Read our Honest 2026 Moving Company Review to discover if ONCE UPON A MOVE truly makes moving stress-free.
ONCE UPON A MOVE: Honest 2026 Moving Company Review
If you’re currently planning on moving home, you’re probably looking at a range of moving companies to see who offers the best service. Because of this, we’ve decided to write a review of ONCE UPON A MOVE. We wanted to find out if it was any good.
This firm is on a mission to rewrite the narrative that moving is one of life’s most intense stresses. It operates on a philosophy of simplicity, reliability, and care, offering a fully licenced residential moving service that claims to make relocations stress-free. It’s suitable for people looking to move a small amount of gear out of a tight studio or apartment, or a large amount from a family home to another state.
Who is this moving service for?
Not all moving services are the same. So who is ONCE UPON A MOVE actually for?
Ultimately, it’s for Chicago residents looking for a local company that understands the nuances of moving out of the city. The team understands local parking permit regulations, tight neighbourhood streets, and strict high-rise freight elevator requirements. It doesn’t just move people out of the city center and into the suburbs and vice versa. It’s also suitable for homeowners looking for long-distance and interstate moves.
Families and individuals who want to move out of Illinois and need a dedicated moving service can rely on ONCE UPON A MOVE to provide them with vehicles that meet all of their needs. They can avoid massive van lines, which is typical of some less well-established companies and get succinct solutions.
ONCE UPON A MOVE is also a good option for budget-conscious movers who hate surprises. It’s for clients who want a premium experience without the usual price tag. Finally, you can use this company if you’re a DIY mover just looking for extra muscle. ONCE UPON A MOVE can slot into your existing removal process, providing you with extra pairs of hands where you need them.
The pros of ONCE UPON A MOVE
We were amazed by how many positive things we discovered about ONCE UPON A MOVEduring this review process.
Guaranteed transparent pricing
The biggest upside is the guaranteed transparent pricing. Unlike most removal companies, they offer clear estimates and flat-rate fees. Once they provide you with a quote, that’s what you pay. There aren’t any additional surcharges or hidden costs that get added on later, leaving you guessing what the final price will be.
Local expertise
At the same time, they have real local expertise. ONCE UPON A MOVE is completely native to Chicago and has many years of experience working with clients in the city. It understands the narrow neighbourhood blocks and city permit requirements, making it a great partner.
Many of the people who work at the firm and the management have been there for many years and have seen almost every single type of move. The company also has experience with business moves, which is always a good indication for a removal firm. It usually means that they have a robust, deep logistics infrastructure that can handle even the most complex client requirements.
We weren’t sure how deep the company’s local Chicago expertise went, so we did our research. What we discovered was incredible. We found that the company has had hundreds of clients that have moved to all different parts of Chicago, Illinois, and beyond the state. This proves to us that it really does have a robust system and framework for helping people move in a stress-free manner.
Boutique customer care
Speaking of which, ONCE UPON A MOVE offers what it likes to call boutique customer care. The idea here is to take advantage of the fact that it’s a close-knit, independent business that can offer a personal touch. Clients like going to ONCE UPON A MOVE because they can make special requests. If there’s something that they want the company to do, it can always make arrangements for them.
It’s not exactly red-carpet treatment. That would be mis-selling it, but it’s more about making clients feel valued and going beyond the standard support that most removal companies offer.
For example, let’s say that a client has a valuable grand piano that they want to move. ONCE UPON A MOVE can make special arrangements to protect it and also provide clients with regular updates on progress.
Comprehensive service flexibility
Finally, customers going to ONCE UPON A MOVE get comprehensive service flexibility. This is something that we discovered when we got in contact with the team. You can opt for:
- labor-only loading and unloading
- complete corporate relocations
- full-service packing, where everything is done for you
This means that you can adjust the price to the level of effort that you want to put in. If you really want a completely stress-free move where somebody does everything for you, that’s an option with this firm.
Minor downsides
OK, what are the minor downsides of using ONCE UPON A MOVE?
Of course, no removal company is completely perfect, and this wouldn’t be an unbiased review if we didn’t tell you about some of the disadvantages.
- Regional origin bias: ONCE UPON A MOVE is rooted in Chicago, so long-distance moves must originate from or head towards the Chicago, Illinois region.
- The company is small, so it sometimes finds it challenging to manage peak season demand. You’ll want to book your move well in advance. Don’t leave it until two weeks beforehand to tell them that you need their services. Chances are they won’t be available, especially during the summer months.
- The company is mostly geared towards residential homes, apartments, and standard office relocations. If you have some sort of specialist move required, you might want to use a different company. For example, if you’re trying to move large amounts of industrial equipment, then you’ll need an industrial mover.
Final verdict
What did we think about ONCE UPON A MOVE? Ultimately, this is one of the best relocation services in the Chicago area that will essentially do everything for you if you want it to. For this reason, we are giving it five out of five stars.
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