Should You Pack Yourself or Hire A Packer

Moving is always a process, but elements of it can be outsourced to help save valuable time and energy, one of which is packing. If you are wondering if you should pack yourself or hire a packer, the thought definitely warrants further exploration. Consider the responsibilities of packing yourself and compare it to the responsibilities of being packed by a professional. Choosing the option that is best for you can make packing and moving a more enjoyable process, from start to finish.

Things to Remember If Packing Yourself

Moving is a marathon, not a sprint, and that sentiment often holds even more true for those that choose to pack themselves. Some things to keep in mind if you are packing yourself include:

It takes a lot of time and organization

There is a reason that an internet search for “packing checklist for moving” gives thousands of results. The sheer thought of packing up a person’s life and temporarily storing it in correctly labeled cardboard boxes may be enough to make a person consider hiring a professional. Wrapping, taping, box assembly, packing, more taping, and labeling all take time, which means self-packers have to start well in advance of their move and may not have access to some items until they have finished moving and are finally unpacked.

Furniture disassembly

Large items such as bed frames, dining tables, some easy chairs, china hutches and more may need to be disassembled before they will fit through a doorway. For those individuals that are not mechanically inclined, this can be a challenge that could even result in a piece of broken furniture.

Purchasing and gathering of packing materials

Before packing can begin in earnest, supplies such as boxes, bubble wrap, paper and tape must be purchased, which may include multiple trips to various stores.

Incorrect balancing of boxes

To ensure a box is not too heavy or lopsided, it must be packed with correct balancing in mind and be the proper size.

Advantages of Hiring a Professional Moving Company to Pack You

While packing yourself may help save a bit of money, it can cost you time, energy, and valuable professional knowhow. Increasingly, residents are turning to professional moving companies to assist with packing for the following advantages:

  • It is faster than packing yourself. Most professional movers can do more packing in one day than an individual could do on their own in a week. These companies move people for a living and have an efficient packing system already in place. This can also be an advantage for not having to do without certain items because they are stored away in a box so far in advance of a move.
  • It requires less physically. Packing typically requires a large range of movements from walking, standing up, and bending over to put something in a box. The kicker is that these are repetitive movements for packing just one box. Now multiply those movements by the number of boxes each room in a house will yield. Professional movers are accustomed to this physically demanding task, and with a team of packers, the workload can be shared instead of it falling squarely on the shoulders of one person.
  • It doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to pack a box. Since professional movers carry boxes back and forth most of the day every day, they have a solid understanding of the best ways to distribute the weight in a box to keep them from coming apart or toppling over. Let the professionals handle packing items safely.
  • Furniture disassembly is a part of the process. If needed, a moving company’s packers will be able to get larger items such as beds and sofas disassembled and ready for loading onto the truck.
  • Special packaging may be provided upon request. An individual with a fragile or oddly shaped item can usually get assistance with customized packaging for it. This may include special packing materials or a specifically designed crate for a particular item.

A Word About Clutter and Things You May Not Want Packed

Regardless of if you pack yourself or enlist the help of professional packers, there are two additional things to consider before packing begins:

  • Get rid of the clutter. Especially when pressed for time, it can be tempting to have all of your belongings packed away without sifting through them first, but this is often a mistake. Getting rid of clutter or things that you do not use before packing can result in less packing, less boxes, and less unpacking in the new home.
  • Some items do not pack well. Whether it is perishable food from the freezer or fridge or potentially hazardous chemicals, many of these items do not pack well or are not safe to put with other belongings. Try to use up most of the food in your kitchen before moving and minimize the amount of potentially hazardous materials you bring with you.

5 Questions to Ask A Moving Company About Their Professional Packers

When it comes to researching a moving company and their professional packers, here are five questions every customer should ask about the company:

  1. Are they insured?
  2. Are they skilled in protecting household goods?
  3. Can they build special crating for some items if need be?
  4. Does the company offer unpacking as a service?
  5. How much do they charge?

If you or someone you know is preparing to move, consider the benefits of hiring a reputable and experienced moving company to professionally pack your home or office.

