Packing Tips and Advice:

The Best Packing Tips for Moving

If you’ve moved more than once, you probably have a few tried-and-true methods for packing up your items. Because we’ve helped over 850,000 families move more than 1 billion miles across the country, we have a few packing tips for moving to share that will help make the process much easier! Whether you’re a first-time mover or a seasoned pro, follow our moving/packing tips to protect your belongings as they travel to your new home.

Recommended Packing Supplies

Here’s what you’ll need to protect your items while they travel to your new home:

• Moving boxes: Boxes come in all shapes and sizes, including some designed to make moving specific items easier (like wardrobe boxes, lamp boxes, TV boxes and dish pack boxes). We recommend choosing a moving kit that includes an assortment of boxes to accommodate the various items in your home.
• Packing paper: These large sheets of plain paper are perfect for rolling and wrapping your items to protect them during the move. And here’s a pro tip—line your boxes with crushed packing paper to provide extra cushioning for the contents.
• Moving blankets: Choose from three different blanket styles to protect your items from scratches and dust while you’re moving. And when the move is over, you’ll be surprised how many uses you’ll find for them around the house (as a picnic blanket or pet blanket, in your car emergency kit, and more).
• Mattress covers and furniture covers: Keep furniture and mattresses clean and dry during transit with protective plastic covers.
• Stretch wrap: For items that won’t pack easily in a moving box (or just don’t fit), stretch wrap will do the job. Use it to bundle large items together (like bedrails) or to keep small items in place in their container.
• Packing tape: This one is pretty self-explanatory—tape up your moving boxes well to avoid a fallout!

How to Pack for a Move

Let’s look at a few general packing tips to get started, then break it down by room or specific item.

• Start packing early. To make the job manageable, begin boxing up the items you use less frequently—like books, knickknacks, or seasonal items—a few weeks before your move date. Save everyday use items until the end.
• Prepare your boxes for moving. Reinforce the bottom of every box with packing tape, then line the box with crushed packing paper for extra cushion. Use more paper as ‘filler’ to eliminate empty spaces.
• Make the most of each box. The less space your items have to move around in the box, the lower the chance of damage, so pack as much as you can into each box. This will also make loading easier—uniform boxes stack much better than odd-shaped items that aren’t boxed up.
• Label boxes well. Pack each room in separate boxes and clearly mark the box with the contents and what room it’s destined for.
• Pack heavy items in small boxes. Overweight boxes are difficult to lift, and could cause injury. Keep the weight of the boxes at a manageable level with this technique (especially helpful when you’re packing books).
• Leave light-weight linens and clothing in their drawers. This is a big time (and space) saver!
• Pack extra linens or pillows in large kitchen trash bags. Then use the bags as cushions or fillers as you load.
• Disassemble as many items as you can. Remove feet or legs from furniture, take lampshades off of the base, etc. This makes it much easier to load your items into the moving container.
• Pack valuables and essentials separately. Jewelry, medications, daily toiletries and important documents are items we recommend that you keep with you during the move.

How to Pack for Moving: Room by Room

Check out these packing tips to make boxing up your home (and the specific items you typically find in each room) easy and efficient.

How to Pack Kitchen Items

• Use the original boxes for small appliances like a microwave or toaster (if you have them). Or, follow these detailed steps to pack small appliances safely.
• Wrap breakables in packing paper, foam wrap, or Bubble Wrap® for much-needed protection. Pot holders and dish towels can also double as extra cushioning.
• Pack dishes in dish pack boxes that include partitions to keep glasses, bowls, plates and other pieces in place during transit. Watch our video for examples of how to carefully pack dishes and china.
• Wrap fine silver in cloth or silver paper. For tips on how to move everyday cutlery, check out our tips on how to pack silverware.

