MiniMoves shipments are paid in full after pick up and prior to delivery. Acceptable methods of payment are Visa, MasterCard and Discover. In the event of additional items that are added on from the binding estimated cost order for service, we will provide you with the new binding cost prior to processing any payment.

Shipments that are not paid in full prior to delivery may result in extended delivery spreads and possible storage.

If there is a choice, most moving companies suggest you select a time other than summer, the end of the month or the end-of-year holidays. Relocation demands are high during these times. Factors involved when considering the time to move:

• whether the move must be made immediately
• moving children during the school term
• separation of the family while the move is under way

Want more information? Read our article on the benefits of moving in winter!

Most refrigerators, washers, dryers, and other electrical or mechanical appliances require special servicing to ensure safe transportation. Any moving parts such as motors on major appliances, washer drums, and icemakers should be securely fastened for shipment. Gas appliances need to be serviced and disconnected prior to your move.

MiniMoves does not recommend leaving items within drawers to prevent any loss, or adding additional weight to the relocated piece which would cause difficulty in the transport of the item.

Items of extraordinary value, such as jewelry, money, photographs, antiques, and stamp collections, can be included in your shipment. However, it is essential to inform your relocation specialist about these items before packing or moving day. We strongly recommend that you carry irreplaceable and high-value items with you or make alternative arrangements for their transport.

In the moving industry, items worth more than $100 per pound are considered to be articles of “extraordinary” value. To be assured that a claim involving these articles is not limited to minimal liability, complete and sign the High-Value Inventory form and sign the “Extraordinary (Unusual) Value Article Declaration” box on the Bill of Lading. If no articles of extraordinary value are included in your shipment, simply write “none” on the High-Value Inventory form and sign it.

Timing is key. In response to many FAQs for our moving company, it is still best to arrange your move within 4-6 weeks so that it allows your moving company to have as much lead time as possible to meet delivery dates. If a pick-up and delivery date is determined based upon lease expiration or closing dates, there may be extra costs for specific dates, expedited service or guaranteed deliveries.

MiniMoves uses professionally branded moving blankets and custom-branded, corrugated, tri-walled moving containers to protect and transport your household goods from your origin to your destination.

We want to make sure all our moves are safe and in compliance with government regulations. The following fact sheet is designed to warn consumers of dangers that can arise from packing certain common household products for shipments, as well as to inform the consumer that federal law prohibits the packing of hazardous and restricted items in any shipment.

Download Fact Sheet

There is no standard pricing for international moves because air and sea freight costs fluctuate regularly. Pricing is typically based on an estimate of your shipment’s weight and volume.

Destination Country: All international moves require customs clearance upon arrival.

Origin Country: Some countries may also require clearance when shipping out.

Duties & Taxes: Certain countries impose taxes or duties on household goods, even if they are used.

Every country has unique rules for importing household goods. These can include restrictions, prohibited items, and documentation requirements. We recommend checking our resources through the International Association of Movers (IAM) Detailed Country Guides.

Furniture is wrapped in paper pads or corrugated cardboard for most international moves.

For moves between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, we use blanket wrapping.

Bulky items are typically not shipped by air due to high costs and size limits.

International shipments generally have longer transit times than domestic ones. Please see our Transit Time Guidelines for estimated delivery windows.

Smaller Shipments are typically packed into 20' or 40' ocean containers.

Container Comparison: Two 40' containers are about the size of one 53' domestic trailer. This difference affects space planning for international versus domestic moves.

• 20’ Container ( 19’ 4” L x 7’ 9” W x 7’ 10” H ):

  • ~1,160 cubic feet — fits a 1–2 bedroom home or 5 lift vans

• 40’ Container ( 39’ 6” L x 7’ 9” W x 7’ 10” H ):

  • ~2,120 cubic feet — fits a 2–3 bedroom home with living/dining/kitchen

• Used for small apartment moves or shipments with minimal furniture

• Volume Formula: Net volume + 25% = Gross volume

• Lift Van Sizes: 165 cu ft net / 201 cu ft gross

• If you need more than 3 lift vans, a 20' container is more cost-effective

• ISPM 15 Compliance: Lift vans must be certified pest-free and heat-treated

Yes, but air freight is calculated based on weight or volume (whichever is greater).
Avoid shipping furniture or large items this way due to high costs.

Typical documentation includes:

• Passport

• SSN or Tax ID (for U.S. shipments)

• Work Permit or Residence Visa (if required by your destination)

• Customs Documents

• Power of Attorney to allow brokers to clear your shipment

Yes. A detailed survey is usually required to properly estimate weight and volume.
We offer virtual and in-person surveys to suit your needs.

Absolutely. We offer temporary and long-term storage at either the origin or destination, which is especially useful for moves with extended transit timelines.

Squares and Trunks hold up to 100 lbs, roughly the equivalent of two large suitcases. The Freight cube holds up to 500 lbs of packed items.

MiniKub containers are built for smaller personal effects and may not fit large furniture pieces.

