Refrigerators are expensive. If you’re moving one, you want to make sure you do it right to keep it from getting damaged. 

Here are some great tips for moving your refrigerator safely:

Preparing your refrigerator to move

• Turn it off. 24 to 48 hours before your move, turn off and unplug the refrigerator according to the refrigerator instructions. (Be especially careful if you have a water/ice dispenser – the water will need to be turned off and the water line disconnected.)
• Empty and Clean it. Empty the contents and thoroughly clean and dry the defrosted refrigerator.
• Stop the odor. Leave the doors open for several hours after defrosting to avoid mildew and a musty odor (you might even put an open box of baking soda inside to help with odors).
•  Pack the pieces. Remove shelves, bins and any other loose parts, wrap any glass or fragile pieces with bubble wrap and pack them separately.
• Secure for moving. Tape the doors shut, tape the cords to the back with packing tape and remove the toe board.

Loading your refrigerator

• Use an appliance dolly. It will make moving big appliances much easier. 
• Avoid laying the refrigerator on its side. When the refrigerator is on its side, the oil in the compressor can flow into the cooling lines. Then, when you turn it upright, the oil may not completely drain from the cooling lines and keep the refrigerator from cooling. Not good!
• Wrap it. Wrap the refrigerator in furniture pads to avoid scratches.
• Load it. Your refrigerator and other large appliances should be loaded into the moving trailer or moving container first.
• Secure it. Tie your refrigerator down with moving straps or rope to keep it from shifting in transit. 

More to come about moving other appliances like your washer, dryer and electric or gas range.

DITY Moving Service Conducts ‘Card Drive’ to Honor Military

In honor of Military Appreciation Month, ABF U-Pack Moving has mailed over 2,000 cards, letters and drawings to U.S. troops serving overseas. The ‘card drive’ took place throughout the month of May and was part of the “A Million Thanks” mission to show the troops support and appreciation. ABF U-Pack Moving is an approved nationwide DITY moving service based out of Fort Smith, Arkansas.  

Fort Smith, Ark. (PRWEB) June 19, 2009 – To honor U.S. troops during Military Appreciation Month, ABF U-Pack Moving®, based in Fort Smith, Arkansas, conducted a ‘card drive’ by collecting thank you cards to send to U.S. troops serving abroad.

“As a military moving service provider, we have the honor of working with U.S. Military men and women and their families on a daily basis.  Although the troops overseas are constantly on our minds, during Military Appreciation Month we set out to find ways to show our appreciation in a new way,” said Kay Lynn Clay, U-Pack manager. “We came across an organization called, “AMillionThanks.org,” whose mission is to send letters, emails, cards and prayers to the troops.  The story of how this organization came about through the vision of high school student Shauna Fleming was incredibly inspiring, so we knew we wanted to be part of the A Million Thanks mission.”  

As a result, ABF employees, along with students from several schools in the Fort Smith area wrote over 2,000 thank you cards, letters and drawings and mailed them to the service men and women serving our country throughout the world. 

“We hope that as our heroes read these cards and letters, they’ll get a sense of how grateful the people of ABF U-Pack and the Fort Smith community are for their commitment, sacrifice and service to our country,” said Clay.

About ABF U-Pack Moving
ABF U-Pack Moving is a leader in the self-move industry with a network of 290 service centers nationwide. U-Pack specializes in affordable military moving solutions, combining the professional driver and equipment of a traditional full-service mover with the cost savings of a rental truck.  Visit http://www.upack.com/moving-services/military.asp for more information.

Contact: Kay Lynn Clay, U-Pack manager
Email: publicrelations@upack.com
Telephone:  479-785-8686

Websites:   http://www.upack.com
                  http://www.moviendose.com

So, you’re moving to Alaska and you’ve found that U-Pack is the easiest, most affordable way to get there.  If you’ve done your research, you probably already know that it’s ok to move smaller items with gas engines in an ABF trailer or ReloCube (like ATV’s, chainsaws, weed eaters, mowers and motorcycles).  What you may or may not know is that shipments moving into and out of Alaska are randomly inspected at the port, and if the shipment is not in compliance with Coast Guard shipping regulations, you run the risk of being fined in excess of $700 for violations.  Eeks! 

How do you make sure your shipment is in compliance when you are moving anything with a gas engine to or from Alaska? It’s simple.

All you have to do is leave the battery connected (if it has one) and run the engine until it stalls out (to drain the tank of fuel). Then, declare the item on your ABF U-Pack Bill of Lading.  See…that’s easy, and it could save you a lot of money in the long run!

If you have questions about moving to Alaska, please call us at 800-413-4799 and we’ll gladly help.

To Park or not to park?

We’ve all experienced parking woes; whether learning to parallel park to get our driver’s license (still can’t), warnings from our parents about ‘parking’ when we were teens (didn’t listen), or that pesky law enforcement officer insisting on issuing a parking ticket (I still maintain that meter was faulty!)

A parking issue is the last thing you’ll want to worry about on the day of your move!

What’s the best way to ward off parking woes? Verify parking ahead of time.

