By Jim Carey - Go Mini’s of NY, NJ & CT

Serving Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, Bergen, Fairfield and Litchfield

Our third in a series of professional moving tips for the do-it-yourself mover.  If you have rented a portable storage container from Go Mini’s or anyone else, you are going to want to know how to best take care of your personal belongings.  Refer to this blog as often as necessary to find the tips of all kinds.  These are tips the pros would use too.

Tip #3 - Moving a washing machine - You must know these tips before you move one!

We chose the washing machine as a moving tip because moving a washing machine is a potential disaster.  Don’t believe us?   Movers move washing machines often enough and eventually get burned.  And that’s why we have some very important tips for you.  In this article, we will tell you the main problems and why they are so.

Problem #1 - Leaking valves

When you hook up a bran new washing machine, you connect your two water hoses from the hot and cold water valves to the hot and cold threaded stems on the back of the washing machine.  Assuming this is done correctly, you open up the valves and - Voila! - your water supply is connected.  You do not need to do anything with these hoses or valves.  There is a good chance you will not  touch them until you move or replace the washing machine with a new one.  That’s fine, but understand that when you go to disconnect the hoses, the valves may not close for you and, even if they do at first, they may not stay closed.  Here’s why.  Your standard valve closes off the flow of water with a rubber “seat” inside. When the valve is new, the rubber is flexible and durable.  But, over time, your water can corrode the “seat”.  Hard mineral deposits can react with the rubber.  Chlorinated water will dissolve the rubber.  So when you close the valve, you may not have any rubber left to make the closed valve water tight.

Here is another warning!  At first, the valves may hold water.  But if the “seat” is corroded, a little bit of water pressure may break the seat and turn a drip into a steady flow.  Now, if you were in the process of moving out of a house, imagine what could happen 24 or 48 hours after you left the house.  The flood could start and will keep going.  The problems are potentially disastrous.  Imagine you are “down the road” to your new residence while the leak is beginning to reach all corners of the house; destroying carpet, walls or ceilings below.  Sorry to scare anyone reading this, but the potential is very real.  Bu there is a way to prevent it.  Change the valve? No.  The other valve is likely soldered onto a pipe and replacing the valve would require the expense of a plumber.  The easiest way is to feel comfortable there will be no leak is to attach a threaded valve cap to the valve.

Just remove the hose from the valve.  Put some teflon tape over the threads of the valve and firmly tighten a threaded valve cap.  Now, if the valve will not hold water, the cap will.

Problem #2 - Never re-use those black hoses, which connect from the valve to the washing machine.  Over time, the hoses can get brittle and crack. Solution? - Spend a few bucks and get new hoses.

Problem #3 - Another thing to think about is a conventional washing machine never fully drains all its water.  So this means two things.  It will be much heavier and will also leak water if you are carrying it on an angle.  If possible, leave the washer open for a few days to let some of the water evaporate.

You can move a washing machine but you just need to be aware of the very real risks.

Go Mini’s portable storage containers make it easy to move and store your own items.  Now you have professional advice for when you move your washing machine.  Always check back to see the latest Professional Moving Tips for the do-it-yourselfer.

Go Mini’s of NY, NJ & CT is an authorized exclusive dealer for Go Mini’s Portable Storage Containers in the Metropolitan New York area serving the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster NY, Bergen NJ, Fairfield and Litchfield, CT.  Call us at 866-Go Mini’s to help you move or store today.

Serving Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, Bergen, Fairfield and Litchfield.

During the housing boom of the 90’s/00’s, drywall manufactured in China was installed in as many as 100,000 homes around the United States. Recently, Federal Investigators have determined that there is a “strong association” between chemicals used in Chinese drywall and electrical and health problems plaguing the owners of newly built homes where the drywall was used.
Most homeowners first report a “rotten egg” odor, leading many to experience respiratory problems. Homeowners with the odor, soon began to realize that appliances and electrical systems in their homes were failing much quicker then should be expected.
The Consumer Product Safety Board (CPSB) responded to complaints by homeowners and released a series of reports on this topic. Those reports conclude that the drywall and hydrogen sulfide is causing the electrical corrosion and may be contributing to the health problems being experienced. The report also stated that temperature; humidity and air exchange rates appear to be contributing factors as well.
A homeowner who experiences a “rotten egg” smell, should contact the CPSB and area remediation companies to have their home evaluated and potentially begin the process of removing and replacing their current drywall. Steps should also be taken to protect the homeowner’s property from damage during the pack out remediation process. Go-Mini’s Portable Storage in Patterson, NY has made their storage containers available to homeowners and remediation/restoration companies involved in any residential or commercial remediation associated with Chinese Drywall problems.

