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Should I Hire Three Movers Instead of Two?

There are several things to consider.

If you have a two bedroom apartment on a ground floor with no steps and it’s only thirty feet from your front door to the truck, then you’re probably best with only two movers.

If, on the other hand, you have a large family in a four bedroom home with a lot of goods and a stuffed attic and basement, and you want us to do all the packing of boxes, and we have to park our truck fifty yards from your front door, then you’re better off with three men.

There are also some other situations in which three men will be necessary. If you have a concert grand piano, then you’ll need three men. If you have a hot tub that you want moved, it will probably require at least three men. And there could be other items that would require three men for a safe move.

The reason for this is that Moving Connections has a minimum charge of four hours. In the first case, with a small apartment and a short drive, three men would be “overkill” and you’d be paying a four hour charge for work that might be done in as little as two or three hours. 

In the second case, with such a large home and family, your move might take a lot longer than four hours, and a third man could speed things up greatly.

And in the third case, with heavy and very large objects, the consideration of the safety of the workers and the welfare of your goods takes precedence.

As far as efficiency goes, there are also situations where three men can get things done twice as fast (or even three times as fast) as two men, so you’re ahead of the game in those cases.

If you’re concerned about a third man having a lot of “stand around” time, you will find that concern is unfounded. The third man will often be taping and marking boxes or disassembling a bed frame or playground equipment, etc., while the other movers are busily taking the boxes onto the truck and loading it. So there’s no “down time” with a third man. The workers will all be busy on moving day.

Consult with your movers in advance and they will be able to provide you with the most efficient sized crew to get the most bang for your buck.

We here at Moving Connections think of ourselves as Salt Lake City’s Best movers. We have been serving the Wasatch Front for over 30 years and have become part of the community. We are located in the heart of Salt Lake City on the corner of 400 East and Broadway (300 South), in the Shipping Connections Plaza, a mini strip mall just behind the Greek Souvlaki restaurant.

And remember Moving Connections is the home of the $95/hr two men and a truck package deal!

We live locally, work locally, buy locally and support our local businesses and hope you do too!

* OUR VERY POPULAR FULL SERVICE $95/hr PACKAGE DEAL
* 2 MEN AND A 26 FOOT TRUCK ALL INCLUDED - FULLY EQUIPPED
* PROFESSIONAL MOVERS WITH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
* LICENSED AND INSURED
* LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

For all your other moving needs, visit our website at movingconnections.com or call us at 801-532-6683.

Specialized Services

Occasionally, someone might have a need for a specialized service, such as crating of a museum piece, or the shipping of a car, or they might need an expedited shipment of household items via an express air service. 

Moving Connections is prepared to deal with all of these situations. We have fragile packed and shipped one-of-a-kind and high value museum and art pieces, we have crated and fragile packed everything from medical diagnostic equipment to FLIR cameras to motorcycles. We have sent many pallets of household goods via 2- and 3-day air. And our car shipping company, Carnections Auto Transport, moves cars all over the nation.

For crating and fragile packing, as well as for palletized 2- and 3-day air shipments, just give us a call at 801-532-6683.

If you need a car transported, visit our website at carnections.com. We are a federally licensed and insured car shipping broker, so you know you are getting top tier professional service with us.

For all your other moving needs, visit our website at movingconnections.com or call us at 801-532-6683.

Saving Money by Using Portable Moving Containers (plus Information about Car Shipping, Crating and Fragile Items, and Express Air Palletized Shipping)

If you’re looking for discount moving methods or low-cost alternative moving solutions, you’ve come to the right place.

If you want to save money in a way that will still get your goods to their destination on time, then consider using portable moving containers. All the driving is done by a professional driver, so you don’t have to worry about the hassles of driving a large truck with a heavy load. A variety of companies provide these services, so see which one best suits your needs.

At least two companies specialize in portable containers as their main service, PODS being one, and Pack-Rat being another. They offer three sizes (lengths) of containers, 7- or 8-foot, 12-foot, and 16-foot. Both companies also offer storage, too.

The smallest containers (7- or 8-foot) are usually good for moving studio apartments or small one-bedroom apartments. The medium sized containers (12-foot) are typically used for two- and three-bedroom dwellings. The largest containers (16-foot) are often used for moving three- to four-bedroom homes. However, each home is different, and one might have an attic, garage, basement, and storage shed stuffed with goods, while another has none of these and is sparsely furnished throughout. So select carefully.

These containers are not only used for moving, but they can also be used for storage on site (on your property) or at their storage facilities. Storage can be done in conjunction with a move, or it can be used for other purposes. On site is often used for remodeling projects, where furniture and other items that would be in the way are moved temporarily into a portable storage container while carpenters and other workers remodel the kitchen, etc.

In any case, the company delivers the storage container to your home for you to load. These containers are weatherproof and very sturdy. When you’re finished loading the container, the company will pick it up and drive it to your new destination. Or, if you’re just using it to hold goods while you remodel your kitchen, they will simply pick it up and take it back to their store when your remodeling project is finished.

In any case, all the driving is done by a professional driver. And the cost for a long distance move can be less than one third that of hiring a moving company for a full-service move. So it’s a good way to save money.

