Many people think they can't use freight companies to move household goods. But they can - with a few caveats. Here are answers to some common questions people have about freight service and just where it fits among their moving options.
When should I consider a freight company for my move?
When your household move is small and long distance, or if you're shipping a dining room set or something of that nature. If your load is either large or local, the cost savings disappear.
Can I really save a lot using a freight company to move?
Honest answer: it depends. Freight service is cheaper (and faster) on a long-distance small move or shipment. But standard freight service is curb-to-curb, so you have to do the packing and loading, then the unpacking and unloading. (Or hire others to do it at each end, which can wipe out your savings.) Always compare freight service to a small move specialist before making a decision.
Are there any household goods I can't ship with a freight company?
You can ship almost anything with a freight company. Furniture, clothes, appliances, the family pet (okay, not the family pet). There's really only one requirement when it comes to shipping household goods with freight companies: everything must be in boxes, crates, or strapped to a pallet.
How the heck do I box my furniture and appliances?
You don't. You can still use freight service though. There are two ways to do it.
So how do I use a freight company if I don't box my furniture?
Some freight companies will "lease" you space on a truck, which you then seal off from the rest of the truck with a locked divider. However, your furniture can literally be destroyed. You must fill the entire space tightly from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. And use plenty of blankets or other padding, otherwise your furniture (and everything else) will bounce off each other like junkers at a demolition derby...with similar results.
What is my other option?
Shipping containers. That's where the company drops off the container in your driveway, you fill it, and then they come back and load it onto a flatbed truck for transport. Everything said above about sealed divider service above applies to shipping containers.
How much packing material should I use for the items I do box?
Plan on using twice as much packing material as you thought you would use, and then double that amount. Seriously, you cannot use too much packing material. Freight service is a rough way to travel.
Transit Systems, Inc. is a professional moving company and nationwide provider of moving, shipping, and freight services for consumers and small businesses. TSI specializes in furniture shipping, and can provide long distance as well as local moving assistance. Founded in 1989, TSI is fully licensed by the Department of Transportation, provides furniture and bulk item shipping services to UPS and Mail Boxes Etc. stores, and has been named to the Inc 5000 list of fastest growing private businesses in America.
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