Welcome to the Allied Van Lines Blog. We've been away for a while but are excited to return and get back in touch with our customers and readers. Over the next few months we have some new plans for our blog that will hopefully help us provide you with more guidance and support on your move journey.

We are starting with a new title: Allied On the Move.

Allied Van Lines has been helping people move for over 75 years, and during that time we’ve become quite the experts on all things moving.  So we are turning to our blog, Facebook page, Twitter account and other social media networks to help share that knowledge with you. We want to share with you what we (and our friends) know about moving, packing, house hunting, decorating and all things home.

This summer we will be updating the look of our blog and launching a few new blog series that we hope you enjoy.

First, we'll introduce you to a Family On the Move. A recent Allied customer (just like you) will share her experience moving her family across the country and settling into a new home. Tune in later this week to meet the family!

Our main goal here on the blog is to provide you information to make your move as smooth as possible. To help, we have enlisted Allied experts- from our drivers and packers to our relocation coordinators and real estate agent friends- to answer your common moving questions in the new series Ask Allied.

Additional series will include Allied Apps, where we will take your move mobile with our favorite apps that help with the moving and home buying process.  And Allied on the Road where our agents, drivers and moving crews will give you a look behind the scenes of a move. From their life on the road to the crazy and wacky items they transport.

We hope you check back in as we introduce these new series. You can also connect to us on our social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. We encourage everyone to get involved and share your questions, moving experiences and thoughts or ideas on our blog or our social pages.

-Safe Travels

When you make the decision to move to a different part of the country, you'll certainly have a lot on your plate before the big day. In addition to hiring a moving company, packing up your belongings and saying goodbye to your loved ones, you'll need to ensure that your house will have everything your family needs to transition into your new home. If you need a list of pre-moving tasks to finish off, the following tips could help you avoid any potential problems when you move in.

Set Up Your Electricity

To ensure that you're not paying the previous owners' bills and that everything works correctly when it's time to move in, consider contacting your new electric company beforehand. Provide them a date when you'll be in the house to make sure that all of your lighting and other appliances will be in working order.

Get Your Home Heating System Checked

Inquire with your real estate agent or the previous tenant to see whether you'll need a home heating oil or natural gas purchase in the coming months. This is one less job that you'll have to work on.

Hire A Landscaper

With all of the tasks you'll have to worry about after your move, yard work is probably not at the top of your list. Hiring a landscaper in the late fall will ensure that your lawn and the rest of your yard is in tip-top shape when spring rolls around.

Now that your cross country moving companies have departed, you're fully unpacked and you're getting used to life in your new abode, sooner or later you may want to undertake your first remodeling project. Of course, while finding the perfect furniture setup or color scheme is important for your home, making your house more energy efficient could save you money in the long run. Here are three quick and easy projects you can consider before winter that could put money back into your pocket.

1. Improve Your Windows. If your home doesn't have energy-efficient windows, you could be losing hundreds in heating and cooling costs as air escapes to the outdoors. TLC suggests investing in energy-efficient windows that can help you save money throughout the time you live in your home, which are eligible for tax credits from the federal government. Additionally, you can use these windows in tandem with window treatments and curtains to improve your house's insulation.

2. Invest In Energy-Efficient Appliances. The kitchen is an important communal spot in your home, and your appliances will see plenty of action over the course of the holiday season. An Energy Star-certified refrigerator or stove could help you reduce your monthly utility costs and your home's carbon footprint.

3. Install A Programmable Thermostat. If you happen to leave your heat on when you leave the house this winter, you could be spending hundreds to warm a house with no one inside. A programmable thermostat will help you control your home's heating system and have it turn on and off at specific times of the day when you need it most, reports U.S. News & World Report.

The excitement of hiring cross country moving companies and settling into your new home can be a wonderful experience, but after you've been unpacking for a few days, it's time to get out and explore. While you may have done some initial surveying of your new community when you were shopping for a house, taking a drive with the family to explore your town could be a wonderful way to spend one of the first weekend afternoons in your new abode. Here are a few places you should keep your eyes peeled for.

Make Note Of Your Town's Services

While you may already know where your kids' schools, the town hall and the grocery store are, drive around a bit to find places like the post office, the hardware store, gas stations, pharmacies and other services your family may need.

Look Into Outdoor Recreation Opportunities

If your family is fond of taking nature walks or trips to the beach, consider visiting your town hall and finding out about state and local parks that may be in the area. This could help you come up with a variety of day trips that will allow you explore your new community.

Sign Up For Your Local Paper

There's no better way to get the pulse of your new town than by ordering a subscription to your local newspaper. Find out where you can sign up for one in your town and you'll instantly be able to stay abreast of community issues, upcoming events and anything else that's going on around you.

Once your long distance movers have departed and you have cardboard boxes strewn around your home, organizing your family's sleeping spaces should be one of your top priorities. Whether your kids are grade-schoolers or entering their teenage years, letting them design their own rooms could be a wonderful way for them to show off their creativity and get started off on the right foot in their new home. Here are a few ways to help your kids put together a delightful new space.

Plan Your Children's Room Layouts

Because you'll be supplying the larger furnishings in the spaces, consider drawing diagrams of the rooms and planning where the bed, desk, bookcase and other items will go in each one. This will help you improve traffic flow and storage space to meet your children's needs.

Pick Paint Colors

The right paint colors could set the atmosphere for your children's bedrooms, so take a visit to your local home improvement store to go over your options. You can even opt for unique paint jobs like sponge painting, accent walls, borders or anything else your kids are interested in.

