Forbes ranked the top 100 major metropolitan areas in the United States based on six different factors. It assessed estimated population growth from 2012 to 2013, job-growth rate, rate of gross metro product growth, 2012 federal unemployment data and median annual salaries. From these factors they narrowed down the list to the top ten fastest-growing U.S cities.

Two of the cities that made the list are Daniels Moving and Storage, Inc office locations: Phoenix and the number one fastest growing city Raleigh, NC.

No. 1: Raleigh, NC, Metropolitan Statistical Area

2012 population: 1,188,564
Growth since 2000: 47.8%
Growth since 2011: 2.2%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 3

No. 2: Austin, TX MSA

2012 population: 1,834,303
Growth since 2000: 44.9%
Growth since 2011: 3.0%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 1

No. 3: Las Vegas, NV

2012 population: 2,000,759
Growth since 2000: 43.6%
Growth since 2011: 1.7%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 11

No. 4: Orlando, FL

2012 population: 2,223,674
Growth since 2000: 34.2%
Growth since 2011: 2.2%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 2

No. 5: Charlotte, NC-SC

2012 population: 2,296,569
Growth since 2000: 32.8%
Growth since 2011: 1.7%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 9

No. 6: Riverside-San Bernardino, CA

2012 population: 4,350,096
Growth since 2000: 32.7%
Growth since 2011: 1.1%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 23

No. 7: Phoenix, AZ

2012 population: 4.329,534
Growth since 2000: 32.1%
Growth since 2011: 1.8%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 7

No. 8: Houston, TX

2012 population: 6,177,035
Growth since 2000: 31.0%
Growth since 2011: 2.1%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 4

No. 9: San Antonio, TX

2012 population: 2,234,003
Growth since 2000: 29.9%
Growth since 2011: 1.9%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 6

No. 10: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

2012 population: 6,700,991
Growth since 2000: 27.9%
Growth since 2011: 2.0%
Rank in 2011-2012: No. 5

According to The United States Census Bureau the busiest moving season is by far summer. Data shows that on average 48.4% of all the moves in a year take place between June and September, the second highest percentage coming from moves happening in May. In total, on average, 65% of household moves take place in the summer months.

The 2013 season is expected to be even busier! Recent research has shown that home values are increasing, sales are rebounding, employers are hiring and the economy is on a recovery track. In addition to these factors, there is an unusually high number of last weekend and first weekend combinations during peak months.

May: Friday 5/31, Saturday 6/1, Sunday 6/2
June: Friday 6/28, Saturday 6/29, Sunday 6/30
August: Friday 8/30, Saturday 8/31, Sunday 9/1

The best way to ensure a stress-free summer relocation is to plan ahead. Reserve movers or a rental truck and/or portable storage as far in advance as you can. Also, be sure to double check moving dates. Weekends and the end of the month are almost always the busiest times to move no matter what season. If you can be flexible try to move in the middle of the week and in the middle of the month. Try to avoid Memorial Day Weekend all together and the last weekend in July, these dates are known to be extremely busy dates nationwide. If you do reserve any dates more than two months out, be sure to follow up at least a month out to confirm your dates.

Daniel’s Moving and Storage is committed to ensuring your move goes as smoothly as possible, no matter what season it is. If you have more questions or want to book your summer move today head to our website www.danielsmoving.com or give us a call at 877-278-6110. You will be set up with a personal move coordinator who will help you keep your move organized, no matter how far away it is, or how soon it is.

A garage sale/yard sale is one of the best ways to de-clutter a house or an apartment before a move. Not only does it allow you to get rid of a significant amount of junk but you can end up making some extra cash as well. Garage sales do take some planning, it doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it may seem. Here are a few tips to help you plan and execute a garage sale.

#1- Start a few weeks out by clearing out space to store items and supplies for the sale.
This area should be big enough to put boxes, signs, and labels, as well as the items that will be included in the sale. If you’re planning on selling large pieces of furniture, don’t worry about moving them to the sale area until the day before the sale.

