Small Moves California
Small Moves and Furniture Shipping From Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Aptos, Priced by Packed Weight
Small Moves From and To California, Priced by Packed Weight
Ship Smart handles small moves and furniture shipments that begin or finish in California. A load under about 2,000 lbs does not need a truck of its own: it rides as LTL freight, sharing trailer space with goods from other customers. What you pay is set by how much the load weighs once it is packed and how much room it occupies, with no minimum weight, rather than by the hour or by the truck as many movers charge. The crew does the packing, and that is part of every shipment. Delivery reaches addresses across the US, across Canada and in most international destinations.
Ship Smart has handled small moves since 1999 and is licensed, bonded and insured (MC-381032, DOT 2226241). Our headquarters is in Aptos, California, at 783 Rio Del Mar Blvd, Suite 9.
Small Moves and Furniture Shipping by California City
Each California city we serve has two local pages, one for household loads and one for furniture, so start with the city nearest your pickup address.
In Southern California, read about small moves in Los Angeles if you are sending part of a household, or furniture shipping in Los Angeles if it is a few pieces. Pickups take in Los Angeles County and the surrounding metro, from the coast inland to the foothill towns.
In the Bay Area, the pages for small moves in San Francisco and furniture shipping in San Francisco cover pickups in the city itself and across the East Bay, the Peninsula and the South Bay, so an address on either side of the water is included.
Further south, small moves in San Diego and furniture shipping in San Diego apply to the whole county as well as the city, reaching from Chula Vista at the southern end up into North County. Pick the furniture page when a single piece or a set is going.
On the Central Coast, our home county is covered by small moves in Aptos and Santa Cruz County and furniture shipping in Aptos. Pickups include Aptos and every other part of Santa Cruz County. If boxes are going along with the furniture, the small-move page is the better starting point.
Shipping furniture to California from elsewhere? Our national furniture shipping page covers single pieces and sets from anywhere else, and the list of all Ship Smart service areas shows every market we serve.
Small Moves Arriving in California
Moving to California with a small load or a few pieces of furniture? You decide at booking how the shipment reaches you, and the choice changes the price. Will-Call is the most affordable: you collect the goods yourself at the destination terminal. Curbside Delivery drops them at the nearest accessible point to your new address. Full Service means the crew carries everything inside your home or business. If your lease start or closing date gets pushed back, short-term storage at the destination terminal can hold the shipment in the meantime, so the goods are not stranded while you wait.
What a Small Move To or From California Costs
These are ranges across our published routes nationwide, not prices set for California, so use them to judge the size of the budget rather than the final bill:
- A few furniture pieces and boxes (about 500 lbs): $600 to $1,650
- A bedroom set: $700 to $2,200
- A studio (about 1,000 lbs): $950 to $2,650
- A one-bedroom (about 1,500 lbs): $1,200 to $3,150
Pricing shown is based on national averages. Actual cost will vary based on origin location, delivery location, access, weight, volume, added services and details specific to your estimate.
To see the exact number for your load, get your estimate online. The main things that set it are the packed weight, the space the shipment takes on the truck, where it is going and the delivery option you pick.
Get Your California Estimate
List what you are shipping in the online estimator and it returns a price for that load. If you would rather talk it over with a person, call (866) 333-8018, Monday to Friday 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific or Saturday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Pacific.
Small Moves California: Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is There a Minimum Weight for a Small Move From California?
No. There is no minimum weight, so a shipment of a few boxes is priced the same way as a studio apartment: by what it weighs after packing and the space it uses on the truck. You pay for what you send, not for an empty truck or a crew’s hours.
2. Can I Ship Just a Few Pieces of Furniture From California?
Yes. One piece or a handful can go on their own, and the crew packs them as part of the price, so you do not need to buy wrap or boxes. For antiques, art, glass or anything else fragile, we can build a custom crate around the item before it travels.
3. Which Parts of California Do You Pick Up From?
The California areas we currently pick up from are Greater Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Bay Area, San Diego County, and Aptos along with the rest of Santa Cruz County. If your address is somewhere else in the state, enter it in the online estimator or call (866) 333-8018 and we will check it for you.
4. How Far Ahead Should I Book a California Pickup?
Plan on a pickup date between 2 and 10 business days from the day you book. A same-week date is often possible, though extra fees may apply. With a fixed move-out date, booking 10 or more days in advance is the safer choice. Your estimate already covers a white glove crew collecting the load on the first floor.
5. Is My Shipment Covered if Something Is Damaged?
Yes. Every shipment comes with basic valuation coverage, and you can add more coverage if you are sending something of higher value. Ship Smart’s damage rate is below 2%. If a particular piece matters a lot to you, ask about the added coverage when you request your estimate.