Choose The Right Lighting

A mixture of task lighting around your children's work or play areas, as well as accent lighting around the rest of the rooms can pull the aesthetics together. Experiment with a variety of light sources to find the ideal mixture of illumination that can suit any time of day.

After going through the process of hiring interstate movers and finally getting settled into your new home, you may want to reward yourself with a few improvements in your new abode. If you suddenly have an abundance of space in your living room, this may be the perfect time to design a home theater from the ground up. With the right components and furnishings, it may become the most popular spot in your home. Consider these three home improvements that could go a long way.

1. An A/V Receiver. A receiver is like the central nervous system of your home theater. This device will power your speakers, sync up your components and provide the power your system needs to run at its best. HowStuffWorks.com recommends studying what types of inputs you'll need for your theater, its power and ease of use, which are all important factors when making a purchase.

2. A Surround Sound System. To make the most of your space, HGTV suggests purchasing a 7.1 surround sound system to create audio effects that are conducive with the space. You may want to pre-wire these devices before you add other furnishings to hide any cords that may be running from the speakers to the receiver.

3. Comfortable Seating. To ensure that your home theater is still a functional living room, consider using sectional sofas, bean bags and other versatile seating options that are perfect for viewing a film or hosting a social gathering.

Whether your family keeps growing or you've been promoted over the past few months, hiring a moving company and getting started off in a bigger house can be an exciting time for you and your loved ones. With such an abundance of space, you may have a room or two that you may not know what to do with. If you're a working professional or simply want a place to handle the many important tasks of being a homeowner, designing a home office could be a wonderful use of your space. Here are few features you should keep in mind when designing the room.

Design Your Computer Station

The decision between a humble laptop and a multi-screen setup will have a serious impact on your furniture choices, so make this one of the primary decisions when putting together your office, suggests Inc Magazine. Try to find a desk that is as small and streamlined as possible to reduce negative space that could harm your productivity.

Add Functional Storage

To keep clutter to a minimum and stay organized, include a variety of storage options. Floating wall shelves are great ways to build upward and maximize your use of space, as well as non-obtrusive bookcases with baskets for files and other important documents.

Have Your Office Double As A Guest Room
 With the inclusion of a small sleeper sofa, your home office could become a guest room in a snap. Additionally, this setup could give you a place to take occasional breaks from your work, which could improve your productivity in the long run.

Once you've accomplished the task of hiring interstate movers, it falls on you to pack up all of your belongings to hit the ground running in your new home. Organizing your whole life so it can fit in the back of a truck may seem like a daunting task, but the following tips could make the process a bit easier in your new abode.

1. Clearly Label All Packages. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's one of the easiest ways to categorize where items will go in your new home. Use a black felt pen or labels on the sides of boxes.

2. Stock Up On Packing Materials. Tape, old newspapers, packing peanuts and cardboard boxes will be needed throughout your move, so collect these early on to make the process easier.

3. Use Your Food Effectively. Plan out your menus to ensure that none of your non-perishable foods go to waste before your big move, suggests TLC. Or, make it a festive occasion by holding a pantry-cleaning party with your friends.

4. Move During The Week. If you happen to encounter difficulties on the road or need other forms of assistance, there are far more businesses open to you during the week than if you decided to move on a weekend.

After finally finding the right moving company and settling into your new home, one of your most important roles as a parent is finding a way to speed up your kids' transition into your new community. Moving can certainly be tough on your children, but looking into after-school activities and other creative outlets is a surefire way to help your kids make new friends and hit the ground running in their new school. Here are a few ways to get started.

Research Your School's Clubs And Student Organizations

Whether your kids are entering high school or grammar school, there's most likely a variety of groups available for them to join, even during the middle of a school year. Consider logging onto the school's website or contacting it directly for a list of clubs and student groups that your kids could possibly join. Having a list in front of them could help them gain an organized approach to finding activities that suit their interests.

Indulge Your Child's Hobbies

According to SchoolFamily.com, if your child is a bit undecided about what to do with his or her spare time, looking for particular hints can help you find a niche. For instance, if your child has an interest in drawing, suggest an art class. If he or she has always been interested in music, see if your child would try picking up a musical instrument. A bit of encouragement may help your child discover a talent that he or she never knew existed.

Research Community Organizations

Extracurricular activities that offer a specific skill or unique social aspect can be very beneficial, and there are probably a variety of organizations in your community that offer these types of programs, reports Scholastic.com. Consider contacting town recreation centers, museums, parishes and libraries for great after-school opportunities.

With all of the preparations that come with cross country moving, one concern that may get lost in the shuffle is your dog's adjustment time to his or her new home. Canines have a hard time understanding the sudden changes that happen over the course of the moving process, but there are ways that you can speed up the transition into your new home.

1. Take a trip to the vet. Before it's time to leave your current home, one major step you should take is visiting your vet for an animal wellness check. In addition to receiving a clean bill of health, PetsWelcome.com suggests picking up a copy of your dog's relevant health and vaccination history to have everything that your new city or state requires for dog ownership.

2. Create a pet travel kit. Whether you're driving across the country or putting your pooch on a plane, there are a few items he or she should have for the ride. A selection of treats, a familiar blanket, toys, brushes, water and food will keep your pooch happy during the trip.

3. Update your dog's ID tags. Because the adjustment period to a new home could cause your dog additional stress, it's vital that your dog's ID tags are updated, suggests Paw-Rescue.org. Make sure to include your new address and a cell phone number so animal control or neighbors can contact you quickly if your dog ever becomes lost.