Moving house in US

Kunj Prasad

For some reason, you need to move house. Maybe you got a new job offer, or you are just bored and want to move to a new neighborhood. Up until recently, I never had too many items to pack, so I'd pack my clothes in suitcase, kitches utensils in bubble wrap, nicely and compactly pack them in trunk or on back seat of car, and move. However, in the most recent move this wasn't possible and I hired a packing and moving service. The article contains some details about the experience that I hoped would be commonplace and easily searchale, but I wasn't able to find it.

Few things to note: (1) This is written for US context. I am not sure how much it would apply to a different setting. (2) The details in this article are based on my experience. It is to help introduce the readers to the process. However, industry practices can change over time and one should always clarify the details about any binding service agreement before signing it, and not rely solely on this article. In short, I'm disclaiming myself from all liabilities. (3) Technically, one can physically move the entire house. This is not about that, but about moving furnites, clothing, etc. from one place to another.

Packing and moving

You want to move the furniture, clothes, kitchen items, etc. from your current location to a new location. This starts with getting one/more empty container(s) from the moving service providers where your items will get stored. We'll go into details of these providers later on. Once you have a container, you can schedule for service from packers who will go through each items in your house (..really, each item) and pack them in boxes. The boxes can now be stored in the empty container. Once the packing is done, the movers pick up the container and move it to the destination location. At destination, you can get service providers to move the packed boxes from the container to desired floor of the house or apartment. This is a quick summary of the packing and moving process. Let's go into details for each step.

Getting packing container

The 3 main providers for empty container (..that I know of) are U-Haul's U-Box, U-Pack and Pods. Though I enquired on how to use their service, I haven't ever used it. I strongly suggest readers to do their research. This is my understanding of how it works. All 3 service gives you an empty container. Either you can tow the empty container from the service provider's location to your address using your vehicle (this is generally the case of U-Box), or they can drop off the container at your location for a charge. Once you get the box, you can take a couple of days to pack your items in there and then lock the container (you put your own lock). Few important things to keep in mind are: (1) Your apartment complex or home owners association (HOA) may have rules on where the containers can be placed. So , check with them before you make a reservation. (2) Some of the service providers may have a requirement that a trailer should be able to enter the apartment complex and up to the location where the container must be dropped off. If your apartment has narrow, winding, or tree-arched roads, then that may limit the available options. (3) Each service provider has a different size box. (4) At least for U-Box, I noticed that going from 3 boxes to 4 boxes does not change the price as much as going from 4 to 5 boxes. So, do research the cost associated with different count of boxes (and the size of each box) to identify the option which is most suited for your needs.

Packing items

The packing service provider has crew members who will go through every item in your house and will pack them in cardboard boxes. Not a huge stretch of imagination visualizing them packing the clothes. For fragile items like electronic and kitchenware, the crew members will wrap it with packing paper to prevent items from cracking or breaking due to colliding with one another or getting jostled during the move. The experience of crew member factors a lot in this step because you'd want more fragile items to be given extra padding / support. Bulky furnitures are also wrapped with blankets and/or bubble wrap to ensure that the item's surface is protected against minor or deep scratches / chipping. To make the most of available container space, they may disassemble furniture. I haven't worked with a service provider that only does packing and not moving, so I don't know if: (1) they will always bring in the packing cardboard boxes, packing sheets, packing tape of if you need to provide it to them on the day of packing. (2) If they always disassemble furniture, or if you have to instruct them to do so. Best to clarify it with the service provider so that there is no miscommunication or misalignment of expectations. As the items are getting packed, it's a good idea to also write a few word description about the contents on top of cardboard box. Another good practice is to write down the name of room from where the items are packed in the cardboard box, like bedroom-1, bedroom-2, living room, bathroom, kitchen, patio, etc. This is helpful when boxes are moved back from container to the new house or apartment at the destination (discussed later). You may also want to make a list of packed boxes, giving each of them a number, and writing down the contents of each box and room. This list can eventually be used to verify that all boxes got moved.

Moving packed items at source

At this point, the items has been packed but are still inside the house or apartment, and possibly at different floors. This step involves someone physically moving the packed boxes to the empty container which is sitting on the floor level. The benefit of using carboard boxes for packing items can be seen in this step; Without the use of cardboard boxes, it would be very hard to move the items and to pack them closely inside the container. The benefit of disassembling the furniture also show up; Without it, the container space couldn't have been properly / fully used. Just to repeat the obvious: Be mindful of placing heavier items at bottom and lighter items on top.

