7 Things to Do Before Arranging a Small Load Move
1. Trust your judgment! Go with your feelings!
Hire the company you feel most comfortable with. Did your phone conversation and quote process go smoothly? Did the mover ask ALL the right questions - When are you moving out? When do you want to move in? Any stairs/ elevator? Did the mover get a detailed list from you? Do you need an insurance certificate? Did the mover get back to in a timely manner? Were all your questions answered?
If the mover can’t get these things right then how are they going to handle your belongings??
2. Watch out for the low moving estimates!
Remember what your parents said… if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Anyone can give you a quote. A trained, seasoned professional will get all the details. They will ask for a complete list of items to be moved. Your timing for pickup and delivery will be discussed. The pricing strategy will be explained. Ask what you’re paying for–size, weight, volume, distance or added services. Know what you are getting for your money.
3. The Internet- a curse or a cure for finding a mover??
The cure- check out the website. Does it look professional? Does it list an address or is it a “virtual” company? Is the company a member of a professional organization (e.g. the Massachusetts Movers Association or the Better Business Bureau)? Does it invite you to call for a quote or simply prompt you to enter your information?
The curse- Anyone can create a website, but that does not mean it’s a reputable or honest business? There are many unscrupulous people in this business and most of them live off the Internet. In particular, be wary of online price quotes.
Also, beware of price quotes tied directly to weight! One thousand pounds to Los Angeles for $1000.00!! Is it actual weight or calculated weight? Has anyone spoken with you about the list of items that you want to move? Do not get sucked in by lowball estimates on the Web!!
Moving is the third most stressful thing you will do in your life behind divorce and losing your job. Do you want to add to that stress level? Also, if you have any suspicions at all about a moving company with just a website, check out websites that list unscrupulous companies, e.g. movingscam.com
4. Deal with a local company.
Your mover should have local ties to one end of your move- either the pickup or delivery. Hiring out-of-town movers is dangerous. What happens if you need to be out of your place on the first of the month and your out-of-town mover runs late? Or worse, when the mover finally arrives on the 3rd, their truck is already full and your move needs to be rescheduled to the next week? A local company can accommodate delays, schedule changes and extra items being sent. Local small businesses are owned by people who reside in your community and build their reputations through happy customers. Should a problem arise, the local guy is better equipped to handle it.
5. Get a written quote.
It doesn’t need to be fancy, just accurate! Make sure it lists what you are moving, where it is being picked up and where it is going with lots of specific details. The price should be based on this list. If you think you are going to have extras (items that you will add on moving day), get the quote ahead of time. If you tell the mover five items and it’s actually 15, the price will be higher for the extra items.
6. Be clear on insurance.
Know what is covered and what isn’t. Know how much coverage is included and what you have to pay for. Discuss the issue of damage. Things can happen during move, but a reputable, reasonable company can correct them. Ask how they handle damage and repair. Be sure that you’re comfortable with the mover’s responses.
7. Packing
Who will do the packing of your boxes? Where will you get your boxes? Can you use old boxes? What if you have something you don’t want to pack, like china, artwork, computer equipment or a flat-screen TV? You will save money by doing your own packing, but there is a catch. Any boxes that you pack can be insured for loss only, not damage. So, if the china that belonged to your grandmother and the TV are expensive, you may want the mover to pack it for you. That way, if it is damaged and you declared value on it, you’re covered.
How knowing what size mover to select can save you a fortune on your move.
It’s YOUR Move!
Most people don’t realize there’s more than one kind of mover. When it’s time to move, they probably go to the phone book or Internet and choose the first mover they come across, most likely one of the larger movers. That’s fine if you’re moving a four-bedroom home. But if it’s less than a thousand pounds of stuff (e.g. sending your mother’s antique dresser and a few other pieces to your sister in Dallas), a large, national mover might not be the most cost-effective option.
Typically, large moving companies charge by weight with a 1,000-pound or 2,500-pound minimum. Small load shipping specialists like Boston Pack and Ship don’t have minimums, but generally handle shipments of 1,000 pounds or less. So if you’re moving less than the large mover’s minimum, you may want to consider more cost-effective options.
Besides minimums, there are several other differences between the larger movers and small load shipping specialists:
- Out of state moves - small load shippers strictly do out-of-state and international moves; large movers also offer local service within the same state.
