We’re all aware of the cliché that moving is one of the most stressful life tasks you can do – and unfortunately for many of us, this cliché usually proves to be true. As such, a checklist for moving into a new house can be enormously helpful, signaling the most important tasks to tick off during the entire process and taking the added stress of remembering everything yourself away.

Moving house – whether you’re buying, renting, moving across the country, or relocating locally – is a life step full of lots of mini tasks. Not only are you reckoning with the emotional weight of leaving one home for another, but you also have to consider the logistic components of moving too, such as packing, changing your address, cleaning and redirecting your mail.

Enter the ultimate moving house checklist. Ticking these home organizing ideas off of your to-do list in the weeks (and months) leading up to moving day will ensure that you can rest easy knowing that you’ve covered all the essentials – and on time, too. With tips and guidance from moving and organizing experts, this is your foolproof checklist for moving into a new home.

Checklist for moving into a new house

Though there will be some tasks specific to your move, most of the below items on this moving house checklist are things that every mover will need to complete, meaning they’re important to take note of. However, if any don’t apply, simply tweak the list to your requirements.

As soon as the move is confirmed

1. Begin to declutter

(Image credit: Alamy)

Though it may seem too early, as soon as contracts have been exchanged and you have your move-in date, it’s a great time to get started with your moving house checklist. And the very first step, experts explain, is to begin decluttering your home, for a clean slate in your new property.

‘As soon as you know you’re going to be moving, start removing anything you don’t want or need,’ professional organizer Felice Cohen said. ‘Take it one section at a time, and as you go through items, ask yourself, ‘Do I want this taking up space in my new place?’

Though it may seem overwhelming, it pays to do this now in more ways than one. Mary Jo Contello, owner of Organized by MJ, said, ‘You don’t want to pay someone to pack and move items you do not want. Consider that you should only plan to move items that you need, want, and that fit, to the next place.’ If you struggle with getting rid of things, perhaps these decluttering tips can help – or these insights into how professional organizers declutter to move.

2. Take measurements of your new home

As long as the current tenants/owners don’t mind, this is a great time to measure up your new home to make sure that your existing furniture fits into its relevant room. Measure the space for the most essential pieces first, such as beds, wardrobes, sofas and desks.

And if you find that some things don’t fit, you should have plenty of time to order new pieces before moving day.

Two months before your move

3. Organize and schedule movers

Two months out from a move is a very reasonable amount of notice to give if you’re looking to hire a professional removal company for your relocation. Ian A. Imlach, VP of Business Development at moving company Imlach Group, said, ‘Get estimates from a few different moving companies (if you’re wondering how much it costs to hire movers, it may not be as pricey as you think).’ This is especially important during the summer months, as many movers are booked out a month or more.” 

Or, if you’re keen to move yourself, now is the time to figure out how much van space you will need, and start getting quotes for the necessary moving vehicle.

However, Ryan Carrigan, CEO of MoveBuddha, explained that hiring movers can take a lot of stress off of your plate. ‘My biggest tip for people who are looking to move is to be willing to get a professional, especially for a larger job – as they will understand how to make the process quicker.’

When discussing options with moving companies, be sure to give them an accurate picture of the size of your current and future property, as well as the number of items you need to move, to avoid being caught out price-wise.

4. Start packing non-essential items

It might seem too soon to begin packing, but squirreling away any non-essential items now will be something you thank yourself for in the days before your moving date.

Life organizer Debra Baida, founder of Liberated Spaces, suggests tackling ‘infrequently used items, and things you don’t plan to use before the move.’ This might include items such as ‘books, special occasion tableware, photographs and memorabilia, seasonal clothing (that will be out of season when you move), and holiday decorations.’

If you want, she even suggests taking down decorative items at this time, to really get ahead of schedule. ‘If you are comfortable with visible shelves, and wall space looking a little more spartan than usual, this is a good time to pack decorative household items, tchotchkes, and artwork,’ says Debra.

Debra Baida

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Professional Organizer and Coach

Debra opened her San Francisco-based professional organizing business, Liberated Spaces, in 2007. She aims to help people reclaim and declutter all aspects of their lives, in a sustainable way.

5. Book your annual leave

Many of us will need to take at least some time off to deal with a house move, so now is the time to request that annual leave in order to make sure everyone involved has enough notice. If your move-in date falls in the middle of the week, consider that you may need more than one day away from work, especially if you are moving cross-country.

6. Start planning how to use up opened items

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Try to avoid taking any already-open items to your new property, especially when it comes to food or toiletries. 

Not only will this give you less ‘stuff’ to move, but it’ll also save you from any accidental spills during the move itself. Felice explained that; ‘Toiletries and food can spill, leak or attract insects,’ which isn’t ideal as you settle into a new home! This might mean finally using up that old facial serum or the packet of lentils that have been sitting in your kitchen for months.

1 month before your move

7. Order any essential moving supplies

If you’re wondering how much it costs to move, there’s no doubt that it’s a pricey process. And part of that cost comes in making sure you have everything you need to actually pack your items. At this point, make sure you have all the essentials to hand, such as packing tape, sturdy moving boxes, sticky labels, permanent markers for writing onto said labels and bubble wrap – and order them in if not.