Moving items

At this point, all packed items are in the container. If there is any empty space between the cardboard boxes and the container door, then it is highly recommended to secure the boxes using ropes. Doing so prevents the boxes from moving around during transportation and smashing with one another or against the containe door. You would also place a lock on container door (in addition to lock added by the moving service provider). At this point, the moving service provider would send a team to pick up the filled container to be loaded on some truck or 16-wheeler so that it can be moved to its final destination. For moves within city, a truck is sufficient. However, for moves to a different state, a 16-wheeler is used where multiple containers from same or different households are loaded together and moved in bulk. After the container has been moved, the container is dropped off at the destination, i.e., your new apartment or house.

Moving packed items at destination

This step is the reverse of moving the packed items at source. The goal is to have the packed cardboard boxes from the container be moved to corresponding room in the new house or apartment. This is where it is helpful to have the name of the room on cardboard box from where the items were initially packed. Using the list of box details made during the packing step, it can be confirmed that all the boxes got moved. At this point, you should also be inspecting the cardboard boxes for damages, as they get moved into you new house / apartment. This can be useful for filing insurance claims. Do realize that this process may be more stressful that moving the packed items at source if you are moving all the items to a smaller house/apartment, or to a unit at a higher floor level.

Unpacking items

There are 3 portions to this last step of unpacking items: unpacking items that don't need assembly, unpacking items that need assembly (like furniture) and discarding the packing material. NOTE: If you see a damaged item, then: (1) do NOT attempt to pull out other items, (2) take a photo of the damage while it is inside the cardboard box, (3) take a photo of the exterior of the cardboard box, (4) check with the insurance provider on how you should proceed, or proceed at your own risk!

Unpacking items that do NOT need assembly

These include most of the items that are moved, like clothing, kitchen utensiles, etc. They were packed as-is and so, at destination, you need to remove them from the cardboard box and place it back at its new location. No catch.. just that it'll be a whole lot of work!

Unpacking items that DO need assembly

This category mostly includes the furniture that were disassembled at source to enable efficient use of the moving container. At destination, the furniture now needs to be put together. Depending on how the move was done, the responsibility to do so will either go with the movers or with you. We'll discuss more about it later, and this is one of the big advantages of using a company that does both packing and moving.

Discarding packing materials

This seemingly simple last step can become a slight headache depending on your local HOA or county rules. You'll suddenly be creating a whole lot of transh, consisting of cardboard boxes, packing paper, bubble wraps, etc. Depending on the recycle requirements or not wanting to overflow the trash container, you may want to discard them slowly and in proper bins.

Packing and moving by self

Let's start with the cheapest method of packing and moving which is to do it by self. If there aren't lot of items to transfer and/or if moving on a budget, then this is a good way to move items. Sometime, it may be a better option to sell most/all your current items/furniture, and then move by self with very few items, and buy new furniture at destination. This can be good option if you are looking to get fancier items/furniture after you move compared to what you have now, or if the cost to move the items/furniture is similar to or more than what you'd pay if sell the current ones and get new ones at destination. When moving by self, manual effort to pack and move is provided by you and the unfortunate souls who identify themselves as your friends, and are simpleton enough to not escape getting pulled into the process. The vehicle used for moving is either owned by you, or by one of your family members, or by your friend, or maybe you rented a car, or a moving truck. Maybe you already have a car and rented an extra packing container with wheels that you'll tow with the car. The degree of packing can have a wide spectrum. On one end is haphazardly putting items in the vehicle, and the other end being packing the items neatly and utilizing every inch of available space.

Using service provider for part of process

If not doing all the packing and moving by self, it is possible to have one or multiple parts of the packing / moving process be handled by corresponding service providers. For example, when packing items, you can hire packers who will just pack the items in your apartment. Or maybe, you want to pack all items by yourself, and hire someone to take the packed boxes to the empty container. Same company / crew can be used for multiple steps, like, using same company for packing items and then taking the packed boxes to the container at source location. It is also possible to use same or different providers for different steps. So, you can use same or another company to move the boxes out of the house at source and in to the new house / apartment at destination.

A good reason to have a service provider handle a particular step in the moving process is when that step is overly cumbersome compared to others. For example, if you're having a bad back and don't want to strain yourself, or maybe you are in an apartment that is currently on 3rd floor and you are moving to a house having all rooms on ground floor, then hiring someone to move the packed boxes from house / apartment to the empty container at source can be a good choice, and at destination you can move the boxes yourself. Or maybe, you cannot take the day off work and want to have someone pack your items and move it to the empty container.

