How to Prepare for Movers

Undeniably, moving requires a lot of preparation. From packing up your entire home to planning all the logistics of the move, it’s not uncommon to forget to prepare for the actual movers. On moving day, your moving company will arrive at your home ready to go. Though, no matter how good your movers are, there are still some things you’ll need to do so they can properly do their job.

With that said, here are some of the most important things to do to prepare for your professional movers to ensure a smooth, efficient, and successful move.

1. Finish Packing or Get Organized

Unless you’ve chosen to hire a packing service as well, it’s up to you to have all your belongings packed before the movers arrive. Make sure that you’ve used to proper boxes and supplies to guarantee the safety of every household goods. After all, the better you pack your things, the less likely they will get accidentally broken in transit. Once you finish packing, it’s important to properly label each box with the contents, any necessary handling instructions, and the corresponding room it should go into in your new home.

If, on the other hand, you’ve hired professional packers, you don’t need to worry about having all your stuff packed before they arrive. They’ll do all of that for you! However, you can speed up the process by getting organized – pre-pack small odds and ends, empty out larger items, group things together, etc.

Whether you’re packing yourself or you’ve hired professional packers, you’ll still be responsible for packing your essentials box. This box should contain everything you’ll need for the days that you don’t have your other items, including important documents, medications, essential electronics, basic personal care items, a couple of sets of clothes, and more.

2. Tell the Movers Where to Park

Parking is likely going to be one of the main things on your mover’s minds on moving day. This simple, yet often overlooked detail, is so important during the moving process. That said, make sure that you have a plan for where the moving truck will be parked. This may involve moving vehicles out of the way or parking them in the garage temporarily.

If the spot is not in your personal driveway, you may have to get a parking pass for the street or request permission to allow them to park in a shared driveway. If you’re moving out of an apartment, make sure that you speak with your manager beforehand to ask about any guidelines for you or your movers. You may be required to request a spot for the truck to park or for time to use the elevator.

Regardless, your movers will likely call you on a moving day to tell you they’re on their way and ask where they can park. Make sure that you have an answer.

3. Prepare Your Home

One of the first things that your movers will do when they arrive at your home is laying down padding and place protection. Make sure that you allow enough space for them to haul your items in and out. You should also clear your staircase to ensure that it is free of any items that could get in the way. Aside from clearing the necessary pathways in your home, you should do the following tasks to properly prepare your home for your movers:

• Disconnect your appliances. Most movers won’t disconnect and reconnect your dishwasher, washing machine, refrigerator, or other appliances that you plan to take with you. Make sure that either you or professional disconnects these before the movers show up, as they simply don’t have the liability if something is done incorrectly. Your refrigerator should be unplugged at least 24 hours before your movers show up.
• Drain the fuel from your power tools. Your movers will not move things that still have gasoline or any other flammable liquid inside of them. Therefore, you’ll want to remove both the gas and oil from your lawnmower, snow blower, and any other items you intend to locate.
• Throw out the trash.Empty out all the garbage cans and wash any garbage cans that you plan to take with you. Keep one or two garbage bags on hand to toss trash throughout the moving day.

4. Have a Plan for Children and Pets

The last thing you want on moving day is your children and pets running around the house and getting in the way of your movers. Not only does this create a very unsafe situation for everyone involved in your move, but having to keep an eye on your kids takes you away from important tasks. Instead, we highly recommend enlisting some help on moving day – whether it’s a family member, friend, babysitter, or sending them to daycare.

When it comes to your pets, consider hiring a pet sitter or simply keeping them confined to one location for the duration of the move using a gate or crate. The goal is to keep your pet from escaping, but also prevent your movers from tripping or stepping on them during the day.

5. Be a Good Host

One of the best things you can do to ensure a successful move is to treat your movers with respect and kindness. By being a good host, you encourage your movers to perform at their best. Here are some tips to show your movers that you appreciate them:

• Prepare a restroom for them to use throughout the day. Make sure that it is equipped with all the necessities, including disposable towels and liquid soap.
• Provide beverages and snacks to keep your movers energized. Set out some nice grab-and-go foods, as well as bottled water, and drinks reflective of the season. For instance, keep some cold, refreshing drinks on ice for summer moves and hot beverages if you’re moving in the winter. Consider offering lunch as well if your move is an especially long one.
• Don’t forget to tip. While it’s not required to tip your movers, it’s a great way to show your appreciation to movers who do a wonderful job. Before your movers show up, plan to have some cash on hand. What you tip should be a reflection of the level of service that the movers provided, as well as your satisfaction.
• Have your contact information ready. Write down your name, phone number, and your new address so that you can give this to the driver before they head out.

6. Be Available on Moving Day

Arguably, the most important thing you can do to prepare for your movers is to simply be present and available on the day of the move. Of course, you’re not going to be expected to do any of the physical moving, but it’s likely that your movers are going to have questions. They may ask you where to put specific things, what needs to be moved and what is staying etc. Being available on moving day will ensure a smooth, efficient move overall.

7. What To Do Right Before Movers Come

Before your movers show up, it’s good practice to do one final check of your entire home. Go through your garage, go up into the attic, open all your drawers and cabinets (especially items that are going to be left behind), and check under the stairs. Essentially, you want to make sure that all the items that are going to your new home are packed and ready to be moved (or organized and ready to be packed by your movers).

The goal of preparing for your movers is to do everything in your power to expedite and help facilitate their work. Proper preparation will prevent any possible delays, confusion, accidents, miscommunication, and holdups on moving day to ensure a nearly effortless experience for everyone involved!