Packing services on Cape Cod

Wrapping and boxing your belongings, labeling each box by room, and unpacking at the other end. Furniture that came apart for the move is put back together. One reviewer described it as the crew coming in, seeing what had to be done, getting it all in the truck and reassembling, and said you cannot ask for anything better.

Another reviewer moving a family member from the Cape to Boston praised the crew for how they handled the furniture while packing and unpacking.

Either works. Many people pack clothes and books themselves and hand off the kitchen, the artwork, the china and anything fragile. That is the part where the time goes and where things break.

A useful rule: if you would be upset to lose it, or if you keep putting off packing that room, let the crew handle it. If you are moving with antiques or a large cabinet, read about antiques and irreplaceable pieces too.

Because the unloading takes far less time when each box lands in the right room the first time. A room-by-room label means the crew and you are not opening boxes to find out what goes where. It also makes the first night in the new home easier, since the bedroom and kitchen boxes are easy to find.

Keep out anything you need until the last day: a few dishes, toiletries, chargers, medications and important papers. Put valuables, jewelry and documents in a bag that rides with you. Everything else can go on the packing list.

If you have a wall of artwork, a cabinet of china or a collection, point it out when you book so it gets the time it needs. Packing those rooms first also gives you a clear picture of how much is really moving.

Yes. It works with a local move on the Cape, a long-distance move or a senior move, where packing a parent's home gently is often the hardest part for the family. Tell us in your quote request that you want packing, and Andrei will include it in your estimate.

Industry guides put professional packing for a two-bedroom home at about 4 to 6 hours for a two-person crew, and plan on 50 to 75 boxes for that size of home. A basement, attic or garage adds time. Packing it yourself usually takes much longer, often two or three full days of steady work.

Most people schedule packing for the day or two before the move, with the kitchen, closets and breakables taking the longest. When you ask for a quote, ask what it covers: boxes, tape, paper and wardrobe boxes, and whether unpacking and removing the empty boxes are included.

If the move is also a downsize, sort first. Every box you do not pack is a box nobody has to carry. See estate cleanouts if a lot of it is leaving the house.