Thursday, December 29, 2011

Places to Fuel Up with Diesel in the Cambridge Area

Our owner, Ezekiel, was kind enough to write this post about fueling up with diesel in Cambridge. This is great information for all of you who are moving yourselves and/or renting your own trucks.

image courtesy of whitfieldoil.com


There's a bunch of places to get diesel if you're running low while in the Cambridge area. Of course, prices are going to be cheaper at the big pilot stops on the highway, but here are some options if you're in a jam.

The Hess on Massachusetts Ave., westbound outside Porter Sq. (2055 Mass. Ave.), is easily accessible if you're heading westbound. The parking is a bit tight for tractor-trailers, but most straight jobs won't have a problem. They're usually the lowest prices in the area. Access to and from the eastbound lane however, is problematic.

Chico's Sunoco in Fresh Pond is moderately priced (not the best but not too bad) and is open 24 hours. They're located on Rte. 16 in Cambridge between the two Fresh Pond area rotaries. They have a good parking lot that's not too bad for pulling into and out of. Again, trailers might get a bit tight. They can usually fill tanks on both sides at the same time if you park just right. Their windshield washer fluid and squeegees are also usually in good shape, even in the winter.

There's also a Hess with diesel in Allston, right off of  Interstate 90 at the corner of Cambridge St. and North Harvard (219 Cambridge St. Allston). This has the easiest access to the pumps (good for any size truck) and is right by the 90 on ramp.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Why We Blog

image courtesy of financiallysmitten.com

Our main goal in blogging is to get information out to anyone looking for moving tips in general and for information specific to Intelligent Labor and Moving. We do our best to offer timely, educational posts on a variety of moving related topics.

Some Boston moving or Boston mover blogs I've found (using those search terms in Google) are little more than a way to use the latest top search terms to make their names come up first in the results. Its a good marketing strategy for sure, but not usually very on topic. Other blogs I've found using those same search terms have been very helpful and up-to-date. We strive to be the latter. We want people to be able to come to this blog and find information that will be helpful to them, whether they're using us for their Boston/Cambridge/Somerville/Arlington/New York City/etc move or not.

So far our most popular posts have been "What if My Furniture Doesn't Fit?" and "Parking in Towns That Don't Issue Moving Van Permits." We've covered a lot of other useful topics, too, but if there's ever anything that you feel we've missed and would like us to explain, please let us know. We strive to make the process of moving with us as transparent as possible and that's part of why the blog exists. Of course, anyone can also get in touch with us by phone at 617.864.0620 or by e-mail at help@intelligentlabor.com. We're happy to answer any questions you have.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Holiday Closings

image courtesy of freechristmaswallpapers.net

Just a head's up on our 2011 holiday schedule. Here are the days the company will be closed for business so everyone at ILAM can enjoy some egg nogg and well deserved rest:

Dec. 24th
Dec. 25th
Dec. 26th
Jan. 1st

Other than that we're open for business so give us a call or shoot us an e-mail if you need to move around the holidays (because the holidays are busy enough already, right?)

Friday, December 9, 2011

Occupy Boston

Parked at the camp.

Last night a few of us got the call from Occupy Boston that they needed some help getting goods out of Dewey Square before the midnight deadline. Ezekiel, our owner had previously volunteered our services if they should need it and they took us up on it.

We rolled down to Dewey in one of our big trucks and first helped them load up all the goods from the medical tent. Our truck wasn't anywhere close to full, but given the uncertainties inherent in the situation, no one at Occupy had anything else for us to take at that moment.

Loading medical supplies.

After we finished up with that load and we were heading back to the warehouse we got another call from an Occupier asking us to come back and help with some more goods, which we were happy to do. This time we loaded up all the clothing donations and brought them to an Occupier's so they can be sorted and donated appropriately.

We are so glad we were able to help. The people we interacted with last night, from the cops to the Occupy Boston members were wonderful to work with. The Occupiers were really thankful that we were able to help out and we were pleased to do so. Intelligent Labor and Moving is in the business of moving people in and around Boston, not in the business of politics. As a small business though, we appreciate individuals and small groups trying to create change and start a discussion. We like to help where we can, and showing up with a truck to help Occupy Boston was a small way to help and get involved.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

WGBH Radio Spot and Discount

image courtesy of tunein.com

As of yesterday, our radio spot on 89.7 WGBH is up and running again. It will run Monday through Friday from now until March, so listen for it!

We're excited to continue working with WGBH in this way. Not only do people get to hear about our moving services on the radio, but we get to help support something we wholeheartedly believe in, public radio. It doesn't hurt that we already listen to the station, either!

This is also a good chance to remind everyone that as a WGBH sponsor we offer a discount to members. If you have a current WGBH membership card you are entitled to the discount. Its best to tell us about it beforehand so we can make sure the movers know about it. Just show them the card during your move and you get a discount.

Also, just another reminder to call Cambridge Lights for all of your tree delivery and holiday lights needs for the Boston area. Cambridge Lights will come with the tree, set it up and even decorate it for you if you'd like. They also do light installations, hang wreaths, etc.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving and Some Updates/Reminders!

Image courtesy of theblogprof.blogspot.com

Its been a very busy November for us, for which we are very thankful. Its always nice to be busy, but particularly when your traditionally supposed to be slow. A big thanks to all of our customer not just in November but all year. We really do feel very appreciative every time someone chooses to entrust their move with us. Of course, we think we're the best moving company in Boston and we owe that to our customers and the best movers in Boston. Intelligent Labor would be nothing without our fantastic crew of guys, so add them to the list of things we're thankful for this holiday.

In observance of Thanksgiving the whole company has the day off. We won't be answering phones or checking e-mails and no one is going out on move jobs. The office will reopen on Friday.

Don't forget to Shift Your Shopping on Black Friday! You'll find some super gifts at your local, independent retailers.

Also, make sure to call or e-mail Cambridge Lights for all of your holiday decorating needs. December 1st is just next week, so get in touch now to book your tree delivery or holiday light installation!

In the season of giving (loaning in this case?) we're happy to see that some of our Kiva loans are already being paid back. Some of them are even in the double digits precentage-wise! Check out our profile page to check out those that we've loaned to.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Shift Your Shopping

Image courtesy of http://shiftyourshopping.org/2011


Cambridge Local First (CLF) is a fantastic organization we belong to that supports local independent businesses. The idea of CLF is that patronizing your locally owned shops, restaurants, acupuncturists, etc. helps create a strong, vital community and economy.

