Packing Your Garage: Five Steps to Get You Started

Packing Your Garage: Five Steps to Get You Started

When it comes to packing up your home for a move, the garage is often the last room packed. Let’s face it, we put it off due to the sheer number of things piled up over the years. Garages are full of tools, landscaping equipment and things you don’t want to look at. So, how do you tackle packing a garage?Moving is the time when the garage finally gets cleaned out. Hurray! It doesn’t make much sense to move belongings you have no intention of ever using at a new place.

NorthStar Moving Celebrates 25 Years of Thinking Outside the Box

NorthStar Moving Celebrates 25 Years of Thinking Outside the Box

NorthStar Moving’s red trucks hit the road 25 years ago today.On the move since 1994, NorthStar Moving Co-Founders Ram Katalan and Laura McHolm have been on a mission to move service back into what should have always been the ultimate service industry: the moving industry. They have turned the industry on its head as the first to offer “eco-luxury” moving services. From responsible recycling, biodiesel moving trucks, to eco-friendly storage and energy efficient warehouses and offices, they are the trend-setting moving company which is both green-minded and service-minded.

You’ve Moved in, Now What? A Post-Move Checklist

You’ve Moved in, Now What? A Post-Move Checklist

So, it’s been a month since you moved into your new home. The empty boxes are stacked in corners like miniature Leaning Towers of Pisa and you’re missing some key pieces of mail. The moving checklist guided you day-by-day, but now that the moving storm has subsided, how do you complete the settling in process?Are you ready for the best news ever!? Unlike your two-month-long moving-in checklist, there’s a short list of tasks that will not only ensure you don’t miss the next Glamour magazine, but will also help mother earth and others in need. Sounds too good to be true? You can thank us later. Follow these five steps and you will forget you ever moved!

How many moving boxes will you need?

How many moving boxes will you need?

You might not be able to exactly determine how many moving boxes you’ll need for your specific move since it can vary so much.However, using data from Olympia Moving and Storage, NorthStar Moving Company and the Huffington Post, we came up with some pretty good starting guidelines. You can use the starting points here and adjust based on the factors we already mentioned.

How to Pack Your Garage In Five Steps

How to Pack Your Garage In Five Steps

When it comes to packing up your home for a move, the garage is often the last room packed. Let’s face it, we put it off due to the sheer number of things piled up over the years. Garages are full of tools, landscaping equipment and things you don’t want to look at. Often, our garages have become the dumping ground of junk we don’t want in the house. But…there are so many advantages to making the garage the first room you pack up. With a little planning, packing up your garage will ease your mind and possibly fill your wallet! So, how do you tackle packing a garage?

Moving Journey with Northstar

Moving Journey with Northstar

I want to talk a bit about my moving process with you guys. Its always difficult to do the entire move on your own, that’s why I spent weeks researching a company I could trust with helping me move all my stuff.I discovered  North Star Moving and called them for help.  Their website was so easy to use and they offer numerous services other than just moving. When I spoke to them on the phone, they were helpful from day one and making sure they noted every detail about my move.They are a full service moving company based in LA and have a lot of customized options for your move. They really make it a personalized experience and take the stress off your hands.

NorthStar Moving Named “Best Places to Work” Winner for Ten Consecutive Years

NorthStar Moving Named “Best Places to Work” Winner for Ten Consecutive Years

NorthStar Moving was named one of the “Best Places to Work” in greater Los Angeles for the tenth consecutive year. The 2019 honor will be published in the August 19th issue of the Los Angeles Business Journal.“Achieving ten consecutive Best Places to Work awards is a huge milestone for any company, but it is particularly extraordinary in the moving industry,” said NorthStar Moving Co-Founder and CEO Ram Katalan. “In the moving industry, like any seasonal business, high employee turnover is expected. We set out to change that. If work isn’t a place where you are valued as an individual, empowered to make decisions, and treated with respect; you aren’t going to be happy. In addition to flexible work schedules, an office gym and other benefits; we listen, inform and thank our team. We believe a happy team, means a happy client. … Continued

