The deadlines are delayed, the renovation work takes longer than expected, and the buildings provide move-in dates that don’t agree with your move-out date. As a result, most people end up having to deal with two companies, renting a truck twice, and paying for the same furniture to be lifted four times.
A Plus Chicago Movers handles the entire job in a single operation. They pack and wrap your house, load it into sealed storage vaults at our Chicago warehouse, keep it available for as long as you require, and then deliver it on the day you decide to go. You can contact one company, use one inventory list, and have one phone number when you want your belongings back.
We have run a family business in the field of moving and storage in Chicago since 1967, the year when we were known as A & T Moving and Storage; storage was not something that we added last year.
What Is a Moving and Storage Service?
A moving and storage service is a service carried out by one professional team who pack your possessions, transport them, store them in a secure facility and then deliver them to your new address when you’re ready. Rather than hiring movers and also renting a storage unit, you can have everything handled by a single licensed company from beginning to end.
The situation depends on how the move is managed. In the case of using a self-storage service, your sofa has to be loaded, carried into a storage unit, stacked, pulled out, reloaded and then carried back in again giving it six opportunities for a scratch or for a table leg to be lost. With our integrated moving and storage service, we wrap it once at your old home and it remains wrapped right until it arrives at your new one.
Who needs it in Chicago: Those buyers and sellers whose closing dates don’t match, renters who find themselves caught in the rush of turnover on May 1 and October 1, families who are carrying out renovations, people who are downsizing from a house to a condo, families dealing with an estate, students who are between leases, businesses that are relocating or consolidating floors, and sellers who have been instructed to clear out two-thirds of their furniture for staging.
Why a professional matters. The problems appear later on, such as moisture stains on unpacked wood, boxes that have been stacked without any plan, and unlabeled cartons that you have to search through on the day of delivery. A licensed mover, on the other hand, will provide a written inventory, apply the appropriate materials before any of your belongings leave your house, offer valuation coverage under the authority of the Illinois Commerce Commission, and have a single company to contact if there is any issue that needs to be resolved.
Our Moving and Storage Services in Chicago
Short-term and temporary storage.
The most frequent request we receive is that your dates don’t match and you need the entire household to be held for days, weeks, or even a couple of months. There’s no penalty if the closing is delayed again and this is common in Chicago.
Long-term household storage.
For renovations that last a long time, assignments outside the state, periods spent abroad, or cases that go through probate, each shipment that is stored is checked one piece at a time so that six months later we will know exactly what we have and be able to retrieve one item without having to unload the vault.
Furniture storage.
Sofas, dining sets, bed frames, dressers, armoires and heirloom items are blanket-wrapped and stretch-wrapped at your house, being taken apart at appropriate points with the hardware placed in bags and labeled accordingly. Nothing is put into the vault without it being bagged.
Warehouse and vaulted storage.
Your possessions are placed in separate wooden vaults, the vaults being labelled according to your job, not on a common shared floor, and no one else’s belongings are mixed in with yours.
Climate-considerate storage for Chicago weather.
Due to the high humidity in the summer months from the lake and the temperatures dropping below zero in January, solid wood becomes warped, the veneer is split and mildew develops in the upholstery. We recommend that certain items be placed in a location where they can be protected from moisture for example, leather, wood, artwork, instruments, electronics and photographs and we prepare them before storage.
Business, office, and document storage.
Desks, workstations, IT equipment, retail fixtures, displays, and archived files, all recorded by box number. We can arrange to deliver them in stages so that your team won’t have to stumble over the crates. This option goes with our commercial and office moving service.
Student, senior, and estate storage.
Students at the University of Illinois at Chicago, DePaul, Loyola, Columbia College, IIT, the University of Chicago, and Northwestern (in the case of those moving) can make use of summer storage. When dealing with downsizing or estates, having a detailed list enables families to make their decisions without having to go through each locker.
Specialty and seasonal storage.
We carry pianos, safes, antiques, artwork, gym equipment, wine, oversized mirrors, appliances, patio furniture, and holiday decorations. These items are crated, padded, and placed deliberately. Furthermore, shipments leaving the state can be held at our location until your receipt date has been confirmed (for long-distance mover).
Most storage assignments require the use of boxes—take a look at our packing service and moving kits. The most typical way in which people end up spending too much is for our junk removal service to take away items that don’t need to pay rent in a storage unit for things you’ll never want again.
How the Process Works
Free estimate. Call or send a video showing the property. You’ll then receive a written quote which includes the moving, the storage and the redelivery.
Dates and plan. We determine your pickup time, how long you expect to store the item, and your delivery window. In the case where your dates are flexible, we add in some flexibility rather than treating them as firm.
Building logistics. We will arrange the certificate of insurance, the freight elevator, and the dock window for high-rise buildings, or the City of Chicago moving permit and the no-parking signs for the street-level blocks.
Pack and protect. Blankets, stretch wrap, mattress covers, dish packs, the process of disassembly, and the hardware being put into individual bags.
Inventory and tag. Before any item or carton leaves your house they are given a number and recorded; you also retain a copy.
Load and store. Things are placed in vaults which are designated for your role, with the weight-bearing items stacked at the bottom.
While it’s stored. If you need something returned, more time, or an additional pickup, just give us a call.
