Elephant Moving Inc. is by far the best moving company that we’ve used in Austin! They showed right on time and got right to work. They were very careful with our belongings and wrapped the furniture better than I would have on some of the less expensive pieces. We had a crew of 4 guys and they were very professional and organized. Also, I appreciated that we were given a discount for being asked to reschedule our move, even though it was only one day later. I know how complicated scheduling can be an I’m glad that they offered us the discount when the conflict came up. Very great job!!
-Kathryn, Austin

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If you are moving to or from the Austin area and have decided to rent a truck or trailer and move yourself, let the pros help you load and unload. The loading process is especially important – an improperly loaded truck will result in damaged items. Let your Austin movers assist you with this important task. Elephant Moving’s professional crews can help you wrap, stack and secure your load. Why hire a moving company to load your truck instead of U Haul or day labor? Our trained professional movers know the best way to stack your items to ensure they arrive safely. Be sure you have blankets or furniture pads (we can provide paper furniture pads and shrink wrap if you need them) and plenty of rope. Also be sure you have boxed your loose items so that the truck can be stacked more efficiently. If you are not sure your truck is large enough for your needs tell us what you have and we’ll be glad to help you out!

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Unless the piano is very small and light, it is almost always placed on a special skid called a piano board. The piano is covered with blankets and strapped to the board. If the piano is to be moved over a level surface for any distance, the piano board is put on a dolly – a small platform on wheels- and rolled to its destination, such as a truck or stairway. At the stairway, the dolly is removed and the piano is slid in a very slow and controlled manner up or down the stairs.

A grand piano is moved on its side, straight side down. First the lid and the pedal lyre are removed. Then the leg at the straight side of the piano is removed and the piano is carefully lowered down to the piano board. After the remaining 2 legs are removed, the piano is covered with blankets and strapped to the board. Stripped down in this manner, a grand piano is quite thin and will actually fit through a door or other opening very easily.

When a piano must be moved to or from a floor other than the first, many movers prefer to hoist or rig it rather than move it up or down stairs. Believe it or not, moving a piano by stairs is actually more dangerous, both to the piano and to the movers, than hoisting it through an upper-story window with a crane. Most movers will consent to moving by stairs when only one flight is involved, or when no other alternative is possible. Of course, if the building has a freight elevator that can support the piano, that method is preferred over all others.

Basically, it is the customer’s responsibility to make sure the piano will fit in its new location. This means not expecting a piano to be hoisted in a window that’s too small, or carried down a stairway with too low an overhang, or moved around a corner that’s too tight.

Corners are the hardest to judge because they can’t be easily measured. An experienced mover can usually judge these situations pretty accurately by eye and may prefer to visit the moving sites prior to moving day if there is any question about the difficulty of the job. This probably won’t be possible if the move is a long-distance one. If the piano won’t fit in its intended location, the customer will have to pay for its delivery back to its point of departure, to an alternate destination, or to storage.

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Excerpt taken from The Piano Book: The definitive source book on buying & owning a new or used piano by Larry Fine. Click here for more info.

When preparing for your Austin commerical move you should be sure to pack and label everything carefully to ensure all items and boxes end up in the right places (and in one piece!) on move day.

Pack:
o Packing is one of the most important steps of your move, so follow this list to ensure that your belongings are secure, safe, and ready to be transported to the new office space by moving day
o Be sure boxes are packed carefully. Do not fill large boxes with files or books – use smaller boxes for these heavy items. Make sure boxes are filled to avoid the top collapsing when they are stacked – fill empty space with packing paper if necessary.

Computers:
o Shut down
o Remove cables and plugs (coiling neatly together) and place keyboard, mouse, speakers and other peripherals together (your friendly Austin movers can provide ziplock computer bags or boxes for these items).
o Label your hard drive, printer, monitor, computer bag, and any other computer-related items with moving labels denoting where they are to end up

Desks:
o Empty all drawers and cabinets, as they may be up-ended for transport – take all valuables with you
o Clearly label the destination of each desk (and its parts) for easy moving

Filing/Storage Cabinets:
o Cabinets must be empty – box all files and clearly label which file cabinet and drawer they came from to avoid confusion

Floor Plan:
o Draw out office plan, and label each office/zone with an easy code (example A, B, C, D or 1,2,3,4 etc.); color code different floors/zones.
o Use this floor plan to clearly label each item to be moved—the clearer your moving labels are, the less work you will have to do relocating things that have been misplaced.

Labeling:
o The moving labels determine where an item is to be placed, so make sure everyone is clear on the codes/colors for their spaces
o Remember, if an item is disassembled, each part must be labeled
o Do not forget to label the mundane items like waste-paper baskets, chairs, and carpet protectors

Elephant Moving offers a dedicated commercial move consultant on every job to assist with these steps and ensure that your office relocation goes smoothly. Your move consultant will help you customize a system of labelling, color coding and floor planning that is tailored to your needs so that every item in your office gets placed precisely where it needs to be.

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Moving your office can be stressful. So many things to do before the big day! And so many things that can go wrong! Let Elephant Moving help ease you through your office transition with our tips and tricks for a smooth commercial move.

Now that the actual move date is getting closer, you should shift your focus toward physical preparation for the move. This includes:

 finalizing a design scheme for new office
 assigning quarters in new office
 getting rid of your accumulated junk
 sending “change of address” forms to vendors and suppliers
 updating your website to reflect address change
 insuring and equipping your new office space
 arranging Internet and telecommunications service for your new space
 updating financial records
 ordering new checks
 ordering new business cards

1 week prior to move: If you have followed your checklist, you should have little more to do besides pack. All the same, because you will be tearing up your space, make sure not to schedule any important meetings or hirings during this period.

Remembering to take care of these important tasks prior to your Austin commercial move will help ensure that business is back to normal as quickly as possible after move day.

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