Packing Services in San Jose
Packing takes longer than most people expect. Our packers do the whole home or just the hard parts, usually the kitchen, glassware, art and electronics, so you can focus on everything else.
- One Team, Estimate to Delivery
- Written Estimates
- Floors & Furniture Protected
How Packing Works
Full packing means we pack everything, usually the day before the move. Partial packing means you pack the easy things and we take the fragile and awkward ones.
Every box is labeled with the room and contents, so unloading goes fast and you know where things are on the first night.
Before the crew arrives
- Reserve the elevator and loading area at both buildings
- Clear a path from the door to the street
- Empty drawers of anything heavy or fragile
- Set aside a bag with keys, documents, chargers and medication
- Tell us about anything unusually heavy
How Professional Packing Works
Full, partial or kitchen only
Full packing covers the whole home, usually the day before the move. Partial packing covers the rooms or items you choose, most often the kitchen, glassware, framed art and electronics. Kitchen-only packing is the most popular option, because kitchens hold the most fragile items and take the longest to pack.
Materials that hold up
Good packing starts with sturdy boxes in a few standard sizes, plenty of packing paper and strong tape. Dish boxes have thicker walls for plates and glasses, wardrobe boxes let clothes travel on hangers, and mirror cartons protect framed pieces. Materials are listed separately in your estimate.
Labels that save time later
Every box gets the room it goes to and a short description of what is inside. Fragile boxes are marked on several sides. When the truck is unloaded, boxes go straight to the right room, and you know which ones to open first.
What not to pack
Some things should travel with you, not on the truck: medication, important documents, cash, jewelry, keys, laptops and anything irreplaceable. Hazardous items such as propane, paint, fuel and cleaning chemicals cannot go on a moving truck at all, so plan to use them up or dispose of them before the move.
Unpacking at the new home
If you want, we can unpack at the new home too: kitchen first, then the rooms you choose. Many people ask for the kitchen and the beds to be ready on day one and handle the rest themselves.
Packing a closet without folding everything
Wardrobe boxes let hanging clothes go straight from the closet rail to the box rail and back again at the new home. Shoes, belts and folded items fill the bottom of the box, so a whole closet moves in a few trips.
What Is Included
The basics that come with this service.
Full packing
Every room packed and labeled.
Partial packing
Just the kitchen, fragile items or what you pick.
Materials
Boxes, paper, tape and wardrobe boxes, listed in your estimate.
Fragile items
Dishes, glass and mirrors packed with extra padding.
Art and electronics
Wrapped or boxed to suit each piece.
Unpacking
Available at the new home if you want it.
How Much Do Packing Services Cost in San Jose?
How this service is priced, and the things that change the number.
Crew size by home size
Three movers is the standard crew. Homes with four or more bedrooms, or a three-bedroom home over about 1,800 square feet, get four.
Hours on the clock
Local moves are billed by the hour, so loading, the drive and unloading all count. Being packed and ready when the crew arrives is the biggest saving.
Stairs, elevators and the carry
Every flight of stairs, a shared elevator or a long walk from the door to the truck adds time. Tell us about them up front.
Distance and drive time
The time between homes is part of the job, and so is traffic. A cross-town move and a move up the Peninsula take different amounts of time.
Packing and materials
Packing on moving day adds hours. Boxes, paper and wardrobe boxes are listed separately in your estimate.
Packing time depends on the number of rooms, how full the cupboards and closets are, and how many fragile items there are. Materials are listed separately, and your estimate shows both.
Your written estimate lists the exact rate.
Packing for South Bay Moves
Kitchens take the longest
A typical kitchen holds more boxes than any other room, which is why it is the most common partial-packing request.
Summer heat
San Jose summers are hot and dry. Candles, vinyl records and some electronics should not sit in a hot truck or garage for long.
Downtown elevator windows
Packing the day before keeps the move inside a building's booked elevator time.
Rebuilds in Los Altos and Palo Alto
Many owners pack the whole house for storage while they rebuild.
CPUC booklet
California movers must give you the CPUC booklet on moving within the state, which also covers packing and valuation.
Serving San Jose and Nearby
We work across San Jose, the South Bay and the Peninsula to San Mateo, plus Fremont, Newark and Union City.
Our Promise
- A written estimate firstCrew size, rate basis and what is included, in writing before anything is booked.
- One team, estimate to deliveryOne team handles your move from estimate to delivery, so nothing gets lost between the plan and the day.
- Protection before anything movesFloors, door frames and furniture are covered before the first piece leaves the room.
- Straight answers on datesIf we cannot make your date, we say so when we reply, instead of overbooking.
One Team, Start to Finish
When a move passes between several companies, details get lost: the stairs nobody mentioned, the elevator window, the piece that needs extra care.
With El Camino Real Movers, one team handles your move from estimate to delivery. The plan you agree to in writing is the plan the crew follows on the day.
One Point of Contact
You deal with one contact from your first message to the last box, not a chain of offices.
A Plan in Writing
Crew size, rate basis and what is included are written down before move day.
The Same Plan on the Day
The crew arrives with your inventory, access notes and building rules already in hand.
One Place to Turn
If something goes wrong, you contact the same team that handled your move.
Neighborhoods and Cities We Serve
Related Services
Common Questions
Straight answers before you book.
Send it with your quote request. A real person reads every message and answers in writing.
Ask in the Form01How long does packing take?
Most homes are packed in a day. Larger homes may take two. We include the time in your estimate.
02Do you bring the boxes?
Yes. We bring all materials and list them in the estimate.
03Can you pack just the kitchen?
Yes. It is the most common partial-packing job.
04Will you unpack at the new home?
Yes, if you want it. Many people choose kitchen unpacking only.
05Do you pack the day before the move?
Usually, yes, for full packing. Partial packing can often be done on the morning of the move.
06What can't go on the moving truck?
Propane, paint, fuel, cleaning chemicals and other hazardous items. Plan to use them up or dispose of them before the move.
Put Your Move in Writing
- Tell us the basics. From, to, roughly how much, and the date you have in mind.
- Get it in writing. Crew, rate basis and what is included, before anything is booked.
- Pick your date. We hold it once you say yes.
Serving San Jose and the South Bay.
One Team. One Written Estimate.
One team handles your move from estimate to delivery, from the first written plan to the last box carried in.