Other companies that provide portable moving containers are U-Haul (U-Boxes), ABF (ReloCubes), and United Mayflower (United Mayflower Containers).

U-Boxes have a 257 cubic foot internal capacity and U-Haul offers climate controlled storage, while ReloCubes have about 305 cubic feet of interior space. U-Boxes are 8’ x 5’ x 7 1/2’ while ReloCubes are just a bit larger. So these are limited in their capacities, but you can always order more than one. All offer storage.

While the U-Haul Boxes are not weatherproof themselves, weatherproof covers are delivered with them. ReloCubes are weatherproof.

United Mayflower only offers one size container, and that is the 16-foot container. So it will hold a lot more than a single U-Box or ReloCube. It is weatherproof.

There are also other companies that provide container moving services, such as Smartbox, so it’s good to check around and see what’s available before ordering.

In any case, you’ll save money using these services, and you’ll have the advantage of not having to drive a truck cross country or even within your state.

Local Movers in Sandy, Utah

Moving Connections is your local Sandy mover that can handle whatever moving needs you have. We not only handle residential moves, but we also do so-called "labor only moving help" moves and corporate relocations.

Moving Connections even offers setup and takedown services for exhibits and display booths, as well as transport and assembly services for those requiring a professional hand in putting up backyard trampolines, playhouses, furniture, and things of that nature. When you consider that Moving Connections has been rated one of the best moving companies in Utah many times over the years you realize what a great moving deal this is.

Moving Connections is committed to providing the highest professional moving service available while maintaining competitive and straightforward pricing. So if you’re contemplating a Sandy move and would like a quick, free Sandy move price quote, please give us a call or you can send us an email and we will get back to you.

Either way, you owe it to yourself to check out Moving Connections before you make a final decision on your Sandy move. Moving Connections is one of the top moving companies in Utah.

So give us a call to find out more details or to get a quick moving quote. In fact if you are on mobile phone click here to dial us directly. Or, if you wish, you can email us and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Insider Tip #4 – Packing Items and Loading a Truck

Hi, this is DD again, this time to discuss some of the issues concerning the packing of items in boxes, and the strategy loading of a truck. This if for those who have decided that they want to rent and drive a truck themselves, and who want to avoid the extra cost of having someone else do this service for them.

Anybody can unload a truck, but it takes a trained person to load a truck correctly so that 1) you and other people are safe on the road, and 2) your items are safe.

If you have a grand piano, a pool table, or a hot tub that you want to transport, it would probably be best to hire professionals.  Grand pianos can weigh up to 1200 pounds and they don’t take well to being dropped.  Pool tables are very persnickety about the way they’re handled, and hot tubs can be just plain gnarly.  Same thing with a gun safe, or a chandelier.

That being said, you want to use some basic strategies for loading your truck. But before that, we’ll need to discuss a little bit about packing.

            Packing Supplies

First of all for packing, everything should go in a box, even plants (U-Haul lamp boxes are good for tall plants). U-Haul has a whole range of box sizes and types, including short and tall wardrobe boxes which have crossbars from which to hang your clothing. These have even been known to hold chandeliers. And The Shipping Connection (Moving Connections’ sister company) has not only U-Haul boxes in stock, but also stocks more than 100 box sizes and custom types of boxes made by major brand name manufacturers. These include ski boxes, snowboard boxes, and guitar boxes, as well as a large number of boxes for paintings and mirrors.

U-Haul also has mirror boxes as well as special dish boxes and glass boxes (with individual cells for dishes and glasses with foam wrappers).

Moving Connections also stocks packing paper, tape, tape guns, stretch wrap, moving blankets and pads, etc. So if you need packaging materials, we have everything you need in our store.

            Packing

The idea in packing boxes is to isolate and cushion each fragile item, and to make certain each package is firmly packed in order to support any packages on top of it.  Of course, you always want to load the heaviest items on the floor of the truck, but most boxes will have to bear some weight of boxes above, unless they’re going on top.

There are a few things to keep in mind when packing items, some of which might seem counter-intuitive.  For instance, dishes should not be laid flat, but should stand on their edges with a lot of packing paper underneath and between each dish. Laying dishes flat will almost assure that some or many will be broken, even with packing paper between them and underneath.

Everything should be put in a box with the exception of your heaviest and largest items.

Your largest and heaviest items should be wrapped in professional grade moving blankets to provide cosmetic and structural protection for the items.  You can secure the blankets around each item with stretch wrap (some prefer to use tape).  This includes tables and headboards for beds, and similar items.

            Loading for Personal Safety

First, load your heaviest items along the sides of the truck and strap them in tightly to the rails that line the interior sides of the truck. Be certain to use ratchet straps, as rope or twine will begin to slacken and sag in a short time due to vibrations and bumps during transport. This will cause your heavy items to shift and jar loose, which will cause packages and other items to tumble and break. You’ll end up with a big, expensive mess when you open the cargo bay door (if you can) when you arrive at your destination. And if you can open the doors, you might very well be injured when the goods fall out on top of you because they have toppled. So make certain that your heavy items are strapped to the wall with strong ratchet straps.