The first and most obvious risk in working with a service provider is that they may have a bad track record, either due to inexperience, or bad customer service, or both. When searching for a service provider, it is helpful to google search for customer reviews, or check on Better Business Bureau (BBB) website if there are complaints against the provider, and choose ones that have a good rating and customer service.

A major disadvantage associated with this option is that it may not be clear on who takes the responsibility for a damage to your items. Let's say you pack some items. A company / crew moves the packing boxes from your apartment at 3rd floor and stocked it up in the container. At destination, you notice that one of the box was crushed and that caused damage to the item. In this case, is it your fault for not packing the box properly, or is the fault of movers from improperly stacking the boxes in the container. Even if the mover provides an insurance option, it may not be possible to use it because it will not get established whether the damage was due to their fault. So, the low cost associated with this option comes with this risk. Even if you use a company for packing rather than doing it yourself, and use another company for moving the packed boxes, and both of them provide insurance options, still it cannot be identified who is at fault and so, it won't be possible to use the insurance from either of them to claim damages. If using this option, and your service provider tries to sell you the idea that you should give your business to them because they can insure the item, then you should really get into the nitty-gritties of how the insurance will work, how the liability is identified before you agree; And you should also verify that all infomation that was discussed is also present on the documents that you'll be signing.

Another risk is that if there is a delay from the company in providing the service, then all other processes that depend on it will also get delayed. So, it is advisable to not schedule external services close to a deadline. For example, if you are hiring someone to move boxes, then it's advisable to not have them come on same day when the moving company expects that your container will be filled and they will pick it up. Any delay in moving the boxes will then upset the plan of having the movers carry your filled container.

Using complete moving service

The other end of spectrum which is totally opposite to packing and moving by self is to have a company handle the complete process. So, it is the same company that will pack all your items in boxes, move the boxes to a container, move the container to destination and unload the boxes from container to your new home or apartment. One important feature that is distinctive of this option is that since the moving company handles the entire process, so, it is very clear that if any item is damaged when it is unpacked at destination, then it is solely the fault of the moving company. This contrasts wildly with services from, say, U-haul, which is responsible from providing you will a container and for moving the container; And while its website can contain links to other service providers who can pack and load/unload the boxes in the container, U-haul won't take responsibility for damage due to improper packing and loading service handled by providers mentioned on its website (side-note: This is what I understood about the process, but I'd suggest clarifying the same with them). Bottom line: When using an end-to-end moving service, the responsibility for damage to items will always be with the moving company. This is a big peace of mind that this option provides.

Getting a moving estimate

When using an end-to-end moving service, it starts getting an estimate for the items that need to be moved. For this, you'll need to go around your apartment with your phone camera, taking video of one room at a time, identifying each and every item to be moved. For this step, some companies allow the option of taking video by yourself, identifying every item, and then uploading it on their website. Other companies instead rely on an agent who'll meet up with you at a scheduled time via a phone app, and look at your phone's video to identify the items. In either case, the goal is to have someone look at all the items that need to be moved and create an estimate for the moving boxes needed and identify the corresponding level of effort. This is turn guides the initial estimate for the moving process. One advantage of latter option where an agent is looking at your video, is that they can ask for clarifications that can otherwise get overlooked, like, is the couch made of leather or fabric, is the furniture detachable, is your bed frame electrical? Two important things I'd note about this process are: (1) Do NOT buy furniture or big items after you've completed this step because that changes the moving estimate. (2) When taking video, highlight for each item if they are electrical or not, and also if they are of unexpectedly high value.

NOTE that getting an estimate is supposed to be a non-binding step. You shouldn't be asked to put in a down payment or confirm that you'll be using only that service provider. However, some providers ask to pay a portion of the estimate to "lock down" the estimate provided. This is separate and is covered in the next section on signing contract. For the purpose of providing an estimate, it is generally expected to be non-binding.

Signing contract

Once you get the estimate, the next step would be to enter into a legally binding contract with the moving service provider. Before you sign the contract, you'd want to broadly do 2 things: (1) Get estimates from different service providers and have a good understanding of how the entire moving process will work, including, what aspects are covered by insurance and what aren't covered, and, (2) Compare different options, the corresponding price and the included features, and read reviews about each moving service at least on Google, Yelp and BBB, and identify the service that you plan to use. You can also use recommendations from friends who have previously moved or from your company by asking them for moving service that they use to relocate new hires (if applicable). NOTE that many big-name moving companies like United Van Lines, Mayflower, etc. work via local independent providers, who provide the moving service. In this case, you'd want to read the reviews about the local provider.