Our Social Distance-approved Cost of Moving Calculators Go the Distance

virtual estimate

“Social distancing.” “The new normal.” These coronavirus-era catchphrases testify to the global pandemic’s isolating effect and impact on day-to-day life. Here’s another term to know: virtual estimates.

Despite difficult circumstances, people still want or need to move—whether to a neighboring state or across the country—even as COVID-19 persists. That’s why virtual estimates are essential during this masked and touch-free time.

Pivoting

Calculating the cost of moving traditionally had involved inviting an individual inside your home. This professional would walk from the kitchen to the dining room to the living room to the bedrooms, all the while estimating the price of your move. That was then. This is now.

Thanks to technological advances, customers now enjoy a choice of online, social distance-approved tools just as accurate as the old-fashioned method—only safer and far more convenient.

Zero contact

Are you a big DIY fan? Many National Van Lines agents offer ReloQuote (powered by Yembo)—a state-of-the-art estimating tool. Using your smartphone or tablet, YOU move room-to-room taking snapshots of your belongings. Average time to complete: 15 minutes. Plus, there are no appointments to make, keep,  cancel or reschedule with your national movers. That means you can get an estimate any time of day or night. How’s that for the utmost in convenience?

FaceTime

Do you enjoy face-to-face contact, but still want to remain in the virtual estimates world? FaceTime might be your best choice for receiving a highly accurate interstate-moving estimate. This telephony tool allows you to survey your home in real time to obtain a clear-cut idea of what it will cost to move across the country. Your moving-estimate expert will talk—and virtually walk—you through this easy-to-use process. If you have questions during your appointment, you can ask and obtain an answer in real time.

Safe moving

On top of our pledge to as a National Van Lines agent to Make Moving Easy, JT Melia Moving & Storage is working hard to help protect your health and well-being. We’ve adopted the preventive steps recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for containing the coronavirus.

This includes monitoring the health of our office employees, in-home estimators, drivers and moving crews. In addition, we’ve advised our team of long-distance moving agents to follow these same guidelines.

We’ll get through this as we navigate COVID–19 together. Rest assured, we’ll always do what’s best for our customers, whichever season you choose to move.

Trusted for 50+ Years

JT Melia Moving & Storage is the top trusted Houston moving company for over 50 years. Being a family-owned and -operated moving company means pride in all we do. We’re Houston strong and treat every client like family. We handle and load your household items with great care—just like we would our own. We only use hand-picked employees (never contractors) so you can rest assured about the people you’re allowing in your home.  Contact us today for a FREE honest and accurate moving quote: 713.683.8585.

Pandemic Procedures Protect You

Relocation is a high-contact/hands-on activity. There’s no two ways about it. Cross country movers must pack boxes, lift furniture and transport belongings. In plain lingo: Professional movers must touch your stuff.

procedures protect

During the pandemic, the idea of a pro movers knocking at your front door might seem at odds with shelter-at-home orders and social-distance guidelines. However, it’s probably the exact opposite. By choosing an interstate mover to help you, you’re lessening your contact with others and helping safeguard your family.

How can that be?

Safe and sound

A DIY move forces you to personally purchase packing paper, buy boxes and rent a truck. These activities increase the chances you’ll encounter contagious individuals and COVID-contaminated materials. Plus, you risk passing that exposure to friends and family who want to help you move for just the price of pizza and beverages.

But if you hire a member of the National Van Lines family of interstate-moving agents, such as JT Melia Moving & Storage, you not only lessen your physical burden, you leave packing, loading and unloading to relocation professionals trained to wear masks, use gloves, practice state-of-the-art hygiene and properly store materials, such as cardboard shipping boxes (capable of carrying coronavirus contamination for up to 24 hours). We’re making sure our pandemic procedures protect you.

Safely tucked away in your home until moving day, you’ve protected yourself and your family from unneeded risk.

Health homework

How do you know national moving companies are adhering to the current coronavirus-containing federal guidelines? Are all cross country moving companies practicing safe-moving techniques by following preventive practices as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?

Search a company’s website, Facebook posts and tweets. Do they contain info about what steps that company has taken to protect you? Do their photos show drivers and moving-crew members masked and gloved? Is the company ready and willing to answer your safety questions? Are they offering pandemic procedures to protect you?

