LOADER
The loading moving company is the most important party involved in your move. They are (or at least should be) your “mover”. They will be the one you call when you want an estimate, who you meet in person, and who you call when you have a question. Ultimately, they coordinate all the logistics for your move, they line up the other parties and are responsible for making your move as smooth as possible. In summary the loaders responsibilities are:
- Provides your initial estimate
- Accepts your down payment (and possibly final payment)
- Arranges the logistics for your move, hires the transporter and unloader
- May provide the labor involved in the load of your move, packing your belongings, preparing them for shipment, loading them into the truck.
- Provides the truck for ferrying if the semi-truck is unable to access your home
- Provides customer service and contact throughout the move

TRANSPORTER:
The Transporter is the party responsible for taking your goods across the country. While they’re not required to load/unload your goods the driver will usually perform loading/unloading services with the help of your loader. They are a completely different type of business than your loading/unloading mover; they are a trucking company. Their job is to drive one or more trucks moving across the country, covering thousands of miles, picking up and dropping off goods. Sometimes your transporter may be a single individual who owns his/her own truck, other times they may be part of a larger fleet. When you select a Vanline to perform your move the transporter is almost always branded with that Vanline as a requirement of accepting those shipments. However, they’re ownership is still completely separate from that of your loading/unloading mover. The Transporters responsibilities are:
- Provides the semi-truck to hold your belongings
- Provides all the non-consumable supplies to protect your furniture such as pads, straps, bulk heads, ramps, and decking.
- Drives the truck to your pickup location, attempts to park the truck as close as possible to your home
- Drives the truck across the country to your drop location, attempts to get as close as possible to your drop off home
- Provides customer service when concerning the delivery timeline

UNLOADER:
The unloader is the party that will vary the most depending on the mover that you chose for your initial estimate. It is also the least complicated task. Most reputable moving companies will hire experienced movers to handle the unload of your goods. The truck driver that handled your shipment may be one of the unloaders depending on their willingness to do so. The unloader is the party that is responsible to having the ferrying truck if it’s necessary for your move. The unloaders responsibilities are:
- Unload your shipment, setup your furniture, unpack if necessary
- Arrange ferrying of your goods if the semi-truck cannot access your home

Logistics of Cross Country Moves

Let’s start with the thing on everybody’s mind: the dishes. Refer to the photos if my voracious vocabulary fails. Nesting (see photo) can be used when wrapping your plates and bowls. Place a plate on top of your new stack of packing paper and wrap it completely with two sheets, or one sheet if it’s a small plate. Place another plate on top of that and wrap both plates together with two more sheets of paper. Repeat this process until you have a stack of three or four plates; do not exceed more than four plates or the goblins will get you. Although plates stack on top of each other in your cupboard, that’s not how they go in the box; they are less vulnerable to breakage when placed on their edges. Bowls are much the same.

Ordinary drinking glasses are quick and painful. All you need to do is wrap one up and set it in. Unlike plates, glasses go in the box like they do in the cupboard; you can have them right-side-up or upside-down, just as long as they are not sideways. A lot of people like those cell-divider thingies because they give each glass its own little room and separates them like ill-behaved school children. I’m not going to say that they are pointless and a waste of money, but they are pointless and you don’t need them. They might give you an extra sense of security, but if you pack correctly, you will not need to spend your money on them.

Wine glasses and other stemware should be packed with extra precaution. I recommend packing them in their own box (probably a small 1.5) and noting that they be “Top Load Only” meaning that like the King of England in the Great Pyramid of Being, there shall be none above this special box and it rules over its subjects with supreme sovereignty. And like the King of England, it is extremely fragile and should be labeled on all sides in big, bold letters.

Pantry items and silverware and things of that nature are fairly easy to pack as they only need to be wrapped in a sheet of paper and stuffed where they fit. The glass containers need a bit more care and maybe an extra sheet of paper or so but still fairly easy. You can get about three to four items in a bunch. Silverware can also be grouped together and simply wrapped up in a sheet or two of paper. Be sure to tighten all of the lids and check that no containers have cracks or holes. Be extra careful with the liquids and oils because if these spill or leak, it will get everywhere and possibly even seep through the box into other boxes and furniture.

Cutlery and other sharp items should be pointing in the same direction and labeled as “sharp” to avoid stabbing yourself; it’s also a good idea to wrap the ends of your bundled-up knives with a few layers of packing tape. It may be a pain to unwrap but is much better than slicing your hand open!

