You may leave clothing and linen items in your dresser drawers and please leave drawers in the dresser.  Please make sure not to over-stuff the drawers and do not leave papers, breakables, valuables or anything other than clothing or linen in the drawers.  Desk drawers must be emptied and lateral filing cabinets too. Verticle filing cabinet drawers may be left full of non-breakables.

The movers will wrap your furniture with professional quilted moving blankets and shrink-wrap what is necessary. Shrink-wrap is also used to wrap around the dressers and cabinets to keep the doors and drawers closed when carrying. Sofas, loveseats and other upholstered furniture are also shrink-wrapped.

Paper pads are also available for your items should you choose a self storage for destination. When moving internationally a combination of corrugated material, paper pads, tape and shrinkwrap are customized for your furniture items.

There are generally two time slots available for your move to begin.  Morning appointments are normally scheduled for arrival between 0800 -1000 am.  If your move will not take a full day to complete you may opt for an afternoon start time window 12 -3 pm.  Afternoon appointments are often subject to the completion of a small job in the morning and your movers should call before noon to advise you of their actual arrival time.

Tipping is customary when you receive excellent service. Tipping is never mandatory and really based on how you feel about the service and what you can afford to give. The movers work very hard to protect your furniture and your budget and always appreciate any measure of gratuity.

Prior to commencing services we will do a complete walk-through of your home with you noting any pre-existing damage we find. Once the inspection is done we roll out our carpet protectors, pad up your banisters and get to work.

Many commercial moves and upscale apartment buildings require masonite floor protection, corner guards and insurance certificates all of which we can provide. Upon completion of all services we will walk-through with you once more and make sure everything is still in good order.

Yes and No. For local moves we do move plants for our clients. However, we take no responsibilty for their survival. Many plants, especially the larger ones that have grown in their pots for a some time are the most likely to have damage upon delivery.

Oftentimes, the older larger plants have roots that have grown to critical mass within their pots and may not survive the trip without busting through the pot. Plants cannot be transported accross state lines by your moving company due to D.O.T. and State regulations.

Hazardous items which are flammable, corrosive or explosive cannot be moved in the moving truck.

Examples:

       Sterno     Fire Extinguisher     Household Batteries
       Matches     Aerosols     Chemistry Sets
       Kerosene     Cleaning Solvents     Darkroom Chemicals
       Gasoline     Ammonia     Pool Chemicals
       Propane/Propane Tanks     Nail Polish     Motor Oil
       Fireworks     Nail Polish Remover     Car Batteries
       Charcoal     Liquid Bleach     Fertilizer
       Charcoal Lighter     Paints (latex & oil-based)     Pesticides
       Ammunition     Paint Thinner     Poisons (such as weed killer)
       Lamp Oils

Items of Personal Importance/Sentimental Value – We suggest that irreplaceable items and\or sentimental items be carried with you instead of being packed with your shipment.

Examples:

       Airline Tickets, Certificates of Deposit, Prescription Medicine, Car Keys, Stocks, Bonds, Computer Discs
       Cell Phones, Jewelry, Laptop Computers, Financial Documents, Family Photographs, Checkbooks, Deeds,
       Cash, Car Titles, Personal Video Tapes, School Records, Professional Files, Medical & Dental Records,   
       Documents Pertaining to your New Home, Keys to Furniture, Safe, Home etc.     

From the moment we start moving until your job is complete the basic coverage insures every item we handle at 60 cents per pound per article. In the unlikely event of loss or damage the basic coverage will only partially cover the value of many items such as television sets, art work, fine china etc.

Valuation options are available for purchase and will cover your goods for either full replacement or depreciated value. Not unlike many insurance policies you may also choose from different deductible options to minimize your cost.

While most local moves ship on the released value of 60 cents per lb. it is always recommended to purchase additional valuation coverage or moving insurance for any long distance or international move especially.

Please ask your relocation consultant for more details.

Probably one of the most asked and if not one of the most important questions you may have. The best way to get started is to click on our quick quote button or call us direct and provide us as much information as possible.

There really is no short answer to this question as nearly all moves are different and your moving costs will be based strictly on your needs and service provided. An on-site estimate may or may not be required depending on the size of your move and the service requirements you have.

Local Moves are charged by the Hour or by a Flat Rate.

Long Distance Moves are based on the weight and distance to move as well as other factors like accessorial services which your moving consultant will go over with you in detail.

Packing services may be charged either by the hour plus material costs, per unit packed or by flat rate. Your relocation consultant can put together a custom plan for your packing needs.

 

Counting boxes before you are packed may be difficult especially if you haven't packed yourself in a while. The best way to count your own unpacked boxes is start with packing a few for yourself. Please read our packing tips before getting started. If you have fragile items that are too large to fit into a box please ask your moving consultant for more information.

Once you have packed a few boxes on your own you should have a better idea of what actually fits into each size of box you have packed. Now its time to be the detective. You really need to be a good detective when you go through your home or office and visualize every cabinet, closet, table, surface, attic, basement, shed, storage, patio, and don't forget to look under the beds for items that need to be boxed. Make a count for each room or area, add them up and add another 20% to your count if you think you are good.