Virtually amazing

On top of our pledge as a National Van Lines interstate-moving agent to Make Moving Easy, JT Melia Moving & Storage is working hard to help protect your health and well-being. We’ve adopted CDC’s guidelines, including monitoring the health of our office employees, in-home estimators, drivers and moving crews. Our pandemic procedures protect you whether you move during autumn, winter, springtime or summer.

Trusted for 50+ Years

JT Melia Moving & Storage is the top trusted Houston moving company for over 50 years. Being a family-owned and -operated moving company means pride in all we do. We’re Houston strong and treat every client like family. We handle and load your household items with great care—just like we would our own. We only use hand-picked employees (never contractors) so you can rest assured about the people you’re allowing in your home.  Contact us today for a FREE honest and accurate moving quote: 713.683.8585.

Transport Your Car Without Pushing the Gas Pedal

You can move your vehicle cross-country without touching the gas pedal. Sound impossible? Not only is it possible, it’s often the preferred way to transport your car, van, SUV or truck when relocating to a new home.

Moving Car

National movers trained in vehicle cross-country moves can make sure your automobile arrives safely at your destination. So, hardly a single mile will register on the odometer—no matter what time of the year you pick to move.

Reduce those rigors

Just because you’re moving hundreds of miles on your interstate move doesn’t mean you have to subject your car to the rigors of the road. That means no oil changes. No new tires. No wear and tear (that goes for your frame as well as the car’s). No long-distance driving on strange roads and highways. No getting lost. No breakdowns. No headaches. “No” to all of that rigamarole. “Yes” to a stress-free move. Plus, you’ll know exactly what to expect on moving day.

Moving from NYC to California with you at the wheel would put somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,800 miles on your car (and your family). Figure in around 50 hours driving time, too.

Even if your long-distance moving expedition is shorter than moving from NY to LA (say, moving from Texas to California or moving from Florida to Colorado), the same issues come into play (just on a somewhat smaller scale).

Triple threat

As a National Van Lines agent, JT Melia Moving & Storage works with three top-rated car-shipping services to offer a variety of options. Rest assured, as a full-service moving company, we wouldn’t place trust in our third-party automotive pro movers without a thorough vetting process. Plus, we offer convenience. With our coast-to-coast network of cross country moving companies, chances are we can answer “yes” when you ask, “Is there a moving company near me?”

Montway Auto Transport provides 24/7 customer service, 12,000 driver/carrier partners and 220 terminals nationwide. In addition, Montway can ship to destinations around the globe. Plus, this car mover offers a rental-car provision and a car-wash plan. Get this: If a shipment is delayed past the delivery spread, Montway provides a rental car—up to $30 daily—until your vehicle is delivered. Montway’s car-wash plan provides for an exterior car-wash reimbursement of up to $20 for vehicles delivered in “approved dirty condition.”

The other two car-moving companies—Advectus Transportation Services and Reindeer Auto Relocation—offer tremendous service and customer satisfaction, too.

In addition to cars, Advectus Transportation Services ships boats, motorcycles, RVs and heavy equipment to or from any U.S. or foreign destination. The company’s clients include Fortune 500 companies and dealerships.

Standing behind its tagline—“real.personal.service.”—Reindeer Auto Relocation provides 24/7 service. Plus, the company responds to last-minute changes with its same-day pickup service.

Prep time

How should you prepare your vehicle for the trip ahead when you hire cross country movers to move a car? Divide the process into several steps to get your vehicle in tip-top shape to ship.

Clean machine. Ensure your vehicle is clean inside and out. Wash the exterior. Rid the interior of clutter and personal items. Vacuum rugs. Notice damage? Photograph and document.

Top and bottom. Top off windshield wash, engine oil, transmission fluid and coolant/antifreeze. Reduce gas to about one-quarter of a tank. This safety measure reduces the risk of fire or explosion while still ensuring your vehicle’s fuel system isn’t damaged while in transit. Notify your mover about any fluid leaks to help in proper vehicle positioning.

Alarming situation. Reindeer Auto Relocation says to turn off alarms. Provide your mover with any special instructions for starting a vehicle or disarming an alarm.

