How to Hire Quality Tallahassee Movers

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Moving into a new home can be an exciting yet stressful situation.

No matter if you are relocating within your city or to a new area entirely, there are many things to consider.

One of the biggest concerns is how to get all your things from the old place to the new safely and on time. The best way to do so is by choosing the right Tallahassee movers for the job.

Hiring the right movers can be the difference between a seamless, easy move or even more added stress.

Here are a few things to look for as you make your mover decisions.

1. Get Quotes Face-to-Face

Many homeowners know it is good practice to get more than one estimate as they choose between moving companies.

However, not everyone thinks to do this face-to-face. Instead of calling for quotes from Tallahassee movers, set up a time for each company to visit your home.

Meeting in person allows you to discuss your moving needs in detail. It sets up expectations for both parties and provides the mover with more information to provide an accurate estimate.

Plus, you get a chance to feel out the people who will be handling your belongings, which is always more effective in person than over the phone.

2. Check Extra Fees and Requirements

After you’ve met with a few movers, do a little more research.

Compare the estimates with added fees included, not just face value. You may be paying more for things like packing costs or even the need to use stairs and elevators.

Check through all the contract options and beware of red flags like big deposits up-front.

3. Ask About Insurance

As you review extra fees, the one thing you should be willing to pay extra for is movers insurance.

Most Tallahassee movers do their best to provide ultimate customer service and understand it is something you hope to never have to use.

Still, movers insurance is a great investment if you or your partner tend to worry about special household items. It protects you from damage or lost items on various levels and can help save everyone a lot of stress.

4. Read the Reviews

Since shopping for Tallahassee movers is not an everyday thing, it can be hard to establish a level of trust before moving day.

Be secure in your decision by reading company reviews first.

Reviews are great because they are real people with first-hand experiences, and they aren’t trying to make a sale. You can trust the feedback provided with ease, and often, you’ll discover more details about the company, too.

If you are stuck choosing between two companies, the reviews should help you finalize a decision.

Call Your Local Tallahassee Movers

Are you planning to move into a new home or commercial space?

No matter if you are going to or from Tallahassee, you need the right people to help you do the job.

Contact us today to set up a meeting and make the first step to your big move!

5 Tips for Setting up Utilities Before You Move

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Moving to a new place?

If you don’t want to spend your first night without power, water or Internet you need to move more than your furniture and clothing.

Make a plan for setting up utilities so everything is active when you arrive.

Here are tips to help you with a smooth move.

1. Plan Ahead

The time for setting up utilities is when you finalize your new apartment or home.

Give yourself a month to contact providers. Ask how much notice is required to stop or start service.

Here are common utilities:

  • Water/Sewer
  • Electric
  • Gas
  • Cable or Satellite TV
  • Internet
  • Security or Alarm System

If you’re moving across town, transfer current accounts to the new location.

Moving across the state or country means new accounts. That can involve deposits and credit checks.

Is your new residence ready for your services? You may need to schedule an installation if you add a gas line or home security system.

2. Research and Referrals

Are you familiar with local providers? Ask the landlord, realtor, previous tenants, and neighbors for recommendations on service, rates, and deals.

Read reviews on Google, Yelp, and social media to determine customer satisfaction.

Visit utility websites to get quotes. Comparison shop so you can ask the provider to match a competitor’s price.

3. Setting Up Utilities

Once you choose your providers, sign up online, over the phone or in person at a business office.

Utilities like water or electricity don’t require your presence. Others, like Internet service, can only be set up when you’re home.

If you’re moving into a house, it’s easier to use providers that already serve the home.

Changes to existing services, like switching from DSL to fiber optic, will take more time and cost more.

4. Pay Attention to Details

Make a list of questions for each utility. When you call take detailed notes.

Note the price you’re quoted and the name of the person who handled your order.

Ask about charges for installation or equipment. This information will help if you have discrepancies on your first bill.