- Estimates - small load shippers charge by the size of the shipment and where it’s going; movers charge by actual weight or a calculated weight based on the dimensions of your goods.
- Specialized packing services - many small load shippers offer custom crating and boxes, as well as higher-end technologies like foam-in-place packing. While larger movers offer packing, very few offer foam-in-place packing or custom boxes for delicate items.
- Transit times - if you’re moving an entire house, then your move takes up the entire truck. Smaller shipments using small load shippers share space with other moves. That brings the cost down, but can affect the timing of your move. Small load shippers can help you control the timing but you often save a considerable amount of money if you can trade off time.
Boston Pack and Ship works with a number of larger movers and if the move is smaller than their minimum or there is a fragile item that requires our packing expertise, they’ll refer the business to us. Many times, people think that they only have a small amount to ship. After speaking with them, we can determine that they are better suited for a large mover and we make the referral to the appropriate mover. The important thing for consumers to know is they do have options and to find the one that best suits their situation.
For more information, you can visit the company Web site at www.bostonpackandship.com. For a free quote on an out-of-state or international move or shipment, please call (800) 400-7204.
Packaging and Shipping In Boston Video
No need to cram for summer sessions
Boston Pack and Ship expands international student division to aid students between semesters, after graduation.
An international college student living in greater Boston faces challenges the local undergrad or grad student doesn’t — particularly if you have to be out of your dorm or apartment by semester’s end or are unsure where your future will take you after graduation.
Boston Pack and Ship recently expanded its International Students division to better accommodate the special needs of these foreign students.
We offer temporary storage space in a secure, climate-controlled facility, conveniently located in our Braintree, Mass. warehouse. While other storage facilities charge a flat rate for a specific size storage room, Boston Pack and Ship only charges for the space you use. So, you’re not renting an 8-foot by 10-foot space if what you’re storing only requires half that.
In addition to storage, Boston Pack and Ship offers special overseas shipping services, including:
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One page introductory e-mail outlining the entire process – full explanation of all fees
- Preparation of all export customs documents.
- Door-to-port service – Boston Pack and Ship will pick up your boxes at your home or office. Delivery is to a bonded warehouse where you can pick up your goods or arrange for final local delivery.
- Consolidation of your shipment on a pallet – all boxes are stretch-wrapped in plastic and strapped to the pallet.
- Complete information regarding shipment – name of vessel, voyage number, date of departure and arrival as well as a booking number will be e-mailed to you prior to shipping.
- Complete contact information of overseas agent (name, address, phone, e-mail) to arrange delivery from port to final destination.
- $500 worth of insurance for loss on each box is included.
We offer these services at a far better price due to a special arrangement with an ocean consolidator freight service. And since Boston Pack and Ship puts you directly in touch with the agent at the port, you can arrange for shipping to your final destination with a local vendor—saving you even more.
If you know an international student looking for either temporary storage space or a less expensive way to ship their stuff, they can call (800) 400-7204 for a free quote.
What Can A Custom Packaging Solution Company Do For Your Business?
Worried about your company’s image? Want to differentiate your products and services from those offered by dozens of competitors? A custom packaging solution company may be the answer.
Think about it. You went into business because you have a passion for what you do and a drive for excellence. Do you really want to divert your time and energy into creating the ideal packaging for your products — or do you want to work with a custom packaging solution company, ensuring unique, innovative packaging that will reinforce your brand and enhance your company’s image while allowing you to concentrate on what you do best?
A custom packaging solution company does far more than design boxes. From presentation materials including ring binders, multimedia and software packaging, and signage through durable, innovative packaging materials, a custom packaging solution company can create a comprehensive, integrated suite of packaging materials to ensure that every point your customers interact with your company, they’ll form a favorable opinion.
Customer opinions are easily swayed. You can do everything right: the perfect product at a great price delivered in a timely fashion — and lose the sale due to lackluster or ho hum packaging and presentations. Using a custom packaging solution company ensures that you’ve got the services of a crack team of graphic designers working on your side. Consistent branding efforts extend to every aspect of a successful business: right down to the cartons your products are delivered in, the packing materials used, and the tape that seals the package!
