Help From Yelp

Posted by on April 18, 2013 Comments Off

I bough out a restaurant that had closed down in San Francisco and needed to move all the supplies to my own restaurant that I was starting on the other side of town. I needed a company to help me move, and a good one. It was going to be awkward moving some of that big, heavy material so I needed a company with the right experience.

I looked on Yelp first, which turned out to be a great choice. The first company that popped up had 5 starts with over 160 reviews– Golden Bay Movers, Yelp Movers San Francisco profile page. Well that was better than I had expected! I called them right away to see if my move was something they could handle.

Not only were they able to schedule the move on the exact day I needed it, they were enthusiastic about the challenge. They do all types of moves but loved that mine was going to be so unique! They showed up right on time and got to work figuring out how all of the equipment would be best moved and how to do it as efficiently as possible. They are true professionals and calculated everything out. They did an amazing job!

Move into the City

Posted by on December 7, 2012 Comments Off

Bay Bridge San Francisco CAThe last thing I wanted to do was move myself half way across San Francisco, but alas my lease had expired and I needed to find a new place. I called Golden Bay Movers, San Francisco’s premier movers, to help me with it because I knew it wasn’t a job I could do alone. And I was right. Even though I was only moving out of an apartment, there were still things that I couldn’t have moved on my own.

Right from the get-go, I knew that hiring Golden Bay Movers was going to be great. They were totally attentive to what I needed from them and were available the weekend I needed to move. I felt like I was working with an actual person and not just a corporate entity. They answered all of my questions about what would happen on the day of the move and how long they expected it to take. They had all kinds of helpful resources and I was able to get an accurate estimate over the phone.

The move itself went really smoothly too. I didn’t want to have to rent a truck, get insurance and jump through the various hoops that you have to when you are moving on your own. Instead, I had professional and experienced help who could help me navigate my big city move.

It didn’t take very long with multiple people and one big truck to move all of my clothes, furniture and décor and all of it was safely transported back to my new apartment. It was great to know that I was being helped in a safe and friendly way—I was getting the best service available.

The best part of all of it was that even though I was sad to be moving out of my old apartment, I was actually happy to move onward and upward to me new apartment. Golden Bay made the transition fast and easy. I didn’t have to worry about anything except packing up my things into boxes and telling them where to put them. It was the easiest move I ever had!

I love my new apartment and I also love that I had such a stress-free move getting there!

The Chance to Move to Maui

Posted by on November 30, 2012 Comments Off

Maui Real Estate at NightWhen my husband and I got the opportunity to move to Maui, we jumped at the chance. We also hired the Smith Team of Maui Sales to help us find the perfect home for us in Maui. We were moving within three months, so we needed someone we could trust would move quickly to find us the perfect real estate in Maui.

It’s not everyday that you get to go through real estate listings in Maui with the actual intent of purchase. I mean, we’re looked at Maui real estate listings for fun, but never with the actual ability to buy anything. We have always liked traveling and vacationing in Maui, but we never thought we would actually have the chance to live there.

Some of our favorite restaurants and shops are in the Lahaina area, so we told Maui Sales that we would prefer to buy property in and around that area. We would be willing to consider something slightly outside of that area if it offered better amenities for the price.

Within a few weeks, we had some serious contenders. I was surprised that we were able to find potential homes within that short of a time span. We immediately booked a flight to Maui to get a personal look at the homes. There were three within our price range that we wanted to visit. A lot of people buy property without even going to see it first, but for us, that wasn’t an option.

It was important for us to go see the houses because there is only so much you can tell about a house from looking at photos of it on the Internet. Especially in a house in Maui, we wanted to see what the feel of the house was, to check out the neighborhood and get a better idea of what it would be like to live there. Plus, we just like visiting Maui.

On that trip, we made an offer on a house with the help of the Smith Team at Maui Sales. And they accepted our offer a few days after we made it. It felt so great to be returning to California with a pending deal on a house. We are really happy with it, too. It’s absolutely stunning and has just enough room to have guests. Although not enough room for too many guests. The Maui Sales team hooked us up!

