FAQ

Whether you’re moving down the block, across the country, overseas or somewhere in-between, Interstate is your full-service residential moving company. From schedules and logistics to packing and storage, we manage your move from A to Z so you can focus on your next step. Whether you just need a couch moved or want a coordinator to manage all of the logistics, Interstate has you covered.

Interstate offers a full range of logistics and supply chain services including supply chain management, commercial relocation and management, office reconfigurations, information technology and data center relocation, warehousing, transportation, last-mile logistics and international solutions. Even if we do not directly offer a service that you need, we’ll work with you and our extensive network of partners to get you the solution that works for your organization or government agency.

Yes, we do! If you live in the Washington, D.C. metro area, Interstate can come to you or arrange a virtual consultation to review your space and possessions. Our personalized in-home consultations are the best way to understand your specific requirements and gauge how much your move will cost, since every move is different and requires special considerations.

If you live outside of the D.C. metro area or if it works better for your schedule, we also offer a Virtual Survey — a quick run-through of your possessions, home and valuables taken straight from your smartphone or tablet. Just schedule a time to chat and walk us through your home, using your smartphone or tablet camera. We’ll deliver an estimate back to you within one business day.

With over 80 years of experience in moving, relocation, logistics and warehousing — we’ve seen a lot of homes and businesses, and we know what to look for. When we create our estimates, we check all the boxes and take into consideration every detail — what, when and where you’re moving, the style and layout of your home or office, accessibility, special handling and estimated length of move.
From there, we’ll make an estimate of how much your shipment will weigh and will work with you to confirm that estimate once your valuables are loaded onto the truck. We make it a priority to make your move easy and efficient, so we’re committed to keeping you within budget and on time. We’re not fans of surprises and we assume you’re not either.

We do our very best to make sure your possessions get from A to B without so much as a scratch — but we also understand that sometimes things happen. As is standard in the industry, we include basic cargo protection for your belongings at no cost to you. This coverage is limited to 60 cents per pound for any damaged or lost item.

We also offer additional coverage for your peace of mind. The Full Replacement Valuation plan provides expanded coverage of $6.00 per $1,000 of declared value. (NOTE: vehicles are the only exception to this replacement value protection.) You calculate and choose the appropriate amount of coverage needed for your belongings and a deductible. Learn more about valuation here.

We hold ourselves to the highest standard of quality, and others have come to recognize it! Interstate is an AMSA (American Moving & Storage Association) ProMover® and has earned numerous awards and certifications. Here are just a few:

• ISO 9001:2015 Certification
• Eleven-consecutive year winner of the National Defense
• Transportation Association (NDTA) Quality Award
• Four-consecutive year winner of the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) Fleet Safety Award
• SmartCEO 100 Best-Run Company
• Four-consecutive year winner of the Inc 500/5000’s Fastest-Growing Private Company
• Quality First—Blue Diamond Award presented by Business Week
• National Capital Business Ethics Award

Interstate is committed to excellence in environmental awareness and corporate sustainability. Interstate attempts to encourage, promote and maintain an ongoing awareness, sensitivity and conservation of our environment and its resources, both internally and externally with its customers, through the appropriate use of recycled materials and the effective management and recycling of applicable waste materials.

Corporate-wide Initiatives:

All employees are required to adhere to the company standard for recycling used materials from both office and warehouse facilities. This includes:

1. Paper

• Implemented a digital filing system
• Recycle and or reuse all waste paper
• Avoid the use of paper wherever possible
• Avoid the use of postal services – use email and attachments whenever possible
• Double-sided printing is encouraged for all print/copy jobs

2. All thermostats are pre-programmed to reduce usage during non-working hours

3. IT/Computer Equipment

• Recycle equipment that is no longer of use to the company
• Donate or repurpose computer items and printers when possible
• Recycle parts that can be reused; properly and safely dispose of the rest utilizing county recycling centers and other approved recycling vendors
• Recycle toner products and purchase recycled ones when possible

Household Goods Moves, Office Relocations and Reconfigurations:

• Interstate utilizes salvaged crumpled and or recycled paper for wrapping and cushioning of household goods
• Interstate recycles and reuses cartons and moving boxes
• Select Interstate trucks are SmartWay certified, a voluntary program instituted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce fuel emissions across supply chains.

Warehouse and Operations:

• Interstate uses motion-sensor lighting in all warehouses
• Interstate uses energy efficient light bulbs in all warehouses
• Interstate works with vendors to properly dispose of engine oil and tires

We strive to give our customers accurate estimates for their moving services based on their specific situations, so providing a blanket estimate isn’t always practical. Our estimates are based on our in-person or virtual consultations, which allows us to gather details about what needs to be moved, the layout of your house or office and other special considerations.