#2- Gather items from your house.
Go from room to room with a box and select items that can be sold. Items to consider could be things like clothes that don’t fit, clothes that haven’t been worn in a year, outgrown toys, broken toys, extra books, items that were never used, items that were meant to be returned and never were, items that haven’t been used in a year, gifts that were never given, and other similar items.  Make sure to clean your items as you pack them for the garage sale. Clean items will sell much better than old/worn looking items.

#3- Decide on a date.
Pick a day and time of your garage sale, make sure the date is at least a few weeks out. Weekend days usually work best, since most people will be out driving around on Saturday’s and Sunday’s. Start your garage sale early in the morning, around 7:00 am, and expect it to run late into the afternoon.

#4- Make more signs than you think you will need.
Signage is huge when having a garage sale. Drive around and make a map of all the places you want to put a sign. Make sure you put signs at all large intersections and well-traveled roads. Signs on bright poster board that are simple and easy to read are usually most effective. Also, make sure that there is an arrow or directions, on the sign, that are easy to understand. Using all the same colored signs usually make it easier for people to follow them. Make extra signs in case as your putting up your signs one gets ruined.

#5- Don’t forget the little things.
Be sure a few days before the sale that you gather up all the items you need for the sale. Don’t forget small extras: like having change on hand, extra labels, a calculator, bags, boxes, a chair, and something to put the money made in. Also having a radio or ipod player on hand to play music makes the day go by faster and adds to the atmosphere. You can also sell soda and water at your garage sale for $.50 a can/ bottle.

#6- Keep prices in $.25 increments.
To keep prices easy to understand and easy to add, keep all prices in $.25 increments. Put items that are all the same price in the same area or group items 2 for $.25 and so on. Also, make sure you price items higher than you would expect someone to pay for them. This will give you some haggle room.

#7- Setting up your sale.
Start setting up a couple of days early, in the area you designated in your garage. Wait until the night before the sale, or the morning of, to bring out items to the driveway. Set-up tables so items are easy to see. Hang up clothing so it can be easily browsed through.

With these tips and other tips available on www.danielsmoving.com, your garage sale will be a success! Daniel’s Moving and Storage can help you with every step of your moving process.

The U.S Census Bureau stated that more than 36 million people relocated in 2012. That is over a million more than the previous year. A majority of those moves were within the United States and to warmer climate cities. The list below is the top ten most popular destinations to move to in 2012.

10. Sarasota, Fla.

9. Charlotte, N.C.

8. Seattle

7. Denver

6. Houston

5. Chicago

4. Orlando, Fla.

3. Phoenix

2. Dallas-Fort Worth

1. Atlanta

This graphic from Atlas Van Lines depicts the most common reasons why people chose to move. The most common reason being to start their own household, followed closely by moving to be closer to work or school.

When the economic crisis hit, Move for Hunger was created to help provide food for the less fortunate. It began with only one moving company participating and since then Move for Hunger has grown to have over 350 moving companies in 42 different states working together. With the help of these moving companies, Move for Hunger has provided over 519,000 meals.

The basic concept behind Move for Hunger came from the idea of so many customers throwing out all the food in their fridge and cabinets on moving day. They decided there had to be a better way to make sure that food wasn’t wasted. Move for Hunger will now come pack up and pick up the unwanted food from moving customers and deliver it to a local food bank. The moving companies who participate also hold their own self-hosted food drives and events to donate food throughout the year.

Atlas Van Lines is currently an “Epic” partner of Move for Hunger. Atlas headquarters held a local food drive shortly after announcing their partnership with Move for Hunger. The drive resulted in over 3,000-pounds of food being donated to the Tri-State Food Bank.

Currently there are more than 70 Atlas agents, including all of Daniel’s Moving and Storage locations, involved in the program and are working throughout the year to donate as much food as possible.

Daniel’s Moving and Storage headquarters currently donates their food to UMOM New Day Centers. David Silliman, General Manager of the Daniel’s Phoenix location, explains the organization.

“UMOM is a local non-profit in the Phoenix area, which provides homeless families and individuals with safe shelter, housing and supportive services to assist them in teaching their greatest potential. The organization also helps mothers and kids get out of abusive relationships and give them a safe place to live.”

David also described the UMOM locations after visiting them in past Thanksgiving’s and Christmas’s.

