Blog Qshark Moving Company

It’s this time of the year, you have already explored everything in your neighborhood, and the person downstairs would not stop fixing his kitchen, drilling walls, and having parties. Thoughts about having your backyard keep you up at night. With a quick online search, you found a fantastic house with a spacious kitchen and the backyard you always wanted. It’s available and move-in ready. Things couldn’t get better until you realize that you need Movers. So you made a few calls, and it feels like you know less now than before. You have all these questions like, how many movers do I need? How big is the truck? Do I need to tip the movers? What are all these fees? What is Double Drive Time?

Finding answers to these questions is proven to be difficult, sometimes because of dishonest businesses, but most of the time is a simple lack of knowledge. But don’t worry. In this post, you will find the answers you are looking for! In this post, we will finally explain What Double Drive Time is.

The Wild West Of Moving or Why We Need Double Drive Time

Let’s go back to the wild times in the moving industry before the regulations, licenses, required insurance, online reviews, and endless ways for unethical companies to thrive. As soon as your hard-earned items end up in the moving van, it’s time for the moving company to turn evil and demand every possible fee they can come up with. But what can you do, you want your items back? The answer is nothing but paying off the thieves and trying to forget this nightmare.

One of these shady fees was the Drive Time from your unloading location back to the movers’ office. They claim it took them two hours to drive five miles when this morning it only took them 15 minutes. Crazy? While it sounds outrageous, it would happen daily, and more and more people would fall victim to these scams.

Creation Of The DDT

Moving became such a big part of our lives that lawmakers had to create rules and regulations to protect consumers from “moving thieves.” Double Drive Time was born to regulate the drive time between locations and minimize the room for scams. It’s a simple idea but a big difference-maker regarding your bill. Movers are only allowed to charge you for the time it takes them to drive from your pick-up location ( point A ) to your second location ( point B ). To get paid for the time it takes to go back; they can only double the time from point A to point B. Still sounds confusing? Don’t worry we have examples!

Example number one ( the wild west of moving )

John is moving 30 minutes from his parent’s house to a new apartment in the city. You can’t be a village boy forever. Dad recommended a local moving company he had used in the past, so without further research, John hired them. Everything is going great. The tv and couches are in the truck. A few hours later, before unloading the final ( and most expensive items ), the foreman comes up to John to take care of the final bill. Something doesn’t add up. John keeps checking the hours. ” Where these two additional hours came from?” John is suspicious. Foreman replies: ” It’s time for us to drive back.” But it only took 30 minutes to drive here. I’m not paying for two additional hours! ” – John screams, quietly letting go of his dreams of buying a new DVD player. ” We won’t unload the rest until you do.”
And you got the idea. John would end up paying to get the rest of his items back. So sad and unfair, but it was the reality back then.

Example number two ( current Qshark Moving Company )

It’s been 20 years since John moved, he swore to himself never to do it again, but his family of five can no longer fit in this tiny apartment. The new house is exactly 30 minutes away, just like the first move. Ready to relieve his old horrors, John picked a company he found online. He didn’t believe when they said there were no additional fees or their five-star reputation.
Finally, moving day is here. Everything is going very well, but John is still skeptical. ” Looks like everything is unloaded, and it’s time to pay your bill. ” John could feel the old feelings of anger coming back even after all this time. ” But where is additional time to drive back? ” John is surprised. The foreman shows him the Double Drive Time field and explains: ” It took us 30 minutes to drive between point A and point B, so it will be doubled to 1 hour” It’s that simple.
By the way, because of the extra money John budgeted, he could buy a brand new TV.

Double Drive Time Is Your Friend

We hope this paragraph helped you understand what Double Drive Time is. Our team of specialists is always happy to assist you with any questions. We recommend visiting Government Website to learn more about moving fees and licensed companies. As a special thank you for reading this entire post, we will offer $25 off if you mention ” Double Drive Time Post” when you contact our company

It doesn’t matter if you’re moving for the fifth time or a first-time homebuyer. The moving process can be incredibly stressful. There’s the time investment, the fear of valuable belongings breaking, and, of course, all those cardboard boxes. You may be asking yourself, “How many boxes do I need to move?” The short answer: it depends. While there is no concrete rule or formula to determine exactly how many moving boxes you’ll need, there are a few ways to estimate that number. Whether you’re moving out of a house in Denver or a one-bedroom apartment in New York City, we’ll help you unpack how many boxes you’ll need.