How to Pack Up Your Bed and Bath

• Move dressers with the contents still in drawers to avoid packing and unpacking again. Pack linens and towels from the closet in boxes.
• Keep valuable or sentimental jewelry with you as you travel to your new home. For everyday pieces or extra baubles, try these jewelry packing methods.
• Makeup can be fragile, so follow our makeup packing tutorial for tips and tricks to protect palettes and delicate bottles from damage.
• Stow shoes in the bottom of your wardrobe boxes or follow the ‘burrito method’ for another way to pack shoes.
• Group most-played-with toys together to make unpacking easier. Pack toys in boxes and use plenty of crushed packing paper to keep them from shifting around inside the box during transit.
• Baby gear should be wrapped in padded paper or moving blankets if it’s bulky and won’t fit in a box. Check out our best tips for moving baby items like strollers, bouncers, and more.
• Keep daily medications and toiletries with you as you travel to your new home. Bring enough for a few extra days as a precaution, then carefully pack medicines and toiletries that you use less often in a small box.

How to Pack Living Room Furniture and Decor

• Wrap wall hangings with furniture pads or use mirror boxes for those pieces. Pack flat items like framed art or mirrors on their edges (standing up).
• Wrap individual home décor pieces in packing paper and pack several items together in a box. See how to pack picture frames, knickknacks, and other decorative items in more detail with our how-to video.
• Use the nesting method for lamp shades and pack several in a box at once, or use specialty lamp boxes for taller lamps. Watch how to pack a lamp in this tutorial.
• Watch our videos to learn how to pack CDs, DVDs, and video games, along with how to pack books and other entertainment collections.
• Use the original box to pack your computer, printer, or other electronics if you have them. Our step-by-step guide to packing a computer and electronics will show you how to handle the cords and accessories.

How to Pack Lawn and Garage Items

• Drain all gasoline and oil from lawn mowers, weed eaters, chain saws and other gas-powered equipment.
• Bundle garden tools together for easy handling.
• Pack heavy tools in small boxes and fill in the gaps with crushed packing paper.
• Check the “Do Not Ship” list for items that cannot be shipped, such as poisonous or flammable items and corrosives.

Questions about moving or packing?

Getting a jump on packing is great! But if you haven’t nailed down your moving plans just yet, we recommend getting a quote and reserving your move as the next step. Whether you have questions about how moving with U-Pack works, or just aren’t sure how to pack your golf clubs, we’re here to help—give us a call at 877-453-7274.

10 Stress Reducing Packing Tips For An Easy Move:

Moving is one of the most stressful and difficult things we go through. That’s why stress reducing packing tips are a must.

Even if you’ve found the home of your dreams and you can’t wait to settle in, you still have to take on the tedious, time-consuming and taxing step of packing up all the stuff you’ve collected over the years.

It almost makes you not want to move! But don’t backtrack just yet. There are things you can do to make your packing experience less stressful.

Keep reading for stress reducing packing tips sure to help make your move a little easier.

Don’t procrastinate

While your instinct may be to put packing off as long as possible, you’re only delaying the inevitable. Start the process as soon as you know you’re moving. This will help you to avoid the craziness that comes with last-minute packing.

Start small by organizing a few things as you’re able to, or packing one box a day. It will help break the overwhelming process down into smaller, more manageable chunks.

Purge, purge, purge!

Since packing is typically the only time you get to see or touch every one of your belongings. It provides a wonderful opportunity to get rid of things you don’t use anymore.

Select one area, like a corner or table, to collect items you’re throwing away. Choose another to gather items you’re donating or selling. As the piles grow, make regular trips to the dumpster and donation locations. Think places like Good Will or the Salvation Army to clear those areas out.

Remember – the more stuff you purge, the less stuff you have to pack and move, then unpack and organize in the new place.

Start in rooms you don’t use every day

If you follow the first of our stress-reducing packing tips and start packing early (which you should!), be sure to work in areas that you don’t use very often.

Begin organizing, purging and packing closets, guest rooms, the garage, the attic, and any other areas you can think of.

