In the heat of the rush during a move, many things can be missed that would have made a move much easier and safer. For example, something as simple as packing an overnight bag that contains all of your essentials can save the day. Toiletries and a change of clothing as well as laptop computers and other important items should be kept close at hand in an overnight bag. Equally important is to consider placing all items that will be needed first in a clear plastic bin.

Carefully Wrapped In Clothing

Everything from paper towels to trash bags and cookware as well as phone chargers and toilet paper can be placed in a clear plastic container to ensure easy and quick access. In addition, all breakable items such as glasses and dishes should be carefully wrapped in clothing or quality bubble wrap. This will greatly reduce the chances of breakage. Best of all, using clothing is a great way to save money and still get everything moved in a safe way.

Cost Of Packing Material

One great trick that is often used is that of using clean socks to pack glasses and stemware. The idea here is that these are items that will be moved anyway and it saves in terms of the cost of packing material. Another great tip when it comes to moving is to always label your boxes with the contents as well as the room where they will be placed upon arrival. Once you have arrived at your destination it is simply just a matter of unpacking room by room.

Mark The Boxes On All Sides

As items are removed from the truck, they should be placed directly in the room where they will be used. This increases efficiency, saves time and reduces stress. When labeling boxes it is a good idea to mark the boxes on all sides so that they can be easily identified. Consider placing all toiletries, cleaning supplies and other liquids in containers in sealed plastic bags so that spillage does not damage other items in the box.

Contact Albuquerque Self-Storage today to learn more about making your move to or from Albuquerque easy, convenient and effortless.

While there are many driving tips that should be considered when operating a moving truck, there are other important aspects of operating this type of vehicle as well. For example, those operating a large moving truck for the first time should take the time to become familiar with the vehicle and read through the entire operations manual before heading out onto the open road.

Valuable Information

The truck operation manual should be in the glove box and inside the truck at all times. This manual will describe a wide range of important information such as the type of fuel the truck uses and how much clearance there is for the truck to go under overpasses. In addition, many of today’s modern moving trucks have decals and placards placed in multiple locations around the truck providing valuable safety information to the driver. Having a thorough understanding of the limitations of the truck you are operating is the best way to stay safe when operating on the road with other motor vehicles.

Adjust The Seat

Prior to operating a large moving truck, it is recommended to carefully re position the side view mirrors to match your exact height while sitting. It is also important to note that most of today’s modern moving trucks do not have a rear view mirror in the cab. This can make it a little more difficult to operate the truck on the open road. Next, properly adjust the seat in the truck so that you are at a comfortable distance from the wheel while driving. Those preparing to drive any type of truck used for moving should also familiarize themselves with the controls located throughout the cabin.

Check The Weather

Light controls, brake controls and even radio controls should all be checked and tested. Check the weather on your route of travel and make sure that you are prepared for any potential bad weather that you may encounter. Always wear your safety belt and never text while driving. While these may seem like common recommendations, many people today still avoid buckling up and are still texting more than most people might imagine.

Contact Albuquerque Self-Storage today for all your moving needs in Albuquerque New Mexico.

Anyone who has moved from one house to another knows that it can be a busy time for all involved. That is why it is so important to understand how to drive a moving truck in a safe, efficient and economical way. As always, the speed at which you drive is a necessary factor to ensure safety, especially when driving a large moving truck. Follow the posted speed limit signs and reduce your speed when you encounter inclement weather conditions. Be aware of your surroundings at all times and look twice before backing out. Having a second pair of eyes outside the vehicle helping you direct is preferable. These tips are our your best bet for creating a safe environment for you and those around you.

Leaving Adequate Space

Even something as little as driving on a bumpy road can be hazardous, so when in doubt simply slow down. Driving on wet and icy roads should be treated in the same way. Consider your spacing between other vehicles when driving a moving truck. Make sure you have adequate space between you and the vehicle ahead. In most cases it is recommend that you maintain at least five car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you. Always avoid tailgating as this can result in an accident.

