Elephant Moving and Storage - Austin, Houston and San Antonio Texas Movers Blog » Hints for a Smooth Move

Summer is here!

Elephant Movers — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:27:38 +0000

Summer is here! This means that in every city in the U.S. everyone is moving, and when we say everyone we mean it! 70% of all the moves in the U.S. are performed during the summer months. Elephant Moving & Storage has years of experience on how to pass the peak moving season successfully.

Your Austin moving company is aware of the increase in move requests at this time of year, so scheduling is highly supervised in order to ensure that we are able to maintain our high quality services on every move that schedules. Elephant Movers makes careful efforts not to overbook our calendar in order to make sure we can provide every customer with an accurate time for his move and the high quality services we are known for.

Elephant Moving maintains crews of professional movers all year round (we don’t use day labor or sub contactors); our field crews are trained in how to maneuver and transport house hold goods in the most careful and efficient manner using techniques that have been developed by us over 12 years in the moving industry. Every crew member goes through a background check and doesn’t hit the field before he is a aware of all the aspects of household moving during the summer. As we all know, the temperature in Austin routinely climbs past 100 degrees Fahrenheit – Elephant Moving makes sure that the crew is capable of working in extreme weather conditions and that they have enough water with them for their day of work.

Your local Austin and San Antonio movers are affiliated with all the major truck rental companies in town in order to supplement our fleet of trucks whenever necessary. Elephant Moving can provide the trucks needed for any size move on short notice.

Summer is hectic, but with the right preparation your Austin movers make sure that every customer gets his money’s worth on each and every move!

SXSW 2010 Road and Traffic Information

Elephant Movers — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:30:04 +0000

It is SXSW weekend in Austin and Elephant Moving wants to remind you that some roads in the 6^th street entertainment district will be closed and many other streets downtown will be affected. If you are planning on moving in/out of the downtown area don’t forget to reserve parking for your mover as close as you can to the loading area (if you need to, park your car where you think will be the closest for the movers). You might expect some traffic delays so be patient – move day is already stressful. Call your Austin moving company and let them know if the road to your location is blocked and there is different access to your location. Here is the map for the road closures during the SXSW festival 2010:

SXSW 2010 road closures

Moving in or out of a highrise in downtown Austin?

Elephant Movers — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:12:01 +0000

Our city is growing! The Austin downtown sky line has started to fill up and look more like NY these days. It is so exiting to see Austin’s downtown area changing and becoming a thriving metropolis.

As a local Austin moving company that works often in this growing area we have gathered some feedback from the field to help you pass moving day downtown faster, smoother and more efficiently.

Parking: make sure to reserve parking for the moving truck if necessary. Not all buildings downtown have a loading zone inside the parking structure, so if the moving truck needs to park outside on the street you want it to be able to park as close as possible to the entrance in a legal spot where the movers can load or unload without wasting time walking down the block and most importantly, without getting a ticket!

Elevators: reserve the freight elevator for the full amount of time that your Austin mover is expecting to load or unload. Ask the building maintenance to lock the elevator for your mover’s use during the entire estimated time of your move to avoid costly delays caused by waiting for the elevator or having to share with another building contractor.

Insurance: Some of the newer buildings require an insurance certificate from your mover – be sure to request this in advance and provide all of the building’s requirements to your Austin movers to avoid any delays or problems on move day.

Plastic Crate Rental: Did you know that Elephant Moving & Storage offers crate rental for commercial and residential moves in the Austin area? These earth friendly stackable crates cut down on waste, cut down on packing time, and best of all cut down on cost. Not only do they cost less than traditional cardboard packing materials, but they make your move a snap! The crates stack easily on one another and have special dollies to move them, which means your Austin mover will spend less time lugging boxes by hand, thus saving you even more.

Get your local or cross country Austin moving quote now!

Place an order for moving boxes and packing materials now!

Place an order for earth friendly packing crate rental!

Can you move my pool table?

