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The Lazer posted:Just a quick tip if you are packing and unpacking yourself. Pack everything in the truck in the reverse order you need it. So if for instance your bedroom is all the way in the back of the house, you'll want to pack it last so it's first off the truck. This will help you from having to carry things past a bunch of living room furniture or someone elses stuff that is taking up valuable walking space. This is a wonderful tip! Thanks a lot! I'm preparing for my first time living away from my home town. Moving from San Antonio to St. Louis, and I'm all kinds of nervous trying to make sure I do things the right, and not so expensive way. Iv leaned a ton by reading this topic. So thank you all very much!
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Jun 20, 2012 07:12
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If you are packing a truck yourself, there are a couple things you want to think about. The above is good (getting stuff out in the right order) but there are two other big things I would suggest. The first is to make sure that you are using the vertical space properly. You want to make sure that the largest, sturdiest stuff is on the bottom of the load, and lighter, smaller things are up top. This prevents crushing stuff by bad packing, it makes loading uneasier, and it also makes it less likely you wil have stuff rocketing round the truck (things at the top are more likely to shift). The second thing is to pack the truck in segments, and ensure that each section is secured. You don't just want to pile poo poo in and hope that it all stays in place. So for instance, when you start loading plan to fill the 3-4 feet at the back of the truck completely (top to bottom) Once that's done, either tie it down or use larger pieces (like mattresses) to ensure that it cordoned and secure. Then work on the next segment (to make it easier, each of these segments can just be a room you are moving). This is important because otherwise if you do not 100% fill the truck snugly, things will be able to move and shift in transit which can be a disaster. Tie it down, and even if a box slips it will be restrained to its segment and any damage is limited.
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Jun 20, 2012 14:19
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More moving tips: -Carry a "first thing" bag WITH YOU in YOUR CAR that has your lease, keys, a roll of toilet paper, and a Gatorade. It goes in the house FIRST. Cannot emphasize the roll of toilet paper enough. -In addition to packing by room order, pack large, weird-shaped things first. Like sofas. -Go to the liquor store for boxes. They're reinforced and a good size - easy to carry but still hold a lot of stuff. Do not pack giant boxes, they will be a pain in the rear end every step of the way. -Use/reuse. Don't empty out desk or bureau drawers, use them to pack things. Remove them for ease of moving but they'll provide stability in-truck. Likewise, sofa cushions are good for jamming inbetween furniture. Also, trashbins make good containers. -Moving steps: pack, shove in truck, carry out of truck, arrange. Do not be tempted to mix 'n' match. Unpack the truck by rooms, piling poo poo in a rough approximation of where it should go, but save the organizing and unboxing until the truck's returned. You don't want to get tired and quit before the heavy lifting is done. If possible, take a day to do the truck unpacking, and start arranging stuff the next. Get all of the arranging done in the next day, though. Don't be that guy with the one box six months later that needs unpacked. -Before unpacking and arranging, do a once-over with a vacuum if need be. It's easier than when everything is all over the place.
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Jun 20, 2012 14:21
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vonnegutt posted:More moving tips: Something I learned just last week, go on Friday afternoon to get boxes, they always have a ton of new ones that day, for obvious reasons. I called ahead on Thursday to see if they had a few and the guy said that he will have a ton after Friday's shelving sessions.
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Jun 20, 2012 16:58
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Anyone go through something like this before? I'm wondering what will happen when she receives the letter. (sent certified w/ return receipt)quote:This letter is to provide written notice of material noncompliance by the landlord in respect of the rental property at xxxxxx, Oxford, MS 38655. The noncompliance is the inability of the HVAC system to maintain a habitable temperature. While the HVAC system is currently unable to maintain a habitable temperature, the situation will dramatically worsen as temperatures continue to rise this summer. The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act provides a period of 30 days from this notice for the landlord to repair the defect. If, prior to that time, the defect is not remedied, we intend to terminate the rental agreement, and recover our security deposit in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
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Jun 20, 2012 20:30
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Are there any caveats other than the obvious when looking for apartments on Craigslist? I sent an email about an ad that looks promising, but other than bringing someone else with me if I can arrange a look at the place I don't know what to look out for. I've never done anything through Craigslist before and I don't want to show up at the place only to black out and wake up a few hours later in a bathtub full of ice. 