CLF is also part of a now national campaign called Shift Your Shopping, which started in Somerville and Cambridge in 2009. The idea is to spend your holiday money not at big box stores, but at the businesses owned and staffed by your neighbors and friends. Shopping thoughtfully online is also encouraged and the website gives a lot of great links and suggestions on how to go about it. We think its a great idea and we're so happy to see that its gone national this year.

You can follow both CLF and Shift Your Shopping on Facebook (we do!) to keep up-to-date on what's going on with both organizations. Spread the word!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Mass Movers Association

image courtesy of mymonstermovers.com

Next week we're heading to the Massachussetts Movers Association (MMA) fall business summit in Marlborough. It should be an interesting day and we're looking forward to learning a lot.

The MMA isn't just a professional organization. As a customer, there's a lot of good resources on their page for you to check out. They have a section on moving tips, a list of links to moving resources and you can look up movers through them. When you click on this link the site asks you to enter a zip code. Having tried this myself, it can be a bit misleading. For instance, if you enter 02140, which is the North Cambridge zip code, the first moving company to come up is in Concord, NH and we don't come up at all, even though we're right next door. Typing in your zip code may not give you all of the local options, so just keep that in mind if you're using the MMA as a resource to find movers.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Boston Condo Sales are on the Rise

Here's some good news for the economy, perhaps bad news if you're looking for a deal on a luxury condo in downtown Boston. Between July and September of this year 823 condos were sold, a 22.5% increase compared to the same period last year. Luxury condos did even better compared to the third quarter of 2010, with 171 condos sold for an increase of 27.6%. The areas considered downtown by The Listing Information Network, who compiled and tracked this data, are neighborhoods like Beacon Hill, Back Bay and Charlestown. Allston, Dorchester and Jamaica Plain are not.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Holiday Lights and Christmas Tree Deliveries

photo courtesy of christmaslightsetc.com

I'm not a big fan of how Christmas starts to make an appearance earlier and earlier every year. Miniature Santas sit right next to Halloween pumpkins in stores now and it drives me nuts.

However, I do think its important to mention this holiday related item earlier rather than later (and at least I waited until after Halloween!). We workt with a company called Cambridge Lights. They deliver Christmas trees and will also put up lights on your house or in your yard. Considering what a hectic time of year most people find the holidays Cambridge Lights can be a real life saver in helping you get ready for the holidays.

Give them a call if you'd like to discuss either tree delivery or lighting options. There are a few standard options for trees, but they're also happy to take special orders.

Don't forget to enjoy Thanksgiving in the meantime, though!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Pricey Boston Neighborhoods

photo courtesy of www.boston.com

There's an article on boston.com today about the most expensive rental neighborhoods in the Boston area. The list of 15 goes from Kendall Square to Newton Highlands, highest rents to lowest (relatively speaking of course). It was put together by RentJuice, a California-based real estate marketing firm.

Some of the neighborhoods could easily have been guessed, but I was surprised some others weren't on the list. For instance, I would have expected Huron Village and Beacon Hill before Kendall Square, but maybe those neighborhoods are considered part of others (like "Cambridge" which shows up there even though its a city instead of a neighborhood). Anyway, its interesting to look at these whenever they come out and see which neighborhoods have moved up in rent.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Kiva Update

We just completed a few more loans through our Kiva account. We lent to a blacksmith in Iraq, a shepherd in Armenia and a timber salesman in Kenya. You can check out our loans here.

All the other loans we've helped with are fully funded are now in the paying back phase with their loans. As these loans get paid back we'll make more to new borrowers and we'll keep you posted!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Parking Permits - State Owned Roads

Some roads, particularly in Boston, are not owned by the City, but by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For example, the Jamaicaway/Arborway are state owned roads. Even though they are in the City of Boston, the City cannot issue moving van permits for addresses on state owned roads.

Unfortunately, the only way to find out if a street is state or city owned is to call. The City of Boston parking office is the first place you should try. If they tell you the street belongs to the state then the next step to is call the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) at 617.626.1297. Its possible the DCR will tell you the road in quesiton doesn't fall under their jurisdiction either, but I've never run into that. If the road is their's, the DCR will e-mail you an application. The application must be filled out and returned with a check (as of right now its $100) at least six calendar days prior to the permit date. The paperwork needs to be delivered to their office at 215 Causeway St. Boston and they will give you your permit.

We don't run into this situation very often, but its always good to be prepared for the possibility!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Moving Tip #8: Appliances

photo courtesy of charlotteappliancerepair.com

More often than not our customers are not moving their appliances for various reasons. However, if you are moving any here are some tips to prepare:

Refrigerators
- Remove all the food and either throw it out or put it in a cooler with ice packs to move it to the new location (we cannot take food on our trucks).
- Defrost the freezer if necessary.
- Remove all the shelves and bins.

Washer and Dryer
- Drain the washing machine.
- If the dryer is gas, please have it disconnected and capped off by a professional before we show up. We are not licensed to do work like this.

Stove
- Same as with the dryer if its gas. Have it disconnected and capped off by a professional.

Microwave
- Take the spinning plate inside the microwave out (if there is one) and pack it with the other dishes.

Dishwasher
- It needs to be disconnected by a professional plumber before we can take it away.

Any appliances that are electric we shouldn't have any issue dealing with as we only have to pull the plug to move it. As mentioned above, though, we can't handle the disconnection of gas appliances. We can move them once a professional has done what he or she needs to do to safely and properly cut it off from its gas supply, but we will be unable to move the item if its not been disconnected prior to our arrival. Also, we are not plumbers, so any water supplies that need to be disconnected must be done by a professional plumber.

Monday, October 10, 2011

An Organization We Love: Kiva

As a small business ourselves, we are a big believer in the concept of people creating their own opportunities. We try and support other small, local businesses by using their services and buying their goods, as well as belonging to organizations like Cambridge Local First and the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce.