Emily Speed, professional organizer and owner of The Organized Home Mindset shared one of her top packing tricks, suggesting that you invest in clear bins instead of boxes for regularly used items.

‘Clear boxes will enable you to locate items quickly, and it will look and feel less overwhelming in the new space when it comes to unpacking.’

Emily Speed

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Professional Organizer

CEO and creator of The Organized Home Mindset, a professional organizing company based in Florida, Emily helps her clients to declutter and organize their homes, whether they’re moving or staying put.

8. Make a list of people to notify of your move

With just four weeks until you’re out of your current property, it’s important to put together a list of people/organizations who need to know that you’re moving. This might include your workplace, your bank, household service providers (such as gardeners or cleaners), and any organizations you or your family might be a part of, such as sports clubs. 

You don’t need to actually ‘tell’ these people just yet, but putting together a list will be infinitely helpful for you to refer to closer to your moving date. However, you may want to inform any family members and friends you haven’t yet told now, to ensure they don’t deliver any further posts to you!

9. Start packing more of your items

(Image credit: Alamy)

Three to four weeks before moving is the ideal time to seriously begin your packing process. Sarah Schier, the owner of the home-organizing company Beautiful Life Creative Organizing, admits that while it may feel early, doing so is incredibly helpful when tackling such a big job. 

‘Starting early gives you sufficient time to sort through your belongings, declutter, and pack efficiently without feeling rushed or stressed. It also allows you to create an inventory and label your boxes properly, making unpacking easier at your new home,’ she said.

Go room-by-room, packing less important items first, and more of your daily essentials as your move gets closer.

Sarah Schier

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Professional Home Mover and Organizer

Sarah Schier is the owner of Beautiful Life Creative Organizing, a Los Angeles-based luxury home-organizing company. She helps busy professionals and families to create beautifully organized homes and specializes in Relocation Management, where she oversees each client’s entire move, including unpacking and organizing their new home.

10. Put together a moving binder

Of vital importance in your moving house checklist is arranging all of the relevant documents that moving requires. As such, Ian advises that you should ‘definitely keep a binder or digital file of all essential documents – staying organized is a big factor in keeping the stress down.’

Assemble all relevant paperwork, such as insurance papers, contracts, an inventory if you are renting your current property, and any useful receipts. You never know when you might need them all! 

This binder can also hold all of your important paperwork for your new home when you get there, such as your first bills, and any mail from the former tenants/owners that you may need to forward.

2 weeks before your move

11. Label boxes according to your new home

With packing well underway, Felice explains that now is the time to make sure your boxes are labeled accurately, so you can easily locate any items before moving and after.

Her top tip? ‘Label the box of the room the item is going to, not from. This minimizes confusion, and ensures that heavy items are moved only once.’ She also suggests that it pays to be cautious with your labeling, especially if you’ll be without your belongings for a time. She said, ‘Don’t write “valuable” or words like “TV” on boxes – this could invite theft. Just write “fragile”, instead.’

12. Pack kitchen items you don’t use regularly

(Image credit: Herringbone Kitchens)

Mary Jo explained that ‘the kitchen typically takes the most time to pack’, so putting away items you don’t use as often two weeks ahead of time is a valuable forward-planning tip.

And it’s likely that there are plenty of items in this room that you don’t use on a day-to-day basis. Sarah elaborated that this may include ‘infrequently used appliances, special occasion dishes, and extra kitchenware,’ as well as deep cleaning items, or bottles of alcohol.

13. Investigate home insurance

Take a moment to organize your home insurance policy at this point – speak to your current supplier to see whether you can move your policy over to your new property, or whether you’ll need to take out a new one with a different supplier for your area.

You’ll also want to make sure you are covered in your new home from day one.

14. Move items into storage if necessary

If for any reason your move requires putting items into storage, now is the time to do so! 

Not only will moving these items out of your home create more room for packing, but it’ll also give you more headspace to consider which items are actually moving along with you, and which can be thrown out/donated beforehand.

One week before your move

15. Pack important items you want to keep an eye on

There are many precious items that you’ll want to keep track of as you move between homes, to avoid damages, losses, or even the potential for theft. Because of this, pack these with just a week to go, so you know where they are at all times.

In fact, Sarah even advises, ‘Pack important documents, jewelry, and valuable items separately from everything else, and transport them yourself for added security.’ If you’re planning to move any houseplants, you may also want to keep these separate.

16. Box up those remaining items

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The final week before your move is the time to pack away the rest of your household items. To break this down, this means boxing up almost all of your kitchen items, aside from the basics that you’ll need to prepare meals – such as saucepans, a range of utensils, a few glasses and mugs, and some cutlery. 

This is also the time to focus on your wardrobe, Sarah said. ‘With a week to go, except for a few outfits, pack the majority of your wardrobe, keeping in mind the season and weather conditions at your destination.’ See our guide for how to fold shirts to ensure yours are kept in tip-top condition during the move.

