Written by: Madeline Blake
Date:

Moving preparation is a long-lasting process. It takes months in order to prepare for it well. We are going to try and prepare you for the move. However, we are not going to stop there. We are going to help you by showing you how to prepare for movers. One would assume that there is not much that you can do or should do in order to prepare for them. Still, there are some fine guidelines that you should follow. We are going to provide you with these useful pieces of information and you will know precisely what to do and how to do it. Take these tips into consideration and your moving day is going to be seamless!

How to prepare for movers? Start by making a checklist before your moving team arrives

There are so many ways for us to show you how to prepare for movers. At times it seems overwhelming. That’s why, as with any similar project in life, you need to sit down and make a plan. Successful moving plans are usually in the form of a checklist. We can even give you some ideas for a moving checklist, but in the end, it’s all up to you. If you’re wondering why it’s simply because each and every relocation is unique. You have your own tasks to tackle, your own wishes and expectations, and a checklist will reflect that.

A woman searching for ways how to prepare for movers on her laptop.

Before we show you other ways how to prepare for movers, make a moving checklist first.

However, some things can and should be a part of every checklist out there. So, before you start creating this checklist, ask yourself the following questions:

bullet list containing:
-how big is my moving budget?
-do I need some time off work around the moving day?
-how much packing material do I need?
-are there any home repairs I need to do before the relocation?
-do I have some items that are of no use to me?

Once you have the answers to these questions, your checklist will be far easier to make. Of course, in the majority of cases, this list of questions would include a DIY vs. professional moves dilemma. But, no point in including that here, because you have already decided to relocate with the experts, which is undoubtedly a good decision. So, if you’re from Wisconsin, know that before the arrival of top movers in Milwaukee, you should have a plan ready, since, after all, there are some things even these experts can’t help you with.  Wisconsin was just an example here, as the moving checklist will take you a long way in whichever state you live in, and wherever you’re moving to.

Create an ultimate inventory list of your items

One of the best ways for us to teach you how to prepare for movers was by telling you about the importance of moving checklists. Well, this is basically part two of that conversation. Once you remembered and planned all the big things related to the upcoming relocation overall, it’s time to get into small details. An ultimate inventory list of your items is an absolutely essential part of any well-organized relocation.

A man trying to solve a

Don’t forget to jot down every single one of your belongings that will go into a moving truck.

There’s no doubt you can survive without it. But if you want to secure an organized move, where you won’t forget about any of your items, having an inventory list is something you should not neglect. As you can probably assume, forgetting about some of your belongings could cause huge headaches around the moving day. So, here are a few things to pay attention to when making this list:

a list that says:
-an inventory list should have three columns; item name, condition, and approximate value
-make a folder for each room
-take a photo of each item if you have enough time

Why are these things so important?

Starting with the reasons for making a folder for each room, it’s simply because it’s much easier to organize the whole thing like that. Highlighting valuable items, whether it’s sentimental or financial value is important to keep good track of them, as they are very hard or impossible to replace. Now, when it comes to taking photos, and putting in columns with conditions and approximate values, here is the reason for that. Let’s say you’re living in Kentucky. Obviously, if you’re relocating with top movers in Louisville, none of this will be a problem. However, some people can end up in hands of bad or fraudulent movers. If your items end up missing or get damaged, you’ll have proof of their condition for filing the report. We hope and think that it won’t come to this, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Pack properly

In order to prepare for the movers in the right way, you should first decide the following:

  • Are you going to pack by yourself?
  • Or are you going to get professional help for packing?

If you are going to pack by yourself, make sure to use a proper packing guide. Make sure that your items are well-packed and protected. You may decide to invest in the packing material. Alternatively, you can use everyday items instead. After all, this is up to you to choose. Everyday items can represent a very good alternative to traditional packing material.

Man holding a backpack

Make sure to prepare for the move in accordance with the deal that you have made with your movers.

