Can Your Businesses Survive A Move?

A week of relaxing and being unplugged, left me thinking about many things.  Tops on the list was my business – crazy, right?  The slow pace of North Carolina is great for reflection but it also got me thinking whether or not my business (or yours) would survive a move to a new location.  There are many military families who have mastered transitioning to new locations…. would you be able to tough it out?

Then I thought what if I used the same simple steps in energizing my business where I am, I would use if I was moving.  So, I hunted down some ways to make moving easier but I could also use to re-energize my business.

#1 – Create a plan.  The plan should include lots of lists with things to do.  This is easy for me since I am forever making lists to ensure things get done.  Outline what has to be organized, and coordinated.  Consider everything – large and small thoughts.  This is also considered a brain dump.  You know when you get everything out of your head so you can begin to put things in order.  Include a timeline whether realistic or not.  Detail every aspect and when it should happen, then share it with everyone (family, or friends) on the team.

#2 – Plan where everything will go. When moving your business to a new location you want to plan where everything will go before you get there.  If you are trying to re-energize your business, why not do the same thing.  Pull everything out of your office.  Yup, I mean everything.  Then think about what you absolutely need to run your business.  Clean up the hot mess – okay, I know I am not alone.  Don’t hesitate to toss out the things you don’t need. You wouldn’t wait until your business is at a new location to begin organizing, so why are you putting off cleaning your office now.

#3 – Stay productive.  Moving you business to a new location is usually done during off hours or days, right? So why would you do non-income producing activities during peak business hours?  Are your everyday documents and data in a spot where you can access them if you don’t have computer access?  Honestly, I was grateful I use Google Docs for most of my everyday items.  While we were away, I was able to still do business while I was on my phone and internet service was spotty.  #4 – Moving is an opportunity to declutter.  I mentioned this before but it bares repeating.  You actual can save time and money by doing this when you move which makes the moving costs lower.  So, when re-energizing your business why not use this as an opportunity to innovate or upgrade.  Maybe replace an old, uncomfortable office chair. Clean out those desk drawers.  Put only the things that you need all of the time on your desk, in arms reach.

#5 Make a Business Announcement.  When you move, you let everyone know where you are, right?  Many os us think “everyone knows I sell ___ (fill in the blank).  The truth is what you think and the perception of others may be totally different.  Update your online profiles, including your business Facebook page, your personal LinkedIn account, your company blog and website, and all your social media accounts.  Act as if you are just starting a new business or moved, let the world know what you are doing… share but don’t sell.

So, who is ready to refresh and re-energize their business?  What are your best tips for re-energizing or moving your business?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Tips for Moving

My newsfeed has been filled lately with people moving – college students are moving into dorms, young families are transitioning to new homes before the school year and retirees are looking for an easier, more maintenance-free living situation. Are you about to start a new chapter in your life with a new home?

Here are some tips that go beyond choosing the right size box or the appropriate padding:

Take inventory and mark your boxes. Don’t be one of those people who lose or misplace things when moving.  I remember moving in with hubby.  It was a mess because I had no system.  When you take the time to properly mark boxes and write out a detailed inventory of their contents, you’ll know where everything is and avoid misplacing anything. With just this small step, you’ll save a lot of time in the end.  So, get your clipboard, some paper and a permanent marker.

Remember to take care of yourself.  Any life transition — no matter how exciting — can be stressful!  Whether you’re moving or starting a new job.  It’s important to decompress and unwind.  One of the best ways to do that is to take a break.  Even if it’s just for 15 minutes.  Take a walk – the fresh air and exercise will do wonders for your stress level.

Consider insurance.  If you’re hiring a moving company or have valuable items you’re worried might be damaged during the move, you should consider purchasing moving insurance. Many recommend insuring anything that goes into a truck. Not only will insurance provide financial relief in case anything is mishandled, but it will give you peace of mind that can reduce the stress of moving.

Protect your valuable documents. Even after you move and are settling into your new residence, it’s important to keep your valuables protected. For documents like a passport, birth certificate, social security card and more, keep them under lock and key.  Be sure that it is a fire proof box for added security.  For the tech savvy, take pictures and store them on your phone.  This is a big help for those large ticket items in your home.  Should there be an incident, there is proof that those items were in fact in your home.

