Moving During Spring Here in Central New Jersey

 

Early spring is usually the time that most New Jersey homeowners choose put their house on the market. If you price your house right and it sells, closing could be as soon as 30 to 60 days.

The weather is getting warmer here in central New Jersey and the rainfall that is also likely to show up as well, which can be a mover’s nightmare that could slow down progress during moving.

Always check your local New Jersey weather report before deciding on a date to move. For those who are unable to put off moving day, be prepared to put in that extra work to protect your furniture. It is best that you use some heavy-duty tarp to wrap or cover as well as plastic, especially when covering mattresses and sofas.

Instead of using cardboard boxes, use plastic containers with lids for some of your vulnerable things. These you can get at Loews, Home Depot or any of your local department stores. When cardboard gets wet, it weakens and when that happens one of two things happen.

  1. The box weakens and all your belongings can fall out
  2. All the layers of cardboard get wet and anything in your box becomes wet.
  3. If you are planning on storing these boxes in the basement, you could end up with a mold problem

Since it is nearly impossible to remove your shoes going back and forth, in and out of your home, line the floors with material that has more traction so that you or your movers do not slip and fall. Such as, old rug pieces, or you can even use anti-skid adhesive tape in high traffic areas, which again could be bought at Loews or Home Depot.

Wear rain ponchos, this helps to keep you dry and comfortable. These can be purchased at your local dollar store, and can be kept around for other rainy days.

Be smart and take the initiative to go out and collect the proper materials before your move. For more information where to get moving supplies, please contact me: dawn@dawnruete.com

 

 

Keep NJ Green and Clean

 

New Jersey has its own Clean Energy Program.  It offers financial incentives, programs and services for New Jersey residents.

If you are buying a new home today make sure a home is energy-efficient, just look for the government-backed ENERGY STAR label. An ENERGY STAR qualified home can help you save about $200 to $400 a year on utility bills, adding up to thousands of dollars over the years you live in the home. I like to use nontoxic cleaners when I’m cleaning my home. Having three children I didn’t want to expose them to any harsh household cleaners, especially those with strong fumes. Chemicals pollute the air that we breathe and the water we drink.

Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out. You can find these bulbs at Home Depot, Lowes and any local department store. They last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and CFLs use 1/3 the electricity. Which means in the long run you can save money!

Check with your town to see if they have any community clean-up programs and become involved in keeping your community clean. We have one in Dunellen which gets together once a month to clean up the main streets.  It also gave me the opportunity to meet my neighbors.

In New Jersey, all residents and businesses are required to recycle by law. Disposal of waste costs money. Your local community pays about $75 per ton of trash to dispose of this waste at a landfill or incinerator. You are paying for this disposal through your local taxes or through private companies. By reducing the amount of waste and send materials for recycling, you not only reduce the waste disposal costs for your community but your local town profits from the sale of these materials to recycling companies. Now your town has more money to spend on local schools and other services.

Check with your community for a list of environmental organizations and get involved to keep NJ Clean and green!