Top 5 apps to help plan your move

When it comes to residential moving, any opportunities to make things simpler, easier, or more streamlined are incredibly useful. There are so many moving parts to a move, from hiring the movers to having a moving party to say goodbye to friends and neighbors that it’s essential to find ways to make things a little more organized or simplified.

Nowadays, you can find many apps that make moving a breeze that people didn’t have the chance to use when they were moving so many years ago. Today you can enjoy the ease of apps like Craigslist, Move Advisor, and TaskRabbit to get things done a little more efficiently. Take a look at the top five apps that people are using to plan their moves.

Move Advisor

At no charge, you can take advantage of Move Advisor to organize your upcoming move. It’s designed to help you get started and keep everything moving efficiently. This is great for those that are new to the process or simply overwhelmed. Download Move Advisor to have your own personal moving advisor right in your pocket that helps to stick to your timeline, keep track of your stuff, and to get you a moving quote.

This app is a beautifully designed smartphone app that is super simple to use. It offers you four tools to streamline the process including, your moving timeline, home inventory, finding moving companies near you, and getting you a moving quote. Use this to find professional movers near your home with quotes on the move, as well as keeping track of the items in each room of the house and a moving timeline to keep you track.

Simply tap the button when you need a reminder or to complete a task, while having the ability to add a room of inventory into the app before the move, and getting a quick way to look for moving crews in your area.

TaskRabbit

Are you overwhelmed at the thought of physically preparing your home for the move? TaskRabbit is the new handy tool to hire people in your area to perform tasks such as home repairs, a deep cleaning, or disassembling furniture. Do you need someone to remove art from the wall and patch up the holes, clean the house after the movers get everything out, or to help you take that bedframe apart? Any task you can think of you can find someone in your area to help you with it right on TaskRabbit.

MagicPlan

One of the fun parts of moving is that you get to design your life into a new home. Now you can use the MagicPlan app to create a 3D image of your home and start decorating virtually. If you weren’t sure where to put your couch or what kinds of DIY projects you may want to take on, MagicPlan will make it super fun to start visualizing before you even move. You’ll just take photographs of each room and then you can start virtually planning out where everything will go by creating your customized floor plan.

Trulia

Trulia is a great app to use if you are just starting that home search and you’re ready to start looking for available homes on the market. Look for your dream home on Trulia while also getting the scoop on what neighborhoods are like. You’ll find maps of neighborhoods, information on their amenities and price points, video tours of homes, an open house scheduler, and so much more. You’ll also love getting the scoop from locals on a neighborhood’s personality!

Mint

Lastly, don’t let your budget get out of control during the move. It’s more important than ever to stick to the budget which is why having a budgeting tool such as the Mint app will keep you organized during this busy time. Mint works to assist you with tracking your finances, by having you link up your bank accounts and keeping track of transactions right on the app. It’s easy to see how well you’re doing with spending and saving by keeping an eye on the graphs and charts from the app.

Don’t let moving get out of control and overwhelm you. Use these top five handy apps to help you plan your move and get everything done on schedule and with ease!

Tips for Moving With a Newborn Baby

There's a ton going on. You just had a baby and now you have to move. Your life may seem like it's one big blur during this time, but you can make moving with a newborn baby easier. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Create a Routine and Stick to it

Babies need a routine and you need to stick to it. If you get your baby on a schedule, you can easily work in the packing and unpacking when they are napping or when they are entertained by your spouse.

Since you know your baby needs a routine, create one for yourself and spread out the packing and unpacking. Don't rush yourself and instead of trying to do it all in a few days, take the time to do it one piece at a time. After all, you're a new parent and you should be able to enjoy this time.

Lean on Childcare

If possible, use childcare to help you, especially on the actual moving day. Whether it's a trusted friend, family member or babysitter, let someone else watch your child while you move. You can even do this if you need a day to really catch up on packing or even just on sleep to ensure you have the energy for the move.

Pack Your Baby Bag

It would be a huge mistake to pack away all the baby stuff and forget to leave out the things you need. Pack a baby bag to carry with you anywhere you go. This should include at least three days of supplies for your baby to ensure you have enough food, diapers, pacifiers and other things for the move.

If you're moving a long distance, you may need to pack a week to a month worth of supplies. The last thing you want to do is arrive and not have diapers when you need them.

Unpack the Baby Stuff First

If you label your boxes and you pack the truck properly, you can unload and unpack the baby stuff first. If the nursery is set up first, you'll find it far easier to live in your new home while you unpack everything else.

Keep the nursery as similar to the setup from your old home as possible. This will help to make sure the baby is happy and feels comfortable. Also, make sure to watch out for any dangers in the room when you're putting together the crib and other items.

Baby Proof the New Home

Before you start unpacking everything, take the time to baby proof your new home. It's much easier to do this when you don't have anything in the house than when the home is full of things. AS you unpack, make sure to secure furniture and other items that could cause a hazard to your newborn.

There are several ways to make your move with your newborn baby smoother. Hiring a skilled residential moving company may be the perfect way to make moving easier. They will likely be able to pack and unpack your things for you, as well.

How to Make Moving Day Fun

Moving day is very stressful for most people. When we go through huge changes, the transition can be difficult. You may not get as much sleep, you may be doing more physical work than you’re used to, and you may have pets or children to think about.

While moving day may be stressful, there are things you can do to make moving day fun. Here are a few ways you can make your moving day more fun and less stressful.

Create a Packing and Unpacking Playlist

It's actually rather amazing how the right music can set the mood and make you feel like a boring task is far more fun. Creating a playlist for packing can help to keep you motivated. Keep this playlist upbeat and more of a motivational type of music.

You also want an unpacking playlist, which should be upbeat, but you can give it a bit more of a relaxed vibe since the hardest part about moving is over. With two playlists, you can stay motivated and make moving more fun.

