White Glove Moving Services: Costs, Services & Best Movers

While full-service movers can certainly help with much of the heavy lifting for your move, some people may need more care and attention for their belongings. This is where white glove moving services come in.

For a premium cost, some of the best long-distance moving companies provide services that go above and beyond what you’d get from typical full-service movers, such as packaging priceless art, antiques, and your prized wine collection.

Even better, they can help with things like cleaning, picture hanging, and appliance connections. These luxury services are ideal for people who want a premium experience and have the budget, are moving a lot of high-end or antique items, or want to outsource as much of their move as possible.

Table of contents

• What is white glove moving?
• White glove moving services
• The best white glove movers
• How much does white glove moving cost?
• FAQ

What is white glove moving?

White glove moving is an elite moving service where professional movers go beyond regular full-service moving company offerings. They provide the utmost care and attention when moving your belongings, especially for high-end and fragile items.

They use special padding or custom crating inside their moving trucks to prevent damage, and offer a wide range of extra services like cleaning and reconnecting home entertainment centers.

Only white glove movers have the necessary training and expertise to handle the most complex moves with ease. While the pricing for these services can be significantly higher than regular full-service companies, those with the budget find it is well worth it for the peace of mind and a stress-free process.

White glove moving services

White glove movers offer all the same services as professional movers, plus more. White glove movers generally tailor their services to corporate transferees, busy professionals, and the well-heeled, particularly in places like New York City or New Jersey.

Here are some of the most popular offerings:

• Cleaning: Movers will send experienced and professionally trained crews to clean your old home after you’ve moved out and to your new home before you move in.
• Disconnecting and reconnecting home entertainment centers: White glove companies can help with entertainment systems, no matter how simple or complex. They’ll generally go the extra mile and schedule the crew to be at your home the day before the move date to disconnect the system and have it packed when the movers arrive. Similarly, you can plan on their tech crew to arrive at your new home after your furniture is delivered to reconnect your system.
• Arranging furniture: Full-service movers will put your furniture exactly where you tell them to, but they’ll usually only move it once. After they’ve left, you may realize that you want a different layout. If you’ve hired a white glove moving company, just dial the customer service phone number and ask them to send a moving team to rearrange things. Alternatively, their team could help you determine the best layout, making it easy to find the perfect spot for everything.
• Hanging pictures and artwork: Professionals will center each piece of art and secure them with professional-grade hardware. Before you use this service, however, you’ll need to have your furniture exactly where you want so you know what wall space is available.
• Servicing home gyms: Crews can provide home gym assembly and disassembly services, even for equipment with lots of heavy parts. Just tell them where you need everything to go and they’ll handle the rest.
• Packing and unpacking: While some full-service companies also provide packing and unpacking, you’ll usually need to pay extra for this service. With white glove services, packing and unpacking are a core part of their services. Based on what you need to move, they will provide boxes, bubble wrap, and other packing materials.
• Storage: White glove companies can provide storage services for your items until you are ready to move into your new home. With their own secure, climate-controlled facilities, they ensure your items will still be in good condition even if they have to be kept in storage for a month or two.
• Special handling of fragile and high-value items: Many families have items of extraordinary value, and some of them are irreplaceable or fragile. Fragile and specialty items can be packed in custom crating for extra protection during transit. Most white glove companies provide their teams with specialty training to handle items like pianos and pool tables. 

The best white glove movers

Specialty movers with legitimate white glove services are becoming more prevalent, but they’re not all as experienced as they claim to be. To ensure you’re working with a legit white glove mover, be sure to check real-life experiences from our Better Moves Project participants and online reviews from consumer sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Also make sure they are properly registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

When requesting a free quote, be sure to ask which services are (or aren’t) included in the initial quote. The company’s website can also be a good source of information. Many white glove companies handle high-profile relocations for corporations, art collectors, and sports stars — and they’ll reference these on their website.

So, which companies are your best bet for getting true white glove service? Below are our top picks for white glove movers. Get a quote from at least three of these movers so you can compare your options.

JK Moving Services

JK Moving Services has built a reputation for providing high-quality services. The company assigns a personal coordinator to each move to coordinate concerns like crating antiques and pianos or relocating large fitness equipment. Crew members routinely undergo training in packing and loading techniques, particularly related to handling specialty items like art and antiques.

JK Moving allows customers to customize packing services, with options for full-service, fragile-only, and even DIY packing available. They provide full unpacking services and climate-controlled storage — including for exotic vehicles. JK Moving also specializes in government and senior moves.

While JK Moving can be quite expensive, the company offers financing options to qualifying customers to help make costs more manageable.

It is worth noting, however, that while the company has a reputation for excellent service, they have limited coverage for local moves, only servicing Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Mayzlin Relocation

Mayzlin Relocation is one of our picks for best luxury movers, thanks to their high-quality customer service and customizable service options. After you book your move, you are assigned a personal moving coordinator to help devise a plan to fit your needs. The company’s 24/7 customer support makes it even easier to coordinate your move., and their packing and unpacking services are highly regarded by customers.