And when it comes to the bathroom? ‘Pack most of your toiletries, leaving out only the essentials for personal hygiene in the days leading up to the move, such as toothpaste, shampoos, and soap,’ she advised.

The day before your move

17. Put together a bag of essentials

The days after your big move will probably be slightly chaotic. As such, one brilliant tip for your checklist for moving into a new house is to pack a suitcase containing only the key items you’ll need in the days after getting settled into your new home.

‘Pack everyone’s pajamas, toothbrushes, bed sheets, blankets, pillows and a couple of outfits, to make the first night and next morning less stressful,’ Felice said. You might even want to pack things that you’ll need in the days following the move, such as laptops, make-up and medications, to ensure that anything important is easily accessible without wading through a mass of boxes!

18. Action your change of address

Remember that list you jotted down weeks ago as part of your moving house checklist? Now is the time to action it, and notify all relevant parties of your change of address. 

For example, get in touch with your new doctor’s office, optometrists, gym, and your new town council. Notify neighbors of your imminent departure too – not only to say your goodbyes but also so that they can collect any mail you might miss.

19. Clean your new home

(Image credit: Getty Images)

With everything packed away in boxes, it’s the perfect time to clean what will largely be a clear, open space. 

Take a few hours to scrub down what will soon be your former home, in order to ensure everything is in as good a condition as possible for its new tenants or owners. This is especially vital when renting, given that tenants are required to return the property to the original state they received it in.

FAQs

What is the first thing to do when moving?

Though this may be different for lots of people, many of the experts Homes & Gardens spoke to insisted that the first step when a house move is confirmed (aside from signing legal contracts!) is to declutter your current space.

Sarah said, “This is my number one tip for everyone! Take the opportunity to declutter and donate or discard items you no longer need. Moving is a great time to start fresh. Don’t waste time and money by moving things you’re going to end up getting rid of in the new house.”

It’s also one of the first things you should do when you know you are moving, as it’s likely to be one of the longest processes. Throwing things out can be difficult, so getting started with it as your first job should give you plenty of time to get it done, pre-move.

How early to start packing for a move

It’s subjective, but most organization professionals agree that you probably don’t need to physically start putting items into boxes until a couple of weeks before your move-in date. 

‘The perfect move can be planned out about two months before your move-in date, but you don’t need to start packing until you are 2-3 weeks out, in my opinion,’ Ryan said. However, Sarah suggests getting started 4-6 weeks before your move-in date – so there is no one right answer.

There are pros and cons to both. Packing earlier means there will be no last-minute rush. It may also be a beneficial option if you are generally kept very busy with day-to-day life. However, packing six weeks ahead of your move also means you run the risk of being hindered by boxes as you continue to live in your home. Keeping items in their place until two weeks before your move will mean fewer interruptions like this, but will also require a faster packing process. The choice is yours!

How do I pack my house for moving?

The key to packing your home up in a way that isn’t too overwhelming is to take everything a step at a time. It can help to consider packing in this way:

• Go room-by-room: This will help to ensure you tackle packing with a measured approach. ‘Focusing on one room at a time will help maintain organization, and prevent items from getting mixed up,’ Sarah said. Why not start with rooms you use less (such as basements, offices, or guest rooms), moving onto essential rooms like your bedroom and kitchens, last?
• Package similar items together: It can also be helpful to ensure your moving boxes contain similar items, to minimize confusion when you get to your new home. Don’t be tempted to lump your office supplies in with your clothing, for example! As you’ll only be darting from room to room when you move, to unpack everything in the right place.

Moving home isn’t a quick process, but there are ways to make the entire thing easier on you and your family. 

One of our favorite additional tips? Pack items in the container they already live in. Christina Giaquinto, professional organizer and brand ambassador of Modular Closets, suggests for example, “Leave your clothes on hangers! This will help you easily move your clothes from the old house to the new house.” 

The same applies to other clothes – if they already exist in organizers, for example, don’t be afraid to pack them this way. It’ll make unpacking much simpler!

The post important ideas and packing timeline | appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Good morning and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Thursday, December 23rd. Shelby Grad, Scott Sandell, and Amy Hubbard (yes, three of us!) Stand up for Justin Ray as we head into the vacation weekend. Just a quick programming note: The newsletter is free on Fridays and Saturdays and back in your inbox on Mondays.

The Omicron variant made it to California with a vengeance. LA County saw its daily cases double, at what a health official has described as “harrowing” rates.

Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know:

Bad, but how bad? Because Omicron is so easily transferable, it is spreading at an unprecedented pace. However, there are also increasing indications that the variant caused less severe cases than the delta variant that has dominated for months. This, along with the increase in vaccinations and booster vaccinations, makes health professionals cautiously optimistic that there won’t be as many serious illnesses or deaths this winter compared to last winter’s surge. The biggest concern right now is that Omicron could spread so quickly that some hospitals could again be overwhelmed, even as fewer people become seriously ill, and the strain could take a devastating toll in areas with low vaccination rates. Los Angeles times

Key Prediction: A very influential COVID-19 forecast predicts that the Omicron surge could result in up to 400,000 new coronavirus cases per day nationwide – well above last winter’s record of 250,000 per day. The University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation predicts that the Omicron surge will rise rapidly through December and into January, and possibly peak in the next month or early February. Los Angeles times

