PODs

[Madelaine Amee]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.

[tophcfa]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.

I don’t know the answer to your questions, but to further complicate things I imagine PODs could also illicit deed compliance issues?

[villagetinker]

A call to PODs will answer your questions, however a neighbor used these to move in and he had to unload, also the device used to move the pod onto the driveway left a lot of tire marks. There might be a limit from the villages on how long one of these can sit in your driveway. NOTE: I do not believe these can be left in the street.

[UsuallyLurking]

I used PODs to move down here. If you want to hire someone to pack or unpack I am sure you can do it, but I don't know if PODs will help you there (yes, I did all the packing/unpacking by myself -- hopefully for the last time).
As noted, they will drop off the POD in your driveway and it may leave marks (also note that the driveways are not flat, so there may be some shifting of the contents). My understanding is that you can leave it there for 72 hours before deed compliance will care (assuming anyone complains). As I recall, PODs is willing to store your container for however long you like (for a fee, of course), and they may do the same after dropping off, if you want to or have to take a long time to unload it. It being several years, I no longer have the paperwork, but I vaguely recall that there was something about how long a period was allowed between drop off and pick up of the empty container for your particular situation.
As noted in another reply, I would think a PODs person (pod person?) should be able to answer the POD questions.

[Bogie Shooter]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.

Do a search on here for “pods”many threads.

[DonH57]

We used the Pod when we had our stuff sent here to the Villages. You have to pack and unpack it yourself and supply your own lock. I would use them again but don't plan on moving again.

[ScottGo]

We used them from moving out of Clearwater to here. You can hire packers who are very good (ours was). But we had ours in storage for 10 weeks. They lost a POD! Found it month late. They did pay for our non-use time - no bed or living room furniture, so things are agreeable. Lived in the Rv for an extra month.

[Arlington2]

We used PODS to move here from out of state. PODS supplied the name of a recommended contractor to pack our things and load the PODS at the other end. Very pleased with their recommendation. We unloaded ourselves, but think PODS had a recommendation for unloading. We had no problem with PODS time in the driveway for several days, but I admit I was ignorant of any constraints, and no one complained.
Our driveway in TV has a fairly steep slope. The PODS delivery did an excellent job placing blocks under the PODS to keep things level.
I was very pleased with PODS in every way; professionalism of all people involved, scheduling and prompt delivery and pick-up, and cost. It was a significantly better experience than we had with traditional movers in past moves.

[KAM+6]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.

Another option is to sell your house furnished. It really doesn't pay to move things back. There are also people that arrange yard sales for you.
I hope your husband has recovered and in better health now.

[triflex]

Short-term use of a POD has no effect on deed compliance. They are used for moving purposes.

I don’t know the answer to your questions, but to further complicate things I imagine PODs could also illicit deed compliance issues?

[triflex]

I've used U-Haul U-Box twice for a move from the Pacific NW. I found them to be the least expensive. But I also sold almost everything and only moved truly convenient items.

[SIRE1]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.

When our neighbor across the street passed away, their kids used a POD to move furniture and all the other items that they wanted. It was delivered and placed in the driveway, where they took about 2 days to load it themselves. I believe it sat there for at least 3 days before PODs came back to pick it up. And I can't believe any neighbor would complain if you took more than 3 days to unload, as long as they could see you working on it. What was disrupting was when the truck came to deliver and pick up the POD because the street was temporarily blocked by both the lifting unit and the truck.

It was interesting watching the whole POD pickup process. They used what could be described as a powered wheeled lifting unit that detached from the truck, drove up the driveway, straddled the POD, picked it up, drove back to the truck that was parked in the street, straddled the truck, placed the POD down, then raised the wheel legs, and off the truck went.

And like one of the people who replied, I recall several previous post about hiring people to unload the POD here in The Villages. Suggest you do a search for "POD" and see if any of those old post can be of some help.

[vintageogauge]

If you care about your driveway put a plastic tarp under it as it will leave large rust stains on your concrete or pavers, even larger if it rains while there. I used PODS twice moving down here and also use U-Pack twice which is a 30' long truck trailer that they drop off and you put in your stuff using as much space as needed and then you put up a bulkhead to hold it in place. If there is room left on the trailer they will fill it with a commercial or industrial item so that there is no other personal stuff that might contaminate yours such as roaches, bed bugs, etc. from someone else's stuff. I prefer the U-Pack but it's high and you have to use the supplied ramp to get in and out of the truck. One thing to note about PODS is they have a weight limit which is impossible to guess while you're loading it.

