Moving can be exhausting! The last thing you want to do when you’ve got your stuff all moved into your shiny new apartment is worry about the small details. Like: Did you remember to call Con Ed and transfer your electricity? How long does it take to get the electricity turned on in a new place, anyway? Will you be living by candlelight for a week?

Relax, you neurotic New Yorker. We’ve got this handy checklist all ready. Print it out, check it off, and pat yourself on the back for being so organized.

●      Yes, check that you called Con Ed! And the gas company, your internet provider, your cable company, your landline provider (some people still have them, we hear), and any other utilities.

●      Plug in your electronics and make sure they work. If you have insurance, you don’t have a lot of time to make a claim if they were damaged in the move.

●      Fill out a change-of-address form – you can do it online. You may also want to notify your bank and other important entities of your address change yourself.

●      Order checks with your new address.

The rest of these items are for you out-of-staters (welcome to New York!):

●      Find out if your insurance – health, car, etc – has policies in New York, or if you need to find a new company.

●      Get a new driver’s license and plates, if you’re bringing your car (we do have excellent public transportation here).

●      Change your voter registration.

●      Find new doctors, including a dentist, and a vet if you’ve got four-legged friends.

●      Get a subscription to a local newspaper – we’ve got lots of great ones here!

And if it turns out your new digs are smaller than the old ones, you can always store your extra stuff at Tuck-It-Away! With 13 self-storage locations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and New Jersey, we’re never far away.

TIA president Nick Sprayregen was quoted in the article, saying “In New York people need storage space, not just living space.” Yep! And we’re willing to bet this is one instance where paying more doesn’t get you more – unless those luxury storage spaces come with a Mercedes (also $200,000) already parked inside.

Mercy Center is an organization that empowers women and their families in the South Bronx to liberate themselves from economic poverty. They’ve been around for over 20 years, and offer classes in parenting and family life skills, business and job skills, and personal development. They also provide ESL / immigrant services, social services and case management, and youth programs and activities.

We’ve visited Mercy Center ourselves, and we’ve seen the good they can do. Consider donating your time or money to Mercy Center – every bit helps.

The fine print: Rooms 5X10 and smaller. Subject to availability. And we can’t help you make space for more turkey.

If you don’t know what color your desk is anymore, it might be time to organize your office! Get out from under that mountain of papers with these tips:

1. Take a photo

Sometimes, it’s hard to have perspective on your clutter. You may not see what the real trouble spots are. Taking a photo can help you identify what needs to be changed in a more objective way.

2. Have a place for everything

Make sure everything has a spot, either in a drawer or on top of your desk. Drawer organizers and desktop trays and bins can help here.

And as obvious as it sounds, make sure the stuff you use most is within reach! Put it on your desktop or in a top drawer.

3. Get your cables organized

One of the ugliest sources of a clutter can be computer cables. Try threading them through binder clips and clipping those onto the edge of your desk.

4. Clean up at the end of the day

If you clean up at the end of every day, clutter won’t pile up. If there are papers you won’t be using on a daily basis, but you’ll need them again eventually, file them away (or Tuck Them Away at one of our 13 locations (shameless plug)! We’ve got self-storage facilities in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and New Jersey).

Maria's winning decorations!

The winner of this year’s Halloween decorating contest is Maria Baez, manager of our 261 Walton Avenue location! Congrats, Maria – you really had the spookiest storage spot in the city. Congrats also to runner-up Steve Cheuveret, manager of our 3240 Bronx Boulevard location. See more pics of their devilish decor below:

261 Walton

3240 Bronx Boulevard

We’re all about helping you make space at Tuck-It-Away – and that includes making space in your handbag (or messenger bag, as the case may be). If it takes you ten minutes to find your keys, follow these de-cluttering steps – before you end up on “Hoarders”:

1. Dump everything out

And you’re done! Your bag has so much space!

Just kidding. It’s time to decide what to keep and what to throw away. Hint: you don’t need old receipts or expired MetroCards. You also don’t need five pounds of coins – put all that loose change in a jar.

Make it a habit to clean out your bag every week, so it stays nice and organized.

2. Put everything back – neatly

Make sure everything has a place. Makeup bags and coin purses can help you get organized. Consider a mini-accordion organizer for receipts. And a keychain wallet, clipped to the strap of your bag, will ensure that you’ve always got the essentials within reach.

3.  Don’t go to the dark side

If you can, consider getting a bag with a lighter lining. It’s easier to find stuff that way.

4. Don’t use your bag as storage space

In NYC storage space can be hard to find, but don’t use your bag! Tuck your stuff away at one of our 13 locations (shameless plug!) including two convenient Brooklyn self-storage facilities.

From time to time, we here at Tuck-It-Away like to spotlight one of our employees. Today, we’re introducing you to Brendalee Morales, who’s worked at our 160 John St and 3261 Broadway locations for three years. We’ve always valued her professionalism and people skills, and we’re proud to say that our customers appreciate her just as much as we do. Kelli, a customer at John St, recently left a review on Yelp that singled out Brendalee by name:

“We recently moved to New York City from Dallas and had arranged to meet our movers at Tuck It Away Storage on the morning of 09/18/11.  Brendalee Morales was on duty that morning and she was helpful above and beyond the call of duty [...] She had no other staffing support that day and managed to assist us as well as a number of other customers while maintaining a pleasant demeanor, despite circumstances that might have overwhelmed someone else in the same position [...] She was more than helpful and we just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate her kindness and professionalism.”

Says Brendalee, a Bronx-dweller and New Yorker of 15 years (!): “Customer service is my specialty and  there is plenty of room for growth here at TIA. (Not to mention the bosses are awesome).” (We didn’t tell her to say that, we swear). In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and visiting family on Long Island.