The next consideration is to balance the load to keep the truck from swerving or tipping over on turns and curves or when braking fast.  The heaviest items should go towards the front, while the less heavy items can go behind them. Again, use professional grade ratchet straps (available at many U-Haul rental centers) to secure your items to the sides of the truck.  Each truck has wooden rails running along the interior sides for this purpose, so it is wise to use them.

 Make certain that you don’t have a significant imbalance on either the left or right side of the truck, as this could cause the truck to tip over. 

            Large and Odd Shaped Items

Large and odd shaped items that are not heavy should also go along the sides of the truck. The next section has instructions on building “walls”, and you will build your walls around these items. This might seem unwieldy, but it works.

            Loading to Protect Your Cargo

There are a few basic strategies and tactics to remember when loading a truck.  First of all, you want to build “walls”. A wall is simply a stack of packages from side to side and bottom to top. In their earliest training sessions, dock workers are taught that their packing should be so tight that you can’t get a credit card between your packages, and that includes between the top package and the ceiling of the truck. This might seem a bit far-fetched, but you get the idea. Pack ‘em tight, or as tightly as you can.  The main thing is not to leave any spaces between packages that might cause them to buckle, which would probably cause the wall to topple.

Start out at the front of the cargo bay at one side (most Americans are more comfortable starting from left to right) with a heavy, larger box that is well packaged. Then go along the floor from left to right placing other heavy packages of similar sizes as much as possible. Of course, packages are going to vary in size and weight. This is actually a good thing, because it pretty well prevents you from making what are called “columns”, which can be dangerous to your goods and to those people opening the door of the cargo bay, as well as to those unloading it.

                        Avoid Making Columns

A column occurs when you stack packages of the same size more than three high. This invites toppling, and toppling is what you want to avoid.  Of course, the shape of the box matters.  If you’re stacking exercise equipment that is long and flat, you might be able to go five high without a problem, but this situation is rarely encountered with household moves. On the other hand, if you have tall, narrow boxes (such as lamp boxes), you wouldn’t want to stack them even two high.

                        Tie Your Packages

“Tie” your packages to avoid making columns.  This is absolutely necessary.  Tying is where you offset your packages so that the middle of one box spans (is over the edges of) the two boxes below it. You want to continue this pattern across the truck and all the way to the top. Think of making a ‘T” with the edges of your boxes. If the sides of three or more boxes line up from top to bottom, you have a column, and you’re inviting disaster, seriously. So don’t stack boxes of the same size more than three high.

                        Securing Your Walls

You should secure each wall to keep its packages from shifting.  You can use different methods of securing your walls. You can use rope and tie it across the wall using the side rails as tie-off points.  You can use an “X’ pattern in addition to tying straight lines across the truck for each wall as you complete it. You can also use cargo poles or cargo nets to secure each wall, but these tend to be prohibitively expensive.

When used properly (make certain they are tight), they can be excellent for the situation in which you don’t quite fill the truck, leaving empty space at the back, and you need to secure the load to keep it from falling into the empty space.  And in this case, you only need to buy a few poles or one cargo net, but still use rope to tie off the last wall, and make certain that the poles or net are tight against the packages of your wall.

Some people and even professional movers like to separate walls with mattresses and box springs, but this can be very tricky as they leave a lot of space around the top and sides for packages to shift and topple. Mattresses are probably best placed along the sides of the cargo bay where they can also serve as buffers between pianos and packages or other items. 

In the end, each household can bring unique challenges to whomever is doing the packing and loading, so you have to use your own judgement at times. But make certain that each box is well packed so that it won’t crumple under the weight of boxes above it. 

Insider Tip #3 -- Lift Vans, U-boxes, etc.

Hi, this is DD again, this time to discuss some alternative shipping methods for your household items.  Hope this helps you.

Lift Vans (also called “Van Packs”) are large wooden crates that are used for shipping items.  They are used for international shipping as well as domestic. They are about 7 feet high by 7 feet long by 4 feet wide.  They hold about 200 cubic feet of goods. You can ship multiple lift vans if you need to (each lift van holds about 1 room of a typical household, but we would have to get more details from you in order to make more precise calculations of how many lift vans you might need). You probably won’t want to use more than two lift vans, as they can be very cost efficient up to that point, but after more than two vans, other more cost efficient options might be available.

If you want to use a lift van, give Moving Connections a call. Our movers will come to your residence or business and load the items directly onto a lift van in the truck, or they will load your items onto the truck and take it to the lift van warehouse, where it will be loaded, banded, and shipped.

Lift vans can be a cost saver for smaller shipments, so be certain to call us before booking a move.

Lift vans are a door to hub or door to door service. There is an extra charge for door to door service.

U-Boxes is a service provided by U-Haul and is a good option for storage or for moving small households. With a listed storage capacity of 257 cubic feet, U-Boxes will handle most students’ studio apartments. Their weight capacity is 2,000 lbs.

Their interior dimensions are 95” by 56” by 83 ½ “, (56 inches wide at the door, 95” deep, and 83 ½ inches high), so they can hold most of your goods. They are covered with vinyl in order to be water resistant.