“Inside their “new day centers”, they have a playground and the rooms set up so the families have a private space.  They have cafeteria style food and various child care programs so the mothers can look for work opportunities.  They have various classes and groups for the mothers to better their education making and counseling so they can deal with the issues of past abuse and if needed addiction issues.”

For more information on Daniel’s Moving and Storage and their partnership with Move for Hunger, check out our website www.danielsmoving.com, or watch this video from Move for Hunger. You can also learn more about UMOM here: http://www.umom.org/

Leaving your home for another country far beyond yours is often done for a variety of reasons. Perhaps it was romance, work or the thrill of the road – whatever the case and your reasons moving is a big event. This is something that carries a lot of effort with it, plenty of details that need to be covered and this article will cover some of the most important aspects of that. Let’s begin with the following:

• Money Saving
Moving a long distance will certainly take its toll on your finances whether you want it or not. Moving to another country is even worse, so make sure you are prepared for that. Consider all the costs that this entails, such as visa and travel expenses, shipping for your personal items and more. This is a huge undertaking and it requires a long time for preparations and a careful balancing of expenses. Always remember to keep a safe fund of money for rainy days in case things don’t go well and you need to return to your country of origin.

• Double-check Your Paperwork
Moving abroad requires a pretty much staggering amount of paperwork so you can obtain a visa. Couple that with a truly annoying period of waiting and you have yourself a perfect recipe for frustration. In order to make sure you have all things in order and you won’t suffer setbacks you will need to double-check everything you need to give to the authorities for processing. If you get anything wrong you will find yourself in deep trouble as a whole number of unpleasant situations can arise from that. Making sure everything is perfect will keep you away from being delayed or worse.

• Shipping and Storage
One of the first things you have to be aware of is that big items like cars, furniture and so on can be truly expensive to ship across international borders. Depending on your needs you can find something cheaper at your new destination, unless you are specifically attracted to something of sentimental value. Moving your car for example will cost you thousands of dollars in most cases. If you own a gas-guzzling monster of a car and you have to live and work in a place where gas is expensive, you might reconsider for a vehicle befitting the local environment. The same goes for furniture – you will blend in better and you’ll have less trouble with local standards.

• Health issues
Traveling to a different country carries a certain amount of risk when it comes to your health. Different countries carry different local diseases that need to be avoided. You will need to pass a number of vaccinations so you can live safely in a new environment. Tropical countries for example still carry the risk of some specific diseases unseen anywhere else around the world. You have to make sure you have the right shots, documented on paper for you to use as proof. Make sure you have a health policy which will cover you when you live abroad. This is essential if you want to receive good healthcare in case of emergencies.
Article written for SW9 Man with Van

Daniel’s Moving and Storage, Inc. expanding to Long Beach, California

Phoenix, AZ & Long Beach, CA-February 25, 2013—

Daniel’s Moving and Storage, Inc. Founder Daniel Ozbun announced today the company’s expansion to Long Beach, California. “In alignment with our long term strategy to expand our footprint, Daniel’s Moving & Storage has entered into an agreement to purchase Rudd’s Transfer & Storage in Long Beach, California.”

Rudd’s Transfer and Storage, Inc. was founded February 1, 1921 in Long Beach, California. The Rudd’s philosophy of “providing personalized service to each of our customers” has lead to their superior reputation in the moving and storage industry.  Commenting on the expansion, Daniel Ozbun said “This is an exciting day for Daniel’s Moving & Storage and we look forward to working with the team at Rudd’s as we enter the next phase of growth.”

About Daniel’s Moving and Storage, Inc.

Daniel’s Moving and Storage Inc. is an industry leading moving & storage company operating since 1978.  A full-service Atlas agent, with locations in Phoenix, Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, Wichita, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri providing transportation solutions to local, national and international customers.

Join Daniel’s Moving and Storage on the web at danielsmoving.com  and social media for updates on the new Daniel’s Moving and Storage Long Beach, California location.  Daniel’s Corporate Headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona can be reached at 877-278-6110.

