Moving: Pack to Protect

It's the truth known to everyone: moving is a headache. Especially if one has a larger place and stayed there for a longer period of time: number of furniture pieces, dishes, clothes and other items seem to grow at an exponential rate.

When a moving day comes, you can leave everything to the movers, from packing to actual moving. That's a preferred option for everyone, but what if your budget is tight? Packing some of your items can surely save you a substantial amount of money.

Assuming you are not a professional mover and are on the budget, my common recommendation to people when asked how they need to prepare for their move is this: leave furniture packing to the professionals, especially if you have higher end or antique furniture. This way the chances of them being damaged or otherwise tampered are kept to a minimum (provided your movers are actual professionals and know what they are doing). So, leave the furniture to people who do this for a living. However, in order to stay within your budget, pack up all the smaller items, such as dishes, toys, clothes and other items of this sort. General rule of thumb is: whatever can be fit in the boxes, can be and should be packed by you. Assuming you are on a budget, of course.

If you choose to pack up your furniture yourself, first step is planning: make a list of items you will be moving. The goal of this initial planning is to determine what kind, and how much, of packing supplies will be needed.

Chances are you will need several, very likely, even all of the following packing materials:

Shrink wrap;
Bubble wrap;
Sealable plastic bags;
Moving blankets;
Boxes;
Packing tape;
Mattress and sofa covers.

So, you made a list; determined amount and type of packing supplies needed; got the supplies. Let the fun begin!

The first step is to empty all the dressers, drawers and cabinets. Next, disassemble any pieces that can be disassembled. Furniture manuals, if any are left, will come in handy. Next, use shrink wrap to wrap all the pieces up; use packing tape to secure edges and corners, if needed, although in many cases this will not be needed since shrink wrap has a feature of sticking ("good sticking", which means it will not damage your furniture).

If you choose to move your furniture yourself, please make sure you have the thick moving blankets. Otherwise, do not even start loading your rental truck! Trust me, I've seen people trying to save a buck and moving their furniture without furniture/moving blankets: it's sad to see their furniture afterwards.

I hope you haven't forgotten that moving by yourself is pretty much a mission impossible. You will need at least one helper with a strong back and friendly enough to agree on helping you.

Be careful with your furniture, especially while in the house, as if you were operating a heavy duty tractor. This is not a Porsche or Lotus for sure! Do not make sudden moves; do not rush. It's way better to spend an extra hour than to spend another day repairing the holes in the walls after spinning around with your furniture in the house.

Use dollies if the pieces are too heavy to carry. Of course, there's a very good chance you won't be able to use a dolly inside of your residence: furniture will have to be carried through the doors and corners "manually". But outside, it will be a breeze, if you utilize the dolly right. And hopefully you got a moving truck with a liftgate - this prevents a lot of damaged spines, and saves quite a bit of time and energy. And - I cannot stress the importance of this step enough - remember to cover every piece of furniture with those thick moving blankets. Otherwise, all your previous work and spent time on packing and loading will be wasted.

Hopefully this will help you to make your transition from one place to another smoother. Moving is not a rocket science: it's more of a common sense thing. If you have it - move yourself; if you are better with computers or other activities and have a little higher budget, simply box up your smaller items, and leave everything else to the professionals.

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February 02, 2011 – Milestone Relocation Solutions™, a national household goods moving company, launches a new updated website, which is easier to navigate and allows moving customers to find relevant information quicker and easier.

We are commited to providing excellent overall moving experience to our customers. We have highly knowledgeable moving consultants to answer all your questions before your move; dispatchers that are available on your move day; and in case something goes wrong, we will always be here to address any issues that may have appeared.

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		Movers were professional and kind. They protected boxes marked fragile and wrapped large furniture. Overall they handled all my items with care. Richard Gordon was accurate with my cost and communicated well with me. I will use them again if needed. Several large pieces of furniture were placed where I needed them. Nothing was broken or harmed. quotes Kim B. Read More
		Milestone Relocation Solutions were fantastic!!! They were quick, efficient and kind! The pace was fast! They made sure that all items / furniture were wrapped so there would be no damages! I look forward using the in the future. Very fair priced and so fast! GREAT! Fantastic - Efficient! quotes Samantha S. Read More
		Customer service was knowledgeable and friendly. Perfect move from a three story house with very heavy furniture. Guys arrived on time and ready to go. They worked diligently, constantly moving. Absolutely No hidden fees. The price I was quoted was the price I paid. Everything was handled with care. Would definitely use them again and refer them to anyone needing help moving! quotes Lisa N Read More
		What a great company and service team. I stumbled across them searching for movers. I've used them 4 times so far for moving. One of my moves were sudden and they were able to fit me right in with no problems. I would refer them to anyone. One of the best moving experience I've had in a log time. From the office staff to the actual movers, all presented great customer service. quotes Kesha H Read More
		My boyfriend and I needed some help moving at the last minute. I contacted Milestone and they gave me all of the details. Once they arrived, they loaded our items in less than 30 minutes. I was impressed by their work performance. They were able to get us moved under the two hour mark. They were very professional every step of the way. I would recommend them to anyone. quotes Ashley G Read More
		Milestone did a great job at helping my wife and I with our local move. The move was from an apartment building to a house. They arrived early and were quick with moving everything. They protected the furniture well and were professional. I would use them again in a heartbeat. I have already recommended them to my friends quotes Anthony B Read More
		I just wanted to take a minute to thank you and your company for the awesome job your guys did today. We never could have moved my son's things down four flights of stairs alone. Your guys were pro's at it. They were very courteous and professional. They worked very hard and it was a pleasure to have them. They set a fine example for your company and I will recommend them to anyone that I know that needs a moving company. quotes Barb Read More
		I appreciated the professionalism, prompt follow-up, flexibility, attention to detail and mostly the integrity of Milestone Relocation Services. On top of this, they are competitively priced. I have used them more than once and have referred them to friends who in turn, have used their services. Give them a try if you are looking for a mover to provide you peace of mind without breaking your pockets, Milestone will deliver! quotes June Grant Read More
		Very well done! Very nice guys and very helpful! Thank you very much! quotes Karen Michelle Read More
		Jim, Everything went well and we are very pleased with the service received. It was hassle free and the movers were extremly professional. Thanks again, Katie quotes Katie Read More
		Kudos for the job well done: on time, careful, efficient and affordable. Office assistance was top notch as well. Overall, very impressed! quotes Leah Lopez Read More
		The two gentlemen that moved us could not have been better. They were professional, on time, courteous, thoughtful and extra careful. I had expectations and they exceeded my expectations. They knew exactly what they were doing and their expertise showed. At the end of the day I hugged them good-bye. Definitely use this company when considering your next move. They make it simple and easy which is exactly what you need at moving time. quotes S. Ames Read More
		The guys at Milestone were good at their jobs. They scouted the place before the move and then had a plan for getting it together. They were timely and kept everything organized. Well priced, too. quotes Chris Voss Read More
		I just wanted to say thanks again! The gentlemen that facilitated the move did an excellent job. It is rare as a consumer to receive such superb service. Although, I did thank them personally, please convey the message again! quotes Cawan L Jenkins Read More