Go Mini’s of NY, NJ & CT is an authorized exclusive dealer for Go Mini’s Portable Storage Containers in the Metropolitan New York area serving the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster NY, Bergen NJ, Fairfield and Litchfield, CT. Call us at 866-Go Mini’s to help you respond to any storage situation.

The e-commerce marketplace has become the new main street of the world, providing a quick and convenient way of marketing goods and services both regionally and globally.

E-commerce has grown into a huge industry with US online retail sales generating $204B in revenues in 2008, with consumer-driven online transactions impacting industries from transportation and travel services to consumer electronics, from books and media distribution to sports & fitness. With more than 70% of Americans using the Internet on a daily basis for private and/or business use and the rest of the world also beginning to catch on, e-commerce’s growth curve is not likely to taper off anytime soon.

In the last decade, many startup e-commerce companies have rapidly stolen market share from traditional retailers and service providers, pressuring these established traditional players to deploy their own commerce websites or to alter company strategy in retaliation. This effect is most pronounced in travel services and consumer electronics. Roughly 45% of all travel bookings currently occur online. Consumer electronics, accounted for nearly $30B of worldwide e-commerce sales occurring in 2008.

As traditional brick and mortar firms continue to lose market share to e-commerce players, they will likely see continued declines in their revenues, operating margins, and profits. Company’s like Sears, Target, Wal-Mart are moving quickly toward click and mortar offerings with varying success. (Click and Mortar is a type of business model that includes both online and offline operations, which typically include a website and a physical store. A click-and-mortar company can offer customers the benefits of fast, online transactions or traditional, face to face service.)

Sears Holdings Corp. is undertaking a number of major initiatives, including consolidating Sears.com and Kmart.com onto a new IBM WebSphere platform, in order to reinvigorate its online brands and gain more market share. In August 2009 Target realized how important the multi-channel experience is to its customers and decided that bringing its e-commerce operations in-house was the best way to deliver the desired experience.

It is important to note that most e-commerce players are at a competitive advantage to retailers. They have lower operating expenses and better inventory management due to operating in a virtual commerce environment. For example, Amazon.com has revenue per employee of nearly $850k while its retail counterpart, Best Buy, generates revenue per employee of only $270k. Clearly, e-commerce vendors will have the most to gain if they successfully disrupt retail customer acquisition, and under-price retail establishments. To publicize deals they are using social networks like Facebook and Twitter to drive sales.

Though people are spending more online as they spend less offline, online shopping still accounts for only 8 percent of retail sales. As Gian Fulgoni, chairman of comScore stated, “Each year we have a new set of people entering the job market out of school, who are very, very comfortable online and with e-commerce.”

Go Mini’s, a leader in the portable storage industry, has embraced e-commerce from its inception. Its rise as the fastest growing transportation company outpaced the brick and mortar moving van companies and truck rental icons. Simply go to Gominis.com for a fast and easy quote from a locally owned business.

Serving Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, Bergen, Fairfield and Litchfield

Fire or flood, earthquake or snowstorm, hurricane or tornado, an act of nature or a man made disaster;  Emergency preparedness can make all the difference.  Whether the plan is for your family, your business, your city or town, how you prepare could determine if you thrive or just survive after the incident.

The Federal Department of Homeland Security offers useful information for individuals and businesses at www.ready.gov .  Each state and most cities and towns offer similar information.  Find it online and develop an emergency plan.  Have a checklist of things to do when the power goes out, if the phones don’t work, the Internet is down or if the roads and bridges are closed. 