Another way we choose to support small businesses is through Kiva. If you've never heard of the organization, you should check it out. Its a facilitator for microloans all over the world. Kiva connects microfinance organizations, or field partners, on five continents to lenders through their website. The field partners distribute 100% of the money to those who have sought loans. Kiva explains the whole process much better here, including information on due diligence, risk, etc.

We just lent $25 each to four people/groups. There is a group of furniture makers in the Dominican Republic, a man with a motorcycle trasnport business in Kenya, a security service provider in the US and a man with a construction transportation service in El Salvador.'

We'd like to try and make our loans to individuals and groups that have some connection to what we do, but we haven't come across any moving businesses on Kiva so far. The security service provider really has no connection to moving, but we liked that he's right here in our own backyard, so to speak.

As we provide more loans, we'll post updates. Our profile page on Kiva will also show updates on the success of the loans and any new ones we help fund. Kiva has their own twitter account as well.

image courtesy of businesspundit.com

Disposal

photo courtesy of photo-dict.faqs.org

What do you do if you're moving out and you've got things to throw out but your scheduled trash day isn't for days? Or if someone left a piece of furniture in your new place and you want it gone?

We can help with that. We offer disposals with moves. Most things can fit in our dumpster with a little disassembly. We charge the time it takes to do it plus a disposal fee that goes towards getting our dumpster emptied.

Mattresses are tricky because they can't be broken down very easily and don't fit in our dumpster as is. There are some places that will take them from us, but they charge a high price to take them. The best bet with mattresses to leave them for trash day if at all possible. Most towns will pick one up without any special sticker or permit.

If you just need something disposed of and there's no move involved we're happy to do that, too. However, we're not the cheapest option for that. We usually recommend calling U Call We Haul in such cases. There's also a company called 1-800-Got-Junk that is similar, though they aren't strictly a local business like U Call We Haul is. Save That Stuff which will take recycables, including electronics, but they're geared toward the corporate world versus the residential one.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Using a Resident Visitor Parking Pass

photo courtesy of centersandsquares.com

Unfortunately, we can't use visitor passes in Cambridge and Somerville.

Residents with parking stickers for the cities of Cambridge and Somerville are given a visitor pass for their zone which allows visitors to park without fear of a ticket. However, these passes do not apply to commercial vehicles so we cannot use them in our moving trucks in place of a moving van permit.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

We Joined Facebook (Finally)

Yup, we did it. As of yesterday Intelligent Labor and Moving officially has a page on Facebook. We're totally new to using this site, so right now the page is bare bones, but we'll be working on it, adding pictures and posting news as we get more comfortable making our way around.

Come like us on Facebook or post something on our wall! And I'll try to figure out how to do the same....

Thursday, September 29, 2011

UPDATE: Moving Tip #5: Who to rent a truck from and what to rent with it

photo courtesy of http://www.pensketruckrental.com/

Since our last post about who to rent a truck from we've learned that Budget may no longer be the way to go. We've learned that Budget as a corporation is not providing the kind of money they used to for truck maintenance and they are not replacing trucks at the rate they used to.

As a company, we now rent from Penske if we need to, which isn't often. The couple of times we have rented from them they've been a little bit more expensive than Budget, but that stands to reason if they've got better maintained trucks. Also, around September 1st we couldn't get a rental for just a few days, they wanted us to rent it for a week minimum. This might be because we are a business and not an individual, but its something to watch out for when renting.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Tipping

Image courtesy of balancetransfercreditcards.org

Honestly, I feel a little uncomfortable even bringing up this subject, but we do get asked about it fairly often.

Usually, the question goes something like this: "What is your policy on tipping the movers?" or "Do your movers accept tips? If so, how much do they usually get?"

My answer always goes something like this: We have no policy when it comes to tipping. Our movers never expect tips, but they are always grateful when they receive them.

I get the feeling many of these questions stem from a desire to have some sort of acknowledged standard for tipping movers. People seem to be looking for a percentage number like with eating out. Everyone knows a base tip when eating out is 15% and if the service is good then you tip more, but there's no universally accepted standard for moving. Unfortunately, that's not an answer I can provide. We don't track what the guys make for tips (and often don't even hear about them because they come as cash), but even if we did, the tips vary as widely as the jobs we do. There is no standard anything in moving; each job is different.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Our Cancellation Policy

image courtesy of www.savingswithshellie.com

Frequently potential and already booked customers ask us what our cancellation policy is. Its an excellent question to ask any moving company you might be dealing with

Since we do not take deposits there is no financial penalty for canceling or rescheduling your move. However, we do ask that you give us as much notice as you possibly can so that we can switch you to the day you would prefer (based on our current availability) as well as accommodate other customers who might want your original slot. For instance, if you have a closing scheduled and it gets pushed back let us know immediately so we can work with the new timeline. This is especially important during the summer. We book up far in advance during the summer months and if there's a last minute change we may not be able to fit you in. We'll do our best to make it work, obiviously, but the spot you want may have booked up a month ago.

Also, its very important to remember to let us know. A couple of times we've had customers forget to tell us they didn't need our services and then we showed up for the job. That's a situation we'd really like to avoid and that is part of the reason we send e-mail confirmations two days before a move (though the confirmations don't seem to have made a difference for the customers who forgot about cancelling).

So, that's the policy: the honor system. Except for a few minor hiccups its worked well so far and we have no plans to change it.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Updated Tariff, Updated Parking Fees

We've updated our tariff with the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy (MDTE). You can see it here on our website. One of the things we updated is our fees for obtaining parking permits.

We now charge $100 for Somerville and Brookline parking permits. Cambridge is now a $50 fee. Boston remains at $150. If we are able to combine parking permits for you at Somerville, Brookline or Boston we charge half price for any additional permits. For instance, if you asked us to get two Boston parking permits for you the total would be $225.

As always, if you have any questions about this give us a call at 617.864.0620 or e-mail us at help@intelligentlabor.com

photo courtesy of http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2010/01/10/somerville_cracks_down_on_parking_permit_rules/

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

What if my Furniture Doesn't Fit: Part 2

photo courtesy of http://www.best604homes.com/category/home-improvement/


A situation we run into at least a few times a year is a couch or sofa not fitting at a new location. And, since this is usually a big ticket item, customers want to find a way to make it work. One of the ways this can be done is a knockdown.