Our flat rate per container includes:

A brand-new MiniKub container delivered to your door

Pick-up of your packed container at the origin location

Shipping to your destination

24/7 online tracking

Yes. We offer flat rates per country of origin and destination. The price remains the same for shipments within the same country, regardless of city or state.
(Exceptions apply when shipping from/to Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.)

Here’s what to expect when you ship with MiniKub:

• 3–6 business days: You’ll receive your container(s) after placing your order.

• Flexible packing time: Take as long as you need to pack.

• 2 business days: Minimum notice to schedule a pickup.

• Up to 10 business days: Estimated delivery time after pickup.

Note: Events such as customs delays, weather, or natural disasters may affect shipping times.

For each container, MiniKub provides a shipping label. You’ll need to supply the following details:

• Order number
• Origin and destination addresses
• Primary and alternate contacts
• Contact at origin and destination
• Packing list
• Valid government ID (driver’s license or passport for international shipments)
• List and photos of packed items
• Estimated item value

Typical documentation includes:

• Passport

• SSN or Tax ID (for U.S. shipments)

• Work Permit or Residence Visa (if required by your destination)

• Customs Documents

• Power of Attorney to allow brokers to clear your shipment

Pricing is based on distance, the items you are moving, access conditions, and additional services like packing or storage.

Yes, we can conduct virtual walk-throughs via video call for accurate, convenient quoting.

Yes, our state-to-state moving quotes are guaranteed based on the inventory you provide during the estimate process.

No minimum weight or size required. Our services are designed to be economical for smaller moves. Even single-room or furniture-only moves are welcome.

We do not charge a deposit. However, we do have a cancellation fee if services are canceled within three days of the first day of service.

You, or someone you delegate, is required to be on-site during the move to answer questions, verify the inventory and sign documents.

Yes, but we recommend using high-quality, sturdy boxes to reduce the risk of damage during transit.

Packing materials are available at an additional cost unless part of a full-service move package. We’ll provide a detailed breakdown when quoting.

Yes, customers can upgrade from basic liability to full-value protection during booking.

Just contact our customer service team, and we’ll guide you through the claims process promptly.

You can call or email us to update your inventory, dates, or services. We recommend giving as much notice as possible.

Yes, we can deliver to both residential and commercial addresses, including storage facilities.

Yes, through our Quick Start™ Unpack and Put Away service, we can help organize your space right away.

Yes! We specialize in small-scale moves, so even a few boxes or light furniture is right up our alley.

Absolutely. We often help clients move from houses to apartments or assisted living and offer flexible, small shipment options.

Yes, we offer flexible scheduling and will do our best to meet your preferred dates, especially with advance notice.

Transit times vary, but we aim to deliver small moves within 2–14 days, depending on distance and route availability.

Yes. Just let us know about elevator or access requirements ahead of time so we can plan accordingly.

Yes, we support military moves and can coordinate with your relocation requirements and allowances.

Absolutely. We offer compassionate, hands-on support for senior moves with extra attention to comfort and care.

Yes, we can pick up or deliver to/from storage units, whether it’s part of a full move or a standalone transfer.

In some cases, yes. Let us know your needs, and we can quote a custom multi-drop move.

Yes. Our estate services include packing, transport, storage, and even disposal or donation of unwanted items.

Yes, every move is backed by a formal contract outlining services, coverage, and agreed pricing.

Yes. We offer consolidated international shipping, ideal for smaller international moves or expat relocations. See more on international below.

Our team will provide updates by phone or email, and you can always call us directly for real-time status.

While we don’t operate as a donation service, we can sometimes deliver usable items to designated centers during a move. Ask us when booking.

Yes. We handle fine art, heirlooms, and high-value items with extra protection and precision, just let us know ahead of time.

For best availability, we recommend booking 4–6 weeks in advance. However, we may accommodate shorter notice moves, too.

Yes, just give us as much notice as possible. We’ll work to reschedule at no charge if notice is given in time.

For state-to-state moves, use our website’s ballpark quote form or call us directly at 866-437-3093. You’ll get a fast, personalized quote based on your inventory and timeline.

Yes, we move all standard furniture, including large items like sectionals and bed frames. We can also disassemble and reassemble if needed.

Yes. Our packing services are available as a standalone option if you just need help preparing for a self-move or storage.

MiniMoves is America’s only full-service state-to-state moving company uniquely focused on small shipments. With no minimum weight or shipment size requirement, we make moving affordable for people shipping just a few items, a room of furniture, a full apartment or small home. We’re able to handle large moves too, but small shipments are our primary focus.

We specialize in long-distance (state-to-state) moving. We also offer international moving services to and from anywhere in the world.

MiniMoves’ local pick-up and delivery agents follow a very detailed in-home service process that has been refined for over 30 years to deliver consistent quality moving outcomes. Our national network of contract agents have been trained, tested, and certified in our method of moving. Their local crews who load and deliver our shipments use MiniMoves’ cloth furniture pads to protect items during the move and use MiniMoves’ specially designed shipping containers in a service method that delivers the industry’s lowest claims rate.