At the 2009 Public Health Summit in San Diego, the National Association of City and County Health Officials recognized the need for secure “Points Of Distribution” (POD) that stay organized and loaded with equipment or supplies needed in an emergency.  Go Mini’s Portable Storage and our all steel weatherproof portable containers were recognized as a valuable resource to be utilized during and after an emergency situation.  Our storage containers are FEMA approved and are highly portable by truck or by helicopter.  If you are tasked with organizing emergency response or disaster relief for a municipality or a business; begin to gather information, formulate and implement a plan, then practice it. Be prepared, be ready. 

Go Mini’s of NY, NJ & CT is an authorized exclusive dealer for Go Mini’s Portable Storage Containers in the Metropolitan New York area serving the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster NY, Bergen NJ, Fairfield and Litchfield, CT.  Call us at 866-Go Mini’s to help you respond to an emergency.

By Jim Carey - Go Mini’s of NY, NJ & CT

Serving Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, Bergen, Fairfield and Litchfield

Our second in a series of professional moving tips for the do-it-yourself mover.  If you have rented a portable storage container from Go Mini’s or anyone else, you are going to want to know how to best take care of your personal belongings.  Refer to this blog as often as necessary to find the tips of all kinds.  These are tips the pros would use too.

Tip #2 - Packing fragile dishes and stemware

So you have made the decision to move yourself.   Well we have some good advice for you when it comes to packing your fragile dishes and stemware.  Let’s start with the first step in packing your own fragile items.  Get the best boxes or plastic containers you can.  If the pros were packing for you, they would use a very sturdy cardboard box to pack your fragile dishes and stemware.  The box the pros use is much more sturdy than other boxes they will use.  Ask Go Mini’s for a triple wall corrugated box.  Movers refer to these boxes as “dish-paks” or “dish barrels”.  The standard volume of this box is 5.2 cubic feet.

With the correct type of box selected, we can move on to wrapping and packing.  Get clean paper.  WARNING!!! - Old Newspapers can leave ink stains on fine china.  Go Mini’s of NY, NJ and CT offers un-printed newspaper.   Place your item to be wrapped on the corner of the paper and wrap the paper and fold in the sides.  Usually you can create a double layer or more using this technique.  For larger items, like dinner plates, you will not get a double layer.  So start by wrapping the plate in two pieces of paper at the same time.

BEFORE YOU PUT ANYTHING IN THE BOX - Crumple up several pieces of paper and make a cushion-y layer in the bottom of your box.  Now you can begin to put dishes in the box. Start by putting your larger items in like plates.  If you have a set of plates, they will fit together nicely.  Then surround your plates with another cushion of crumpled up paper.  You are going to work your way up from the bottom building a series of layers.  Crumpled up paper is the key. Keep using it between layers of dishes.  Make sure to not leave any empty spaces in the box.  This way, the box will not settle and neither will the dishes packed inside.

Go Mini’s portable storage containers make it easy to move and store your own items.  Now you have advice to pack like the experts.  Always check back to see the latest Professional Moving Tips for the do-it-yourselfer.

Go Mini’s of NY, NJ & CT is an authorized exclusive dealer for Go Mini’s Portable Storage Containers in the Metropolitan New York area serving the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster NY, Bergen NJ, Fairfield and Litchfield, CT.  Call us at 866-Go Mini’s to help you move or store today.

By Jim Carey - Go Mini’s of NY, NJ and CT

As previously announced, we are pleased to bring you our first in a series of professional moving tips for the do-it-yourself mover.  If you have rented a portable storage container from Go Mini’s or anyone else, you are going to want to know how to best take care of your personal belongings.  Refer to this blog as often as necessary to find the tips of all kinds.  These are tips the pros would use too.

Tip #1 - Prevent “load shift” during transit.

We thought our very first tip should give the kind of advice every do-it-yourself mover should know.  When a professional mover loads your items onto a moving truck, one of their primary objectives is to load the truck in a way that will prevent load shift.   Movers know when they are driving down the road, they will encounter steep hills, sharp turns, sudden stops, large potholes etc.  You as the do-it-yourself mover should know your possessions will encounter the same  potential issues when they are in transit.