Using Proper Breaking Techniques

Breaking techniques are important when driving any kind of truck, including a moving truck. Large trucks weigh more than the average passenger vehicle, so when driving a moving truck break sooner than you would with a passenger car. Keeping adequate space between you and the vehicle ahead and using proper breaking techniques go hand-in-hand. While making a turn, it is also important to follow normal driving safety practices. When making a turn do so in a slow fashion and always look ahead for potential traffic conflicts. Be prepared to break on short notice when making a turn.

Extra Space In Front And Behind

Exercise extreme caution when switching lanes. Operating a moving truck requires careful consideration when shifting from one lane to another. Use turn signals and make use of the side view mirror when transferring to another lane. A moving truck will typically be longer than a passenger car so you will need extra space in front and behind when switching lanes.

Follow these simple safety tips as a way to ensure that your move goes smoothly and safe. Contact Albuquerque Self-Storage today for the best and Albuquerque storage and moving supplies.

Long before any move is initiated it is important to consider how you will actually load the moving truck on moving day. A little bit of planning in advance will make the move go smoother and ensure that unloading the truck goes off without a hitch. There are some things that should be done before you actually prepare to load a moving truck. For example, make sure you have all the necessary packing material available and on hand well in advance.

Mirrors And Pictures

One of the first things to do is to make certain that you choose the right size moving truck for your move. Most truck rental centers or storage companies will help you determine which size truck will be best for your exact needs. When it comes to delicate items such as mirrors and pictures, it is important to wrap these items in protective pads so that they do not become damaged or broken during transportation. It is also a good idea to carry all valuable documents and related items with you so that they do not become lost, stolen or damaged.

Loading The Truck In Small Sections

When loading the moving truck, most experts recommend loading the heaviest items first. Heavy items near the front of the truck will help to create a more stable drive. All items that you expect to use first during the move should be stored in an area of the truck where they can be easily accessed. Another key tip is loading the truck in small sections so that everything is packed tightly from the floor to the ceiling. Make sure that each section is secured using ropes or tie downs.

Delicate Pieces Of Furniture

Finally, place large items such as beds and appliances along the front wall of the truck for added stability. Always use protective covers on sofas and mattresses and load small delicate pieces of furniture toward the back of the truck. This will reduce the chances of damage. As an added note, when stacking boxes put lighter boxes towards the top of the stack.

Contact Albuquerque Self-Storage today for storage and moving products and services in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

People are moving more now than ever before, which is why it’s a smart idea to consider a few simple yet important packing and moving tips. These common strategies are designed to make your move a lot easier and less stressful. Here’s one trick to get you started. Did you know one of the fastest ways to pack a closet is to keep all the clothing on hangers and use a large clothing hanger box? This way you can easily transfer your clothes from one closet to another without the hassle of taking all your clothes off their hangers and putting them on again. Genius!

Consider Selling Or Donating

Think of your move as a type of spring cleaning. As you’re packing you’ll probably discover a lot of items you forgot you had or that you haven’t used in years. Condensing and minimizing your items as much as possible will help make your move more efficient. To help condense, consider using a vacuum sealed type of bag to store all unused or out of season clothing that you won’t be wearing for a while. This will reduce the amount of space needed during the move and best of all these items can be put into long-term storage when moving into your new house. Selling or donating as many things as possible prior to moving is always a great idea. Think about giving away items as a means of helping others as well as decreasing the amount of stuff you have to move.

Boxes That Are Color-Coded

To stay organized, use a color-coding system when packing. Pick a specific color for each room in the house and label those rooms’ boxes with the corresponding color. To take it a step further, you could even label each door in your new home with the same color tape to match the boxes of that color. As well as color-coding the boxes, keep track of the number of boxes there are in that color to make sure nothing gets lost along the way. If you know how many boxes there are in each color, you’ll have a strong system for ensuring everything makes it from point A to point B.

