The Low-Cost DIY Moving Alternative

While MoveBuilder offers great full-service moving options – helping with any combination of packing, loading and unloading – our sister service, U-Pack Moving^®, also offers a low-cost option for customers who are willing and able to do their own packing, loading and unloading. It’s a huge money-saver, and a service customers call an “easy” alternative to renting a truck and driving it yourself.

Here’s how it works: U-Pack drops an empty moving trailer or ReloCube to your home and gives you up to three business days to load it. Once it’s loaded, they’ll pick it up and drive it to your new home (transit times average 2-5 business days). Once it arrives at your new home, you’ll have another three-business days to unload, or, if you’re not quite ready for delivery, you can utilize U-Pack Portable Storage, and store it until you are.

Driving Your Personal Vehicle vs. Public Transportation

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that 91% of people commuting to work use personal vehicles. So most likely, if you’re moving to a new city, you’ll be able to bring your vehicle along with you. But there are a handful of cities across the U.S. where having a car isn’t ideal. In New York City (which happens to have the largest subway system in the world), around 54% of commuters use public transportation instead of driving their own car. Incidentally, NYC is also the only city in the U.S. where more than half of all households do not own a vehicle. The number of households without vehicles in Manhattan is even higher.

Must See Presidential Libraries

As you’re moving across the country (letting MoveBuilder drive so you can drive your own vehicle, of course) it’s such a fun idea to visit interesting places and great landmarks along the way. Make a vacation out of it! And what better place to visit during an election year than a Presidential Library! They’re not your typical library. You won’t be able to check out a book, but you will find some very cool displays and archives. If you’re a history buff, you’ll love it. They’re also great for school-age kids.  

Thirteen past U.S. presidents have been honored with Presidential Libraries: The Ronald Regan Library in Simi Valley, CA; the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, CA and College Park, MD; the Lyndon B. Johnson Library in Austin, TX; the George W. Bush Library in Lewisville, TX; the George Bush Library in College Station, TX; the William J. Clinton Library in Little Rock, AR; the Jimmy Carter Library in Atlanta, GA; the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library in Abilene, KS; the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, MO; the Herbert Hoover Library in West Branch, IA; the Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum in Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids, MI; the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park, NY; and the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library in Boston, MA.

Now, take a look at this infographic depicting the top five Presidential Libraries you should visit. How many have you marked off your list?

Cities to Visit for a Great Rock Concert

If you’re driving your own vehicle across country (since MoveBuilder is doing the driving), and you want to find some fun things to do along the way, how about a concert? Take a look at songkick.com – where you can “track your favorite artists and never miss them live.” I love it! If you’re planning to drive through a certain city, just enter it into the search and see if you can catch a great show while you’re on the road.

But before you do that, take a look at this infographic that shows the top cities for rock concerts. If you happen to be driving through one of these places, you may be in luck!  It includes a couple of surprises!

If you do take in a concert while you’re traveling, let us know! We would love to hear about it!

Important Presidential Election States

We’re right in the heat of it. Even though Election Day 2012 (November 6^th) is still 8 months away, we know that what’s going on today will certainly make a difference on Election Day – especially in the swing states.

This infographic, depicting the Top Five Most Important States in the 2012 Presidential Election, gives a clue as to what states to watch out for as we get closer to the big day. If you live in one of these states, I have a feeling you’ve already been bombarded with advertising messages from candidates looking for a big win. We’re interested in hearing what its’ like! 

National Fuel Prices | Where can you get the cheapest gas?

If I told you that fuel prices are up across the nation year over year, would you be surprised?  It’s what we’ve come to expect, right?  The last time gas prices dipped below $2 was November 2009, and before that, March 2005.  Sadly, I’m pretty sure if I saw $1.97 advertised on a gas station sign, I would assume it was a mistake and keep on driving.  HA!

Though fuel prices are up, there are some states where you’ll definitely get more fuel for your dollar.  This infographic, titled Find the Cheapest Gas, highlights the states where you can spend less money fueling up.

On a side note, I’m happy to see my home state on the list (even if it is the 4^th highest of the 5)!

Best Sandwiches in the U.S.

It’s close to lunchtime, I’m hungry, and this Infographic isn’t helping: All-Star Sandwiches. Check it out, and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about. Yum-o! Though they don’t all appeal to my taste buds, some of them do. Wow! If you’re a sandwich connoisseur – and really, who isn’t – I’m pretty sure this list will make your mouth water.

It’s a perfect infographic for people who are moving cross country; specifically if you’re going through or to Portland, Connecticut, Las Vegas, Los Angeles or New York. If you are, make sure to stop by, then tell us what you think. You’ll see unique sandwiches on the menu like: The Reggie; The Hot Lobster Roll; The Bobbie; The Cheesey Mac and Rib; and The Elvis. These are some serious sandwiches folks.

How much does it cost to rent office space in NYC?

Best Places to Winter

Top 5 Places to Move for Healthcare Jobs

I remember my grandpa always telling me, “If you want to know for sure you’ll have a job when you get out of school, do something in the health field or be a teacher.”  I think he may have been on to something.  While I didn’t follow his advice — I can’t handle hospitals and I’m a writer, not a teacher — I have several college friends who did, and finding a job has been anything but a problem for them.  This is especially true in the medical field.  You can read report after report exclaiming that healthcare workers are in high demand across the nation.  If you’re in college, trying to figure out what to do with your life, or you’re looking for a new career, healthcare is an excellent plan right now. 

This Highest Concentration of Healthcare Jobs by State infographic, just released in the MoveBuilder Press Room, shows the top five states for healthcare jobs, along with the average pay you can expect there. Definitely worth checking out.  

Have you moved for a job in healthcare?  Tell us about it.