Boston Movers Blog

Boston movers Marathon Moving Company was recently featured on Needham Channel News supporting the 4th Annual Needham Gives Back Product Drive - Cradles to Crayons a Boston based local charity.

Click play to watch the video above, or click here to watch the full story.

Full-service:  Hiring professional movers

Of all the moving strategies, hiring movers is usually the most expensive option. There’s a lot involved with this service. With a full-service move, professional movers do all the back-breaking labor and planning— loading, unloading, and driving —you can sit back and relax. Another option to the full-service move is to have them pack up your belongings and unpack them at your new place. This is very convenient and relaxing, for a higher price tag.

Mid-range:  packing yourself and having a moving company move your boxes and belongings

When you compare costs, packing yourself is the middle ground between an inexpensive do-it-yourself moving truck rental and a pricier full-service move.

This type of move can be really affordable because it offers some of the convenience of a full-service move, but still leaves you in charge of some of the labor. In this type of move, you pack your belongings. Then the moving company comes to your home with the moving truck. After the truck is loaded, the moving company picks up your belongings and moves it — across Massachusetts or across the country.

The price is based on distance and the size of the truck you need.

Budget option:  Packing yourself and renting a truck

Renting a moving truck is the cheapest option. Renting a truck puts you in charge of all the labor:  packing, loading, driving, and unloading. You also need to find others to help you with your move.

When you rent a moving truck, you pay based on the size of the truck.
For information on the type of move that would be best for you and your budget, contact Marathon Moving Company.

There are ways to make your move less stressful, and allow it to be the enjoyable life event that it should be. You are beginning anew, enjoy it. In order to decrease stress, the more time you give yourself preparing for the move, the less stress you will have during the move. Here are some things to think about well ahead of time (a couple months in advance if you can), in order to reduce stress, stay organized, and stay calm. 

• Make a moving file so all your move information is in one place.
• Make the decision: Will you hire a moving company or move yourself?
• If you are hiring company do your research and hire a moving company.
• If you are making a long-distance move, check to see if there are any special considerations you need to make like arranging for auto shipping.
• Set up a moving budget.
• Do some research on the area you will be moving to and research local schools.
• Find new care providers, like doctors, child care, for you and your family.
• Look into transferring any school or medical records.
• Make a list of who to notify about your move and when. This is a list of friends, creditors, doctors, schools, and any church or professional organizations.
• Start gathering and purchasing moving supplies and moving boxes.

There are plenty of moving checklists and timelines available with the intention of a stress free, or at least, stress free move. In order to set up an appointment for an in home estimate, contact Marathon Moving.

The moving during the holidays is certainly not ideal, especially in Boston where the likelihood of snow increases each day. Inevitably, there is a lot going on during the holidays in addition to your move. And, because of the holidays, the impending move may have you feeling lonely already. But there are some factors and things you can do to make moving in the winter easier.

In Massachusetts, December is considered off-season for moving. So at least you will be able to get prompt and timely attention from your moving company.

Prepare for the weather. A winter move can be hazardous to your car, your new floors and your belongings. Keep weather conditions in mind and be sure to have floor protectors ready.

If you can, let the moving company pack for you rather than packing yourself. The amount of stress this relieves is amazing, and it will leave you more time to enjoy the holidays, especially if you have children.

If you are moving to Boston or neighboring city, or to a townhome or apartment, you may need to make arrangements in advance. Reserve the freight elevator, and/or secure the on-street parking in advance. Planning ahead may help speed up the process.

Don’t wrap and move presents during the holidays. Have your gifts shipped to your new home or to the recipients if possible. Or set up a post office box in your new town, and have them sent there.  Any present you don’t have to move yourself is one less source of stress!

Tree lighting, holiday home tours, downtown events and ice skating are just some of the ways that towns celebrate the holidays.  Take advantage of your new communities' holiday activities, it is the perfect opportunity for you to meet people, get out of the house, and get acquainted with your new town. These can give you an opportunity to get out and see the sights of your new town.
 
Though moving during this busy time of year may feel like an impossible task,  try turning your move into a fun memory. Taking time to enjoy the holidays may boost your mood and make you feel more at home in your new home.

If you need some help moving during the holidays, contact Marathon Moving.

In Massachusetts we have seen quite a few new families who are first time home buyers moving from apartments to new homes. A “moving out of your apartment checklist” can help reduce stress and leave the guesswork behind.

Three months before your move:

• Be sure to read your lease through to find out how much advance notice is required by your land lord.
• See what needs to be done to get your security deposit returned.
• As dictated by the terms of your lease, give formal notice of your move.
• Find a recommended moving company.

• Fill out a change of address form with the post office.
• Notifying utility companies that you are either canceling existing service, or transferring service to your new address.
• Get moving boxes and packing supplies and start packing items you don’t use very often, such as books or knickknacks if you are packing yourself.
• Send your landlord or community management your new contact information.

• Remove any pictures you hung on the wall and fill in any holes left behind, if required in your lease.
• Let your credit cards and banks know your new address as well as your human resources department.
• Be sure you have left no belongings in the communal areas of your apartment building.

The week of your move:

• Thoroughly clean you apartment. It might be easier to schedule a cleaning service to handle this for you.
• Schedule a walkthrough of your apartment with your landlord or apartment manager.
• Find out when you are going to get your security deposit back. Be sure to write down the date so you can be on the lookout and follow up if necessary.
• Be sure to return keys and access cards to your landlord or apartment manager.