Some customers may regard custom package design as merely gilding the lily — but you’ll notice that Amazon.com has their logo prominently on every package that leaves the warehouse. Gateway branded themselves in no small part with their distinctive black and white packaging. Imagine what a custom packaging solution company could do for you!
Call 800-400-7204 or click here for a free quote.
We are a member of Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association. NELMA is pleased to offer IPPC ISPM 15 certification inspection services to facilities that produce wood packaging materials (WPM) such as boxes, crates, skids, pallets, etc. destined for use in exporting goods to the numerous countries that have implemented the International Standard for Wood Packaging.
Save Money By Hiring Small Furniture Moving Companies
Do you need to relocate on a budget? One great way to save money, time, and more stress than you’d even want to think about is to hire one of the nation’s small furniture moving companies.
Small furniture moving companies specialize in what is known in the trade as ‘small moves’. Small moves are actually what most of us think of when we relocate: transporting furniture, household items, and possessions packed in boxes. Small furniture moving companies handle moving the couch, the dining room set, the china cupboard — all of the cumbersome items that break backs, fray nerves, and present real difficulties for the homeowner who tries to move on their own.
How does hiring small furniture moving companies save you money?
There are a number of ways that hiring small furniture moving companies can save you money. Generally, small moves are priced according to the weight of the load being transported. (Don’t worry if you don’t have a clue how much your household weighs: small furniture moving companies can help you with this part!) Compare this with how general long distance moving companies charge: you pay for the use of the entire truck, whether or not you fill it up. Some small furniture moving companies also offer time-based pricing.
With a small furniture moving company, you pay to move your things. With a general moving company, you pay for the truck used to move your things. There can be a huge difference: new or small families tend to not have as much stuff as larger or more established families. It makes sense: fewer people, with less time, will accumulate fewer possessions. (Packrats aside, of course!) There’s a far smaller likelihood that you will fill — or would require — all of the room in a large moving truck. Why pay for it?
The services small furniture moving companies offer may be the perfect answer!
Call 800-400-7204 or click here for a free quote.
Small Household Moving and Packaging: What Are Your Options?
Moving a small household, complete with furniture, clothing, and all the possessions that make a house a home, can be quite a job. You want to consider all of your options when it comes to small household moving and packaging. Considerations to take into account include budget, time constraints, and distances involved.
With that in mind, there are three primary options you can consider when planning a small household moving and packaging:
Do It Yourself
Do it yourself may be the most popular option for small household moving and packaging. It is also the most labor intensive, and may in fact, cost more money than you suspect. The time required to pack all of your possessions, load them into a truck (or series of pickup trucks borrowed from friends, if you’re really trying to do this on the cheap!) and unload it all again can be pretty extensive. Additionally, there’s a high risk of breaking and damaging your possessions, due to inexperience in packing, moving, and transporting them.
Small Household Moving and Packaging Companies
Small household moving and packaging companies specialize in the type of move the average family needs: transporting household possessions from one abode to another. This can be on a short or long distance basis. The advantages of using small household moving and packaging companies include the expertise they bring to the job in regard to both packing and transporting your possessions, a fleet of appropriate vehicles to do the job, strong people capable of hefting heavy furniture, and the stress reduction of knowing the job is in good hands. Additionally, because small household moving and packaging companies specialize in this type of move, their pricing structure tends to be more attractive than conventional moving companies.
Conventional Movers
Conventional movers are very similar to small household moving and packaging companies, with a few important differences. The primary difference is one of size: small household moving and packaging companies specialize on the small home. Conventional movers handle larger jobs and charge higher prices. If you’ve got a sizeable household, with lots and lots of heavy furniture, a conventional mover may be the best option. Just be prepared to pay for it.
Call 800-400-7204 or click here for a free quote.
Skip the End of Semester Headache
Moving and Storage for the College Student
If term papers, exams, and finals aren’t enough, the end of the college semester brings a few special headaches for the college student. How in the world is all of the stuff you brought to school for the semester — not to mention all the can’t-live-without-items you accumulated during the term — going to make it home? For many college students, moving and storage are far more challenging than anything the professor could throw at them.