According to the United States Census Bureau, around ten percent of Americans move every year and nearly 85% of those moves are local, making them the most frequent types of moves in the country. Local moves are typically defined as moves under 50 miles from your current home.

While there is no set definition for what makes a move long-distance, a general rule of thumb for most people is that if your move is over 50 miles from your current home or goes beyond state lines, it is considered a long-distance or interstate move. These types of moves usually require a little more planning given the distance, time and travel considerations that are often involved in transporting items over these longer distances.

We want to make sure your move is as efficient as possible which is why we don’t charge by the hour. Instead, Interstate charges by the unit or box size, so you only pay for what you need packed.

The time our team spends packing items in your home depends on two factors – the sheer number of items and the complexity of those items. If we’re packing up a 3,000 square foot home with extensive fragile items, you can expect this job to take longer than a smaller home with a lower number of items.

Interstate offers a variety of packing and unpacking options to fit your budget and needs. Whether you want us to do some of the packing or all of it, we provide you an estimate and timeline. We’re committed to providing you with the best possible move, including staying within our stated budget and timeline.

Absolutely! You take pride in your home and our team of professional packers and movers takes pride in what they do. Our trained experts are ready to help you. Whether you’re moving across the street or across the country, or simply moving furnishings around inside your home, we can take care of packing and moving all the items that make a house a home. Get in touch with our team to learn more about the packing and moving process.

We can pack and move whatever you need! We offer a variety of packing services to meet every customer’s budget and needs. Our team of professional packers and movers train in a fully-furnished, on-site demo home. We pack the entire home, load it onto a truck, then unpack it using our proprietary packing and unpacking methodology. You can trust our team to pack your entire home!

When it’s time to move, hard decisions about what to bring and what to leave seem to pop up at every corner. In our opinion, the questions you need to ask before you decide to leave anything behind are, “Does this have sentimental value?” and, “Will I miss it?” If something has value to you, we believe that it’s worth carrying along to your next destination. From there, you can weigh the costs of moving your furniture based on our estimate versus the cost of a replacement piece.

With Interstate, all you have to do is give us a call, and our office movers will take care of the rest. We’ll work with your team to understand what you’ll be moving, what services will be required and what the details are. From schedules to phase planning to floor plans and set up, we manage the logistics – you manage your business.

Our crew members use our proprietary packing and moving methodology to protect items during a move as well as following moving best practices to ensure that your business’ inventory gets into your new office without issue. We use specifically designed crates and cartons to transport fragile items and utilize our ULTRAWRAP service to ensure the utmost protection of your business’ assets.

The duration of a move depends on the distance, the amount of belongings, and specific circumstances, but we always aim for efficiency and timeliness.

To prepare for your move, declutter your home, organize your belongings, and clearly label all boxes. Also, ensure to keep important documents and valuables with you. We’ll guide you through specific preparations based on your moving needs.

Moving abroad comes with its own unique set of requirements. The most common way to move belongings to another country is by shipping them via sea, though air freight is also an option for your international move. Your Relocation Manager will help you inventory items and provide guidance on what should move and what shouldn’t, as well as helping to determine the method of shipment. We’ll then help pack items in a specific freight container designed to withstand the elements.

The cost depends on multiple factors including the number of items you’re transporting, the weight, the method of shipment, as well as the overall distance your items are moving. The best way to know the shipping cost is to discuss your specific needs with your Relocation Manager.

Short answer: it’s up to you! If your personal belongings are important to making your overseas residence feel more like a home, then by all means, ship them! If all you’re moving overseas is family heirlooms, antiques and must-have pieces, then consider purchasing more items when you get to your destination. Your dedicated Relocation Manager can help you understand the true cost of shipping these items.

Packing up a home is half science, half art — and we’re good at both. Packing furniture for international shipping takes thoughtful consideration and the right equipment. First, consider any items that you can take apart. Then, protect sharp corners with bubble wrap or cardboard protectors. At Interstate, we use land, sea and air freight containers designed to withstand the toughest conditions and keep your items safe and secure.

A relocation management company is an organization that manages multiple aspects of corporate employee moves from helping an organization create a competitive relocation policy to operationalizing the relocation program, from managing the employee’s long-distance move to helping employees feel at home in their new city. The corporate relocation services at Interstate offer more than you’d expect from a traditional relocation management provider. Our services are designed to smooth corporate moves from beginning to end, keeping your business going and your employees focused.

A relocation management company can offer a full range of services to help ease the transition for employees and HR managers when employees and their families need to be relocated. Relocation companies help businesses establish packages for relocating employees, managing schedules and logistics, as well as actually moving their belongings and household goods. At Interstate, our goal is to make your employees’ moves as seamless as possible, so we offer a full suite of services to get them from A to B smoothly. If they need help listing their house, we’re on it. If they need help finding new schools for their kids or a new local bank, we’ll take care of it. No matter the need, Interstate is there to help.

