Nationwide
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Yes
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Yes
Yes
Nationwide
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Nationwide
No
Yes
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Not indicated
Nationwide
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Yes
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One of the biggest decisions in making a move is choosing the right moving company. Since most people move only occasionally, the selection process can be a challenging one. But to help you in that effort, we’re providing this list of the five best moving companies, as well as specific information you need to be an informed consumer in the selection process.
The most important factor in choosing the right moving company is to find the one that provides the highest level of service for the best price. Choosing the company that only offers the lowest price can lead to an unnecessarily complicated and stressful move.
The Most Important Factors for the Best Moving Companies
The most important factors in choosing the right moving company – which are the same ones we’ve incorporated into this guide – are as follows:
- Coverage area – does the company provide moving services to the specific region of the country you are moving to?
- International moves – this is a special type of moving service, not offered by most moving companies.
- Provide packing supplies – one of the biggest ways to save money on a move is to do your own packing. Does the moving company provide supplies to help you do this?
- Offer packing and unpacking services – you’ll need to work this into the search if that’s your plan. But even if you intend to do your own packing, it’s still best to choose a company that offers the option – just in case.
- Special items transport – this can include artwork, or large or expensive pieces of furniture. If you have any, you’ll need a moving company that will transport them.
- Vehicle transport – if it’s a long-distance move, you may prefer to have the movers transport your vehicles, then fly to your destination.
- Insurance options – the movers themselves should be properly licensed and insured. But they should also provide an option for you to buy insurance to cover your contents during the move.
The 5 Best Moving Companies of 2021
We’re going to go into a deeper review of each of the five best moving companies of 2021, but the table below provides a summary of the major features offered by each. You can scan the table, then decide which movers you want to focus on in the reviews.
Trinity Moving and Storage Review
Trinity Moving and Storage LLC are moving and storage brokers that enable you to get a quote 24 hours a day, seven days per week. They provide residential services, including packing and storage, and are available for long-distance moves nationwide. The company also offers corporate moving and relocation. They provide these services through a network of local providers and storage facilities.
The company made our list because they provide moving and storage services nationwide, provide packing supplies, as well as packing and unpacking services, and also offer insurance options to protect your belongings during the move. The company can also accommodate special items, and even move your vehicles.
Pros and Cons
- Operates nationwide
- Packing and unpacking services provided
- Insurance coverage options
- Storage facilities nationwide
- Quotes available 24/7
- Does not accommodate international moves
- Does not accommodate international moves Makes use of independent providers, which means your results will depend upon the specific provider used
Allegiance Review
Allegiance Moving and Storage LLC is also a moving broker taking advantage of a large database of recommended moving companies. They represent companies that can provide moving services locally or nationwide. Services are available for both residential and commercial moves.
As a moving broker, Allegiance represents your interest in the moving experience. They negotiate competitive prices on your behalf, which they’re uniquely positioned to do as a high-volume provider of customers. Discounts are provided when you reserve a move through the company. They handle all the research and prescreening of moving companies to make sure you have a stress-free move.
Pros and Cons
- Nationwide network of movers
- Provides discounts for booking your move through the company
- The company website is a virtual library of information on moving
- Makes use of independent providers, which means your results will depend upon the specific provider used
- Not available for international moves
New Leaf Review
Family-owned New Leaf Moving Group is located in Florida, and accommodates both local and out-of-state moves. Services are available for both residential and commercial moves. The company also offers storage services, though their facility is located only in Florida.
Moves are available seven days per week, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, including weekends. Provides for transport of special items, including pianos, which not all movers will accommodate. The company also has one of the most flexible cancellation policies in the industry. Your deposit can be refunded up to five business days prior to the first available pickup date you reserve (though a 5% cancellation fee will be deducted from the refund of the deposit).
Pros and Cons
- Designed primarily for customers in the state of Florida, where the company has multiple offices
- Will move special items, including pianos
- One of the most generous cancellation policies in the industry
- Storage and packing services are available only in Florida
- Does not accommodate international moves
Nationwide Moving Services Review
Nationwide Moving Services Inc. is a full-service moving broker. That means the company works with a network of moving and storage providers. All providers are fully licensed and insured to operate throughout the US. The company provides local and long-distance moving, for both commercial and residential moves.
The company is especially strong on moving special items. That includes not only vehicle transport, but also moving pianos, pool tables and fine art, as well as providing military, senior and student moving.
