(BPT) – Summer is busiest time of the year for home and business moves. In fact, an estimated 65 percent of the 43 million Americans who are moving this year will do so in the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

What does that mean for those with a move in the immediate future? Considering the fact that moving is ranked just behind death and divorce in terms of life’s most stressful events, a summer move might mean stocking up on extra stress balls and taking a few extra deep breaths along the way.

“Whether you are hiring help or doing it yourself, you can expect a fair amount of anxiety,” says Sean E. Burns, a psychologist with Counseling Associates of West Michigan. “It’s helpful to simply recognize that it’s normal that your life is out of order during this period. Once moved, it’s important to resume life’s routines as soon as possible. Don’t worry about getting everything in place right away; put a priority on resuming your workouts and family trips to the park, and the rest will take care of itself over time.”

A summer move also means that you need to plan further in advance and be more flexible with your move dates.

“We moved 1.3 homes or businesses per minute last summer,” says Randy Shacka, president of Two Men And A Truck, the nation’s largest franchised moving company, “In fact, we moved 2,851 homes and businesses in the two days between June 28 and June 29. Based on year-over-year trend analysis of every move within our 260 store system, we believe that same weekend will likely be our busiest again this summer.”

So, beyond avoiding a late June move, how do you begin to navigate the waters of the busiest moving season?

“In a perfect world we’d all plan ahead, but the reality is we’re busy with work and life and next thing you know you have seven days to get moved,” Shacka says. “So while it’s important to be flexible, box things in advance, etc., you might just consider doing a few simple things to make your life a bit easier on move day.”

Shacka suggests the following:

Kids rule: If hiring a sitter isn’t an option on move day, get the kids involved as “supervisors.” Help them with a simple checklist or turn a box into a “treasure chest” of their own belongings so the move becomes a positive experience for them. For more kid-friendly move-day ideas, visit http://www.twomenandatruck.com/moving-with-kids.

Free Fido: If watching the kids weren’t enough, try managing the dog as she tries to skirt through every open door. Ask a family friend to watch the animals, or consider boarding them for the day. The money spent is a good investment in reducing your overall stress.

Space it out: Often homeowners will move all their furniture into one room to save time for their movers. This can be a cost savings for boxes, but when it comes to furniture it can slow the move down. A good moving company will use stretch wrap to protect furniture, so when packed tightly together into one room the pieces have to be moved twice to properly prepare for the move. Go ahead and consolidate boxes, but save yourself the hassle and leave furniture where it lives.

Picture this: Photos are often the last thing to be packed because it seems safer to just leave them hanging until they are ready to be moved. In truth, they often delay a move because movers have to remove them to get furniture past. This time ask your movers to provide you with-the appropriate packing materials in advance and pack your photos yourself. It’s often light lifting, and it’s a fun way to relive memories while thinking about life’s next great adventure.

For more moving advice, visit http://www.twomenandatruck.com.

Courtesy of BPT

Planning for retirement is crucial for everyone, and it is especially critical for small business owners, the business leaders many cite as the life blood of the American economy.

Indeed, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small business owners employ half of all private sector employees, pay 44 percent of total U.S. private payroll, and have generated 65 percent of net new jobs over the past 17 years.

The challenge before American small business owners is keeping their companies financially healthy long-term. This is so that small business owners do not over-rely on the sale of their business alone to take care of them in retirement, and so the business will continue to remain a viable employer in the communities it serves.

 

The average business owner expects to retire at age 68, according to a survey conducted by GfK Custom Research North American for MassMutual this year. Yet only one-third of the respondents had a sound retirement strategy to ensure income for life, having access to income when needed, managing potential health care expenses and leaving a legacy to the next generation.

 

Courtesy of BPT