LA County popped: More than 6,500 additional infections were reported on Wednesday alone. “It’s a very challenging time over the holidays,” the county public health director Barbara Ferrer told reporters. “If our case numbers continue to skyrocket this week and next, we could be looking at case numbers we’ve never seen before.” Los Angeles Times

What do we measure With Omicron appearing to cause fewer serious illnesses than Delta, COVID-19 hospital admissions will be a more relevant way in the coming days to determine actions local authorities may need to take, an expert said. This is because, while Omicron spreads quickly, a relatively high percentage of those infected remain who remain asymptomatic. Los Angeles times

Emotional Scars: The mental and emotional toll of yet another vacation turned upside down by COVID is real. How to cope? Here are some reminders of what causes fear and tips on how to face uncertainty with a clear head. Los Angeles times

More news about the coronavirus

• A Marin County social gathering that saw 28 people test positive for the coronavirus is a cautionary story. Los Angeles times
• The Pfizer pill could be a game changer as the first US-approved COVID home treatment. Los Angeles times
• Some potentially positive news from South Africa, where the huge Omicron wave seems to be subsiding as quickly as it has grown. Washington Post
• … And from Europe, where three research teams report that Omicron infections are milder. New York Times
• What cancels COVID-19? We have a running list. Los Angeles times
• Home tests are in short supply. Los Angeles times
• How Long Should You Isolate If Vaccinated and Have COVID-19? Mercury news
• Cal State now mandates booster shots. Los Angeles times

And now this is happening across California:

Note: Some of the websites we link to may limit the number of stories you can access without a subscription.

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

We start our California tour with the Almanac, because it should be “raining everywhere” by this afternoon. So said forecasters calling for a slow winter storm that would rock northern California with rain and snow before heading south. Rainfall began yesterday for parts of the state, but was not expected to slide into LA County until today, the National Weather Service said. Los Angeles times

Just take a look at this very squishy almanac:

Los Angeles: rain, 57th San Diego: rain, 61st San Francisco: rain, 57th San Jose: rain, 62. Fresno: rain, 57th Sacramento: rain, 57.

LA STORIES

That is the sound of silence at Mater Dei. High school and Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange are charged with trying to cover up a brutal locker room altercation in which a player suffered traumatic brain injury. The school is committed to reviewing safety protocols as part of the athletics program. But otherwise, employees, parents, students and the diocese have largely closed. Mater Dei has one of the best high school football programs in the country and is a strong fundraising powerhouse. Supporters and staff of the program have fallen back on a wall of silence. Orange County’s Bishop Kevin Vann issued a public statement denouncing coverage of the lawsuit as “media frenzy” that is “worrying and sad.” Los Angeles times

The huge network of influential supporters and alumni of the Mater Dei High School has largely kept the scandal secret.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Cara Schneider, a Fairfax High School graduate and longtime teacher and administrator in Los Angeles, knew her students well. She knew they spoke Spanish so she learned the language. She knew they needed a dose of joy – and knowledge of the Beatles in their lives – so she would broadcast “Here Comes the Sun” over the school intercom once a week. She died last month at the age of 58. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Hotels will soon move away from housing the homeless as part of the Roomkey project. Nearly 1,400 rooms are still rented under this program – which provided a much-needed landing pad when the city went on missions to help people and clear large camps. Plans may change, but hotels will be closed to Project Roomkey participants in the New Year, writes Benjamin Oreskes of The Times. The officials of the city and the district are in a small race against time. They have to hand out thousands of rental vouchers received from various stimulus programs. Los Angeles times

What will your convention district look like? An independent government body has redrawn the boundaries for California’s congressional boroughs. Put your address on our map to see how your district has changed. Los Angeles times

CRIME AND COURTS

The ACLU has accused Tulare County of “seriously inadequate” prenatal care in its prisons. County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux denies the allegations. The ACLU detailed stories of three women who were allegedly denied adequate prenatal care. One interviewed by the Fresno Bee described a “traumatizing” experience where she bled for three days before being rushed to hospital. Fresno bee

Free online games

Get our free daily crossword, sudoku, word search and arcade games in our new game center at latimes.com/games.

CALIFORNIAN CULTURE

San Francisco has a number of mega-housing projects on track for 2022. Even if smaller projects are pending due to market uncertainty and astronomical construction costs, San Francisco’s colossal multi-phase projects will move forward at full speed. San Francisco Chronicle

Low Bridge Ahead: The main engine on Tower Bridge between Sacramento and West Sacramento has broken, causing the bridge to stay in the down position. Although a California Department of Transportation spokesman said it was safe for vehicles to cross the bridge, boats on the Sacramento River will have difficulty getting through it. Sacramento bee

Tower Bridge in Sacramento on November 11th.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

The Cowboys of Baja California: “While cowboy culture north of the border has become a shadow of itself, some insist that Baja’s off-grid vaqueros still embody the harsh individualism of US legends.” National Geographic

