One of the most common relocation questions is how to prepare for movers on the big day. Since the majority of people are aware that proper preparation can facilitate and accelerate the whole cross-country moving process, they usually ask what the crew expects them to do. For that reason, we decided to present the ultimate tips on required preparatory steps to take before long-distance movers knock on your door.
Follow these tips to have a smooth relocation and arrange your house for relocation specialists properly
How to Prepare for Professional Movers and What to Pack Before the Movers Come?
Organizing your move means having packing strategies for relocating developed in detail, which will allow your relocation experts to get their job done more quickly and easily. Since their assistance entails handling all the bulky and heavy furniture, including disassembling and reassembling and loading into the truck and unloading, having your house ready for them is one of the most important steps to take in order to move efficiently and avoid feeling anxious about moving out.
Unless you book partial or full packaging services, boxing up all items stored in your household and making enough space for the relocation crew to move around the house freely is a must. Waiting for relocation specialists to come and not having all household goods packed is the biggest relocation mistake you could possibly make. Knowing what you should handle yourself and which belongings to leave to professionals is the first step of organizing your household for the move, and one of the best ways to do a home inventory. Here are all the details to cover while organizing your relocation and getting your household ready!
Ready for a Long Distance Move?
Get a Quote!
Sort Out the Items and Decide What to Keep and What to Get Rid Of
Since boxing up the household is the most crucial part of relocation and the number of items you’ll take with you defines the final price of it, downsizing and deciding which things will have use value in your new home and what to get rid of is of great importance. Start to declutter room-by-room. Take some boxes and label them with recycle, donate, throw away, sell, and pack, and soon your inventory list will start to get clear outlines. Donate unwanted items and explore charities that accept donations of old appliances, and your list will soon become shorter.
Also, decluttering will help you to decide what stuff you will handle yourself and what you will hand over to professional relocators. If you have any valuable, expensive and luxurious pieces, then we will highly recommend using cross-country moving services since a professional long-distance moving company can protect your belongings properly. Moreover, they will provide you with all necessary protective materials, like best-sized boxes for moving, wardrobe boxes, bubble wrap, paper, stretch wrap, blankets, foam peanuts, and everything else needed for the protection of your valuable or fragile belongings.
Although this is definitely not the cheapest way to move out of state, it’s certainly the safest one. So if you want all your belongings to be delivered in one piece to your new home, ensure to book the assistance of professionals a few weeks in advance.
If you want to find out how the whole process of donating functions at GoodWill, take a look at the video below!
Check Which Items Can’t Be Moved to Avoid Unpleasant Surprises
Another piece of advice on how to shorten your to-pack list and decide more easily what to leave behind is to check regulations on what relocation specialists are not allowed to move. Stuff like perishables, flammables, liquids, and hazardous materials are not welcome on the truck. However, don’t forget to ask the relocation company to provide you with a full list, and keep in mind that you’ll have to find an alternative way to ship live plants.
Sort out your belongings and have a clearer picture of what you want to take with you
How to Prepare for Movers to Pack? Create Packing and No-Packing Zones Within Your Home
If you’re wondering how to prepare your home for movers, then you should know the following. Preparing for movers doesn’t only mean packing all the household items. It entails paying attention to many other details such as enough space for the relocation crew to move freely around your home. Forming packing and no-packing zones within your house will help divide the items intended for the move and those you will take yourself.
If you’re wondering what the no-pack zone should contain, just make sure that all your relocation essentials like personal documents, medications, and other important personal documents are stored there and that you’ll take care of them. Organizing important documents at home before the relocation specialists knock on your door is another task to add to your to-do list if you don’t want to forget anything, since, believe it or not, documents are one of the most commonly forgotten things to pack.
Also, when it comes to organizing your space for the move, ensure that all the boxes will be stored in the middle of the room, which will provide relocators with enough space to maneuver bulky and heavy items.
Organize the whole process before starting to box up the household
Do You Need to Empty Dressers for Movers?
