1st Class Moving and Storage

Today, social media is everywhere. The number of people on various social media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, and much more, has grown exponentially over the last decade and it continues to go up. Not only are these platforms growing, but those on them post updates about everything. If you’re thinking about posting about your upcoming move, there are a few benefits, but also some risks to be aware of.

Benefits

One of the best benefits of social media is the ability to solicit free advice and input. If you’re moving to a new city, or even just considering it, you can make an update and ask your friends what they think. They could volunteer services to look into, or give an idea of neighborhoods or job opportunities (assuming you don’t have one before moving). Even if you’re looking for work, use a professional network like Linkedin prior to your move to start connecting with potential employers in your new city.

Once you move to a new city, you can also reach out to any friends you might have in the area to find things to do. If you don’t know anyone in the city, use sites like MeetUp and find like-minded groups of people with similar interests. This can help you meet new people and get to know your city quicker since they often meet in public hot spots.

Risks

The single biggest risk of the constant updating about your move on social media is the same with talking about anything on social media: privacy. We all know sites like Facebook offer its users plenty of privacy abilities, but very rarely do most delve into them. If your privacy settings are lax, then it’s possible that anyone can see your updates. And not all of those “anyones” are people who you want to know your updates.

For example, if you say, “Heading out to pick up more boxes for my move,” you’re letting everyone know you’ve left the house. Would-be thieves know you’re gone and could use this as a burglary opportunity. It’s the same thing for your actual moving day. When the big day occurs, there’s lots of running around, people going in and out, and your belongings are in the open. Those who are following your moving updates can plan to wander down your street and try to grab something right off your yard. (This is also why it’s important to have a reputable moving company, like 1st Class Moving and Storage, on hand. The crew will mind your belongings so this doesn’t happen.)

To prevent this, first, update your privacy settings so only select people can see your updates. Also, just because you can share everything doesn’t mean you should. Keep only your family and close friends informed (especially if they can help).

Whether you use social media as a tool to seek out advice on neighborhoods or recommendations of things to do in your new city, always remember you seek out 1st Class Moving and Storage to get you from one place to another (and we’re on Facebook).

Whenever you think about moving your family to a new city, the thoughts that usually come to mind include getting boxes, packing everything, and hiring movers. Of course, there are other important aspects of moving, and if you have children, one of those is making sure you have your kids’ school records to bring to a new school.

The nice thing about getting those records is that you can obtain them yourself from the school and take them with you, or you can make old arrangements to have the school send the records to the new school. If you have the school send them on your behalf, it might be wise to have a copy just in case. (But remember, only official, sealed copies will be accepted by the new school.)

Typically, the records that will go to the new school will include official transcripts or report cards, and likely the results of any standardized tests your child may have taken. These allow the administrators to gauge your child’s academic level and properly recommend classes for them.

As any parent knows, grades and test scores do not always paint the proper picture of your child’s abilities. They also don’t always translate exactly between school districts or even states. You might also be considering a change of schools in other ways, like moving your child from a public school to a private school. If this is the case, consider having some of the information below that you can show to your child’s new school:

• examples of your child’s class work, particularly in core subjects like English, math, and science
• letters from teachers or counselors that talk about your child’s strengths and weaknesses
• a list of textbooks used at your child’s last school (including author and publisher would also be a huge help)
• information of your child’s extra-curricular activities like sports or clubs
• letters of reference from an employer (for those high school kids who have part-time jobs)
• medical records and records of immunizations (this is becoming more common and necessary)

Something important to remember when you’re moving with kids: depending on their age, they might have many friendships established that are going to be left behind. Even with the way we can continue to connect through technology, it’s still hard to do. Try to be patient with them, and be understanding as they try to build new friendships in the new city.

For your other moving and storage needs, contact 1st Class Moving and Storage to get your move started today.