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Jun 20, 2012 20:38
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TECHNICAL Thug posted:Anyone go through something like this before? I'm wondering what will happen when she receives the letter. (sent certified w/ return receipt) Seems like a good noncompliance letter, but it really depends on whether or not a landlord is obligated to provide working A/C. Working heat is a requirement in most localities, but A/C isn't. And if your A/C is even partially working but just unable to keep up with the heat (not at all uncommon) then you really have no recourse. If you were promised A/C and didn't get it, you may have a claim for breach of contract. But that process may not be the same as the one for claiming the unit is uninhabitable. I'm guessing there's lots of people in your state without AC. Last note: The AC may be considered an amenity, which means the landlord is not obligated to provide it. In that case, you're totally SOL and just have to hope to scare the landlord into doing something about it.
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Jun 20, 2012 20:45
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Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:Seems like a good noncompliance letter, but it really depends on whether or not a landlord is obligated to provide working A/C. Working heat is a requirement in most localities, but A/C isn't. And if your A/C is even partially working but just unable to keep up with the heat (not at all uncommon) then you really have no recourse. The MS landlord and tenant act says: http://www.mslawyer.com/statutes/landlord.html quote:Sec. 89-8-23. Obligations of landlord So yeah, I'm definitely in murky water here, as technically it was in the same underzied-for-the-house condition as it was when I moved in. HER repairman told me that the unit needs to be replaced with a new 4 ton unit. She claims he didn't tell her that. She also lied to me and said the people who lived there last year didn't complain about the temperature, even though the electric company says no one lived here from may 2011-dec 2011. We moved in in January. The electric bills in 2010 are absurd, july5-aug5 2010 was roughly $485. My bill last month was ~280, for a ~1500sf house. I have an 11 day old daughter in this house, and running the A/C 24x7 to keep it at 80 degrees when it's barely 90 outside just isn't cutting it.
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Jun 20, 2012 20:58
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Well that clears it up a lot. The "substantially the same condition as at the inception of the lease" is what's important here. If this is your first summer in this place, then the landlord's response would likely be "the ac has always sucked" and that would be that. Oddly enough, him telling you that it worked fine last year actually hurts his case. Given the bills you researched, I would say it's always sucked and you probably have no recourse under law. Has he at least had someone check the freon? Clean the coils? Change the filters? (The latter two you can do yourself) All that said, a properly functioning A/C should be able to bring the inside temp down at least 20 degrees and hopefully more. I would keep up with the letters and see if you can gently coerce her into making it better.
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Jun 20, 2012 21:11
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Yeah, I have been writing down a log of the thermostat's temp display throughout the day. She sent out a guy a week ago and that's exactly what he did (a week or two before it had frozen up and we had to let it thaw etc etc). The repairman told me last Thursday that the unit is operating properly, and is blowing cold air, clean and fully charged but is simply too small for the house and needs to be replaced with a 4 ton unit. Thermostat is set at 71 (it gets down to this overnight and it kind of carries over through the day). 10:30 am - 72 11:00 am - 73 (outside 85) 12:30 pm - 75 1:00 pm - 74 (outside 90) 3:11 pm - 78 (outside 92) I think you are probably right about my lack of recourse, but, I doubt she is aware of that, and am kind of expecting her to try to evict me once she receives the letter anyway. She's really getting under my skin by saying that I need to 'turn on the fans and get a window unit because i want such a cold temperature'. Let's turn this around for a minute and say I moved in in the summer, and the heater was lovely, and only kept the house 10 degrees above outside temperature. Would I be in the same position? What would be helpful is if I could find some sort of definition for uninhabitable, because as far as I'm concerned it currently is and will only get worse.
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Jun 20, 2012 21:25
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The big difference is that residential building codes require things like working heat and hot water in order for a structure to get a certificate of occupancy. If you don't have those things the unit is considered uninhabitable, and you can have it condemned. Since they don't typically require air conditioning, non functioning air conditioning would not be considered something that makes a unit uninhabitable. Which leaves you to fall back on the landlord tenant act which probably also doesn't help in this situation. I have seen situation where someone claims to need A/C due to a health concern like asthma. If that were the case for you or one of your family members, you may be able to get relief from the courts, but that would come in the form of the termination of your lease. The court is unlikely to compel someone to install a new A/C because they required it for health reasons.