That’s why you need to think about load shift!

One strategy used by the pros to prevent load shift is one you can easily use too.  Large flat items are the answer.  Mattresses and other large flat items like plywood are perfect for helping to prevent load shift.  DO NOT load mattresses or plywood into your Go Mini portable storage container first.  Start by counting how many of these large flat items you have and plan to load them strategically throughout your Go Mini.  It’s even more effective if you use straps or rope to tighten the mattress or plywood against the load.

Just in case this is not clear, stand the large flat item up on its end.  When you are looking into the Mini, you should be face to face with the wide side of the mattress or plywood you are using to secure your load.  Another benefit of this is, after you have secured the flat item with straps or rope, you have another flat wall to start building another tier of boxes and furniture.

If possible, save a flat item for the end of your load.  Here’s why.  After you have rolled down the door, you do not want to have something shift and then lean against the  roll-up door of your portable storage container.  It has happened to a few people in the past.

Loading your Go Mini’s portable storage container is easy with its translucent roof and ground level entrance.  Be sure to look back for more tips on how the pro’s load furniture and boxes.  We’ll make this Professional Moving Tips series a valuable resource to our customer’s.

• 43 million American move every year
• 50% of all moves take place between Memorial Day and Labor Day
• 11-The number of times the average American family moves in a lifetime

Of that 43 million 21 million Americans move for housing related issues. Most people are looking for a newer, more adequate size, or more cost appropriate home. Eleven million individual’s moves are family related, while 7 million are work associated.

There are many publications that list the “Best Places to Move”, or “Safest Places to Live”, and they are fun to read. With perhaps the exception of retirees, most Americans do not have the option of choosing to move wherever they wish.

Here’s an alphabetical list of the 10 cities honored by U.S. News as this year’s Best Places to Retire:

• Bella Vista, Ark.
• Boulder, Colo.
• Eden Prairie, Minn.
• Green Valley, Ariz.
• Issaquah, Wash.
• Long Meadow, Mass.
• Portland, Maine
• Punta Gorda, Fla.
• Reston, Va.
• Walnut Creek, Calif.

These do not necessarily coincide with another publication that lists the “best states” to live in:

• New Hampshire
• Minnesota
• Vermont
• Wyoming
• Virginia

Or the “cheapest places” to live:

• Oklahoma
• Texas
• Tennessee
• Arkansas
• Nebraska

Or the “most secure” large cities:

Austin–Round Rock, Tex.

• Des Moines–West Des Moines, Iowa
• Madison, Wis.
• Bethesda–Gaithersburg–Frederick, Md.
• Rochester, N.Y.

How people move is another issue entirely. There a three basic avenues people choose for these moves. Let’s examine them and the reasoning behind the choices.

Do-It-Yourself Move

If we assume that you do not have a large enough truck then you will need to secure one of the correct size. Also be aware of any special driver licensing.

DIY entails packing your items, packing the truck, driving the truck to your new destination, unloading the truck and then returning the truck to the rental agency in time so as not to incur late fees. This may sound like an ordeal, but single people rarely have so many possessions that throwing it in a rental truck is an problem. However, when you begin to add a second person and children this process can easily become more time consuming and difficult.

If age is on your side and you have healthy friends to pitch in on moving day, going the route of renting, packing and driving a rental truck may be a viable option. Once bad backs, weak knees and shoulders come into play, professional movers may begin to look more appealing.

Full Service Professional

First off there is no problem securing a truck. A full service moving company will come to your home, pack your items, pack the moving van, drive your possessions to the new location and unload the van. This option can greatly reduce your stress, but the cost will be increased significantly. A full service pro will figure out where to park the moving truck and secure potential permits they will need - a feature city dwellers will appreciate.

When using a full-service moving company, the time of year will impact your cost. If you’re moving between Memorial Day and Labor Day, it may be difficult to find a mover because of demand and movers are less likely to negotiate on costs.

