Storage for Galena, Montreux and Mt. Rose Highway households

South of Reno, at roughly 6,300 feet, Galena, Montreux and the Mt. Rose Highway corridor hold some of the area's higher-value homes. The Census shows about 31,000 people, a median value near $916,600, and about 69 percent owner-occupied. The homes are mostly from the late 1990s, large, and often furnished for a mountain lifestyle. That elevation also means winter. A move out of the Mt. Rose corridor is easier to plan around weather than to do in spite of it.

A longer haul, handled by the crew

At 17.3 miles, the warehouse is a real drive from the corridor, and the road climbs and descends. A household that tried to shuttle belongings itself would spend the day on the road. O'Brien's crews load at the door and drive the truck, so the work is a single scheduled trip.

The estimator notes access during the visit: steep driveways, gates, narrow roads and winter conditions affect how the truck arrives.

Mountain-home contents

Homes at this elevation often hold bulky furniture, outdoor gear, wine collections and art. Crews wrap furniture and pad it for the road. Wine cellars, fine art and antiques appear on the list of services at specialty moving.

In the warehouse, wooden vaults 7 ft x 7 ft x 5 ft are closed and stacked by forklift in a 30,000 sq ft building at 2277 Glendale Ave.

When the corridor stores

• A listing that needs a staged, uncluttered house
• A remodel that takes furniture out for months
• A relocation with the sale still pending
• A second household of furniture between a mountain home and a new place

Scheduling tips

Pick a date with dry roads where you can, and keep the free in-home estimate visit early in the process, since it includes an access check and 10 free heavy-duty boxes. Stored goods are ready to ship with about 2 to 3 weeks notice.

Seasonal and second-home storage describes the second-home pattern in more detail.

What the inventory does for a large house

Larger homes at this elevation produce long lists, and a list that is organized by room and by vault saves hours later. When one piece needs to come out first, the inventory shows which vault holds it, so only that vault is brought down to the truck.