Boston Movers Blog

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.

Moving Companies in Boston

Marathon Moving Company wants your move to go as smoothly as possible. If you have decided to pack your own belongings, we would like to offer the following packing tips to help ensure a safe arrival of all your possessions.

• Use professional packing materials as these will save you time and ensure the safety of your goods.
• Make certain all cartons are taped securely, top and bottom. Use carton sealing tape and not masking tape or duct tape.
• Label all fragile boxes and stack them separately from your other cartons.
• Label all cartons. Cartons should be labeled for contents and destination on two sides of the box to make it easy for your movers to identify where each carton should go.
• Tightly secure the lids to any containers that contain liquids.
• Leave clothes and light linens in bureau drawers. Your movers will be able to move your bureaus full. Any breakables such as perfume bottles or costume jewelry should be removed and packed into a carton.
• Small, 2 drawer file cabinets can be moved full. Four drawer filing cabinets should have the bottom two drawers full. All lateral style cabinets must be completely emptied.
• Empty desk drawers. Desks often need to be turned on their side to get through doorways and loose items may fall out and be lost.
• Make a list of all items you will need for a few days prior to and immediately following your move. These items should be separated and labeled “DO NOT MOVE”. These items should include: soap, towels, toothpaste, toilet paper, cereals, bowls, plates and utensils, cups, sheets, blankets, and immediately needed clothes.
• Pack heavy items in small cartons, i.e. books, records and canned goods, etc.
• Fill all cartons to the top as half-filled cartons tend to crush. Do not, overfill cartons because rounded top cartons are hard to stack.
• Pack all items snugly into cartons using unprinted newspaper for fragile items. Use crushed paper to fill any gaps in cartons to prevent items from shifting

We know that moving into a new home and relocating your family can be a very stressful time. Marathon Moving Company wants your move to go as smoothly as possible. If you have decided to pack your own belongings, we would like to offer the following packing tips to help ensure the safe arrival of all your possessions.

6-8 WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR MOVE

• Clean out basement, attic, garage, and closets.
• Determine items to keep, discard, donate, or sell.
• Make arrangements for a tag sale for approximately 1 month prior to your move (this will allow time to donate or discard unsold items).
• Contact moving companies to obtain quotes for your move.

4-6 WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR MOVE

• Send furniture, drapes, and carpets for cleaning or repair.
• Research moving companies you are considering with the Massachusetts DTE (licensing board for MA moving companies), through company provided references, and the BBB.
• Do not be afraid to request proofs of insurance from companies you are considering.  Hiring an uninsured mover can leave you with unpaid damage claims, or you can be found liable for property damage and or personal injury claims.
• Select a moving company and confirm your moving date.
• Order packing supplies and arrange for their delivery or pick up.
• Secure elevators, loading docks, or parking permits if necessary.

1 MONTH PRIOR TO YOUR MOVE

• Begin packing seldom used items such as china, holiday decorations and basement or attic storage areas.
• File a change of address form with Post Office.
• Contact charities to arrange pickup of items to be donated.
• Notify utility companies and arrange for transfer of services.
• Notify all banks, insurance companies, brokerage houses, service providers and creditors of address change.

2 WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR MOVE

• Begin packing all but essential items.
• Finalize closing times with real estate attorney or mortgage company.
• Organize all bills, stocks, insurance policies and bank account statements.
• Make special arrangements for children and pets on moving day.
• If not moving locally, obtain all medical, dental and veterinarian records.

If you need your precious items and antiques to be moved, you should take some time and decide if you are capable of packing and moving your items by yourself or should you have the movers at Marathon do it. Doing the packing and moving by your self could save you money, but if you don’t do it the proper way, there is a big chance that you would end up with scratched items. Thus costing you more money in the long run, and if they are valuable items, the result could be catastrophic. To help you all out we organized a few important moving tips that you need to follow for a successful move and packing of valuable items:

Buy the proper packing supplies

Using the right packing supplies is a very important step of the relocation process. We know the proper way of packing and the latest packing techniques. We also have a wide assortment of packing supplies that make your move smoother and easier.

Wrap each of your valuable items individually

Remember, you don’t move ordinary belongings to put many of them in one place. You need to pack each of your items individually using the proper packing materials. It’s a good idea to use bubble wrap to prevent scratches. It is very handy and does the job right when comes up for protecting an item. After you had carefully packed all your artwork, you should place your paintings in special picture boxes.

Make sure to label all the boxes

Compared to the packing and moving, it is quite simple, but we often forget to label all the boxes with words such as “GLASS!” or “FRAGILE!” Then you need to load the items very carefully into the moving truck or car. The best bet is to put them in the moving truck along with the other items, as it can provide support for the valuable objects so they don't get tossed around and smashed.

If you still think you cannot manage and do these steps, it is always a good idea to have the movers at Marathon do the packing for you. We have been in business for over 10 years and have successfully completed over 12,000 moves. Allowing us to do the move for you is a smart solution and we'd be happy to take you step-by-step along the way. Contact us today to learn more about moving or packing tips.