Elephant Movers — Wed, 27 May 2009 05:05:22 +0000

The short answer is yes, we do move pool tables. We can disassemble most pool tables (please keep in mind this is usually a labor intensive project that will add quite a bit of time to your move), and we can safely and easily transport all the pieces of your pool table to a new location. However, be advised that we are unable to reassemble pool tables due to the fact that each pool table must be re-felted and re-levelled by a professional pool table technician. There are several vendors who offer this service in the Austin area. Take this into account when you consider purchasing a pool table from a friend or from Craigslist. These items, much like a piano, are not as cheap as they seem once you factor in the cost of moving and reassembly by a specialist.

Get your local or cross country residential or commercial moving estimate now!

Place an order for moving boxes and packing materials now!

Does Everything Need to be Packed…?

Elephant Movers — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:11:27 +0000

We know packing is hard work. At Elephant Moving & Storage we make every effort to keep moving simple and as easy as possible, as well as most cost effective for our customers. For local moves we have a number of systems at work in our trucks that assist in keeping costs down and packing to a minimum. All small items (clothing, shoes, dishes, books, knick knacks, etc) should be boxed to ensure they are protected while they are being relocated. However, certain items, such as TVs, mirrors, glass tops, glass shelves, framed pictures, small electronics, computer components, and lamps can remain unpacked. Our trucks are all equipped with special bins that allow our crews to take care of these items without the bother and expense of packing them.

Flat items such as pictures, mirrors, glass or stone tops and flat tvs are placed in the long narrow picture bin after being wrapped in heavy duty quilted blankets. The bin is then padded with more blankets to ensure the items do not shift while in transit. All of the items in this bin ride on their side or edge, so nothing is stacked on them and they are well protected.

Bulkier items such as small electronics, computer components and lamps are placed in a commercial bin, which is similar to the picture bin but wider. All items are individually wrapped in quilted blankets prior to being placed in the bin, and then the bin is padded with more pads to ensure the items are secure and can not move around.

For larger flat panel TVs we can provide a custom made wood and foam crate that is similar to our picture bins but sturdier. All of these bins and crates are provided free of charge for use on local moves. This saves quite a lot of money for our customers because these types of items usually require a lot of packing material. Simply inform our office that you have items of these types so that they can note it on the order for service. All trucks are equipped with a picture bin that can hold up to 7 pictures/mirrors and one to two commercial bins. If you have a lot of these items or have a large flat panel TV then the office will need to make sure the movers know to bring additional bins/crates.

For cross country moves these items will need to be packed, but ask your salesperson about the option to purchase cardboard bins – this may end up costing less than individual boxes.

Get your local or cross country residential or commercial moving estimate now!

Place an order for moving boxes and packing materials now!

A Note About Scheduling & Start Times

Elephant Movers — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:41:40 +0000

If you booked a move with Elephant Moving Austin you should receive a confirmation email from our office. This email is important because it is proof of your reservation with us and also provides you with some very important information regarding your move and Elephant Moving’s policies. Please read all information carefully and contact our office if you have any questions.

What does your move start time mean? If you have scheduled a morning appointment for 8am or 9am then your moving crew should arrive at the scheduled time (sometimes they are a few minutes early or late depending on weather or traffic). If your move is scheduled for a late morning or an afternoon time slot then we have provided you with an estimated 1-2 hour window for your start time. However, due to the fact that the crew will be coming directly from another move this estimated time is subject to change. Once the crew finishes their first job(s) the office will call to let you know their estimated arrival time. We do not expect you to sit around waiting for your movers for hours, but we do ask that you please remain flexible on your move day. If it becomes evident that your crew is running late for the day Elephant Moving will call to let you know.

The most common reason for a delay is incorrect or incomplete information provided by a customer. This is why your confirmation email asks that you double check your inventory list and let us know if there are any changes by the day before your move. We also need to know if any item(s) require significant disassembly or if you have more than 8 items that will require disassembly or disconnection. If the movers show up to a move and find that they are now being asked to move 4 extra pieces of furniture and 15 additional boxes then they will finish their move later than anticipated. If a wall unit has dozens of pieces of hardware and requires 40 minutes of disassembly then the movers will be behind schedule. Every extra item or service takes time, and while we are happy to assist you with whatever you need we do ask that you provide us with that information beforehand to avoid inconveniencing other customers. If our crew shows up to a move to find a big difference between their list and what is in front of them there may be additional per item charges or the office may require that another man be sent to get the move done in a timely and efficient manner. Please keep this in mind on the day of your move and try to give us the best information possible. If your crew is running late it is usually because another customer has not given us good information. We will do our best to get you moved at the scheduled time, but unless your move is the first of the day for your crew Elephant Moving cannot guarantee start times.

