

As our own Jim Sullivan says in the video below, ““Having gone through it myself, I know that it is a stressful time and take a lot of patience.” Check out my short interview with Jim on the subject.

So if you were anywhere near the Northeast last year, you know how bad our winter was.  I know we didn’t break any records but the amount of snow we had in such a short period of time hampered many activities including people trying to relocate.

I’m guessing many Boston moving companies had to either reschedule moves or alter their moves in some way. With snow banks higher than the cars in the driveways and in many cases, no place left to throw the snow, I know Humboldt needed to adjust a few moving jobs.

We’ve talked about the moving company having to adjust but who really needs to not only adjust but plan for a delay is the family moving. A few things to consider when moving in the winter;

You have to plan ahead; You’re not obviously going to call us up and have us move your tomorrow so we know there is some planning involved. But, the potential for bad weather and all sorts of other delays is far more common in the winter. The first thing you need to do after you know you are going to move is call the moving company. (Preferably Humboldt, but call a moving company…)

Expect delays: When you expect delays and then your move goes smooth and according to plan, you’ll be less stressed out. But if you plan for delays and you actually get delayed, you’ll still be less stressed because you planed ahead.

Weather kits etc…If you are driving to your new home, consider a few things in your vehicle to help you though a bad situation. Those include a shovel, blankets, food, and medicine and if you have poets, make sure you have their supplies as well.

Moving in the winter months can be less stressful if you plan far in advance and prepare a few things to get you from point A to point B. We did a short video with Howard last year about moving in the winter and around the holidays. Check it out;

We are often asked about what to pack, what not to pack and items that need even extra packing. Many items revolve around technology. Those can include computers, video games, televisions and even personal technology.

Let’s tackle the big items first; the TV. The best and most affordable way to move a flat screen TV is to use the original box. We do however offer a corrugated box if you don’t have the original. If you want the added protection, we recommend you have your moving company build a special crate for that flat screen TV. When we come to survey your home and get an idea of what your move will actually look like, we will recommend this if you’re nervous about the move. It can save you a lot of headache in the long run if you have us go back to our shop and build a crate for this. There are many Boston moving companies but none can match our in-house crating shop.

When it comes to moving your personal computers, it might make sense for you to take these with you. If you’re driving in a car to your new home, this is obviously easy. But if you are moving across country, you may need the moving company to handle this. Again, we can build a crate for just about anything so make sure you tell your move consultant when they show up.

Your I-pad, Kindle or other personal items are probably best suited to travel with you in some way. In fact, you may want them by your side for email, games or other entertainment while your travel.

And depending on how much you or your kids need video games, it may be best to pack those consoles on the moving van. They can withstand a little moving around and unless you need them right away in your new home, you might be able to do without them for a day or so.

Now, I could actually go the other way with that advice and say if you need them to keep the kids occupied while you move in, then make sure you have them handy…

It's seems like a nice relaxing place to take a nap, don't you think?

The proceeding picture was taken at a Humboldt Relocation yesterday.  Here at Humboldt we do our best to make everyone in the family feel as stress-free as possible throughout the entire move process. It looks like we definitely met our goal at this move . . . just take a look at those dogs . . .relaxing, dreaming about their new home, and without a care in the world.

It’s that time of year again, when it starts to get cold and the holiday spirit takes over.  I have put together a short list of on-going events in the Boston Area that are fun to do with the whole family.   They start today, so go, get out there, relax and get moving . . .

Tree Lighting Pre-Show at Frog Pond Skating Rink: Thursday, December 1, 5:00pm, Ice Skating: ongoing through the entire Winter Season

Get in the spirit at Boston Common and enjoy a holiday skating show at the Frog Pond on your way to the Official Tree Lighting. Hop over to Frog Pond at 5:00pm and enjoy a festive skating spectacular with pairs and dance couples, synchronized skating teams, and fun holiday performances from our talented Skating Academy students and local and national champion figure skaters.http://www.bostonfrogpond.com/

Harvard Square Holiday Craft Fairs: Dec. 1, 2, 7-9 and Dec. 14-23. Saturdays 10-7 p.m., Sundays, 12-6 p.m. Weekdays: 12-7:30 p.m.

First Parish Unitarian Church. Corner of Mass. Ave and Church Street. The fair includes a changing mix of New England craftspeople and world traveling importers featuring many wonderful gift items.
http://www.harvardsquareholidayfair.com/

Gardens Aglow – Sandwich, MA: Now through December 18, 2011

The Heritage Museums and Gardens grounds and museums will sparkle with festive lights and decorations. In addition, we will host many fun-filled activities throughout the property including a gingerbread house display, yuletide kids’ crafts, rides on the vintage carousel and a visit from Old St. Nick. Location: Heritage Museums and Gardens, 67 Grove Street. Time: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 5-9 p.m. Cost: Adults, $10; youth (ages 3-17), $5; children age two and younger admitted free. Information: 508-888-3300 or visitwww.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/

We’re excited to once again be working with 98.5 the Sports Hub. All season you’ll be able to hear us during Patriots games on their home station!