What you’ll need to begin packing

In addition to lots (and lots) of cardboard boxes, you’ll need several other supplies to ensure that your belongings are packed properly and kept safe on the way to your new home. Here are some packing materials you will need:

Packing tape: It’s easy to overlook something as mundane as the type of tape you choose, but using the proper tape will ensure that your belongings remain safe. Opt for packing tape instead of regular office tape, as it tends to be wider and provides a more reliable seal on cardboard boxes.

Bubble wrap: If you’re dealing with glass, dishes. or other fragile items, keep plenty of bubble wrap on hand to protect against potential impacts such as drops.

Packing paper: This is an additional tool at your disposal to protect your belongings. Packing paper takes up less room in boxes and is also recyclable.

Don’t cut corners with your supplies

Ensuring that you have the right packing supplies on hand will make your move go smoothly and prevent your belongings from breaking. Skimping on supplies to save money can backfire in the long run.

Types of packing boxes

Packing for a move is not a one-size-fits-all affair. There are many different types of boxes needed to store certain items properly. Here is a rundown of what you’ll need to store your personal belongings.

• Small packing boxes/book boxes have dimensions of 16″ x 12″ x 12″, making them the smallest size typically used for moving. They are ideal for small items such as books or kitchen utensils.
• Medium packing boxes have dimensions of 18″ x 16″ x 18″ and are perfect for items such as towels and decorative items such as sculptures or art.
• Large packing boxes have dimensions of 18″ x 18″ x 24″ and can store small appliances, bedding, and smaller pillows.
• Extra-large packing boxes have dimensions of 24″ x 20″ x 24″ and can hold large, light items like comforters, sports gear, and pillows.

Specialty boxes you’ll need

Household items come in all shapes and sizes, and conventional cardboard boxes won’t always get the job done. Luckily, there are many special boxes made to fit any number of oddly-shaped items.

• Wardrobe boxes include a metal rod across the top of the box and are designed specifically for hanging clothes. You can store items such as belts or shoes at the bottom of a wardrobe box.
• Dish barrel boxes are about the same size as medium boxes (18″ x 18″ x 28 or 18″ x 18″ x 18″) and feature extra-thick walls. The double-wall feature protects fragile items like glass, plates, bowls, and cups that are particularly prone to breaking during moving.
• Mirror and picture boxes are flat and designed to fit items like artwork, mirrors, and framed photos. You can adjust these to the required size.
• TV boxes, as the name implies, can store flat-screen TVs. They can be adjusted to fit a screen up to 70 inches.
• Lamp boxes are ideal for tall, narrow items such as lamps or fans.

How many boxes do I need to move?

So, how do you know how many boxes you need?  There’s no magic formula to calculate the ideal number of boxes, but the next few sections should give you a general idea.

Calculating how many boxes you need in advance saves you time and money; avoid running out multiple times to get more boxes or spending money on boxes you don’t need. Generally, the longer you have lived in your home, the more stuff you will have accumulated. If you’re a packrat, now’s the time to own it.

Factors that determine how many moving boxes you need to move

Number of rooms

The type of home you live in and the number of rooms your home has can serve as the simplest indicator of how many boxes you need to prepare for a move. A studio apartment might only require a dozen or so boxes. On the other hand, a four-bedroom house will likely call for north of 100. If you find the packing process overwhelming, this is a simple way to estimate the number of boxes to buy.

Breakdown by number of rooms

Square footage

It probably comes as no surprise that moving out of a larger home generally means having more stuff to move. The square footage of your space is a decent indicator of how many moving boxes you will need to relocate all of your belongings. For example, moving out of a small apartment (500 square feet) might only require 25 boxes. On the other hand, a larger house (2,000 square feet) might need up to 130. The size of your home is not the sole determining factor in figuring out how many boxes you’re going to need, but it can provide you with a good benchmark.