If you just need to store some goods for a short or long period, these can be a good option, too.  U-Haul can store your items at your location or they can put them in their own secure storage facility. They also offer short term storage, such as between semesters, which can be very convenient for students. And they can store and ship to a hub or to your door.

To find out more about U-Haul containers (U-Boxes) or other U-Haul services, just type in uhaul.com on a URL line to go to their website, or call 1 (800) 788-3683. To make reservations, call 1-800-GO-UHAUL (1-800-468-4285).

Other Moving Container services: there are a number of companies that offer storage and moving options using larger containers (larger than lift vans or U-Boxes) and at least two offer three sizes. The construction and weatherproofing on these can vary, and some can be used for international shipping.

LCL (Less than Container Load) shipping to overseas destinations can be quite involved. Unless you’re prepared to pick items up at a port facility and pay the customs fees, you will want to get door to door service.  This is known as “door to door LCL service” and the rate you are quoted should include customs house broker fees and cartage fees.

If you have just a few items to ship overseas and none of your boxes exceeds 70 lbs. (for most countries) or 79” or 108” girth plus length (again, depends on the country), you can send your items via Priority Mail. This can be an economical way to send your items, but do be aware that a number of things might not be insurable.

Also, you cannot send anything via the mail that is liquid, flammable (including anything that has alcohol in it, and this includes perfumes or colognes, etc.), hazardous, perishable (such as foods), or lithium batteries.

Exceptions to the lithium battery rule are such things as cell phones that have the batteries in them. As this is posted, the U.S. Postal Service is not sending any Samsung Galaxy 7’s with the batteries in them, however. Lithium batteries not in a device are prohibited.

In addition, each country has a list of specific items that are prohibited and these can vary greatly from country to country. Cigarettes, unsigned credit cards, coins of any kind, and even unfinished wood can be prohibited (unless you provide a certificate of fumigation for the wood – this is to protect the forests of foreign countries from invasive pests such as pine beetles, termites, and diseases, etc.). So it’s best to check with the Post Office to find out what items are mailable to any particular country before packing them. 

You will also have to fill out “long form” customs slips that tell what the specific items are inside each package, the price for each, and their country of origin (where they are manufactured or made). It’s also best if you weigh each item with a postal scale because the weight for each item is also required on the customs form. 

You should use multiple forms for each package instead of trying to squeeze in multiple items on each line of a single form.

If you have any questions, you can visit your local post office, or you can go online and visit usps.com for further tips and specifics.

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Next Time: “Insider Tips” for packing items and loading trucks.

Insider Tip #2 -- Do It Yourself – U-Haul Services

Shipping Connection is an authorized U-Haul dealer with two cargo vans in its fleet. These vans are a bit larger than typical family vans that you’re familiar with. You can lay a queen size mattress between the wheel wells and stack a lot of other stuff on top, plus you have a few feet of additional floor-to-ceiling free space since the cargo bay is about 9 feet long and the typical mattress is about 6 feet long.

U-Haul cargo vans cost $19.95 per day to rent, plus $0.69 per mile, plus $11 per day for insurance if you want it. In addition, these vans get about 8-9 miles per gallon of gas, and you’ll have to bring the van back with the same fuel level as when you got it, so plan your budget accordingly.

If you’re making a short move within the city, as university students often do, then using a van and making a few trips with it can be a smart way to save money.

If, on the other hand, you’re moving a lot of items including some large furniture, then you might try looking at the other options that U-Haul has.  They have a fleet of box trucks from 10-foot cargo bays to 26-foot cargo bays (the largest you can drive without a commercial driver’s license). You can rent one of these, but the rent and mileage are generally higher according to the size of the truck you select.  Also, they get lower fuel mileage as they have larger engines hauling heavier vehicles and loads, so you’ll spend substantially more on fuel. Plan accordingly.

Another advantage of the trucks is that some are for rent on a one-way basis.  So if you’re moving far away, you can drop the truck off at the U-Haul dealer closest or most convenient to your destination.

This is probably the most inexpensive way to move your goods unless you happen to own a box truck that will handle all of your items. But do keep in mind motel/hotel expenses, as well as meals and other expenses when you budget.

One thing to make sure of, and that is that your “Do-It-Yourself” doesn’t become a “Destroy-It-Yourself” move. This typically occurs when you try to move a concert grand piano, or a large gun safe, or a hot tub, a glass table, etc., yourself. It’s best in such cases to let only experienced professionals with the right equipment do the job.

Also keep in mind the fact that you will be required to stop at every open truck inspection station as you cross any state line.  You will have to be certain to comply with every state law including not only weight limitations, plus firearms and hazmat laws, but also agricultural regulations that prohibit the import of fruit and certain plants into some states.

Hazmat laws can be tricky.  For instance, you cannot transport paint or paint thinner, etc., across state lines without special federal permits. In addition, you cannot have gasoline at all, not even in your lawn mower or weed cutter, etc., in your truck (except for your truck’s gas tank). So run the gasoline out of your mowers, etc., before you leave.

Inspection Stations can require you to remove every item from your truck for inspection if they so desire, and they will require you to unload items if your truck is over the gross weight limit for your truck until you’re within the legal weight limit.