Hiring Professional Movers

While friends and family are great for helping you on the big moving day, you may want to consider hiring professional movers. This will ultimately end up paying off in the long run because professional movers will do the job in a more efficient and safe manner. Not surprisingly, professional movers are familiar with all aspects of moving and will be far less prone to breaking or damaging items. They do this for a living, so as you can imagine they will get the job done right and on time.

If you follow these simple packing and moving tips, your next move is sure to be a success. Contact Albuquerque Self-Storage today for all of your Albuquerque moving and storage needs.

For the final entry this April, our blog is finishing up our series on prepping vehicles for storage. The last two entries have been spent discussing the preparation of a car or other automobile for long term storage. While summer is not traditionally the season to be storing your bike, there may be extenuating circumstances that have you rolling your baby into storage. If so, here are the steps to address.

Clean, Clean, Clean

Give your bike a good wash down. Letting bug juices or water spots or any other gunk sit can cause your finish to corrode. After washing and letting it dry, add wax to create a barrier that moisture and rust will have a harder time breaking through.

Battery Tending

Check the fluid level on your battery, if able. If the battery acid is low, that can be the cause of shorts and is caused by neglect. If you have a ‘maintenance free’ battery than the upkeep needed will be a battery maintenance system just as a battery tender. Hooking your bike battery up to one of these will keep it as fresh as possible.

Fuel System & Oil

This can differ depending on what fuel system your bike uses. First fill your gas tank completely and treat it to a fuel additive. If you use this type of additive regularly, nothing to worry about, however if you don’t then you’ll want to take your bike out for a spin and get that additive thoroughly throughout your fuel system. The best preparation for carbureted fuel systems is to run a fuel treatment and drain the carburetors. Replace your oil and filter before storing.

Prop your bike up on its center or paddock stands to prevent your bike tires from going flat while it is sitting, throw a cover over it and you’re about as good to go as you can be!

Aaaand we’re back! Last time on the Albuquerque blog we spent our time discussing how to get your automobile prepped and ready for a long-term storage. We covered a few points but there is a wealth more to cover so without further ado, let’s get back to it. This time you’ll be spending lots of time under the hood. If you are a car enthusiast this is probably no problem, if you’re less knowledgeable well you can always have a mechanic help or find a detailed guide online.

Tune Up

Remove your spark plugs, and spray oil into the cylinders. Take all the necessary measures to prevent rust and corrosion in all the places it can crop up. Speaking of oil, change that filter out and replace with fresh oil.  Get the fresh oil circulating (use a wrench on the crank pulley). Replace the spark plugs.

Next, you’ll want to address the battery. Disconnect the cables and remove it. Clean that battery up well. Again, anything that can retain moisture has got to go. Get yourself a float charger and keep it connected to maintain the charge for the long duration it’ll be stored. When you’ve taken the battery out, look for any corrosion in the battery box and tend to it.

Lubricate the latches and hinges, close it up and then prop those wiper blades up.

Critter Defense

As we mentioned last time when it came to vacuuming out the vehicle, you don’t want to entice any pests to make your ride their new home. In that aspect, you’ll want to make sure there is no entrance for rats or mice to dig into. Use clothes in the tail pipe etc. Empty a container of mothballs on the floor to deter pests.

Past that you may want to consider jacking the car up entirely off the ground to avoid flat tires, otherwise you should be in much better shape than just driving it into the unit and leaving it. If you are storing your car outdoors (and you should really try to find something indoors instead!) well then you have an entirely different set of circumstances to account for. Next time on the blog we’ll look at the steps needed to prepare a different type of vehicle for storage: a motorcycle.

Student heading back to school for the year? A car enthusiast with one too many rides? Whatever the reason, you may find yourself in a position where you have just too much car and not enough space. If in just such a pickle then it might be beneficial for you to rent out storage space in order to have your extra auto in a safe, secure environment. Before you drive it into the space, here are a few steps to make sure your baby sits well.

