White-Glove Moving: A Full Breakdown

At moveBuddha, we understand that every move is different. For some moves, you’ll need a little extra care and attention for your belongings. That’s where white-glove moving services come in.

These 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 do all the cleaning, picture hanging, and appliance connections. These luxury services are ideal forpeople who want to ensure their valuable items are well taken care of. It’s also a great choice for people who want to do very little of the actual moving themselves.

Here, we’ll go over the white-glove services offered by some of the best luxury moving companies. Wondering how much a move like this will cost? Get a quick estimate for your white–glove move using our moving cost calculator.

What is white-glove moving?

White–glove moving is an elite moving service where professional movers go beyond what regular full-service movers offer. They provide extra care and attention when moving your belongings, especially for high-end and fragile items. They may even use special padding or custom crating inside their moving trucks to prevent damage.

They also offer a wide range of extra services, such as cleaning and reconnecting home entertainment centers.

Here’s what we will look at in this article:

• White-glove movers vs. full-service moving companies
• White-glove moving services
• Full-service moving services
• Finding the best white-glove moving companies
• FAQs about white-glove moving

White-glove movers vs. full-service moving companies

Not all moving companies are the same.

In fact, they range from one-truck outfits run by ex-cons to Fortune 500 companies that provide executive-level relocation services to multinational corporations. When it comes to finding the best moving companies to make your move, you need to evaluate what’s important to you. If you have high-end items or valuable pieces that require extra care — or you want a truly stress-free moving experience — you’ll likely want to work with a luxury moving company.

Many full-service movers offer their customers white-glove service. But truth be told, the term is little more than a catchy buzz phrase that’s so overused, it has lost all meaning. With many full-service movers, “white-glove” simply means they try to be careful while they load and unload your stuff.

With that in mind, let’s break down the difference between traditional full-service movers and true white–glove movers and what their services entail.

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!

Essentially, these companies take great care during the moving process to ensure you don’t have to lift a finger and have peace of mind, even if you’re moving priceless pieces that require the utmost care.

Below are a few of the most popular white glove moving company offerings.

1. Cleaning

Yes, you read that correctly.

White-glove movers will send experienced and professionally trained crews to clean your old home after you’ve moved out and to your new one before you move in.

Few things make moving day a bigger drag than moving into your new home, only to discover that the previous homeowner has left behind toilet brushes and drains clogged with hair and soap scum.

White–glove movers will ensure you leave your last place spotless and move into a gleaming new spot, leaving you with one less thing to worry about as you transition to a new home.

2. Disconnecting and reconnecting home entertainment centers

You don’t need to be a high-roller to have a complex, high-end home entertainment systemwith a massive TV and speakers. And for all but the most tech-savvy homeowners, entertainment systems a real pain to disconnect and reconnect.

Thankfully, white-glove movers have expert staff that can help.

They’ll generally go the extra mile and schedule the crew to be at your home the day before the move date. This way, your long-distance moving company can disconnect the system and have it packed and ready to go when the movers arrive — hassle free!

Similarly, you can plan on their tech crew to arrive at your new home the day after your furniture is delivered to reconnect your system. This way, you can have confidence that everything is set up properly, without having to break a sweat.

3. 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 crew, just dial the customer service phone number and ask them to send a moving team to help get things exactly where you want them.

Alternatively, their team could help you determine the best layout for arranging furniture in your new home, making it easy to find the perfect spot for everything.

You’ll probably be charged by the hour, so you can keep them as long as you like. Of course, you’ll need to take care of any additional furniture arrangement relatively soon after the move is complete — no calling them six months later because you want to change things up again!

4. Hanging pictures and artwork

For customers who’d rather not hoist awkward pictures and hammer holes in their new walls, picture-hanging services can be a real godsend. This is especially true when dealing with large pieces of fine art with heavy frames.

White glove service professionals will center each piece of art, secure them with professional-grade hardware, and leave your home looking like an interior designer furnished it.

Before you make use of this service, however, you’ll need to have your furniture exactly where you want so you know what wall space is available. Then, just tell the crew where each piece goes and let them get to work!

5. Servicing home gyms

Ever tried to assemble or disassemble a home gym on your own — one with hundreds of parts, tons of heavy weights, and more nuts and bolts than a bulldozer?

It’s not easy.

But fear not, because white–glove movers will happily provide home gym assembly and disassembly services. Just tell them where you need everything to go and they’ll handle the rest.

6. Packing and unpacking

While some full-service moving companies also provide packing and unpacking, you’ll usually need to pay extra for this service. With white-glove movers, packing and unpacking are a core part of their services.

You can rely on your movers to carefully pack all of your items with appropriate moving materials. Based on what you need to move, they will provide boxes, bubble wrap, and other materials. Fragile and specialty items can even be packed in custom crating for extra protection during transit. If you’re moving a lot of antiques, check out our guide on hiring the best antique movers.

Thanks to their experience and dedication to high-level service, you can have confidence that your items will be packed in a way to minimize the risk of damage — even if you’re going all the way from California to Florida!