Dorm Room Décor

Dorm Room Décor

Moving into a tiny dorm room doesn’t mean a college student has to look at institutional walls and asmattering of hastily tacked-up posters every day. With a few simple tips, a boring dorm can be transformed into a cozy, personalized space.Costco member Laura McHolm, who is co-founder and chief of organized living for NorthStar Moving Company, suggests selecting a color scheme and using a variety of materials, patterns and textures to incorporate that theme. “Add accent colors that you can swap out,” she tells the Connection.Consider bedding, decorations, area rugs and window draperies. Plants add a natural element, while cut flowers are a cheerful addition.

NorthStar Moving Company sends Hunger Packing for the 7th Year in a Row!

NorthStar Moving Company sends Hunger Packing for the 7th Year in a Row!

From June 3-14, Northstar Moving encouraged people to drop off non-perishable food at Northstar Moving Company’s headquarters and other locations in Los Angeles. Nearly 900 lbs. of food was collected and delivered to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. That’s enough to provide 740 meals!“I am so proud of and inspired by our team and the community,” said NorthStar Moving Co-Founder, Laura McHolm. “We had a fantastic group of individuals and organizations support us this year, including Groundwork Coffee. We are so grateful for their support and to everyone who helped make a difference in the lives of hungry children throughout the LA region. Please remember, this is something all of us can do to make a difference in a hungry child’s life; just donate to your local food bank, it’s as easy as a click of a button.”

NorthStar Moving’s Annual Food Drive Provides Over 130,000 Meals to Feed Hungry Kids

NorthStar Moving’s Annual Food Drive Provides Over 130,000 Meals to Feed Hungry Kids

NorthStar Moving announced today that their seventh annual “Let’s Send Hunger Packing” summer food drive raised food and monetary donations to provide 33,924 meals to feed hungry children in Los Angeles County. Over seven years, the drive has raised a total of approximately 134,124 meals!“This year’s donation from NorthStar Moving Company comes at a critical time for food-insecure families with children who struggle to fill the summer meal gap when school meals are not available,” President and CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Michael Flood.

Protect Your Treasures

Protect Your Treasures

Before you start to pack, make a game plan. Which of your items are fragile? What will you need to pack them? Here, we’ve compiled a list of top 10 items damaged when moving. It’s surprising what items make the list. To help you with your move, we’ve also included tips on how to protect your treasures so you can “break” this pattern.

Conquering Your Calendar: Mastering Your Schedule So It Doesn’t Master You

Conquering Your Calendar: Mastering Your Schedule So It Doesn’t Master You

“Home is where the Om is” is the practical series to the art of mindful living. In each article you’ll learn ways to get your external world set-up to give your inner world more room to breathe. You’ll learn how to minimize distractions, be more efficient, and how to create more space externally and internally. Turns out a clean and clear closet, purse, kitchen junk drawer really can set you up for mindfulness. 

Moving Is the Worst, But These Tips Will Make It Way Less Stressful

Moving Is the Worst, But These Tips Will Make It Way Less Stressful

In a recent Comcast Xfinity survey, 19% of respondents said they would rather get a root canal than spend the day moving, and nearly half would choose sitting next to a screaming baby on a one-hour flight over packing up their place. (But what about a two-hour flight?)Hey, relocating is a reality of life. The good news: There are ways to make it less stressful. No, it won’t be a barrel of laughs, but moving doesn’t have to be a traumatic experience. So when the time comes, consider putting the following tips to use.