Confirm if you must be present for installation. Some companies charge for simple things you can do yourself. If you know how to set up a wireless router, do it.

Forward your mail and provide your new address to your previous providers. You don’t want to miss your last bill or refunds.

5. Cost-Savings

Here are money-saving tips for setting up utilities.

Ask for a Discount

If you’re a student, a senior or a veteran, ask for a discount. Some companies offer new resident and first-time customer discounts.

Call in the Morning

You’ll receive better customer service if you call at 9 A.M. Associates are fresh and in a better mood to offer discounts.

Renegotiate

Your bill may increase at the end of your first year. This is usually true with a promotional offer.

Call a month before the contract ends to renegotiate service.

It’s Time to Move It, Move It

Setting up utilities in your new home is faster and easier when you follow these tips.

Are you looking for a moving company to take the rest of the stress out of moving? Contact Browning Moving Company for a quote.

Top 10 Things to Do in Florida!

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If you’re new to the state or just ready to re-discover all that Florida has to offer, check out these local attractions.

1. Circle B Bar Reserve – Lakeland

More than 1,200 acres of Lakeland’s natural beauty are on display at the Circle B Bar Reserve. This marshland park is a favorite of bird watchers, who enjoy seeing the many wading bird populations, including bald eagles, ospreys, and waterfowl.

2. Mission San Luis – Tallahassee

Step back in time to an important part of Florida history at the Mission San Luis de Apalachee. This Spanish Franciscan mission was built in 1633. Visitors can get a glimpse of Tallahassee as it was in the 1700s.

3. Walt Disney World – Orlandoepcot-center-1114606_1280

The Magic Kingdom is a must-see for Florida residents and visitors alike. People of all ages can enjoy Mickey, Minnie, and the whole Disney crew.

4. Everglades National Park – Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Collier counties

As America’s only sub-tropical wilderness, and second largest national park, Everglades is a stunning preservation of nature and wildlife. Natural inhabitants include alligators, Florida panthers, deer, manatees, and river otters.

5. Busch Gardens Tampa – Tampa

Lions and tigers – oh my! Those are just some of the animals you will see on “safari” at Busch Gardens.

6. Art Deco District – Miami Beach

See the geometric shapes and colorful designs of Miami Beach’s Art Deco District. Stretching along Ocean Drive, the district is home to beautiful architecture, shops, and restaurants.

7. Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Station – Titusville

Tour the site where astronauts blasted off into space, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Here you can see various exhibits, and participate in activities like the shuttle launch experience, which simulates a real shuttle launch and space orbit!

8. Dry Tortugas National Park – Key West

The Dry Tortugas National Park isn’t accessible by car, but don’t let that deter you from a visit! You can enjoy a spectacular boat ride, or seaplane trip, over to the beautiful reef islands.

9. Beaches

With so much coastline, Florida is home to dozens of beautiful beaches. From Miami Beach to Clearwater, to Destin and Panama City, there are many options to catch some rays and enjoy a day by the ocean.

10. National Naval Aviation Museum – Pensacola

This military museum showcases amazing aircrafts and information about United States Naval aviation history. You can see vintage uniforms, historic documents, and one-of-a-kind aircrafts on display in the museum exhibits.

 

Moving to Florida offers these attractions and more. Let Browning Moving & Storage help ease your move to this beautiful state. For more information on moving in Tallahassee, please call (850) 576-1231, or call (863) 683-6494 in Lakeland.

Save Your Back: Common Injuries You Can Avoid With Movers

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When people say moving is a pain, they mean it! Moving is tough work – especially if it’s not something you do on a regular basis. It can cause various strains, sprains, and traumatic injuries that leave lingering memories of your move.

Knowledge of physical mechanics and techniques for moving large furniture, are both important to know in order to move safely. If you don’t have this knowledge (plus strong muscles), you could be at risk for experiencing the following injuries.