You will then have to find alternate means to ship the overload items, plus you will have to pay a hefty fine. This could take days to resolve, so if there’s any doubt in your mind, it’s best to have a professional moving service transport your goods.

Another consideration when moving yourself is how to wrap or pack your goods and how to load the truck. We can discuss more on this in a future tip.  If you have an unbalanced load, it could cause the truck to tip on a turn or even careen out of control when rounding a curve in the road, etc.  So your items must be balanced with as low a center of gravity as possible and with as even a distribution (weight wise) as possible.

Next Time: more “Insider Tips” for small moves: Lift Vans, U-Boxes, and Other Moving Containers. .

Insider Tip #1 – Options for Small Moves

If you need to move a 1 bedroom or studio apartment with not much furniture or household goods, you might want to consider some options.

First of all, a moving company van will be prohibitively expensive, or you might have to wait weeks for your items to be shipped. But there are options, depending on how many items you have.

Before you select any service, you must understand pricing policies. There are two types of weight measurements in the shipping industry.  One is actual weight – how many pounds an item weighs – as opposed to “dimensional weight,” i.e., the size of the item or how many cubic feet it takes up. Then they round up to the next whole number. The shipping company will always select the larger of the two figures, actual or dimensional, to determine shipping charges.

Dimensional weight is calculated by multiplying the length times the width times the height of an item in inches, then dividing by 166. So if you had a 1’ x 1’ x 1’ box, you would have a dimensional weight of 11lbs.  (12” x 12” x 12” = 1728, 1728 divided by 166 = 10.4096, rounded up to the next pound would be 11 pounds).

            Shipping via “Small Package” Services

If you have only a very few items that you can fit into 10 or fewer medium sized boxes that weigh up to 150 lbs. each,, then your best bet would probably be to use a small package service such as UPS or FedEx.  Shipping Connections is an authorized shipper for both UPS and FedEx and has several pickups per day for these services. 

            Palletizing and Freighting

If you have to move just a few items (no furniture), Shipping Connections can palletize them and air freight them for a surprisingly low cost, about $1 per pound.  This includes the labor and materials for putting the items on the pallet and stretch wrapping them to stabilize the load according to industry standards. We can go up to about 4 or 5 feet high and still be safe and stable with most items once they are boxed (costs extra to have us box them).

This is a hub to hub service, not door to door. So there is a pickup charge on our end if we have to go to your residence or storage shed.  This is very reasonable, usually $25 for a pickup truck load. On the other end, you can pick up your items at the nearest major airport, or you can pay a cartage fee, usually 15 cents ($0.15) per pound for deliveries within 30 miles or so of the airport, up to 20 cents or more ($0.20+) per pound for more distant destinations.  Allow two days for pickup and 2-3 days for air transport to the hub.

           

Do It Yourself

Shipping Connection is an authorized U-Haul dealer with two cargo vans in its fleet.    These vans are a bit larger than typical family vans that you’re familiar with. You can lay a queen size mattress between the wheel wells and stack a lot of other stuff on top, plus you have a few feet of additional floor-to-ceiling free space since the cargo bay is about 9 feet long and the typical mattress is about six feet long.

U-Haul cargo vans cost $19.95 per day to rent, plus $0.69 per mile, plus $11 per day for insurance if you want it. In addition, these vans get about 8-9 miles per gallon of gas, and you’ll have to bring the van back with the same fuel level as when you got it, so plan your budget accordingly.

If you’re making a short move within the city, as university students often do, then using a van and making a few trips with it can be a smart way to save money.

If, on the other hand, you’re moving a lot of items including some large furniture, then you might try looking at the other options that U-Haul has.  They have a fleet of box trucks from 10-foot cargo bays to 26-foot cargo bays (the largest you can drive without a commercial driver’s license). You can rent one of these, but the rent and mileage are generally higher according to the size truck you select.  Also, they probably get lower mileage as they have larger engines hauling heavier vehicles and loads, so you’ll spend more on fuel. So plan accordingly.

Another advantage of the larger trucks is that some are for rent on a one-way basis.  So if you’re moving far away, you can drop the truck off at the U-Haul dealer closest or most convenient to your destination.

            Lift Vans, U-boxes, and Pods

Lift Vans (also called “Van Packs”) are large wooden crates that are used for shipping items.  They are used for international shipping as well as domestic. They are about 7 feet high by 7 feet long by 4 feet wide.  They hold about 200 cubic feet of goods. You can ship multiple lift vans if you need to (each lift van holds about 1 room of a typical move, but we will get more details from you for making more precise calculations of how many lift vans you might need).

If you want to use a lift van, give Moving Connections a call. Our movers will come to your residence or business and load the items directly onto a lift van in the truck, or they will load your items onto the truck and take it to the lift van warehouse, where it will be loaded, banded, and shipped.

Lift vans can be a cost saver for smaller shipments, so be certain to call us before booking a move.

Lift vans are a door to hub or door to door service.

Starting December we'll be sending out the newsletters.

Here is a sneak preview of upcoming December letter

Staging, Selling & Moving

Crating and Palletizing

Crating: What should be crated?

