What to Do While the Movers Are Moving

Before we make any wrong impressions, let’s first emphasize that any good moving company will make sure to take most of the load off your back and put it on theirs instead. What good would we be if we made you do most of the work still?

Although we cut down a lot of your to-dos though, this doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do anything on your moving day. There are plenty of things you should still do before and during moving day to help your movers, especially considering they can’t do it all. Let’s talk about how you can help.
 
Before Moving Day

Moving companies are usually responsible for handling all the furniture, artwork, mirrors and electronics so unless part of your contract with the moving company includes packing your other belongings into boxes too, this is something you have to do yourself.

Don’t forget, the longer the movers are there, the higher the cost, so have this done well before the moving day. Be sure to label and color-code all your boxes as well so when you arrive at the new home, the moving company knows right where to take the boxes. In addition, keep in mind that by law, moving companies are prohibited from putting flammable, perishable, or dangerous items into their truck. Therefore, you are responsible for those. Set aside a “no pack zone” with items that are traveling with you in your personal car so that the movers don’t include those items.

Some other items you want to pack yourself include plants, any valuables and important documents and records. In addition to packing up your items, be sure to make arrangements for kids and pets so that on the day of the move, that is taken care of and you aren’t scrambling around for a babysitter or petsitter. The last thing you want to do is juggle kids or a dog while you’re trying to pack a truck.

On Moving Day

On the day of the move, be thoughtful and kind to the people helping. To be a great host, consider showing the moving company around the home, offer bottled water and snacks, show them where the restroom is, and be open/honest with them about anything they need to know.

Another good idea is to keep some cash on hand to tip them. Although not required, it is courteous! Some other ways to help during the day of the move include stripping the beds of all linens, unplugging all electronics, and removing any unnecessary items that will get in the way such as trash or your “to be donated” boxes.

Lastly, prepare the environment to be efficient! Measure furniture and doorways to see if anything will need to be disassembled, and prep the floors by clearing pathways and laying down drop-clothes or large blankets to protect the floors.

Another thing you can do during the move is clean! Whether you go to the new home and clean before the movers arrive to prepare the space, or clean the old home room by room as they are emptied, this task will keep you busy for hours! Just keep in mind that you always want at least one person on-site with the movers to handle any tricky situations or answer questions.
 
Although hiring a moving company will help with a lot of your moving “to-do’s”, that doesn’t mean you won’t have to lift any fingers. There are several things you can do while the movers are doing their job to make the whole process go by more quickly and smoothly.

​In addition, since they are responsible for moving your items, that makes you responsible for supervising the job and double checking that everything is going as expected. When in doubt, talk to your moving company to discuss any details about the moving day so that you are both fully prepared for what to expect. The more you have planned and thought-out, the better everything will go!