Back Strain

The most common injury associated with moving is back strain. Improperly lifting heavy boxes and furniture can lead
to strain around your spine. For example, bending from the waist to pick up a box, or lifting boxes that are too heavy for your physique, are often direct causes of injury.lifting-24401_1280

Professional movers use tools to help offload this pressure such as dollies and moving straps. With professional tools, there are ways to reduce the risk of back strain.

Foot Fractures and Injuries

While moving, there is also potential to injure yourself by dropping an item rather than lifting one. Foot fractures are a common moving injury from dropped items. Dropping heavy items often results in breaking one or more of the delicate bones of the feet, which can be extremely painful.

Symptoms of a fractured foot include pain, swelling, bruising, and difficulty moving the foot comfortably. If you experience these symptoms from dropping a heavy item on your foot, it is important to seek medical care to prevent further injury.

In addition to crush injuries, there is also potential for foot sprains or strains while moving. If you are moving items across an irregular surface, or stepping off a sidewalk while carrying boxes, watch your step to avoid these injuries.

Cuts and Scrapes

Sometimes moving can cause cuts or scrapes on your arms and legs. While some of these cuts may appear to only have superficial effects, others can go deep enough to require medical attention. If you cannot stop the bleeding of a cut or scrape after 10 minutes, or if the cut is visibly deep, seek medical attention.

Whenever possible, avoid picking up items with sharp edges and try to keep main walkways clear within your home, to reduce the risk of harmful cuts and scrapes that could lead to excessive bleeding.

At Browning Moving & Storage, we’re proud to offer professional moving services that can save your back, neck, feet, and more. For more information on services we offer, please call our Tallahassee location at (850) 576-1231 or our Lakeland location at (863) 683-6494.

Preparing for Florida Summer Weather

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In Florida, there seem to be two temperatures: warm and warmer.  If you are planning on moving to this sunny state, there are a few tips that our professionals have learned over the years, to beat the heat and enjoy the vitamin D-boosting benefits of the sunshine.

1. Run ceiling fans counterclockwise.

The direction of your ceiling fan counts when it comes to cooling your home. If you have a ceiling fan that runs in a clockwise direction, your fan is taking warm air from the ceiling and Fan on Knotty Pine Ceilingpushing it back down on you. This is counter-intuitive to a ceiling fan’s purpose for Florida residents.

Your fan should have a button that allows you to reverse the direction by which the fan runs. Make sure your fans are running counterclockwise to push air down to the middle of the room, which creates a “wind chill” effect and lowers the temperature. As an added bonus, this quick-fix will save you money, since you won’t have to turn the air conditioning as high!

2. Establish a good hydration strategy.

Warm temperatures mean your body will sweat in an attempt to cool you off. This results in greater water loss and therefore risk of dehydration. You may find you need to drink more water in Florida than you did before moving to the state.

If you are planning to be in the hot sun and/or engage in physical exercise for more than an hour, make sure to rehydrate with an electrolyte-balanced beverage to prevent sodium and potassium insufficiencies. While every person needs different amounts of fluids to stay hydrated, as a general rule, if you are thirsty or your urine is darker than pale yellow, you need to drink more water.

3. Invest in moisture-wicking clothes.

If the styles of your previous home involved wool and other heat-trapping fabrics, it’s time to change up your wardrobe! Manufacturers now make clothing that has special moisture-wicking properties. These include fabrics like Coolmax and Nano-Tex. If you prefer natural fibers, loose, light-colored cotton is a good, cooling choice.

4. Make an at-home sheets cooler.

This DIY craft can keep your sheets cool while you sleep. Take whole-grain rice and fill a cotton sock or bag with it. Secure the sock with twine or an elastic band and place it in your freezer for at least two hours before bedtime. When you go to bed, slide the sock between your sheets to enjoy the coolness that the rice contains.

Moving during a hot Florida summer? Let Browning Moving & Storage help. For more information on moving in Tallahassee, please call (850) 576-1231, or call (863) 683-6494 in Lakeland.