[Madelaine Amee]

Another option is to sell your house furnished. It really doesn't pay to move things back. There are also people that arrange yard sales for you.
I hope your husband has recovered and in better health now.

You are so kind to remember my husband being so sick. He was in the hospital for three weeks and then Freedom Pointe for almost another three weeks. He was finally diagnosed with a blood infetion Anemia (WAHA): : Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia. It is a frightening blood infection, your own blood destroys your own red blood cells. Took six transfusions before they found a blood that was compatible. However, he is like the energizer bunny and is fighting back and doing much better than I expected.

As for the contents of the house, we are only taking one or two pieces of antique furniture, unfortunately they are larger items that the kids want, and the rest will probably go to Salvation Army or the Sheriffs Ranch.

The information I am receiving about PODs is very helpful, thanks to all.

[EdFNJ]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.
We packed our own and hired someone locally to UNPACK here for a few bucks. Depends on the company how long they allow it to be kept without extra charge. They brought us 2 when we moved down but only used one. No extra charge for that. You can keep it as long as you like but each company/contract differs in charges, extra charges etc. Just like hiring a moving company. You have to carefully read the contract.

This is the company we used in January 2017 moving down. They were the cheapest by far (in NJ) during "prime" season heading south and had the least fees and most time to hold before storage fees kicked in. I called about 4 different companies and these were the best price at that time. They dropped it off at our home 1 weeks before moving, had it down here in about 4 days.

[Suebee210]

We used Pods to move here from TX. We packed it ourselves and had Villages Movers unpack it for us. We would do it again!

[MandoMan]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.

Last summer I drove up to Pennsylvania to pack up my household things and move them to The Villages and put my house up for sale. I was planning to use a POD. I discovered, however, that there was a TWO MONTH wait to get a POD! So instead, I rented a U-Haul truck with a 10 foot back section. One of my sons helped me load it to the roof one morning—mostly with books, CDs, DVDs, a couple big bookcases and one chair. I hopped in and drove to Roanoke. The next evening I reached my now permanent home in The Villages. The next morning I unloaded the truck myself, with the help of a hand truck I owned, returned the truck to the nearest U-Haul place, and got a Uber to get home. A couple days later I hired a ride to Sanford airport and flew direct to Allentown, then took another Uber to my house and car. Then I spent another week cleaning and packing more things in my car.

Even with the car fare and flight, I saved about $2,000 over the cost for a POD of about the same size, and I didn’t have to wait two months to get one. To be honest, carrying a hundred heavy boxes up the stairs and into and out of a truck and driving that truck exacerbated a hip problem I didn’t realize I had, and a couple weeks from now I’m getting a total hip replacement. Alas!

[mkjelenbaas]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.
We used a POD moving to TV - did you call them to get your answers? If not I suggest you go to the horses mouth- if you would like to talk it over reply to this response with your home number.

[yporter]

We had an excellent experience with POD, highly recommend and would use them again. We used a POD to combine two households and move into a new home over a multiple month process, and it worked very well. Had POD delivered to his house, we hired someone (2 Men & Truck) to disassemble & load large & heavy stuff then we loaded the small and light things. Had the POD moved to my house, where it sat for several months while we found & purchased a new house. We again loaded the small stuff at our leisure & once we were ready to move we had someone load the large & heavy. Then the POD folks moved it to our new house, where we reversed the process - assistance with large & heavy, then we finished unloading. It was as great solution in that situation, allowed us to handle items only once while having the flexibility to clear and sell a house then store contents nearby while adding to the POD. We paid each time they had to move it and for the monthly rental (whole process took approx 9 mo), was much cheaper & more convenient than renting storage esp since we didn't know exactly where the new home was going to be when we started. This was pre-Covid and in OH, so don't know current costs or availability. Was aware that they could ship cross-country but did not need that service.

[Barb.callow]

We packed our own and hired someone locally to UNPACK here for a few bucks. Depends on the company how long they allow it to be kept without extra charge. They brought us 2 when we moved down but only used one. No extra charge for that. You can keep it as long as you like but each company/contract differs in charges, extra charges etc. Just like hiring a moving company. You have to carefully read the contract.