Although a professional long-distance moving company will provide all necessary protective materials to move your furniture pieces safely, the answer to this question depends on a few factors:
- The type and size of dresser you have,
- Whether your move is local or long-distance, and
- Type of property you’re relocating to.
If your dresser is in a good condition, sturdy, and light, then it is most likely relocation specialists won’t ask you to empty them. The case will be the same if you move locally. However, if the dresser is damaged or large or they have to move it down or up some stairs, then your relocators will ask you to remove all the stuff from them.
Check all the details with your relocation company and find out what the easiest way for them to manage it is. If they don’t need you to remove items from the dresser, then this will be a perfect way to pack clothes for relocation. Still, make sure to remove all valuable belongings like jewelry or money from the dresser before the crew comes to your house.
Prepare and Label All the Boxes Properly for Moving
Another essential detail to take care of is to label all the boxes properly. This way, you will protect your stuff from possible damage because both you and the relocation team will know what each box contains and where to place it in the truck. What’s more, once you arrive at the new home, you’ll be able to organize the unpacking process more easily because you will know which box to start with and what is more important to unpack at that moment. So remember to get labels for relocation boxes in advance and mark all the cartons accurately.
Bonus tip: Don’t forget to check with the relocation company what kind of insurance policy they provide for your belongings!
And if you need more helpful tips on how to pack your household for cross-country moving and are still searching for the answer to the question of How should I prepare for a mover, don’t forget to explore the internet for ultimate advice on how to move your household goods.
Get a Parking Permit for the Moving Truck
If you’re moving out of a house, getting a parking permit won’t be necessary since the driveway will be at your disposal. However, when it comes to relocating out of or into an apartment, the scenario is quite different. Since the majority of American cities require a parking permit for a truck, don’t forget to check with your cross-country moving company whether they can get it for you or if you should tackle this task too.
Skipping this step can result in high fines, so the best way to avoid any inconvenience is to check the procedure of getting the truck parking permit with your local government. The process of getting the permit is pretty simple – just make sure to apply for it at least five days before the relocation day. The price and other conditions differ from city to city, so check all these details with local authorities and be prepared to welcome your relocation experts.
Don't forget the tiny details! Obtain a parking permit on time
Relocating With Your Kids or Pets? Don’t Forget to Book a Babysitter and Pet Sitter
If you’re relocating with kids or pets – or both – make sure to organize their time too. Since there is no chance you’ll be able to dedicate your time to them on the big day, hiring a professional babysitter or pet sitter will be the most effective solution to keep them entertained and safe and away from running around the house and disrupting the team in charge of relocation.
Organize your kids’ and pets’ time on the relocation day
Do You Know What to Do While Movers Are Moving?
In order to use your time to the fullest while the relocation crew is taking the stuff out of your house and emptying it, make sure to know what you will be doing meanwhile. One of the effective ways to spend time is to clean your house, starting with the rooms they have emptied. This way, not only will you cross out another task from your relocation to-do list, but you will also be assured that nothing has been left behind.
Some things you forget to do when you move and are still very useful to do are to secure the property and ensure that all the windows and doors are closed, check the alarm system, unplug the refrigerator, and disconnect all other kitchen appliances you won’t take. Also, don’t forget to empty gas-powered tools like lawnmowers or barbecues of gas and remove all the garbage from the property.
Make a checklist of all essential tasks to do before you leave the property and secure the house properly
Tip Your Team to Reward Their Hard Work!
Now that the relocation is done and you are satisfied with the job the relocation specialists did, it’s the right time to express your gratitude for their service and give them a generous tip! A general rule on the amount you should set aside for the tip is from $20 to $50 per mover, so ensure to include this in your relocation budget. Also, remember to get cash for this purpose, and don’t forget to thank them for all the assistance and support they provided.
Tip the relocators and express gratitude for the service they provided
Ready to Book Long-Distance Moving Services and Plan a Relocation?
Now that you know how the whole process works and what the preparations for the relocation day should look like, there is no reason to postpone it. Explore all the cross-country moving services you’ll need and book a packing service for an impeccable relocation experience.
