What Movers Want You To Know: The Secrets Of A Successful Move

No matter how complex, difficult, or risky a job may be, it becomes easy once you get the knack of it. You know exactly what needs to be done and how to do it in a safe and efficient manner; you know what mistakes to avoid and how to make things go smoothly; you know what little details will make a big difference in the end.

So do professional movers when it comes to moving house. They have the expert know-how required to ensure a smooth and trouble-free relocation. They know what they’re doing. Yet, your move could be much safer and easier if you knew some crucial things too:

• what tasks to complete prior to Moving day;
• what preparations to make to increase the speed and efficiency of your move;
• what precautions to take to reduce the risks of property damage and personal injuries;
• what methods to use to keep stress at bay.

Knowing all of this will guarantee the success of your move and facilitate the job of your movers, so they truly wish they could share the “secret” with you.

Here are the top ten things movers want you to know in order to make moving day easier for everyone involved:

1. Be There! (but stay out of the way)

As already detailed above, your movers know their stuff. They are trained professionals with rich experience and proficient skills. You can trust them to relocate your belongings in the safest, fastest, and most efficient way possible (provided that you have done a careful research and found trustworthy moving partners to work with, of course). If you try to micromanage your movers and tell them how to do their job, you will only slow things down and create unnecessary tension. What you need to do is give them all the necessary information and get out of the way. Your skillful, experienced movers will do the rest.

It is not a good idea, however, to disappear without a trace – keep your distance and give your movers room to do their job, but stay around so that they can easily get to you if they have questions, need clarifications, or want to consult with you. Remember – good communication is vital for the success of your move and will not only save time, but also prevent misunderstandings and mistakes. So, make sure you’re there for your movers when they need you!

2. Plan The Details – In Advance!

You probably know the old adage “It’s the details that make all the difference”? It is especially true in regard to moving house. Unless you pay meticulous attention to the details, you may easily overlook something important and ruin your move. What’s more, you need to consider everything in advance and prepare accordingly:

• Consider the peculiarities of the pick-up and delivery locations (lots of stairs, long distance between the front door and the nearest available parking place, etc.) and any physical constraints that may prevent the access of a large moving truck to either property. Inform your movers of such obstacles in advance, so that they can determine how much time, how many workers, and what size trucks they’re going to need;
• Reserve convenient parking places for the moving truck – as close to the entrances of your old home and your new one as possible;
• Reserve an elevator for the time of your move, if you’re moving out of or into an upper floor apartment;
• Make it so that your movers can safely and easily maneuver your items around – provide plenty of free space in the rooms; remove doors from their hinges (if necessary); remove obstacles from the corridors and the entryway of your home; keep the paths from the front door to the moving truck free of debris, fallen leaves and other potential hazards; etc.;

  

• Take precautions to prevent property damage – cover floors, carpets, and stairs with protective, anti-slippery materials (consider laying old rugs in areas that will experience a lot of traffic – this will protect the floors from damage and dirt and will give your movers better traction as they carry heavy furniture out of the property); wrap banisters in old blankets; protect door frames with foam paddings; use corner guards; remove paintings, mirrors and clocks from the walls; etc.

3. Speak Your Mind

One of the most important things movers want you to know is that they cannot read your mind – you need to speak up! Tell your movers everything they need to know ahead of time:

• Where they can park the moving truck – if they can pull up on the lawn, if you want them to park in a certain place in your driveway, etc.;
• How they can access your home – which streets in your area moving trucks are permitted to travel on, what obstacles the movers can encounter on the way to your home, etc.;
• If there are any rules they need to be aware of – parking rules, time restrictions on parking and moving hours, etc.;
• Which of your items need extra care – fragile items, valuable articles, delicate objects, sensitive items, etc.;
• What level of coverage you’d like to have – declare high value items as such, ensure proper valuation, get full value protection, and buy additional moving insurance if deemed necessary;
• What additional services you’re going to need – crating services for your most delicate and most valuable possessions, furniture disassembly for your large and heavy furniture pieces, hoisting services for items that don’t fit through the doors, etc.;
• What items you don’t want them to load on the moving truck – your first-night box, personal electronic devices, valuables, documents, medications, etc. (as well as any items you’re leaving behind);
• Where you want each of the items and boxes to go – a designated room in your new home, a self-storage unit, or some other location;
• Any other relevant information or important details you want your movers to take into consideration when performing your move.

4. Be Fully Packed By The Time Your Movers Arrive

What movers wish you knew is that the best way to ensure a smooth, fast, efficient, and hassle-free move is to be ready to go when they arrive.

If your belongings are fully packed and ready to be loaded onto the truck by the time the movers show up, they will be able to get to work right away and complete the job in the quickest and most efficient way possible.

If, on the other hand, you’re still packing and the movers need to wait for you to finish, your move will be delayed and you’ll have to pay for the extra time the movers wasted at your home (alternatively, you can pay them to help you pack faster). You will lose plenty of time, money, and nerves.

So, unless you have hired a full-service moving company and requested professional packing, make sure you have your whole home packed and ready to go before the movers get there!

USEFUL INFORMATION: Packing timeline – what to pack when for moving

5. Proper Packing Is What Matters The Most

Now that you know how important it is to be fully packed by the day of your move, you need to understand that it is even more important that your items be packed properly. The safety of your belongings is what matters the most – after all, you want them to arrive at your new home intact and unscathed, right?