This is the company we used in January 2017 moving down. They were the cheapest by far (in NJ) during "prime" season heading south and had the least fees and most time to hold before storage fees kicked in. I called about 4 different companies and these were the best price at that time. They dropped it off at our home 1 weeks before moving, had it down here in about 4 days.
I, too, used ABF UPack in November to bring things from Ohio. After extensive research I found this company/service to be the best product (per reviews) and most economical (you get what you pay for). These units come in different sizes (I used the smaller 8x8x8 for this final trip); are made of sturdier material than some of the competitors; they are extremely cooperative about drop off and pick up times; as mentioned before they use a “little” tow motor to position the box where you want it. Someone mentioned the angle of driveways — things need to be packed securely for transport so this is a nonissue. There are recommendations for packers/movers if you need them (they might be on the web site or maybe they suggested them to me — I can’t remember). Their website is EXCELLENT with info and suggestions!

[tcorbett]

We used a POD moving to TV - did you call them to get your answers? If not I suggest you go to the horses mouth- if you would like to talk it over reply to this response with your home number.

We moved from Northern VA using PODs. Loaded unit with help of sons and I had some expertise from my late teen years working summers with a moving company.

PODs delivered unit when scheduled, picked up when we were loaded, and delivered to our residence when we were finally ready after an extended period in storage. We had a bit of a wait for the pickup because I would not commit to being ready in 3 days. I scheduled out another week. In retrospect I could have done 3 days as two of the most wonderful neighbors came to our aid, unasked, and volunteered their time and energy. They made quick work of the process and I am very grateful.

I would use PODs again.

Tim

[Ptmckiou]

We used Pack and Load on both ends to pack, then unpack the POD. It’s a National company recommended by PODS. It worked out great for us.

The POD is not suppose to sit on your driveway longer than 3 days, but I’ve seen people stretch it to a week. If you need longer, POD will store in their air conditioned warehouse in Ocala, FL until you call for it to be delivered. You also have access to it while in storage. Just call a day ahead and they will bring it outside for the day, and you can access it…so, load anything last that you think you want to retrieve….like golf clubs, dog beds, etc. We had a 60 day close, so had to rent a place in TV for two months while waiting on escrow here.

[xlhig]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.

We used PODS to move down here. We filled one large POD ourself, before we listed our house, to get rid of a lot of the clutter. They took it away and stored it. When we sold the house, we had 2 more PODS We packed everything up in the house but used hireahelper.com to load the PODS. I have a bad back and we had a lot of stairs in our old house. They did a great job and the price was decent. We had to live in a rental for a month down here so PODS were really our only option. The PODS got stored in Ocala and when we were ready for them, they delivered them. Again, we hired hireahelper.com and they unloaded the PODS for us and brought everything into the garage or house. The PODS were taken back and we took our time unboxing everything.

[Dana1963]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.
From the PODS SITE page 2/3
Whether you're looking for a DIY or full-service solution — or something in between — our team is here to help personalize your experience around your needs. We always do the driving and delivery, and if you need a little extra help, we can connect you with the pros to help with packing and loading.

[kendi]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.

The information you are looking for is on their website. Not sure why you would ask TOTV.

[Madelaine Amee]

The information you are looking for is on their website. Not sure why you would ask TOTV.

Because this site is great to get information from people who have used the various means of shipping. To me it is a no brainer, I can get information from people who used PODs that PODs would not give me.

I have already researched this subject in depth, I still have been given information that is not available either on their site or by phone.

[Madelaine Amee]

We used Pack and Load on both ends to pack, then unpack the POD. It’s a National company recommended by PODS. It worked out great for us.

The POD is not suppose to sit on your driveway longer than 3 days, but I’ve seen people stretch it to a week. If you need longer, POD will store in their air conditioned warehouse in Ocala, FL until you call for it to be delivered. You also have access to it while in storage. Just call a day ahead and they will bring it outside for the day, and you can access it…so, load anything last that you think you want to retrieve….like golf clubs, dog beds, etc. We had a 60 day close, so had to rent a place in TV for two months while waiting on escrow here.

Searching for Pack and Load, no results. Do they have another name?

[Kvancamp]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.
I used PODS when I moved to TV last year from out of state. I found a local mover on each end. On this end I used Helping Hands and highly recommend them. I read a number of reviews of PODS before deciding to use then and the primary complaint was scheduling, having them come later than agreed, so I left myself a one day buffer on each side - scheduled them a day earlier than needed, and had them pick up a day later in case of issues with my local mover. I had also read about people getting damaged pods so I closely inspected mine before the delivery guy left. Other complaints, if you use pods for storage (i left mine in their Ocala storage warehouse for more than a month in August) was heat damage to electronics. So i was very careful about what i left in my pod.

I had not heard about issues with rust staining the driveway buy didn't have any problems.