Room type

Another way to estimate how many packing boxes you’ll need to move is by considering the types of rooms in your home. This is a slightly more specific way to approximate the number of boxes required to move all your things successfully. Here’s a room-by-room breakdown of how many boxes you need based on room type.

Breakdown by room type:

As you can see, the kitchen and the master bedroom tend to use the most boxes. One thing to consider is that the number of boxes used for bedrooms can vary widely based on who’s using those rooms, especially if you’re moving with kids. A toddler is unlikely to have as many personal belongings as a teenager, and the total box count will reflect this.

How many moving boxes do I need to move based on my lifestyle?

Lifestyle is an important factor to consider, as two houses with the same dimensions or rooms can have very different needs regarding the number of boxes needed to move. Whether you live in a studio apartment or a large house with a walk-in closet, your lifestyle will significantly affect how many moving boxes you’ll need. Whether you enjoy skiing, pottery, painting, or any other hobby, those additional items will also need to move.

Tips for a successful move

Don’t overfill your boxes

It can seem intuitive to cut costs on boxes by filling them to the max. In reality, this is often counterproductive because it leaves less of a cushion between the box’s contents and the environment on the outside. Remember to leave room in the box for packing paper or bubble wrap for adequate protection. Remember that a few extra boxes won’t outweigh the cost of replacing your fine china if it breaks.

Buy more boxes than you think you’ll need

On a similar note, there’s no need to be stingy when buying boxes. Cardboard boxes are relatively cheap, and having to buy more at the last minute only increases the stress of moving.

Take the opportunity to declutter

If you’re wary of taking too much stuff to your new place, take the opportunity to get rid of items you no longer need. 

Plan ahead and stay organized

With any large undertaking, preparation is key, and this certainly applies to moving. Give yourself plenty of time before moving day to strategize. Be sure to clearly label each box with its contents and where it needs to go. This will make the unpacking process go much smoother.

Although there is no hard and fast rule when packing for a move, these tips and guidelines will help you find out how many boxes you need for a successful move.

Moving office can be an incredibly stressful process. Luckily, there is an easy way to ease the burden and make the process streamlined and relatively painless. Here is why self-storage is an essential partner when moving office. Together we came up with these Self-Storage Tips!

Moving office made easy with a self-storage unit

Any move is stressful. It is said that moving home is one of life’s most stressful events. I would argue that moving office is even more so! Moving office can be a logistical nightmare and has the added burden of making sure the disruption is kept to an absolute minimum to ensure the loss of business is negligible.

This is why anything that helps the process is a huge boon. Here are the top 5 self-storage tips that can help with an office move.

1. Allows you to move in stages

Rather than the entire move happening all at once, a self-storage unit allows you the flexibility to move at a more leisurely pace. This is especially relevant if you don’t have early access to the new premises.

A self-storage unit can be used to store non-essential items like archived documents, excess furniture etc., in advance. This means that come moving day, it is only essential and mission-critical items that need to be moved. A self-storage unit can be rented for short periods, so you only need to rent it for the period you need.

2. Lets you organize without the clutter

Moving the contents of an entire office takes time, but so does getting everything organized in your new office. This can be time-consuming and stressful and is even more so if the office is full of packing boxes and clutter.

A self-storage unit lets you store everything in a clean, dry, and secure environment for as long as you need. This allows you to get organized in stages and streamlines the whole process.

3. The perfect solution if you are downsizing

With businesses facing rising costs on every front, many firms are looking to downsize premises to help cut costs. This presents a problem with how to create space to accommodate the contents of a larger office.

Self-storage can come to the rescue. A storage unit allows you to store non-essentials that you previously had space for. You can even book a “locker” storage unit for archived documents and ease the space burden on your new premises.

Another problem with downsizing is what to do with excess furniture and equipment. Some of this can be valuable, and getting rid of it in a hurry can mean losing money on it. A self-storage unit can give you the time to decide how best to dispose of it.