High value items that are sensitive or fragile in nature, or which might be large and/or heavy, and which require an extra level of protection should be crated. Probably a gun safe would not be a good candidate for crating, but a large or heavy sculpture that is expensive would definitely benefit from a good crate. The requirements for insurance against damages are pretty stringent and rigidly adhered to (perhaps more so now than ever before), so it’s important that things such as art objects, high value motorcycles, sensitive medical or electronic equipment, and like items be properly packaged. Otherwise, if your item is damaged during shipment, you will not receive any or extremely little compensation.

So what goes into crating? Since insurance regulations require at least a two inch cushion between the object and the interior wall of the crate – and this cushion must NOT be loose fill, such as Styrofoam peanuts – then Styrofoam sheets must be cut to fit the dimensions of the object being shipped. Since these are typically produced in one inch thick sheets, two layers are needed, so the first must fit the dimensions of the object being shipped, while the second layer has to fit the dimensions of the first layer of protection around the object. This is a straightforward matter for items with predictable geometric shapes, such as rectangles, ovals, circles, and squares. But what if you have a statue of Venus arising out of the sea, or a dragon, etc.?

Irregularly shaped items such as these will require special construction of cross braces and shoring, and a system of straps fastened to eyebolts that will immobilize the item. Where the item is stabilized against a shoring brace or other surface, there must be sufficient padding to protect the item against damage, including the finish. Motorcycles and statues usually require such treatment.

Items with glass also require specialized handling. For instance, a painting with a frame and glass will typically have painter’s tape put over every centimeter of exposed glass, then possibly have a layer or two of cardboard or bubble wrap to fill the empty space between the glass and the forward dimension of the frame. Then one can place the layers of Styrofoam to provide the further required protection against damage for the item.

Of course, each particular item can pose its own problems and solutions, but the above should help to explain how the items are crated, and why crating can be so expensive. A plus for crating is that the crate and its packing and shoring, etc., can be used over and over again to ship the item. Just be certain that the item is stable and has the required amount of padding inside if you ever do re-ship it.

Palletizing: what is it?

Palletizing is simply the act of arranging items for shipping on a pallet. Pallets are typically made of wood and are 40” x 48”. However, they can be different shapes and sizes according to the needs of the person shipping the item and the requirements of the shipping company.

Palletizing is usually reserved for small shipments that are too expensive to send as separate items by the small package services (up to 150 lbs., such as FedEx and UPS), but which would also be too expensive to send by moving companies. So palletizing the items (consolidating the shipment onto one or more pallets) and using a freight company is the most economical choice. Before the items are put on the pallet, the pallet and each item must be weighed separately and these numbers must be added to get the total weight of the shipment. After items are arranged on the pallet, they must be wrapped tightly with multiple layers of stretch wrap to stabilize the load.

The pallet is now ready to be shipped either by truck or by air. The air rates (for 2-3 day delivery) can be very reasonable ($1 per pound or thereabouts, so check them out). If you have a studio apartment or a small apartment with very few items and no large furniture, this might be your best choice. If you have a bed or couch that might prevent this solution, consider having a garage sale or posting the item on the web for local sale.

Before deciding to go this route, however, make certain that you’re getting door to door service, particularly if you’re moving from or to a town that is far away from a large urban center. Freight companies usually hire cartage agents (independent truckers) to transport these shipments to small towns and must pass the cost onto you or have you come and pick up the items promptly at their own location in a major city. So when you get a quote from the shipping company, make certain that the cost includes any cartage fees and that door to door service is included in the cost

Ancillary Services Provided by Some Moving Companies

Home Staging: This is the art of leaving just enough furniture, art, window dressings, etc., in your home to give it a warmer appeal to potential buyers. Indeed, studies have shown that the properly staged home, as opposed to the empty house, is much more likely to sell for the asking price, and it will sell sooner, too.

It’s best to have a professional do this, as there are many subtle “do’s” and “do not’s” that many homeowners don’t know about that can drive potential buyers away or cause them to offer a substantially lower amount than your asking price.

If you are going to stage your home yourself, it’s important to keep a few tips in mind.

First of all, repair any “red flag” issues, such as cracks in walls or sidewalks, or gouges and scuffs, etc., in wood floors. It will probably cost much less to repair these types of thing than it will to absorb the loss from a severely reduced offer (or no offers at all) for your home. So take care of these things pronto. Second, create an air of easy accessibility and traffic flow within and between rooms. This creates a sense of comfort that will have prospective buyers smiling inside and out. So get rid of clutter and move furniture to places where it doesn’t interfere with access to cords and controls for drapes and blinds, or to controls for sound systems, etc. It’s a real turn off to have to do a rapid succession of square dance steps in a tight space every time you want to turn the lights on in your living room, so arrange furniture accordingly. Also, limit your accent pieces and be certain to vary their height. And don’t arrange pictures and other wall hangings in stodgy squares, rectangles, etc. Step them or arrange them unconventionally so that they get noticed. It’s similar to a trick that savvy shippers use when they attach “Fragile” stickers to crates and boxes: they set them off from all the other labels and then tilt them at thirty degree angles so that they attract the eye and get noticed. Otherwise, they’re lost in the array of labels and papers on that side of the package.