On the other hand, if you are going to get professional help for packing, you will have nothing to worry about. Still, it is important to have a quick and easy access to all of your items. Make sure to ask your moving professionals what you should do with your clothing for example and similar items. Some of them will tell you to leave the clothes outside the wardrobe. Others may ask you to separate them and place them in bags. Be open about packing and ask whatever you are interested to know.

Get rid of the items you do not want to bring with you

What is also important for you to do in order to prepare for the movers is to think about what to do with the items you are not going to pack. Once you check those items and see their condition, it will not be too hard to make a decision. For example, the items that are damaged and unusable, feel free to throw them away. On the other hand, the items that are still usable can be a great gift to your close people. Just think about who would like to have what item and give these to them. Your friends and relatives will surely be more than grateful. On the other hand, if you do not have the time for thinking and organizing, you can always donate those items.

A woman holding a donate box

Donating some of the items you no longer need is a beautiful gesture.

Last but not least, you have the option of selling your items. Of course, assuming they’re in a sellable condition. We all know that moving isn’t cheap. So, if you manage to sell your items, you’ll benefit in multiple ways. You’ll pay a lower price to your movers as there will be less stuff for them to carry. And, you’ll even make some money in the process. Common ways to sell these items are online and yard sales. For example, if you live in the Ashburn area, organizing a yard sale event in your neighborhood sounds fun. But, any of these things we’ve mentioned will do the work, and help you prepare for the arrival of top movers in Ashburn. So, to sum up, you have a few options when it comes to getting rid of items you no longer need and these are:

a list that says:
1. giving them to someone you know as a gift
2. making a donation
3. selling those items on a garage/yard sale
4. selling these items online
5. simply throwing them away

Remember to label your boxes clearly

This is something that you should pay special attention to. Whenever you pack a box, make sure you label it. Feel free to put labels on all sides of the box. It does not matter even if you have packed clothes- Your movers would want to know how to load the moving truck and where to put which box.

Man looking at box labels

When labeling your moving boxes, make sure the labels are clearly visible to your movers.

Of course, you should be extremely careful with boxes where your fragile and valuable items are. It is advisable that you point out in an effective way that those boxes should be treated with care. By doing this, one of the interstate moving companies Florida you hire will be grateful to you. Here are a few ideas for labeling:

  • Color-coded labels are lifesavers when moving
  • If you’re working better with numbers than colors, utilize a number-based system
  • Highlight boxes with fragile and valuable items
  • Highlight the box that contains the essentials

Secure parking space in order to prepare for the movers

Your movers are going to need a place to park at. Since there is going to be a large moving truck coming to pick up your stuff, you should make sure to save some parking space for them. Find one outside of the building and put a placeholder on it. What should be your placeholder? Anything you can imagine. A chair, a box, or a sign saying that you are saving space for the moving truck that is about to arrive. The world is full of choices.

Prepare for the movers by preparing your house for them

Moving large items is very difficult if there is no way to pass through. Therefore, make sure to leave an open corridor for the movers. They should be able to move around your house without having to watch out for toys or other items that can prove to be hazardous in this situation. Whatever you do, make sure that everyone’s safe while carrying your items around.

In order to prepare for your movers, protect your home with cardboard boxes

What you can do in order to secure your home and protect the floors is to use the cardboard boxes you have left.

Also, it is important to protect your homes as well. Both of them, to be precise. You do not want to damage the house or the apartment that you are leaving, just like you would not want to damage your new place. Therefore, protect every corner where your items need to pass through. You can use cardboard for this purpose. The most reputable cross-country moving companies Oregon has to offer will be thankful for it.

What should I pay attention to when cleaning a house before moving out?