Your destination distance (Local , Long Distance or International) will determine the level of packing needed. For example: if you are moving locally there are alot of items you may want to shuttle over in your car rather than pay for a box. For example: lampshades, large model airplanes, and artwork. Other items like dresser mirrors, large pictures with solid frames, and many glass table tops can make it safely with a good blanket wrap and strategic placement in the truck.

Long distance and International moves are by far more packing intensive and sensitive in nature. Thousands or even hundreds of miles of travel is really hard on your stuff. Your fragile and sensitive items must be packed properly and many additional steps are needed on these types of moves as compared to a local move.

Note: Some items like LCD & Plasma Televisions will be required to be boxed or crated in order to be covered under any additional valuation or moving insurance program other than the basic coverage of 60 cents per lb.

It is always good to keep your original boxes for electronic items if you have the space to store them.

MOVING & PACKING TIPS

Clear out unwanted goods – hold a garage sale.

Get rid of flammables – paint, petrol, gas cylinders.

Empty fuel from mowers, clippers, trimmers and so on.

Clothes – do you need them all? Charity shops may want them.

Separate books – disposable, family reading, valuable.

Check all electrical goods – will they work in the new home?

Start making up your change of address list.

Arrange to have mail forwarded.

Arrange termination date for electricity, gas, oil, telephone and other main suppliers.

If you are taking electrical goods such as a stereo, see if you still have their original boxes.

Have rugs cleaned.

If you have children, separate cherished toys to travel with you.

Round up personal documentation – marriage/birth certificates, driving licenses and so on.

Keep passports separate so they are not packed.

Want to take the car? Check on import regulations and the duty payable.

With regards to pets – make sure vaccinations and documentation are up to date.

Will your new home be ready? If not, you need to arrange temporary storage.

Shops, schools, theaters, life styles – it’s never too early to find out about your new home.

Start running down freezer stocks.

Arrange your finances – close or transfer bank accounts, savings accounts and so on, if necessary.

Packing Materials

Use only strong, corrugated cartons with covers. We can supply you with specially made cartons, for everything from mattresses to clothing and mirrors. The added protection of mover-provided cartons may avoid damage that results from the use of poor-quality packing materials. Your alternative is to collect boxes discarded by your grocery or liquor store. Save old newspapers for use in packing, but remember that ink may rub off and stain clothing or other items.

*WARNING: Insect eggs and insects such as roaches can travel in food boxes.

Keep this in mind when getting boxes from food stores. Here's a list a packing supplies that will come in handy:

Plastic bags and labels for easy identification.

Foam peanuts, Styrofoam pellets or "popcorn."

Tissue or craft paper for delicate packing jobs.

Corrugated paper rolls for figurines and fragile items.

Gummed tape (1 1/2 to 2 inches wide) and/or strong twine for sealing cartons.

Markers and labels for identifying contents of cartons.

Notebook and pencil for carton identification log.

Scissors and/or sharp knife.

Packing Pointers

Before actually packing-up, you need to have a game plan. For example:

Pack one room at a time. This will help you when it comes time to unpack.

Pack a couple of cartons a day, starting well ahead of the move.

Mark all boxes, designating room and box number. Make a carton identification log to show the number of boxes packed per room, and the total number of cartons packed. It's a good idea to leave space in your log for a special comments section to note carton conditions or location of high value goods. Notify your mover of any high value items.  Items of extraordinary value ($50.00 per lb. or more) must be insured separately and will not be covered unless noted of Bill of Lading and/or High Value Inventory.

Be sure to have plenty of "filling" material available.

Be sure that the bottoms of all cartons are secured and will hold the weight of the contents.

Packing tape or gummed tape is better than masking tape.

Pack heavier items toward the bottom of the box and lighter items toward the top. Try to keep a per-box weight of 50 pounds or less; it makes moving a lot easier. A general rule to remember on carton size -- the heavier the item, the smaller the carton.

 

Packing Dishware

Select a medium-sized carton (or mover provided dishpack) and line the bottom of the carton with crumpled packing paper.

With packing paper stacked neatly in place on a work table, center one plate on the paper.

Grasp a corner on several sheets of packing paper and pull the paper over the plate until sheets completely cover the plate. Stack a second plate on and, moving clockwise, grasp a second corner and pull sheets over the second plate.

Stack a third plate. Grasp remaining two corners, folding two sheets of each corner (one at a time) over the plate.

Turn your wrapped stack of plates upside down onto your packing paper.

Re-wrap the entire bundle: start with one corner of packing paper and pull two sheets over the bundle, cover bundle with next corner, then the third corner; and finally, the fourth.

Seal the bundle with packing tape.

Place the bundle of dish-ware in a medium-size box so that the plates are standing on edge.  Use this process on all saucers, bread and butter dishes, and other dishware. When packing smaller dishes, you may choose to stack in greater quantity.

 

Packing Cups

Now pull the near corner of the paper up and over the cup.

Nest a second cup directly on top, with handle to left (second cup should "nest" itself in packing paper folded over the bottom cups).

Pull the two side corners up and over, one at a time, and tuck corners inside the top cup.

