Packing services
The Job Everybody Underestimates
Packing is the part people plan to do themselves and then run out of week for. We can do all of it, some of it, or just the rooms you would rather not think about.
Materials included. Everything labelled by room, so unloading is not a guessing game.
Be honest with yourself about this one
Nearly everybody plans to pack themselves
And a good number of them are still filling boxes at eleven at night the day before, throwing things into cartons unwrapped and unlabelled because the crew arrives at eight.
That is where most self-inflicted moving damage comes from. Not the truck, not the stairs — a plate wrapped in a tea towel and a box with nothing written on it.
There is no shame in packing your own house. It is genuinely cheaper and plenty of people do it well. But decide early, because deciding late is what produces the eleven-o’clock version.
Three ways to do it
Pick the level that fits
Full packing
We pack the whole house, materials included. Typically a day or two before the move, so you are living normally right up to the end and not camping among boxes for a fortnight.
Partial packing
The rooms that actually need skill — kitchen, artwork, glass, the garage. You do the wardrobes and the books; we do the things that break.
Unpacking
Boxes opened, contents placed, cartons and paper taken away the same day. The difference between being moved in and living out of a stack of boxes for a month.
What comes with it
Materials and method
- Cartons in the right sizes — small and heavy, large and light, which is the opposite of what most people do
- Dish packs and cell dividers for glassware, and proper picture cartons for artwork and mirrors
- Wardrobe cartons so hanging clothes travel on the rail and arrive wearable
- Mattress bags, packing paper, bubble wrap and tape
- Every carton labelled by room and by contents, so it is put down where it belongs
- A separate first-night box, kept accessible rather than buried at the front of the load
- Debris removal afterwards, so you are not driving flattened cartons to the tip for a fortnight
Two Northern Utah specifics
When packing has to do more work
Packing for a winter move
Anything that will sweat coming from a cold truck into a warm house — electronics, sealed furniture, artwork under glass — is wrapped for that rather than just for knocks, and left to come up to temperature before unwrapping. Candles and anything else that behaves badly at temperature get flagged rather than boxed and forgotten.
Packing for the corridor
A load going the length of the state takes hours of vibration and a lot of grade. That is a different packing standard from a move across town: cartons filled to the top so they do not crush, weight distributed properly, and nothing relying on the box next to it staying put.
What it costs
How packing is quoted
Local moves are billed hourly with a crew size agreed up front. Tell us what you're moving and we'll quote it.
Packing is quoted on the volume and how much of it you want us to do. The most common arrangement is partial: we take the kitchen, the glass and the artwork, and you handle the straightforward rooms. It costs a fraction of a full pack and removes most of the risk.
Packing questions
When should packing happen?
A day or two before the move for a full pack. Earlier than that and you are living among boxes for no reason; later and there is no slack if a room takes longer than expected.
How long does it take to pack a house?
It depends on the volume and how much is already sorted, so we will not throw a number at you for a house we have not seen. What consistently takes longest is not the big furniture — it is kitchens, garages and lofts.
Can I pack some rooms myself?
Yes, and most people should. Books, linen and clothing are easy to do well. Kitchens, glass and artwork are where a professional pack earns its money.
Do you supply the boxes?
Yes, materials are included in a packing quote. If you are packing yourself we can drop materials off beforehand.
What should I not pack?
Anything flammable or explosive, propane, and hazardous chemicals cannot travel. Keep documents, medication, jewellery, keys and chargers with you rather than on the truck — not because they are unsafe, but because you will want them before the boxes are open.
Do you take the empty boxes away?
Yes, if you would like. It is part of unpacking, and it can also be booked on its own a week later once you have emptied them yourself.
Not sure how much packing you want?
Tell us the house and we will tell you which rooms are worth handing over.