When you are hiring long distance movers, you will certainly find some unscrupulous types. At the extreme end are movers who pack your belongings, drive away to a secret location, and pawn everything that you own. Most movers are not that bad, but many are lazy, unethical, or just incompetent. Some break things. Others are price gougers. Some are just unreliable. To find the best movers, you must consider two things. For one, consider how comfortable you are having others handle your possessions and memories.

The first thing to consider is if you want to handle your own possessions and memories, or have someone else do it. If you prefer to trust yourself and supervise the entire process, consider moving pods. Pods are modeled on their larger container box cousins, which are used in international trade for similar purposes. They are meant so that they never have to be packed or unpacked unless they are at the packing or delivery point. These pods are also versatile, for they can be loaded onto a flatbed truck, towed by car, and just stored in a driveway or yard. They can even be put into a dedicated self storage facility.

If you prefer others to move your stuff, you must evaluate how reliable the other person is. If they are reliable, they will show you their track record for safety and on time delivery. None of the movers will have a perfect track record, but the best ones are transparent, and offer steps to prevent future occurrences. Of course, there is no substitute for looking movers in the eye.

So when you are deciding who you want to be your movers, shop around. You may reject all movers, and just chose yourself. You may have to pick the safest and most honest movers. Either way, find the movers that are right for you.