10 Cheerful Ways to Celebrate Christmas in Your New Home

Christmas is one of those celebrations that's filled with wonder and cheer... even if you've just moved into a new house! These tips will surely help your holiday season worth remembering:

Image Courtesy of Out and About in Paris

Spread holiday cheer - Play your favorite Christmas songs or go caroling. Music never fails to set a festive mood!

Enjoy the snow - Go out in your backyard with the kids and create your own winter wonderland. Build your first snowman, have a snowball fight, go sledding, or make snow angels.

Moving During the Holidays

Most people think Christmas is supposed to be a time to relax and celebrate. But sometimes, life will surprise you and you just have to go with the flow. We're talking about moving to a new home.

Although it's not the ideal time to move, it can be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps you have been promoted at work and it requires you to relocate, or you've just found a new job, or there's an unforeseen event wherein it demands a necessary move.

Whatever reason you have for the sudden change of path, you might not have a choice but you can plan ahead so you can pack and execute the move smoothly. Find a moving company you can trust and get in contact with them as soon as possible. Ask for a written quote and on-site estimation. Do background checks to avoid scams, read reviews online, and most importantly, find out about the movers from the Better Business Bureau, U.S Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website.

Things To Do Before Moving Into A New House

If you just bought a new house, we bet you're spending some of your time getting it ready to live in. As a new homeowner, you should prioritize tasks such as cleaning, touching up the paint, fixing up the yard, and more. Since it's getting close to winter, you can get only the most basic outside things done. What you need to prepare is the inside so you can live there comfortably throughout this season.

Here's a list of tasks that you consider doing first:

Change the exterior door locks. As soon as you got the keys, have new locks installed. This will give you a peace of mind.

Install window treatments. You can buy inexpensive and temporary shades for both privacy and decorative purposes. Change this later on for a more personalized option once you have a certain design in your mind.

Winter Home Maintenance for Your New Home

Winter is here before you know it. You might notice a drop in temperature and are now enjoying your warm, cozy home. Make sure you follow a maintenance schedule throughout the year to avoid the threats of winter weather. Here are some guidelines for a well-maintained home:

Be energy efficient

Your heating system will be constantly running during winter. Remember to change out your HVAC filters monthly. Inspect the insulation in your attic and crawlspace as warm air leaves the house through the roof. .

Don’t have double-paned windows? No problem. You can install storm windows to ensure that the heat stays in and the cold stays out. Select a plastic film sheet kit that suits your budget. 

Another way to save on energy costs is burning firewood. You can reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox or slightly open the nearest window. As a safety precaution, store your firewood in a dry place.

Protect your pipes

Pipes are at risk to freezing in extreme temperatures. Let water drip from hot and cold faucets and allow warm air to circulate; for exposed pipes, add extra insulation. 

Different Types of Moving

Different rules and regulations apply to the type of move you will be making. It is most important that you understand the different terminology between these types of moves. NJWMA is comprised of NJ licensed public movers that perform all aspects of moving within the State of New Jersey. Many of these companies may also represent other van lines as an agent for their long distance or international moving or may be licensed to perform long distance moves under their own authority, however, unless stated otherwise, any information regarding rules and regulations that is presented with-in this web site deals mostly with Intrastate moving (moving with-in the State of New Jersey). We have also provided links to the related sites where needed and a glossary of terms.

Local Moving, also called Intrastate moving, means that your new residence will be with-in the same state, regardless of the number of miles that you are moving. This site will provide valuable information for the regulations when moving with-in the State of New Jersey.

8 Ways to Spot Movers You Can Trust

1. Verify his license If you are moving within NJ (called intrastate moving) Make sure the mover you are considering is licensed by the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, as required by law for local moving; be sure that his license number is current. You call call 973-504-6512 or 6442 to speak to the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs if you can get through: Remember that A responsible mover might have a few complaints lodged against him but should not have any unresolved complaints. A DOT or ICC number does not mean he is licensed for NJ moving; all movers are required to have them for interstate moving (out of NJ). If you are moving from one state to another (Called interstate moving) you can check the size of the company and their DOT number at the FMCSA website; see if it is current and check the company name and address is correct; When you are find the mover, click on the name of the company and look at the number of trucks registered to see if they really are a large mover, or they just say they are. 2. Make sure his place of business really does exists Paying a visit tells you something about the mover's integrity and professionalism, you can confirm that his place of business is really there. Some movers operate legitimately from a residential address. The important thing is that he actually is located there and not using a fictitious address to make you think he is. 3. Be wary of low price tactics from telemarketers This could be a ploy simply to get a sales person into your home to give you an estimate. If they tell you you don't need an estimator, find another company. Be careful, do research and you decide whom to invite into your home, based on references, not low prices given on the phone or internet before they even see what work needs to be done.

Should You Hire A Mover?

No matter how excited you are in moving to a new place, you may start to cringe at the thought of packing, loading, organizing, moving, and re-packing again. You might think of doing it all but to save you from all the hassle, seeking help from professional movers is the best option.

Consider these factors to help you determine if you should stick to your DIY prowess or just hire a full-service mover:

Distance

You might think that hiring a mover isn't necessary if you will move just a few miles down the road. But think again. If you don't have a large vehicle, taking multiple trips can be pricey in terms of gas. Not to mention it will take much of your time. To avoid wasting your time and the stress it could make, hire the best moving company.