Your pots, pans, and other heavy metal cooking gadgets should be wrapped in paper and loaded at the bottom of any box. You might be thinking, “Why would I want to wrap my pots and pans? Aren’t they made of sturdy metal?” And I reply with a smarmy and indignant look on my face, “Ah, ye of little knowledge. Wrapping not only protects the wrapped item, but also items with which it comes in contact.”

Once you have a layer of stuff in the box, put some paper on top before you start putting other items. Padding is your friend and so am I.

Your fridge items should be packed in a cooler, if possible, depending on how far and long you are traveling. Another option is to throw out what’s left but the best option is to use it all before the move. If you are unsure if you will be able to unpack it before it expires, don’t pack it at all.

I leave you with these last few tidbits that didn’t really fit into their own category, they are a random assortment of quick wisdom much like a pocketful of loose change, but are valuable nonetheless (again like the change). Dish packs are double-walled and have a higher weight threshold than normal boxes, but remember that someone will have to pick that thing up; don’t go overboard with stuffing all your heavy items in there. If you have breakable items, label the box “fragile,” but like cuss words, the word’s effectiveness and power dampens with overuse. That is all for now. Good luck and happy packing.

Kitchen Packing

Items needed for every room are as follows:
• Boxes- they come in many sizes and each size has a separate purpose
• Packing paper- the best thing for keeping everything safely padded inside the box
• Tape- 2 inch thickness is best
• Markers- boxes should be labeled with its room destination and a short list of its contents

Packing paper is a great commodity and should be used frequently as it will add padding and help to fill the box. Ideally, every box should be filled to the brim as it provides structural integrity thus reducing the potential of collapse and damage; a full box is a strong box. “The Shake Test” is a good way to test if the box is ready to be sealed. If nothing moves when the box is slightly shaken, it is ready. If there is movement, more padding should be added into the gaps. Clothing, towels, and other fabrics can also be used as a replacement for paper and to save some money. While this may seem like a good alternative, some warning must be made. These items could be damaged either by getting torn by the wrapped items or from whatever liquids may be packed. This method will also make unpacking difficult as items will be strewn throughout all of the boxes.

One area that is often overlooked is the bottom of the box; it is vital that the bottom of the box is strong so that it will not fall out. There are many ways to secure the bottom but the best ways are seen in the photos. The first method (left) is done by taping a couple strips down the center and then one along both sides to form an “H.” This method provides for the best protection because every possible opening is covered with the tape. Another very good option (right) is to put a couple strips of tape down the center, as before, and then another strip or two running parallel on each side of the center strip.

After the box is taped but before placing anything into it, a lining should be placed at the bottom. A flat lining is done simply by laying a sheet of paper in the box, as shown in the photo to the left. It protects the items from excessive rubbing against the inside of the cardboard box. Crumple lining, shown in the photo to the right, is done by crumpling sheets of paper and placing them in the box. This should be done when packing fragile items because it provides more protection; it also takes more paper to get a complete layer.

When the box has passed the shake test and is sufficiently full, it can be sealed and labeled. As stated before, the label should include the room (where it is going to or came from) and a list of the major items in the box (up to three). “PBO” can also be added to the label and it stands for “Packed by Owner.” This just helps to determine if an insurance claim can be made on broken items found in the box. Under the 2 Brothers policy, only items packed by the movers can be claimed if they are broken.

Intro to Packing

So why do you need more than one mover to avoid a deadhead, can’t the same mover just handle the whole shipment on their own? To understand the answer this it’s first important to understand the four logistical conditions required to make your move happen:
1) There must enough space in the semi-trailer to accommodate your goods
2) The trailer has to be designed for household goods and have the proper equipment
3) The truck transporting your goods has be in your exact location on the exact day(s) you need it to be
4) The truck has to be heading in the direction your moving to

At first glance this might seem like a simple feat, but its actually not. If you think about it there’s millions of miles to cover in the Continental US, multiplied by the 365 days in the year, a limited number of household goods trailers, and finally compounded by the various directions the truck must go. Since most movers only have enough resources to own a few trucks it makes the probability of all four of the above conditions extremely unlikely. Instead its necessary for them to tap into the thousands of trucks available in the entire market rather than just the couple they personally own.

Deadheading & The Three Party System

What?  You didn’t save the original packing material like a good little pack rat?  Don’t panic.  All you need are three separate boxes large enough for the central processing unit, the monitor and the printer.  And tons of packing material.  That could be wadded up newspaper, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or even pillows and linens from the linen closet.

Pack each individual item in a separate box, and fill the extra space with your packing material.  It’s a good idea not to pack anything else in the boxes, such as office supplies.  The last thing your CD rom drive needs is a paper clip embedded in it.  But it’s safe to pack the keyboard and mouse with the monitor.