Moving Tax Breaks

Posted by on November 15, 2012 Comments Off

Moving can get expensive. But what if we told you that you could write off moving expenses on your taxes? Well, you can! Today we are breaking down how you can save money by claiming a tax deduction for certain moving expenses, especially if you are moving for your job.

If your new job is at least 50 miles away from your home, you can qualify for a tax deduction. This is great news to those who might have been sad to have to give up a great apartment or neighborhood to move closer to work.

If you moved for your job, you can claim any moving expenses incurred within a year of the move. The IRS also requires that you also be working full-time for at least 39 weeks during the first year to qualify for moving-related tax breaks.

You can deduct most moving-related expenses, but not all of them. For example, while you can deduct expenses for packing supplies, insuring items and transporting household items and property. In addition, you can also deduct any costs in connection with connecting or disconnecting utilities.

You can also deduct travel expenses like airfare, parking, bridge/road tolls, mileage and lodging. The only thing you can’t deduct for travel is food.

Although moving allows for a multitude of deductable expenses, there are some expenses that you won’t be able to write off. Buying/selling you home, breaking your lease and getting a new driver’s license are nondeductable.

For more information, visit the IRS website, or ask your accountant what expenses you might be able to deduct.

Moving with Manpower of San Diego

Posted by on November 2, 2012 Comments Off

Moving from San Diego to anywhere is extremely difficult. On top of the fact that San Diego is generally somewhere you move to, not away from, you also have to deal with the stresses of moving. That’s why I hired a professional to help me in the process. Manpower Movers in San Diego was probably the best thing I could have done for the simplicity of my move.  It was hard enough to consider the fact that I was leaving the most beautiful city on Earth to live in, let alone do it all myself.

I was moving to Los Angeles for a job, a really good job I couldn’t turn down. And even though I was going to be sad to move away from my favorite city, I knew it didn’t have to be forever. If I did well enough at the job in Los Angeles, I could pretty much move anywhere.  Knowing that was pretty much what got me through those months before I left.

I had friends in LA, but it just wouldn’t be the same. LA is just so… LA. It’s hard to explain, I guess. Either way, I was going to have to find a new place and get all of my old stuff into my new place. The last move I made is when I discovered the miracle that is hiring a moving company. I know it sounds simply, but until then, I had made most of the moves myself. And that, my friends, it stressful.

It was hard on my body and on my mind, knowing that I would have to either borrow or rent a truck and then drive it all the way from San Diego to Los Angeles. Granted, that isn’t very far but it is when you are used to driving a Honda Civic and you have to drive huge vehicle through two large cities with infamous traffic issues.

No. I’d had enough. The main reason I had never hired a mover before was because I thought I couldn’t afford it. Now I know that I can’t afford NOT to hire a mover. Another lesson I learned in previous moves was that injury was almost inevitable. A table can get dropped on your foot, your back can get thrown out. The options for injury and disaster are basically endless. I didn’t want to move to LA with a smashed toe or a back injury that would prevent me from running off the stress of my new job.

I found Manpower Movers on Yelp, actually. I was looking for a moving company that would be able to move me from San Diego to LA without much ado.  I’m telling you right now that without their help, I wouldn’t have made it through. I’m sure my toes wouldn’t have fared well either. Manpower made my move fast, safe and efficient!

Unpacking Made Easy

Posted by on October 19, 2012 Comments Off

If you have been researching moving tips in preparation for your move, you are likely blue in the face from reading tips on how to pack. But being fully prepared means you not only know the most efficient way to pack your belongings; but you also know how to unpack efficiently. This guide will tell you the best method of unpacking that will have you comfortable in your new home in no time!

Break down boxes as you go.

When you are in the “unpacking zone,” it can be tempting just to unpack box by box until everything is unpacked. But if you don’t break down the boxes you are unpacking as you go, you will have a massive box pile to break down at the end of it all. It’s much easier and palatable if you break them down one at a time.