Some questions that can be asked before signing the contract are listed below. I'd suggest asking questions as if you are doing the move for the first time so that you can clarify the terms of service as provided by that company and not assume that it's automatically included just because some other company in the past also provided that service. I would also suggest asking more questions than less. One big reason to ask more questions is that if the agent isn't patient enough in answering your questions now, then chances are high that they won't be patient enough to hear your complaints after the move. Personally, I chose to send questions over email, so that they have time to prepare a response, and then I called them to get the answer, because talking on phone is faster. Even better, after you receive the response, write it back in an email and send it back to the agent. This keeps a paper trail of communication between the two. ALSO NOTE: Read the contract before signing it to verify that it includes that were discussed over phone/email. For example, if the agent says that they reimburse for delays, but you don't see it anywhere in contract, then ask for clarification on why it's not there in contract, or if you might have overlooked. If it is just a "policy statement", or anything not on contract, don't count on that condition to apply. Best to not use such providers.

Compensation for delays

IMPORTANT! This point is so important that I want to discuss it in its own section. One of the important questions to ask the agent is that what happens in case there is a delay is packing the items or delivering it to destination. The point to pay particular care to is that if you will be compensated for the delays. Generally, the way things work is that packers are expected to show up on a day, pack every item in house and put it in the truck. A delivery window is given, generally one week long, with the expectation that you will be present at the destination to accept the moved items which will be delivered within the delivery window. This means that after the items have been packed, you will be driving/flying out of your current location to the new location. So, what happens if the packers are not able to show up on the date and you miss your flight? Or, what happens if your items are not delivered to you at destination within the delivery window, and you have to sleep in a hotel (..or good old floor), and order food from restaurant for a longer period?

When packers don't show up on the designated packing date, then it can affect your future schedule. So, you should choose a moving service provider that agrees to compensate you for delays in packing. Normally, packers show up on time, but it's still good to have some compensation assurance in case they don't. Even more important is to ask if you can get compensated for delays in delivery of your items at destination outside the agreed dropoff window. This article suggests that there is a possibility where movers can keep your items hostage. My suggestion would be to go with a service that is required to compensate you for delays in delivery outside the dropoff window, and for whatever reason!

Timeline for moving service

Some moving tips

Provided below are certain tips/tasks that can be done at various steps in the moving process.

Some things to do before packers come

Some things to do after items are delivered

Preparing for cross-over stay

Let's say that you live in an apartment, and are moving from San Francisco, CA to Austin, TX.. which is a very long distance move! The packers are coming on, say, October 1, and you have been given a delivery window between October 15-25 in Austin. This sections asks the question: What happens between October 1 and the date when you get the item delivery at destination.

After the packers have gone though the apartment in San Francisco, CA, there won't be any items left. How/where will you cook or eat, and where will you sleep? How about work - in case you don't want to take 20 day long vacation? My suggestion: (1) Keep a water filter, like Brita or Pur. This can provide you with water. Maybe, you already have it, in which case, keep one of it separate so that it doesn't get packed. (2) To cover food.. if you want to splurge during the transition period, then it's totally fine to rely on restaurants and food delivery to cover your food needs. However, if you are on budget, then it may be worthwhile to keep a few pans, cutting board, a knife and a diswashing liquid separate and not have it packed. These can be used to prepare food. (3) Of all, the most troublesome would be to set up a temporary sleeping mattress arrangement. If you can borrow one from your friend/relatives, then that's the best option. Otherwise, you can either get an air mattress with inbuilt pump (..or buy the pump separately), like Intex. Another option is to buy a mattress topper, and keep a bed cover that can be used with it. I would also suggest going with a 2-3 inch topper and not the 4-inch one because the latter does't provide support and you'll wake up with a back pain. For side sleepers though, using a 4-inch topper may be better else they will feel the hard floor. The mattress topper or airbed is not the best option for sleeping, but it's better than sleeping on hard floor. Alternatively, you can just get a mattress. If it gets cold, then a comforter can also be kept separate. (4) For sitting, working or as a dining table, a good option can be to have a foldable picnic table with chairs or card table. (5) Keep some toilet supplies separate.

Unless you are driving from starting location to destination in your car, or if you don't have space in your car for these items, then you'll have to discard these after using them for a few days at source location, and then you'll have to get another set at the destination. Alternatively, you may want to consider donating it, or just giving it to your friends.