Shaun Piccinino from Chico hit gold with his original Netflix film “A California Christmas”. Now the filmmaker hopes that the sequel will be just as successful – so that he can shoot a third part. Chico Enterprise record

Our daily news podcast

If you’re a fan of this newsletter, you’ll love our daily podcast, The Times, hosted every weekday by columnist Gustavo Arellano along with reporters from our newsroom. Go beyond the headlines. Download and listen to our app, subscribe to Apple Podcasts and follow Spotify.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory is from Jane Anne Staw:

One morning in late December 1981, my five-year-old son and I left Iowa City, where the temperature was below zero, and arrived in Berkeley, where the sun was shining and the air was swaying in the high 50s. My son immediately tore off his down parka, slipped off his winter boots, and ran up and down our block of Garber Street in shirt sleeves, hands spread like wings, celebrating the golden California climate. He’s now the father of two lovely girls, but I often remember his sheer joy in the warmth all those years ago.

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. (Please limit your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.

The post Important California: What we have realized about Omicron, the extremely fast-moving variant appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

People called her “the high priestess of the soul” or a jazz singer, but Nina Simone said her music contained more folk and blues than jazz. Dave Marsh, the music critic, suggested calling her a “freedom singer”. Bob Dylan said she was an artist he loved and admired, and the fact that she recorded his songs validated everything he did. Along with Dylan’s work, she performed songs by Animals, Leonard Cohen, and Jacque Brel. Kanye West sampled them in his songs. Barack Obama had her song “Sinnerman” on his workout playlist. The writers Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin and Langston Hughes were her close friends. She trained as a classical pianist and Bach was her favorite composer because of his technical perfection.

Raised in Tryon, North Carolina by a mother who was a Methodist preacher and a father who did everything he could get during the Depression, including a barber, handyman, and delivery driver, she had never been to a bar until she was playing at Midtown Bar & Grill in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and when asked what she would like to drink, asked for a glass of milk. When Vernon Jordan, the leader of the Urban League, asked her why she wasn’t more active in the civil rights movement, she replied, “I’m civil rights, motherfucker.”

Nina Simone

Simone (1933-2003) was uncategorizable and unique, making every song she sang her own. Born Eunice Waymon, she trained as a classical pianist and studied with Juilliard for a year, but was not accepted into the Curtis School of Music in Philadelphia, a decision many attributed to racism. Simone was an activist during the civil rights movement and famously said that it is an artist’s duty to reflect on time. She left the United States and moved to Liberia, then Switzerland, before finally settling in southern France.

“Why? (The King of Love is dead)”

Nina Simone and her band played this song in Westbury Music Festival on Long Island, New York, 1968, three days after the death of Martin Luther King. They had just learned the song, which her bassist Gene Taylor wrote in response to King’s murder, and the song is angry, heartbreaking and catchy. Simone’s voice rings out as she sings: “Turn the other cheek he would plead / Love your neighbors was his creed / death in pain humiliation that he did not fear / With his Bible by his side / He did not hide from his enemies / It is hard to think this great man is dead. ‘The song appears on Simone’s 1968 live album’Said Nuff.

“To be young, talented and black”

Simone and her friend Lorraine Hansberry linked through civil rights and radical politics. Before she died of cancer at the age of 34, Hansberry was the author of A raisin in the sun, I spoke to a group of essay winners and said to them, “I wanted to come here and speak to you on this opportunity because you are young, gifted and black.”

Simone said the words were in her head and she was sitting at the piano writing the song she said felt like a gift from the playwright. Her band leader wrote the words and she told him to keep it simple, something that “will forever make black kids around the world feel good”. The song, which became something of a civil rights anthem, was released on the record in 1970 Black gold.

“Mississippi Goddam”

Simone wrote this song in response to the bombing of a Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama, which killed four girls and to the murder of Medgar Evers in Mississippi. She reportedly sat down and wrote the song that opens “Alabama got me so angry / Tennessee made me lose my calm / And everyone knows about Mississippi Goddam.” in less than an hour and said it felt like firing bullets at the members of the Ku Klux Klan who planted the dynamite in the church. Dick Gregory commented, “We all wanted to say it. She said, it. Mississippi, god damn it. “The song with intense, pungent lyrics and an uptempo beat became a famous protest song that some radio stations sent back in two parts. It was released in 1964 on the album Nina Simone in Concert.

“I wish I knew what it would feel like to be free”

This song was an instrumental written by Jazz pianist Billy Taylor, with lyrics later added by Dick Dallas. Simone recorded it for her 1967 album Silk and Soul and with lyrics like I wish I knew how it would feel to be free / I wish I could break all the chains that hold me / I wish I could do it all say what to say and I wish you could know / what it means to be me / then you would see and agree / that every man should be free, along with Simone’s art, it became another song that was important for the civil rights movement is.

“Backlash Blues”

This song, featured on the 1967 album Nina Simone Sings the Blues, comes from a protest poem written by Simone’s friend Langston Hughes. The music she wrote is more straight forward than many of her songs, but the lyrics include, “You give me second class houses / And second class schools / Do you think all colored people / Are just second class fools?” are moving and politically focused like many of their other songs.