7. Storage

Do you need to move out of your current home, but still have some time before you’ll be able to move into your new location? White-glove movers can typically help here, too, by providing storage services for your items until you are ready to move in.

White-glove movers typically store your items at their own secure, climate-controlled facilities. This ensures that your items will still be in good condition, even if they have to be kept in storage for a month or two.

8. Special handling of fragile and high-value items

Not everyone has fine art hanging in their parlor or a bottle of cabernet from the French Revolution in their wine cellar. But many families have items of extraordinary value, and some of them are irreplaceable or fragile items. Therefore, they need exceptional white-glove moving and storage.

White-glove movers will handle your items with the care they deserve to ensure they reach their destination in one piece.

Full-service moving services

You’re probably aware that most moving companies offer similar services. Full-service movers pride themselves on doing everything they can for their customers. And they list them in bold letters on their websites and sales brochures:

• Packing and unpacking by theirpackers, withtheir packing materials
• Crating and uncrating fragile and oversized specialty items
• Disassembling and reassembling beds, cribs, and tables
• Covering floors and doorways to prevent home damage during your move

These services are popular and add lots of value for harried customers, but the promises don’t always live up to expectations. In addition, many full-service companies only go so far as to help with packing and unpacking — and even then, you have to pay extra.

What makes white-glove movers so special is that they provideall the services you’d expect from a full-service mover, but at a much higher level of quality and commitment to protecting your stuff. Then, they go beyond that with additional services like hanging artwork and reconnecting home entertainment centers.

If your belongings need extra care and attention, be sure to use our moving cost calculator to get quotes from white–glove moving services rather than full-service movers.

Finding the best white-glove moving companies

Specialty movers and those offering legitimate white-glove services are becoming more prevalent these days. But they’re not all as experienced as they claim to be. As such, you’ll want to spend ample time researching the movers that you’re considering.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Read customer reviews whenever possible. Our Better Moves Project features detailed reviews from real-life customers that makes choosing a mover easier.
• Check if the company is registered with the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
• Request a free quote from at least three companies. When you get a quote or consultation, be sure to ask what services are or are not included in the quote.

• Check the quality of their packing services.

• Ask for personal recommendations from friends and family.
• Once you’ve compiled a list of prospects, check them out through the Better Business Bureau. Review their website for a full list of services, licensing information, years of experience, and so on.

Many legit white-glove movers handle high-profile relocations for major corporations, sports stars, art collectors, museums and galleries, and local celebrities. If so, they’ll usually reference them on their website.

If they’ve successfully taken care of tricky moves for discerning customers, chances are they’ll be able to handle yours, too.

The best white-glove movers

So, which companies are your best bet for getting true white-glove service? The following are some of our top picks for white-glove movers.

Mayzlin

Mayzlin Relocation is our pick for the best luxury mover thanks to their high-quality customer service and customizable service options. After you book your move, you are assigned a personal moving coordinator who helps devise a moving plan to fit your needs. 24/7 customer support makes it easy to coordinate your move.

American Van Lines

American Van Lines uses certified movers to individually wrap and pack luxury goods. They specialize in moving tricky items that require white-glove service, such as pianos and antiques. For further peace of mind, they itemize the belongings that go into each box.

JK Moving

JK Moving Services has built a reputation for high-quality services. The company provides a moving coordinator for each move to coordinate concerns like crating antiques and pianos or relocating large fitness equipment. Team members undergo extensive training before working a move, and have ongoing yearly training.

Safeway Moving

Safeway Moving provides a binding estimate for its moves, even when you need specialty services like antique packing, so you don’t have to be worried about surprise price increases. Safeway Moving also includes 30 days of free storage with all long-distance moves.

North American Van Lines

North American Van Lines offers a wide range of white-glove services, including cleaning, picture hanging, and disassembling and reassembling gym equipment. They even offer climate-controlled transport for wine collections and other sensitive items. They will also dispose of packing materials after your move is complete.

FAQs about white-glove moving

What is a white-glove moving service?

A white-glove moving service provides expert level moving services with a level of care and support beyond typical full-service movers. In addition to taking extra steps during packing and transport to prevent damage, they provide a variety of value-added services, such as cleaning, arranging furniture, and hanging artwork.

When should you use a white-glove mover?

You should use these moving experts 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 can outsource the vast majority of the work.

What is the difference between a full and partial moving service?

With a full packing service, the moving crew will pack everything for you before loading your possessions onto the moving truck. Partial packing services will only pack the items that you don’t want to pack, such as fragile items or antiques. You’ll be responsible for packing everything else.

How much does white-glove moving cost?

White-glove moving services can easily range from $6,000 to $100,000, depending on the scope of the move. Though more expensive, their services tend to be much more comprehensive than typical full-service movers, particularly when it comes to carefully transporting antiques and high-value items.

How much do you tip a mover?

The standard recommendation is to tip movers 10% to 20% of the total move cost (splitting that total between all the movers who help you) or to tip each mover between $5 and $10 per hour that they work on your move. Keep in mind that for a white-glove move where movers offer a higher level of service, your tips should be on the higher end of these recommendations.