Lastly, here is a timeline to help make that move a little less stressful:

4-8 weeks out:

• Pick a Mover – Make sure they are licensed.  If you are moving yourself, check out truck rentals.
• Get a written estimate. Don’t accept anything verbal.
• Decide what Not to Take – great time to clean out closets, etc

4 weeks out:

• Start packing or arrange a date for your mover to start packing for you.  Headed to your own place for the first time, this is a good time to start taking inventory of the items that you will need.

3 weeks out:

• Make arrangements for utilites to be disconnected in your current home and connected in your new home.
• File separately all pertinent records (medical, licenses, insurance, etc)

2 weeks out:

• Notify post office of change of address.

1 week out:

• If you have medications, transfer them to a pharmacy near your new home
• Cancel any deliveries that come to your current home (newspapers)

Moving day:

• Get a good night’s sleep
• Keep healthy snacks and water on hand
• Stay Calm!

Best wishes for much happiness in your new home!  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

Saturday Spotlight – Tranquil Transitions

In 1999, my aunt, Elsie, passed away.  Elsie lived in the home that my grandparents had downsized to about 20 years prior.  Both of my grandparents had since passed away.  The house wasn’t very big but there was a full basement and an attic including a cedar closet.  Elsie never really changed anything at the house.  It was full of my grandparents mementos as well as all of the things that Elsie had brought with her when she moved from her home in South Jersey.  Can you say LOTS OF STUFF?  In addition to the house, Elsie had a business.

Preparing to sell the house and cleaning out the business was a monumental task.  There was Elsie’s sister, Edythe,  who had her own business and I.  I lived in South Jersey with my 12 year old daughter, Belinda.  Belinda had school and was on the field hockey team for school.  I worked a full-time job.  Are you getting the picture of how difficult this was?

We had a sale in the store to consolidate things.  At the house, we started with the process, one room at a time.  We found LOTS of things that none of us wanted so we tossed them.  Yup, out to the curb it went – FREE to anyone who wanted it.  I mean who had time to pull things together and take them to the thrift store or have an estate sale.  Then I met this wonderful antique dealer and I found out that some (or maybe a lot) of the stuff was worth some money.  Very late in the process, he made a trip to Ocean Grove.  After 2 trips with his truck, he took many of the things off of our hands.  This was a long exhausting process.

Fast forward to hearing about Tranquil Transitions… OMG!  I wish I knew about them back then.  Here is a company overview, direct from their website:

Tranquil Transitions is a New Jersey based Relocation company committed to guiding and supporting people through all facets of relocation and we specialize with seniors and their families through the potentially stressful process of transitioning to a new environment.

Whether you’re moving to a smaller environment setting and don’t know where to begin, our Senior Relocation and Move Management Services will help organize your space from years of accumulation; deal with the difficult decisions of estate dispersal or preparing a house for sale. We are here to help now. We move with care and compassion.

I had the pleasure of meeting Annette, the owner and Julie, the office manager.  They started the company in the spring of 2002 as a result of a request from an elderly friend who needed help with her move.  They decided to apply our skills to this growing market and assist seniors by developing a comprehensive and caring approach for their relocation needs.  They are committed to immensely reducing the stress and bringing peace of mind to those in transition.

Services Include:

• Floor Plans
• Professional Packing & Unpacking
• Organizing
• Downsizing, Estate Dispersal
• Shredding – Protect yourself against identity theft & free up more of your space
• Moving Arrangements
• Custom Closet Design & Installation
• Staging – house sells faster and for more money
• Clean Outs – We will remove all the rubbish, old furniture, appliances anything we can not sell or donate on your behalf. Your home will be more attractive, livable, enjoyable and spacious by getting rid of the items you no longer want or need.
• Auctions – On line
• Real Estate -SRS
• Paper & Financial Management – separate page
• Household Repairs
• Prepare House for Sale – leaving in broom swept condition
• Home Improvement
• Painting
• Aging In Place
• Car Transporting

Check them out and mention this blog!  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!