Moving car

Another important item that will need to be moved is your car. However, unlike the other items, you can choose to drive it by yourself. It may actually be a good, fun idea to take a big trip, stopping at scenic routes and enjoying the drive. Do note to keep some margin between the start and end date of the trip and any critical events. You may not know when if any issue comes up which can delay your plans. However, if your family has more than 1 car, and the household members don't want to drive a separate car from source to destination location, then it may be a good idea to just get all the cars moved by a car-moving service. These are far less stressful that packing/moving the items in apartment/house. Do note that cars are transported much faster as the truck drivers cover almost 12 hours driving daily. So, if you're thinking of having 1 car transported and driving the other car yourself, then realize that for you to collect the transported car at destination, you'll have to start driving no later than the next day after you give it to movers at source location, and you'll have to drive for ~8 hours daily. This won't be a pleasant drive, and so, if you want to transport at least one car, then it may be a good idea to have all cars be transported.

It's easy to find a car moving service online. Alternately, you can just ask the company you chose to move your home items, and they should be able to provide/recommend some options. I would suggest making a reservation to move your car(s) almost 5 weeks or so before packers come to your apartment, i.e. on a similar timescale as selecting a moving service provider.

The entire process for dropping off car is very simple. On the day of move, you'll get a call from the driver asking you to meet them at an address close to your apartment/home address. This is the address with a big enough parking lot where the driver can safely park the trailer and collect your car - you don't have to worry about finding the address, the driver will do it. It is recommended to clean the car so that they can identify the condition of car before it is collected. They also check the trunk to make sure that there are no extra items there. However, you can keep items that are generally used, like, tool set, clean cloth, gloves, jumper cables, small lumbar support pillows, etc. And that's it...! On the day when you'll be collecting the car, the same driver will contact you again and provide another address where you can collect the car. You can inspect the car when it is delivered, and that's the end of the process! Just in case you arrive at the destination and see that it cannot be used (..maybe because a new construction is going on, etc.), you can look at nearby Walmart, or mall or any area with big parking lot and coordinate the location for pickup.

A small tip: I wouldn't suggest driving your car close to the pick up date at source location. The idea is just to avoid any unexpected occurrence, accidents, or tire punctures that can disrupt your plan of getting your car moved on the planned date.

Move experience with Mayflower (2021)

In 2021, I did a long distance move from Texas to Maryland, including moving the car. For the move, I chose Mayflower. The reviews on Google and BBB were good. While the price was a little high, I liked that: (1) The agent was responsive, easy to reach, setup time for calls and answered all my questions both on phone and email. To me, this was indicative of good customer service. (2) their insurance covered electronic items not working even if it looks good after the moved. The other company I was considering did not guarantee it. (3) They covered replacement for "set" of items if one items in the set breaks. The other company I was considering did nit provide it. (4) They confirmed that the amount in the agreement/contact is the price I will pay regardless of whatever else changes. This proved beneficial for me because the gas prices went up, and shortage of drivers in following moths also raised the cost. (5) When I asked Mayflower if I'll be asked to pay extra because additional boxes got used to pack items, they said No! The other company I was considering said that they will weight the items in my house and the cost will increase if the item weight is more than expected. Although this is reasonable, I preferred having a fixed charge. I was uncomfortable with the uncertainty because if I am choosing a service because of low price quoted initially, then I prefer to not be given an extra charge later one. To me, that makes my entire decision process very confusing. (6) They provided a good delay reimbursement for missing to deliver the items within the window. I also got reimbursed because the delay, even though that was caused by shortage of workers and transporters, which is outside the company's control. (7) They did not charge me any upfront fees. I like this, rather than having to pay a down-payment of some sort for the service.

The day of packing and unloading, both went good and stress free. They put down mats on the floor so that when they loaded the packed boxes and moved it using the dolley, it didn't leave any mark on the floor. The 2 most stressful portions of the entire move were because of me and not because of the moving company: (a) When the car was delivered at destination, the driver mentioned that one of the tires have a puncture. I'm not sure when it might have happened, and that's why the suggestion above to keep car driving to minimum before the date of loading. (b) I scheduled my flight the day before the car was being dropped off at destination. Unfortunately, the connecting flight got cancelled which stressed me for an hour. Thankfully, a new flight was made available after an hour. Also, I had 2 friends in the region, so I wasn't that stressed about it. This is why the suggestion above to not fly close to pickup date.