A knockdown is the process of taking apart the couch (or arm chair or love seat), getting it through the door/up the stairs in pieces and reassembling inside the new house or apartment. There are a couple of places in the Boston area who offer this service. One, is Melo and Sons Upholstering. We know a couple of people who have used them with good results. The other is Dr. Sofa. We don't know anyone who has used them, but they are an option.

So, if your upholstered furniture doesn't fit and you'd love to keep it a knockdown maybe the way to go.


*********UPDATE*********

9.19.11

We just heard back from a customer of ours who used Melo and Sons and she said she had a great experience with them. They took apart the couch and put it back together close to estimate and she says it looks great after the fact.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Back to Blogging

Whew! That was a rush!

We love to be busy, and that we were. So busy in August, in fact, that there were no blog posts. The great Boston moving rush of 2011 has come to a close now, though, and we can all take a collective breath.

We had a delightfully straightforward September 1st and we're very grateful for it. There don't seem to have been any major disasters for anyone else either - no moving trucks stuck under a bridge on Storrow Drive or driven into a ditch in Allston (both have been seen on previous September 1sts). We're glad everyone seems to have come out of the busiest moving day of the year relatively unscathed.

Or did you? Any moving horror stories out there? Did your friends sleep in and not show up on time to help you get that couch out? Did the truck rental place give your reservation to someone else? Did the old tenant not move out of your new place in time? We'd love to hear about it. Consider it cathartic.

photo courtesy of http://radcollector.com/columns/reneerenee/category/hoarder/

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Rent in the Boston Area

photo courtesy of http://www.389listing.com/Listing_Real_Estate_Homes_for_Rent_Lake_Norman.html


First, sorry for the delay in posting. We had some issues with the Google upgrade and had to figure them out.

On to more important business....rent. Its never been cheap in the Boston area, but a recent article really highlighted the issue. The Boston Globe wrote a short piece on rents hitting record highs on July 25th, 2011. The median (number in the middle, not to be confused with average) rental price is currently $1665/month. This data is from the Boston-area, which, for the purposes of the article, was defined as the region surrounded by 495. The article doesn't mention apartment size/number of bedrooms, so it most likely took into account everything from stuidos on up.

The article also mentions that the vacancy rate in the area dropped down to 4.4%, which is the lowest vacancy rate since 2002. All this means its going to be darn hard to find an apartment and then you'll have to pay a lot of money for it.

The article states that it means good things for the economy, but its definitely hard on renters out there right now.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Tire Retreads

graphic courtesy of http://www.tiresandcasings.com/used_tires.htm

Some of our trucks already have tire retreads on the and we're looking into buying more. There are many reasons to go this route.

First, what are retreads? They are previously used tires that have their old treads buffed away and new treads applied to the casing. Tires are checked for safety beforehand to make sure they're up to the task.

We like going this route because its cheaper and its more environmentally friendly than buying new tires. Retreads can be done on casings up to 10 times in some cases and the old treads can be recycled for rubber mulch. Rubber mulch is then used for things like gardening and landscaping. Also, new truck tires take an average of 22 gallons of oil to create, while retreading takes only 7 gallons of oil. That's quite a savings.

You can find out more information on retreads at the Tire Retread and Repair Information Bureau (TRIB). Retreads aren't just for truck tires. You can get them for personal vehicles as well. Check out the TRIB site for how to find retailers that sell retreaded tires.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Furniture Trust

Have you heard of The Furniture Trust?

I hadn't until just the other day. They are a Boston based non-profit that takes unwanted office furniture and distributes it to other non-profits.

It's a great concept that has the potential to help a lot of people. As a moving company we have hauled away and disposed quite a bit of office furniture for clients. If we'd known about the Furniture Trust we could have saved a lot of this from landfills.

They accept office supplies and office and reception furniture such as desks, cubicles, rugs, conference tables, white boards, etc. And, if what you want to donate is considered unsuitable for reuse the group will recycle the component parts.

So, if you have unwanted or unused office furniture that you'd like to donate give them a call. They will walk you through every step of the process.

photo courtesy of http://www.thefurnituretrust.org/what-we-take.html

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Fourth of July

Photo courtesy of http://rtfitch.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/equine-fireworks/

We love being busy, and busy we have been. So. we're taking a much needed break on the Fourth of July. The whole company will have the day off, movers and office staff. We will not be answering phones, returning voicemails or answering e-mails. Business will resume as usual on July 5th.

Enjoy your long weekend!

photo courtesy of http://www.life123.com/holidays/july-fourth/4th-july-crafts-decorations/fourth-of-july-crafts.shtml

Monday, June 27, 2011

Certificates of Insurance

Some buildings requires certificates of insurance (COI) for outside vendors (handymen, painters, movers, etc) to come into the building. A COI from a vendor is proof of insurance from the insurance company that says we have the proper liability to cover the work that we'll be doing.

If your building requires this from us please provide us with their contact info so we can get in touch with them about it. Usually, we need to talk to a building manager, property manager or super to get the information we need. Even if you're not sure whether or not your building requires insurance please provide us with a contact phone number or e-mail address so we can get in touch with them about it. A good rule of thumb on this is that newer buildings and elevator buildings usually requires COIs while smaller, older buildings do not. This is not always the case, but its a good starting point.

If you have any questions about COIs just let us know!

Monday, June 20, 2011

New England Museum Association

We've just applied for membership with the New England Museum Association (NEMA). We're really excited to (hopefully) become a part of their organization.

NEMA has member museums of all sizes and subject matter. Their webpage is a great resource for museum goers within New England and those coming to the region as visitors. You can find lists of current exhibitions, group discounts and a list of cultural organizations, among other things.

We've worked with some museums in the past (Isabella Stewart Garder Museum, New Bed Whaling Museum) and loved the experience. Delivering cabinets to the New Bedford Whaling Museum was one of the most fun jobs we've ever done and the people who worked there were incredibly nice. We hope to be more involved with small museums like this in the future by joining NEMA.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Bruins Win! (And What that Means for Moving)

photo courtesy of www.boston.com

Everything has to relate to moving, right?

First, lets address the fact that the Bruins were awesome (especially Thomas) last night and it was thrilling to see them win. Watching how happy they were to be hoisting the Stanley Cup was so wonderful.