Get your local or long distance residential or commercial moving estimate now!

Place an order for moving boxes and packing materials now!

Tips for Moving – #12

Elephant Movers — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:36:37 +0000

Tip #12:
Personal boxes
Use brightly colored storage tote boxes, one for each person. Let each family member fill their box with items they will want ‘right away’ in the new home — a set of sheets, a towel, a couple of extension cords, a phone, nightlights, address book, pens and paper, keys, tissues, travel cosmetic case, and so on. Make sure that the personal boxes are easily distinguishable from, say, the two dozen plastic bins you have used to store holiday decorations, board games, or other items that you do not need access to right away. Buy a different, bright color so you can find the personal boxes quickly and instruct your Austin moving company to place them in each personâ€™s room or in a central location to avoid having them buried and inaccessible. The more organized you can make your move, the easier the transition will be.

Get your local or long distance residential or commercial moving estimate now!

Place an order for moving boxes and packing materials now!

Tips for Moving – #11

Elephant Movers — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:02:32 +0000

Tip #11:
Keep important papers with you
Your list of “important” papers might include: birth certificates, school records, moving estimates, new job contacts, utility company numbers, recent bank records, current bills, phone lists, closing papers, realtor info, maps, and more. Don’t leave these with your Austin moving company. Keep them with you! This way, you will have immediate access to them without having to dig through a dozen boxes or hunt all over your new house for the box you need. You may think you labeled your box of important papers well enough, but quite often it can be difficult to locate one particular box when you have your entire house packed into 100+ boxes spread all around. Keep in mind that although it is rare, occasionally boxes or small items are misplaced during a move. Your Austin mover will make every effort to get your mis-delivered item back to you as quickly as possible, but in the interim it could be frustrating to be without some of those essential documents. Better safe than sorry!

Get your local or long distance residential or commercial moving estimate now!

Place an order for moving boxes and packing materials now!

Tips for Moving – #10

Elephant Movers — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:26:30 +0000

Tip #10:
Safeguard valued items
It is a good idea to keep valuable possessions, such as jewelry, silverware, collections, or antiques, with you. If you have a long move and no room in your car, bury the items in a box titled “Misc kitchen pantry”. Either way, check your homeowner’s insurance to see how you are covered during the move and if you need additional insurance from your Austin moving company. Also, find out what paperwork (receipts, appraisals, and photos) you might need to file a claim in case of loss. If you purchase additional insurance for your move, be sure to read your moving insurance policy carefully so you are aware of all conditions and exclusions of the policy. Some items will require additional packaging (for an additional cost) in order to be fully covered. Certain valuable items, such as jewelry, watches, gem stones, cash/currency/bank notes, deeds, travelers cheques, coin/stamp collections, sports memorabilia, alcoholic beverages, furs, plasma televisions, and firearms/ammunition, are not covered by any mover or third party insurer regardless of the policy or coverage purchased, so make sure your homeowner’s policy does cover these items if you plan to ship them with the moving company.

Get your local or long distance residential or commercial moving estimate now!

Place an order for moving boxes and packing materials now!

Tips for Moving – #9

Elephant Movers — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:59:46 +0000

Tip #9:
Use your luggage
Fill luggage and duffle bags with clothing, sheets, towels, and paper goods. Even for local Austin moves you will be able to quickly spot your green suitcase holding your favorite sweaters, whereas “Box #97″ might remain elusive for days. Avoid packing books or heavy items in large suitcases, as these can be extremely difficult to move and may damage the luggage. Also avoid packing dishes or fragile items in suitcases or duffel bags, as luggage generally does not offer the same protection as boxes specifically designed for china and other delicate items. Be sure your Austin moving company knows that your inventory list will include suitcases and/or duffel bags. For local moves this may add to the time your move takes, and for interstate moves it will increase the weight or volume of your shipment. Either way, you want to be sure your estimate is as accurate as possible by providing your mover with the best information prior to your move.

Get your local or long distance residential or commercial moving estimate now!

Place an order for moving boxes and packing materials now!