Moving Experience: Lori’s Move with JK Moving

Moving can be a hectic experience for everyone, but for frequent traveler Lori, her cross-country move seemed impossible at first. She quickly realized that she needed to find the best of the best for her 1,090-mile relocation from Maine to Georgia.

She found just that in JK Moving, one of the highest-rating full-service moving companies in the country and one of our top recommendations for best long-distance moving companies. JK handled packing, loading, transportation, unloading, and unpacking for Lori, allowing her to focus on moving herself and her two pups cross-country.

But did JK Moving meet Lori’s high expectations?

Lori joined the moveBuddha Better Moves Project to share her honest experience working with JK Moving. In exchange for a $500 moving stipend, she explained how she found a moving company and went into detail about what it was like working with JK Moving.

Check out this guide for her honest experience — including what she would do differently next time.

Move day takeaways for JK Moving customers

• Communication: JK Moving was easily reachable by phone call and email. They communicated clearly and gave Lori a five-star experience.
• Pricing accuracy and transparency: Lori’s move actually cost less than her original quote, which was a pleasant surprise.
• Professionalism: Everyone Lori interacted with at JK Moving was friendly, helpful, and professional.
• Timeliness: Lori had to fit moving around a busy travel schedule for work. She was nervous JK couldn’t swing it, but they were more than accommodating and went above and beyond to fit Lori’s availability.
• Loss and damage: All of Lori’s items arrived safely in perfect condition.
• Would Lori use JK Moving again? Absolutely! Lori would recommend JK Moving to anyone who needs a white-glove moving experience.

Lori needed help moving from Welles, Maine, to Athens, Georgia

Eager for a fresh start after her divorce, Lori planned to relocate to sunny Athens, Georgia, from her current home in Welles, Maine. She downsized from her four-bedroom, 2,160-square-foot home to a three-bedroom, 1,476-square-foot home to share with her two dogs.

While Lori didn’t have any specialty items, she still wanted a top moving company. She was nervous about driving her own car (and two dogs) from Maine to Georgia. Her work travel was hectic, too, and she needed a mover who could work with her schedule.

She wanted a moving company to handle everything with minimal hand-holding or issues. Early on, Lori decided that she didn’t have the time to pack up her belongings, largely because of work travel. She knew she needed a moving company that offered full-service packing, loading, transportation, unloading, and unpacking — even if it meant paying a bit more for added peace of mind and convenience.

Lori’s move at a glance

Lori got quotes from two full-service moving companies

Lori spent three months meticulously planning the move. Once she had a new home, it took her about a week to find a mover.

She stumbled upon moveBuddha early on in the process and relied on the site to get mover recommendations. She loved how user-friendly the site was and that she could read real customer reviews.

After a lot of digging, Lori requested quotes from Safeway Moving and JK Moving.

Lori chose JK Moving for their flexibility and high-tech approach

Both Safeway and JK impressed Lori, but JK edged out the competition with their willingness to work with Lori’s work schedule.

She had to be in Maine to oversee the movers, then fly to Las Vegas for a work trip, fly back to Athens to oversee unloading, and finally travel back to Maine and drive to Georgia with her dogs. JK Moving was fine with all of that, which was a huge relief for Lori.

Lori also appreciated JK’s high-tech quote process. They scheduled a virtual call with a sales rep, who explained the moving process very clearly. They went room by room and the rep took photos of all the items Lori wanted to move. They promised to send her a quote within 48 hours, which they did.

Lori appreciated how seriously they took the process, although the quote of $8,800 was more than she expected. Even though their estimate was more than Safeway’s, her gut told her JK Moving was the right choice

Leading up to the move, JK Moving stayed in touch with Lori to chat about day-of logistics. They were always responsive, helpful, and flexible. JK sent Lori texts and emails with information on timing, next steps, and tips for making her move more efficient. JK asked her to leave clear walkways in her home around the doors and stairs.

