If you know Royal Hawaiian Movers by reputation, you likely already know how committed we are to our customers and to making their moves safe, easy and affordable.
So you may be surprised to learn that there are things we DON’T want to move for you.
Hear us out for a minute . . .
We are 100% committed to helping you get all of your possessions to your new home safely. However, any move involves a little bit of risk. For example, containers do fall off ships. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. As a result, we never want you to put anything that’s irreplaceable at risk when you’re moving.
Additionally, there are some things you’ll need during your transition to your new home. Since it takes a few weeks to ship your possessions to Hawaii, we definitely don’t want to send those essentials out on the ocean.
So as you’re preparing for Moving Day, check out this list of the seven things we DON’T want to move. We’ll explain exactly why you’ll want to keep these items close at hand. We’ll also suggest alternative arrangements that will keep your most important belongings safe—and accessible when you need them.
Item #1: Your Grandmother’s Diamond Ring
When we think about irreplaceable items, our minds immediately go to heirloom jewelry. That ring from your grandmother, the locket you inherited your aunt, the cufflinks that belonged to your father—all of those things warrant special treatment. So does any high-value jewelry that you might own.
The Solution: If you have a relatively small collection, we recommend carrying it with you on your flight to your new home.
If you have a number of pieces that feel too cumbersome or valuable to travel with you, you might consider USPS registered mail. UPS may also be a good option for you.
Regardless of the method you choose, make sure you:
- Insure your shipment for its full value. USPS registered mail can be insured for up to $50,000, as can UPS shipments. However, you should know that this coverage is not automatic. You need to declare the shipment’s full value and purchase insurance in order to secure coverage.
- Get an appraisal for valuable items. That way, if something does happen during shipment, you have proof of their value during the claims process.
Item #2: Your Wallet or Purse
This may seem self-explanatory, but, trust us, after tens of thousands of moves, we’ve seen absolutely everything. Moving Day gets hectic, and if you haven’t taken the time to separate out the things that you don’t want to pack, mistakes can happen. Your movers may accidentally pack your purse—or a pair of pants containing your wallet.
The Solution: Designate one spot of your house to put all your “no-gos” for the move. For example, empty out your guest bathroom and use it to store things that don’t get packed on Moving Day. Tell your movers, and then lock the door to that room. This will ensure that things like your wallet don’t end up in the back of a 40′ container that’s headed for the Big Island.
Item #3: Your Wedding Album
The recent move to digital photography means that many of your special moments like reunions, weddings and milestone birthdays are easily preserved in multiple places: printed out in albums, saved on your computer and uploaded to the cloud.
However, if you’re celebrating your 20th anniversary, that wedding album may be the only reminder you have of your special day with your spouse. If that’s the case, we recommend you don’t pack it—or other valuable, irreplaceable family photos—in your container. If your container happens to be the one that slides off in a storm, we would be devastated for you to lose all those precious memories.
The Solution: Pack these items with you in the suitcases you’ll be taking to your new home. You might also consider sending these items via USPS Registered Mail. However, it’s impossible to insure sentimental value, so ship with caution.
Item #4: Your Passport
If you’re moving to Hawaii, you won’t need to show your passport to get on the plane. However, that doesn’t mean we recommend putting your passport in a box that goes in your container. That goes for all of your important documents, such as your Permanent Resident Card, deeds, wills, bonds, stocks, etc. Although many of these can be replaced, the hassle isn’t worth it.
The Solution: Carry any personal documentation like your passport or PR card with you. Irreplaceable documents like bonds or stocks should be carried with you as well. Important paperwork that can be replaced can be shipped via a tracked shipping solution.
Item #5: Your Diabetes Supplies
When you tell our movers to pack your bathroom, we’re going to pack everything. That includes anything in your medicine cabinet—prescriptions, medical supplies, whatever we find. We’re nothing if not thorough!
Yes, we once had a customer leave her critical diabetes supplies—test strips, syringes, etc.—in the medicine cabinet. And, yes, we had to unpack nearly the entire container to get them out for her.
The Solution: Before you give us the “all clear” to pack your bathroom, make sure you grab everything you’ll need until your shipment arrives at your new home. And since we’re going to give you a shipping window, make sure you plan for the outside edge of that window to ensure you’re all set until your container arrives.
Item #6: Your Car Keys
Whether you’re selling your car or moving it to Hawaii, we can say with certainty that the one place your car keys DON’T belong is in your container. You or your movers are going to need them.
The Solution: Make sure your car keys get put in the “safe” area of your home, along with any documentation you’ll need for a sale or for shipping, such as the title.
And, if you’re lucky enough to already have a set of keys to your new home, make sure you hang on to those, too! No one wants to start their life in Hawaii with a call to the locksmith.
Item #7: Non-Perishable Food
Provisions planning is tricky. You may find yourself with extra non-perishables as you prepare to leave your old home. We definitely don’t want to load these items into your container. Instead, we’d love to help you put this food to good use.
The Solution: At Royal Hawaiian Movers, we partner with Move for Hunger, a non-profit who collects unopened, non-perishable items and donates them to local food banks. We’d be happy to put you in touch with them so they can collect your unwanted food and distribute it to families in need.
Help Us Make Your Move a Smooth One
Although we think of our customers as part of our ohana (family), there are some things we don’t know about you. We’re not always sure what you need now and what you won’t need until later. And we can only guess at the things that hold deep, sentimental value for you.
Your best solution for a smooth move? Communicate with your movers early and often. Don’t make assumptions. Don’t feel silly for asking questions on Moving Day. And don’t hesitate to review things with us. We’re here to make your move stress-free, and we need your help to make that happen.
We’ve packed and moved just about everything under the sun. So when there’s something we don’t want to pack, know that we have our reasons. Help us avoid these seven items, and we’ll deliver a move that’s safe, easy and affordable.
