Month: July 2021

Although school-aged children tend to make new friends relatively easily when moving to a new community, loving parents may not leave their future to chance. Relocating to a new school district generally involves a different curriculum and expectations. Beyond the standard items that parents can review before deciding where to purchase a home, there are wide-reaching qualitative items at play as well. If you plan to move your family to a new school district, these are things to consider carefully before making a life-changing commitment.

1: Gather Information From Local People

It’s not unusual to have some contact people when moving to a new area. This may include friends, family members, or professionals such as your real estate agent. Regardless of whom you know there, it’s generally worthwhile to gather thoughts about the schools. These acquaintances may have children in the system or graduates. Take views with a grain of salt and weigh them against quantitative information.

2: Make A Checklist of Your Child’s Needs

Finding the right fit for your child entails connecting the dots between their social, extracurricular, and unique learning needs. Some students flourish in relatively small classrooms in which teachers can provide increased one-on-one instruction. In some cases, kids require additional help with math, reading, or other skills. Sometimes that personal interaction proves inspirational as well as educational. When considering a school system, answering the following questions may prove insightful.

• Does the school offer a suitable interagency plan for your child?
• Does the school have competitive sports teams?
• Does the school district offer arts-related extracurricular activities?
• Does the school system offer vocational as well as college-track learning pathways?
• Does the school district support clubs and organizations for the students?

By identifying what things the district emphasizes, the potential for educational and social success may appear more transparent. Parents cannot necessarily plan every step in their child’s growth, but you can ensure a robust foundation.

3: Identify Essential After-School Infrastructure

Planning a family move means that the friends and neighbors who supported each other’s childcare gaps won’t necessarily be in place. Parents will likely take time to meet new community members and build a level of trust around watching youngsters. That’s why moving families would be well-served to identify professional resources if you have to work late or simply have car trouble.

Many communities work with non-profit organizations that offer after-school programs at their facility. Signing up offers families an opportunity to have children take a shuttle bus and participate in programs. These can prove increasingly valuable as some school districts have reduced the hours children can remain on site.

4: Pick Your Moving Date Wisely

The timing of your move is essential. The vast majority of parents with school-aged children aim for summer break. This strategy typically allows youths to finish testing without disruption and complete a semester. Summer moves also enable families to connect with new community members and build social connections before classes restart. Other prime moving dates typically involve long weekends and winter break, among others.

New Home — No Problem!

Because families prefer moving during extended school closures, moving companies can become booked months in advance for those dates. So, contact professional movers as soon as you secure a closing date on a home or sign a lease. If you expect to be moving to a new school district, contact us for a budget-friendly quote and secure a date.

The brave people who serve in the armed forces put themselves in harm’s way to ensure American freedom. And on top of that service, military families are tasked with moving ten times more frequently than their civilian counterparts.

It’s not uncommon for military families to relocate at least once every 2-3 years and deployments occur with little warning in times of crisis. Those are why our valued community members must be prepared to pack everything and go on short notice. Americans owe our committed military personnel a debt of gratitude, and we hope these tips help your family transition a little easier.

1. Compile a Moving Portfolio

One of the organizational steps families can take is to bring all of their essential documents into one file. These typically include copies of birth certificates, social security cards, mortgage papers, bank statements, lease agreements, vehicle registration, insurance records, and your orders. Compiling copies of these items and placing them in a single binder with clear protective sleeves keeps them safe and organized.

2. Keep Belongings to a Minimum

One of the frustrations military families sometimes experience stems from accumulating more niceties than you can carry. After a couple of years in one place, people start to relax and allow their roots to grow. Unfortunately, military families have to make the additional sacrifice of relocating. Amassing non-essential products results in excess packing, moving, and sometimes having to purge items that cost you good money. It may be better to stick to necessities until the soldier in your family completes their duty.

3. Identify Military Moving Resources

A wide range of resources remain in place for service members who receive orders for a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) and Outside of Continental United States (OCONUS) move. Some moving companies offer special services for the military that include assistance with federal travel regulations, organizing every detail of your move, and complying with GSA Tender of Service guidelines.