While most relocation packages vary based on the position, distance and other considerations, most relocation packages are designed to help cover a good amount of the costs of moving, temporary storage and travel that are needed to get employees and their families to their new home. As part of Interstate’s policy development service, we’ll work with your HR department to help formulate a sustainable, fair and comprehensive relocation package for your employees.

A relocation management company is an organization that manages multiple aspects of corporate employee moves from helping an organization create a competitive relocation policy to operationalizing the relocation program, from managing the employee’s long-distance move to helping employees feel at home in their new city. The corporate relocation services at Interstate offer more than you’d expect from a traditional relocation management provider. Our services are designed to smooth corporate moves from beginning to end, keeping your business going and your employees focused.

The ISO 9001:2015 certification is the standard that applies to quality management systems across industries and services. The ISO is an independent, non-governmental, international organization whose goal is to develop voluntary, consensus-based, market-relevant International Standards. Being ISO 9001:2015 certified means that a company’s quality management meets standards that are designed to encourage improvement, streamline processes and always put the focus on the customer. When it comes to offering the best possible quality, we don’t just talk the talk. We walk the walk. By being ISO 9001:2015 certified, we demonstrate that we are willing to be held to higher standards of quality in everything that we do.

Interstate also participates in GSA’s Centralized Household Goods Traffic Management Program (CHAMP). This means we will perform an on-site inspection to provides estimates for weight, costs and schedules; provide the crates and materials needed for your move; transport and reassemble your goods and provide an inventory for your items to provide you with peace of mind during your move.

Whether it’s a personal move, the relocation of an art exhibit or transporting goods and merchandise, international relocation is when cargo or your belongings are packed up, shipped across great distances and resettled in a new country. These types of relocations typically require an in-depth knowledge of shipping costs, transportation best practices, customs processes and more, meaning it can be quite a complex endeavor. Interstate has been in the international relocation business for decades and can anticipate anything that may come up with a move overseas.

Before you even start packing, it’s important to know what you can and cannot bring when relocating overseas, so checking customs information should be everyone’s step one. From there, we recommend identifying five categories for items: keeping, storing, donating, recycling and discarding. As you think about what you are planning to take overseas, think about what is a necessity, what has sentimental value, what could be obtained for a reasonable price in your new country and how much it would cost to ship everything. Once you know what you want to take, speak to the experts at Interstate for help in finding the best way to pack each individual item or to plan a time for our professional packers to pack everything for you.

A military relocation professional, or Move Coordinator, is a person who works with current or former military personnel to help coordinate their relocation. Interstate specializes in the preparation, transportation, delivery and logistics of relocating service members and their families’ belongings, helping them move anywhere in the world smoothly and efficiently. We also provide additional services like coordinating with real estate brokers for home sale and purchase, cost of living analysis and more to help smooth military PCS moves.

After you receive your Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, the first thing to do is contact your Traffic Management Office (TMO) to start the process of your move. Acting quickly once you receive your orders is the best way to eliminate last-minute changes or possible delays in the delivery of your household goods. From there, we’ll work with you and your office to coordinate schedules, select carriers and manage the logistics of getting your possessions ready for shipment. Whether your full move is through your TMO or is divided to include a partial Personally Procured Move (PPM), we work with you to get your belongings to wherever they need to be.

When it comes down to it, the goal of a logistics team is to get your business’ assets where they’re supposed to be as efficiently, effectively and easily as possible. Through the use of transportation, supply chain and relocation management, asset management and logistics companies work with businesses to help streamline operations domestically and across the globe.

Logistics managers are the people in charge of overseeing warehousing, transportation, relocation, asset management and distribution details related to their company’s or clients’ needs. Either as a third party or a member of an internal team, logistics managers coordinate schedules with other businesses and organizations, manage necessary paperwork to move mass quantities of items, and project manage the transportation and movement of assets.

Interstate’s GSA Department specializes in GSA’s Schedule: MAS to provide you with government office relocation and reconfiguration management services. These services can include pre-move planning, the relocation of furniture and equipment, warehousing, packing/crating, delivery and set up in the new location.

Safety is our top priority. We employ rigorous safety protocols, utilize appropriate equipment, and have a team of experienced professionals overseeing every step of your cargo’s journey. Additionally, we provide real-time tracking and proactive risk management to address any issues promptly.

We understand that urgent needs can arise. Our team is equipped to handle last-minute shipping requests with rapid response measures and efficient planning to ensure your urgent shipments are delivered on time.