Be a little bit unconventional, but not too much so. You can pull furniture away from the walls and more towards the center of the room around a coffee table or other piece of furniture. This can certainly aid in facilitating the advice given above about uncluttering your rooms, but it also makes the room appear larger and inviting.

Repaint large rooms that are painted with bold colors. Use neutral colors instead for these areas (living rooms, family rooms, etc.). So go with tans, creams, grays, etc., to create a warmer feeling that will appeal to the eye of your potential buyers. These colors will also help to show off accent pieces, furniture, window dressings and carpeting, and they make it easier to visualize what the room would look like with other furniture. Bold colors intimidate prospective buyers and make it difficult to know if one’s furniture and wall hangings would be appropriate in the room. Bolder colors can be used in smaller rooms or just on a single wall in a smaller room to make some other items in the room stand out more.

Finally, clean out your closets. Closet space can be a big seller, and empty closets are bigger closets. This are the only rooms that you want empty when trying to sell your home, and they could very well be the tipping point in your favor for a buyer who has looked at several other homes and is yet undecided. So clean out those closets and make that sale.

Storage: Many moving companies have storage space available, and some even offer climate controlled storage space as well as conventional storage space. You might save money and time by renting the storage space through the company that moves you if you’re in need of storage space.

Handyman Repairs: These are light repairs that don’t require the service of a full-blown contractor, and they include everything from replacing a faucet to checking for thermal leaks with a thermal camera, and then repairing the leaks if they just require the installation of weather stripping.

Car Shipping: Some moving companies have their own car shipping company as a separate entity. If they do, this is a plus as they are required to be federally licensed, bonded, and insured, whereas moving companies that only do local moving (no shipping across state lines) are not required to have this extra level of protection for their customers.

Crating, Packaging, and Shipping: A few moving companies might have their own shipping company, that is, they do “small package” shipping (packages up to 150 lbs) through nationally advertised and well known companies (such as FedEx and UPS, for example). They might also provide “fragile pack” and crating services for high value or very fragile or expensive items such as medical imaging equipment, art, motorcycles, etc. And a few companies can provide air freight services (for items over 150 lbs gross weight) associated with crating and palletizing services. These can save potentially save you money as opposed to just trying to contact a shipping company yourself and shipping certain items with them. So check with your moving company to see if they provide these services, and how much they would cost.

Which moving option to select: Full Service, Labor Only, or Do It Yourself?

The full service move is the most convenient and worry-free type of move a reputable company will offer, but it will also be the most expensive. With the full service move, the moving crew shows up at your house in a standard 26 foot moving truck stocked with all the equipment, tools, and packaging supplies needed for your move. These will always include two-wheel dollies, furniture dollies, and tools for disassembling an reassembling furniture, as well as stretch wrap, boxes, and tape, but could also include a stairwalker, piano board, pallet jack, and other such equipment.

The movers will wrap, pack, and load your goods onto the truck according to industry standards, then transport them to your new residence. Then they will unload the truck and arrange the items in your new home according to your wishes.

Then they will present you with a bill, which might be hefty, but they probably saved you a lot of time and trouble because they are experienced professionals. And that’s why this most expensive of all services is probably the most popular, too. And speaking of expenses, always get an estimate for your move and make certain that you know any add-on charges that might apply. Some companies will just charge for drive/labor time plus boxes and tape that they use, while others will charge for these services plus at the end of the move they will add junk fees such as equipment fees, fuel surcharges, and taxes. This can inflate your estimate by as much as 50% in some cases, perhaps even more. So make sure that you know everything you will be charged for in advance.

The Labor Only move can save hundreds of dollars. With the labor only service, you provide the truck and the driver, and the moving company provides the muscle and loading expertise. The will expertly wrap, pack, and load your rented truck in accordance with moving industry standards. But you will drive the truck to your new destination and unload it there yourselves. This is probably not a good option for someone with a grand piano or a gun safe or other such heavy, large object. But it does work well for someone with some muscle (for unloading) and some confidence in their driving skills.

Some things to remember when renting a truck:

First of all, get a big enough truck. The largest truck you can legally drive without a commercial driver’s license is a 26 foot truck. Check on the rental company’s website (or call your local rental company) to get a better idea as to whether a 26 foot truck will hold all your household goods.

Second, get a truck that has the loading system that you are more comfortable with. There are basically two types: the loading ramp, and the lift gate. With the ramp, you will have to carry or wheel items up a ramp onto the truck. With the lift gate, you just lower the gate to the ground by operating a lever, then wheel or lift the item(s) onto the lift gate, then send the gate up until it’s level with the truck floor, and then move the item onto the truck. This can be tricky with tall items, as they might start to tip while being raised or lowered, and if you’re standing on the lift while raising or lowering it, you could severely injure yourself or someone else. On the other hand, ramps tend to be rather narrow and you could severely injure yourself or someone else while trying to wrestle a heavy object up or down the ramp. Maybe this is one major reason why the full service move remains the most popular option.