It also allows you the time to ensure that you don’t dispose of furniture or equipment that you subsequently discover you need.

4. Peace of mind

With soaring stress levels, anything that can give you some peace of mind has got to be a good thing!

Self-storage units are safe, dry, and convenient. You can relax knowing you’re your belongings in interim (or long-term) storage are protected by multi-layered security and are safe in a dry and clean environment.

5. Cuts the costs of moving

Rather than being seen as just another moving expense, self-storage units can actually save money.

Firstly, self-storage units are available in a wide range of sizes, so you only pay for the storage you need, for the time you need it. This makes them an extremely cost-effective storage solution.

When this benefit is paired with the overall smoothing of the moving process, it greatly reduces a business’s downtime at a minimum cost.

They also provide a cost-effective way of renting extra space without many of the associated costs. This allows businesses to move to premises that otherwise would have been too small. With heating and power bills soaring, this can help to dramatically cut overheads.

Conclusion

If you are planning an office move, then a self-storage unit should be at the very top of your to-do list! Self-storage units can save you money, make the move go far smoother, and greatly reduce the stress of moving. Check out our pricing for storage by requesting a moving quote here! More moving and self-storage tips are coming soon!

We couldn’t be more thrilled to announce we are the proud recipient of a Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Ethics! This solidifies our place among the best moving companies near you. The Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Ethics recognize companies that display an outstanding level of ethics and integrity in all of their business dealings. These companies generate a high level of trust among their employees, customers, and their communities.

We were super thrilled when we got nominated for the Torch award earlier this year. From the very beginning, our top priority was to make customers happy and build trust. After all, it’s not easy to let people ( you don’t know ) inside your house and take your furniture. Over the years as Qshark grew we focused more and more on customer satisfaction. Being recognized for our efforts shows that we are on the right path.

We will keep working on improving our service and helping our community. This is the greatest honor to serve people and be trusted with very personal items.

Thank you to all of our customers and employees who helped make this incredible opportunity a reality. You can learn more about the award ceremony on our Instagram page

We are happy to announce that recently we became a finalist for the most prestigious award with Better Business Bureau the Torch Award for Ethics. It’s a great honor, and this would not happen if it weren’t for our loyal & amazing customers and our dedicated employees! So we want to take this opportunity to thank you for choosing/considering our company! Follow us on Instagram @qshark_moving_company to see if we win on September 13!

Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest

You can learn more about the award here: https://www.bbb.org/local/0805/foundation/torch-awards

When you think of all the places where you are most likely to get injured, your home is often the last place that comes to mind. Homes are perceived as havens of safety and we usually don’tassociate them with danger. Yet, you are as likely to get injured in your home as outside it.

Homes contain a jumble of very useful but also potentially dangerous items. Moreover, as East Bay PMC explains, simply because we spend so much time in them, the probability of getting injured at home is quite high. Many of the injuries people suffer at home are caused by perfectly innocent activities.

One good example of an ordinary household event that offers opportunities for physical injuries is moving house. The two injuries most likely to occur during a house move are back and knee injuries. Other common ones are cuts, scrapes, and broken toes or fingers.

But injuries when moving house are completely preventable. All that is needed is for people to be more aware of the dangers and take steps to protect themselves. If you are getting ready to move house, here are some tips to help you avoid injury.

1. Get enough sleep

If you don’t get enough sleep the night before moving day, you will not have a clear head on moving day. A tired body and distracted mind will make you more prone to errors of judgment. Instead of staying up late, go to bed early, and wake up before your usual time.

2. Eat and drink lots of water

Some people work better on an empty stomach. That is alright when you are not lifting heavy stuff; get something to eat. But more importantly, keep hydrated throughout the day by drinking lots of water. More water equals supple muscles and a lower risk of injury.

3. Stretch throughout the day

Muscles are always a bit stiff when you wake up; limber up with light stretching. But don’t stop there; do it throughout the day. During a house move, you will put your body into all sorts of unfamiliar positions. You can reduce the risk of muscular sprains and tears by doing a lot of stretching.