98.5 Patriots 2011-12 (15) 10-9

It is easy to get bogged down and overwhelmed with details during a transition however, it is vital to take time to help kids adjust to their new environment and return back to routines as soon as possible. We have seen ways to make moving across town or across the country a constructive and positive experience for kids and have a few tips to help your kids relax.

• Honesty is the best policy: Talk with your kids and let them know what to expect during the upcoming transition. Keep explanations clear and make time to answer questions. Build up the adventures of traveling. Assure them that the disruption of a move is temporary and that things will return to normal quickly.
• Provide information on new area: Whether you are moving to a new street or a new state, take time to give your kids a chance to learn about their new neighborhood. Go visit the new neighborhood and teachers if possible or go online to learn about the new community, sports teams and schools. Find similarities in the new area that mirror where you are leaving to make kids feel comfortable and secure and to give them something to look forward to experiencing.
• Let kids get involved: Packing up favorite items and making plans for a new room allows kids to feel like they are part of the moving process. Knowing their toys and stuffed animals are in specific boxes gives kids a sense of comfort. Take photos of a child’s former room to arrange their new room in a similar fashion to create a place of security.
• Say goodbyes: Help kids create an address book to keep in touch with old friends but let them know they have an opportunity to make new friends. Also make time to visit favorite places one last time to give kids a sense of closure as they transition into their new environment.

Although moving can be a stressful situation for children, parents can create reassurance with a positive and upbeat attitude. This Boston moving company works with families to ensure the moving process is as relaxing and expedient as possible so kids (and parents…) can return to regular mealtimes, bedtimes and schedules as soon as possible.

Check out a few more tips in the video below;

Aside from shopping, stringing up the lights up, cooking and all the holiday movies and dance recitals you’ll need to go to, moving during the holidays can really add stress to an already challenging time of the year. Couple that with possible bad weather including snow and you may be looking at a really stressful time if you’re not careful.

If you can avoid moving during the holidays, that would be our first piece of advice but if you need to move during this time of the year, we have a few tips that hopefully can guide you through a stress-free move and a happy and joyous holiday season.

As always, plan ahead. Once you know you need to move, the first thing you need to do is call a moving company. There are a few moving companies in Boston but we hope you’ll call us.

Where’s the tree? Yes, if you are moving during the holidays, you’ll want to know where the important seasonal items are. If you really want a tree for Christmas, you’ll want to make sure you didn’t put it in long-term storage. That goes for any kitchen items you’ll need to cook that Thanksgiving meal or Christmas dinner.

Snow: Yes, it could snow at this time of year. You’ll need to plan for that possibility as well as possibly getting stuck in a hotel if you can’t drive or fly to your new home. Once again, stay calm, plan ahead and keep the idea of a great holiday season in mind.

Stay Festive: Don’t let moving get in the way of celebrating the holidays. Whatever you have planned and whatever traditions you celebrate, make sure you stick to them and celebrate these times with family, friends and maybe even new friends in your new home.

Check out my short video with our owner Howard Goldman on more tips for moving during the holidays;

This may sound a bit self-serving but if you have ever visited this Boston moving company and came into the lobby, you have no doubt seen countless awards on the walls. They go from floor to ceiling. And yes, we are proud of them all.

One of our team members just secured another award as he was just named Driver of the Year by United Van Lines in this region. Our own Mike McKenney has won a few awards in his 20-year career and this one is a great testament to his dedication, professionalism as well as his overall skill as a van operator. Mike not only needs to have safety on his mind all the time but he also needs to ensure that the families he is moving maintain calm in what can be a stressful situation; moving…

To earn his award, Mike was judged with over 5,000 other van operators in the county. He was judged on performance, customer service, a low claims record and overall customer satisfaction.  He scored a perfect 100% on customer satisfaction, had a 100% safety rating and a 0% claims ratio, the only driver in the United Fleet to do so. In our eyes, he is at the top of his game and is so worthy of this award.

Mike was presented with a check for $500, a great leather jacket and a plaque to display his award with. He also gets the coveted logos to be placed on his moving van that tells everyone he won driver of the year.

There are many moving companies in Boston but I bet they don’t have a Mike McKenney on their team. Congrats Mike!

Our own Jim Sullivan has just been elected to the Boston board of directors of the March of Dimes of Massachusetts; an organization we have supported for many years now. Jim will continue his work on a deeper level as he networks and advocates even more for this great organization.

As you might know, this Boston moving company has supported the March of Dimes March for Babies events in Massachusetts for several years now. We have not only provided in-kind support in the form of storage and moving services but we have over time increased our financial support as major sponsors of these important walks.

We have also over the past few years put a team in to raise even more money and awareness for the mission of March for Babies. We have over the past four years raised and donated well over $40,000 for this great cause.

Jim has been a great leader in all of this and most recently, he served as the revenue chairperson for the March for Babies events. He has helped secure even more donations for the organization and has even had the opportunity to go on TV and talk about the great work they do.