Save frequently-used areas like the kitchen, bathrooms and your bedroom for last. This way, you’ll avoid having to open and search through boxes you’ve already packed.

Collect boxes

To ensure you have enough boxes for all of your belongings — and to avoid having to purchase them last-minute — start collecting boxes as soon as possible.

Grocery stores and retail locations are usually happy to hand over the boxes their inventory comes in. Otherwise, they would just throw them away. So contact your local stores to find out when their inventory days are. Then, visit them on those days to collect any empty boxes.

You can also check the classifieds for people giving away boxes. Tell everyone you know that you’re moving and ask them to save boxes for you. The more shapes and sizes you can stockpile, the better.

Check out some creative ways to use those boxes once your move is over.

Secure supplies

Make a list of all the packing supplies you’ll need, such as packing tape, bubble wrap, scissors, newspaper, and markers. If you don’t already own any of the items you’ll need, buy or borrow them ahead of time.

Use a box, drawer or another area of your home to collect and store all of the supplies so you always know where everything is.

Label every box

Be sure to secure plenty of markers because one of the best stress reducing packing tips is to label each and every box as you pack it.

In clear, bold letters, write the room (“KITCHEN”) that the box belongs in so the people helping you move know exactly where to put it in the new home.

Beneath where you’ve written the room name, write a brief list of the items you’ve packed in there.This will help relieve the stress once you’ve moved in and are looking for a specific item.

Use towels and blankets to protect breakable items

Rather than packing all of your linens in one box and then using bubble wrap or newspaper to wrap your breakables, consider combining the two for a more efficient packing process.

Wrap a bedspread around your mirror. Nestle vases and figurines inside pillowcases. Use washcloths to protect your wineglasses.

Don’t over-pack

To keep your boxes from getting too weighty and unwieldy, avoid putting too many items in one box.

This is especially true for heavy items like books. While it might seem convenient to pack as many things as possible into a large box, it might be very difficult to pick up and move that box once it’s full.

If you’re unsure about whether you’re over-packing a box, simply try lifting it after you’ve packed a few things in there. If it’s too heavy, split up the items into several smaller boxes.

Clear your calendar

Another of our stress-reducing packing tips?

Packing a little bit here and there works great when you’re getting started. But as you get closer to your moving day, you’ll want to set aside a larger chunk of time to devote to packing.

Take a day or two off of work. Order pizza for dinner instead of cooking. If you have young kids (or even pets) who may hinder the packing process, get someone to watch them for a few hours.

When it comes to packing, the more the merrier! Ask a few friends to help you pack during the time you’ve set aside. Try bribing them with pizza and beer, and offer to return the favor by helping them the next time they move.

Hire professionals

Are you still feeling overwhelmed after reading these stress reducing packing tips? Consider hiring professionals and movers to do the work for you.

It’s more expensive, of course, but if you simply don’t have the time, patience or ability to do it yourself, leave it to the professionals. It’s a fantastic and stress-free way to pack and move.

Stress reducing packing tips make life easier

Moving can be one of the most stressful experiences of your life, but if you follow these packing tips, it should help make it a little easier.

Moving soon? Contact us today for a free quote or for more information.

Tips for Moving in Winter:

While winter is a great time to move (i.e., it's cheaper and an easier time to rent a moving truck or hire movers, see: Best Time to Move), you need to be aware of possible moving issues so that you can avoid them before they occur. Here are my suggestions for moving during the winter.

Get Your New Home Ready for the Cold Weather Move

Before moving day, it's a good idea to check with the real estate agent or the rental property manager of your new home to ensure the place is ready for you on moving day.

