Please describe a little bit about your company and its foundation.

Moving by Design is family owned and operated. The business opened in October 2008 with one truck and a few employees. We just bought our 4th truck and have 20 employees. We focus on customer service, from the 1st phone call to the completion of each move we strive to exceed our customer’s expectations. Our number one source of moves is referrals and customers that have used our services in the past.

What are some of the various services you offer?

We provide moving services for residential, commercial, intrastate, and interstate customers. We also offer professional packing and unpacking services. Moving by Design employees are experts at moving piano’s, all makes and models. I will provide vendors for pool tables, safes, exercise equipment, swing sets, and hot tubs.

When should I start packing for my move? Do I need to have everything packed before the movers show up?

I would recommend you start your packing as early as possible. This is a great time to purge unwanted items and the earlier you start the more time you’ll have to avoid packing and moving items you don’t use. Try and avoid packing and throwing away younger children’s items until closer to move. Children sometimes have a hard time dealing with the move itself. Make sure all your boxes are taped on the top and bottom and the room locations are clearly marked. It is very important that all your packing is completed when the movers arrive.

What do you recommend I pack in my “Open First” box?

Coffee maker, coffee, tv remotes, medications, pet food, school transfer information.

How should I pack breakables to make sure they stay safe during the move?

One thing to remember, moving companies do not insure your packed boxes. Many of my clients that do their own packing, will move family heirlooms, and other items they cherish the most. The key thing you will need is the right box to pack fragile items. Dish pack or box, is designed for fragile items and it is thicker then average boxes. Set up your box and start with a layer of wadded up paper to give you a nice cushion to start packing on. Dishes should always be packed on edge and never flat. Pack the first level with dishes and heavier items, next level lighter, and so on until the box is full. Leave room at the top for more paper to give the top cushion. Intricate figurines should be packed in a box that will comfortably hold the item and only put one per carton. I advise my clients to have the professionals pack fragile items and they concentrate on the non fragile items.

How important is it to have quality boxes for my move? Can I just use recycled boxes or should I buy all new supplies?

With everyone thinking green these days, I would definitely consider used boxes if there in decent shape. We reuse cartons and often do. I would encourage using boxes designed for moving. You might have a friend that recently moved and you could get the boxes used to pack their move.

What are some of the must essentials for packing supplies?

Blank news print to protect fragile items. Newspaper will make a mess of your packed items. Good sturdy boxes, markers, tape, bubble wrap, picture boxes, and wardrobes. Wardrobe boxes can be very expensive. We offer the use of 5 free wardrobes on ever move. Home Depot, Wallmart, and many internet sites sell packing supplies and the prices are very reasonable.

With all of the supplies needed, what are some green initiatives you follow that can help make my move more eco-friendly?

You can give your used boxes to a friend to use for their upcoming move. We will pick up boxes from our clients and we will reuse them. We also recycle all the cardboard when they can no longer be reused.

Any other tips for packing for my move?

Start in a room and finish it before moving on. This way you get a sense of accomplishment. Make sure you mark the general contents packed and mark the room location on the top and sides. A good rule for packing is “If it fits in a box pack it.”

What is the best way for people to get in contact with you?

You can call Moving by Design at 281-648-6683 and you can visit our website at www.movingbydesign.com.

‍By Tim Gray

Tell us a little bit about your company and the services you offer.

Right Movers: Our company is called “The Right Movers” and we seek to offer stress and hassle free relocation services to Houston residents.

What are some of the challenges that people in Texas face when they’re moving to another home?

Each situation varies but one of the biggest challenges is getting everything coordinated in the same day: New utilities, internet/phone/cable, new furniture, new appliance delivery. My suggestion is to schedule the following to occur at least a day at a time.

Another major challenge is choosing the items to which they want to box up and keep or discard. A new home/residence brings on a new start. A lot of people don’t understand that the hidden message in the opportunity for new living is that it’s time to get rid of some old.

What can they do to help prevent or solve those challenges?

Preventing and/or solving these problems would simply be to contact the necessary service providers and companies and schedule appropriately. Always have trusted friends/family who can substitute in your place if you have to go to work. Moving is a team sport. Also, in the packing phase, an extra set of eyes or an unbiased friend/relative can give you an objective point of view as to what may or may not. However, the key word is “trusted”. Having “frienenmies” as they call it around you while moving is not advised. They are the ones convincing you that your new neighbors will abhor grillings and cookouts so if it’s ok can they have your high powered grill. They are also most likely to probably come across items or things you don’t want them to see when you’re unearthing all of your old belongings. Ie. A high school friend you’re not very good friends with finds an old scrapbook where you drew hearts around their ex in the yearbook. Not good. They may even steal from you and try to pin it on the movers – but that’s an entirely different story altogether.

If you needed to move, what steps would you take to make the process stress-free?

The steps I’d take to make the process stress free – I’d move it myself because I am a mover. Personally, I’d box all my items, take one of my trucks and get family members to help. Several favors are owed to me already. If I were a civilian, I’d first and foremost seek a friend for a recommended mover. Not all that you see online is true. Know your budget as far as what you want to spend on the moving company.

Can you share one of the biggest regrets you’ve seen people have about their move?

One of the biggest regrets I see people have about moving is where they do not efficiently box their items well and the move takes significantly longer than expected due to the workers having to make several trips picking up small items.

What are some things homeowners should look for in a moving company to ensure that their move will be as easy and stress-free as possible?

Homeowners should always go over and confirm with movers as to if they have insurance and what would happen if their new home is to incur surface area damages. In most cases when touch-up paint is needed, the builder of the house would already have samples. Measure your walls and living spaces to make sure your new furniture can fit through certain entries. A lot of moving companies have disclaimers in their fine print that release them from any type of liability involving moving large items through passageways that aren’t suitable for said items. If you have wooden floors, educate yourself in the area of wood refinishing to be able to touch up scratches. The movers are responsible for damages occurring during this process but what will happen when they are gone and you incur a scratch or scrape to the wooden surface and the movers are no longer there to blame? Someone at your local major hardware store can assist you in this process. While movers are moving items in, already have it set as to where you want furniture and items to go. Create pathways for the movers and try as best as possible not to have hallways and pathways cluttered with objects. This makes the moving process go along smoother and it reduces the chances of damages.

What’s the best way for people to contact you and your company?

Visit our site www.therightmovers.com

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