Ruby Kingston, Kristine Quezada, Holly Webster, Coleen Coupe, Mary Nelson (left to right) and (top row) Cynthia Nolan, owner of Carefree Moves, take a break from packing boxes at a recent move.
Carefree Moves
Cynthia Nolan, a 40-year Orinda resident, was active in a lot of school programs and sport teams while her three sons attended school. When her last son went off to college, she began a 10-year career staging homes for resale. She purchased Carefree Moves (CM) 12 years ago when it was a small business.
Nolan grew CM into an all-woman company specializing in helping people pack-up for a move and then unpack into their new home. CM was nominated by the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) for Outstanding Woman-Owned Small Business; they are insured, bonded and green.
The 20 team members she has assembled are meticulous about carrying out the protocol she has developed. She said that’s because she ensures they have had training as professional sorters, organizers, packers and unpackers.
A typical move includes helping a client organize what they want to keep, toss, sell, consign, auction off or dispose. Once this is completed, the entire house is packed with boxes labeled and ready for the moving van to deliver to the new residence.
Next, the same crew meets the moving van at the new residence where they begin unpacking. They assist in placing all furniture and accessories, and setting up the kitchen, bedrooms (the beds will be made) and bathrooms. Every cabinet, closet, cupboard and drawer is accounted for.
Then, it’s time to break down all the boxes and packing supplies so they can be removed and recycled. The crew’s final task is to prepare homemade soup and bread to welcome the clients to the first night in their new home.
A wide range of East Bay clients have called on CM when it’s time to move: Golden State Warrior families; professional musicians; young families from afar with two working parents and no time; baby boomers who are downsizing; and people relocating to a retirement community are just a few examples.
When not working, Nolan said she traded her tennis racket for a fly rod. To find out more about CM, call 925-330-1988, email hello@carefreemoves.net or visit www.carefreemoves.net.
Kristina McCann of Chroma Realty and Co-Work Lamorinda and John McCormick, president of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, celebrated McCann’s one-year anniversary at a March 5 ribbon cutting ceremony.
Chroma Realty, Co-Work Lamorinda
Kristina McCann recently celebrated her first year in business after launching Chroma Realty and Co-Work Lamorinda at a ribbon-cutting event hosted by the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.
Having spent 20 years in real estate, McCann said she knew what kind of culture she wanted to foster in founding her own agency. “I wanted Chroma’s focus to be agent-centric, community-forward, technology driven, supporting the arts and all about building community,” she said.
Chroma was the lead sponsor in the annual Art of Mixology fundraiser benefitting the Lamorinda Arts Council in Orinda Theatre Square last fall. Her “People First, Houses Second” culture is immediately recognizable when walking into the office space which pulls visitors into color, art and awareness of community activities.
Co-Work Lamorinda is McCann’s unique, no-cost answer to giving back. It’s for locals who lack an office but need one. She describes the space as an upgraded coffee shop for entrepreneurs, telecommuters, small business owners, nonprofits, volunteers and anyone trying to go out on their own. People can reserve the conference room, lounge/TV room or quiet room for free.
It is open 24/7 and includes free coffee, WiFi, print capabilities and snacks. In 2019, it served six nonprofits, nine mom’s movie nights and four parties. Visit www.coworklamo.com to learn more.
When not working, McCann says she enjoys spending time with her 5-year-old daughter on road trips and any travel involving sunshine and turquoise waters.
Chroma Realty is at 935 Moraga Road, Suite 210, Lafayette. Call 925-567-4326, email at kristina@chromarealty.com or visit www.chromarealty.com.