Final hint: be careful about things shifting during the move and jamming against the door, making it impossible to open! My packing mover did not do an adequate job of strapping everything in(despite me providing them more than enough quality straps), but i had read the warnings on the pods website about this and I put more straps in my pod after my packers left.

Bottom line, be informed and realize you are taking ownership of the entire moving process. I was happy with the end results, but it took work.

[Boomer]

The information you are looking for is on their website. Not sure why you would ask TOTV.

Questions like this are asked because anecdotal information about personal experiences with a company can be valuable. And that is what is happening in this thread as people share their experiences with PODS.

Besides, if you will notice, the last part of the post you felt the need to criticize (for whatever rude reason floats your boat) says, “and any other information you care to give.”

And, btw, I am “not sure why” this sort of “get thee to the internet” response has become a litany of sorts from some TOTV posters when someone posts a question. I always wonder if they act like that in real, in-person conversations.

Good morning,
Boomer

[DonnaNi4os]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.

I used a POD when I moved here 4 years ago. I loaded some of the things myself with the help of my kids and a mover for the larger things. It was transported from NJ to Ocala where it was stored until my closing. Then it was delivered to my driveway and PODs had a team that I hired to unload it. The only problem I had was getting it out of my driveway. I suggest you book the date you want it removed prior to getting here. Just as a suggestion, think carefully about what you bring here as I found much of what I brought didn’t go with my Florida home. Good luck to you and welcome to The Villages.

[EdFNJ]

Also note lot's of people use the term "POD" generically like they use BAND-AID, XEROX, BUBBLE-WRAP, KLEENEX etc. "PODS" is a trade name of the company PODS and a POD has become a generic term for a method of moving. There are LOTS of companies out there doing this and many may or may not be as good as, worse than or better than the PODS company. Check around and/or watch Morse and Buena Vista around the first of every month. You'll see a bunch :D

[ML Smith]

I used PODs when we moved to the Villages 2 years ago. We packed up the old house ourselves and had friends help load. When we arrived here and closed in the house, I called Quality Movers to unload and they were GREAT. The units sat in storage in Ocala for about 3 months and it was just a monthly storage fee. The biggest cost is when they move the PODs from your old house to here. Because I had 4 PODs I scheduled delivery to the new house for 2 units. Then I scheduled the pick up of them 48 hours after the unload. This gave me a window for any delays. The PODs sat in the drive way for up to a week.

A couple of thoughts if you are packing yourself. Make sure you have either cargo webbing and cotton rope to tie things in and down. Keep the items from shifting inside the PODs as much as possible. We put all boxes in two of the PODs and furniture etc in the other ones. Use twice as much packing paper as you think you should.

This was my fourth move cross country. Nothing was broken. We also bought boxes from UHAUL so boxes were the same size and shape. Much easier for loading. UHAUL will also buy back any unused boxes. PODs also has resources available that you can call and hirer for services.

Good luck and welcome.

[Laurel Maryland]

I am looking for information/recommendations for using PODs. If you have used a POD to move either to or from TV.

Did you have to pack your own POD, or do they provide packers?
How long can the POD stay on the delivery end before it has to be returned?

Thanks for the answers to these two questions and any other information you care to give.

I also used UPACK for my move from Maryland to The Villages and was highly satisfied. BUT BEWARE: If you are going to rent a moving container, do not confuse UPACK with UHAUL. The UPACK moving containers are made of steel and the doors on them seal and lock tightly. These containers offer good protection for your possessions. You have to provide your own lock for the door and you keep the key, so nothing gets lost or stolen. HOWEVER, the moving contains from UHAUL are not made of metal. The moving containers from UHAUL are made of plywood and the best UHAUL can do for you is to throw a big blue tarp over the top of the container to protect your things from the weather. I guess you have to hope it does not blow off. IMHO, there is no way that a plywood container with a plastic tarp on top can protect your possessions as well as a steel container. Even though UHAUL may be a few dollars cheaper than UPACK, the UHAUL product is inferior and probably not worth the risk.

[Malsua]

We used Pods when we did the final move.

We kept the pod at our house in NJ about 5 weeks just because that's how the timing worked out and we were staging for a sale.

Shipping from NJ to FL was 7 days. We kept the pod for 3 days to unload.

They charge by the month, the first month is extra, but we were well under 2 months. The shipping time counts against your months. So if you can load it in a week and unload in 3 days, you can probably manage a 1 month rental from anywhere in the country.

They arrived on time, picked up on time. Would do it again.