Third, make certain that the truck has cargo tie rails and use them. Cargo tie rails are smooth boards that are riveted to the interior wall of the moving truck’s cargo area several inches from the wall. This allows the moving crew of you to strap items to the wall, preventing them from falling or even shifting. Be certain to purchase and use professional grade cargo straps available at truck rental stores, as merely lashing the goods with twine or rope will permit the rope to stretch and sag, with damage to the finish and even structure of those goods or neighboring items being a likely possibility.

Fourth, check whatever insurance you’re going to rely on to find out what it covers and what the deductibles are. Does it cover “overhead” accidents, accidents in which you try to drive under an overpass or tree limb that you think is high enough, but in fact smashes into the area over the cab of your truck (a very popular truck rental company’s insurance does NOT cover such accidents). You can see a lot of such accidents on the internet.

Fifth, and pursuant to the above paragraph, find out for sure just how high your truck is and always be aware of it. If the truck you are driving is 12 feet high and you approach an overpass that says it has an 11’6” clearance, you need to stop before you crash into the overpass. And never try to pull into a covered parking lot, and be very careful when driving on tree lined streets, especially when pulling into a parking spot. Low limbs can ruin your day.

Sixth, be aware that if you’re going to cross state lines, you will have to pull into weigh stations that are usually just inside the border of the state you’re going into. Sometimes these are closed and they will have large signs saying so, usually well ahead of the station. But if they are open, you will have to stop and have your truck weighed and possibly inspected. Hazardous goods and prohibited goods will be confiscated and you stand the possibility of being fined. Gasoline, even in lawn mowers, weed whackers, etc., is strictly prohibited by federal law. So get rid of all gasoline and other such combustibles, including paint, before loading your truck. Check your local laws to find out how to do this. Even liquid detergents, though not flammable or explosive, can be prohibited. And of course, ammunition, gunpowder and black powder are prohibited, also. Guns might be acceptable for transport, but check with each state you will go into for its laws and abide by them. Also, all these items are not only prohibited for interstate transport, but they are also prohibited for in-state transport. Some states also prohibit the transport of certain fruits, vegetables, and plants, so be careful and be legal.

The Do-It-Yourself option completely excludes the moving company. It’s just like the labor only option, except that you do all the wrapping and loading onto the truck, as well as the unloading, etc. Please see the “Labor Only move” above for important tips on doing this.

How to Prepare for a Move

Although there are many aspects to preparing for a move, we are going to avoid the peripheral topics here (things such as registering your kids for the new school, filling out change of address forms for the post office, stopping newspaper subscriptions, etc.). This blog will concentrate instead on how to prepare your goods and parking areas for moving day in order to be more efficient, therefore saving you time and money.

The first thing to do is to book the move as early as possible. This not only gives you a much better possibility of hiring the moving company that you want, but it also gives you and the company more time to coordinate. For instance, tricky things such as large chandeliers, pool tables, gun safes, baby grand or concert grand pianos, or hot tubs can be better prepared for when details are provided.

If it’s possible, reserve a parking area for the moving van as near as possible to the door(s) that the moving crew will be using. If you have a freight elevator, the parking area should be as close as possible to it. And if you have a choice between an approach that has a lot of steps and one that has few or no steps, choose the latter. Doing these things will make the move go much faster, and that means big savings for you.

Please don’t have things on your beds (often this takes the form of clothing) when the movers come. Professional movers like to put the largest items on the truck first, and beds are among these things. Moving companies have wardrobe boxes, tall boxes with metal bars on which to hang clothing, that are made expressly for the purpose of transporting clothing without having to fold or wrinkle items. And please don’t put clothing or anything in plastic bags. Everything on board a moving truck should be in a good quality, rigid box. Even plants must be put in boxes (tall plants will often fit into a lamp box). The reason for this is that everything loaded onto the truck must contribute to the common structural integrity of the load. Soft sided luggage and plastic bags provide little or no support, and the bumps and vibrations of even a short journey will cause them to slip and move, causing surrounding items to tumble, and that’s how things get damaged. So please keep clothing in your closets and the moving company will place them carefully into wardrobe boxes, or, if you like, you can box the items yourself, but please don’t have your clothes or anything else on your beds when the moving crew arrives.

Take high value items with you, unless they’re too large. For instance, money, jewelry, rare or valuable coins, gold, platinum, gems, etc., should accompany you in your personal vehicle.

Keep an inventory of expensive items, and take good quality pictures of them just before they’re moved to establish the quality of the finish and the condition of the items. This way, disputes may be avoided if items are scratched or otherwise damaged by the movers.

Hazardous materials cannot be transported by a moving company. This includes not only things such as gunpowder or black powder, but also items such as gasoline, kerosene, paint, or even liquid detergents. So things such as lawn mowers and weed whackers, etc., must be purged of gasoline before being transported. Usually people who are moving will run these items until they run out of gas in order to comply with this federal law. If you do this, be certain to do it outdoors and not in your garage or in an enclosed area, as it could be dangerous to do so, both from the standpoint of fire danger as well from the standpoint of the buildup of dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide.

If you follow these procedures, your move should be a smooth and efficient transition to your new home.