Our Blog

If you’ve never hired professional movers before, it can be hard to determine what the proper etiquette is on moving day.

For this blog, we wanted to take a moment to address several key things your movers might want you to know.

First things first

The way you can be most helpful to your movers on moving day is to let them do their job! When you hire professional movers, you’ve agreed to work with trained professionals who have many, many moves under their belt. This isn’t their first rodeo! As long as your fragile items are marked, you should be good to go. Take a step back and take a deep breath. There’s no need to micromanage this process.

Make sure you’re packed and ready to go

When the movers arrive, they’ll be focused on loading your household items into the truck. If you haven’t hired a full-service company, which basically means you aren’t paying an additional fee for the workers to pack your items for you, you’ll want to make sure the packing is done by the time they get there. This will make their job infinitely easier.

Keep valuable items, cash and prescription drugs with you

The best way to make sure that important things don’t get lost in the move is to keep those items on you. If you have loose cash, valuable items (such as jewelry), and/or prescription medication, it’s best to keep those items with you.

Label your boxes

When you start the process of packing, be sure to clearly label your boxes. If your home has more than one bedroom, be sure to label the boxes bedroom 1, bedroom 2, and so on. This will make it much easier for your movers to get the right boxes to the right places in your new home.

If you’re able to color-code your boxes, or you’re able to mark the boxes that contain fragile items with colored labels or tape, this will help provide a valuable visual cue for the people who’ve been hired to move your household.

Pack heavy items in smaller boxes

If you own a lot of cast-iron kitchen items, don’t load everything into one, jumbo-sized box. Pack heavy items in smaller boxes—if a large box looks like it’s awkward and too heavy to carry, it probably is.

Don’t go MIA

Yes, your movers will want you to stay out of their way, but they don’t want you to disappear entirely.  You should make sure you’re available to answer questions or to help them address concerns as they might arise.

Tipping isn’t mandatory, but it’s appreciated

The standard tip for professional movers spans between 10 percent and 15 percent of the cost of your move. A lot of this will depend on how long the move takes and how many flights of stairs they have to navigate. If you’re very pleased with the services they’ve provided, you should plan to tip.

Professional movers you can trust

If you have additional questions on proper moving day etiquette or you’d like to schedule a  time for one of our estimators to come out to your home to provide you with a quote.

Call our American Moving today at 303-402-0100.

So you’re planning a move…

Moving can be stressful, regardless of whether you’re moving across town or to another part of the country. Even with the most diligent planning, there are things that can go wrong.

Several years ago, a client told us about a move her daughter had completed the year before. Her daughter lived in Texas, and she planned to move south of the border. She had a handful of friends who already lived in Mexico and they were kind enough to help her coordinate the move.

Her friends arranged plans with two Mexico-based moving companies (just in case one flaked at the last minute), and each one negotiated a reasonable rate. Well—the night before the move, company A did, in fact, flake. Company B said they could still be there in the morning, as long as she’d agree to pay 50 percent more than the price that was agreed upon.

Ultimately, when her friends showed up with the movers, it wasn’t at all what this woman’s daughter expected. Her friends arrived with two men, and a massive Ford F150. Talk about a stressful situation! Yet somehow, someway, it all worked out, and all of her stuff arrived at her new home in one piece.

Tips for coping with stress

If you’re planning to move to another part of town, or another part of the United States, your move is likely to go far more smoothly than hers did. Yet that’s not to say that moving isn’t stressful.

Are there steps you can take to minimize the stress? Absolutely.

First, you’ll want to do as much planning as possible. Make sure the things you’ll need for your first night in your new home (think toiletries, towels, and a few cups, plates, and bowls) are easily accessible.

Second, you’ll want to hire a professional moving company that is licensed, insured and that will give you a written quote. Be sure to check their social media pages to see what past clients have said about their experience in using this company.

Lastly, if you’re nervous about moving to a different town or state, or if you’re sad about leaving friends and family behind, you should focus on the move as being an adventure! Not only will you get to experience a new area, you’ll get to try new restaurants and meet new people.  If you focus on the positive aspects of your move, instead of some of the more stressful things, your move will likely go more smoothly.

Moving company you can trust

At American Moving company we have years of experience in helping people with local and long-distance moves. If you have questions about the other types of steps you can take to minimize the stress of moving, or if you’d like to have us come out to your home to provide you with a free moving cost estimate.

