Packing Services in Sacramento
The part everyone underestimates. We pack your home the day before, bring the boxes and materials with us, and load the next morning — so the move itself stops being a two-week project.
always on time
Packing is where moves go wrong
Most damage doesn’t happen on the truck. It happens because a box was underfilled and collapsed, or a mirror went in flat instead of on edge, or the kitchen got packed at 1am the night before by someone who’d stopped caring. We pack the day before with proper materials, and everything is labelled by the room it’s going to — not the room it came from.
Not sure how many hours your move will take, or whether your building's rules will slow the day down? Send us the two addresses and roughly what's moving, and we'll tell you straight — no site visit, no sales call.
Why people let us pack
Owned by the movers who show up
The crew packing your home is on our payroll — trained, certified and background-checked — never labour hired that morning. Nobody earns commission for adding services, because nobody here is selling. We’ve completed over 5,000 moves since 2020.
We bring the materials
Boxes, paper, bubble wrap, tape and wardrobe cartons arrive with the crew — no trips to the hardware store the weekend before. Book a full-packing job and the reusable plastic bins are complimentary.
Full packing, partial packing, or just the hard parts
Full packing. We pack the whole house — kitchen, wardrobes, garage, the lot — usually the day before the move.
Partial packing. You do the clothes and books, we do the kitchen, the artwork and the electronics. Most people underestimate the kitchen.
Fragile-only. Glassware, mirrors, TVs, framed art and anything with a screen. Booked on its own, or added to a move you’re otherwise handling yourself.
Unpacking. Boxes opened, contents placed, cartons and paper taken away — so your first night in the new place isn’t spent looking for the kettle.
Get a packing quote
Tell us the size of the home and how much you want us to handle. You’ll have a price online, with no site visit and no sales call.
How packing is priced
Packing is billed by the hour on the same rate card as the move — from $149 an hour for two movers, up to $265 for five. Materials are quoted with it, so you see one number rather than a surprise line on the invoice.
The bigger the kitchen and the more fragile items you own, the longer it takes. Tell us honestly what’s there and the estimate holds.
Related services
Packing it yourself instead? We sell the boxes, paper and wrap and take back what you don’t use. Art, antiques, glass and anything with a real value should be handled separately — see fine art and delicate items. Packing is normally booked alongside the move itself: local moving, house moves or apartment moving. If you’re clearing a parent’s home rather than your own, see senior moving.
Further reading
Packing service vs packing it yourself · Is full-service packing worth it? · How to pack a kitchen · What professional packing actually involves
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FAQ
How much does a move cost in Sacramento?
Rates start at $149/hour for two movers and a 16ft truck, $179/hour for three movers and a 26ft truck, $225/hour for four, and $265/hour for five. Add a one-time $99 flat rate for truck and gas, whatever truck size you need. You price the job yourself online — pick your crew, date and addresses and the quote comes back in minutes. No in-home visit, no sales call.
What’s included in the hourly rate?
Labour, a clean fully-equipped truck, and every tool the crew needs — hand trucks, dollies and straps. Furniture disassembly and reassembly. Loading and unloading. Secure wrapping in moving pads, with unlimited stretch wrap and tape. Floor, wall and door-frame protection. TV unmounting and custom packing. Free use of wardrobe boxes. Packing and unpacking service. Removal of packing materials when we’re done. Basic cargo protection for your household goods. Taxes and transaction fees. Stairs and long carries are included as well.
What isn’t included in the hourly rate?
Six things, all of them listed up front: the $99 flat rate for truck and gas; packing supplies such as boxes, paper and bubble wrap; a $200 handling fee for any single item over 250 lbs (piano, gun safe, pool table, treadmill, massage chair); double drive time when your two addresses are more than 10 miles apart; overnight storage; and custom crating or speciality handling for antiques and delicate pieces.
Do you charge extra for stairs or a long carry?
No. Stairs and long carries are part of the hourly rate — there is no stair fee, no elevator fee and no long-carry fee. A third-floor walk-up takes longer than a ground-floor unit, so the clock runs longer, but nothing is added on top of it.
Why is drive time billed at double?
Double drive time is standard for California household goods moves: the travel between your pickup and your delivery is billed at twice the hourly rate, because it also covers getting the truck back. Smoove only applies it when the two addresses are more than 10 miles apart. Closer than that, you aren’t charged for it at all.
Do I need an in-home estimate to get a price?
No. You can price the whole job online in a few minutes. If you’d rather show us what you have, we’ll walk through it with you over video, or come out in person. All three are free, and none of them commit you to booking.
How many movers do I need?
As a rough guide: two movers and a 16ft truck for a room or one-bedroom; three movers and a 26ft truck for a studio or two-bedroom; four for a house or three-bedroom; five for an office or commercial move. A bigger crew costs more per hour but finishes sooner, so the totals are closer than the rates suggest. If you’re between two sizes, size up — a second trip costs more than the extra mover.
How far in advance should I book?
Four to six weeks gives you the widest choice of dates, and it matters most at month-end and over summer weekends, when the calendar fills first. Short notice is still workable — book online and you’ll see live availability rather than waiting for someone to call you back.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Smoove holds MTR0192675 with the California Bureau of Household Goods and Services and USDOT 3810402 with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and carries up to $1,000,000 in general liability cover. Basic cargo protection for your household goods is included in every move. Both licence numbers are public records — look them up before you book, with us or anyone else.
Who actually shows up on move day?
Our own employees. Every mover is background-checked, trained and certified before they work a job — we don’t hire labour that morning and send it to your house. Smoove is owned by movers, which is why the crew standard is the part we’re strictest about.
What areas do you serve?
The Sacramento region and the Bay Area — more than 70 cities, from Auburn and Elk Grove through to San Jose and Walnut Creek. We also handle long-distance and interstate moves originating in either region.
Learn more before your move
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