[Cfdettmer]

Go to the POD website. It has a lot of info on it. We ordered a POD for our MN home. We could keep it on site as long as we needed it. They picked it up when you needed it to go and delivered it to the Villages on time. We could keep it as long as we needed to unload. Nothing was damaged. They came and picked it up. They are cheaper than most anything else. We packed out own. We could buy blankets, etc. from them, but we chose not to. If we ever had to move again (God forbid!) we would use them again. No brained!

[triflex]

U-Boxes are WAAAAY less expensive. They do not cover them with tarps. They are moved inside an enclosed van-style semi trailer. They come with a heavy-duty custom cover. Any possible problem would be easily made up for by the savings. Say your OLED TV is damaged - you could buy at least one and probably two replacements for the price difference.

I also used UPACK for my move from Maryland to The Villages and was highly satisfied. BUT BEWARE: If you are going to rent a moving container, do not confuse UPACK with UHAUL. The UPACK moving containers are made of steel and the doors on them seal and lock tightly. These containers offer good protection for your possessions. You have to provide your own lock for the door and you keep the key, so nothing gets lost or stolen. HOWEVER, the moving contains from UHAUL are not made of metal. The moving containers from UHAUL are made of plywood and the best UHAUL can do for you is to throw a big blue tarp over the top of the container to protect your things from the weather. I guess you have to hope it does not blow off. IMHO, there is no way that a plywood container with a plastic tarp on top can protect your possessions as well as a steel container. Even though UHAUL may be a few dollars cheaper than UPACK, the UHAUL product is inferior and probably not worth the risk.

[Pairadocs]

When our neighbor across the street passed away, their kids used a POD to move furniture and all the other items that they wanted. It was delivered and placed in the driveway, where they took about 2 days to load it themselves. I believe it sat there for at least 3 days before PODs came back to pick it up. And I can't believe any neighbor would complain if you took more than 3 days to unload, as long as they could see you working on it. What was disrupting was when the truck came to deliver and pick up the POD because the street was temporarily blocked by both the lifting unit and the truck.

It was interesting watching the whole POD pickup process. They used what could be described as a powered wheeled lifting unit that detached from the truck, drove up the driveway, straddled the POD, picked it up, drove back to the truck that was parked in the street, straddled the truck, placed the POD down, then raised the wheel legs, and off the truck went.

And like one of the people who replied, I recall several previous post about hiring people to unload the POD here in The Villages. Suggest you do a search for "POD" and see if any of those old post can be of some help.

I too just recently witnessed the "process" employed to place and then pick up the PODS. LOL.... it was amazing, when I first saw it, to me it looked like some kind of fantasy out of a Star Wars movie...LOL, as this HUGE, strange "thing" came "walking" down the street, it was certainly interesting ! Side note: There was one in Glen-brook WELL over a week, so perhaps when people are moving, the "rules", like those that apply to how long one can have their RV or boat on their drive, or what types of yard ornaments you can have, are not the same as when moving ?

[asianthree]

The information you are looking for is on their website. Not sure why you would ask TOTV.

You must be the person who thinks every website for a business is all you need. Do they have reviews, sure, are they from happy customers with no complaints absolutely. Are there complaints for unhappy customers, who should have used a different business, probably not.

TOTV is a site that you can ask for personal views, about a business, or just a question. Are they answers honest, yes, can you get insightful info absolutely. Even the good, the , bad, and the ugly.

Can you get the poster, who tells you that you are too stupid for asking a question, or personal advice, instead of just reading a website.

Yes, sometimes one needs to make a person feel small, so they can feel far more superior by recommending just look at a website instead of bothering for real experiences.

[RPDaly]

We used one. It was an old revision so maybe this does not apply. It had wood skids so it did not cause any problems with our driveway which was painted. Not a mark at all. I would be surprised if even the newer ones metal skids but definitely if so they could damage a driveway esp. if the operator is not very skilled. Use a tarp if so.
I called ARC and they really did not have any deadline on how long it can stay in your driveway. Since you are paying for the rental and also need your belongings I assume unpacking would be swift. I had a 16' POD and it fit nicely even in a curved courtyard villa driveway. If you are still fit and perhaps have a few relatives to help pack it is the way to go to save a bunch of money. Having no stairs here in TV really makes moving in quite easy. Me and the wife with the use of a dolly and a two wheeler did it in a day - at least getting everything into the garage for unboxing. Hiring a packer takes away the advantage of packing the Pod at your pace and convenience and not all at once. Don't assume the Pod is plenty big enough at the start of packing so pack it in tight from back to front. From past experience anyone you hire to pack/move your belongings needs to be watched like a hawk and never ever leave your valuables anywhere where they have access.