Downsizing from a house where you raised your family and lived for forty years is not easy, but they made it smoother than I expected. First, there were visits where I said what I wanted to keep. They measured the furniture and helped me map out the new apartment. On moving day they packed items quickly and professionally. The even managed to move some decades-old flimsy Ikea cabinets and my delicate cactus houseplants with no damage. They then set up my new apartment and by evening I could walk in and live there. I found that having my old furniture and pictures on the wall (which they hung) lessened the shock. read more

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The team from A First-Class Move helped family friends downsize from two different condos and transition to an assisted living facility. Beckyanne, Brenda and the team were a joy to work with as they provided photographs and recommendations for furniture placement in the new location. They had quite a task as they had to coordinate the move from two different locations to a single location, all on the same day and within the restrictions imposed by the assisted living facility during COVID. Their rates were extremely fair and the value, service and white glove treatment was exceptional. We would highly recommend this group to handle a turn-key downsize and move project. Thank you A First Class Move! read more

Steer clear of this business. Owner, big on sales pitch and guaranteed seamless process to manage liquidation. They lost several items, failed to provide donation receipts, made excuses for poor performance in inventory management and time to auction. read more

A First Class Move provided an absolutely extraordinary experience for me and my family, moving my mother from her residence of 40+ years into assisted living, and then helping us sort, ship, sell, or store the remainder of her possessions. Finally, AFCM provided top-notch prep-to-sell services, enabling our family to obtain top dollar for a well-worn home they made shine. Our family engaged A First Class Move, after interviewing three moving services, upon the recommendation of the Executive Director of the assisted living facility my mother had chosen for her next phase of life. This was not an easy process, in any way, although I really cannot think how much more difficult it would have been without the attention to detail Beckyanne and her team brought to the entire process. We had four major phases: getting Mother's selected furniture and priceless items packed, moved, and placed in her apartment in assisted living in the Spring of 2012. Then, in the late summer and fall of that year, AFCM packed the rest of her belongings, into four different categories: sell; store in McLean; ship to my brother's in Canada (stored separately in McLean for an interim period); and ship to my own storage facility in Portland OR. The first phase -- getting Mom's most precious and personal items packed, moved and set up in her new assisted living apartment in the Spring -- went more smoothly than I ever could have hoped. As everyone who has been through this process will understand, Mother had difficulty adhering to a schedule, making decisions, and sticking to the plan. Uprooting her home of 40+ years and moving into her very first apartment ever was traumatic and emotional. The professionalism, efficiency, speed, timeliness, and kept-promises of A First Class Move meant I had a partner I could rely on, while making the process as easy as possible for my mom. Prices and rates were described thoroughly to me, schedules were adhered to without fail, crews showed up on time and completed work promptly -- nothing was broken, everything was placed exactly as planned, Mother walked in the door of her new unit and found everything precisely where she and I expected it to be. There were no surprises. There were no hidden fees. Most especially, I never had the sense that our necessity, urgency, and emergency was being used to take advantage. This was a major life change for my mom, and the entire AFCM team was very sensitive to that: they aren't just movers, they are life-transition experts. They know that while a room might look like it's packed full of old furniture, papers, and photos, every single item has a history, a charged emotional content, and a special meaning that needs to be respected. I should also add that every time we opened another closet, or another cabinet, or another trunk, all of us realized that we were not dealing with one household, but the contents of four: my mother had become the family depository of her parents' home, my father's parents' home, and the complete households of two maiden aunts. All in all, we had the contents of four households to pack, store, ship, dispose of, donate, or remove that fall. It was a project like none I've been involved with. Facing my strict deadline of turning the house, prepped for sale, over to our Realtor for a Halloween Open House, AFCM worked late into the nights to pack and mark every item, every box, every rug, every piece of furniture, every artwork, every antique and precious family heirloom, every box of china/glassware/crystal and every tschotske. Everything reached its destination -- and there were four -- intact, completely without damage or breakage, on time and on budget. You aren't only hiring movers with AFCM -- you're hiring family counselors, geriatricians, expert antique and heirloom handlers, and hard-working packers, lifters, shippers, and movers. No decision was too small to bounce off the team, no agonizingly difficult appraisal was too small to rely on them, no piano was too large to get moved and stored without damage. Finally, AFCM independently (after I'd returned home to Portland) prepped the house for sale. As you can imagine, it needed lots of work to be made 'neutral' as buyers today expect: it had been personalized with wallpaper and specially-blended paints over the years to meet our family's taste levels. Buyers nowadays want a blank canvas, and it took great effort to achieve that. The house fetched 98% of our asking price within 13 days of the first open house. You know what? This service is not cheap. But it is worth every single penny. I wouldn't have been able to manage this process -- partly long-distance from the American West Coast, while coordinating with a sibling in Canada and a cousin at Virginia Beach -- without the expertise, time management, materials, volume and storage estimating skills, and patience of A First Class Move. read more