Pros and Cons
- Excels at moving special items, including pianos and fine art
- Specializes in providing military, senior and student moves
- Company website emphasizes particular expertise in packing services
- As a broker, you'll ultimately be dealing with the contracted mover, not with t
- Does not provide international moves
Monster Moving Review
Monster Moving, Inc. is another family owned and operated moving company, and it’s been in business for 25 years. They provide moving for both local and long distance, as well as packing and storage. The company handles both residential and commercial moves.
One of the advantages of using Monster Moving is that there are no fuel charges on local moves. They also provide complementary wardrobe boxes for your move, which are super important supplies that only experienced movers know about. In addition, they have no minimum weight requirements for long-distance moves. So, if you’re going long-distance, and packing light, Monster Movers may be the right choice!
Pros and Cons
- Family-owned business, operating for 25 years
- No fuel charges on local moves
- Complementary wardrobe boxes provided for your move
- No minimum weight requirements for long-distance moves
- Does not offer international moving services
- Doesn't indicate a vehicle transport is offered
How We Found the Best Moving Companies of 2021
To determine what we believe to be the best moving companies of 2021, we used certain criteria that’s both common and necessary within the moving industry.
Those criteria include:
Coverage Area
There are thousands of moving companies across the country, but many only cover a local area. Their area of operation may be limited to a single state, neighboring states only, or even a limited area within a very large state.
That type of company is an excellent fit if you’re doing a local move. But if you’re moving hundreds of miles, or even clean across the country, you’ll need a moving company that can get the job done, even if you need to move coast-to-coast.
Each of the companies included on our list provide nationwide moving services. This is done either by the company itself, or by an extensive network of providers that operate across the country.
Unfortunately, none of the providers offer international moves. That seems to be a specialization requiring the services of a company dedicated to foreign moves.
Provide Packing Supplies
If you’ve ever moved before, you know how important packing supplies are. This will include boxes, pads, plastic wrap, Styrofoam packing peanuts, paper wrapping for breakable items, as well plenty of packing tape.
All five of the companies on our list provide these supplies. They are as important to the packing process – if you plan to do that yourself – as the movers themselves are.
Offer Packing and Unpacking Services
Packing and unpacking services can significantly increase the cost of a professional move. But if you lack the time and patience, and have the budget to pay for it, packing and unpacking services are a major relief. Most of the time spent preparing for a move, as well as the aftermath, is in packing and unpacking. The option to hand that job off to the moving company is a major benefit.
All five of the providers on our list offer both packing and unpacking services. This is an important option to have, even if you don’t plan to take advantage of it upfront. Circumstances may intervene and prevent you from handling the packing job yourself, either before the move, or upon arriving in the new location.
Special Items Transport
Plenty of moving companies will move basic items, like furniture, appliances, rugs, lamps, and boxed items. But some draw the line at moving items that may require special handling. This can include high-value items, or anything that may be especially delicate.
True story, I once hired a moving company that didn’t move houseplants. The reason they didn’t is because they didn’t want to be responsible if a plant died during the move.
All the moving companies we selected will move special items, but the list of those items will vary from one company to another. Nationwide Moving Services is particularly strong in this area, because they will move items like pianos and fine art.
Vehicle Transport
Though it’s common for people to hire a moving company to move their personal possessions, then drive to the new location themselves, there are times when that is impractical. This is true during multistate moves, or you may simply prefer to have the moving company transport your vehicles, freeing you to fly to the new location.
Three of the five companies we’ve included on this list specifically provide vehicle transport. It’s likely the other two do as well, but just don’t say it explicitly.
Insurance Options
There are two parts to this category. The first involves insurance maintained by the movers themselves, and the second is coverage for the content you will be moving.
Three of the five companies on our list explicitly state insurance coverage. But it’s very likely the other two do as well, and simply don’t include it on the websites.
What You Need to Know About the Best Moving Companies
Choosing the best moving company is a difficult process because most people don’t move very frequently. There may be a tendency to emphasize price as the primary determining factor but be careful! Price is always a consideration, but what’s more important is to weigh the services provided for the price charged.
The cheapest provider may be the least reliable, and fail to offer services, you may fully expect. For example, you may find the lowest-cost mover won’t transport certain special items, or your vehicles if yours will be a long-distance move.
You may also find the cheapest mover offers little or nothing in the way of packing supplies. And if you have any idea you might be in need of professional packing services, you should work with a company that at least provides the option.
Finally, be sure to check out the reputation of any company you are considering. You can do this by checking with the Better Business Bureau, the local Chamber of Commerce, or on websites like Yelp. If possible, the best indication of reputation will be a referral from another person. Though it isn’t a guarantee you’ll have a similar experience, another person who’s worked with a moving company can give you the details of the company’s strengths and weaknesses.
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