Cleaner the Better

The cleaner your ride heading into storage the better. Wash, wax, and shine sure but go further. Ensure there isn’t any dirt on the under body and wheel wells. Dirt can hold moisture; moisture and air will cause rust. If you’re looking to still have your car intact when you return to it then you will want to make sure there’s no place for moisture to take hold.

Vacuum out the interior, really well. You want to make sure there is nothing to feed any pests who may stumble into the unit. Won’t matter how well the outside is maintained if your interior has become a nest to possums.

Fill ‘er up!

Fill the tank and if the car is going to be sitting for longer than 30 days, look at adding a gas stabilizer. Any other fluids should be topped off. If the reservoirs are full, there is no space for condensation to build. No place for condensation no place for… That’s right moisture!

We’ll stop there for now because there is still a lot left to do before storing your vehicle, especially for long term. We will cover even more, next time on the blog.

This month on the Albuquerque Self Storage blog we have been tackling the summer move topics you need to know before it gets too dang hot! Last time we talked about how to prevent heatstroke in your workforce (read: family and friends) when they are helping you move. But what if you hadn’t read those useful tips? Now your cousin is laid out in the living room throwing up and your friend is acting all weird. Well, let’s waste no more time. If they have heatstroke, you should get them medical attention STAT! It is a medical emergency! If it is heat exhaustion or a lesser illness, or while you’re waiting for the professionals to arrive, you can take these steps:

• Get in the shade or air conditioning
  • Lower your body temperature by moving out of the sunlight and out of the high temps.
• Rehydrate
  • Drink fluids! Your body has no doubt lost a lot of salt through sweating so you need to replenish your water and salts. Avoid very cold, alcoholic, or sugary drinks as you attempt to rehydrate. Those can all mess with your body’s attempts at controlling the temperature.
• Cool shower or bath
  • The goal is to lower your body temp and submersing yourself into cool waters can do the trick. In the future if you find yourself outdoors and way from shelter a cool pond, stream or other body of water can help.
• Apply Ice Packs
  • Applying ice packs to the armpits, neck, back, and groin. These areas are rich with blood vessels that are close to the surface. Cooling these can reduce body temperature.

Remember, heat stroke is a medical emergency and should be met with immediate medical attention. These treatments are for lesser heat illnesses like exhaustion, or to be first aid rendered while waiting for help to arrive. Delaying in getting treatment for those with heat stroke can be dangerous.

Symptoms of heatstroke include (but are not limited to):

• High temperature
• Altered or strange behavior
• Vomiting and nausea
• Flush skin
• Increased heart rate
• Headache

Welcome back to the Albuquerque Self Storage blog. Last time we talked about summer storage tips and ways to make sure your summer self-storage goes as smooth as can be. This time we are going to talk about something just adjacent to that. You’ve found your storage unit, got in at the last minute before they all booked up. You have your crew of movers waiting to help and your boxes, furniture and miscellany all packed and ready to go. But wait! Nothing will put a hamper on a move quite like half your workforce falling ill with heatstroke! Before you step out the door and begin the shuffle make sure you take the steps to make sure everybody comes out healthy.

• Wear loose fitting and lightweight clothing
  • Your body has a natural way of cooling. If your clothing is too tight or heavy that can impede it and make it work harder for less.
• Protect against sunburn
  • Sunburns will hamstring your body’s attempts at cooling as well. Wear a wide brimmed hat and some sunscreen to prevent your skin from frying.
• Drink fluids!
  • Staying hydrated (with water!) will help your body sweat, maintaining its normal temperature.
• Avoid the hottest hours
  • If you have the option and are planning your work day. Try to get everyone assembled and working early or late in the day. Avoid the hottest parts of the day to make sure nobody falls to the heavy labor and increased temperatures, both of which are unusual environments for many people.

If you plan your day with these tips in place then you should be able to get all moved safely with no casualties. Your friends and family (not to mention yourself!) will be thankful that everything went smoothly and nobody fell to the ground with heatstroke.