On her end, Lori staged items and packed a few bulky pieces in advance. She also tagged items that would go with her on the drive from Maine to Georgia. She arranged for payment, making a $250 deposit before moving day, with the rest due 48 hours before delivery.

Moving day was long but easy

JK Moving showed up right on time at 8:30 a.m. They called her 10 minutes out to let her know they were arriving shortly.
Before packing, Lori gave them a walkthrough to show them what they needed to move. JK’s team asked questions, expressed concerns, and discussed solutions with Lori before the packing process, which made her feel more confident going into the move.

While JK got to work packing her things, Lori stayed in a different room that wasn’t affected by the move. The movers would knock before entering if they had any questions. We get that this part of the process isn’t particularly interesting, but we do recommend spending some time overseeing the movers as they pack. This gives you more control over the process.

In total, JK took eight hours to pack and load 174 items onto the truck. Lori loved that they could do everything on the same day!

Delivery was incredibly organized

It took a week and a half for Lori’s items to arrive in Athens, although that’s because she asked JK to delay delivery because of her work trip. They made sure to arrive within Lori’s availability window, which she appreciated.

With the exception of one broken glass that wasn’t worth a damage claim, everything arrived in perfect condition.

Before unloading the truck, Lori led the team through the house and discussed how they would get everything inside. Since most moving trucks contain multiple customers’ items, JK asked Lori to cross off an inventory checklist as they unloaded the truck. They also rechecked the inventory list on an iPad to make sure they didn’t miss anything on the truck.

It took about half a day to unload boxes and reassemble Lori’s furniture. Best of all, Lori’s final cost was $7,700 — much lower than the quote for $8,800 — because her items ended up weighing less than estimated. What a win!

Our take on the move

We can’t imagine how stressful it was for Lori to manage a work travel schedule and a move. It’s best to avoid traveling during a move if you can, but life happens, and this is a great example of why it’s so important to work with a high-quality mover like JK Moving. They gave Lori the flexibility she needed, making the move process as stress-free as possible.

Lori hired JK to handle packing, which was the right move for her situation. It costs extra, but if you’re on a tight schedule or feel really anxious about damage, let your moving company handle the packing. Make sure they label each box’s contents and add your contact information — this reduces the chances of lost boxes in transit.

Now, Lori did stay in a separate room while JK packed her items, which we don’t advise. It’s best to be present with your movers while they pack. It might feel awkward overseeing them while they work, but this is the best way to retain control over how the movers handle and pack your items. It worked out fine for Lori, but some Better Moves Project participants wish they’d been more hands-on during the process.

In this case, Lori’s cost was actually lower than her estimate, which is fantastic! We always recommend either in-person or virtual estimates to get the most accurate quotes possible. In-person is the gold standard, but AI-powered estimates from companies like JK Moving are making virtual quotes more accurate.

The verdict

Lori can’t think of a single thing she would change about her move. It 100% went as expected, and she believes she got great value for the money.

JK Moving was helpful and quick to respond. They worked with her hectic travel schedule, accommodating her needs and going above and beyond to make sure the timing worked out.

They also took time to assess everything and worked with Lori on the quote. It was a huge relief that the final cost was cheaper than her original estimate. Every person she contacted at JK was friendly, professional, and dependable. 

Lori felt super-stressed about her move, but JK took good care of her. For anyone planning a move, Lori’s advice is simple: remain calm. Instead of looking at the whole process at once, take things one step at a time and trust that it’ll get done. Choosing a quality moving partner will reduce a lot of the stress, too.
Here’s how Lori rated JK Moving’s performance on a scale of 1 to 5:

• Communication: 5
• Timeliness: 5
• Quote accuracy: 5
• Overall experience: 5

Do you have an upcoming move? Share your moving story with the Better Moves Project to earn a $500 stipend. Sign up now.

Check out these helpful resources before signing off:

• Moving Cost Calculator
• Georgia is Just Peachy: The moveBuddha 2021-2022 Georgia Migration Report
• When to Start Packing for a Move