My Experience with Long-Term Storage at Zoomalo
I've begun documenting my experience publicly because I believe future customers should have accurate information.
I hired Zoomalo to transport and store my household belongings while my new home in San Miguel de Allende was being completed. I expected my furniture, artwork, books, and personal possessions to be stored in appropriate indoor facilities and handled with reasonable professional care.
Unfortunately, that was not my experience.
My belongings remained in storage for approximately 25 months. When they were delivered, the moving crew asked us to sit down before opening the truck doors. It quickly became clear why.
Many of the cardboard boxes had deteriorated so severely that they could no longer support their own weight. Several collapsed as they were handled. According to the crew, numerous boxes had to be re-packed before delivery because their original containers had disintegrated. As a result, it became extremely difficult to determine where many items belonged or whether everything that had originally been packed was still present.
The condition of the boxes strongly indicated that they had been exposed to the elements for an extended period. They showed extensive deterioration consistent with prolonged exposure to sun, rain, dust, and mud rather than storage in a protected warehouse.
The consequences extended well beyond damaged cardboard. Unpacking became an exhausting and time-consuming process, requiring every box and its contents to be inspected individually. Many items had to be cleaned, sorted, and, in some cases, discarded because they had been damaged by moisture, mold, or corrosion beyond repair.
Water damaged many books and magazines, leaving their pages permanently stuck together. Some boxes of clothing had a strong odor of mold, and many garments were covered with black mold spots. Several paintings were also affected, with holes appearing in parts of the canvas.
Some wooden furniture warped from prolonged exposure to moisture, causing drawers and doors to no longer fit properly. On several hand-painted antique pieces, the painted finish had deteriorated or disappeared entirely.
Throughout this process, I documented the condition of my belongings with photographs and maintained detailed records.
I recognize that unexpected situations can arise in any business. What matters most is how a company responds when problems occur. For that reason, I made every effort to resolve this matter directly and through mediation before writing this review.
To their credit, Zoomalo did repair or refinish a small number of damaged items. I appreciate that effort. However, those repairs represented only a small portion of the overall damage and did not address the condition of many other belongings or the consequences of their storage.
I hope my experience encourages both customers and moving companies to recognize the importance of proper storage practices, clear communication, and accountability. Anyone planning a move involving long-term storage should carefully document their belongings, consider obtaining appropriate insurance, and ask detailed questions about exactly where and how their possessions will be stored.
Instead of the joy that normally accompanies moving into a new home, the experience became months of cleaning, sorting, documenting, and deciding what could be saved and what had been permanently lost.
10. Juli 2026
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