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Jun 20, 2012 21:37
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TECHNICAL Thug posted:Yeah, I have been writing down a log of the thermostat's temp display throughout the day. She sent out a guy a week ago and that's exactly what he did (a week or two before it had frozen up and we had to let it thaw etc etc). The repairman told me last Thursday that the unit is operating properly, and is blowing cold air, clean and fully charged but is simply too small for the house and needs to be replaced with a 4 ton unit. Thermostat is set at 71 (it gets down to this overnight and it kind of carries over through the day). A frozen Evap coil points to either restricted airflow in the system (dirty filter, blocked returns, dirty coil etc.) or a system that is low on refrigerant. If airflow and coolant are good the coil shouldn't be freezing. The undersized unit might not be able to keep up with your demand, but it shouldn't be freezing up. Grab 2 thermometers. The difference in temperature between air going into the a/c unit and air leaving the a/c unit should be in the 18 degree range +- a degree or two. How big is this house and where is it located at? 4 tons of cooling is a lot of cooling. I get by with 2.5 tons in South Texas and a 1700 sq ft house and I keep the t-stat at 71 all summer.
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Jun 20, 2012 22:04
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skipdogg posted:A frozen Evap coil points to either restricted airflow in the system (dirty filter, blocked returns, dirty coil etc.) or a system that is low on refrigerant. it's ~1500 sq ft and located in Oxford, Mississippi. No trees above the house. Temp today is 90, and it's 79 inside according to my fiance. Costs me about $10/day in electricity too.
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Jun 20, 2012 22:18
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Hell you might be better off buying 2 efficient window units and turning the central A/C off. Probably cheaper with the electric bill.
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Jun 20, 2012 22:49
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Third Murderer posted:Are there any caveats other than the obvious when looking for apartments on Craigslist? I sent an email about an ad that looks promising, but other than bringing someone else with me if I can arrange a look at the place I don't know what to look out for. I've done it a ton of times times and each time was met by normal people looking to rent out their place. Google street view is your friend and, if you're feeling sketched out about it, just bring a friend along.
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Jun 21, 2012 13:59
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psydude posted:I've done it a ton of times times and each time was met by normal people looking to rent out their place. Google street view is your friend and, if you're feeling sketched out about it, just bring a friend along. Sound good, that's pretty much how I intended to handle it. Thanks!
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Jun 21, 2012 18:31
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TECHNICAL Thug posted:I have an 11 day old daughter in this house, and running the A/C 24x7 to keep it at 80 degrees when it's barely 90 outside just isn't cutting it. It might be worth it to run to Wal-mart and buy a window A/C for whatever room she sleeps in. Even with the sunk cost of the unit it'll still save you money immediately by not running the house's A/C and you'll be able to keep her cool and comfortable.
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Jun 21, 2012 20:52
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vonnegutt posted:-Go to the liquor store for boxes. They're reinforced and a good size - easy to carry but still hold a lot of stuff. Do not pack giant boxes, they will be a pain in the rear end every step of the way.
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Jun 22, 2012 05:37
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I packed most of my kitchen breakables in wine boxes from the local wine shop and everything survived. I did use a poo poo ton of packing tape to hold the box together and used quite a bit of bubble wrap and packing paper. I only ended up with one cracked glass. YMMV, I guess. If you need packing paper, go to Walmart. They sell a package of 150 big sheets of it for around $15. One package was enough to pack my entire kitchen.
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Jun 22, 2012 12:51
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:I packed most of my kitchen breakables in wine boxes from the local wine shop and everything survived. I did use a poo poo ton of packing tape to hold the box together and used quite a bit of bubble wrap and packing paper. I only ended up with one cracked glass. YMMV, I guess. Yeah, I've done a lot of newspaper packing and I've been fine. I think one thing broke ever? But a lot depends on how far you're moving, how careful people are with the boxes, what gets stacked on what, how many potholes and short stops there are... I think it depends on whether or not you want to risk it. Your Target dishes that were $30 for a full set? Eh, wrap it in underpants and chuck it in a suitcase.* Grandma's bone china? Hells no, do it properly. * Hyperbole. Do not do this.
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Jun 22, 2012 14:10
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Meeper posted:This might be company brainwashing talking, but I've been involved with professional removalists my whole life, and I've never seen items broken that are packed into purpose-built moving boxes, and every week I see someone who's packed into cheap boxes with dozens of broken gear. If you don't have expensive or breakable things, it's less of a problem, but if you have expensive dinnerware or anything remotely breakable then shell out for real boxes, paper and tape. Even if your stuff isn't breakable, real moving boxes are WAY easier to pack into a truck, and the easier it is, the faster your move gets done. I doubt there's any real difference between types of corrugated cardboard, so I'm going to guess that a standard size plus plenty of room for paper/bubblewrap and tape reinforcement is the deciding factor for real moving boxes vs. other types. Cheap boxes CAN be weird sizes without reinforcement, and can be packed poorly, but that's why I like liquor boxes - they are fairly standard, usually reinforced (double-walled cardboard), and they are made for valuable, fragile items. Pack them carefully and label clearly and I doubt there's going to be any problems. If it gives you a sense of security to use moving boxes, do so, but I've done several 500+ mile moves in the last few years and have only broken one thing (a lamp I couldn't find a box for).