I am glad to recommend A First Class Move to handle big moves. We worked with them when my Mom moved out of our large home into assisted living and again when we prepared the home for sale. Both times they did a wonderful job handling all of the mdetails. When Mom moved, AFCM identified things from the house that would work in her apartment, and helped us buy beautiful furniture and affordable furniture. And they moved everything, so when we checked in with Mom all she had to do was turn on the TV and relax. Getting the house ready was a huge project, and Beckyanne at AFCM helped us plan what we needed to do and connected us with good, reliable contractors when we needed that help. The estimate from the plumber she recommended was thousands less than others. WAFCM got the house looking great, and we had all of our things either moved or shipped to family members. They even got Mom's things shipped to California when she moved. Moving older relatives and selling family houses can be very busy, stressful things, and I highly recommend Beckyanne and AFCM to help if you are making these kinds of moves. Beckyanne is a joy to work with and kept me informed every step of the way. We had fifty years of things to move out of the house, and lots of cleaning, painting, carpet removal, floor polishing, to do--the house really shined and we had an offer within a few days of showing it. AFCM did a great job with these very important life transitions for our family. read more

I hired AFCM to move my 3 bedroom into a 2 bedroom about an hour away. It went really smooth. The owner was really nice and did everything they could to take care of me. I would recommend this company to anyone who want the first class treatment. It just made my life so much easier. Thank you. read more

Hands down the best movers I have ever known. AFCM provides so much more than transferring furniture. When I had to move my father to assisted living from the house in which he had accumulated 50+ years of memories, they figured out what would best re-create his memories in a much reduced space. The move and setup were accomplished speedily and smoothly: when he got to his new home, it seemed familiar and comfortable from the first. Recently I again used AFCM to help a daughter re-locate. This was her first move since college, and the whole process of changing jobs and location was very stressful-- but not the actual move, thanks to AFCM. She was on a very tight deadline -- could not move in until Friday/ starting new job on Monday. She did not have time to do any packing herself. The movers were at the old place exactly on time Friday morning and had her fully set up in the new place by Friday evening. This included taking apart and rebuilding bookcases and a bed, as well as tenderly transporting many, many small collectibles, and all her kitchen comestibles. Not a single fragile figurine was broken; not a single bag of dry goods was spilled. Every box was labeled so that it was easy to ensure that kitchenwares ended up in kitchen, books in living room etc. You could not ask for better service! read more

I can't say enough good things about Beckyanne and the team at A First Class Move! When my father passed away, they helped both with moving my mom into assisted living and with cleaning out my parents home. At all times, they were respectful and professional, recognizing what a difficult time this was for our family. My parents had been in their home for over 40 years, and there were a lot of family treasures hidden among the clutter. I felt comfortable, knowing that AFCM were keeping an eye out and setting aside anything we might want to keep, including jewelry, photos, and even a hidden stash of cash. As we got ready to sell the home, Beckyanne recommended and coordinate the repair work of painters, plumbers, and landscapers. She and her team were really a godsend for my brother and I, who don't live in the area. I would recommend AFCM to anyone who is going through a life transition with an older family member. They are professional, timely, thorough, and (most importantly) caring. read more

Beckyanne and the entire AFCM team were terrific to work with. We moved my mother from our home into an assisted living facility. The move was accomplished so efficiently and with such care that we were able to settle my her into her new apartment in one day - it was truly amazing. I highly recommend AFCM! read more