I have bewitched you: the autobiography of Nina Simone

In Simone’s 1991 autobiography, made with Stephen Cleary, she writes: “Everything that happened to me as a child has to do with music.” She began piano lessons in her small North Carolina town, walked two miles and crossed the railroad tracks to study with her first piano teacher, Muriel Massinovitch. On her first piano recital at age eleven, her parents were removed from their front row seats and she refused to play until they were back in those seats and could see her hands as she played.

What happened, Miss Simone?

Liz Garbus’ documentary, which opened at Sundance in 2015, shows some of the diverse forms of Simone’s life, from studying as a concert pianist to playing in bars to touring the world, working in the civil rights movement and moving to Liberia in Switzerland and South France. Her longtime guitarist Al Schackman is interviewed along with her daughter Lisa Simone Kelly, executive producer of the film, and Lisa’s father Andrew Stroud.

Simone’s archive footage is stunning and her struggles, especially in the latter part of her life, are touched, sometimes to the point that they overshadow her incredible contributions to music, but it made me think of something in Anna Malaika Tubbs’ most recent book . The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation.

In it, Tubbs writes about Malcolm X’s mother, Louise Little, who spent years in a mental hospital, and suggests part of the reason she was there because a black woman was trying to tell the truth. Attallah Shabbazz, daughter of Malcolm X and a friend of the family, says of Simone in the documentary: “She was not contradicting time, times were contradicting her.”

The post The Important Nina Simone | San Francisco Classical Voice appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Roger and his five relatives live in this small one-room apartment in San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO – – Martin, a 40-year-old day laborer in San Francisco, has barely worked in the past two months. He hasn’t worked at all for the past two weeks.

He was asked to leave the shelter he was staying in as there is only room for people infected with COVID-19.

So he took to the streets to sleep and to ask for work.

His usual routine is to wake up at 6:30 a.m., talk to previous employers over wifi and ask if they need his manual skills, and wait for hours on the corner with others like him in the hope that someone will meet him for painting walls. Moving furniture or working on a construction project. In his spare time, he walks around the neighborhood helping people learn best practices for preventing the virus from spreading and educating the community about eviction rights.

In addition, Martin has just learned that he has diabetes.

“I’m feeling very bad mentally,” said Martin, who asked that his full name not be used in Spanish through an interpreter. “I’m not doing well. I am not fulfilling my obligations to support my family.”

Hoping at least to get a good night’s sleep, Martin recently applied in San Francisco for a new program called the High Risk Community Housing Program.

The program is temporarily offering free hotel rooms to key San Francisco employees who live in neighborhoods with higher COVID-19 rates.

Last week, 10 people moved into the 1,000 available rooms, said supervisor Hillary Ronen, who urged the city to open more hotel rooms to the homeless and the needy.

Those rooms opened, she said, when the city realized they weren’t filled with first responders as originally planned. Instead of leaving them empty, the program for people at high risk was launched shortly after a UCSF study that indicated that Latinos in the mission district were disproportionately affected by coronavirus.

The study said tight living spaces were a factor in higher levels of the coronavirus. Many Latinos also have jobs that tend to put them in direct contact with others, which increases the chances of exposure to the virus.

Roger, who also asked that his full name not be used, lives in such close quarters.

In an interview, the 49-year-old artisan said he lived in a tiny room with five relatives: his grandmother, son, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law and 9-year-old grandson on Church Street.

“I have severe depression,” he said in Spanish through an interpreter. “Economically, I am terribly. And overall it is very stressful to live.”

His family has always lived in this small apartment. But before the coronavirus, they would all leave home for the day and only come back at night.

Now everyone is together and on top of each other around the clock.

To alleviate what he called “tortuous days”, he and his relatives decided to stay up until 2:00 am so that they can sleep as late as possible and the days don’t seem so endless. As for sleep, the family sleeps on couches and air mattresses packed in their room.

He and his family members have all looked for work with no luck. Your $ 2,200 per month rent is due on Monday.

He would very much like to apply for a hotel room, not only to get some distance and space from his relatives, but to avoid the possible spread of the deadly disease.

“I feel stuck,” he said. “I would love to get out of this room.”

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED: The application to request HRCH hotel accommodation is now available online.

San Francisco residents who work outside the home can apply themselves or a vulnerable household member for whom they want to reduce exposure to COVID-19 because the person is 60 years or older or already has an illness. Ask? Email HRCH@sfgov.org

If you are interested in hiring a member of the San Francisco Day Labor Program and Women’s Collective, call 415-252-5375. Further information on the programs can be found here. You can also donate to Fighting for our Workers. You can also email the dispatcher Louis Legowsky to the program at sfdlp @ 3358 @ gmail.com if you want to hire a worker.

Lisa Fernandez is a reporter for KTVU. Email Lisa at lisa.fernandez@foxtv.com or call her at 510-874-0139. Or follow her on Twitter @ljfernandez

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PLEASANTON (KPIX) – For the second time in a row the heat is still on. A homeowner’s air conditioning in Pleasanton is off, and that’s quite an emergency during this pandemic.