Mayzlin is a family-owned company that operates a little differently than some of the larger van lines in that they own and directly manage their entire fleet of vehicles. This ensures a consistent experience regardless of whether you use them for a local or cross-country move. They also handle corporate relocations and military moves.

It is worth noting, however, that Mayzlin Relocation is a smaller company than others on this list. This can result in moves taking longer or in availability issues, particularly outside of their main operating hubs along the East Coast.

Safeway Moving

Safeway Moving provides a binding estimate for all moves — even when you need specialty services like antique packing — so you don’t have to worry about surprise price hikes. With a triple-check verification system, the company has a reputation for delivering accurate flat-rate quotes.

In addition to packing and unpacking, Safeway’s teams can provide custom crating for fragile items. Your items are barcode-scanned to ensure they are tracked properly, and you can check on your items when en route via GPS.

Safeway also includes 30 days of free storage on all long-distance moves, with climate-controlled storage options available. However, Safeway does not provide local moving services.

American Van Lines

American Van Lines uses certified movers to individually wrap and pack luxury goods. They specialize in moving tricky pieces like pianos and antiques. In fact, they certify their movers to handle such specialty items. Crews have at least 10 years of experience, on average, to ensure your items are treated with care.

For further peace of mind, they itemize the belongings that go into each box. Fragile items like glass and dish sets are wrapped in paper and packed in double-walled boxes for added protection. The company offers secure, climate-controlled storage facilities in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina.

American Van Lines has competitive pricing for most moves, making them a more budget-friendly option. However, they often require a deposit of up to 50% of your total cost, which can be a concern for some. They also don’t service Hawaii or Alaska.

North American Van Lines

North American Van Lines (NAVL) offers a wide range of white–glove services, including:

• Cleaning
• Picture hanging
• Reconnecting home entertainment centers
• Disassembling and reassembling gym equipment

Best of all, NAVL’s services are fully customizable, allowing you to pick and choose which options best fit your moving needs.

In addition to custom crating, they provide climate-controlled transport for wine collections and other sensitive items. Satellite shipment tracking also makes it easy to track your items while they’re in transit. Short-term and long-term storage are also available. They will also dispose of packing materials after your move is complete.

NAVL requires its white glove crews to undergo extensive training for tasks like disassembling gym equipment and driving in rough weather conditions to ensure your items safely reach their destination.

How much does white glove moving cost?

White glove moving services can range from $6,000 all the way up to $100,000, depending on the size and distance of the move, as well as the scope of services you select.

Though more expensive, white glove services tend to be much more comprehensive than typical full-service movers, particularly when it comes to carefully transporting antiques and high-value items. Standard movers also typically won’t provide value-added services like debris removal, electronics and gym setup, and furniture arrangement.

Part of the added cost of white glove moving also stems from the fact that these movers typically undergo additional training to ensure they handle fragile and high-value items with care. They are better equipped to handle specialty items like pianos and antiques while minimizing the risk of damage.

FAQ

When should you use a white glove mover?

You should use a white glove mover when you have fragile, high-value, or antique items that require extra care and attention. You can also use white glove movers if you want to have a truly hassle-free move where you outsource the vast majority of the work.

Are white glove moving services worth the extra cost for delicate or high-value items?

White glove moving services can certainly be worth the extra cost for delicate or high-value items if you want to ensure they make it safely to your new home. However, for items that are more easily replaced (including delicate items that lack sentimental value), you may be able to save money by getting full-valuation insurance coverage with a typical full-service mover instead.

 

Get quotes to compare your options, and be sure to check reviews of different movers to determine if they will treat your items with care. You can get started comparing prices with our moving cost calculator.

What should I expect from white glove moving services?

You should expect a superior level of quality and care at each stage of the move from white glove moving services. This especially applies to fragile items that require extra handling. Movers will carefully pack your items to ensure they make it safely to your destination.

 

Many white glove companies also provide helpful services like furniture placement, cleaning, and disconnecting and reconnecting entertainment centers.

How much do you tip for white glove delivery?

For white glove delivery, you should tip at the higher end of the general recommendation, which is between 10% and 20% of your total move cost. The total tip amount should be split between all of your movers.

Do white glove moving companies offer long-term storage?

Most white glove moving companies offer short-term storage, and some also offer long-term storage at secure, climate-controlled facilities. However, storage offerings and availability vary between companies, so you will need to ask your moving company what options they provide.

Can a white glove moving service move a luxury car?

While a white glove moving service may be able to move a luxury car by partnering with a car shipping company, they do not provide this service directly. However, many of the best car shipping companies provide enclosed shipment options that are perfectly suited for transporting luxury vehicles.