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Jun 22, 2012 14:35
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My two favorite box types for moving are liquor boxes and paper boxes - the ones that offices get whole reams delivered in. Liquor boxes are great, and you will almost certainly be able to grab some that have those dividers inside. Those are perfect for packing your own glasses and any bottles you have. Seriously, those boxes are used to ship a dozen bottles of wine thousands of miles with almost no breakage, they will do just fine to shift your kitchen stuff across town. The paper boxes are crazy strong, it's basically impossible for them to fail because of how they are constructed. We used them for packing books, they are a good size and can hold up to the weight. But they work fine for moving all sorts of stuff, and they stack well too. There is certainly nothing wrong with going out and buying some specialty boxes. We buy special boxes for moving framed pictures and artwork, for instance, because those are really vulnerable otherwise.
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Jun 22, 2012 14:55
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Book boxes from B&N are the poo poo, too. Nice standard size, reasonable to carry even if full of books. I have used liquor boxes but sometimes they are very different sizes, have holes in them (on purpose holes) or don't seem to have lids. That can be irritating. Grocery store vegetable boxes are worse for that though.
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Jun 22, 2012 14:59
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Grocery stores usually have good banana/apple boxes too.
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Jun 22, 2012 15:53
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Grumpwagon posted:Grocery stores usually have good banana/apple boxes too. Word of caution on this, if you use produce boxes and haul your stuff a long way/in the heat your stuff might end up smelling like the fruit the box was originally used for. This could either be a good or a bad thing.
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Jun 22, 2012 19:15
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:Word of caution on this, if you use produce boxes and haul your stuff a long way/in the heat your stuff might end up smelling like the fruit the box was originally used for. This could either be a good or a bad thing. Yes, and while the boxes are in your house, everything will smell like malevolent lettuce.
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Jun 23, 2012 00:50
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:Word of caution on this, if you use produce boxes and haul your stuff a long way/in the heat your stuff might end up smelling like the fruit the box was originally used for. This could either be a good or a bad thing. I got all my boxes for free from the streets of London. As I was running out of time and beggars can't be choosers I ended up grabbing a Subway ingredients box and it had mayo on one corner  In terms of good boxes, I found one outside a kebab shop that had originally held napkins, it was good for packing up clothing (I checked to make sure it didn't have anything gross on it). I've been unpacking this weekend and so far nothing has smelt like mayo/kebabs, so I think I got away with my free box scheme.
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Jun 23, 2012 18:33
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Just got started in the apartment hunting game. Found the below link, was very excited, because craigslist really needed a map. WELL now Padmapper doesn't have craigslist listings anymore just in time for me, which naturally takes about two thirds of everything on their site. Are there any alternate map sites that include craigslist?
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Jun 24, 2012 03:24
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Yeah, PadMapper is/was great. Send an email to craigslist about it, I'd love to see it come back.
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Jun 24, 2012 04:41
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How do you get a rug to lay completely flat? It originally came rolled up, and 7 months later the corners that are not under the couch are still curled. Ugly and is a slight tripping hazard. With the way the room is laid out, no furniture can be put on the corners. 
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Jun 24, 2012 15:29
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drat Bananas posted:How do you get a rug to lay completely flat? It originally came rolled up, and 7 months later the corners that are not under the couch are still curled. Ugly and is a slight tripping hazard. With the way the room is laid out, no furniture can be put on the corners. http://www.ehow.com/how_7837972_do-secure-area-rug-carpeting.html Gripper tape: The number one reason that Persian carpet at grandma's house has not moved since 1978.
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Jun 24, 2012 15:46
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Ramrod Hotshot posted:Just got started in the apartment hunting game. Found the below link, was very excited, because craigslist really needed a map. WELL now Padmapper doesn't have craigslist listings anymore just in time for me, which naturally takes about two thirds of everything on their site. Are there any alternate map sites that include craigslist? Also, http://www.housingmaps.com/ works pretty well as a "padmapper style" site.