Make Your Life Easier

When you're packing, think about how you will be unpacking. This will make it more fun because things will be easier. For example, if you have clothing already on the hanger, pack it on the hangers. Then, when you unpack, you don't have to spend as much time putting each piece on a hanger before hanging it in the closet.

In addition, pack kitchen things that are found in drawer organizers in the organizers. Then you can just grab the organizer and slide it into your new drawer.

Break Your Diet

Moving day is the perfect time to break your diet. It will keep things fun and help you feel like it's a special occasion. Choose something you would not usually eat, such as cookies, candy bars or something else you really love. Eat it on your breaks and enjoy the day a bit more.

Bribe Yourself

During the move, set up a system of reward and bribe yourself to get the work done. For example, if you really love golf, tell yourself that if you can get everything unpacked in the first week you arrive, you can book a tee time for your favorite course.

This gives you something special to work towards, but you do have to hold yourself to it. With the right bribe, you can motivate yourself to work hard and get the packing, unpacking or moving done.

Don't Forget to Make it Fun for the Kids

If you're moving with kids, make it fun for them, too. Create a box fort with a few empty boxes to help them have some fun and keep them entertained while you take care of business. In addition, turn it into a party. This can help to keep things fun and keep the mood light.

When it's time to move, you want to make sure you keep in mind how special the occasion is. You're turning a page in your life, even if you're just moving up the road. Hire the right residential moving company and make sure you take the time to plan for moving to be fun.

How & When to Change Your Address During Your Chicago Move

When you move, you need to change your address. Since this isn't something you probably do very often, it's necessary to have a guide to help you change your address. You should know the right timing during a Chicago move for making the change and how to do it.

When to Change You Address

The plans are in place; you've bought a new home or leased a new apartment. It's time to move and you want to make sure you do it in the most efficient way possible.

• First, make sure you hire a residential moving company in Chicago.

• Second, make sure you take the mover's advice for packing and getting ready for the move.

• Third, create a list of all the things you need to do during the move, including changing your address. A Moving Checklist will come in handy.

• Finally, make sure your timing is good with everything.

If you wait until the last minute to change your address, you will miss mail that could be important. It could also cause headaches when you first arrive at your new home. It's best to submit your change of address about a week before you move or at least a few days before you move.

In the state of Illinois, you need to change your address with the IL SOS Driver Service Department within 10 days of moving. This can be done online, through the mail or in person and you don't have to buy a corrected IL driver's license or ID card.

Not only do you need to change your address with the IL SOS Drivers Service Department, but you also need to do this with the USPS. Both of these address changes can actually be done a few days before you move. If you don't do them right before you move, you want to change your address as soon as possible when you arrive at your new home, preferably within a day or two.

How to Change Your Address

When moving in Chicago, you will need to change your address with the IL SOS Drivers Service Department, the USPS, your bank, any credit cards you have and any subscriptions you have. It can be a big job.

Start with the USPS address change. You can do this right online at USPS.com/move. It costs $1 to do it online and all you have to do is use a credit or debit card to verify your identity. You can also do this at your local post office for free, but it will take longer for your mail to forward to your new address.

Next, change your address with the IL SOS Drivers Service Department. You can do this right online here. You will need your IL Driver's license or ID card, social security number and your new address. This can also be done by mail or in person at the Secretary of State office.

Changing your address with your bank, credit card companies, utility companies, subscription services and any other vendors you use can usually be done with a simple phone call. It's a bit of a tedious task, but when you move in Chicago, you will need to change your address.

6 Easy Meals to Prepare When You're Moving

Moving is a hassle and even when you hire movers, all of the things going along with moving take up time. Sometimes, it's easier just to grab fast food, which can be very unhealthy.

You don't have to settle for greasy food when you move. Here are some of the easiest meals you can prepare in just one pot, when moving.

Chili

Chili is an easy meal to make in one spot on the stovetop or in a crockpot. The best thing is you can choose whichever recipe you want, throw all the ingredients in the crockpot and just let it cook. Then, it's ready for you whenever you're ready for it.

Stews and Soups

Of course, stews and soups fit with the same type of cooking process as chili. You can simply create the recipe in your crockpot or a pot on the stove and you can just let it cook all day. In fact, the longer you let a soup cook, the better the flavor usually is and you can even keep the leftovers for another day.

Grill Meals

If you have a charcoal or gas grill, pack it up last. This will allow you to create meals on the grill without much issue. You can easily grill up meats or vegetables and make a great meal without having to worry about using pots or pans, which you may already have packed up.

Stir Fry

The best part about cooking a stir fry when you're moving is the fact that you can use just about any ingredient in your fridge. If you have fresh or frozen vegetables, throw them in with a sauce and some type of meat and you're all set. It's best served over rice, which can be cooked very fast in the microwave making this a very healthy and fast meal for moving.

Sandwiches

A very easy solution to meal time when moving is sandwiches. You can use cold deli meats to make sandwiches or you can make pulled pork, sloppy joe or pulled chicken in your crockpot. If you go the route of the hot sandwich in the crockpot, it can sit in the crock pot all day on low and you can eat whenever you're ready.

Pizza

Of course, the tried and true for moving day and days leading up to moving is ordering a pizza. If you want to be a bit more adventurous and have some fun with it, you can make your own and it can even be done on the grill. Just do an internet search for "grilling pizza" and you will find all kinds of great recipes.

There are several easy and healthy things you can make during the weeks leading up to moving and even the day of the move. Crockpot meals are excellent because they can stay warm all day and your family can eat when you're hungry instead of having to stop and prepare a meal. Even if you have movers coming your way, you will need to eat. Use these meals to make your moving day food needs easier.