Call our office today at 303-469-6683 to speak with a customer service representative in your area.

If you’re planning a move and you’ve decided to hire a moving company, but this is something that you’ve never needed to do in the past, you probably have a lot of questions in terms of what to look for.

For this blog, we wanted to offer some pro-tips for hiring the best moving company.

Inventory lists

If the moving company you’re talking to has asked you to provide them an inventory of your belongings, and they talk about trying to determine the bulk weight of your items and your furniture, these are good signs.  A reputable moving company will do both of these things. A lot of movers will base their estimate on the weight of your stuff. If you have questions about the estimate, be sure to ask.

The walk-through

When an estimator comes to your home, they should take some time to ask you about what you plan to move along with what you plan to leave behind. If there are things you don’t want on the truck, or if there are things you plan to give away or donate, you’ll want to let the estimator know. This will help them provide you with the most accurate quote possible.

Beware of the large deposit

If the moving company is asking you to put down a large deposit, this is a red flag. Reputable companies will only ask for payment upon delivery. If you pay in advance, the company will be less incentivized to deliver your things on time, because they’ll already have your money.

Beware of the switcharoo

If a moving company has changed its name several times, this is another red flag. There are some companies that try to avoid assessments with the Better Business Bureau by using several different names. When you’re researching movers, make sure they have a local address. Ask if they’re licensed and insured. If anything seems sketchy, or if you feel like something isn’t quite right, hang up and call someone else.

Ask for references

A reputable moving company will have no problems providing references to potential clients. If you’re able to get several names of local customers, who have completed moves with this company in the past several months, this will be a great place to start. You may also want to do some internet research to find out what customers have posted about this company on Yelp, Facebook and/or Google+.

Ask about extra fees

If you live in a ground-floor apartment but you’re moving to the seventh floor of a building that doesn’t have a big elevator, you’ll likely be charged an extra fee because the movers will need to carry larger, bulk items up seven flights of stairs. Be sure to ask the moving company about what types of extra fees you may face, before you sign a contract.

Trusted movers in Denver

For more information about what you should look for in a moving company, schedule a time for one of our estimators to come to your home to provide you with a free moving cost estimate.

Call American Moving today at 303-469-6683.

When you were in college, you likely packed for a move by loading your clothes into trash bags. When it came to fragile items, those may have been packed in boxes with towels, t-shirts and even stuffed animals.

Now that you’re a bit older, you’ve probably realized that packing for a move will involve a bit more planning.

Yes, we said it. You’ll want to plan.

A lot of our clients have told us they don’t quite realize how much stuff they have until they need to put all of that stuff into boxes.  Packing can be as time-consuming as it is stressful. The best advice we can give you is to start packing early.

Be strategic

If there are things you know you’re going to want to find easily after you get to your new home, mark those boxes with a star, or seal the using colored duct tape.  A few years ago, we moved a family that sealed all of the boxes that contained fragile items, with hot pink duct tape. This visual cue made it easy for our movers to identify which boxes needed extra care.

Pack must-have items in a suitcase or overnight bag

When you arrive at your new home, the last thing you’ll want to do is tear through your boxes looking for your toothbrush. Pack your toiletries, medications, and other items you think you’ll want to have readily accessible in a carry-on-sized suitcase or overnight bag. Keep this bag with you.

Scavenge for boxes to save money

Yes- if you want to spend money on moving boxes, there are quite a few stores that will be happy to sell them to you. However, if you’re looking to save a few bucks, liquor stores are a great source of free boxes. Not only do these types of boxes tend to be quite sturdy, but some store managers will also set them aside for you if you ask.

Will you have access to wardrobe boxes

Some moving companies provide wardrobe boxes for their clients. If the company you’ve hired offers this service, ask them if the boxes have been used by other people in the past. If someone else has already used the wardrobe boxes, you may want to think twice about using them.

If you won’t have access to moving boxes, keep your hanging clothes on the hangers, and lie your clothing flat in the back of your car.

Take things apart before your movers arrive

If you’re dismantling furniture, be sure to put nuts and bolts in a clear plastic bag, and tape that bag to your furniture. If you have rugs that need to be rolled up, be sure to do that in advance. The more prepared you are when the movers arrive, the faster the move will go.