Delivery day. The company that is responsible for packing it is also the one that delivers it, unwraps it, reassembles it, and then together with you checks it against your inventory before departing.
Why Chicago Moves Need a Chicago Moving and Storage Company
Storage is simple; it’s difficult to get a fully loaded truck in and out of a block in Chicago, and it’s at this stage that companies from outside the area end up losing money.
- Permits. In order to obtain a moving permit from the City and have no-parking signs put up, residents must arrange this in advance with the ward; if you fail to do so, your team will park three buildings away and carry out all the work within the time limit that you have.
- High-rise rules. The buildings in River North, Streeterville, the South Loop, Gold Coast, and West Loop want a certificate of insurance that names the association, includes a reserved freight elevator, and assigns a dock time slot. If there is no certificate of insurance, the doorman will turn the truck around.
- Vintage walk-ups. The areas of Lakeview, Logan Square, Wicker Park, Andersonville, Pilsen, and Rogers Park have many narrow stairwells and bends that a sectional cannot navigate. We take measurements first and then raise the sectional when a window is the only means of getting through.
- Alleys and one-ways. A large portion of the traffic on the North and Northwest Sides uses the alley, and by knowing which of them a 26-foot truck can clear, you save a great many hours.
- May 1 and October 1. The number of move bookings contained in Chicago’s lease calendar fits into just 48 hours, and storage is generally what makes it possible to survive on those dates.
- Winter. We provide floor protection and ice melt, and we also know what shouldn’t be placed on a cold truck.
Serving: Lincoln Park · Lakeview · Uptown · Edgewater · Andersonville · Rogers Park · Logan Square · Avondale · Wicker Park · Bucktown · West Town · River North · Streeterville · Gold Coast · Old Town · West Loop · South Loop · Pilsen · Bridgeport · Hyde Park · Beverly · Portage Park · Jefferson Park · Albany Park · Irving Park · Lincoln Square — plus Evanston, Oak Park, Skokie, Berwyn, Des Plaines, Schaumburg, and Naperville.
Why Choose A Plus Chicago Movers
- Nearly 60 years, same family. Al Hogan Sr. founded the company in 1967 as A & T Moving and Storage. His son Al Hogan Jr. took over in 2000 and renamed it to match the standard the crews were already holding.
- Properly licensed. ILCC 232817MC, under Illinois Commerce Commission authority for intrastate household goods.
- Real industry membership. American Moving & Storage Association, Illinois Movers’ & Warehousemen’s Association, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, and listed with the BBB.
- One accountability chain. The crew that wraps your dining table stores it and brings it back. Nothing disappears into a subcontractor.
- Written inventory on every stored job. You know what we have. We know where it is.
- Wrap-once handling. Protection is applied at your home and stays on until delivery, which is where damage is actually prevented.
- 24/7 emergency support. Floods, fires, lockouts, and collapsed closings don’t wait for business hours. Call (872) 871-7801 or see our emergency moving service.
- Genuinely local. Our office is at 67 W Chicago Ave in River North, not a national call center.
What can’t go into storage: flammables, fuel, propane, paint and solvents, fertilizer, ammunition, perishable food, plants and pets, and irreplaceable items like cash, jewelry, passports, and medication. Drain mowers and snowblowers, and defrost refrigerators 24 hours before move day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is moving and storage?
A single service in which one company takes care of packing, loading, transporting, storing, and redelivering your items under a single contract and with one inventory from the time of pickup to the final delivery.
How much does moving and storage cost in Chicago?
The cost will depend on the amount you are storing, the length of time for which it is stored, the difficulty of accessing the items at both locations, and how much packing you desire. Storage of a one-bedroom unit for a month is considerably cheaper than storing a four-bedroom unit for six months. You can reach us by telephone at (773) 221-8151 or arrange to have a video walkthrough to obtain the full door-to-storage-to-door price in writing.
Can movers store my things between closing dates?
Yes, that is the most frequent reason why people contact us. We arrange the loading on the date you move out, keep everything held until your new house is ready, and then carry out the delivery. If the closing date is postponed once more, we will extend the deadline.
What’s the difference between full-service storage and self-storage?
In the case of self-storage, you rent empty space and have to carry out the loading and wrapping yourself. With full-service storage, our team will wrap and load the items at your home and then store them in dedicated vaults, meaning that your furniture will be handled about two times rather than four or six times.
Is my furniture safe in storage?
Furniture that is wrapped in blankets, tied with stretch film, stacked on purpose and then checked is very safe; furniture that is just dumped loosely into a rented unit isn’t. The protection is carried out before the furniture is stored, not during the storage.
How long can I keep my belongings in storage?
The billing period ranges from a few days to several years, on a monthly basis with no obligation to sign a long-term contract. Many customers who plan to stay for three weeks end up staying for three months. That’s acceptable.
Can I access my items while they’re in storage?
Yes, on request. Since all the items are recorded in the inventory, it is usually possible for us to obtain a particular item without having to unload the entire consignment. Please let us know so that the vault can be prepared before your arrival.
Do you offer storage without a move?
Yes, we will collect the furniture, business equipment, or seasonal items, keep them in storage and then return them at a later date without having a full relocation.