1. Make sure you have heat and lights. It is a task you don't want to forget to do. You should ensure that all utilities have been set-up and are fully functioning. I suggest having the heat and hydro turned on a couple of days before your arrival just to make sure everything is functioning and that the house is warm for the day you move in. While this is true for any time that you move, regardless of the season, it's even more important when the cold winds are blowing and the days are much shorter and darker.
   Find out more about setting up utilities in your new home.
2. Clear the snow from walkways. Make sure the walks and sidewalks are clear in front of your new home. If you're moving locally, it's a good idea to visit your new place the day before the move in date to make sure the walkways are clear and free of ice. If needed, salt or sand the area. If you're moving to another town or city and can't visit your new home before the move-in date; have your agent or property manager check the area for you.

1. Check that parking area and/or lane-ways are clear. Regardless of what time of year you move, you should always ensure there's parking available for the moving truck. It may mean negotiating with your new neighbors or hiring someone (or doing it yourself) to clear the back lane-way or driveway of snow.

Prepare Your Old Home for Moving Out

1. Clear snow. Make sure sidewalks, walkways, and driveways are free of snow. Use salt or sand to ensure areas are free of icy and slippery conditions. The parking area should also be cleared with ample room for movers to use dollies. Check the area first thing on moving day just in case it snowed overnight or that conditions changed.
2. Protect inside space. Use large pieces of cardboard or plastic sheeting to ensure high traffic areas are protected from snow, sand, and water. If your floors can withstand heavy duty tape (test in a corner spot first), tape plastic sheets to the floor. Cardboard works best for carpeted areas as small tacks can be used to secure it to the floor. Experiment first before the movers arrive.
3. Keep sand/salt and shovels on hand. It's a good idea to stock up on winter supplies in case your vehicle or the moving truck becomes stuck, or it starts to snow. Throughout the move, you should be monitoring conditions and acting on any changes as needed.
4. Have hot drinks on hand. Whether you're doing your moving or hiring movers, make sure you have hot liquids available. Hot chocolate, tea, and coffee will be most welcomed by everyone who's helping with your move. Extra mittens and hats are a good idea, too.

1. Keep an eye on the weather. While this seems like common sense, on moving day, you'll be so wrapped up in the move that you may forget that conditions might change. Check the weather well in advance of moving day, then follow it closely right up until the movers arrive. If there's a possibility of inclement weather, keep the radio on during the move to ensure you're receiving the latest updates.

What If a Storm Blows In?

1. Have a backup plan. If a winter storm is threatening your move, make sure you have a backup plan in case you need to reschedule your move. If you've hired movers, talk to the company to see what their policy is in terms of winter conditions. Some movers are used to winter weather and may not be willing to postpone the move. If the movers do want to postpone, make sure you speak to your real estate agent or landlord to see if you can stay a few extra days. Typically, if you're not able to move out, no one can move in, either. But arrange this ahead of time. If you can't negotiate extra days, speak to the movers about your options. They may still be able to pick up your things, but not deliver them to your new home. If this is the case, you'll need short-term accommodation.
   Find out how to secure short-term accommodation.

1. Plan your travel route carefully. Know your travel route and make sure you contact the local authorities to determine if highways are open and safe to travel on. Each state or province has a phone number and website to check with regular updates provided. You should also know the location of overnight accommodation in case you need to stop.
2. Get you car serviced and have all the necessary equipment with you. Make sure you have your car winterized, including all fluids topped up, and tiresand brakes checked. It's a good idea to carry chains (if allowed) and know how to put them on quickly. Practice in your garage before you leave. You should also carry a gas can, extra windshield fluid, and salt or kitty litter (works great if you get stuck). Have a good snow shovel, emergency blanket and membership to a roadside assistance service, too.
3. Have an emergency contact list with you. Make sure you have all the necessary phone numbers with you, including roadside assistance, highway patrol, and a number for reports on highway conditions. You should also ensure that someone who isn't moving with you has a copy of your travel plans. Make a call-in schedule with that person so they'll know where you are and when you should be arriving.