Interstate Relocation has extensive expertise in navigating international customs regulations. We stay updated with the latest laws and procedures to ensure smooth customs clearance, thereby minimizing the risk of delays. Our team handles all documentation and compliance aspects, ensuring a hassle-free process for our clients.

Timely delivery is achieved through meticulous planning, efficient route optimization, and proactive management of the transportation process. Our control tower-like approach to project management allows for constant monitoring and quick response to any potential delays, ensuring your cargo arrives on time.

Freight forwarding companies strategize, organize, schedule, and oversee the shipment, transportation, storage and delivery of goods and merchandise on behalf of shippers and clients. Freight forwarding is the process and logistics of moving those materials from one place to another, usually over long distances and frequently internationally. From booking cargo to completing customs paperwork and insurance claims, freight forwarding services cover all the steps required to get from point A to B.

Choosing the right freight forwarder is an important decision as you are essentially choosing a business partner, shipper and logistics manager all in one. When deciding on the right freight forwarding partner, it’s important to compare expertise, all available services and past customer service experiences to make sure you’re selecting the right partner for your company.

Last-mile logistics refers to the final step of the delivery process from a distribution center/facility to the end-user. Typically, the last-mile delivery can range from a few blocks to 50 or 100 miles. More often than not, last-mile logistics involves the use of parcel or small package carriers to deliver products to consumers, though in supply chain management, larger shippers like Interstate are more typically used.

If your business is growing, moving or reconfiguring, you need a place to store office furniture, equipment, trade show displays, marketing collateral and other assets. Interstate offers more than 400,000 square feet of warehouse space, offering our clients secure storage, including the option of climate-controlled storage space for inventory as your needs require.

If you have short- or long-term storage needs, look to the experts at Interstate. We have expertise in office & industrial relocation, technology, healthcare, government, FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment), libraries, law firms and education. No matter the size, complexity or volume of your furniture — we can store it in our specialized warehouse facilities!

Our warehouse storage services are completely customized based on the needs of our clients. We take into consideration your current logistics and processes before recommending a cost-effective solution that meets your needs.

Interstate Logistics operates more than 400,000 square feet of company-owned warehouse space in the Washington, DC metro area that is meticulously designed and organized with racking and storage solutions. Our secure warehouse facilities maximize space utilization and includes climate-controlled areas as required.

Yes! And longer if needed. Interstate’s secure storage facility offers short-term and long-term storage options for your belongings. You can trust our safe, meticulously-maintained and well-organized storage facility to house your items in the in-between. We’re ready to go when you are!

Moving a hospital or any health-related operation is a complex and detailed task that requires extreme levels of detail, logistical thinking and care. Whether it’s to a new location or to a temporary base, sensitive and valuable equipment should be managed with the utmost attention to make sure it arrives intact and on time. To do this right, you need the right medical equipment movers for the job. Between decommissioning, installation, specialized transportation, outfitting and warehousing, Interstate is the expert at hospital moving.

Moving medical equipment is a delicate operation that requires care, precision and the right equipment to get these life-saving machines from one place to the next. We begin our equipment and lab moves by carefully packing equipment to safely and securely prepare the equipment for transport. From there, our highly-trained movers use various lifts, winches, dollies and specialized, climate-controlled trucks and trailers to move equipment to its next destination.

Office reconfigurations are one of many important steps you can take to protect the health and safety of your non-clinical employees during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly as your healthcare facility reopens and employees return to the workplace. Our experienced team of office moving professionals can help you reevaluate and reconfigure office floor plans, desk spacing and modular furniture to maintain physical distance between employees. Other steps you can take include the placement of signs, decals and highly visible tape on the floor, placed 6 feet apart, to ensure compliance with social distancing guidelines when physical barriers are not possible.

Part of this question relies on the size of your computer. A laptop can be moved easily, whereas larger computers that makeup server rooms and data centers require significantly more care, planning and security. As a general IT rule of thumb, anytime you plan on doing anything major with your computers, it’s always a good idea to back up your data to one or more locations. Once that’s complete and your computer is ready for the move, packing your computer and its peripherals in secured, protective wraps and cushioning and anchoring it to your transportation vehicle is the best way to transport large, sensitive and expensive electronics and technology.

The timeline for a data center relocation can vary depending on the size of the data center, the complexity of the equipment, and the distance of the move. A typical data center relocation can take anywhere from several weeks to several months.

One of the biggest concerns during a data center relocation is minimizing downtime. To ensure minimal downtime, it’s important to have a detailed relocation plan in place, complete with contingency plans for unexpected issues. It’s also important to work with an experienced team of professionals who can handle the move efficiently and effectively.

Data security is a top priority during a data center relocation. It’s important to work with a team that has experience handling sensitive data and can ensure the safe transfer of data during the move. This may involve data encryption, secure data destruction, and other measures to protect data during transport.