Archive for the ‘Relocation Services’ Category

Relocating to U.S. Territories

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

The United States constitutes a lot of land on the planet Earth, but not all of that land is incorporated into the nation as a state. There are many territories throughout the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean that are considered U.S. territories, but have never been granted statehood. Some are large organized and incorporated territories like the islands of Puerto Rico and Guam, while others are small and unorganized like the Midway Islands or the Johnston Atoll east of the Hawaiian Islands. It’s not possible to move to many of these places because they are protected wildlife refuges or used by the department of defense. Large territories like Puerto Rico and Guam, however, have quite large populations that people move to all of the time.

While islands like Guam and Puerto Rico are territories of the United States, they have slightly different rules and regulations when it comes to moving and living there. It’s a great idea to visit Puerto Rico’s website to find out about any special paperwork you need for transporting your household goods there. Most things in Puerto Rico are exactly the same at the federal level as they are in the continental states, but local laws can vary a lot. If you’re planning on working there, it’s essential that you research the local economy and find out what skills and connections you need to find a job to help support you and your family. Moving to Puerto Rico or Guam can be very exciting, so do your proper research before moving to make sure your move is successful.

Making Household Goods Transportation Easy

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Most families have accumulated a lot of household goods over the years. From furniture to appliances, clothing and cookware, there is a lot of stuff that needs to be moved during a typical domestic relocation. Every mover is looking for the easiest way to get all of that stuff from their old home to their new one. There are a lot of tips and tricks to make your move faster, cheaper, and more efficient. The best tool is perhaps the use of a relocation service that can arrange the transportation of your household goods from the door of your old home to the door of your new one.

The reason that a relocation service can make your move more affordable and easier is because they have the expertise and experience to make sure it works. Global relocation services know how to arrange the transportation through a variety of different networks and mediums of goods transportation. Because of this, they can find the cheapest rates and get your household goods to their location in the quickest and most affordable manner possible. Don’t hesitate to contact a relocation service like Unipack when you are planning your move, and can make it infinitely easier.

Overcoming the Challenges of Moving

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Even though going through a complicated domestic or international relocation can be difficult, there are tons of tools and services out there to help you get through your move in the easiest and quickest way possible. One of the most effective services you can get is through a global relocation service. This type of company can plan the transportation of your household goods from door to door, across oceans, large continents, anywhere you need your stuff to go. They can set up all of the complicated transactions that would make your head spin

Even though a relocation service can help you set up the move of your household goods from door to door, you still need to take care of packing your goods in boxes and making sure all of your valuables are secure. The best way to do this is to make sure that all of your important items are packed properly in the right containers and with the right packing material. Bubble wrap and packing peanuts are the favorite of shipping companies around the world, but you can also use everyday household items like newspapers to create cushion and spacing between items.

After everything is packed securely, a global relocation service can arrange the shipment of all of your household items in a safe and efficient way. When you use a relocation service, you can be assured that your household items are going to reach your destination quickly and safely because they have the expertise and knowledge to arrange all sorts of different transportation methods to get your goods where they need to go. There’s no need to go through all the hassle of arranging shipments when you can let the experts handle it for you.

Storage and Moving Solutions

Monday, December 5th, 2011

Moving is a great opportunity to go through all of the stuff in your home and find out what you need and what you don’t need. It’s inevitable that you’re going to find a lot of things that haven’t been used in years and would be better off somewhere else. It’s also likely that you’re going to find things you really want to keep but that you will have no room for in your new home. This can be antiques, furniture or lots of other large items that you treasure but simply can’t come with you.  This kind of situation is ideal for storage solutions.

Storage companies have a variety of different services to help people move their stuff into their storage unit. Some companies can send a portable structure to your home for you to place stuff in until you have it picked up for long term placement. You can also rent units from storage facilities where you bring the items in yourself.  Either way, you will need to have the time in your schedule to set up your storage situation apart from the rest of your domestic move. That is where a relocation service might be able to come in and take the burden off of your hands.

A relocation service that helps with domestic moving can take care of all the transportation of your household goods so that you can focus on getting things into storage and other important activities related to your move. You can also hire people to help you move things into storage, meaning even more time for you to focus on more important things. Either way, getting the assistance of a global relocation service will save you a ton of hassle on all of your domestic and international moving and will make the experience of moving easier than you would have possible imagined.

Information about Employee Relocations

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

Due to the nature of business, it’s often necessary to relocate employees in order to fill positions in companies where local labor is not available. When a corporation typically relocates employees, they offer a compensation package that helps alleviate the cost of moving, selling a home, and buying a new place to live. How much the company is willing to offer for the employee relocation will depend on the nature of the position and the value the employee has to the company. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to relocate for a new job, but your employer is not offering to pay for you move, you may find it helpful to use the services of a relocation service like Unipack.

The advantages of using global relocation service to help arrange your international or domestic relocation. First, because a relocation service has valuable contacts and experience with a variety of transportation companies, they can often negotiate rates for household goods transportation that are far better than what you would be able to get on your own. Second, because a relocation service has experience in transportation, they can arrange an efficient as secure way for your goods to make it your new home. If for some reason your company won’t help you move for your new position, don’t hesitate to contact a relocation service like Unipack for your moving needs.