Of course, no championship would be complete without a parade through Boston. The Globe just announced that the Bruins parade will be this Saturday, June 25th starting at 11 AM. The route will start at the TD Garden and snake through Boston and end in a rally at Copley Square. Of course, this means that if you're moving on Saturday things could be tricky. Those moving in the downtown area will have the most to deal with but traffic into and out of the city could also snarl things up for those outside its limits.

If you are moving in the downtown area this Saturday and you have moving van permits please call the parking office to see if those permits are still valid. You may also want to check the Boston Police Department website as the day goes on to check if they have any information about security and access to areas affected by the parade. And, if you're using a moving company, give them a call to see what the plan is.

With all that said, take some time to enjoy the fact that the Bruins won, too. Go Bruins!

photo courtesy of www.boston.com

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Payments

Every moving company deals with payments differently. We only accept cash or check at the end of the job. We do not accept credit cards. The movers will present you with a bill at the end of the job. We do not send you a bill later. The movers will also give you a receipt of payment for your records.

We are happy to accept personal checks so you don't have to go out and get a certified check or money order. Oddly enough, we get more questions about why we accept personal checks than we do about why we won't take credit cards. Accepting credit cards requires fees on our part and we just don't get that many people who say they can only pay for their move that way, so we haven't moved forward with that service. If we end up the size of Gentle Giant then we'd probably change our tune, though! For now, we're happy at the size the company has grown to and we have no plans to start accepting credit cards. If that changes we'll let you know!


image courtesy of http://bpconcepts.org/blog/?attachment_id=132

Monday, June 6, 2011

Moving Tip #7: Moving With Plants

photo courtesy of http://www.life123.com/home-garden/plant-guides/houseplants/houseplant-care-a-guide-to-healthy-houseplants.shtml

Often when I ask customers if they have any plants they say they'll take the plants themselves. I tend to think that's a good idea (unless they're fake of course!). Plants, like pets, are a very personal thing and you've invested a lot of time and effort to grow them and keep them healthy. A moving truck just isn't the ideal enviroment for them.

If you would like us to take your plants we are happy to do so. Please make sure that the pots are as clean as you can get them so they don't soil any of your other goods in transit. Tie off any delicate stalks to stakes or lattice work so that they are protected during the move. If you require overnight storage we would strongly suggest you do not have us leave your plants on our trucks overnight. The trucks aren't climate controlled so in the summer they get very stuffy and humid and in the winter they go below freezing.

If you are planning a long distance move across state lines its possible you'll need state of origin certifications for your plants. Trucks are inspected on highways and any plants on the truck can be inspected for pests. Whatever state you're moving to may have requirements and rules about what plants can come into their state due to pests or invasive species. Its a good idea to check the federal and state regulations on the plants you are planning to move. Checking federal and state regulations and arranging for any inspections or paperwork is the customer's responsibility, not the moving company's. Considering all that's involved with transporting plants across state lines you may want to consider donating or selling your plants and buying new, local species wherever your new home is.

If you choose to take your plants yourself you can treat them as you normally do since they'll just be making a trip in a car and you can regulate everything about their move. There are many, many website that offer expert advice on how to transplant plants or cuttings. Better Homes and Gardens is a favorite, but a quick Google search will reveal thousands more.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Lane Closings on 93 This Weekend

logo courtesy of http://smart-traveler.info/ma_.html

Lanes going both North and Southbond on 93 will be closed this weekend for bridge construction. This is not the whole highway, just certain lanes will be closed. The work is to repair bridge super structures near Medford.

This work will be going on during the day, not just during the middle of the night as it usually happens. So be aware, plan your travel times for your move accordingly and put some good music on your iPod because you might be sitting in traffic awhile this weekend.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Moving Tip #6: Moving With Pets

Moving blankets aren't necessary for dog moving, unless they like to curl up in them.

Moving is stressful for you, and you can understand what's going on. Imagine how difficult it can be on your pet.

Personally, I found that my dog, who had lived at our previous place for 8+ years, had a really hard time adjusting to the new place. It took months before he seemed to grasp that this new arrangement was permanent and that this was his home. He's fine now, but I wish I had done a better job of transitioning him.

There are plenty of suggestions out there on how to move with pets. Some websites/blogs/experts recommend leaving a room or space intact until its time to head out the door so the pet has a familiar place to hang out while packing and moving is going on. Other suggest taking your pet to a well-known off-site place like a kennel they board at or a friend or relative's house. Whichever path you choose, the key to make the pet feel relaxed and as comfortable as possible while the big transition happens.

If your pet stays in your residence while moving (and packing if a professional is doing it) happens make sure that the movers are aware there is a pet. If your pet is in a particular room with the door closed let the movers know verbally and put a sign up on the door. Its good for the movers to know well in advance if there are any pets present, too, in case a mover has a severe allergy or someone is afraid of animals.

Another important thing to do is make sure that your pet has its tags on. Moving requires that doors be left open, which may mean the pet will escape. You might even consider putting an extra tag with further information on it just for the move. Phone numbers taped to the usual tags could help speed recovery of your pet if they do happen to get out.

Another things to do pre-move to is check out the rules and regulations of your new town and/or state. A new state might require you to send along health certificates before you. Even if you're only moving one town over you'll need to re-register your cat or dog with that town.

If you're doing a move that requires you travel by plane you'll probably want to send your pet the same way. Movers cannot take animals on their trucks and you probably wouldn't want to send them that way anyway. Small enough pets can usually be with you at your seat on the plane but larger pets might have to be on the plane as freight. Check with your specific airline about their rules for transporting animals. Smaller animals like gerbils, birds and fish can be shipped through air express. Talk to your vet or local pet store about how to do that.

There are also companies that will handle your pet's transportation for you. Companies like Pet Move and Air Animal offer these services but check them out thoroughly before you decide to use them.

Any tips any of you have found to help transition a pet from an old home to a new one? What worked for you?

Please don't box your pets! photo courtesy of http://movepets.com/

Monday, May 23, 2011

How an Interstate Move Works - the Paperwork

There is a ton of paperwork involved with interstate moving. Here's a run down of what there is and when you get it.

- Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move
A customer received either when we come out to do an on site estimate or we send it by mail. This booklet gives customers information on everything from estimates to disputes to full value protection. It can also be found online.
- Ready to Move?
This pamphlet is also given to customers either when we come out to do an on site estimate or it is sent by mail. It gives the customer tips on moving and contains a condensed version of some of the information found in Your Rights and Responsibilities When you Move.
- Estimated Cost of Services
This piece of paper is a formal estimate from us or any other moving company. It outlines all charges, including packing if that is being done by the moving company. Intelligent Labor and Moving will either mail this after a customer has accepted the estimate we've sent by e-mail someone will swing by the customer's current residence to have it signed. Estimates are good for 60 days.
- Order for Service
This document is a customers acknowledgment that he or she would like Intelligent Labor and Moving (or any other moving company) to complete his or her move. Estimated costs are outlined again. The customer must also declare the value of the shipment and select a deductible amount. As with the "Estimated Cost of Services" we will either mail it or swing by a customer's house to have the document signed before the move.
- Uniform Household Goods Bill of Lading and Freight Bill
The Bill of Lading also lists the estimated charges and declaration of value. It contains much of the same information as the "Estimated Cost of Services" and the "Order for Service." This document is filled out during the move.
- Household Goods Descriptive Inventory
The movers use this document to list your goods and their condition upon their arrival at the origin address. Every item is given a number and the condition is checked and noted again upon arrival at the destination.
- High Risk/High Value Inventory
This is much the same as the "Household Goods Descriptive Inventory" but for items that fall into specific guidelines. High value items are considered by the government to be currency, coins, jewelry, silverware and silver service sets, crystal, figurines, furs, object of arts, computer software programs, manuscripts, comic books, baseball cards, stamps, and other collectible items or rare documents that have a value in access of $100/pound (language courtesy of Milburn Printing). There are other stipulations listed on this document. It is important for customers to read and understand what high value means. This document will be filled out at the load, if at all.
- Complaint and Inquiry Sheet
We give this sheet to the customer at the beginning of their move. It outlines how to go about making a formal complaint or inquiry against Intelligent Labor and Moving and what happens after one is filed.
-Document Acknowledgment
This is a document created by us that a customer has to initial at the end of the move stating that he or she has received all of the above listed documents.
- On Site Estimate Release
If a customer lives within 50 miles of our warehouse and tells us they do not want an on site estimate for their move we require him or her to sign this document. It release Intelligent Labor and Moving from responsibility regarding the requirement as well as the accuracy of the information provided. This document should be signed at the beginning of the move or earlier.

Phew, that's a lot of paper. All of it needs to be signed by the customer. In most cases the customer also gets to keep a copy for his or her records. If you have questions about any of it let us know.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Can We Give You a Ride?

photo courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MBTA_Bus_Route_1.JPG

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Our insurance does not allow us to have passengers. The only people allowed to ride in our truck are people who work for Intelligent Labor and Moving. This is because taking passengers would make us fall under the "bus" category, which is a whole different kind of insurance and we aren't covered for that. We could get in a lot of trouble taking a customer in the truck with us. In fact, customer can't be in any part of our trucks, even a rental. So, if you don't have a car and need to get from your current location to your new one we can't help you with that part. Its best to plan ahead and either take public transportation or call a cab.

Monday, May 16, 2011

How an Interstate Move Works - the Estimate

If you're looking to have us give you an estimate for an interstate move - during the summer we stick to New England and NYC, the rest of the year we will go up and down the Eastern Seaboard - give us a call or shoot us an e-mail to let us know.

Once you've contacted us we'll want to give you an estimate for your move. If you live within 50 miles of our warehouse we are federally required to do an on site estimate. We would do this for interstate move anyway because it gives us a better sense of what's going on, but it is also the law. If you'd rather not have us come to your home or you just don't have time you can say you don't want an on site estimate. In that case, we'll either have you answer our questionnaire through e-mail or we'll go over the details of your move over the phone. We will also have you sign a piece of paper that states you were offered an on site estimate but did not want one. That covers us in case of a federal audit. Either way, we will provide you with a booklet called "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" and a pamphlet called "Ready to Move?" as required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

image courtesy of http://www.cpatrucking.com/tag/fmcsa


If you do not live within 50 miles of our warehouse we'll get the details of your move through the e-mail questionnaire or over the phone. For instance, if you are moving from Portland, Maine to Cambridge, Massachusetts we would not travel up to Maine to do an on site.

Once we have taken and/or received the details of your move we will work up an estimate. We take into account all the same things we do with a local move - travel time, labor time, stretch wrap, etc. - but also interstate specific things like gas, tolls, hotels (if necessary), etc. Once we've done all the math we send you an e-mail estimate with the flat rate that we're offering you. If you are comfortable with the flat rate we've sent you then we book you (assuming the days you wanted are still available).

This is technically an informal booking according to the federal government. To make it formal in the eyes of the law we send you some paperwork to sign and return to us. The first is an Estimated Cost of Services, which details the estimate we've already sent you by e-mail. The other is an Order for Service. The Order for Service and all the other many documents associated with an interstate move will be detailed in another post. Stay tuned!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Last minute moves

Photo courtesy of http://ledmuseum.candlepower.us/eleventh/clock5.htm

There have been many times we've been able to help a customer out with a lasts minute move. Its easier to do in the winter than the summer simply due to demand, but we have definitely managed some tight time lines in the summer, too. However, there are some things that need to said about last minute moves.

First, 4:50 pm is not the best time to contact the office for a move the next day. That's cutting it a bit too close, frankly. We can try, but it won't often work out. It just doesn't give us enough time to get all the information from you, look at the calendar, give you an estimate and find guys to do the job for you. The further able we are able to plan ahead, even if its just a half a day, will make things go much more smoothly.

Second, last minute moves mean we are not able to get parking permits for your move. We will take that into account when creating your estimate, but most town and cities in the area that issue moving van permits require at least 48 hours notice to issue them.

Third, just because you have contacted us last minute (either by e-mail or phone or voice mail) does not mean you are in the calendar. The act of contacting us does not book you a job. This problem is not exclusive to last minute jobs, but it bears mentioning (and happened to us recently). We are very careful to tell customers that they are not booked until they have seen an estimate and told us they want to book so simply telling us you want to move does nothing more than tell us you want to move. We want to help everyone who would like to move with us but that doesn't mean we can. We cannot treat every request as a booked job otherwise we wouldn't be able to stay in business. A customer must say they want to book with us after receiving their estimate to be considered in the calendar. We are first come, first served so sometimes even when you have received an estimate and respond that you'd like to book we cannot accommodate your move because someone else who has received an estimate booked before you did.