Moving to the Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area is considered far and wide to be one of the great epicenters of arts and culture in the country. Offering everything from historic landmarks to high-tech points of interest, there’s also plenty of natural beauty to be found in its various state parks and ruggedly beautiful coastal areas. Moving to the Bay Area, you’ll discover that there’s so much to see and do that there may not be time for it all.

Moving Advice

As one of the most auto-centric regions in the country, the Bay Area is known for its frequently colossal traffic jams and generally busy roads, even during downtime hours. This may make your initial arrival into town as a new resident something of a challenge. Here are a few tips to help you avert the inherent catches and snags of moving to the Bay Area.

Although you’ll rarely encounter a vacant freeway at any hour of the day or night, the most heavily congested times of day for road travel are the Monday through Friday rush hours of 6 to 9 a.m. and later from 3 to 7 p.m. Try to schedule your move in the early afternoon if you can.

Many freeways throughout the Bay Area have the left-hand lane dedicated to carpoolers during certain posted hours. Carpools are defined as more than one person in the vehicle, including a child in a car seat. Remember that just because you’ve got more than one person in your vehicle, you’re not required to be in the carpool lane. If you don’t plan on passing traffic, keep to the right.

It’s a good idea to get the lay of the land prior to your arrival to account for any especially steep inclines or narrow streets that could impact a moving van’s progress. If you’re moving to downtown San Francisco, for example, you’ll encounter plenty of hilly streets, so plan your move accordingly.

Determine if you need a moving permit. There’s no requirement for you to obtain a moving van permit when moving the Bay Area, but if you’ve ascertained that parking shortages in the immediate vicinity may cause you to have a tough time unloading a moving van, contact the police department or city offices to find out how to get a permit.

Map out student populations. The California state university system has dozens of campuses scattered throughout the San Francisco Bay area, in addition to many private colleges. This could impact your decision about precisely where to put down roots when moving to the Bay Area, especially if you’re not interested in living in a neighborhood with a heavy student population. Some of the cities with the largest student populations include San Francisco, Berkeley, San Jose and Santa Cruz.

Check the weather. The Bay Area has varying climates, depending on your proximity to the coast or how far inland you’re located. Often, temperature changes from one area to another can be significant. To ensure you’re adequately prepared for your move, check weather forecasts in advance here.

Earthquake activity in the San Francisco Bay Area is frequent, but the majority of tremors are so small they’re undetectable. Quakes of moderate size are relatively infrequent, which may come as something of a surprise to newcomers, especially considering that the Bay Area is the location of the infamous San Andreas Fault.

Don’t forget to fill out a change of address form with the United States Post Office before you move to ensure continuity of mail delivery. The best advice is to submit paperwork one week before your move, since processing can take as long as 7-10 business days.

Neighborhoods

The San Francisco Bay Area is a big place, measuring almost 7,000 square miles. It has a total of nine counties to its credit and six distinct sub-regions that are home to its 7.15 million residents. These six sub-regions are comprised of the following recognized areas.

• San Francisco
• The East Bay
• The North Bay
• The South Bay
• The Peninsula
• Santa Cruz/San Benito Counties

Getting Around

Moving to the Bay Area provides you with a bevy of alternatives to vehicle ownership. For those who live and work within San Francisco city limits, it’s entirely possible to rely solely on public transportation and to not own a vehicle. On the other hand, getting around throughout other sections of the Bay Area will likely require one of two things: a car or plenty of additional time, required to make use of the various public transportation options. The links below will provide you with information on all available public transportation programs in the San Francisco Bay Area.

• BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)
• Caltrain
• Amtrak
• ACE (Altamont Commuter Express)
• Muni Metro
• VTA (Valley Transportation Authority)
• Northern California Transit and Rideshare Directory

If you’re moving to the Bay Area and are arriving by air, there are three main points of entry serving commercial airlines both domestically and internationally.