That means you’ll have to call a service company to have it repaired. At the moment, appropriate COVID-19 security measures are essential.

CONTINUE READING: UPDATE: Fremont Police fatally shot and killed a suspect in the hotel parking lot under supervision

Because service champions heating and air is an essential business. It means they have to get home safely.

“Well, we had a lot of security in place before COVID, we just took it to another level to keep our customers safe,” said owner Kevin Comerford.

He says the priority calls are to the seniors seeking shelter and in some cases sultry.

“You need air conditioning now. It’s not someone trying to play around with you so again it’s super important. But they call a company that takes every precaution and has all the PPE equipment we should all have, ”says Comerford.

CONTINUE READING: Update: Angry parents and students protest against closed Fremont schools

Blake Koscielak is a Service Champions technician.

“In addition to our normal tools, I need gloves to protect customers. Of course we need a face mask to make sure you interact with people as safely as possible,” said Koscielak. “We also wear floor mats. Every time we go to someone’s home, we make sure we cover my boots, and we also put a floor mat on someone’s front door.”

It turned out that the problem was just a tripped circuit breaker, possibly an overloaded circuit breaker, causing the air conditioner to work again.

Here is some advice from Service Champions. If your air conditioner blows warmer air or you hear a noise, you need to change the filter, which may need to be replaced. That in and of itself could make the device run better.

MORE NEWS: COVID: The welcome Oakland A fans return to the Coliseum for the opening night against Houston

Service Champions is also hiring. Due to increased customer demand during this pandemic, the company is not only discontinuing and offering paid AC repair training, but is also offering paid COVID-19 safety training.

The post COVID-19 Security Measures Are Important Enterprise When The AC Breaks Throughout A Pandemic – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Construction and home contractors haven’t received a standing ovation or coverage of human interest on the news, but labeled “Essential Business” have advanced many such franchises in 2020.

Kelsey Stuart, co-founder and CEO of Bloomin ‘Blinds, said the status was a silver lining in a very chaotic year.

“W.We were lucky enough to be seen as essential, ”said Stuart. “We went through all state and local regulations and in most cases construction or housekeeping services were deemed essential. We had a few operators in San Francisco hit and a few others had a softer schedule, but most of our operators were with the authority of the essential services out there. “

Like almost everyone except grocery stores and pizza, he said March was terrible and April was soft, but business has been buzzing ever since. Customers called Bloomin ‘Blinds, a company that primarily owns, operates and private individuals, either for new window treatments or to fix their broken blinds – a niche that Stuart says is a major setback for the company during recession or turbulent times. Across the board, customers simply had plenty of time to sit and look out the windows.

“Everyone was home, now you have people at home who have time for projects, and now we stare and think we’re making some progress. Plus, all of that unspent disposable income, all of your travel budget, vacations and summer camps – all of the money that is normally spent on summer and vacations is being postponed, ”said Stuart. “There was a lot more disposable income that was used for home improvement.”

At Bloomin ‘Blinds, he said sales had increased 60 percent by 2020, and that January was his biggest month ever. This is part of the beauty of the service category, especially repair, a specialty of the company that sets the brand apart from the rest of the window segment. When people are faced with uncertainty or economic fears, they switch to “repair mode”.

There was also a lot less shopping.

“Even at the height of COVID and all the questions that came with it, people felt very comfortable in their home. When they went out, they felt very uncomfortable. We set up a virtual consultation process, we set everything up, but we found that consumers are letting people into their homes, but less, ”said Stuart. When they got the call, they were usually the only command. “We typically have a 75 percent graduation rate. In COVID it’s almost 90 percent because people don’t shop that much. “

Focused on robust technology tools, marketing, the company was the “non-contractor” compared to the stereotypical butt crack and stretch t-shirt contractor. Little things like a laser measuring device that feeds data into a tablet and an appealing virtual lookbook about what new blinds would look like didn’t hurt either.

“It’s amazing how much people love to see this laser,” said Stuart. “It’s incredibly efficient for us, but people love it, they want you to measure from the back of the house to the front, from here to there.”

Another advantage of being an essential company: Interest in starting a franchise market is growing, as has been seen in recent economic downturns. Bloomin ‘Blinds, a franchise network of 58 owners and 68 territories, has just signed three more home-based franchisees for the low-investment business. The upfront cost is between $ 38,495 and $ 117,425, including a franchise fee of $ 25,000 to $ 48,500. The average gross sales to franchisees in an area in 2019 was $ 227,974.

The post Deemed ‘Important,’ Dwelling Providers See Wholesome Increase | Franchise Information appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Good morning and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Friday October 2nd and I’m writing from Los Angeles.

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Just before 1 a.m. in Washington early Friday morning, the President of the United States sent a tweet that quickly sent shock waves around the globe.

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus. The president tweeted that he and the first lady would “begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately.”

[Read the story: “Trump and first lady test positive for the coronavirus” in the Los Angeles Times]

His positive test came just hours after the White House announced that Senior Adjutant Hope Hicks tested positive for the virus after several trips with the president this week, including the first presidential debate in Ohio on Tuesday and a campaign rally in Minnesota had Wednesday. Vice President Mike Pence tested negative on Friday morning.