Unpack the things you will need first.

To make your home as livable as possible, you should unpack the items you will need right away. For example, you may want to unpack your bedding and some bedroom items so that when you hit an “unpacking wall,” your bed will be ready. It may also serve to unpack items for your bathroom and kitchen so you will have what you need for your shower and fist meal.

Be selective with appliances and electronics.

While you may not need to be able to play with your videogames (that’s subjective, of course) right away, you may want to make sure your alarm clock, microwave and perhaps stereo or television are plugged in on the first day. If you have an iPod dock or speakers, you may want to make sure it is accessible so you have something to listen to while you unpack.

Organize the chaos.

If you don’t have the luxury of being able to hire someone to unpack for you, it’s best to place the boxes in the room they belong in. Hopefully, you read enough about packing that you properly labeled each box with its contents and where it goes. It’s also a good idea to have all unpacked boxes pushed to the side, near the wall, so that you don’t trip over them or knock them over.

I Hired a Mover!

Posted by on October 12, 2012 Comments Off

Moving away from home was the best and most stressful thing I have ever done. It was the best thing for me because after living in my parents’ house for five years, I was completely ready to move out and move on. But on the other hand, it was also stressful because I started a full-time job around the same time. And it wasn’t just any full-time job. I started as a tax accountant around January—right before tax season. I was working long hours and had little to no time to take care of the stresses in connection with my move.  At one point, I honestly wasn’t sure how I’d manage it, but everything changed when I talked to me new colleague Jennifer who had recently moved as well. Her advice to me was simple: hire a mover.

But she didn’t tell me to just hire any mover off the street. She told me it was important to do your homework before hiring a mover. Because it would be the first time hiring a moving company, I asked her what she meant by that. She told me that I should only hire a moving company that can provide references and has a good reputation in their online communities like Yelp.com. She also warned that it was important to hire a company that is fully licensed and bonded in order to protect my rights and my belongings.

Luckily, she handed me the card of the moving company she had used in her move a few months ago—Golden Bay Relocation, movers in San Francisco and Palo Alto CA. She told me that they were extremely busy in the summer and that they might be totally booked already. The reason she told me the information about hiring a good moving company was because she was worried that Golden Bay wouldn’t be available. But when I called, they had a cancellation and I was able to book them to help me with my move.

Jennifer was totally right. Hiring a moving company made everything so much easier. Sure, it was still pretty stressful to pack all of my things into boxes and try to organize, but it was pretty easy when it came down to the actual moving part. I just told the moving guys what to take and where to put it, and at the end of the day I got to come home to my fully furnished apartment. When I walked in my apartment for the first time, I knew it was going to change everything. Everything I worked for to get where I was and everything I had been through.

Moving is stressful enough if you don’t also have a stressful job on top of it all. I am so glad I met Jennifer and that she told me about Golden Bay Relocation. I truly feel amazing and relaxed knowing that my belongings were in a safe place and that everything was being taken care of.

Dana Point to San Diego

Posted by on October 10, 2012 Comments Off

For my first big move, I was terrified. I was terrified because it would be my first big move as well as the first time I had moved anyplace all by myself. I wasn’t moving especially far (from Dana Point to San Diego), but I would be going to someplace I didn’t have very many friends. This also meant that I wouldn’t have anyone to help me move.  I had been looking for a job for months and I got one that required me to move within the week. It was incredible hard to get family and friends to help because they had to work during the week. So I ended up hiring a mover, Manpower Movers, which was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

One benefit to hiring a moving company for my move was that all I had to do was the packing, and Manpower Movers took it directly from my old apartment to my new place. It was wonderful to not have to stress about how many trips I would have to make and worry about if everything would fit in my car. The moving company had a HUGE truck and everything of mine, from clothes to couches, fit perfectly in the moving truck.