• San Francisco International Airport
• Oakland International Airport
• Mineta San Jose International Airport

The Bay Area is served by an extensive system of highways and freeways that enable trans-bay travel and route traffic to and from all points on the map. The major freeways leading into the Bay Area include:

• US Route 101
• Interstate 80
• Interstate 280
• California State Route 1
• California State Route 35
• Interstate 880
• Interstate 680
• Interstate 580
• State Route 152
• State Route 156
• State Route 29

Relocation Resources

If you’re relocating to the Bay Area to find a better way of life for yourself and your family, you’ve chosen the right place. Overall, the San Francisco Bay area is one of the most affluent areas in the nation, boasting two of the wealthiest counties in the United States: Marin County and Santa Clara County. In Marin County, average per capita income is $91,000. In Santa Clara County, the median household income is $93,000.

Although unemployment in California reflects numbers that are above the national average, jobs in the Bay Area remain plentiful for qualified personnel in a variety of industries. Encouraging numbers, like 2015’s reported Gross Domestic Product of $785 billion for the Bay Area (if compared against other countries, this would mean the Bay Area has the seventeenth highest GDP in the world), continue to illustrate that its job market remains healthy, despite far less desirable conditions throughout the rest of the country.

Media Outlets

Are you moving to the Bay Area? If so, one of the first things you’ll want to do is read up about local news and happenings, while keeping your eye on national and international news. Here’s a list of some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s top newspapers and local TV channels.

San Francisco Chronicle
Published seven days a week, the San Francisco Chronicle is one of California’s longest-running publications. Founded in January of 1865 when Abraham Lincoln was still in office, the Chronicle’s daily average circulation is around 225,000, with its Sunday edition fetching close to 290,000 readers. The Chronicle, which has earned top honors by winning six Pulitzer Prizes throughout its history, is full of local, state, national and international news.

Despite its slightly left-leaning political bend, it’s read far and wide and considered to be the premium news source among residents living in San Francisco, as well as the city’s numerous outlying areas. The newspaper’s sections include news, sports, business, entertainment, and a living section that often caters to the city’s LGBT population.

The San Francisco Examiner
Beating out The Chronicle in age by a full two years, The San Francisco Examiner has been churning out daily news since the Civil War was still raging. Throughout its history, the newspaper has hired a number of writers who later went on to become classic American authors, including Jack London, Mark Twain and Ambrose Bierce. In 1965, The Examiner and Chronicle joined forces. These days, The San Francisco Examiner is a free publication that runs six days per week and reaches approximately 200,000 readers with its mix of local news, sports coverage, business and job listings, and local entertainment features.

San Jose Mercury News
Starting out in 1851 as The San Jose Weekly Visitor, today’s San Jose Mercury News reaches an audience almost as wide as San Francisco’s Chronicle and Examiner combined. With close to 530,000 readers during the week and an impressive 602,000 for its Sunday edition, the Mercury is also no stranger to acclaim, having won two Pulitzer Prizes in the 1980s. Considered by most to be a left-leaning publication, it features a healthy mix of national and international news articles, sports, business and entertainment. Local news includes not only the city of San Jose, but also stretches north to neighboring San Francisco and as far south as Santa Cruz.

SF Weekly
The premiere free daily publication catering to San Francisco’s culturally diverse population, SF Weekly is an alternative news publication that focuses on local stories and local arts and entertainment. Its circulation is estimated at between 75,000 and 85,000.

Local TV News Channels
If you’re moving to the Bay Area you can tune into the following local TV stations for full news coverage:

• KGO TV 7 (ABC affiliate)
• KPIX TV 5 (CBS affiliate)
• KTVU TV 2 (Fox affiliate)
• KDTV TV 14 (Univision Spanish language)

Climate

Because of the diversity of geographical regions within the San Francisco Bay Area, it’s impossible to categorize its weather within any single definition. Temperature variations here can be drastic, sometimes as great as 40 degrees from the coast to inland areas in a single day.

