Barrel pickup and delivery to shipping stations

How it works

You pack and seal. Pack the barrel the way your shipping company requires, seal it and label it.

We pick it up. We come to your home, carry the barrel out and load it. Stairs are fine.

We drop it at your shipper. We deliver to the shipping station you choose and hand it over.

They ship it. Your shipping company handles the ocean freight, customs and delivery overseas.

Where barrels go

We deliver barrels to the shipping companies people already trust, which serve Jamaica, Haiti, Guyana, Trinidad, the Dominican Republic, West Africa and more. If your shipper has a drop-off location we can reach, we can bring your barrel there.

We also carry boxes, totes and small appliances that are going out with the barrel.

Before you book

• Check your shipping company's rules for packing, weight and banned items
• Seal and label the barrel with the receiver's name, address and phone
• Have your shipper's receipt or booking information ready if they require it
• Tell us how many barrels and which floor they are on

How to pack a shipping barrel

A well packed shipping barrel arrives in one piece and gets through inspection without trouble. Most of the problems people run into come from loose packing, an overweight barrel or an item the shipper does not allow. Start with your shipping company's banned items list and weight rules, and follow those first. The tips below are general and work for most barrels.

Put the heaviest items at the bottom: canned goods, bottles of oil, rice, detergent and shoes. Lighter things like clothes, linens and snacks go on top. Wrap anything that can leak in a sealed plastic bag, and wrap anything that can break in clothing or towels. Fill every gap so nothing can shift. A barrel that rattles when you tip it will settle and crush things on the way.

When it is full, press the contents down, close the lid and lock the ring or band tight. Then label it clearly.

• Heavy items on the bottom, light items on top
• Bag liquids and wrap breakables in soft goods
• Pack tight and fill gaps with towels or clothing
• Do not overfill past the point where the lid seals properly
• Write the receiver's name, address and phone on the barrel and the lid
• Keep a list of what is inside, since many shippers ask for one

Shipping barrels to Jamaica and the Caribbean from Connecticut

Shipping barrels to Jamaica from Connecticut happens in two legs. The first leg is local: the barrel has to get from your home to the shipping company's drop-off location. That is the part we do. We pick up the packed barrel in Fairfield County, New Haven County, Westchester or the Bronx and deliver it to the shipper you picked.

The second leg belongs to your shipping company. They handle ocean freight, paperwork, customs and delivery or pickup on the island. Questions about freight rates, transit times, duties and what customs allows should go to them, because they set those rules and they are the ones who can answer.

The same two-leg setup applies to barrels headed to Haiti, Trinidad, Guyana, the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean destinations. Choose your shipper, pack to their rules, and we handle getting the barrel to their door.

Moving several shipping barrels at once

Many families send three or four barrels at a time, often before the holidays. A full barrel can weigh 150 to 200 pounds or more, and carrying several down apartment stairs is where people get hurt. We bring the right equipment and enough hands to move them safely, including from upper floors, basements and buildings with narrow hallways.

Shipping companies keep their own drop-off hours, and some get crowded near holiday cutoffs. We schedule the pickup so the barrels reach your shipper while they are open. If you live in an apartment building, tell us about elevators, stairs, parking and any rules about moving heavy items through the lobby.

What to tell us when you book barrel pickup

• How many barrels, plus any boxes, totes or appliances going with them
• The floor they are on and whether there is an elevator
• Your pickup address and the best time window
• The name and drop-off address of your shipping company
• Any drop-off hours or booking details your shipper gave you
• A photo of the barrels if they are oversized or unusually heavy