Enquiries

Jason Smith (jason@danielsmoving.com)

Daniel Ozbun (daniel@danielsmoving.com)

When you decide to move you have a lot to worry about, the environment may be the last thing on your mind. There are ways to move “green” and we have provided some of those eco-friendly tips here for you. So you can worry about your house, save money and help the environment out.

Packing
Packing is often the step where the most damage to the environment is done. Try to use recycled materials such as old newspaper, clothing, blankets, sheets, and pillows to cut down on excess packing materials. But be sure that your items are still safe and secure. Daniel’s Moving and Storage also offers the green option of  tapeless cartons. These unique boxes greatly reduce the amount of waste by eliminating the need for tape.

During The Move
During your move there are many different green options offered by Daniel’s. For instance, re-usable bins and gondolas are used. These bins are recycled many times and can be used for multiple moves, reducing paper waste. There are also recycled furniture pads available for use. The pads are cleaned and reused in several moves, again cutting down on unnecessary waste. Finally, we use an electronic scanning and invoicing system that saves thousands of pieces of paper from being thrown away.

After The Move
If you decide not to use our tapeless boxes, we will recycle your boxes for you. Daniel’s Moving and Storage offers a Cardboard Recycling Program, where you can bring us your old boxes to be recycled into new ones. For office and warehouse moves, we also offer carbon offsets, that immediately reduce your carbon footprint. Finally, we recycle the tires we use on our trucks. All of these options help out the environment even after the move is over.

For more “green” moving tips, head over to www.danielsmoving.com or give us a call at 602-278-6110, and ask to talk to one of our moving coordinators.

Moving is a chaotic and stressful time for everyone, which makes it an easy time to target people for scams. Make sure you are educated on the moving company you decide to use, as well as what potential scams are before selecting a moving company. The website movingscam.com has made it easy to research scams and moving companies, before your move.

Daniel’s Moving and Storage has been a reputable moving company in the industry for over 32-years and want to make sure no one falls victim to these moving scams. This article will break down some of the most common scams, to make sure you don’t get taken victim to one.

Common Scams:

1.  Bad Estimates:
The scam: A typical household moving scam is giving a bad estimate. An estimate is list of all your inventory that you want to move and information on how much it will cost to move them. The scam is that the moving company will give you an extremely low estimate, then load all of your belongings on their truck, then demand you pay a much higher price on the spot or you won’t get your belongings.
How to avoid it:  Be sure to ask for an in-home estimate. Know the difference between a binding or not-to-exceed estimate. A binding estimate gives you one price for your move, but if the actual move is more or less expensive than the price on the estimate that changes your bill. The not-to-exceed estimate provides a ceiling cost for your move, that can’t be exceeded. If your move is smaller than the price on the bill than it is cheaper but if it’s larger you don’t pay more. Daniel’s Moving and Storage will always do an in-home estimate and provide you with a detailed estimate.

2. Additional Fee’s
The scam: Household moving companies will scam you by adding additional costs at the end of the move that weren’t ever presented to you before.
How to avoid it: Every single mover must stick to the given estimate and agreed price. You should be clear on what the final estimate contains. If you see any additional charges or changes to the price ask about them. Daniel’s Moving and Storage will provide you with a personal moving coordinator, who will be available to answer and any all questions on your estimate. No unknown costs are ever added to an estimate.

3. Large Deposit
The scam: Moving companies will ask for a large amount as a deposit or even ask you to pay the full amount prior to the move.
How to avoid it: Most movers do require a preliminary payment but it is about 10-15% of the final price. If the company asks for more than that, don’t trust them. Daniel’s Moving and Storage

4. Other Red Flags
If any of the following happen, beware the moving company may be trying to scam you.

• You don’t receive a copy of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s booklet “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move”
• The company is unable or unwilling to answer every question you have
• The company tries to hide information, such as the location of their address

Always ask for the company’s USDOT number and MC number and check the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration information about the mover. Always ask questions on anything you are unclear of. Also, ask for references. Every moving company should have plenty of positive references and should give you numbers to companies or people who will vouch for their services. Try to keep the stress to a minimum and just be educated on your moving company, but don’t assume they are trying to scam you out of your money. You can find references for Daniel’s Moving and Storage on our website at www.danielsmoving.com.