Be sure to label the boxes with a thick marker as Fragile, along with arrows pointing upward to keep them upright.  Do this on all four sides of each box.

Pack books in smaller boxes to keep the weight reasonable.  You can take up any little nooks and crannies in the book boxes with office supplies.  Be sure that the office supplies are in small containers or zipping sandwich bags.  It’s a good idea to tape the sides of the small containers to keep all those paper clips, thumb tacks and binder clips orderly.  Otherwise your fingertips might be greeted by a biting thumb tack when you open the box.  Of course, you can try to use a thumbtack injury as an excuse to get out of unpacking, but it probably won’t work.

You can slide drawers out of filing cabinets to make the cabinet lighter to carry.  Then the drawers can be slid back into the cabinet once it’s in the moving truck.  This saves you from having to pack all those files!

Calendars and paper can be packed together.  Save any artwork to be packed with other artwork from throughout the home.  Don’t forget to keep any urgent files with you in a briefcase or computer case.

Packing your office can make you feel like all your work has magically disappeared—but don’t worry, it will be waiting for you at your new office!

Safe Office Packing

And the secret to having a smooth move is to get rid of as much of that unused stuff as possible!

Now wait just a second, don’t run to the trash can with armloads of dusty stuff! You want to clean house with a clean conscience. The last thing your local landfill needs is to be crammed with even more perfectly reusable stuff. You know the saying: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure! Hey, isn’t that how you ended up with all this stuff in the first place?

By not throwing away perfectly reusable items, you are:

• Conserving landfill space.
• Protecting water quality. All that stuff in a landfill oozes together, leaching contaminants into groundwater. Groundwater aquifers oftentimes supply drinking water.
• Protecting air quality. In some locales, trash is sent to an incinerator. Incinerators belch pollution into the air we breathe.

Here’s how to shed the fat in an environmentally friendly way:

• Go through all of your stuff: clothing, linen closets, books, kitchen items, music CD’s, DVD’s, everything. Pull out everything that you just don’t use anymore. The only exceptions to this rule are highly collectible or heirloom-quality sentimental items, such as that John Coltrane album or that screaming purple velvet dress from 1969. The trick is not to assign this value to all your dust-covered stuff!
• Have a yard sale. This is a fun way to teach your kids how to reduce, reuse and recycle. Plus, you can ask them to serve as cashier as a sneaky way to help them learn math. A yard sale will also put more cash in your pocket, especially if you have big-ticket items to sell such as furniture.
• Slap a “free” sign on it. Well before trash day when there’s no precipitation in the forecast, place any items you don’t want at the end of your driveway with a sign “Free to a Good Home.” This works wonders for larger items such as furniture—especially furniture that didn’t sell during your yard sale and that you don’t want to haul to a donation center! Of course, anything you put out should be in relatively good shape.
• Take it to a donation center. This is a win-win-win strategy! You get a receipt for tax deduction purposes. You get the good karma of helping provide jobs for the less fortunate. You get the joy of knowing that you are helping all the Frugal Fannies cultivate their artsy phartsy sense of thrift store fashion. See this link for a mind-blowing list of donation centers and what they accept in the Portland area: http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=1892
• Sell it on eBay. This is a great way to reuse collectible items that are fairly lightweight and put some cash in your pocket.

Now you have far less stuff to pack, and you have a squeaky clean green conscience for reducing, reusing and recycling! Congratulations on lightening your moving and karmic load!

Shed the Fat and Go Green to Get Moving!

First, be sure to set aside a few travel-sized toiletries for your overnight bag. That way, you won’t have to rummage through boxes just to clean yourself up a little the night of and the morning after the move. Don’t forget a roll or two of toilet paper, a washcloth, a hand towel and a full-sized towel!

Place all liquid-based toiletries in plastic bags before placing them in a box. This will help capture any leaks without creating a huge mess all over everything else you pack in the same box. You can use zipping sandwich bags or better yet, reuse some of those plastic grocery bags that have been multiplying like bunnies.

For example, place your shampoo, conditioner and liquid soap into a plastic grocery bag. Now tie the two handles of the bag together like you’re beginning to tie your shoes; repeat to make a double knot. The knot should be tight enough to capture leaks, but not so tight that you have to cuss to get it undone when it’s time to unpack! If you notice that the bag has a small hole in it, just double up by placing another bag over it.

Continue likewise for all your liquid-based toiletries that could splooge, such as facial astringents, moisturizers or shaving cream. You’ll be able to fit several bottles into each bag. But leave enough room so that the bottles can remain upright when you place the bag into the box.

