• What is the perfect season to move?

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    If you're thinking about moving, you may be wondering when is the ideal time to do so. While your individual situation and personal preferences may dictate this, consider whether relocating during peak moving season is right for you. The peak moving season runs from April through October.

    Why is summer the season with the most moves?

    The weather is warmer:

    Moving during the summer is better than moving during the winter in most of the country. Snow and ice not only make it difficult to safely transport your belongings from one area to another, but also make loading and unloading more difficult than usual. Another advantage of moving in the summer is that the days are longer, giving you more time to finish the move before dark. Although the summer heat can make moving a bit tricky, you won't suffer from frostbite.

    Summer vacations: 

    For families with school-age children, summer vacation is a good time to move. Moving to a new city or school district can be a stressful experience for children, especially during the school year. Moving during the summer can ease the adjustment process by ensuring that the school year begins without disruption and allowing children to say goodbye to old friends.

    University moves: 

    During the summer, a large number of students change residences. Many return home for the summer and move again when the semester begins. College moving companies are a major contributor to the peak moving season demand.

    Peak military moving season: Approximately one-third of all military personnel move each year, usually between May and August, with the majority of military moves taking place in June and July.

    Holidays:

    The fall and winter seasons are filled with major holidays that you'd rather spend with friends and family. Moving may be the last thing on your mind as you prepare for Thanksgiving or Santa’s arrival. Driving moving trucks and packing boxes during the holidays can be pretty stressful.

    So what is the optimal time to move?

    The optimal time to move depends on your particular circumstances. Moving during the peak moving season or outside of it has advantages and disadvantages. Moving during the school year, for example, may not matter if you don't have children. Here are some additional factors to consider before making a decision:

    Factors that may influence the timing of your move

    • Moving expenses: Since most moving services are in high demand during the summer, moving in the late fall or winter is much more affordable.
    • Family Calendar: If you want to avoid moving during the school year, you'll be right in the middle of peak moving season.
    • Job requirements: If you are migrating for work, you may not have much to say about this. However, some companies might be willing to allow you to work remotely until your desired moving date; you should always ask.
    • Housing availability: The timing of your move may be determined by the sale of your current home or the conclusion of a lease. Not surprisingly, the peak home buying season coincides with the peak moving season. For the same reasons, you may have more choices when looking for an apartment.
    • Personal circumstances: Moving is not always a happy experience. Whether it's to care for a loved one, because of a divorce, a natural disaster, or any other cause, sometimes it's important to move quickly.

    partnered post • cc-licensed image by Janet Tarbox

  • buy handmade this holiday season

    There are plenty of reasons to buy only handmade gifts this holiday season, chief among them that handmade objects have more soul & personality than even the finest machine-made mass-produced goods. Of course, there are also environmental and social reasons: money stays in the craftperson’s community, and doesn’t (as often) go into the coffers of WalTargetMartEtc. or another international conglomerate that cares not at all about its customers or the quality of the products it sells. From buyhandmade.com:

    Buying Handmade makes for better gift-giving.

    The
    giver of a handmade gift has avoided the parking lots and long lines of
    the big chain stores in favor of something more meaningful. If the
    giver has purchased the gift, s/he feels the satisfaction of supporting
    an artist or crafter directly. The recipient of the handmade gift
    receives something that is one-of-a-kind, and made with care and
    attention that can be seen and touched. It is the result of skill
    and craftsmanship that is absent in the world of large-scale
    manufacturing.

    Buying handmade is better for people.

    The
    ascendancy of chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us
    dressing, furnishing, and decorating alike. We are encouraged to be
    consumers, not producers, of our own culture. Our ties to the local and
    human sources of our goods have been lost. Buying handmade helps us
    reconnect.

    Buying handmade is better for the environment.

    The
    accumulating environmental effects of mass production are a major cause
    of global warming and the poisoning of our air, water and soil. Every
    item you make or purchase from a small-scale independent artist or
    crafter strikes a small blow to the forces of mass production.

    There are plenty of ways to do this. Visit one of the many hundreds of folks selling their wares on etsy.com, for instance, or your local artists’ guild, or contact a local community or technical college and find out who your neighborhood’s cabinetmakers and furniture carpenters are. Either way, down with plastic and up with real gifts!