Pack Info

Things you should do

Reserve parking

Yes, we need parking spots for packing day as well as moving day! Reserving Parking is especially key as a distant spot means we have to carry items farther than necessary and this can add very significant time and therefore cost. Seriously, you’d be surprised how much of a difference a 30 foot walk, residence-to-truck, and a 200 foot walk makes. We cannot reserve parking for your move on your behalf. You will need to visit your city’s website to secure those parking reservations. We highly recommend that you reserve parking all day as well, even if your reservation is in the afternoon.

  • When applying for a permit, you’ll need to select “home owner,” “tenant,” or “individual,” instead of choosing “business/organization” since it is a permit you apply for yourself. Detailed instructions for obtaining DC parking permits can be found here, Arlington here, and Alexandria here.
  • Please note, once you’ve applied for, printed, and posted your parking reservations, please call to activate your signs 72 hours in advance of the move.
  • Our 16’ truck is 35′ total when the ramp is down and is 11 feet in height. The truck needs about 2-3 car lengths and at least a 10 foot wide alley.
  • Our 26’ truck is  55’ total when the ramp is down and is 13’ in height. The truck needs about 5 car lengths and at least a 12 foot wide alley.

Reserve loading dock and elevator

We always recommend reserving the loading dock and elevator at your building if relevant and possible.  Not having these reserved adds significant time to moves. Reserving the widest reservation possible is generally the best bet.  We’re used to dealing with buildings’ limited reservation windows so don’t panic if it seems like the available reservations don’t match well with our availability.  Just send us an email about it and we can help you select the best reservation for your move.

Things you should know

Cancellation and Rescheduling fee

We wish we didn’t have to, but when clients cancel on short notice it can be difficult to find a replacement move for our crews.

If you cancel or reschedule:

  • within one week, we charge 1 hour’s fee, based on your hourly rate
  • within 48 hours, we charge a 2 hour fee
  • on the day of your job, we charge the quoted minimum


All adjustments to your reservation, either rescheduling or canceling, must be requested via email; we absolutely do not accept cancellations via telephone.

So please try to do everything in your power to not cancel your move! One thing to check is that your buildings don’t have any move date/time restrictions, or elevator restrictions. These fees do not apply if the rescheduling is due to an Act of God (blizzard, terrorism, collapsed bridges).

Insurance

We are fully licensed under the Department of Transportation (DOT# 2005212) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (MC# 707471). Many other companies in this industry are not. You can check here.

  • Please be aware that the industry standard coverage and our coverage for damaged/lost items is $0.60/lb.  If you would like more protection we offer Full Value Protection for purchase on some or all of your items. Please let us know if you are interested! FVP needs to be finalized at least 10 business days prior to a move.
  • We are also insured to our eyeballs, with general liability, cargo, auto, workers compensation, and a general umbrella policy. This is a very large expense for us, but an important one in our profession. Many other moving companies are not insured and may leave you in the lurch in the case of damage, or worse, an injury. Be careful out there and remember to ask for proof of insurance before booking a move.
  • If your building requires adding them to our insurance policy as an “Additional Insured”, please let us know at least 5 days ahead of the move date. Most buildings do not require this. We cannot guarantee day of move insurance update requests.
  • We also have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Tips for your pack!

These preparations help make for a more efficient and faster pack job, thus saving you money:

  • Clients should still pack many items on their own– medicines, jewelry, small electronics, perishable food, important papers, irreplaceable or sentimental items.
  • Our pack crew will pack – dishes, kitchen pots/pans clothing from dressers and closets, books, and most other loose things that need to be boxed.
  • Our pack crew will handle – wrapping/boxing most wall mounted items like art and mirrors. 
  • Our move crew will handledisassembly/reassembly of all furniture, wrapping of furniture, and wrapping tvs. We can bring TV box for $25/box if you let us know in advance. 

These preparations help make for a more efficient and faster pack job, thus saving you money!

  • We will arrive with a 16’ truck filled with packing materials! Please reserve any relevant elevators, loading docks, and parking spaces.
  • We will NOT pack or handle any televisions on packing day. Those items will be blanket wrapped on moving day. 
  • Every pack job has an hourly minimum that is outlined in the booking email.  If a client wants us to stop at the minimum we can do that. If there is more packing still to be done we can also leave boxes with the client to continue packing on their own. All loose items must be fully boxed and sealed prior to our arrival for the move, however. We cannot pack loose items on moving day. Unprepared/loose items can cause a lot of delays during a move.
  • We will box up most loose household items including books, clothes, kitchenware, knick-knacks  etc.  There are some exceptions, however. We cannot pack hazardous materials like cans of paint or bleach, jewelry, weapons, high value artwork (without advanced notice), frozen/refrigerated items, open containers of alcohol/wine, etc. We also do not pack up your actual bed sheets so yes, you can still sleep there and don’t have to pay for a hotel! Please let us know if you have any questions about any specific items to be packed or moved.
  • Most folks prefer to pack up their own medicine cabinet, highly valuable items, and important papers. Consider packing a “first” box of things you will need imminently when you get to your new home, such as your rental agreement, internet router, snacks, trash bags, toothbrush, etc.

Questions to ask yourself as your packjob approaches

  • Does Bookstore Movers have all addresses involved and the best number to reach you on the day of your move? If you already gave us this information, there’s no need to resend. Just let us know if there are any updates.
  • Has the parking situation been addressed?  Have you reserved parking, if necessary?
  • Have any unusual circumstances come up that Bookstore Movers should be informed about?
  • Does Bookstore Movers have an accurate furniture list and box count?  
    • If at any time you realize you have many more boxes or items than you initially thought, it’s good to let us know so we can judge if it makes sense to add a mover or send a larger truck.  Having too small of a crew or truck can add time and therefore cost to your move, especially if we have to make two trips. Please note the sooner you can notify us, the better chance we’ll be able to change your crew or truck size.
  • Does Bookstore Movers have an accurate idea of your packing needs?
  • Do you have a preference regarding the preparation of your art work, mirrors, or loading wardrobe boxes with clothes on hangers prior the move date? If you have hired our packers we handle those tasks on packing day, but let us know if you have a strong preference for doing it on moving day instead.
  • Do I have payment available at the completion of the move?
    • Bookstore Movers accepts cash, check, and all major credit cards.
  • Should I expect a follow-up email from Bookstore Movers before my move?  
    • Yes!  We’ll be in touch by the night before your move with your specific crew assignment including your crew chief’s name and phone number for communication on the day of your move.

Your team

  • We only hire the best movers.  Because there are a myriad of expenses involved in providing a safe moving truck and crew, our movers rely on tips as a portion of their take-home pay.  If you appreciate their work, let them know.
  • Learn more about the Bookstore Mover family here.

Detailed answers to all your questions

FAQ: If you have any additional questions, please visit our FAQ page for answers to many common ones.