Vacation rental homes are a time honored tradition among American families, especially during the summer months when the kids are off from school and can enjoy themselves at the beach. Many vacation homes have weekly or even monthly rates, but a majority of these vacationing families rent the house for a month or more. While many of your personal belongings will be left behind, unattended for long periods of time and without any supervision, it is important to make arrangements for a neighbor or family member close by to act as a caretaker to ensure you come back to your home in the same condition as when you left. If you do not have anyone to do you this favor there are companies available, for a fee, that offer personalized home care services.

A great option to consider is self <a href="atlasallied.com">storage</a> or even seasonal <a href="atlasallied.com">storage facilities</a> where you can save money over a house sitting choice and store your most prized possessions in a secure, climate controlled environment that has full CCTV (closed circuit television) security systems and twenty-four hour watchmen patrolling the premises. Depending on the amount of <a href="atlasallied.com">storage</a> space you need, this could range from $40.00 to $300.00 per month in fees.         

There is never any contractual obligation or lease involved with renting a <a href="atlasallied.com">storage</a> space; this is a month to month agreement with payment due usually at the beginning of the new month and notification of cancellation required 2 weeks prior to <a href="atlasallied.com">moving</a> your stuff out. Upon renting your <a href="atlasallied.com">storage</a> space, most facilities offer either a complimentary rental truck for do it yourself moves or they have relationships with several <a href="atlasallied.com">local moving companies</a> that can help you by doing all the heavy work.

Storage options don’t have to be just relegated to the renters themselves, the owners of these vacation homes can benefit greatly as well from having reserve furniture, carpets, extra appliances and more in <a href="atlasallied.com">storage</a>, near at hand for any emergency and readily available for seasonal changes.

Moving with pets is a sensitive issue to address when relocating. Since moving can cause unneeded stress on your pets, it's important to try and reduce these stress levels as much as possible. You also want to maintain your animals' health and happiness when moving pets. With a few suggestions, moving with pets can be a positive experience for you and them.

There are a few things to accomplish before you begin moving with pets. Their health should be checked and certain precautions should be taken. By following Allied's guidelines for moving with pets, your pets can enjoy and safe and healthy move. Here are some things you can do to ease the stress of moving the family pets to your new home:

Pet Moving Tips: Auto Travel

• Before leaving, schedule a veterinary examination to check your pet's health, obtain copies of vaccination records and a health certificate (if required), update identification tags and discuss a tranquilizer or precautionary measures for the trip.
• If traveling to your new home by car, make sure to get your pet comfortable to auto travel by taking it on short trips around the neighborhood
• Don't feed your pet for seven hours prior to your trip, pack a container of fresh, cool water, and stop frequently for walks
• If stopping at a hotel overnight, make sure the hotel allows pets
• Never leave your pet in the car alone
• Birds and small pets such as hamsters can travel in their cages if the cage can be placed in a stable, well ventilated area free of drafts (covering the cage while the car is moving often calms an animal)

Pet Moving Tips: Air Travel

If moving with pets by air, contact the airline well in advance to check regulations and services:

• Consider direct flights to minimize the amount of time your pet will be confined Select a portable air-transport kennel that's large enough for your pet to stand and move around a bit
• Let your pet get accustomed to the kennel well in advance of the trip
• Don't forget to mark the kennel with "Live Animal," your pet's name, your new address and phone number and any special handling instructions
• After boarding your plane, ask the flight attendant to confirm your pet has been loaded on the plane

Moving with pets does not have to be a stressful experience. With the pet movingtips from Allied, you and your pet can enjoy a positive relocation experience, stress-free. The safety and health of your pet is most important during relocation. So, be sure that when moving with pets, these two aspects come first and foremost.

Pet Move Resources

The following links are not endorsed by or affiliated with Allied Van Lines.

The Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Assoc. Intl., Inc.
www.ipata.com

Pet Hotel and Travel
www.pet-hotel-and-travel.com

Pet Community
www.petswelcome.com

Pet Care
www.healthypet.com/index.html

As you know, clutter can often make or break a sale! Let’s work together to educate your clients on the best ways to de-clutter a home. You’re the real estate expert and we’re the storage expert - so this e-mail, part of our e-mail series on working with movers, offers some “home de-cluttering” tips that you can modify or update, and then share with your clients.

3 Quick Ways to De-Clutter Your Home

1. Have a Garage Sale:

   Before putting your home on the market, think about having a garage sale. There are more advantages than just getting rid of items that are cluttering your home, you'll pocket some extra cash to off-set your moving costs and it will lighten your load on moving day, which could save you even more money!

2. Ask an Expert:

   Your real estate agent will help you by doing a walk-through of your home to identify any problem rooms or areas that need to be de-cluttered.

3. Use Storage Services:

   Want a surefire way to make a small room look larger? Storage could be your answer. Working with your real estate agent, you should determine which rooms would benefit from furniture storage. By eliminating large pieces, you will be able to open up your floor plan and make your house look noticeably larger!