Why Complete Moving Services Matter for Your Next Relocation

Complete moving services handle every aspect of your relocation—from packing your first box to placing your last piece of furniture in your new home. Here’s what a full-service move typically includes:

What’s Included in Complete Moving Services:

• Professional packing with quality materials
• Furniture disassembly and reassembly
• Safe loading and transportation
• Unloading and unpacking at your destination
• Item placement in designated rooms
• Specialty handling for pianos, artwork, and fragile items
• Optional storage solutions when needed

Moving consistently ranks as one of life’s most stressful events, right alongside divorce and job loss. The sheer number of tasks—coordinating logistics, managing tight timelines, sourcing packing materials, and ensuring the safety of your cherished belongings—can be overwhelming. This is especially true for busy professionals juggling demanding careers or families managing the complexities of a long-distance move from Illinois.

The difference between a DIY move and complete moving services is profound. With a DIY approach, you are the project manager, the packer, and the manual laborer, responsible for everything from renting a truck to nursing a sore back. A full-service move, however, allows you to trade that stress and physical labor for professional expertise and genuine peace of mind. While you focus on your family, career, and the excitement of a new chapter, experienced movers handle the heavy lifting—literally and figuratively.

I’m Mina Georgalas, owner and president of Bernard Movers. With nearly 30 years in the moving industry, I’ve helped thousands of families and businesses in Chicago, Melrose Park, and across 45 states achieve stress-free relocations with complete moving services. Understanding what a full-service move includes helps you make the best choice for your situation.

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What Are Complete Moving Services?

Complete moving services offer a comprehensive solution covering every detail of your relocation. It’s designed to take the entire burden off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on settling into your new space. We provide the flexibility to mix and match services from our full menu of moving options to fit your specific needs.

The Full-Service Moving Process from Start to Finish

Our goal is to make your move seamless. Here’s a typical journey with our complete moving services:

1. Consultation and Planning: Your experience begins with a call or online inquiry for a quote. For accuracy, we recommend a visual survey to assess your needs and inventory. This allows our consultant to see the scope of your move firsthand, identify potential challenges like narrow staircases or special-care items, and provide a much more accurate quote. Our team then creates a detailed moving plan, outlining the timeline, crew size, and specific logistics for your approval. Our Operations Director will confirm this plan with you a week before your move to ensure everyone is on the same page.
2. Professional Packing and Prep: Our trained experts handle everything. We provide all professional-grade materials—from sturdy boxes and dish packs to bubble wrap and wardrobe boxes—and can pack your entire household or just specific areas like the kitchen. Our team meticulously labels each box with its contents and destination room, making the unpacking process significantly easier. Large furniture is carefully disassembled for safe transport. Learn more about our Packing and Unpacking Services.
3. Safe Loading and Transportation: Our movers efficiently load all items onto our clean, fully-equipped trucks. We use protective pads and stretch wrap for all furniture and strategically secure everything within the truck to prevent shifting during transit. Your belongings are then transported by our qualified, DOT-certified drivers, who are experienced in navigating everything from busy Chicago streets to cross-country highways for a long-distance relocation from Illinois.
4. Unloading and Setup: Upon arrival, we carefully unload everything, reassemble your furniture, and place all items and boxes in their designated rooms according to your plan.

Benefits of Full-Service Moving

Choosing complete moving services transforms a chaotic experience into a smooth transition.

With our services, you gain valuable time, reduce stress, and benefit from professional expertise. Our trained movers are masters of spatial logistics, knowing how to pack a truck tightly and safely. They ensure the safety of your belongings by using proper packing techniques and protect your home with gear like floor runners, door jamb protectors, and mattress bags. This level of efficiency and protection is ideal for busy professionals and those with large Household Moving projects, from studio apartments to five-bedroom homes in Chicago.

Understanding the Cost of Complete Moving Services

We believe in complete transparency regarding the cost of complete moving services. The final price depends on several factors, and we offer different pricing structures. For a detailed breakdown, see our Full Service Moving Cost Estimate.

• Hourly rates: Ideal for local moves within Illinois, you pay only for the time used. We bill in 15-minute increments after the first two hours.
• Flat-rate pricing: For larger moves, a guaranteed flat-rate price provides cost certainty. A visual survey is recommended for an accurate quote.
• Factors influencing price: The primary factors are the volume of items to be moved (often measured in cubic feet or weight) and the distance of the relocation (local vs. long-distance). However, several other variables play a role. Additional services like professional packing, unpacking, and storage will be itemized in your quote. Seasonality is also a factor; moving during the peak season (summer months) or at the end of the month can be more expensive due to high demand. Finally, access challenges—such as multiple flights of stairs, long-carry distances from the truck to your door, or the need to reserve an elevator in a Chicago high-rise—can also affect the total cost.

