Actually, we were going to ask you! We bring a full carafe of fair-trade organic coffee to the beginning of every job. Studies have proven that moving is much easier and less stressful if everyone is sufficiently caffeinated .
General FAQs
What about parking?
We need to park everywhere we are moving, so everything said here applies to the origin, destination, and everywhere in between. If you do not have sufficent off-street parking or a loading dock you need to secure parking. Lawn chairs, trash cans, cones, and wishful thinking can also go a long way towards securing parking. Talking with neighbors or parking your own car the night before can help as well. Our trucks are all at least 40 feet long (including the ramp), so make sure you have enough room for them to fit and maneuver into the spot.
Should I empty the drawers?
Yes! Empty all drawers all the time. On bigger pieces this cuts the weight significantly and reduces the risk of the piece caving in or gouging a wall (remember, FORCE = MASS x VELOCITY). On smaller pieces this ensures that TV remotes, photographs, hairpins, dice, and foreign coins make it to the destination and not the floor of the truck.
Should I take the drawers out?
No! Drawers fit perfectly wherever you took them out from and terribly everywhere else. They are equally precious, fragile, and awkward to carry. We will make sure they don’t fall out in transit with pads, wrap, and rubberbands. If you still want to take them out (which makes a lot sense if you don’t feel like re-organizing them) then just pack them in a box with cloth padding in between each drawer to prevent scratching. Label the box “drawers.”
Should I put ____ in a box?
Yes! Everything that fits in a box should go in a box, preferably a new one (no liquor, pizza, or shoe boxes) that is the appropriate size and a manageable weight.
If a box is heavy and has fragile stuff in it, how should I label it?
Repack it! Try putting it in two boxes.
What about the TV?
If it’s a flatscreen and you have the box, congratulations– you are among the elite in preparedness. We can pack it in there for you. If not, no need to worry. We’ll wrap it in thick quilted moving pads and a special screen cushion and strap it to the wall of the truck. We’ve packed 10,000 TVs this way without a problem. However, we can’t ensure there will ever be anything good to watch.
Do you offer packing services?
Yes- we highly encourage you to have us pack your things. We come with all the necessary supplies and ensure that everything is packed as safely and quickly as possible. We can even pack and move in one day if arranged ahead of time.
You guys don’t have to go to the gym, do you?
No, just the chiropractor, massage therapist, and extra grocery/bar trips to balance our caloric deficits.
Should I tip my movers?
How considerate of you to ask! Yes, our movers graciously accept gratuities. The question is how much and that’s for you to decide.
Packing Tips
On Time Management
- Start yesterday. If not, start now. Do not, under any circumstances, wait until tomorrow (or especially the day of your move). In any case, packing will take longer than you think.
- Do not rush: this leads to poor decision making. When you feel overwhelmed have a glass of water or clean something. Then get back to packing!
- Organizing according to room and what’s at arm’s length will save a lot of time. Focus only on wrapping and boxing what’s right in front you . Packing at random around the house wastes time. Make up a few boxes at once, keep your wrapping material handy, and get in the flow. Before you know it everything at arm’s length is in a pile of boxes.
- Don’t sweat the small stuff: just take care of it! Every single thing basically just entails wrapping it and putting it in a box, over and over and over and over. Make sure you have enough time to pack every single thing that you have. If not, just give us a call!
On Self-Reliance
- Don’t forget to set some essentials aside for use during your transition time. Toiletries, a book, some extra clothes, food, and a six-pack are some obvious things to save.
- Make sure you have some snacks for packing and the day of your move. Blood-sugar drops can really slow down your productivity and speed your descent into crankiness.
On Boxes
- Everything that can fit in a box should go in a box.
- All boxes should be taped on top and bottom.
- All boxes should be completely filled. This ensures that A) you’re making the most use of space and B) the box maintains it’s boxly shape.
- Please use fresh corrugated moving boxes — they’re worth it! Please DO NOT use liquor boxes, shoe boxes, pizza boxes (yes, I’ve seen it), or diaper boxes; if you want to use them, pack them in bigger corrugated moving boxes.
- Boxes can only hold so much weight. Most will even have recommended weights printed on the bottom. Basically put heavy items (books, dishes, records, etc.) in small boxes and light items (clothes, pillows, plastic toys, etc.) in larger boxes. Same goes for bins: they are not made to move filled with books or bowling ball collections. They’re great for moving clothes, pillows, and blankets.
- DO NOT MAKE HEAVY-FRAGILE BOXES. If a box requires the label “heavy fragile,” put it in two boxes. If a box requires the label “heavy,” pack it in two boxes.
- If something is sticking out of the top of a box, tape another empty box on top.
On Furniture
- Clear the tops, dust it off, empty the drawers, and/or remove the shelves.
- Bag any pillows on the couch but you can leave your cushions. You can leave the food, pet hair, coins, and other assorted treasures under the cushions but you can also clean them out.
- Remove the sheets from your mattress. Leave a mattress bag if you’d like us to bag it. Otherwise we’ll rest it on a moving pad once inside the truck.
- Have a plan: know where it’s going and make sure you have enough space to fit it all. We’ll help you arrange (and re-arrange) whatever you want, but in the spirit of saving time (and therefore money) help us to move everything only once. If you’d like to discard anything we’re happy to set it at the curb or better yet drop it off at a donation center.
On the Kitchen
- Make sure you have plenty of boxes and tape. 20 small boxes is a good start. Label them well. If it’s fragile, write it on all sides along with UP arrows. If you run out of boxes, get more. Do not just throw everything in one big box (if it doesn’t break that way you are very lucky).
- Make sure you have plenty of packing material. If you’re into it, certain clothes, towels, pillows, and other household materials make great cushioning for glassware. You’re packing it anyway, right? Otherwise newspapers work (but sometimes the ink can rub off) and packing paper of course works too.
- All glass should be wrapped. Knives and other sharp objects should also be thoroughly wrapped (they can definitely poke out of the box).
- This room will most likely take the longest.
On Closets
- Don’t forget about the closets!
- Clothes can go in a box, a wardrobe box, or trash bag according to taste and budget. A good trick for hanging clothes is to poke a hole in the bottom of a trash bag (preferably a heavy duty one) and with one hand grab a handful of hanging clothes and with the other stick the hangers through the hole. Place it back on the rack and cinch the bottom shut around the clothes. Tape the hangers together with a few rounds of packing tape. Just leave them hanging and the crew will know what to do (so long as you tell them about the closet!)
On the Basement
- Don’t forget about the basement!
- Everything should still be boxed up and consolidated even though it’s in the basement. Small boxes are great for the basement due to the typically low ceiling clearance and narrow doorways.
- Things that store well in bins don’t necessarily move well in bins. Books, papers, and floor tiles all store well in bins but they don’t move well. Consider packing such things in to boxes and using your bins for other things around the house. Once your at your new home you can switch everything back.
- Basements are damp and cardboard is absorbent. Soggy boxes break easily. You might want to consider repacking items stored long term in the basement.