Get matched with top movers in Garrett Park, MD

It can be tempting to want to help your movers as they pack or transport your belongings, but in general, most movers prefer their customers to stay out of the way. Rest assured that your movers are confident in their skills and the process will likely go faster without your help. If you see something concerning, let your movers know right away so they can adjust or remedy the issue.

Start by removing any obstacles in the moving path, such as side tables, lamps, or other furniture. If your couch has legs, unscrew them. Measure the couch and the stairway to ensure you have enough room; if it seems unlikely, examine the shape and size of the couch and decide whether it might fit better up the stairway and through doorways on its side, held diagonally, or moved in an upright position.

Consider putting the sofa on a dolly to go up the stairs. It should be able to fit upright on a standard dolly with wheels. You’ll still need to lift the dolly—with the couch on it—up the stairs, but it will reduce the physical strain. The person holding the dolly should pull the couch up, while the helper should be on the other side, keeping the couch secure and steady.

If you don’t have a dolly, the person in front should lift the couch slightly higher than the person in the back to create more stability. The person in the back should also be the stronger mover, as most of the weight will be distributed there.

Using moving pods is generally cheaper than hiring a full-service moving company, primarily because you handle the packing and loading yourself, which eliminates labor costs. The cost savings are most significant for long-distance or cross-country moves; for local moves, hiring a moving company might be the more economical option. Renting and shipping moving pods can cost between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on factors like distance, the number of containers, and the weight of your items. Some services also charge a monthly rental fee of $75 to $200. In comparison, hiring a professional moving company for a long-distance move typically costs between $2,700 and $10,000.

There are generally three ways to ship furniture to another state: hiring professional movers, using consolidated freight, or through parcel shipping. Professional movers will generally pack your boxes in a truck and transport them to a storage facility or directly to your home. 

A consolidated freight service will pack, load, and ship your items, but this is best to use for one or two pieces since your items will take longer to be delivered and will share truck space with other items. Parcel shipping such as UPS and FedEx is best for smaller items since there are size limits, and you’ll have to drop the boxes off at a local branch.