None of this is to say you shouldn't contact us if you need help with a move very quickly, but know that the later you leave things the harder it is for us to assist you. We'd love to hear from you whenever your move is. Even if the exact day you want isn't open we can often suggest other days surrounding it if you have scheduling flexibility.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Davis Sq. Blog

A recent customer told us about a Davis Sq. live journal so I had to check it out. I'm not up on live journals, so I can't say if this is what all of them are like, but this one in particular lets users post whatever is on their mind in relation to Davis Sq. I saw posts about people giving stuff away for free, community goings-on, incidents of interest, questions about Cadbury Eggs on sale at Rite Aid, etc. Its seems like a combination of free-cycle, craigslist and Wicked Local.

If you live in the Davis Sq. area or are planning on moving there is definitely worth a look.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Leaving Yelp


So, we've made the decision to stop advertising on Yelp. What does that mean for you? Not too much, really. Obviously you'll still be able to view all of our reviews (including the filtered ones) and post your own. We have nothing to do with that part.

What will be different is the offers and announcements. We won't be able to post any news about the company or offer any deals or discounts through Yelp anymore. That doesn't mean we won't continue to do these things, though. This very blog is a good place to check for all ILAM related news and updates (and moving tips, realtor references, etc) and the company website is always a great place to find information about us. We'll probably continue to post monthly deals on our Twitter account (@ILandM). We may even post short lived deals on there, so check it often!

We encourage people to keep posting reviews on Yelp and other review sites (Citysearch, BBB, CitySquares, etc). We love customer feedback any way we can get it!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Realtors we've worked with

Being in the business we're in we interact with a lot of realtors. Here's a list of some realtors we've worked with a lot over the years that we've had nothing but positive experiences with (in case you're looking for a realtor....)

Gail Roberts, Coldwell Banker Cambridge
Thalia Tringo, Thalia Tringo Real Estate
Ed Feijo, Coldwell Banker Cambridge
Lori Orchanian, Coldwell Banker Belmont
John Angier, Coldwell Banker Cambridge
Brad Hartz, Hammond Residential Real Estate Wellesley/Weston

Thursday, May 5, 2011

What if My Furniture Doesn't Fit?

photos courtesy of www.apartmenttherapy.com (Remember that episode of Friends? Pivot!)
Sometimes, no matter how carefully you plan, things just don't fit. A couch won't fit through a doorway or a box spring can't fit up the stairs.

There are a few options when this occurs and its good to have a contingency plan just in case. The first option is to just cut your losses and get rid of the piece that won't fit. This rarely happens, but some customers do decide to either leave it on the curb, have us bring it to Goodwill or have us dispose of it for them (at an extra cost).

Another option is to keep trying. We've removed feet from couches (if they are meant to removed in the first place) and folded mattresses to get them up the stairs, among other things. If we think damage might occur either to the residence or the piece of furniture we make sure to let the customer know the risks involved. If you choose to go ahead then we make you sign a release stating that we told you there might be problems and you decided to go ahead anyway. This releases us from any future responsibility on the matter.

A third option is to hoist. Hoisting involves bringing the furniture up through a window or over a balcony. It costs extra and requires at least three workers for safety reasons. Its not always possible to hoist, though. Sometimes the windows can't be removed or the balcony isn't sturdy enough. I'll go over the particulars of hoisting in its own in the future.

The best way to avoid this problem is to really check out your future residence. Check out the stairs for tight turns and low ceilings and measure the doorways widths. Of course, even with great preparations some things may still not fit, but at least you'll have a good idea of this before the move. This information also allows us to give you a more accurate estimate. And, if you had any trouble getting something in when you moved into your current place its important to let us know that as well.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Graduation Schedule 2011

photo courtesy of http://www.aps.org/publications/capitolhillquarterly/200805/education.cfm

Boston and the surrounding area are known for the amount of colleges and universities shoved into a small amount of square miles. Whether you love it or hate it about the area most of the year you'll definitely despise it if you plan to move on commencement day and didn't realize it.

To avoid such unhappy mistakes, here's a list of colleges and universities and their commencement dates and locations so you can plan your May move accordingly. Just get through the graduations by imagining how quiet and peaceful the city will be all summer...

- Boston schools
Northeastern              May 6th            10:30 AM           TD Garden  
MGH Institute           May 13th           2:00 PM             Hynes Convention Center
MCPHS                     May 14th           10:00 AM          Seaport Convention Center
Emerson                    May 16th           12:00 PM           Citi Performing Arts Center
Mass Art                    May 20th           1:00 PM            Evans Park (Mass Art Campus)
Suffolk                       May 21st           9:30 AM            Westin Copley Place
Suffolk Law               May 22nd          9:30 AM            Boston Convention Center
Boston University      May 22nd          1:00 PM            Nickerson Field and all over BU (and Camb.)
Boston College          May 23rd           10:00 AM          BC campus
UMASS                     June 3rd             9:30 AM            UMASS campus

- Cambridge schools
Harvard                      May 26th           2:30 PM             Harvard Yard
MIT                            June 3rd             9:30 AM            Killian Court (Mem. Drive)

- Medford
Tufts                           May 22nd          9:00 AM            Tufts campus

Keep in mind that these are all STARTING times for the ceremonies. Traffic and ensuing headaches will start much sooner than that. Also, this is by no means a comprehensive list of all the schools in the area and their graduation dates. If you don't see a college of university on here but you know you'll be moving to or from that general area check out their school website for dates and times.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Parking Permits - Boston *CHANGE IN PROCEDURE*

Well, things sure have changed in Boston City Hall as far as parking permits are concerned. Where you go and what you do is the same but the fees and insurance are different.

First of all, you will no longer need a street bond letter from us to get a moving van permit. The City will be self-insuring so the bond is unnecessary. This means that you can walk in yourself, without any paperwork from us, and get a moving van permit. You'll still need the length of truck from us, though.