Towels are a terrific for packing in these toiletry boxes. If for some reason there is a breach in the plastic bags, the towels will absorb the liquid. Then all you’ll have to do to clean up the mess is throw the towels in the washing machine!

Don’t pack any toilet paper or artwork in the boxes containing toiletries just to be safe. I mean, the last thing you want to deal with on moving day is a soggy roll of toilet paper! Pack the toilet paper with dry items such as cotton balls, cotton swabs and cosmetics. Save the artwork to pack with other artwork from throughout the house.

If you start the packing process with the bathroom, you’ll finish in no time and feel like you’re making quick progress!

Bathroom Packing: How to Prevent Splooges

Here are some handy tips for packing materials to reuse:

• Boxes. You may have some boxes stored in the basement or garage from your previous move; don’t forget about those! Also visit local retailers and ask if they are willing to part with their intact boxes. Grocery stores are often very helpful in this regard, especially small health food stores. Some grocery stores in the Portland area include Wild Oats, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Zupans, New Seasons, Fred Meyers and Safeway. Also be on the lookout for boxes from your workplace. The office manager will probably be thrilled to give you empty boxes after unloading paper and office supplies!
• Newspaper. It’s not just for doing the crossword anymore! Newspaper is a wonderful cushioning material for fragile items, especially when it’s wadded up. For example, when you’re packing dishes, you can wrap each individual dish in newspaper, and cushion the dishes from one another with wadded up balls of newspaper. 
• Bubble wrap and packing peanuts. You know all that packing material that you hoard, thinking you’ll use it to ship Christmas gifts, but never get around to using? Now it’s time to put it to work! Your office manager at work will also be thrilled to pawn off packing materials on you!
• Plastic grocery bags. They multiply in the dark, but don’t worry—you’ll be able to use every single one of them when packing. Use them to wrap toiletries and liquid products, such as shampoos, lotions, dish soap and cleaning products before packing them. That way, if they splooge, it’s only inside the bag and not all over everything else in the same box.

Who knew that by being a tightwad about packing materials you can also save the planet?!

Save Money and the Planet by Reusing Packing Materials

Traditional Storage Unit:
Normal storage facilities such as Public Storage or UStore have multiple locations to make it easy to find one near you. They have multiple sizes that usually vary from a small 8×10 unit to a huge 20×30 unit and beyond. They offer garage style units that give the customer easier access to their belongings or have units within the building that sometimes require the use of an elevator. Almost all of the facilities are climate controlled. Getting in and out of the unit is a breeze, you just show up during business hours and open up your unit. They are also typically cheaper than a PODS solution per month for the storage fees, with the cheaper places being located on the outskirts of town.

PROS

• Multiple locations near you
• Much more choice in unit sizes
• Garage style units and interior units
• Climate controlled
• Easy access to your unit & stuff
• Typically cheaper per month

CONS

• You go to them instead of them coming to you
• You have to load/unload your stuff twice instead of once (2x moving costs)
• Subject to availability of units
• You can’t ship your stuff direct

Portable Storage Units (PODS):
PODS are a relatively new concept in the storage market, they involve a company basically bringing out a metal container to your door and dropping it there for you to load it with your stuff. The PODS company is the most well known company but there are many other organizations such as PackRat, BigBox, and DoorToDoor. Typically with a portable storage unit there are going to be some advantages and those advantages come at a higher price tag.

First of all you get it delivered to your door so loading the unit is going to a cinch, but you have to pay for that delivery and pickup. Second, while you do have multiple sizes available these companies can’t fit huge containers on your street so your limited to a max size of a 8′x16′ container. The size limitation requires that larger storage needs obtain multiple containers and that can get spendy fast, in both the monthly and delivery charges. They also are most expensive than traditional storage solutions per month (not forgetting about delivery), especially if you chose to have them stored in the PODS warehouse as opposed to your driveway. The plus side to the cost is that you don’t have to pay for two moves, you only pay for one load/unload, which if you’re paying for movers this could equal the additional monthly cost plus delivery.

PROS

• Delivered to your door, no need to go to them
• Choices of containers
• Option of storing it at their warehouse after loading
• Option of storing at your house, allowing easier access to your stuff
• Pay for only one move instead of two

CONS

• Higher costs overall because of the delivery & pickup charges
• Higher costs for the monthly rates unless you store it at your home
• Local laws differ, not everyone is allowed to have a container on their street
• Less choices in sizes when compared to traditional storage
• If you chose to have it stored at their warehouse the access to your stuff is limited

PODS vs. Traditional Storage

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