Latest Trend
Believe it or not, but there is a third option that more and more Americans are learning about; it is called portable moving or self-service moving. The concept is simple. A storage container is delivered to you, you box your own items, you pack it in the container which you have for an extended period of time, and the portable storage mover drives the contents to the new location. You unpack your items at your leisure and the company returns, usually between two to four weeks, to pick up the empty container. This option is less costly than a full service mover and less of physical and logistic stress than the do-it-yourself move.
One of the leading portable storage companies in North America is Go Mini’s with over 200 locations in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Go Mini’s takes out all the stress in moving and your move can be handled with one phone call. Call 1-866-gominis today or go on line for a quote at www.gominis.com.

The bottom line is you need to weigh all the pros and cons of each moving type and determine which one is best for you, your family and your belongings.

]]> http://www.gominis.com/blog/fun-facts-and-moving/feed/ http://www.gominis.com/blog/loading-a-portable-storage-container/ http://www.gominis.com/blog/loading-a-portable-storage-container/#comments Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:02:50 +0000 Go Minis of Fairfield County, Connecticut http://www.gominis.com/blog/?p=259 by Jim Carey Go Mini’s NY, NJ, CT

Go Mini’s of NY, NJ, CT announces a new written series titled Professional Moving Tips to help the do-it your self mover to load their own portable storage container.

When moving your home with your own Go Mini’s container, Go Mini’s of NY, NJ and CT wants you to learn the tips of the pros and so we have created a series of moving tips for customers to follow.  Go Mini’s of NY, NJ and CT has professional moving tips that will help you, the homeowner, protect your furniture while using as much space in the Mini as possible.  Check back soon to our blog page for future announcements on moving tips the pros use.  You will be glad you did.  We will also have our tips available on twitter and facebook.

We send our thoughts and prayers out to the people of Haiti and to everyone assisting in the relief efforts.

Alright.  Here are the basics of the home staging contest where one lucky person could win a decluttering solution from Go Mini’s every month.

First, you need to live in the following service area counties in NY, NJ and CT:

1.  In New York - Putnam County, Westchester, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster

2. In Connecticut - Fairfield, Litchfield

3. In New Jersey - Bergen

Now that we have the first and most important contest rule out of the way, here is what the contest is all about.  We are looking to promote the use of Go Mini’s for decluttering a home.  Whether its for spring cleaning or preparing to sell a home, we want to help some lucky homeowner once a month.  Send us pictures of the interior of your home.  Send your pictures to info@rentgominis.com.  The home that has the most clutter in it will be awarded the use of a Go Mini portable storage container for 2 months for free.  That’s 2 months to do home staging for a home sale, declutter the home or do anything else you want with it.  One other important item.  If you are home staging for a home sale, you will probably want to have the Mini taken off the property once you have filled it with all the things from inside your home.  So, we will even take the Mini off your property and store it at our location for you.

The second rule is that by submitting your pictures to us, you give us permission to use the pictures on our web-site or other media.  But, rest assured, your identity will be kept confidential by us.

Third rule - Even thought the Go Mini is free for 2 months.  We will require a valid credit card just in case winners wish to keep the Go Mini container longer than 2 months.

Go Mini’s are ideal for home staging, decluttering and general clean up and storage of household items.  Visit us on the web at the following Go Mini’s dealer web-sites:

Dutchess and Putnam - http://www.gominis.com/clancystoragellc268/index-Dutchess_and_Putnam-Dutchess_&_Putnam_Portable_Storage_.html

Westchester - http://www.gominis.com/clancystoragellc387/index-Westchester-Portable_Moving_and_Storage_Solutions.html

Fairfield - http://www.gominis.com/clancystoragellc/index-Fairfield-Portable_Moving_and_Storage_Solutions.html

Rockland, Orange and Ulster - http://www.gominis.com/clancystoragellc200/index-Orange_and_Rockland-Portable_Moving_and_Storage_Solutions.html

Bergen - http://www.gominis.com/clancystoragellc200/index-Orange_and_Rockland-Portable_Moving_and_Storage_Solutions.html

Litchfield - http://www.gominis.com/clancystoragellc288/index-Litchfield-Portable_Moving_and_Storage_Solutions.html

For additional contest questions, please e-mail or call us:

info@rentgominis.com

Toll Free (877) 881-5080