My elderly parents hired A First Class Move (AFCM) to move from a medium-size two-bedroom condo in Alexandria to a small two-bedroom apartment in an assisted living community in Arlington. I thought the price was VERY high...even if their services had been rendered well, which they were not. We would never hire them again. It was far from the "stress-free" move that they promise. SUMMARY: - Price was very high. - They showed up late and finished many hours later (even factoring starting late). - The move manager never took measurements at the new place. - The move manager didn't show up at the old place on moving day. - The family had to do the majority of unpacking and setting up of the new apartment. - Furniture wouldn't fit where planned because they did not have accurate measurements. - Furniture was damaged. They showed no concern about it and never repaired it. ------------ DETAILS: Prior to the move family did many hours of sorting and packing, and had already moved most of their most precious possessions (china, crystal, jewelry, etc.). On moving day we were led to expect the movers to complete the packing and loading of the truck in three hours. It took six. We were told that the three movers planned to depart by noon and to arrive at the new place at 12:30. Everything would be inside in another hour or so. By late afternoon everything would be put away, beds made, pictures hung on the walls, etc. Understanding that these things don't always go according to plan we had plenty of cushion in the timeline and planned to bring our parents over to their new home - 100% ready to be lived in - around 6:30pm. Almost all of the smaller items had been moved to the dining room so we could expedite the process and say "everything in this room gets moved." All of the kitchen items were packed, moved and put away by me and my siblings (food, utensils, pots and pans, etc.). Our plan was that two of us would take time off work to assist with last-minute packing and unpacking. Another sibling would take our sick mother to her place in Arlington for the day to rest and to limit the emotional trauma of the move. Our father would join her when the moving truck left. The plan that he was sold was that they would be able to show up to their fully decorated new home early that evening. The loaded truck was to arrive around 12:30pm, and everything would be inside in another hour. By late afternoon everything would be unpacked and put away, beds made, pictures on the walls, etc. Understanding that things don't always go according to plan we built in plenty of cushion in the timeline and planned to bring our parents over to their new, 100%-ready-to-be-lived-in home around 6:30pm. What actually happened was that the movers came late and the move manager did not even come to the condo on moving day to supervise packing. She said later that she had never even been to the new apartment. She based her plan for where furniture would go on floor plans. She was to take photos of the precise arrangement of personal photos, notes and other items on kitchen cabinets and walls. This never happened. We took our own photos on moving day, moved them and put them up in the new place. My sister and I packed all morning while the movers carried things out. Around 12:30pm I asked them to let me know how long it would be until they would be done loading because we wanted to leave 30 minutes before them in order to run an errand and still be at the new apartment when they arrives. I was told "one more hour" (meaning 1:30) by the leader, so 30 minutes later my sister and I left. The movers finally left around 3:30pm and arrived at 4pm, three hours behind schedule. Because measurements were not taken, furniture would not fit in the bedrooms where they were supposed to go. In an effort to force them the movers scratched up a desk/armoire, the sofa, and the freshly painted hallway. Because furniture would not fit our parents had to switch rooms -- a problem because Mom needed the room with more closet space, and that room is is further from the front door. She has sensitive hearing and their unit's location is across from the elevator. We worked worked all day and into the night packing, moving, unpacking and getting things set in the apartment. We were rushing to finish when our parents arrived at 10:30pm. The ONLY reason that they were even able to come at that point is because of the work WE did. There is no possibility that their new apartment would have been ready that day if not for our efforts. At the end the move manager wanted a check for the full balance, making no mention of the damaged furniture that was pointed out to her hours earlier. Dealing with 'A First Class Move' was an awful experience for our family. EDIT: We found out afterward that our elderly father had signed a contract that said they were not responsible for damaged furniture...so they never paid for it. Wow. read more

A First-Class Move specializes in moving to assisted living communities. As a result, they were sensitive to the physical and emotional challenges that such a transition presented for my parents and they tailored the process to meet our needs. A First-Class Move does more than the average moving company. They completely set up the new space, including hanging pictures and tvs, putting away clothes, making beds. That additional service costs a bit more but it was worth it to ensure a smooth transition for my parents. The company is transparent about pricing. The move manager working with us took time to get to know my parents, helped identify possessions they wanted to take, and drafted a floor plan for the new apartment with our input. My parents moved from a three bedroom condo to a two-room apartment. On moving day, I joined the move manager and her team briefly at the old and new locations but spent most of the day with my parents and brother. The move manager stayed in regular contact with me by phone with updates. The entire process took about seven hours (8:30am-4:00pm) as estimated. When I arrived at the apartment with my parents, the space felt like home -- a result we identified as important to us from the outset. The furniture was in tact and fit the rooms perfectly. There was no evidence (boxes, paper, etc) that movers had been there. The move was stress free. The expertise and professionalism of all the staff were exceptional. They take pride in their work and respect their clients. read more

AFCM provided by far the best moving experience we've had. It was a fairly complicated move, from one storage unit to multiple locations and over a long distance. There was a lot of good communication leading up to the move, by email and by phone, to assure we were on the same page. Everything was kept in really good shape and organized very well at the end locations. Unlike most movers that drop everything and leave, they helped unpack furniture, set it up and even offered to buy us replacement screws for ones that we had lost. Both the owner and the movers were professional the whole time, but also with a very personal touch. read more

We used AFCM to help move my mother. It was a short move, only 10 minutes away. The rate was 13,000$$$. Talking to others they had the same move and went with a different company for 3,000$. They left boxes in the living room and bedrooms. The house was left in such a disarray that we now have to hire someone to help us and of course will have to spend more money. A lady from the sales office came up to welcome us and was horrified at what she saw. She immediately called a meeting with her boss and AFCM. The place my mother moved to said they would never recommend them. read more

