People love to tell stories and share their experiences. We decided to give people a chance to share their stories and make a difference! The “Smooth Mover” giveaway gives you a chance to share your moving story with us and the world! Anyone who shares a story will be entered into a prize drawing for a $50 gift card to the Home Improvement Store near you (or simply a Visa gift card).

Everyone’s move is different, and we want to know your experience. Share a funny memory or something you learned. Anything that you think is helpful or interesting, we’ll post it on the site! Enter your story here..

As a child, my family moved seven times.  As an adult, I’ve moved four times in the less than four years I’ve been married.  This makes me somewhat of an expert on moving, I guess.

This last move was an inter-city move.  I was arriving before my husband (he had to stay and work a few more days).  I also had two little kids in tow.  Not a simple situation, but it was actually a fairly smooth transition, and these are some of the reasons why:

1) Starting early. I started packing a couple months before the move.  Books that weren’t essential, kitchen gadgets that were rarely used, extra towels, linens, and basically, anything I didn’t use on a weekly basis got packed.  I packed them up, sealed them shut and stacked them in the corner.  An additional perk to packing early is that I was able to go through my belongings and weed out those things that I really didn’t need to move with me (again).  It was an amazing feeling.

2) Accepting that things are going to be hectic and messy. This is just part of moving, as far as I can tell.  It’s a limbo state, and those are rarely fun or settling.  However, it’s only temporary.  That was my mantra.  It helped me keep my cool in situations that were potential flare-ups.

3) Enlisting the help of friends and family.  I arranged playdates for the kids so I could pack.  My mother-in-law helped us pay for a babysitter so that I could pack some more.  My father helped me drive to our new home, and my mother came for a little over a week to help me unpack and settle in.  I am incredibly grateful for all of their help.

4)  Outsourcing the packing.  I didn’t mind doing a lot of the packing myself, but with two little kids underfoot, I wasn’t sure that I would be able to do it all before moving day.  Also, I wasn’t comfortable packing the fragile things like my china, vases and pictures.  We had the movers do those items for us, as well as whatever items remained unpacked on the day of the move.  This enabled me to pack without undue stress, knowing that whatever I didn’t get done would still be moved.  It was well worth it.

5) Planning ahead.  There are certain things which are needed immediately in a new home.  Things like sheets, towels, toiletries, pajamas, toys and books for the kids, clean clothes, etc. need to be accessible.  I wanted to be able to function right away, so I either had these things in a suitcase or a clearly marked box.  We purchased paper plates, cups and utensils to eat off of the first few days, and I wish I would have left out a pot or two to cook with as well.  I guess I’ll get that one right in the next move…

About the Author: Rivki Silver blogs at Life in the Married Lane, where she tries to find meaning in doing dishes, among other things.

Okay…so summer is at its peak and it is HOT! We’ve felt it, you’ve felt it, and so have your movers! Here are some basic but often forgotten tips on how to stay cool on the day of your move:

•Remember to hydrate yourself; it is one of the best ways to keep your body cool. Keeping cool is not just about being comfortable, it’s about being safe. Moving stress can increase chances of heat exhaustion.

•Wrap your sofa and other fabric-covered furniture in plastic to keep the movers from sweating all over it.

•Doors will probably be propped open during the load and unload, so it might be a good idea to turn some electric fans on. Keeping cool will keep the movers productive, and it will also prevent your AC bill from sky rocketing.

•Set out a pitcher of ice water along with plastic cups for your movers. It will cut down on the number of breaks they take around the kitchen sink, and besides, it’s a nice thing to do.

•Apply sunscreen. Even though you’re not constantly outside, you’re probably running in and out. You can still get a burn.

Don’t let the heat melt your excitement for your move. Following these tips will keep you and your movers cool, productive, and safe!

People love Facebook. People love to win things. People love movies. We decided to combine these three things that and spin them into a great giveaway! The “Summer Blockbuster” giveaway gives our Facebook fans a chance to vote on their favorite summer movie. Voters will be entered into a drawing, and the winner will receive a $50 gift card to AMC Theaters!

The movie industry raked in close to $1 trillion dollars for a record-breaking summer! We chose the top 5 revenue generating movies and put them in a poll on our fan page. The voting choices are: Hangover 2, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2, Cars 2, Bridesmaids, and Transformers 3.

We appreciate the support we have gotten from our fans on Facebook, and want to continue to give them a chance to win stuff! If you would like to participate in this giveaway, or to participate in other giveaways, become a fan of TSI!

Millions of Americans move each year, it seems a lot of them are Billy Joel lovers.

At least that’s what our recent prize drawing indicated. The “Music That Moves You” sweepstakes has come to a conclusion. TSI wanted to determine what Americans consider to be the best song to move to, and we found that “Moving Out” by Billy Joel was voted as the top moving song over by 20 percent of voters, out-voting artists like Kelly Clarkson, The Beatles, P. Diddy and many others. The song that got the least votes, sorry to all you Wombats lovers, was “Moving to New York” making up only .5 percent of votes.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…who were the chosen winners?

Mark Chapman of Washington, D.C., won the iPod Nano. He will be sure to put his vote, “Movin’ On Up” by Janet Du’bois at the top of his list when he moves next.

“‘Music That Moves You’ was brilliant,” says Chapman. “Listening to music when you’re moving to a new place is essential, whether you’re nostalgic about the place you’re leaving, or excited for where you’re going.”

iTunes gift certificates were also awarded to Derrick Lee of Pendleton, SC, and Mary Shaffer of Las Vegas, NV.

The prize drawing fulfilled its purpose: Letting America know what the top song is to move to, and giving every voter a chance to expand their own personal music library for when they make their next move. Thanks to all who participated in the prize drawing. We hope that if anything, we’ve given you ten new songs to listen to the next time you move!