A helpful online resource is the Military One Source which provides information about wide-reaching challenges unique to military life.

4. Identify Unaccompanied Belongings for Transportation

Although many PCS moves task families with packing and loading items for a lower-48 move, some deployments are more complicated. Getting OCONUS orders means some things will travel with you, and others may follow. It may be in your best interest to identify essentials and non-essentials in advance. Having a list of items you plan to have shipped can simplify the packing process and reduce the stress associated with last-minute decisions.

5. Discuss the Possibility of Moving With Children

Youngsters often prove resilient once they arrive in a new community and school. But the unknown tends to make people of all ages feel unsettled. That’s why it’s essential to talk about the differences between military and civilian life openly. Children generally feel a sense of pride that parents do their part to keep the country secure. One of the critical items does involve standing a post wherever and whenever necessary. Youngsters who grow up in military families sometimes look back fondly on the opportunity to experience different parts of the country and world. Consider highlighting a sense of adventure.

Moving Assistance

Members of military families do not have to take on all the tasks of moving to a new base when the time arrives. As experienced moving professionals, we offer support to reduce your workload and help you relax. If you are a military family tasked with relocating, contact us today. We thank you for your service.

Customers: Do you plan to pack your belongings for your long-distance move?  Consider the following before you purchase plastic totes.

McLaughlin Transportation abides by the Moving industry’s Best Practices:

Moving cartons are designed and rated to hold packed items safely and can be stacked from floor to ceiling inside a van and transported s long distances without incident.

Movers will give away ‘gently used boxes’ to their customers who pack their own belongings. Ask your move coordinator for the sizes you need. Gently used boxes are better quality than buying non-rated moving cartons. Cartons sold at box stores have sizes on them; look to see if a weight rating is also printed on the bottom. Boxes that McLaughlin Transportation buys are the highest quality made. Each box will hold a specific amount of weight when packed full. McLaughlin Transportation’s boxes will withstand the pressure of being stacked inside a van from floor to ceiling, and the rigors of being transported long distances without incident.

Size matters: Pack your belongings inside the correct size box:

Book cartons are small boxes because books are heavy. Book cartons are designed as strong as the other cartons once packed to the top and sealed.  They can be stacked inside a van from floor to ceiling and will withstand traveling long distances without crushing.  Dishpack cartons are built to hold heavy dishes, pots and pans and small appliances. Dishpack cartons are built to withstand being stacked and the rigors of long distance moving. TV cartons are designed with special foam inside to protect delicate TV’s.

PLASTIC TOTES

Plastic totes have become a common way for people to store their unused belongings inside their home. When the plastic totes are stacked and placed on a stationary shelf inside a climate-controlled area in the home they prove worthy. However, in recent years, people moving long distance are not repacking items from their plastic totes into cartons, instead, they are shipping the totes ‘as is’. This has become problematic because the quality and durability of totes run the gamut from extremely tough to easily subject to damage.

How does a consumer determine if a plastic tote is suitable for moving?

Search online: enter the brand name of the tote you already own or are thinking of buying. Read the manufacturer’s description and warrantee information. LOOK for ‘suitable for moving’ written in the description or warrantee. If it is suitable for long distance moving, it will say it is.

HERE’S WHY

In cold weather, plastic becomes brittle causing the totes to crack, break apart and collapse. In warm weather plastic totes melt, expand and collapse.

Long distance movers have the option to:

 Open and inspect items packed inside plastic totes to determine if the contents can be safely transported. If the driver believes the items need to be repacked, this can hold up “your” move; Drivers do not carry packing supplies in their vans.

Nothing precludes a customer from using plastic totes and movers are not prohibited from accepting them for transport. However, customers need to understand that if they take the risk and pack breakables or items of sentimental value inside plastic totes for their long distance move the totes and contents may break due to the inherent nature of plastic totes.

Moving to a new home in a new town can be an exciting new venture. But, let’s face it, the actual ‘moving’ part can be challenging.

Trust the professionals at McLaughlin Transportation, New England’s Trusted Mayflower agent to move your precious belongings locally, long distance or around the world.

Together, we will help make this your Best Move!