College students have some unique moving and storage challenges. First and foremost, many college students move four or more times in a year. Moving all the clothing and computers and books and furniture is challenging enough. Imagine the headaches that occur when the tasks of packing, shipping, and storing have to be repeated four or more times!
To make college student moving and storage easier, keep the following points in mind:
College student moving and storage is not a do it yourself job — especially if you’re trying to concentrate on making good grades, complete internship requirements, make some money at a part or full time job, and work in a social life. College student moving and storage can take a great deal of time unless you really know what you’re doing. Save time by hiring a moving and storage company.
College student moving and storage can be done on a budget. That doesn’t mean going with the cheapest company you can find. A cheap moving and storage company isn’t a bargain if you have to replace all the stuff that gets broken or lost in transit! For the ultimate in college student moving and storage, you want a company that delivers value: a company that has proven that they can do a good job at a reasonable price.
Call 800-400-7204 or click here for a free quote.
Finding a Packaging and Shipping Company in Boston, Massachusetts
Trying to find a packaging and shipping company in Boston, Massachusetts can be challenging. A quick Google search turns up dozens, if not hundreds of Boston, Massachusetts packaging and shipping companies, ranging from small Mom & Pop operations through the nationally recognized chain packaging and shipping companies.
The question is: how do you know which of these Boston, Massachusetts packaging and shipping companies is right for you? A list of names and phone numbers might be a great starting point, but it’s not really enough information to make an informed decision. After all, you’re trusting a packaging and shipping company with your valuables: items you’ve worked long hours for, received as gifts from dear friends, or family heirlooms. Do you really want to entrust these items to just anyone?
To research packaging and shipping companies in the Boston, Massachusetts area, you have a number of options. The first, and easiest, is to look online. As mentioned, a quick Google search will give you a long list of names to consider. However, close perusal of this list will reveal that some companies aren’t located anywhere even close to Massachusetts. You can eliminate those names from your list right away.
Web based service rating sites are becoming increasingly popular. You can search for packaging and shipping companies in the Boston, Massachusetts area by name, and see how customers rate their experiences. However, be aware that numbers on these sites tend to be misleading, as the number of respondents tends to be low, and any one rating can skew the results — favorably or negatively. Use these sites as a starting point in your research of packaging and shipping companies, not the ending point!
Call 800-400-7204 or click here for a free quote.
Call companies you’re interested in. Be prepared with a list of questions, including services offered, charges, and guarantees. You want to know what will happen if there’s a problem with your shipment.
The Challenges International College Students Face
You know as well as anybody the challenges international college students face. One typical dilemma occurs at the end of every school year. That’s when students must figure out what to do with their things until the fall. Boston Pack and Ship, small load pack and shipping specialists for the past two decades, created an International Students division just to accommodate international student storage needs.
We offer temporary international student storage space in a secure, climate-controlled facility, conveniently located in Braintree, Mass. While other storage facilities charge you a flat rate for a specific size storage room, Boston Pack and Ship only charges for the space you use. So, you’re not renting an 8-foot by 10-foot space if what you’re storing only requires half that.
international student shipping services
For students who are graduating and moving out of Boston or want some or all of their things to be shipped home for the summer, Boston Pack and Ship specializes in international student shipments of less than 1,000 pounds—parameters that can cover a lot of different items. We employ customized package and crate-building services, as well as state-of-the-art packing solutions, like foam-in-place technology, so students can safely ship fragile items like computer monitors, stereo equipment and other pieces. We’ll even pick those items up so no damage occurs while trying to get their shipment to Boston Pack and Ship.
US student shipping services
Boston Pack and Ship offers multiple U.S. student shipping options including ground, air, delivery to a terminal for pickup or inside delivery. International options include air or ocean with door-to-door or door-to-port delivery. Full, declared value is available on both domestic and international shipments. Pick-up of items to be packed and shipped for delivery is made by appointment.
Your international students go through enough stress during the school year with classes, adjusting to a new city and culture, making new friends and so many other things. Boston Pack and Ship’s international student storage and shipping can alleviate one of the bigger ones—what to do with their stuff between school years and after graduation. If you would like to learn more about how Boston Pack and Ship services can help your international students, please give us a call at (800) 400-7204. We’d love the opportunity to set up an informational meeting and go over the range of international student services we offer.
Call 800-400-7204 or click here for a free quote.