Colorado moving experts

If you need help with a local move or a long-distance move, we can help. Call American Moving Company today at 970-949-4949 today for more information on how we can help make your move easier.

If you’ve been following some of our recent blog posts, you’ve seen more than a few blogs about the types of things you should look for when you hire a moving company, along with some of the warning signs that should have you running in the other direction.

For this post, we’d like to continue to hammer these points home.

When you hire movers, you’re hiring a company that will be charged with carefully handling all of the items in your house, your studio, or your condo, so you’ll want to make sure you’re working with a company that’s both reputable and experienced.

Below are the top 5 things you shouldn’t do when you hire a moving company in Vail/ Summit County:

If you like the quote you got from the first company you called, that’s not to say you shouldn’t call at least two others. Don’t stop with just one! When you get the quotes, you’ll want to compare costs, experience and you’ll want to get a good sense of the types of services they provide. Are they accredited with the BBB? No? Cross them off your list. Do they have a long list of good reviews on Yelp? No? Cross them off your list.

Never, ever hire a moving company that doesn’t come to your home. When a moving company comes to your home they’ll be able to get a sense of what you’re moving, how long it will take to load and unload your items, and they’ll be able to provide you with a detailed estimate based on your inventory. If a company gives you a quote over the phone, sign unseen, this is a big red flag that you’re working with an unlicensed service provider.

Never, ever hire movers that aren’t licensed and insured. Remember, you’re placing the moves in charge of every item inside your home! If the movers do damage to the home you’re moving out of, or they do damage to the home you’re moving into, when you work with an unlicensed moving company, you’ll be on the hook to pay for those repairs. It’s also worth noting that if the movers damage your items (ie: bedframe, couch, your washer and drier), you’ll be stuck paying for those repairs, too.

Don’t choose a mover based on price alone. Just because company A gave you the best rate, that’s not to say they’re the most qualified to handle your move. Again, as with the bullet point above, attempting to save a few bucks on the front end could cost you far more in the long run.

If you’re not asking questions, you’re making a mistake. Be sure to ask the moving company to provide you with their registration number, along with a written quote that includes rates and estimates. Will they be using subcontractors? Do they charge additional fees? All of these things are important to know ahead of time.

Are you in the process of planning a local or a long-distance move? We can help! Call American Moving Company today at 970-949-4949 to get started.

In our last blog, we blogged about a moving company horror story that was relayed to us by one of our prior clients. She had never hired a moving company before, so she had no idea what types of questions she should ask, and the types of things she should look for.

For this post, we wanted to address both of those items.

Be sure you hire the correct type of moving company. If you’re staying local, or you’re not moving out of state, you can start your search by looking for an intrastate mover. This type of mover specializes in shorter distances. On the other hand, if you’re moving halfway across the country, you’ll want to search for a reputable interstate moving company. Long distance movers need to follow regulations set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Keep in mind, that an out-of-state move will cost more than a local one.

Make sure the moving company is licensed and insured and be sure to do your research! Ask them to provide their registration number! If you’re able to get a referral from a friend or family member, this will be a great place to start. If you can’t get a referral, be sure to research the company to see how they’re ranked with the Better Business Bureau. Are they accredited? Do they have a Yelp or Facebook page? What has their prior clients said about their experience with these movers? If the company doesn’t have a BBB rating and if you can’t find them listed on social media, these are big red flags.

When you start to place calls to Boulder, CO moving companies, be sure to have a list of questions ready. Find out what type of moving supplies they use and ask whether they reuse their supplies. Do you really want to move your clothes in a wardrobe box that has been used by 12 other clients? We’re guessing the answer is no. Do they use subcontractors, or do they only work with their own people? Ask if they’ll provide you with a written estimate. A legitimate moving company always provides a written estimate to their clients. You should also ask if there are circumstances in which you’d need to pay additional fees.  For example, some movers will charge an additional fee if they need to move furniture up or down several flights of stairs. Some companies require clients to pay a fuel surcharge.

Have additional questions? Call American Moving today!

At American Moving, it’s our mission to provide the highest quality relocation services possible. The relationships we have with our customers and the communities we serve are very important to us!

For more information on the types of things, you should look for when you hire a moving company in Boulder, CO, call us today at 303-402-0100. Our company is licensed, insured and we provide insurance coverage for your high-value items.