We have no doubt Jim will do even more for the March of Dimes here in Massachusetts and bring our commitment to the next level as a result. If you want to learn more about the March of Dimes in Massachusetts head on over to their website. http://www.marchofdimes.com/massachusetts

All around the world, people are honoring babies born prematurely this past year: both those who passed on and those still struggling to survive.  This day is about everyone coming together, to promote healthy babies everywhere, and bring awareness and resources to those in need.

This event is being sponsored by the March of Dimes (US), EFCNI (Europe), National Premmie Foundation (Australia) and Little Big Souls (Africa)

To become a supporter, please go to the following site and click “likes this” button.

http://www.facebook.com/WorldPrematurityDay

Did you know . . .

A baby’s brain grows the last 1/3 of its weight in the last 5 weeks of pregnancy.

Daily folic acid can prevent 2/3 birth defects.

Weekly in Massachusetts: Over 1,500 babies born and around 170 are born prematurely.

Weekly in the US: Over 77,000 babies are born and around 9,600 babies are born prematurely.

In 2010, the US Premature Birth Rate dropped to 4%, the lowest ever: that is a combined effort from 40 states and DC!

Helping over 80,000 families annually, the “NICU Family Support” program has been developed for families with premature babies to provide comfort, support, and information.

From Afar:

A majority of premature births each year (21 million) occur in third world countries.

The March of Dimes has teamed up with organizations like The Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health (in the Philippines) where students in university educate women in rural areas on prenatal care.  And in India, a program to increase midwife training has been put in place to focus on educating pregnant teens on hygiene and nutrition and to provide better overall pre-and-post natal care.

Humboldt, like many local organizations, is a strong supporter of the March of Dimes.

For more information, to donate, or to volunteer, please visit

http://www.marchofdimes.com/

For the past two days I have been helping out at the Massachusetts Association of Realtors (MAR) Trade Show, held at the DCU Center in Worcester.  My first trade show ever, I was very excited, but didn’t exactly know what to expect, so I arrived crazy early Tuesday morning to set up the booth.  The DCU center is pretty easy to maneuver around – I was able to park my car right outside the door, check in at registration and carry in the 4 boxes of supplies I was sent with, then easily move my car to the garage across the street.

I spent a few minutes lining up the tablecloth, arranging the pamphlets about Humboldt, and then creating the display of give-aways (the ever popular bright yellow rain ponchos and boxes of tissues with our “top 10 de-stressors” right on the box)  I introduced myself to the people running the booths on either side of me, and just as I had a minute to catch my breath, Dave, one of our salesman, arrived – and with him the Relax Guy, and a realistic set of expectations for the next 2 days.  Short and Sweet: the idea was to be friendly and provide accurate, applicable information about Humboldt.  The biggest hit was the postcard on the Sam containers – similar to pods, they are slightly larger, made of steel, and can be rented at a very reasonable rate.

As soon as the show began, I watched Dave speak to the first couple people that walked up to the booth, paying attention to how he introduced himself and how he presented Humboldt and the services we provide.  It wasn’t long before I jumped right in.  I never felt overwhelmed nor was I asked any questions I didn’t know the answer to.  It was nice to know that I know as much about Humboldt as I thought I did, and felt very comfortable sharing that information with others.  And it was surprising to many realtors that we were a moving company that provided estimates throughout the greater northeast region an d we moved people everywhere (not just locally.)

To add to our presence at the show, we sponsored the “Relaxation Station” which offered complimentary massages to those passing by – a professional masseuse, Joann, dressed in a Humboldt t-shirt, was a big hit, her station constantly busy.

Overall, it was a great experience.  It’s easy to talk about Humboldt and make people aware of services that they or their clients can benefit from.  It’s work, but it’s fun (not to mention nice to get out of the office and have the opportunity to try something new.)

Here's what the booth looked like!

Unfortunately it is all too easy to get trapped in any type of a scam in this day which is why it is so important to do your homework before choosing a moving company. Choosing the wrong mover can add way too much stress to an already stressful situation.

Our veteran experts here at this Boston moving company offer their best tips for finding the moving company that is right for you.

• Ask your family and friends about their own experience with moving companies – who better to give you advice than the people you trust most and the people that have already moved.
• Do your research! Websites like the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org) allows you to look up specific companies to make sure they are a real business. Another helpful website is www.movingscam.com which provides more tips for finding a company and moving in general.
• It is tempting to plug in a few numbers for a free online estimate but have a company come in to your home to do an in-home estimate. This way you get a real estimate – maybe that couch is heavier than you think or your antique desk needs special handling – and you get to know the company better. If a company doesn’t do an in-home estimate, move on!
• Finally, visit the company’s headquarters if you can do it. This may seem like a lot of work but it is worth it. You want to make sure that the company handles items with care, has a warehouse and trucks with permanent graphics. This way you can be sure that this is a reputable company and not a broker that will sell your business to the highest bidder. As they say, “Two guys and a truck…”

It is important that you find a company that you can trust. They will be responsible for easing the stress of an already stressful move and they will be handling some of your most valuable items. It is not difficult to find a great company as long as you research and do your homework.

Take a look at the video below to find out how a reputable moving company protects your home;