So, even if you have packed your entire household, you may have to repack if your movers find it necessary – you need to provide excellent protection to your belongings and pack them as safely and efficiently as possible:

• Use appropriate moving boxes (clean and sturdy ones), reinforce them with packing tape, line the bottoms with crumpled paper, old towels, or packing peanuts for extra protection, provide sufficient cushioning between the items inside, and make sure you fill any empty spaces to prevent shifting during transportation;
• Wrap individual items in packing paper or bubble wrap before putting them in the boxes. Be extra careful with fragile items;
• Place heavier items first and arrange lighter ones on top of them;
• Do not pack heavy items in large boxes as the boxes will become too heavy (and riskier) to carry and may break down under their own weight;
• Use specialized moving boxes to provide better protection to your items – wardrobe boxes, dish boxes, etc.;
• Provide an extra protective layer at the top of the boxes and seal the moving containers tightly;
• Label the boxes with their contents, destination room, and special handling instructions.

Good to remember: What movers want you to know is that proper labeling will make your move safer and faster – clearly labeling each box and household item with its destination room will allow your movers to unload faster and more efficiently and will save plenty of time and hassle, marking a box as FRAGILE on all sides and writing specific instructions (such as THIS SIDE UP, for example) will help prevent damage to your breakables, etc.

6. Your Furniture Pieces Should Not Double As Moving Boxes

Another important thing movers wish they could tell you is that leaving things in drawers as a way to simplify packing is very dangerous and highly unadvisable.

Furniture is quite bulky as it is – if you leave items inside, it will become extremely heavy and difficult to carry. This will not only make your movers’ job much more laborious, but will also increase the risk of damage to your furniture (the heavier the piece, the more likely it is to be dropped, scratched, or dented when hauled around), your property (the movers may not be able to safely maneuver the heavy furniture out of your home), and your items (they may fall out and break during transportation). Besides, a drawer may open while being lifted and the items inside may fall out and hurt the movers.

Therefore, you’re strongly recommended to empty your furniture and pack it safely for moving. It is also a good idea to disassemble your larger pieces in order to make them easier and safer to relocate.

SEE ALSO: How to pack furniture for moving

7. Divide And Conquer Keep Safe

Even if you have already informed your movers what not to move, it will be easier to avoid confusion and mistakes if you keep the items that are not to be loaded on the moving truck separately.  So, make sure you put everything that’s going to travel with you – your survival box, essential electronic devices (phones, laptops, tablets, chargers), keys and tickets, important documents, jewelry, family heirlooms, favorite toys, etc. – in a separate room and lock it so that only you and your family members have access to it. The last thing you want is to have some of your treasured items stolen or lost (or to have your box of essentials accidentally loaded on the moving truck)! And the last thing your movers want is to be accused of misplacing your prized possessions.

Putting your valuable items aside and moving them yourself will reduce the risk of losing them and will help avoid conflicts with your movers. If some of your valuable belongings, however, are too heavy or too big for you to relocate by yourself (antique furniture, for example), you will have no choice but to entrust them to the movers – just make sure you purchase appropriate moving insurance and let your hired professionals know that they need to be extra careful with these specific items.

SEE ALSO: Things you should not entrust to movers

8. Non-Allowables Are Not Allowed On The Moving Truck

Each professional moving company has a list of non-allowable items they won’t load on the moving truck for safety reasons – hazardous materials (flammable, corrosive, or explosive ones); perishable foods; pets and plants; etc. Your movers want you to know what they won’t move, so that you don’t waste time, effort, and packing supplies preparing non-allowable items for shipment (if you do, they still won’t take them – which may easily result in a conflict).

So, make sure you request a copy of the movers’ list of non-allowables and find a way to transport any such items you wish to take them to your new home yourself. Use up the rest before moving day or give them away to neighbors or friends.

9. Small Children And Pets Have No Business Near The Movers

Moving house is no child’s play and it would be better for your children to stay as far away from the moving chaos as possible – especially on moving day. Your chosen professionals have been trained to do their job with safety in mind, but they would like you to know that it is up to you to keep yourself and your family out of harm’s way during the peak moments of your move.

Yong children and pets cannot take care of their own safety and may get injured if they stick around and get in the movers’ way. Besides, they’re very likely to get scared and upset by the unusual, hectic activity taking place at your home.

Therefore, you’re strongly advised to arrange for a family member or a close friend to keep your little ones occupied in a safe and quiet room far from the action. This way, your kids and pets will not only be safe and entertained, but will also be able to keep their healthy routine and avoid unnecessary stress.

10. Tips Are Great Incentives (and your kindness is highly appreciated)

Treating your movers with kindness and respect will trigger a corresponding response – your hired professionals will do their best to perform your move in the safest, smoothest, and most successful way possible. So, be a good host and encourage your movers to do a good job:

• provide snacks and drinks throughout the day to keep their energy up;
• have a bathroom ready for them to use – equipped with liquid soap and disposable hand towels;
• state your requests in a polite and friendly manner;
• keep the mood light and the spirits up.

You will receive quality service and a gratifying moving experience in return.

Do not forget to tip your movers for their hard work and professional attitude. After all, a generous tip is the best way to show your gratitude.

USEFUL INFORMATION: How much to tip movers

Proper moving day etiquette dictates that you should be there to meet your movers when they arrive at your home, provide them with all the necessary information, and let them do their job. It also says that you should stay around the house, so that you can promptly answer any questions your movers may have and take quick decisions if any unexpected changes occur.  Tipping, although not required, is standard practice too.

That, however, is not all – there are many other important things to know and to do to make your move easier and more successful (see above!). Small details make a big difference. That is what movers want you to know.

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