4. Wear appropriate clothing

The rights clothes are comfortable; they are made of breathable fabric. They are not restrictive, but let you bend, squat, or reach freely. They are not loose and do not have parts that can get caught on edges or between doors. Also wear the right shoes; not flip- flops, heels, or sandals.

5. Plan before you attack

A little planning will reduce the amount of work you have to do. Less work means less effort and a reduced risk of injuries. For instance, plan for where to park the truck. Make sure it is a short distance from the door and there are no obstructions in the way.

6. Pack boxes correctly

Boxes must be packed to be easy to handle. Two things to avoid are boxes that are too heavy and unwieldy boxes. Both increase the probability of injuries. Always put the heaviest items in a box at the bottom and seal the bottom of boxes to prevent bursting.

7. Wrap sharp objects before packing them

All sharp or pointed objects should be securely wrapped; make sure they cannot pierce their wrapping and poke out of the sides of boxes. To eliminate this possibility, wrap them in packing paper or bubble wrap, and once again with a dish towel before finally securing them with a rubber band.

8. Do not lift more than you should

Do not lift loads that are more than 50 pounds by yourself. Anything above 50 pounds should be carried by two or more people. Depending on the shape of the box or item, some loads which are 50 pounds or below may need more than one person to lift them.

9. Use the right lifting technique

Even when lifting loads within the 50-pound limit, you may still get injured if you wrongly lift them. Always lift with the hips and not with your back. To lift a heavy item, bend your knees with your back erect until you are in a squatting position. Grasp the load and rise the same way you went down.

10. Get a dolly

Money spent hiring a dolly and other moving equipment is totally worth it if they can save you from injuries. A dolly not only makes the work of moving heavy stuff safer, but it also makes it easier a nd faster. Rent a dolly and save your back the strain.

11. Keep the path clear

Designate a pathway in your home where most of the stuff will pass. Keep that pathway completely free of objects. It is easy to trip over toys (or other small items) when carrying a box since you often can’t see the floor directly in front of you.

12. Keep kids and pets out of the way

To prevent children from getting underfoot, have them occupied somewhere. Pests should be restrained inside a kennel or similar places. Small children are excited by the activities during a house move and often want to help, but they will cause you troubles.

We love working with our residential and commercial customers! Over the years we’ve worked with a lot of different businesses and built strong relationships. We wanted to make this post to show our application to all our loyal customers and partners. We are proud to be partners with Tom’s Truck Center https://www.ttruck.com/.

Contact us today at 866-925-5012 or via email at qsharksmoving@gmail.com for your residential or commercial move, local or out of state!

Whether it is because you’re moving to a new home or because you’re just doing a lot more online shopping lately, collections of cardboard boxes are probably a part of your life or have been at one time or another. Cardboard boxes may seem useless, but they can be reused in many ways before you end up recycling them. Continue reading “How to Reuse Your Cardboard Boxes for Beautiful DIY Crafts for Your Home”

February 4, 2021 by Julia Weaver

It’s no surprise that moving is one the most stressful life events. Moving to a new place requires careful planning, organization, and stamina. No matter how many times you do it, it never seems to get any easier.

There are many things in life that are best learned through trial and error. Moving, however, is not one of those things. Whether you’re moving to a new home in your local housing market, or from Sacramento, CA to New York, NY, there’s plenty of room for error. To help your move go seamlessly, we’ve asked experts to share the most common moving mistakes they see so you can ensure a smooth transition for your belongings over any distance. 

Continue reading “19 Common Mistakes: What Movers Wish You Knew Before Moving Day”

We have some pretty exciting news! 🎙🎙🎙

Qshark Moving Company 🦈 will be featured 🎬 on episode 7 of “ Destination LA “ airing Next Saturday, January 23rd at 3:00PM PST on KCBS Channel 2 (CBS – LA)

You will get a chance to learn a little bit more about our company’s founder and how our business operate and our history🚚🚚🚚

In the episode, you will also get a chance to learn about other cool and successful businesses in LA  area. We all worked really hard to make these episodes unique and hope you can enjoy them as much as we did!