“Something really simple got lost in the business world — the golden rule of kindness”

“Something really simple got lost in the business world — the golden rule of kindness”

As a part of my series about about how leaders can create a “fantastic work culture”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Laura McHolm. Featured in Ladies’ Home Journal as one of 16 Women Making the World a Happier Place and one of the few women at the helm of a moving company, Laura McHolm had an unlikely start as co-founder of NorthStar Moving Company. Laura began university at the age of 16. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, she taught basic programming on Apple computers, then worked in marketing for Atari while the company was still in its infancy. After law school, she worked as a corporate intellectual property lawyer. In the mid-1990s, she moved away from the Fortune 500 to fulfill her more creative, entrepreneurial spirit and co-founded NorthStar Moving® Company in Los Angeles. Today, NorthStar Moving … Continued

The Power Issue

The Power Issue

On June 20th we celebrated women who are all responsible for moving our economy forward and pushing the boundaries of our workforce. This year’s event at the JW Marriott at LA Live was a day of inspiration, education and recognition. We welcomed more than 400 executives in the morning session. The afternoon portion, which more that 700 people attended, was highlighted by a powerful keynote presentation by powerful presentation by City National Bank Chief Executive Kelly Coffey and a luncheon awards program where we honored achievement by powerful women who make a difference throughout Los Angeles. Laura McHolm – Entrepreneur of the Year Honoree: One of the few women at the helm of a moving company, Laura McHolm had an unlikely start for a moving company co-founder, teaching basic programming on Apple computers, then working in marketing for Atari while the … Continued

NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm Receives NAWBO-LA Community Leader Award

NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm Receives NAWBO-LA Community Leader Award

NorthStar Moving is pleased to announce that NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm was awarded The National Association of Women Business Owners – Los Angeles (NAWBO-LA) Community Leader Award at their 33rd Annual Leadership & Legacy Awards Luncheon.The NAWBO-LA Community Leader Award recognizes someone who has achieved success in her career, business or personal life and has made a tremendous impact in the community through dedicated service. The honoree serves her community without reservation.

NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm Receives 2019 World Refugee Day Award

NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm Receives 2019 World Refugee Day Award

Miry’s List, a nonprofit organization serving over 300 families who have recently resettled in America as refugees from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq, honors NorthStar Moving® Co-Founder Laura McHolm with their 2019 World Refugees Day Award. “Each year on June 20th, World Refugee Day honors those who are and have experienced migration and resettlement. On this World Refugee Day, we are honoring those ‘sheroes’ that have gone above and beyond to support our organization and the families forced to flee, resettling here in the United States,” said Miry’s List Founder & Executive Director Miry Whitehill. “We are awarding Ms. McHolm and her entire team at NorthStar Moving as they have been an integral part in settling these families into their new homes in this country. NorthStar Moving stores donated essential household items for us and then delivers them to the apartments … Continued

Moving a Family: The Complete Guide for Parents

Moving a Family: The Complete Guide for Parents

If you plan ahead and take simple steps the trek through the moving process will become a walk in the park (well, maybe not, but it can be a manageable stroll up hill.) Way before you break out those card board boxes, use these pointers to help your kids, toddlers and babies get through the moving process.Here are four steps to a successful move with a young family. It’s all about: timing, transition, getting the kids involved, and an adjustment period.

4 Ways to Help Make Moving with Kids Easier

4 Ways to Help Make Moving with Kids Easier

Summer is here! For families, it’s the most popular time to move to a new home because school is out. If there is any comfort in togetherness, nearly 40 million of us move in the summer. Don’t feel alone, we’re here to guide you! It’s no secret, no one likes to move and that includes your kids. Moving is one of the most stressful times in life, and it brings lots of change. For your kids, it means making new friends, and maybe, adjusting to a new school. If you have a little mover in tow, moving your home certainly adds to the baby adventures!

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices & NorthStar Moving Feed Kids

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices & NorthStar Moving Feed Kids

“One out of four children in Los Angeles County are at risk of going to bed hungry tonight,” said NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm.” One out of four, let that sink in for a minute. LA – the City of the Angels, of Hollywood and Beverly Hills. One out of four. It’s simply heartbreaking that children are hungry right in our backyards. They always need our assistance, but in the summer the need is even greater because school is out and the school meals kids can always count on are gone. Our hope is to raise as much food as we can with the help of our incredible partners and, of course, our community.