The president traveled to New Jersey for re-election Thursday and appeared at a fundraiser at his Bedminster Golf Club. According to the New York Times, White House officials have been aware of Hicks’ likely diagnosis since Wednesday night, though she reportedly didn’t receive her positive test until Thursday.

News of Trump’s diagnosis comes just a month before the US presidential election and seven months into a pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 Americans and changed almost every aspect of life across the country. The president has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the coronavirus threat and refused to adhere to public health guidelines.

Trump is 74 years old and has a higher risk of serious complications from the coronavirus. According to the Associated Press, this is the most serious known public health fear a sitting US president has encountered in recent history. Several other world leaders, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, have previously contracted the coronavirus.

And now this is happening across California:

Dangerously dry and windy conditions will challenge the crews battling the glass fire in California’s wine country in the coming days as officials warn that gusts of wind could potentially drive the fire towards communities in Napa County. Los Angeles times

Disney’s Bob Iger resigns from Governor Gavin Newsom’s task force as tensions mount over theme park closures: the Los Angeles Times

California Adds a COVID-19 Equity Requirement: California’s major counties will only be allowed to further open their economies if they reduce coronavirus infections in the hardest-hit locations where poor, black, Latin American and Pacific islanders live. Los Angeles times

Note: Some of the websites we link to may limit the number of articles you can access without signing up.

LA STORIES

Mega donors and police unions have poured nearly $ 12 million into the LA District Attorney’s race. Incumbent Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s campaign was largely backed by law enforcement unions, while wealthy lawyers primarily focused on the Bay Area provided much of the funding for challenger George Gascón. Los Angeles times

After a disastrous election in March, LA County faces a “major challenge” in November. It will be the first choice since the troubled debut of the county’s new $ 300 million electoral system that officials have been trying for months to fix. Los Angeles times

In these Koreatown stores, kimchi is everything and more. Independent kimchi stores try to focus on quality and specific flavor in order to stand out from the crowd. Los Angeles times

Traditional Baechu Kimchi and Baek Kimchi surrounded by a range of raw materials from Kae Sung Market in Koreatown.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

[See also: “Your guide to the must-try kimchis of L.A.” in the Los Angeles Times]

Dodgers Advance: The Dodgers battled the Milwaukee Brewers in the best-of-three wildcard round at Dodger Stadium and moved to the National League Division Series to face either the St. Louis Cardinals or the San Diego Padres . Los Angeles times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Trump’s war on electoral integrity “follows a racist playbook used in Orange County in the 1980s.” Columnist Gustavo Arellano advocates historical comparisons. Los Angeles times

The government has attempted to intimidate the department into keeping a Foster Farms poultry factory open despite the coronavirus outbreak at the facility, according to the Merced County’s director of public health. CBS News

CRIME AND COURTS

A federal appeals court upheld Newsom’s coronavirus restrictions on indoor worship during the pandemic. A majority in the U.S. 9th appeals court said California’s church health ordinances did not discriminate against religious expression. Los Angeles times

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

One reason for the terrible fire season in Northern California? Less rain than in Southern California. Los Angeles times

A ranger station in Sequoia National Forest was wrapped in foil like a “big baked potato” to protect it from wildfire. “Only one chimney stuck out, making the structure look like a big, badly wrapped Christmas present.” Fresno bee

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

California’s Deepening Crises: Santa Cruz County Lost Nearly 1,000 Homes To The CZU Lightning Complex Fires. The real estate crisis is now worse than ever. San Francisco Chronicle

The workers quietly come back to the offices in Southern California. About 25% of the country’s employees already come to the office regularly – not five days a week, but at least two or three days, according to research by Newmark Knight Frank broker Ryan Harding and his colleagues. Los Angeles times

Alexandra Rousso, foreground, left, and Carly Kinnan, background, left, receptionists at Hudson Pacific Properties, a large Los Angeles office rental company, work behind security partitions to protect themselves from the coronavirus.

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Desperate for art and culture IRL? Here are six shows in Southern California to see in person. Los Angeles times

A poem to start your Friday: “Pan Dulce” by Jose Hernandez Diaz. Poetry Foundation

Free online games

Get our free daily crossword, sudoku, word search and arcade games in our new Game Center at latimes.com/games.

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles: sunny, 96. San Diego: sunny, 84. San Francisco: partly sunny, 78. San Jose: partly sunny, 93. Fresno: sunny, 98. Sacramento: sunny, 100. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory comes from Hap Freund:

In 1978, Claudia, the woman I eventually married, I moved from a house in eight acres of woodland and pasture overlooking Puget Sound to Santa Monica while she was attending law school in Los Angeles. I started my job in Ventura and commuted on the Pacific Coast Highway for the first few weeks. Every morning I was excited to see little black figures in the water as I drove north; I came home every evening to tell Claudia about the seals I saw. Until I finally discovered, embarrassed, that they were surfers in wetsuits.

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints, ideas, and unrelated book recommendations to Julia Wick. Follow her on Twitter @Sherlyholmes.

The post Important California: Trump checks constructive for the coronavirus appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.