Moving stress often comes from not knowing what’s next. To eliminate that stress, we connect each customer with an experienced relocation coordinator to answer questions, update records, and communicate frequently throughout the stages of the move. That single point of contact at our US-based call center works in the background and monitors each customer’s move to ensure we meet our scheduling and service promises.

Our first strategy is to avoid claims by doing a good job. Claims occur on nearly 1 in 4 shipments industry wide. Claims occur on 1 in 17 moves at MiniMoves, and that’s because of our well-defined service process. Our crews check-off the inventory with our customers after delivery, inspecting every item and making note of any missing items or apparent damage. That process helps support the customer’s claim if it becomes necessary to file for loss or damage. If a customer needs to file a claim, we don’t turn them over to an insurance company to settle the claim. Our claims manager reviews every claim to get them settled quickly and to identify any deficiencies in our process that might be contributing to loss or damage claims. We see the claims process as our last chance to take care of our customers.

Transit times are often a concern. We set up a loading schedule, identify a range of dates that transportation will require, and then coordinate delivery within four days of the day the shipment arrives at our destination terminal. We meet our schedule 98% of the time, but it can take 7 to 14 days for the shipment to travel cross country to our destination agent for final delivery. Claims continue to be the single most disappointing event that occurs during a move and while our cargo claims rate is the lowest in the industry at one in 17 moves, it you are that one person who needs to file a claim for cargo damage, it’s a big concern until the claim is properly settled. We work diligently to settle all claims in 30 days or less.

Yes

We manage a network of 137 contracted service providers, our agents, who use our cloth furniture pads & specialized shipping containers and closely follow our service process. Those service providers meet our insurance requirements, follow our background check and drug testing requirements, and have crews who have been trained in our unique moving process. We monitor 16 different key performance indicators for each provider and share that feedback monthly to keep them focused on key deliverables and quality performance.

MiniMoves is a ProMover™, certified by the American Trucking Association’s Moving and Storage Conference. We recently earned the NEI Global Relocation 2024 Service Exceeding Expectations Award during our first year of service with that relocation management company. We maintain an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

MiniMoves has also been recognized as a top supplier by the WHR Group, a relocation management company in Milwaukee, WI, and has been awarded their 2026 Partner in Quality designation.

MiniMoves, Inc., has earned top performance marks in a 2025 supplier scorecard issued by a major corporate relocation management program. Among a supply group of 22 international household goods providers, MiniMoves’ MM Worldwide division achieved the #1 ranking, reflecting strong service delivery and consistent support for corporate transferees moving globally.

Want more information? Read our article of MiniMoves Earns Top Performance Marks in 2025!

Driver shortages plague the moving industry every summer because of a limited number of trucks and drivers available to meet peak demand periods. Our service model is different. We use the general freight industry, which has an unlimited supply of trucks and drivers, to transport our loaded containers. Because our crews are local to the area where the move is loading or unloading, we do not face the logistics challenges that major van lines face. In major markets we have more than one MiniMoves service provider so if one is busy on a given day, we can assign the shipment to our partner who has availability to meet the customer’s date request.

Successful moving companies today must be diversified to be successful. The makeup of our network is 50% agents of major van lines and 50% independent moving companies. Small moves blend easily into the daily work schedules of our partners, so we are a good incremental business fit for most companies. We invite success-focused companies to be a part of our innovative approach to moving.

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Our service model lets us operate without blackout dates or restrictions during the peak moving season. We might have a capacity issue for one day in one or two markets, but we’re never blacked out for weeks at a time. MiniMoves’ shipping containers are loaded at our warehouses, away from rain, sleet, snow, or extreme heat. Local loading and delivery are done using small trucks that allow for quick loading and unloading even in extreme weather, keeping our customers’ belongings are carefully padded and protected from the elements.

We provide long-term storage at any of our 137 warehouse locations. These warehouses are owned by our local service agents. MiniMoves Inc offers long-term storage at our company-owned warehouse in the Chicago IL area.

We use a custom-built operating system that monitors each stage in a customer’s relocation journey and keeps us focused on the things we need to do so we keep our promises and operate as efficiently as possible to keep our costs low.

We have three people on our team who focus on compliance with state and federal regulations for both our own company and to monitor the active status and compliance with FMCSA requirements for all 137 of our partners. We use the SAFER government site to verify that our service providers are in good standing. We have an annual renewal process for their certificates of insurance and DOT compliance standing.

MC 268180, US DOT No. 526036, IL CC 107443, FMC 033415F

We operate a closed service network meaning we will never send a MiniMoves order to

a company that is not under contract with us. All loading and unloading is done

exclusively by moving companies who have been trained and tested on our unique

service process. All moves are transported under MiniMoves’ bill of lading which means

we are the sole party responsible to the customer. We do not broker shipments for

service outside of our network.