You pack it movers? (2023)

Do movers actually pack for you?

Do Moving Companies Pack For You? Yes! A full-service move refers to a move in which movers pack and unpack for you. The benefit to having this service is that packing on your own can often take weeks or even months.

While both moving container companies offer a similar number of service, PODS outshines U-Pack because it services local moves, offers car shipping, and has both at-home and facility storage. PODS is the only moving container company on our best list that offers car shipping.

Bottom line: U-Pack is expensive—but may be worth the cost. U-Pack is one of our favorite moving container companies because of its 50-state availability and excellent customer reviews. U-Pack provides long-distance moving container services in all 50 states.

U-Pack rates are based on the actual dimensions your shipment occupies in a trailer or the number of ReloCubes you use — not the weight of your belongings. On your quote, you can change the footage or number of Cubes to see how the rate changes.

Using bags, not boxes.

People will often fill up trash bags with miscellaneous stuff during last-minute packing. When big furniture pieces are packed next to a bunch of trash bags, the furniture has more room to shift. A shifting load can cause major damage. Always use heavy-duty boxes to keep the load tight!

U-Pack offers its services in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. However, the company has some limitations when it comes to local moves, as it has a 150-mile minimum for its services. PODS offers its services in 46 states and Washington D.C., and it doesn't feature a minimum mileage for moves.

U-Pack's ReloCubes comes in one size: 5'10” deep x 6'10” wide x 7'9” high and can hold a maximum of 2,500 pounds. This is large enough to fit furniture like mattresses and sofas, and U-Pack recommends renting one ReloCube per room in your home.

U-Pack Container Dimensions

Each ReloCube® moving container has external dimensions of 6'3” x 7' x 8'4” (DWH), and internal dimensions of 5' 10” x 6' 10” x 7' 9” (DWH). Cubes have 308 cubic feet of loading space, which is typically enough for the furniture and belongings from one room.

You get up to three business days to load and three business days to unload. You'll need to secure parking before moving day.

How big of a U-Pack do I need?

In general, allow 200 cubic feet of loading space for each room of your house. You'll want to allow extra room for bulky pieces of furniture. Remember to include outdoor furniture and large appliances.

Trailers come equipped with loading ramps. However, things like dollies, ATV ramps and straps will need to be purchased or rented separately. Learn more about where to purchase moving supplies.

PODS has cheaper rates for most distances. 1-800-PACK-RAT is slightly less expensive for moves between 1,050–1,7550 miles. PODS's average cost of $1,367 for a 100-mile move is approximately $577 cheaper than 1-800-PACK-RAT.

Therefore, if your PODS storage container exceeds the limits for the POD's size, you'll be asked to rent an additional container and you'll need to unpack some of the items in the too-heavy container and move them into the new container.

U-Pack quotes include the equipment, transportation, taxes, fuel and liability coverage. Read more about how U-Pack calculates moving costs.

No matter what, all fragile and heavy items should be removed from furniture. Additionally, it's a bad idea to keep small items of any kind inside drawers during a move. Your movers will have to tip your dresser on its side when moving it down stairs or through tight hallways.

Don't Leave Drawers Full of Belongings

Please empty your desk and dresser drawers before moving day. It's natural to think that your drawers are technically like “boxes” themselves, but moving heavy furniture is hard enough when it's empty, so imagine how much heavier a dresser is when the drawers are full!

Yes, you can leave clothes in the dresser when moving, but you will need to remove the drawers from the dresser, as we are unable to move dressers with clothes in them. If you decide to go this route, you will then want to wrap your drawers in plastic to help keep items from falling out.

Load your heaviest items first. Whether you're a DIY or professional mover, this usually means furniture goes in before boxes, unless you have large, heavy boxed items such as a TV or a floor mirror. Place dressers, chairs, appliances, couches and other large items against the back wall.

Wrap furniture in stretch wrap and moving blankets

To do so, we recommend wrapping furniture parts in plastic wrap. This clingy, tear-resistant material protects furniture and other items while in transit. It's also a great way to keep furniture parts together (for example: table legs).

How do I pack for moving smartly?

Tempting as it may be to put off unpacking boxes, just dive in and take it one box at a time. Unpacking goes faster than packing.

It is important to know that most moving companies will require that your belongings are packaged safely, within a box. As with most moving questions that you may have, always check with your moving company to see what their requirements are.

Having a handful of trained packers means that your belongings get prepared for transport significantly faster than you could do on your own. Figure that a three bedroom home will take full service movers about 2-3 hours to completely pack up.

Load your heaviest items first. Whether you're a DIY or professional mover, this usually means furniture goes in before boxes, unless you have large, heavy boxed items such as a TV or a floor mirror. Place dressers, chairs, appliances, couches and other large items against the back wall. Make sure they remain upright.

How Much to Tip Movers. A good rule of thumb is 15 to 20 percent of the total moving bill for both a typical long-haul or a local move.

Movers, on average, need only between eight and twelve hours to pack up a four bedroom house. Here's a handy guide to estimating how long your movers will need: Studio or one bedroom apartment: 2-4 hours. Two bedroom apartment or home: 3-5 hours.

3. Don't Leave Drawers Full of Belongings. Please empty your desk and dresser drawers before moving day. It's natural to think that your drawers are technically like “boxes” themselves, but moving heavy furniture is hard enough when it's empty, so imagine how much heavier a dresser is when the drawers are full!

In general, soft things such as clothing, towels, sheets or pillows can remain in the drawers. Just be sure that the drawers aren't overstuffed. Remove heavy objects and pack them in separate boxes. Small, fragile or valuable items should also be packed separately.

Do movers empty drawers?

For the most part, leaving some clothes or other lighter linens won't harm the dresser. But, if the dresser is packed full of clothes or other items, it will. Movers are likely going to need to maneuver the dresser upstairs, around corners and have it up on its side.

Professional movers move the heaviest and largest items first. This usually means large pieces of furniture and heavy appliances. After the heavy items are on the truck, movers will then load the moving boxes and remaining items.

2-bedroom house: 60–80 boxes. 3-bedroom house: 80–100 boxes. 4-bedroom house: 100–120 boxes. Larger: 120+ boxes.

To keep things simple, we'd recommend providing food if the move takes longer than four or five hours. At that point, even if the movers start early, you're likely running into lunchtime. Letting the movers go off to lunch is fine, and they may very well need the break.