• Coastal areas offer the least amount of temperature variation year round, with winters that are mild and wet, and summers that are comparatively cooler than what you’ll find moving further inland. Living on the coast frequently brings fog during the summer months.
• Inland areas that are separated from the Pacific breeze by mountains usually experience the greatest temperature swings, with hot, dry summers and winter nights that can drop to near freezing.

Because of the number of cars on the road at any given time, smog levels in the Bay Area can be heavy, although conditions are not nearly as bad as those you’ll find further down the coast near Los Angeles. The state-run AIRNow website publishes an Air Quality Index (AQI) that offers frequently updated information on air quality.

Schools

If you’re moving to the Bay Area with school-aged children, your first order of business should be to research the quality of learning institutions available. In the state of California, there’s an open enrollment policy that gives you the option of sending your child to any available school—including charter schools—as long as that school in the same district as your home. Below, you will find a listing of the top five elementary, junior and senior high schools in the Bay Area to help you make the wisest scholastic choices for your young.

Top 5 Elementary Schools

1. William Faria Elementary (Cupertino)
2. Nelson S. Dillworth Elementary (San Jose)
3. Mission San Jose Elementary (Fremont)
4. Millikin Elementary (Santa Clara)
5. Herbert Hoover Elementary (Palo Alto)

Top 5 Junior High Schools

1. American Indian Public Charter School II (Oakland)
2. William Hopkins Junior High (Fremont)
3. Redwood Middle (Saratoga)
4. John F. Kennedy Middle (Cupertino)
5. Ardis G. Egan Junior High (Los Altos)

Top 5 High Schools

1. Dr. T.J. Owens Gilroy Early College Academy (Gilroy)
2. Pacific Collegiate Charter (Santa Cruz)
3. Lowell High (San Francisco)
4. Monta Vista High (Cupertino)
5. Palo Alto High (Palo Alto)

Top 5 School Districts

1. Hillsborough School District
2. Las Lomitas School District
3. Los Altos School District
4. Lakeside Joint School District
5. Orinda School District

Government

For helpful information when moving to the Bay Area, visit the following government websites covering a broad range of services from car registration and licensing to tax law considerations.

• The Association of Bay Area Governments is a helpful online resource with links to individual city websites where you can find information on local utilities and trash and recycling services.
• Find vehicle registration and driver’s license information at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
• The California Tax Service Center will answer any tax law questions you may have.
• For recycling information, visit the Bay Area Recycling Outreach Coalition.
• Voter registration for new Bay Area residents is processed through the Secretary of State.
• The California Department of Agriculture has information on rules about the importation of plants, fruits, vegetables, pets, fish, game and livestock.

Top 5 Ways to Break a Lease:

There are a number of reasons why you might want to break a lease on an apartment. In some cases, the law is on your side- for example, when enlisting for military duty, fleeing domestic abuse or moving to a retirement home. But what about all the other sound reasons to move which are not protected by law? While it is totally understandable that you would want to get out of a lease if you’re pregnant and the property is too small, or if you got an amazing job offer across the country, some landlords may not be so sympathetic. And even if they are, it is still a question of money. Remember, your rent equals their income.

What happens if I break my lease?

A lease is a binding legal contract, which means your landlord can demand full payment for the remainder of the lease and even take you to court for it. If they win, you will need to pay much more than the remainder of the rent- think lawyers’ fees and interest. Breaking a rental agreement can also be damaging to your credit score, which will have long lasting effects on your finances.

As with most contracts, there are penalties that you might face to break your lease. The goal is to get the least penalty possible, but do not be surprised if your landlord does not come after you for the full total for the remainder of the lease.