I am happy to highly recommend this company. They helped empty out a 3 level townhouse which was an overwhelming task for me. They were efficient, prompt, extremely nice and fairly priced. read more

I hired A First-Class Move recently to move my mother into an assisted living community after she recovered from a brief illness. The events leading up to the move were stressful, and both my mother and I were a bit overwhelmed with the process of transitioning her from rehab back to some level of independence. Beckyanne helped me arrange and conduct the move on very short notice. My experience working with her and her team was right in line with the company name - first class! Everyone was professional and thoughtful and treated my mother's possessions as they would have treated their own. My mother was (understandably) apprehensive about leaving her home of 30+ years for a new living situation. However, she absolutely lit up when she walked into her new apartment and saw all of her favorite things beautifully arranged. I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. I highly recommend A First-Class Move, and I will definitely use their services again should the need arise. read more

I've hired A First Class Move and Beckyanne twice now and I'm not sure what I would have done without her. We needed to move an elderly relative into assisted living in a manner that required both great delicacy and decisive logistics. Beckyanne and her crew provided both, and as a result of her specialized attention the transition was a great success. Years later when we needed to move our relative again, I had no hesitation in calling in Beckyanne. She remembered us vividly and was able to refer back to her files to make the second move equally successful. In a situation as stressful as moving an elderly loved one, having a competent and compassionate partner in someone like Beckyanne is key. I would strongly recommend her services to anyone needing a moving service that understands the extra challenges involved in such an operation. read more

A First-Class Move was a godsend when moving my 97 yr. old relative from independent to assisted living. Becky was so helpful and reassuring and the movers, Caesar and Henry, made it easy for me to step aside and let them do their job. They figured out what would fit and what would not. They donated to charity what was overflow. I definitely recommend this crew and company and intend to use them again if needed! read more

We used A First Class Move twice ~ to move my Mom to assisted living and then again to another apartment within the same community. Beckyanne and her team are professionals and caring. They made a stressful situation less so. They came on time and when they left before dinner every picture was hung, every box unpacked, everything in it's place and most important my Mom felt like she was home. I was there all day and felt like I was with friends ~ friends who had command of the situation and executed it perfectly! read more

A First Class Move was easily the best and most accommodating of any movers I've worked with. I've moved often myself, but this particular move involved moving my mother into an apartment after she'd lived in a house for more than 60 years. To say this was a major transition is an understatement. BeckyAnn and her staff of movers made this experience as positive and painless as possible, considering the circumstances of making a transition like this. I believe they are worth every penny that they charged, because of the extra care they all take in their work, and their helpfulness was greatly appreciated. I would recommend them highly. read more

We hired a First Class Move to help us move my father from his large town home of 30 years to a retirement community and I couldn't have done it without their help. We were overwhelmed by the idea of downsizing and moving to a new home, but Beckyanne and Suzanne were amazing in helping us figure out what to move so that my Dad would feel comfortable in his new home and how to go through all of the items he couldn't take with him. Before our first meeting, Suzanne had visited the retirement community and came armed with a detailed floor plan which helped us identify what Dad could move to his new place. She was instrumental in helping my Dad understand that he truly could move all of his favorite items into his new home. When it came time for moving day, Suzanne and the movers were amazingly organized and made the move incredibly easy. They took care with Dad's items, unpacked everything in his new home, made his bed, hung all of his pictures and arranged the furniture in a beautiful manner. They even boxed up a lot of items that Dad wanted to hold onto, but couldn't fit in his new space and moved them to my home for storage. Suzanne and the moving guys were understanding, professional, empathetic and simply a pleasure to work with. We could have NEVER done this without them. They also recommended a great guy to do the estate sale for what was left. I would HIGHLY recommend A First Class Move to anyone who is downsizing or helping a family member move into a retirement community. read more

A First Class Move recently moved my mother from her apartment in Atlanta, GA to a Kensington, MD independent living facility. They did an absolutely excellent job. I ESPECIALLY appreciated that they did the turnaround in two and a half days, and on only a couple of weeks notice. If you have ever tried to contract with one of the "big movers" to go across state lines, you will know that you often face some real scheduling problems---soft pick-up and delivery dates that can vary by days. None of that here. Oh yes...one thing my mom did NOT need to face after a long day of travel was a disorganized mess of boxes and furniture. That would have been a disaster. AFCM got our job done right, no damage, and in addition did a wonderful job of setting up the apartment before we arrived---right down to an impeccably made bed. I could not be more satisfied and recommend them without reservation, especially to anyone looking to move older parents across state lines with a minimum of hassle. read more