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Jun 24, 2012 20:01
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The issue isn't generally that other boxes get crushed, it's that they don't stack as easy and this leads to falls, etc. Most of the time, it really couldn't matter less, but I figure if you have the money to have things worth thinking about protecting (china, etc), you can pay for proper boxes to move them in. Decent providers will buy back your boxes as well, so it makes them a little cheaper. Very much YMMV; it's a simple fact of averages that a lot of people will never have a problem with wine or fruit boxes. Reading this thread is interesting; are fixed-price quote removalists the only option in America?
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Jun 25, 2012 07:04
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If you move a lot like me, stackable storage bins from target are a god-send. They're cheap, re-usable, easily stackable, and sturdy as hell.
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Jun 25, 2012 14:16
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Anyone have a recommendation for a window air conditioner? My swamp coolers about as useful in the Denver triple digits as a fart in a tornado.
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Jun 26, 2012 00:23
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I'm looking to move out this year since now I have a career in place with a good amount of income (around 35k). The best part is that I work entirely from home, so instead of paying a couple hundred in gas, I'm down to maybe two fill-ups a month. That being said, I'd like to move in mid-August, but I read its better to wait until October? I'm a bit desperate to move out of the literal basement so that I can concentrate on work and improve my health (no matter what I try to do, the basement is bit muggy or damp, not to mention the bugs and spiders I get). I've set my max at 1,200 for rent, which may seem high, but my girlfriend will be moving in when her lease is up in October, which will knock it down by half. Aside from keeping 3 month's rent/utilities and keeping my poo poo insured, am I on the right path?
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Jun 26, 2012 12:59
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Ringo Star Get posted:I'm looking to move out this year since now I have a career in place with a good amount of income (around 35k). The best part is that I work entirely from home, so instead of paying a couple hundred in gas, I'm down to maybe two fill-ups a month. You can move out whenever you want. Month doesn't really matter. That said, spend some time getting the lay of the land before you go into it. Look on craigslist and at local rental complexes to get an idea of what price range different sizes of apartment and levels of amenities are. I would also lower your rent max, just because you can't count on the future. Your girlfriend might not move in, or you might break up 6 months in (sorry but it's possible) or one of you might lose a job or get their hours cut. Better to have an apartment that you can at least kind of afford on one income. I live in a much shittier apartment than my boyfriend and I could afford together, but since this was our first year living together I wanted to make sure we could split up without financial ruin, unlikely as that was. Definitely spend time in the Budgeting thread, too. I would suggest a bigger emergency fund as well. I know $35k seems like a lot right now (I earn like $25k so it sure does!) but you need to be prepared for all the expenses you aren't thinking about. You also probably have no idea how much you spend on food every month (groceries + eating out). You really really do need to budget. I mean, initially, there's the expense of moving. You're definitely going to spend money on random poo poo you never think about, like cleaning supplies, kitchen stuff, furnishing your living room, etc. Figure out with your girlfriend what she'll be able to bring to the place. If she's the one with all the plates and pans and furniture, you might as well wait till she can join you, save your pennies, and move in together in October.
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Jun 26, 2012 15:57
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Timing your move is a really regional thing, so make sure you look at your local market and understand what is going on. In some cities there are particular times of the year when it will either be impossible to find a place, or you will need to have done it six months in advance. Any town or city with a decent college presence will probably have a fair amount of turnover in August or September on account of students. If you are planning to move in with someone, it probably makes sense to wait until the end of their lease - otherwise you will be stuck paying the rent yourself for two months, or she will have to work out how to get out of her lease early.
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Jun 26, 2012 16:03
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blakout posted:Anyone have a recommendation for a window air conditioner? My swamp coolers about as useful in the Denver triple digits as a fart in a tornado. I have 2 of these: http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances...1&storeId=10051 and one of these: http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances...1&storeId=10051 they both work very well but obviously the 8,000 BTU one is better.
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Jun 26, 2012 16:20
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Those are to last me until 8-1 when the landlord will let us break the lease (remember I sent that certified letter and she has sent one back telling me she ain't fixing it and we sure can move out in 30 days). She's gonna have a hell of a time convincing someone to move in if she's showing it while we're still there-- there's box fans everywhere (3-4 now??) and 3 window units, yet she will try to convince people the house has working central air. lol. My fiance or myself will definitely be there when she's there-- obviously we're not going to tell people not to rent from her, but won't do anything to hide the fact that the house is hot as poo poo.
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Jun 26, 2012 16:23
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