Boston Movers Blog

When you are moving into a new home, relieving any portion of stress seems like a good idea. Saving money on the move can be a great stress reliever for many. Often this means self-packing. For others having the moving company pack and move you is money well spent and well worth it.

If you are a self packer, don’t try to save money by cutting corners on moving boxes. You may consider yourself a savvy penny pincher by collecting boxes from grocery and liquor stores and the office supply room. This may seem like a great cost saving idea, but in addition to the time, energy and effort this takes, the boxes themselves are compromised.

Marathon’s moving boxes are manufactured for moving household goods. Our packing supplies provide the best protection for your special belongings. The boxes are sized to fit across the floor of the moving van and are also designed to be stacked 4 or 5 high without damage. This saves time loading the moving van but also reduces movement among the boxes which can cause damage to your belongings.
 
Marathon Moving offers free delivery of moving supplies to your home for orders over $100.

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.

Four weeks before your move:

• 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.

The week before your move:

• 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.

For a commercial or local move, you could get boxes from the grocery and liquor stores in which to pack your personal possessions. But why? Using boxes from grocery and liquor stores opens you up to stained or compromised boxes, pests, and boxes that are hard to label.

When you are packing for a commercial move or residential move, organization and safe and clean moving boxes are necessary. You are packing your personal possessions or, in the case of a commercial move, you are packing up your business. Nothing is more important than the care of these items.

Order clean moving boxes and all of your packing supplies from Marathon Moving. Marathon makes it easy with free home/office delivery of your supplies with a minimum $100.00 order.

For any box delivery between September 15th and December 15th 2011, buy $100 in packing supplies or boxes and receive the next $50 worth free. Maximum of $50 in free materials per move. All you have to do is mention the website-only box promotion when ordering your boxes. And don’t forget about the free home/office delivery. Contact Marathon Moving for your Moving supplies.

You are moving and you need packing supplies. Besides moving boxes and packing paper, you may be considering packing peanuts and bubble wrap for your more fragile items.

Packing peanuts and bubble wrap are two popular packaging products but which is best for providing packing protection?

Bubble wrap is very popular for those who want to store or move artwork. But it is also perfect for moving electrical components, glass, china and all things breakable. And, if you are going to self pack, it reduces the time you are going to spend packing.

While packing peanuts are good for filling the spaces in moving boxes, when you are wrapping fragile items, bubble wrap is best because it can be folded around the item you are packing for protection. It is unmoving and the item is perfectly protected and insulated.

If it is fragile, bubble wrap can ease your state of mind because it offers protection from damage caused by shock or vibration.
 
Contact Marathon Moving for your moving supplies.

There are plenty of people who are moving  to Boston and would like to pack themselves. In theory it sounds like a great idea, but in practice, it is a little more challenging. How exactly do you pack dishes so they don't break during the move?

Dish boxes are double lined for fragile items, plates and glasses. Be sure to add bumps, cushions or packing to the bottom of your dish box before packing. To do this, take the packing paper and roll it lengthwise, be sure to keep it fluffy. Lay the rolls in the box, perpendicular to the inside seam.

Start with the larger platters and plates. Place the plate in the center of the packing material and fold all the paper inside. Place the plate into the box perpendicular to the rolls of cushion in the bottom. Work from one end to the other; be sure you have a nice tight block of plates so they don’t shift.

When you wrap up individual dinner plates, set the dinner plate into the center of the packing  paper and fold over the paper into the center of the plate. Place another plate on top of this and set another plate on top. Do this until you have four plates in a stack for a nice tight bundle of plates. Place these in the box on their side perpendicular to the cushions on the bottom.

Once the bottom tier is complete, roll up another set of cushions, packing or bumps and place them on the top of the plates. Next pack up the lightest items you have for this next level in this box. This should be glasses or other light fragile items.

For more information on how to pack boxes, see the Marathon Moving packing videos.

Many people opt to pack themselves when they move. If you decide to do this, be sure to take enough time to do it so that the packing doesn’t become a race to the finish. When you pack in a hurry, things get broken. Also, be sure you have the right moving and packing supplies.

Be sure that everything is in the right sized box. Boxes that are too small allow your items to get damaged, but also, they don’t stack properly, making your move inefficient and precarious.

Be sure that you use enough packing paper, newspaper or peanuts. If you leave extra space in a box, that area needs to be filled with paper or peanuts so that the item does not move in transit. Using too much packing paper is better than using too little.

Sofa pillows also make great packing filler.

When packing books, face the spines of the books to the outside of the box. This protects the book ends and has them in there at their sturdiest.

CD’s should also be placed on their ends, not flat. This is how CD’s are at their sturdiest.

Be sure that all of your boxes are labeled in multiple spots to make it easiest to know where the boxes should go. It is better to label the boxes by the room rather than the contents. You are paying the movers by the hours, so you definitely want them to easily be able to find where the box goes.

When you are packing fragile items in a box, be sure there is a cushioniong at the bottom of the box. Either a sofa pillow, a layer of packing peanuts, or some rolls of packing paper.

At Marathon Moving, we have all kinds of moving tips for you. Watch our videos for more information on packing  moving boxes.

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.

The right packing supplies are essential ingredients for a successful move. To pack your belongings properly you need a lot of moving boxes and moving supplies. If your belongings arrive at your new home without a scratch, that means that you did a good job of packing. In addition to helping our customers move we provide a wide variety of moving boxes and supplies. We also know the latest packing techniques and have the proper moving supplies.

Packing is an area when you can cut a little bit of your moving costs if you want. But remember that when you are moving you have to deal not only with the wrapping of your items but whole moving process, so it’s wise some time to let our professional staff to do a little of the packing. Remember your time is valuable and having Marathon help you in the packing process may also give you a stress free move.

The first thing to do when packing is to the decide what items you need to move, and then which of them will require specialized packing, based on fragility. Awkward shapes or larger pieces that will be difficult to move are also items that will need special care when packing. After you identify all these items, let us know and we can provide you with the needed packing supplies.

To give you a short run down of what we offer, here is a small list of some of the packing supplies we have available:

• Book Box
• Linen Box
• Wardrobe Box
• Box Tape
• Bubble Wrap
• Mattress Bags
• Small-Large Moving Boxes

Be sure to check out our supplies page to see a full list of the packing and moving supplies we have to offer. Should you have any questions about moving or packing contact us today and we will be happy to help. Remember, if you want to get the job done right, then you have to start with professional moving supplies.