And because I had to move so quickly, I didn’t even get a chance to really see the new place I was moving in to. It looked nice in the photos, but I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived. As it turned out, I was also glad to have the help of the movers because they knew exactly what to do and helped me every step of the way when it came to figuring out how to get everything in my new apartment. Luckily for me, it was just as nice as it looked.

Manpower Movers was also handy because while my dad was supposed to help me, he ended up having to do something for his job that prevented him from making the trip to San Diego. With the movers, I didn’t have to worry about carrying anything on my own. They took care of everything including placing the furniture exactly where I wanted it to go.

In addition to being grateful to not have to carry everything by myself, I was also appreciative that the movers were really professional and didn’t make me feel uncomfortable at all. I worried that as a single woman, it might be a little uncomfortable to be in a situation where I was alone with a few strangers for the better part of a day. I never felt unsafe, in fact I felt safer with them around. I’d like to stay in my new apartment for a long time, but I will definitely hire them again!

 

Changing Your Address

Posted by on October 6, 2012 Comments Off

Congratulations, you’ve found a new place to live! That, in itself, is a premier accomplishment. There are many challenges ahead of you, but as long as you stay on top of everything, you will have a safe and stress-free move. One thing you will want to take care of four to six weeks in advance of your move is changing your address. Here’s how:

  • You can visit the post office and fill out the US Postal Service change of address form. It’s called a PS form 3575 and if you don’t see it on display, ask a clerk to give you one.
  • Alternatively, you can visit the US Postal Service website and fill out a change of address there as well. This way you won’t have to brave the lines or waste any paper.
  • Remember to include anyone you are moving with to make sure their mail is forwarded too. For example, even if you and your spouse have the same last name, be sure to include her to avoid her mail not being forwarded along with yours.
  • Filling out a change of address form won’t change your address for everything, though. You will still have to notify your bank, utility services and various periodicals that you have changed your address. First class mail is forwarded for a year, whereas periodicals are only forwarded for 60 days.
  • Send of change of address cards to family, friends and colleagues who will want your address for invitations, holiday cards and thank you notes.

Now that you have changed you address, you can worry about the other things to accomplish before your move! Happy Moving!

Yelp: The Moving Decision-Maker

Posted by on September 29, 2012 Comments Off

I pretty much turn to the Internet for most of my decision-making. In fact, I’m not sure what I ever did without it, Now, when I decide who will cut my hair, who will drive me to the airport and where I will eat, I use the Internet as a tool to help me make the most educated choice. One of my favorite websites for decision-making purposes is Yelp because its ratings of local business and services are determined by actual people who have had personal experiences at those places. When it was time to move, I used the same way to decide which mover I should hire.

In the Bay Area, there are a lot of moving companies to choose from, especially because there is a pretty high turnover rate of people moving from apartments to other apartments and moving to different locations all the time. It’s a spread out area, but it also holds a surprising amount of people. My work was going to be cut out for me as far as selecting a moving company San Francisco.

After finally narrowing my choices down to three five star rated San Francisco moving companies, I simply read the corresponding reviews and decided based on the quality of the reviews and positive feedback. I’ve found that sometimes even if someone gives five stars, they still may have some constructive feedback.

I decided to go with Golden Bay Relocation because of the quality of reviewers that had rated them highly on Yelp. Hardly any of them said anything negative, even the ones that rated them with four stars. Most of the people that reviewed Golden Bay said that they were “fantastic,“ “fast,” and “well-priced.” Those were the exact qualities I was looking for in a moving company. They seemed professional and seemed to do great work. Again the Internet and Yelp had helped me make another great decision.

When they came to move me from the Mission to the Height, they really were fantastic! They were polite and never made me feel uncomfortable. They did their job and they did it well. I didn’t have to worry about a single thing. I did have to pack and unpack my things, but that wasn’t so bad because I had some of my friends help me. I made sure to label every box properly so they’d end up in the right spot, and it worked because unpacking was no trouble at all!

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Golden Bay Movers to any of my friends because they really did live up to the hype. I hope I don’t have to move again soon, but if I did, I would call Golden Bay right away.