Hold the bottom and top cup in position and roll cups to the remaining corner. Fragile mixing bowls may be rolled in the same manner.

Delicate cups, like china, should be wrapped one at a time. Antique glass or china should be stuffed with crumpled tissue and wrapped one at a time.

With packing paper in place on the work table, position one cup six to eight inches from one of the corners.

Packing Glasses and Stemware

Stuff glasses and stemware with crumpled tissue or packing paper before wrapping.

Lay on the corner of packing paper and roll it one or two full rotations (depending on size); pull sides of packing paper up and over glass/stemware and continue rolling to the far corner. Corrugated paper rolls or cellular boxes may be used for added protection.

Place glasses and stemware toward the top of your box. Heavier items (dish-ware, pitchers,etc.) should be placed toward the bottom of the box.
Delicate glassware and stemware should be placed in an upright position, not on its side.

 

No matter what you're packing, you should use crumpled packing paper in between each layer to assure a snug fit wherever there's a gap. All boxes with "fragile" items should be marked accordingly.

Specialized Packing Tips

The list of individual household items is endless. Most can be packed by following our packing pointers. Here are some additional packing tips for major items. If you want a more comprehensive list of how to pack special items, drop us a line.

Bureau Drawers -- Don't overload. Too heavy a load can cause damage. Remove firearms and any items that might break or leak. Firearms, along with serial numbers, must be registered with your van line representative before the move.

Canned Goods and Other Non-Frozen Food -- Pack upright with no more than 24-30 cans per carton. Don't attempt to move perishables. Wrap glass containers and boxed foods individually and pack in small cartons.

Frozen Foods and Plants -Because of the delicate and perishable nature of these items, your mover is prohibited from accepting these packed items when your shipment is being transported more than 150 miles and/or delivery will not be accomplished within twenty-four (24) hours from the time of loading. Frozen food shipped within these guidelines must be packed in a freezer which at time of loading is at normal deep-freeze temperature.

Clocks -- Remove or secure pendulum in large clocks. Grandfather clocks should be prepared for moving by expert servicemen.

Drapes and Curtains -- Hang drapes over crossbars in wardrobe cartons, or pack folded in clean cartons. Remove curtains from rods, fold and pack in cartons or bureau drawers.

Flammables and Combustibles -- Flammable liquids and aerosol cans must not be packed. Changes in temperature and pressure can cause them to leak, or even explode. For your own protection, you should know that if you pack these items and they cause damage to your shipment or others, you, not your mover, may be held liable.

Lamps and Lampshades -- Remove bulbs, harps and shades. Roll up cord. Pack lamps with bedding or wrap separately and place upright in clean, tissue-lined carton. Wrap harp and finial (decorative knob) with packing paper and tape to inside wall of carton that contains shade. Wrap shades in tissue, not newspaper. Place upright in large, tissue lined cartons.

Medicines -- Seal caps with masking tape. Wrap and pack upright in small cartons. If needed during travel, carry with you.

Mirrors, Paintings and Pictures -- Tell your agent about valuable paintings for special care. Wrap small mirrors, pictures, paintings, and frames and place on edge in cartons. Place large pictures and paintings on edge in heavy cardboard containers. Large wall or dresser mirrors will be taken down by the movers and placed in special cartons. For added safety, place tape diagonally across mirror to protect better against damage. Do not place newspaper directly against paintings.

Personal Computers and Video Recorders -- Pack valuable electronic equipment in original cartons when available. Otherwise, use strong, corrugated cartons and place protective padding on the bottom of the carton. Wrap an old blanket or protective pad around the item and place it in its carton. Place additional padding between the carton and the computer or video recorder. Wrap cords separately, label to identify usage and place in a plastic bag away from delicate surfaces. Non-detachable cords should also be wrapped. Place cords between the padded computer or video recorder and the carton. Be sure your personal computer is "parked" and ready for transport.

Silverware -- Wrap each piece in cloth or low sulfur content paper to prevent tarnishing. Use an old blanket or moving pad as a wrap to prevent scratching the silverware chest.

Tools -- Drain fuel from power tools (do not ship Flammables under any circumstances). Pack tools in small, strong cartons. Wrap separately if valuable.

Waterbed Mattresses -- Drain all water from the waterbed and, grasping internal baffle systems with external vinyl, fold mattress 20 inches at a time. Adjust folds to avoid making creases across individual baffles. Consult your owner's manual for special instructions concerning the care and transportation of your mattress. Do not place your mattress in a carton with sharp or pointed objects. For further information, ask your Atlas Relocation Specialist for a copy of "How To Move Your Waterbed."

Cars and Motorcycles -- Cars and motorcycles shipped on the moving van should be drained nearly empty of fuel. Motorcycle batteries should be disconnected. Automobile antifreeze should be ample to protect against severe cold in winter.

Barbecue Grills and Propane Tanks -- Wrap grates and briquettes separately in a newspaper (or place all briquettes into a grocery bag) and place parts in carton. Pad carton with paper to reduce movement of contents. Propane tanks must be drained before the move. Consult your local gas grill distributor for the safest method.