The other big change is the fee. Since the City will be self-insuring they're raising the base rate of permits from $20 to $50. This does not include meters, truck lengths or multiple day permits. This also means that we now have to change what we charge to get a permit for you. Where we previously charged $90 for the service (including all fees) we will now be charging $150 (including all fees). If you have any questions about this you can always ask us.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Moving Tip #5: Who to rent a truck from and what to rent with it

photo courtesy of http://www.curatormagazine.com/brianwatkins/notes-from-a-budget-truck/

We are frequently asked if we will load or unload trucks instead of doing the whole move from origin to destination. We do moves like this all the time. Of course, we do have some strong preferences about who to rent from if anybody ever asks us for recommendations.

Not all truck rental companies are created equal. Some are excellent, some you want to stay away from. Our go-to truck rental place is Budget. Specifically, Anderson Automotive in Arlington, MA. Budget locations take great care of their trucks and any truck they own is only on the road for a certain number of miles/years. The other really good place to rent from is Penske. They take similar care with their vehicles.

We're not big fans of U-Haul, however. Yes, they're often cheaper, but there's a reason for that. They do not maintain their fleet like Budget and Penske do so you're more likely to have a bad ride or experience some sort of trouble. Obviously, that's not always going to be the case and we know plenty of people who have rented from U-Haul with no problems, but we've also heard about more problems with them than with the other two companies combined.

Once you've decided on a truck rental company and rented a truck you'll want to consider insurance and rental equipment and supplies. Truck rental insurance is a really good idea. We counsel anyone who asks us to get the full package, as much insurance as they will let you purchase. The insurance comes into play should there be an accident of any kind. For instance, Budget says that if you do not have their protection plan "you are responsible for any damage or theft of the equipment up to its full value (as much as $30,000 or more), whether or not you are at fault." This does not include any bodily harm to either you, your passenger or anyone else involved. Each company has various plans to cover your cargo, damage and personal injury. Its a really good idea to read through the options for whatever company you rent from and choose the right option for you.

You can also rent equipment and supplies with your truck rental. Probably the most important moving supply you'll want to get your hands on is furniture pads/moving blankets. These will be used to protect your furniture from dirt, scratches, etc. during moving. You might also want to consider renting a hand truck or two wheeler. Two wheelers can certainly make your move go faster, especially if there's a long walk involved at some point. Other moving supplies, like boxes, tape, bubble wrap, etc, are also for sale through truck rental companies, but these can often be found cheaper elsewhere.

If you'd like us to load up a rental truck for you or unload a truck at your new address we'd love to help you. If you have any questions about rentals, including what size to rent, let us know.

photo courtesy of http://timdr.com/blog

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Parking in towns that don't issue moving van permits

In Boston and some surrounding towns the city government allows for moving van permits. These are signs that are put up in front of the requested address on the designated day so that there's room for a moving truck to park and load or unload goods. Boston, Cambridge, Brookline and Somerville offer these moving van permits. Allston, Brighton, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, Hyde Park and other neighborhoods associated with Boston fall under the City of Boston's jurisdiction for moving van permits.

Many other cities don't offer this. Most of the time it is because its generally not a necessity due to either abundant street parking or a high number of driveways. The more suburban you get the more likely you are to find a lack of moving van permits.

For instance, Arlington, Lexington, Malden, Medford, and Newton do not offer moving van permits. Generally we don't find not having a moving van permit in these or similar towns to be a problem. However, if you know that the address you are moving into or out of has particularly difficult street parking you can either park your own car in a spot and move it when we arrive or kindly ask your neighbors to find other spots for a few hours while we move you.

Police details are available in special circumstances in all towns, but that's a topic for another post!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Bridgehouse Shelter for Homeless Women and Children in Lynn

Tomorrow we're helping out with the fundraiser for Bridgehouse Shelter for Homeless Women and Children in Lynn. The staging company we regularly work with is donating their plants for the event's stage and we'll be the ones dropping them off and picking them up. Its a great cause and we're so pleased to be helping out.

Though the show is sold out (yeah!) you can still donate to the shelter through the Lynn Shelter Association. With the economy the way it is and the recent budget cuts all shelters could use our help if we can give it.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Protecting your basement goods when there's wet weather

Below is a really helpful article on protecting the goods you keep in your basement by Intelligent Labor and Moving's owner, Ezekiel, that originally appeared in a real estate newsletter. 

photo courtesy of http://www.inspectapedia.com/interiors/Basement_Water.htm


Water in your basement can be a real disaster, particularly if like most people, your basement is disorganized and full of stuff. Here are some tips for organizing your basement to minimize the damage, and even with the absence of moisture, make your basement a friendlier and more useful place.

Elevate. Get everything off the floor. Wood, cardboard and chipboard all wick water upwards when they get wet, so even if just the bottom of something gets damp, it's likely to ruin the rest of it. Shipping pallets are a great and economical way to do this. They are commonly available for free or cheap. Try the want-advertiser, craigslist, or just look behind commercial buildings for a bunch leaned up by a dumpster. Stacking goods on these keeps them about 3 inches off the floor. Also, with a flash-light, you'll be able to check for water without having to move anything. Also, leave a 2 inch gap between items and exterior walls (they give off moisture).

Organize. Get some folding tables, use these to get important items far off the floor and as a place to do some organizing. With a good work surface you'll be able to go through all those boxes of stuff, organize it, and re-box anything you want to keep. Having a spot you can sanely go through things makes the task much easier, and therefore more likely to happen.

Sweep. The difference between having a basement with a layer of mud, and a basement with a little water in it is the dust that accumulates in your basement. Sweeping in a dusty basement of course causes a terrible dust cloud which settles on everything and ends up in your lungs, but there's a solution. Get some sweeping compound, it's readily available from a number of online sources. You spread it around where you'll be sweeping. It prevents dust from becoming airborne, and pulls dust out of porous surfaces (cement, tarmac, brick). It's also useful for soaking up oils and other spills so they can be swept.

Stretch-wrap. This an industrial saran-wrap that movers use to keep soft goods clean. You can use it to wrap furniture in your basement to provide a clear-plastic barrier against drips, and also to keep dust and mildew off your stuff. Available on-line or places that sell packing material. Get the 18"-20" variety for covering furniture.


These tips are particularly pertinent considering the downpour happening as I type. Even with dry weather, though, following these steps will make your basement a much easier place to store and find your goods with a minimum amount of hassle.