Some areas will require parking permits or have specific parking regulations, so talk with your neighborhood association, call your local police or city hall, or talk to your apartment/condo management. The old saying “it’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission” doesn’t apply here.

Trailer Parking Specifics

Our professional drivers can park the moving trailer in your driveway, a private parking lot or on the street (see requirements below). The moving trailer requires a 14 foot overhead clearance – so be sure to look up for low hanging wires or tree branches. It also requires 10 feet in width.

Driveway Parking – you’ll need about 3 ½ car lengths for the trailer and the ramp.

Private parking lot – you’ll need approval from the owner or property manager (the church on the corner may not appreciate a moving trailer on their lot on Sunday morning).

Street parking – It needs to be legal parking – so check with your city offices or local police department to see if a parking permit is required.

Leave a comment to let us know of parking issues where you live – it will be a great help to other people moving into or out of the area.

In the beginning there was just you. And all was well. Then you got stuff. And then more stuff. Suddenly you realized what storage meant. Storage would free you from your stuff. Not forever; just until you needed it again.

Storage is a wonderful thing for people like you. People with stuff. Stuff you sometimes need to put into storage.

Perhaps you haven’t thought about storage. That’s probably because you haven’t needed to move.

Because here’s the thing about stuff: it turns into baggage anytime you need to move. Baggage is something to be avoided. If someone says, “Whoa, you’ve sure got a lot of baggage.” It’s not meant to be a compliment.

That’s how the need for storage sneaks up on you.

Chances are good that you don’t even realize how much stuff you have. You think all your stuff will fit into your car, but it won’t. Not anymore.

Dude, you need storage.

But beware. Not all storage is the same. Take that storage place down on the boulevard, for example. You put your stuff in there. You move. Then what? That’s right. You stuff is stuck in a place you don’t live anymore. It’s as though you lost all your stuff. That’s not good.

Mobile storage is what you’re after. So put your stuff in a ReloCube. Not only will you have the best mobile storage device known to man but you will also get to say, “It’s in a ReloCube,” anytime someone asks, “Hey, where’s your stuff?”

Call us today for a free moving and storage quote!

I know. Packing is a pain.

I am a packing expert. Well, kind of. I may have mentioned before that in the first 17 years of life I moved only one time - and I was only a year old...so I don’t think that counts. But, in the 15 years that followed, there have been 16 moves. Granted, for the first few moves everything I owned got thrown in the back of a pick-up truck (which wasn’t much since I was a college student).

Packing was fun…
I’ll have to say, every move was exciting – in the beginning. Every time I started packing boxes, I knew I was embarking on a new chapter in life. Graduating from college, starting my first job, going back to graduate school, getting married, starting a new job, buying our first house, starting a family, moving to a new house…. So, in the beginning, packing was fun. But, usually after about 3 days of wrapping things up, sorting, throwing stuff away, packing boxes and listening to the rip of box tape…it got a little old. By the end, I usually found myself just wanting to give everything away and start over! Ever been there?

So, by about the 10th move, I finally figured out the way to make packing a little easier:

Start by packing one room at a time. When you get finished packing a room, stack all of the boxes in a corner (or carry them out to the garage) and start packing the next room. Everything stays organized, you aren’t tripping over boxes sitting all over your house and you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment each time you finish a room.

Packing then labeling. Each time you finish packing a box, label it with what’s in the box, and what room it goes in. If it contains fragile items, write that on the box. This makes moving it into your new house SO much easier.

Keep your clothes in dresser drawers. There’s no reason to spend time packing clothing that’s already folded nicely in your dresser drawers. Clothing can take up a lot of precious space (and a lot of boxes). Just leave it where it is!

Use sandwich bags! Keep up with screws and bolts when you take stuff apart by putting them in a sandwich bag and taping it to the item (be sure not to tape to wood) – you can do this with remote controls too…What a pain to unpack your electronics and you can’t find the remote!

Avoid packing stuff you don’t use. Donate it or throw it away. If you haven’t used it in the last 6 months, you probably don’t need it. If you donate it, make sure to get a tax receipt.

Get help packing! Have yourself a little packing party! Pizza is cheap. Buy some and invite your friends and family over. Turn up the music, give everyone boxes, bubble wrap, box tape and a Sharpie and put them to work. Packing is MUCH more fun when you’ve got pizza and friends around!

Do you have packing tips? Share them with us here!

How many wardrobe boxes will you need?  Well, it all depends.  I hope you’re not like me, with a closet full of clothes that don’t fit, but you’re still holding on to them...certain that weight loss is just around the corner and you'll be able to wear them again. It’s time to say goodbye! Sell them in a yard sale, consign them, donate them to charity…purge the closet. Less wardrobe boxes means less space used in the trailer or ReloCube and less money. 

Now that your closet is rid of your “some day” clothes, you can start estimating how many wardrobe boxes you’ll need.

Each U-Pack wardrobe box measures 23.5” x 21” x 46” or 13.20 cubic feet. The most accurate way to determine how many wardrobe boxes you’ll need is to separate the clothes into two-foot increments in your closet. Then, just count how many two-foot sections you have. That’s how many wardrobe boxes you’ll need.  Just do the same for every closet in the house.