Additional & Specialty Services

Our complete moving services extend beyond basic transport. We offer a range of specialty services to cover every need:

• Storage solutions: We offer short-term or long-term storage in secure, climate-controlled facilities. This is perfect if there’s a gap between your move-out and move-in dates or if you’re downsizing. Learn more about our Storage Unit Pricing Chicago.
• Unpacking: Our team can unpack and organize your new home, saving you time and effort. We can simply place boxes in the correct rooms, or provide a full unpack-and-put-away service.
• Debris removal: We can haul away empty boxes and packing materials after you’re settled. Once you’re unpacked, we can schedule a pickup to haul away the mountain of empty boxes and packing materials, saving you the hassle.
• Piano Moving: Our experts safely transport heavy, delicate items like pianos, pool tables, and safes (up to 600 pounds).
• Gym Equipment Movers: We have the tools to disassemble, move, and reassemble your home gym equipment.
• Fine art & antiques: We provide custom crating and special handling for valuable and fragile items. We use museum-quality packing techniques and can build custom crates to ensure your most valuable pieces are protected.
• Junk removal: We can help you declutter by removing and recycling or donating unwanted items.

For safety, we cannot transport hazardous materials (flammables, explosives), perishable food, or live plants. We also recommend you personally transport high-value items, important documents, and medications.

Choosing a Reputable Full-Service Mover

Selecting the right moving company in Chicago or Melrose Park is crucial. Here’s what to look for:

• Licensed and insured: Ensure the company is fully licensed and insured for your protection. This protects you in case of unforeseen accidents. Ask about their valuation coverage options, which determine the level of liability the mover assumes for your belongings. We are proud to be Licensed Insured Movers.
• USDOT number: Interstate movers must have a USDOT number from the FMCSA, ensuring they meet federal safety standards. You can verify this number on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website to check their safety record and operating status.
• Transparent pricing: Look for companies that provide detailed, written estimates with no hidden fees. For long-distance moves, we recommend a binding estimate, which guarantees the price will not change as long as the inventory and conditions remain the same. We recommend binding estimates for cost predictability.
• Customer Reviews: Check online reviews. A long history of positive feedback and a high referral rate (like our 96%) demonstrate consistent customer satisfaction.
• Local Experience: Movers familiar with Illinois, especially areas like Chicago and its suburbs, can steer local challenges efficiently. We have served residents here for decades.

How to Prepare for Your Complete Moving Services

A little preparation helps ensure a smooth relocation.

1. Declutter: Moving is a great opportunity to get rid of unnecessary belongings. This can also reduce your moving cost.
2. Donate unwanted items: Separate items in good condition that you no longer need. Consider donating them to local charities like Goodwill.
3. Create an inventory list: A personal list of your boxes and their contents can provide peace of mind.
4. Designate a point person: Having one main contact on moving day helps streamline communication with the moving crew.
5. Communicate special instructions: Let us know about any fragile items or specific placement requests beforehand.
6. Secure personal documents: Keep important documents, medications, and valuables with you.
7. Review Moving Tips: Use our resources and checklists to prepare for every stage of your move.

Is Full-Service Moving Right for You?

If packing boxes, lifting furniture, and coordinating logistics sounds overwhelming, complete moving services are the stress-free solution you need. The benefits of time savings, reduced stress, and professional expertise make it an invaluable investment.

So, who benefits most from this comprehensive approach?

• Busy professionals and families: Your time is your most valuable asset. Instead of spending weeks packing and days hauling boxes, you can focus on your career, your children, and settling into your new community without disruption.
• Individuals relocating on short notice: A sudden job transfer or change in living situation leaves little time for planning. Full-service movers can mobilize quickly, handling the entire process efficiently under a tight deadline.
• Anyone wanting to avoid the physical strain of moving: Moving is physically demanding and carries a risk of injury. If you have health concerns, mobility issues, or simply prefer not to spend a weekend lifting heavy furniture, professional movers are the safest choice.
• Those with large households or specialty items: Moving a large home or items like pianos, fine art, or antique furniture requires specific expertise and equipment. Professionals have the knowledge and tools to handle these complex moves safely and effectively.

While full-service moving is an investment, the peace of mind and convenience are often worth it. It’s about moving your life forward with confidence, not just moving boxes.

For those in Chicago, Melrose Park, and throughout Illinois seeking a seamless relocation, Bernard Movers offers comprehensive local and long-distance solutions. Take advantage of our 20% discount on moves to Georgia and Florida booked for delivery by March 15, 2025. Let us handle the heavy lifting while you accept your new beginning.

Explore our affordable local and long-distance moving services.