How To Find The Right Neighborhood

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Finding the right neighborhood can be quite a challenge. There are several factors that play into scoping out the perfect place. Here is a checklist, in no particular order, for finding the right home for you and your family.

1. Research the School Districts – This is probably one of the first things that should be done if you are moving and have children. Finding the best school rating and maybe your homes’ distance to the school will be helpful in regards to bus routes or commute times if you plan on driving the children yourself. Something to consider is that the closer you are to the school, the higher the likelihood of there being more children in the neighborhood! Which is always good for children who have just moved.

2. Consider public transit/railroads – Another important task is to look up just how busy your cross streets are. Do they have bus stops? Do they have traffic lights? Or is the neighborhood mostly filled with stop signs? It is also good to note the train in your area. Does it go near your home? While this may lower the overall price of your home, as it can be quite noisy, and although easy to adjust to, it may be unsettling noise if you work from home. If you are considering a home in the area of a nearby train, try to find out the general times of the train and when it may pass through your neighborhood. Depending on the area, the train may be designated to sound its horn, but usually, when going through a residential area it is quiet.

3. Property taxes – Always an important part of the home buying process is to see what your property is being taxed for. Property taxes are extremely important because it is a big chunk of money every year. So while you are paying for the price of your home, don’t forget to include the tax!

4. Amenities – What is in the area of your intended home? A golf course? A shopping center? A grocery store? A park for your kids? All of these are important aspects to consider when you are looking for the perfect home. How active is your family? Does it matter to you if you are close to a bike trail? Think of the hobbies you would like your family to participate in and incorporate those into your search. The more amenities, the more desirable the property.

5. Crime Rates – Something we never want to worry about is the safety of our home and children. That is why it is imperative that you research the crime rates in the area to which you are moving. Generally, crime is unavoidable, but having a good police department can help with that. Be sure to check on the crime rate as soon as you start looking at a town or city.

 

WHY ARE MOVING BY DESIGN THE TOP MOVERS IN HOUSTON?

Founded in 2008, Moving by Design is a family-owned business that began in Friendswood, Texas servicing the Clear Lake and Great Houston area. Honored with more awards for service than any other local moving company in Houston including an “A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau since 2012. At Moving by Design we pride ourselves with the service we provide to make every residential and commercial move efficient, safe and affordable. All our customers receive a customized moving plan to ensure that your relocation is as stress-free as possible. Visit us for more information or to get a quote today.

How To Pack Your Garage For Moving

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Most people put off packing their garage until the last minute. After all, who wants to deal with the large, difficult-to-pack items, like rakes and golf clubs, and likely hazardous materials.

Here are a few tips for packing your garage efficiently.

Trash / Sell / Donate – The first step in packing your garage is to declutter. There are almost certainly things in your garage you’ve been meaning to get rid of but just never got around to it. This is your moment. Seize it. Start by creating 3 areas: one for items you that are trash, one for items you plan to sell, and an area for the stuff you want to donate. If you plan on having a garage sale to get rid of the items you plan to sell, go ahead and wipe down each item before you set it aside and put a price tag on it. This will save you time later.

Organize and Pack – After you finish the declutter process and you have your separate piles it’s time to start organizing and packing. Gather similar items together and wrap any items with sharp edges such as gardening sheers in old towels or bubble wrap. Then put these items in a heavy cardboard box or plastic bin. When it comes to power tools if you still have the original packaging repack them in that, otherwise use a cardboard box or plastic bin. Be sure to remove any detachable parts and keep everything together so nothing gets lost during the move. Fill in any empty space in the boxes with wadded up newspaper or packing paper for extra protection. Long or weirdly shaped items in your garage like rakes, brooms, and shovels, can be rolled up in a moving blanket and then secured with rope or twine.