If you really need to move, check out these five tips (before you hire a moving company) on how to get out of a lease early:

1. Find Something Wrong

   One of the ways to get out of a lease without penalty is to find some occurrence in which your landlord was in breach of the contract and use it as a an escape route. In many cases, this is going to be absolutely impossible. If your landlord has always fixed problems promptly and you have no documented complaints even your lawyer may tell you there is no way you are getting out without penalty. However, if he promised to install a fence last summer, add more insulation before the winter, or replace the carpeting and never followed through, you may have a case. If you have had problems with a neighbor being disruptive and the landlord has done nothing to intervene, you may have a valid reason that will hold up in court. Obviously, if there is something seriously wrong with the property and the landlord has not fixed it then you have the legal right to vacate without penalty.

2. Review Contract for Termination Clause

   Reading your rental agreement carefully is highly advised when contemplating breaking a lease. If it reads more like Mandarin than English to you, your local tenant’s rights organization or local legal aid office can help with that. Many landlords today add an early termination clause in their lease to make it fair for the tenant; it’s also beneficial for them as it decreases the risk of dealing with vanishing tenants. Your lease may allow you to terminate with a 60-day notice for job relocation, major life change, or if you need to become the caregiver of a loved one. You might also discover the lease termination fee specified is much lower than you’ve been dreading, which could simplify things significantly.

3. Sublet

   Subletting is not always an option. If your lease specifically says you cannot sublet, do not bother even trying. It is also important to note that you need to find someone completely trustworthy and reliable because you will still be legally responsible for the property. The exception is if your landlord allows the new renter to apply, pay a security deposit, and sign their own lease. If you sublet, you also have to make sure the person will pay you on time so you can pay the landlord. You may want to consider having their rent due on a day mid-month to ensure you have it on time.

4. Lease Termination Agreement

   While your landlord may not be happy with your early departure, they still may be reasonable enough to come to an agreement that sorts out the issue of fees, finding new tenants and other matters pertaining to the property. This type of contract is called a lease termination agreement and it reflects both landlord’s and tenants’ rights and obligations.

5. Pay the Fees (and Lawyer Up)

   What happens when you break a lease depends on what kind of person your landlord is. If they are very strong headed and not open to any kind of agreement or compromise your only option (other than staying in the apartment) might be to cough up whatever the lease specifies in terms of fees and compensation. At this point you should definitely get some professional legal advice- not all leases are created equal and a lawyer might be able to help you bring those fees down.

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Planning Ahead To Avoid Moving Mistakes:

An ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure. To keep your move focused and positive, you need to do some planning ahead. Avoiding mistakes in the moving process saves everyone a lot of headaches, and it can help your wallet out, too.

Get everything set up ahead of time

For some people, getting organized and making plans as soon as possible is like second nature. For those who tend to go with the flow, a lot of advance planning isn't as common. No matter your disposition, it's vital that you make sure every concern is addressed early on for a move. Reach out to your movers early on to make sure you can pick a date and time that work for you. You can also set up other helpful options at this time, like packing services and moving special items - like a car, boat or pool table.

Planning ahead also means getting yourself and your family ready for the big change. Developing a plan related to what you'll personally carry to your new home in the family car and the job of each person on moving day means everyone is informed and on the same page.

Writing down a plan for you move can help you make the process as effective as possible.

Packing for success

You can pack up most of your belongings - or have the professionals from Atlas take on this substantial task - and not have to worry about when you'll unbox them. If they remain in their containers for a few days, it's no big deal. However, there are certain things that you and your family will need to have an exceptional desire for in the hours and days after the move.

How can you effectively address this concern? Developing a packing plan and having a discussion about items that should go in an easily accessible box or be carried in the family car is one effective solution. Armed with a list of things that shouldn't be packed up with the rest of your possessions, you can make sure everyone's wants and needs are addressed.

Work through the process

Before you move, sit down and think through what will happen as your belongings are packed up and you travel to your new home. Thinking through all the processes involved and the related eventualities can help you identify something you haven't yet taken care of, or a more efficient way to handle part of the process. This is a general piece of advice, because each move can be significantly different than the next, but applying it to your specific circumstances and ultimately make things a lot easier.