Do the tighten-up. Remove specialty and/or aftermarket parts attached to your car, such as a spoiler or bug shields. Ditto for racks designed to transport luggage, bikes or skis. If possible, fold back your side-view mirrors and lower your antennae. Close all windows, moon roofs and convertible roofs. Holes, open seams or gaps in the windows? Cover with a tight-fitting tarp. This prevents air and moisture from damaging the car.

Document damage. Note your car’s damage (photos are indispensable) or operating issues. Tell your mover about any operational issues in case he needs to move your car during an emergency. Keep this documentation handy; you’ll need it when your car is delivered. Fully inspect your vehicle at delivery. Compare its condition to your documentation. Notify the mover of any issues you see before signing any documentation accepting delivery.

Trusted for 50+ Years

JT Melia Moving & Storage is the top trusted Houston moving company for over 50 years. Being a family-owned and -operated moving company means pride in all we do. We’re Houston strong and treat every client like family. We handle and load your household items with great care—just like we would our own. We only use hand-picked employees (never contractors) so you can rest assured about the people you’re allowing in your home.  Contact us today for a FREE honest and accurate moving quote: 713.683.8585.

Concerned about COVID-19? Try our virtual move-estimate calculator, ReloQuote. It’s our social distance-approved/zero-contact way to get you moving fast. Or call 877.590.2810 for answers to your questions plus conduct a FREE online moving quote.

Why You Should Hire Piano Movers Rather Than Moving It Yourself

Considering the history and emotional attachment that people have with their instruments, there’s no reason to attempt moving an upright, concert grand or even a baby grand without the help of professional piano movers. Houston, TX has no shortage of professionals ready to help, whether transferring the instrument to a neighboring room or moving it to a different area of the state. Continue reading “Why You Should Hire Piano Movers Rather Than Moving It Yourself”

JT Melia Moving Fleet on the Road Helping Houston

As most of you know, we have been a moving company since 1969 here in Houston. And we have always helped in our community, to the point that people call us the movers that care.

Recent days have seen our city go through challenges many of us could never imagine.

Through the years we have moved thousands of families into their homes, many of which I am watching take on water on TV, and seeing the good families that we have come to know being displaced. We know our neighbors and their neighborhoods.

It has always been my hope that our clients know we care about them, and that the city of Houston knows we care about them. Since the start of Hurricane Harvey, we have been wondering how to put our fleet of movers to work for Houston.

In the early days, we have worked to get boxes in hands of those who were needing to pick their possessions out of the silt and mud in their houses. For some, the water got counter-high, so packing supplies were needed, and we have been helping those most vulnerable move their possessions into the safety of our warehouse.

Yesterday, though, we were able to make a real difference. The Northeast Baptist Church and our moving company partnered up to help take much-needed supplies to the 5th ward of Houston. For those of you that know the city, you know that these are some of the people with the greatest needs. I was so proud of my son Brandon and my crews as they helped unload trucks of supplies for Houstonians most in need.

At the same time, we donated a crew to go help a school teacher who, as a single mom, was having a hard time getting her son to safety. Although the second floor of an apartment complex was dry, her son had to be moved because of health conditions. We heard her story and were able to help move her son to safety, as well as help get her apartment packed up and moved to storage.

That is what being a Houstonian is all about. It is what owning a business in Houston is all about. We have marshalled our forces to help each family that needs help in our area.

I hope we never see anything like this again in our city. But what I do know is that this has made us all appreciate Houston and its commitment to our neighbors. As I think back over the last 50 years, this has been one of the best moments for our city, born out of the worst of circumstances. I am just glad that we could make something a little better for someone.

The Definitive Guide of Who Moves What

When it comes to moving things, there are a variety of factors on how you actually do that or who you call to do that. As a professional moving company, we have heard questions about everything from safes and pianos to car parts and the entire house. And then, of course, there are the hazardous materials and what to do with them. Continue reading “The Definitive Guide of Who Moves What”

Local Movers In Houston Should Be Licensed Professionals

Only seasoned professional local movers in Houston have what it takes to do the job properly in such a large city. But it is not just large, it is also quite diverse in regards to the landscape and traffic. A lot of people who attempt to move themselves find this out the hard way and don’t account for the many different elements that an experienced crew would. Continue reading “Local Movers In Houston Should Be Licensed Professionals”