Don’t Pack Up Tools You Might Need – As you’re packing up don’t forget to set aside tools you’ll need for packing other areas of your home and for unpacking later. Items you might need include:

  • Drill
  • Hammer
  • Tape Measure
  • Utility Knife
  • Trash Bags
  • Basic toolbox

Alternative To Consider – If all of this still sounds terrible and you just don’t want to have to pack your garage or pack anything for that matter, there’s a solution. Call us. Moving By Design is not just a full-service moving company. We also offer complete packing and unpacking services as well. We will show up with all the necessary packing materials and carefully wrap and box your items before safely loading and securing them in the truck. Click here for a free quote.

Tips For Moving With Pets

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Moving is a stressful project in itself but add pets to the mix and well… it can turn from stressful to chaotic pretty quickly. Especially if this is your pet’s first time moving and they are well adapted to their current environment. In this article, we will talk about some tips and tricks for moving with pets that will make the transition from one home to the next easier on your furry friend.

Deciding on your new place

Always be sure to keep in mind that it’s not just you or your partner’s decision to be in a certain house/condo/apartment, you will need to keep in mind your pet. Do a thorough walk-through of the property and everything it encompasses before signing that lease. If you have a cat, pay attention to windows. What are they facing? Will the cat be entertained? You can have all the windows in the world in your new home, but if they’re all looking at brick walls, what good does that do? If you have a dog, think about space. Is there enough room for the dog to freely be themselves? Will they have an area to run around in and play or will everything be crammed together?

This is why we recommend a walk-through of the area, to help you better imagine what will become of the space when all your belongings are unloaded.

Packing your Place

The best practice you can use when moving with pets is to keep them in their favorite room for as long as possible. Whether that be the living room, office, or bedroom, keeping them in a familiar area that they enjoy is very important to a swift and easy moving experience. When doing this, be sure to introduce them to some moving boxes. Put the boxes in a visible space with them and only pack small items and don’t do it all at once. Having the cat or dog get adjusted to the idea of boxes and seeing them for an extended period of time is what we are going for.

Planning the trip

If your cat or dog isn’t acclimated to their crate or carrier, get them started. Some cats may be afraid of their carriers, which can be difficult. The best option is to have the crate in a visible place but somewhere the animal knows they can still go about their daily activities. Dogs, on the other hand, may be crate trained. If so, you don’t have too much to worry about. If not crate trained or if you don’t have a crate for the dog, just taking them on more car rides may be helpful for them to become accustomed to the upcoming trip.

Settling In

When you finally arrive at your destination, depending on the size of your new home, it may be best to introduce your pet to one room at a time. Coming to a new place can easily become overwhelming to humans, imagine being 10x smaller and being in a new place? Mind boggling. Keep doing this, if you can, gradually over the next couple of hours. Once adjusted, allow the animal free reign and see what happens.

 

WHY ARE MOVING BY DESIGN THE TOP MOVERS IN HOUSTON?

Founded in 2008, Moving by Design is a family-owned business that began in Friendswood, Texas servicing the Clear Lake and Great Houston area. Honored with more awards for service than any other local moving company in Houston including an “A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau since 2012. At Moving by Design we pride ourselves with the service we provide to make every residential and commercial move efficient, safe and affordable. All our customers receive a customized moving plan to ensure that your relocation is as stress-free as possible. Visit us for more information or to get a quote today.

Moving Tips: How to Change Your Address

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Let’s face it, moving is stressful and sometimes it’s hard to remember how important it is to change your address as part of your move. We understand your stress so we want to make your move as hassle-free for you as we can. For this month’s moving tip, we thought we’d go over exactly how to change your address. Read more

Houston Bay Area Movers: Helpful Moving Tips

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Houston Bay Area Movers: Helpful Moving Tips Whether you need some Houston Bay Area movers for moving locally or over a long distance; these moving tips won’t steer you wrong. Now that you have chosen Moving by Design what you do now before our movers arrive is just as important. Here are some of our […]

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Helpful Moving Tips: Moving Household Plants

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Helpful Moving Tips: How To Successfully Move Household Plants Nothing makes a home feel more welcoming and alive than houseplants. If you are anything like us, your household plants are part of the family; a member you can’t part with very easily

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