A successful commercial move is essential to your business. You need your move to be efficient and organized from start to finish so your business experiences minimal downtime.

Just considering a moving a business is daunting. Now that you have decided to do it, you need to make other decisions: who is going to pack your office?

In business, time is money. Can you afford to have your staff pack the entire office? Don’t let one of you staff get injured lifting a heavy carton or be unavailable to your customers because they are busy packing. The best way to minimize downtime for your business is to leave the packing to professional movers.

Marathon Moving has extensive experience moving businesses throughout Massachusetts. Take advantage of our packing services. Our crew of professional packers can come in the day or evening prior to your move and pack all non-essential documents, files, and books.

On move day, the movers will then pack the essential documents and label for quick identification at your new office location. Our crews will use proper labeling techniques and can even unpack if you want to truly make the move hassle free.
 
Let the professionals at Marathon Moving handle the packing for your business. Contact Marathon Moving for more information on commercial moves.

Over the course of time in your home, you take care of your home and yard. Then when it is time to move, you find that you have grown attached to the tree, shrub or bush.

When you move, you can take them with you. Digging up plants and moving them to another location can cause some anxiety, but it isn’t as hard as it seems. Of course a local move will be a lot better on your trees and shrubs both in climate and for transport.

For deciduous shrubs and small trees, or “woody plants”, winter is the best time for moving them because the plant is dormant. This means there is limited risk of transplant shock.  Late winter or early spring is the best time to move outdoor landscaping plants and trees.
 
To dig out the root ball, the bigger the better when digging the hole. But a good rule of thumb is 18”. There is no simple rule of thumb for how deep you should dig, but most plant roots live in the upper 12” of soil.

For a local move, it may be easier to transplant and transport these plants. You can move them in your car so you can take extra care. Or, if you plan to send them in the moving van, be sure the moving company is aware so they can save the appropriate room.
 
For interstate moves, you may have to do a bit more research. If you are moving from the Boston Area to a southern state for example, your favorite plant may not like the climate.

You certainly have options for how to move.  Depending on the size of your home, where you are moving to and your budget, you might choose to rent a truck and move yourself, hire movers to do the job, or pack yourself and have a moving company move your belongings.

Here are some things to consider on each option:
 
Do it yourself. You need three things to even consider moving yourself; a very small home, a lot of  good, strong friends or family, and the comfort level and ability to drive a very big truck with all your belongings inside.  If you have these things then moving yourself might be a good and economical option. It’s also the option that gives you the most control.
 
Pack yourself and let the movers transport your possessions. This option allows you some control, but you don’t have to drive the truck. It is also less expensive than using full service moving companies. If you don't need the entire moving van, you share the space on the truck with other customers.

Hiring a moving company to do everything.  This is a good choice if you don’t have a lot of time, if it is  long distance moving, if you have a large house; this is your best bet. When you hire a good moving company, the experience is there to move you quickly and safely.

Contact Marathon Moving to discuss your moving options in Massachusetts.

Moving is a stressful time for many people, and one way to reduce that stress is to ensure that you have hired a reputable and professional moving company. Unfortunately there are a number of illegitimate entities out there posing as legitimate movers. Here are some ways to avoid those scams.

Don’t forget that anyone can have a website, so don’t be fooled just because the moving company seems to look legitimate on-line. Actually look for a physical address and take a minute to verify that address on Google maps to be sure that the business and the address exists.

Check on the moving companies operating license. You can check them out with the Better Business Bureau or Angie’s list.

Also, references are very important.

The American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) screens moving companies in order to take the guess work out of finding a professional mover. Those moving companies that display the AMSA logo have passed the 7-point screening program and have sworn to uphold a code of ethics.

It is smart to use companies that display the BBB logo, however, some display them w/out authorization. Be sure to verify that the company is authorized to display the BBB logo as well as the AMSA logo.

Most important, get at least 3 written in-home estimates. There are online moving cost calculators, but the only written estimates that count are provided by professional movers in person who visit your home. If someone offers to do an estimate over the phone, be wary, you may be getting scammed.

Avoid moving companies that require large deposits or down payments, or that ask you to pay before you move. In fact, movers are not allowed to require large deposits or pay before move.
 
Click “Moving Company” if you would like more information on your local or interstate move from Marathon Movers.

Moving is a fun and exciting event, however it can also be time consuming and stressful. When you choose a moving company, the next question is usually, “should we pack ourselves, or pay to be packed?” Packing your home can be a very daunting task that requires a significant commitment of time and energy.

There is a time/cost benefit to having someone else pack for you. Your job is to consider if it is worth the time and stress savings to have Marathon Moving pack up your personal belongings. Moving companies, the good ones at least, are professional packers. So your items will be efficiently and safely packed, that you can rely on. Many Marathon customers choose to use our professional packing services for their most treasured possessions, while others have us pack all of their belongings.

Let us put your mind at ease with our careful and efficient handling of your belongings. A professional pack by Marathon has many benefits. The first of which is the added convenience of access to your belongings right up to the day of your move or the days immediately prior to your move. In addition, your goods will be protected by professional packing methods, and you will have more time to tend to other matters.

Regardless of how you choose to pack up, your move consultant will tailor your service request to meet your needs.
If you are packing yourself, we have provided some helpful tips on our packing tips page and we offer free to home delivery of all your packing supplies.

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