Some Facts to Keep in Mind When Moving

Friday, November 18th, 2011

The facts surrounding the moving industry can be a bit disheartening, but by examining some common misconceptions and potential pitfalls you can avoid a lot of the bad circumstances that trouble so many movers. Many problems arise from erroneous quotes given by movers. Most relocations end up costing more than double the original amount quoted. Many moving companies mislead consumers so much on claims that the customer ends up dropping it.

When it comes to insurance, Federal law mandates a minimum relocation insurance of 60 cents per pound per item on interstate relocations. Minimum covereage for local relocations can be half this amount.  Make sure to take these insurance prices into account when calculating risk during a move. Federal law also prohibits the practice of holding goods hostage to extort bigger payments from their customers.

As far as finding a good relocation service to help with your move, there are a few things to keep in mind. Check with the BBB itself to investigate claims made from companies that claim to be in good standing with the Bureau as they can sometimes be a lie. Most relocations involve hidden fees usually assessed after all your things are moved onto the truck. You can become less vulnerable to these problems is you familiarize yourself with common business practices of shady moving companies.

Save Money on Moving with Tax Deductions

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Moving can be very expensive, but thankfully the IRS wants to help you out with some very valuable tax deductions for moving expenses. In order to  be eligible for these savings, however, your domestic relocation must be related to your employment, you must move a certain distance away from your old home, and you must stay at your new job for a certain amount of time. If you fit within these criteria, then you can take advantage of the tax savings offered by the IRS.

The distance test for determining eligibility is slightly confusing, so here is a breakdown. Your new place of employment must be 50 miles farther from your old home than your old job location was from your old home. For example, if your old job is 20 miles away from your old home, your new job must be at least 70 miles away in order for you to qualify for tax deductions if you relocate. A similar eligibility test is given for time. First, you must start a new job within 12 months after your domestic relocation. The second test is that you must maintain full time employment for at least 39 weeks within the first 12 months after your move.

Taking advantage of deductions will require that you keep all applicable receipts related to your relocation. The costs related to deductions are costs spent moving household goods (with professional movers or self-service),  storage costs, insurance fees, utility connections and disconnections, auto transport costs and certain travel and lodging expenses associated with the relocation. A full list of potential deductions is on IRS Publication 521.

Important Moving Terminology

Friday, November 4th, 2011

The following are some terms that will help you navigate the often complicated world of domestic and international moving. Don’t worry if you still don’t completely understand most of the terms, a global relocation service like Unipack can help you navigate the waters of household goods relocation affordably and easily.

Bill of Lading – this is basically a receipt given to you by a mover for all of the goods getting picked up

Binding Estimate – this is a contract that contains a cost calculation after a physical survey is done by the mover. The mover is bound by the charges listed on the form and is usually drawn up by flat rate movers.

Non-Binding Estimate – unlike the binding estimate, this is just an estimate of the costs for a move and should not necessarily be taken at face value

Order for Service – a contract the consumer receives from a mover at least 24 hours prior to the move that comes with a non-binding estimate.

Tariff – schedule of the rates, charges, classification ratings, terms and conditions of the public mover

Tips for Speeding Up Your Move

Monday, October 31st, 2011

When first starting out on a move it can seem like the task at hand is nearly endless. There’s packing, cleaning, taping, organizing, lifting, transporting and tons of other things that need to get done to complete the transportation of your household goods. The key to speeding this process up is to take the advice and expertise of people who have extensive knowledge in domestic and international moving.

When it comes to the physical transport of your household goods, look into a global relocation service for your moving needs. A relocation service can coordinate tons of different transportation companies to insure that, no matter where on the globe you are moving, your goods will get to their destination. Consulting with a relocation service will allow you to focus on the more important aspects of moving like getting you and your family to their new home safely.

Proper organization is one of the best ways to speed up a move on the back-end. A lot of time can be wasted unpacking when things are not in their right place. This can lead to a lot of useless searching for random items when you need them right away. It’s a good idea to place all the items for a single room into the same boxes, but it might also be a good idea to place everyday things near the top or in a single box for easy access.

Relocating After Graduation

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

College graduation is an exciting yet unpredictable time of a young person’s life. Traditionally, college graduates go out into the business world, find a job, and move somewhere close by. Within the last few years, however, things have changed. The economy is now so bad for recent grads that up to 85% of them move back home with their parents after graduating. Unemployment for recent college graduates is at historic levels and it is very difficult for them to find jobs and therefore move into a new apartment or home.

For those that are successful at finding employment and are able to move into their own place, there are some things to think about when transitioning from the student world to the full time working one. Despite the fact that you are working and more money is coming in, it is essential to develop a budget. Costs can quickly rack up as you find yourself paying for gas, making car repairs and paying off student loans. There are plenty of online applications to help with budgeting and setting spending limits. In most states you can deduct the cost moving from your taxes to help recuperate from some increased costs.

Some graduates may find themselves moving far away from school and home to find a new job. Get acquainted with the areas within your price range before picking a new home or apartment to settle down in. Most places require at least a year long lease, so you’ll want to make sure that your new home is acceptable before signing any papers. Also make sure the location is close to places you like to shop and spend time, as that will drastically increase the enjoyment you get out of your new home or apartment.