do you have the movers unpack?

ccole32 · June 2012

I am new to the Navy, my hubby is going to ODS in 1 week. It will just be me and my 7 month old son when the movers come to deliver our household goods. What are the ups sides and and downsides to having the movers unpack? TIA

LetsHikeToday · June 2012

ccole32:
I am new to the Navy, my hubby is going to ODS in 1 week. It will just be me and my 7 month old son when the movers come to deliver our household goods. What are the ups sides and and downsides to having the movers unpack? TIA

We moved in January and I didn't even know them unpacking was an option. I wouldn't ever take them up on that though. I like organizing my stuff and putting it where I think it should go.

Mr. & Mrs. Woodtick · June 2012

I always have the movers unpack. I like seeing what was broken, & I hate dealing with boxes & packing materials.

ktice · June 2012

We just finished our second PCS & I also like to unpack the boxes myself (because I'm kind of a freak about organization!) However, I do always ask them to assemble the larger items, such as re-attatching the legs to the dining room table, putting the bed frames together, etc. Also, If you choose to unpack yourself, the moving company will come back & pick up the cardboard & packing paper (Although I think that there is only a two-four week window on that, you should check when you call to schedule delivery)

Also, on a side note, whether the movers discover a broken item or whether you do, you still have to go through the same process of filing a claim, getting an estimate, etc. But hopefully you won't have to deal with any of that! Good Luck

Mr. & Mrs. Woodtick · June 2012

ktice:
We just finished our second PCS & I also like to unpack the boxes myself (because I'm kind of a freak about organization!) However, I do always ask them to assemble the larger items, such as re-attatching the legs to the dining room table, putting the bed frames together, etc. Also, If you choose to unpack yourself, the moving company will come back & pick up the cardboard & packing paper (Although I think that there is only a two-four week window on that, you should check when you call to schedule delivery)

Also, on a side note, whether the movers discover a broken item or whether you do, you still have to go through the same process of filing a claim, getting an estimate, etc. But hopefully you won't have to deal with any of that! Good Luck

The moving company does not have to come back & pick up packing materials. I have PCS'd 5 times and only once have they been willing/able to come back.

ufsandra85 · June 2012

i like to unpack. before i would let them unpack. my husband lets them unpack but i like doing it at my own pace and not have all of my stuff all over the house. they tend to put random stuff in random boxes so it seems like it takes me longer when they unpack because i have to find all the stuff and move it. i am almost done unpacking from our move last week and i am calling them to come pick up the boxes

LyndseylovesHugh · June 2012

I had them unpack, they did not put anything away so I could still organize it how I wanted, but they took all materials with them. I liked having them do it, mainly because it made me organize faster since I did not want our belongings all over the house. It was also really nice not to have to deal with a ton of boxes and other moving materials.

ladybugpjb · June 2012

We've done a combo both times we've PCSed since I married DH. We unpack a lot of the boxes while the movers focus on the big stuff. Both times, the movers have come back for the packing materials.

One word of advice - if you let them unpack, keep a close eye on them. The last time we moved, they actually broke some of our furniture when assembling it (used the wrong screws on the wrong parts), and then left before they finished assembling other stuff (but they told us they were finished when they came downstairs). We had time to do it ourselves, so it wasn't that big of a deal, but it might be for you if you're by yourself.

Every moving company is different, so hopefully you will get good ones who do a good job. GL!

ccole32 · June 2012

Thank you everyone for your advice. Maybe I will have them unpack some like the kitchen and larger items. I know for sure that I am having them assemble everything they took apart.I was thinking that if they do not come back to take the boxes I would put them up on craigslist for free. Thanks again

MiahT · June 2012

With each of our moves we've had them unpack and assemble the bigger pieces of furniture, but I've unpacked the boxes myself so that I can make sure everything is intact and put away exactly as I want it. I'd much rather spend a few weeks with a shrinking pile of boxes against a wall, than have a pile of stuff that will still take me days to sort through and organize and looks like a mess spread everywhere the entire time. Not to mention that we've got pets that like to get into trouble with unsupervised piles of stuff.

LyndseylovesHugh · June 2012

ccole32:
Thank you everyone for your advice. Maybe I will have them unpack some like the kitchen and larger items. I know for sure that I am having them assemble everything they took apart.I was thinking that if they do not come back to take the boxes I would put them up on craigslist for free. Thanks again

This is a good idea, I am sure someone needs boxes, but keep in mind it is not just boxes that they take away. We had so much paper in the boxes, especially wrapping the kitchen stuff, it would have taken weeks worth of garbage days to get rid of all of it.

Temp76535187505890 · June 2012

I always have them unpack the mirror boxes as well as all large items. Those damn mirror boxes take up a lot of room because they usually only pack one piece of art/wall hangings/decoration per box so it adds up. But it's easy to have them unpack them all and stash in a closet away from the chaos. Kitchen is the next biggest user of boxes and packing paper. I've never had them unpack that stuff but I have thought about it!

Definitely ask the company if they'll come back to pick up boxes and packing material because that might help you decide what you want them to unpack.

MiddleNameGrace · July 2012

When they unpack all they do is put the box labeled "kitchen" in the kitchen and then pile everything on the counters sans wrapping paper and boxes.

I've PCS'd lots (our next move will be my 12th) and would always recommend them unpacking. It saves you so much stress and inventory checking and you still get to put everything where you'd like to without having to deal with the paper mess.

xladybassx · July 2012

ladybugpjb:

One word of advice - if you let them unpack, keep a close eye on them. The last time we moved, they actually broke some of our furniture when assembling it (used the wrong screws on the wrong parts), and then left before they finished assembling other stuff (but they told us they were finished when they came downstairs). We had time to do it ourselves, so it wasn't that big of a deal, but it might be for you if you're by yourself.

This happened to us during our last PCS as well. Our dining table, dresser, and my husbands desk were all damaged when the movers tried to assemble them. Maybe it was just a bad moving company, but clearly these guys had no training in how to assemble furniture! I have never had them unpack, only assemble (which was only problematic during our most recent PCS, all other times it has been fine).

do you have the movers unpack?

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