Here’s a little tip:  After your move is complete, hold on to your wardrobe boxes – they’re perfect for storing off-season clothing.

If you need to order Wardrobe boxes, just let us know (you get 10% off your order with a U-Pack reservation). You can buy them in a bundle, individually or in a package with other types of boxes. 

What’s all the hype about Moving Containers?

Really, they’re just a pretty cool way to move. And I’m particularly partial to the U-Pack moving container – the ReloCube®.  They’re the “in” way to move these days. And who doesn’t want to move the “in” way?  I know…you’re wondering why they’re so “in”. Here’s my guess – These days people are looking for convenience, ease and most of all, ways to save money. Since that’s what you get with a ReloCube, it makes sense that people love them.

When ABF designed this moving container, we designed it with a purpose – to be sturdy, to protect customer’s belongings from the elements, to be easy to load and unload, and to be easily maneuverable. And, that’s exactly what we did.

Have you seen them around your city? They’re cute little things. The perfect size for one room of furnishings. Of course, if you’ve got more than one room to move, you can reserve as many moving containers as you need (and only pay for what you use). What a deal!

But hurry, these moving containers really are popular little dudes – and during the summer months (when lots of people are moving) they go really fast.  

If you’re wondering how much it costs to do a moving container move, call 800-413-4799 or click to get a free moving quote.

Get to know your new city
So you’re moving to a new home or apartment. What’s next?  Once you get there, you can’t just stay in the house all day.  And come on, you aren’t going to be at work all day either.  What do you do after work and on the weekends?  How are you supposed to meet people?  You need a strategy to learn the area and have some fun.   

Get out of the house. 
Start by checking out the local newspapers and area entertainment magazines to find events that interest you. Then start taking advantage of the local attractions like parks, libraries, museums and coffee shops.

Get a hobby.
If you’re athletic (or want to be), join a gym or a running club. If you’re into crafts, scrapbooking, sewing, pottery – or think it would be fun – look for classes in your area. Like dancing? Take a dance class. Love to cook? Take cooking classes. Basically, just look for ways to spend time doing things you enjoy – but instead of doing them by yourself, join other people who love the same things!

Get networked.
If focusing on getting your professional self up and running is more important than your social life, consider contacting your local Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber usually has great networking opportunities regardless of your profession. And, Chamber organizations tend to have the inside scoop on the latest local/ regional developments and clubs/organizations to get involved in.

So go ahead – check out your new city! You’ll have fun and make new friends.

Do you have more tips for getting familiar with your new city? Let us know!

It's a great idea to get all of your questions answered before you choose a moving company.

1. How do you charge? By weight, cubic feet, or linear feet?
2. What if I use more or less weight, cubic feet, or linear feet?
3. What forms of payment are accepted?
4. Is a deposit or down payment required?
5. What is the cancellation policy?
6. Am I guaranteed to get the moving trailer on the day of my move?
7. Will my things be loaded with someone else’s household goods? Will it ever be unloaded or transferred?
8. What is the transit time and is it guaranteed?
9. What type of liability coverage or insurance is included?
10. How do you check out with epinions.com, movingscam.com, bbb.org, safersys.org?

ABF U-Pack’s Answers:
1. We charge by linear feet (or the number of ReloCubes you use).
2. Your moving trailer quote includes a ‘per foot’ adjustment rate. So, whether you’re right on, you under-estimated, or you over-estimated, you simply pay for what you use (the absolute minimum is 5 linear feet). Or, with a ReloCube move, you’re charged for the number of Cubes you use. So, if you reserve two, and only use one, you just pay for one.
3. You can pay with a major credit card, a cashier’s check or a money order.
4. No deposit or down payment required! We simply ask for a credit card to reserve – then you decide whether you want to pay on your credit card or with a cashier’s check or money order at destination.
5. There’s no cancellation fee as long as you cancel more than 7 days before your move date. If cancelling within 7 days of the move, there is a $50 cancellation fee. If cancelling on the same day of the move, there is a $150 cancellation fee.
6. Yes, you are guaranteed to get your moving trailer or ReloCube on your move day. When you make a reservation, the equipment it is taken out of inventory for that day. That’s why it’s so important to make your reservation early during the summer months when lots of people are making reservations!
7. You are the only household goods move on the trailer. We provide a divider wall (called a bulkhead) to install at the end of your shipment. Then, ABF loads commercial goods (like electronics, clothing etc.) in the remaining trailer space. Your goods are never unloaded or transferred.
8. Your U-Pack moving quote includes an estimated transit time (which is the lowest cost option). In almost every case, you can upgrade to U-Pack Guaranteed. Whether you choose estimated or guaranteed, ABF transit times are some of the fastest in the industry.
9. ABF U-Pack includes standard liability coverage in your price. You have the option to increase this liability coverage.
10. With 4.5 out of 5 stars, ABF U-Pack is the highest rated moving company at epinions.com. ABF U-Pack is endorsed by movingscam.com as a good company to do business with. ABF U-Pack has a satisfactory rating at BBB.org.  ABF is licensed as an “All Commodities” carrier at SAFERSYS.org.