The reason why this is a part of the “how to prepare for movers?” checklist is because it will be much easier for movers to do what they do best when the house isn’t a mess. Plus, as we said, you’d be doing a nice thing by leaving a clean home for the next tenants. So, this is what you should pay attention to:

a list that says:
-keep an open corridor
-clean the windows
-clean the doors and doorknobs
-vacuum the whole house
-clean the bathroom most thoroughly
-don't forget to clean light switches and outlets

Make sure that your furniture will fit through the door

It is also important that you check the measurements of your furniture. Especially when large items are in question. Namely, what you should do is measure your door and then measure your furniture. By doing this, you will check whether your movers will be able to get your furniture out of your home safely. If it happens that a certain item is too large, do not worry- it is possible that it can be disassembled. However, what you should also check are the measurements of the door to your new home. You need to know in advance that it will be possible to relocate there all of the furniture items. So, do this on time and there will be nothing to worry about.

Babysitters are very helpful when moving

If you have not given it thought still, make sure to do it as soon as possible. If you are moving with small kids, your movers will be very thankful to not have to mingle around them when helping you move. Therefore, you should hire a babysitter for the moving day. It’s simple, learning how to prepare for movers won’t be useful until you make sure that your kids are in good hands.

Babysitter and a baby

In case your child is still small, you should find a babysitter to take care of your kid on a moving day

Now, this may prove to be challenging in the case that you are moving cross country. Given the fact that you will be moving to a different state, your kids will need to be with you or with someone they know. This is the part when their grandparents can get into the picture. Grandparents are an amazing option when it comes to babysitting your kids on the day of the move. And slightly longer as well. Moving long-distance means that you will be on the road longer and settling in will take a while. If you can get your parents involved in the move by babysitting, your life will be so much easier.

Avoid packing items your movers will not transport

In case you have relocated before, you already know that there are items your movers will not allow you to pack. On the other hand, if you are relocating for the first time, you may not be familiar with this. Either way, should you put your trust in one of the most reliable interstate moving companies California has to offer, they will inform you about this. Still, we don’t want to leave you empty-handed. So, we prepared a list of some items that are almost never allowed in the moving truck.

  • Paint
  • Fireworks
  • Ammunition
  • Nail polish remover
  • Propane cylinders
  • Oxygen bottles
  • Pesticides
  • Pool chemicals
  • Matches and lighter fluid
  • Gasoline and kerosine

So, if you have items of this kind, you should either give them to people in your vicinity or dispose of them in a proper way. And, don’t forget that not all of these items are on this list, and it’s very important for you to check this with the movers of your choice.

Prepare for the movers by keeping your pets away

Mind our comparison, but pets tend to be very similar to kids on a moving day. They are difficult to handle and can get in your movers’ way. Of course, the best moving company Texas offers is not going to find your pet irritating, but it is better to make the entire environment much safer for everybody. Therefore, it would be wise to keep them away.

A puppy in nature

Before thinking of ways how to prepare for movers, make sure that you have a safe place for your pet around the moving day.

The good news is that there are shelters where you can leave your pets for a few days. Depending on how distant the move is and the attachment of your pet to you and its needs, you may choose to leave it there for a day or longer. Still, the best option is to leave them with your friends whom they already know. Pets have feelings as well. Moving is a stressful period for them too.

You can also prepare refreshments for your movers

We already showed you the most essential tips on how to prepare for movers. However, there are a few more things you can do out of courtesy. One of those things is thinking about the well-being and stamina of your movers. Movers will be running around your home carrying large and heavy items. Then, they will be carrying them down the stairs and into the truck. After that, they will have to do all of it again once you arrive at your destination. You should think about how you can help them while they are going about their business. All that you should do is try to stay out of their way. Prepare refreshments and snacks. Leave them somewhere where they can be easily reached. Ask your movers what else they might need and you will be done with preparing for them.

Remember to prepare some cash for tips

Another way in which you can say thank you to your movers is this. Of course, this is not obligatory. However, if you are not moving on a budget and you have some money aside, it would be nice to treat them. If it happens that your team of movers has done a great job and they have met all of your moving needs, they deserve this.

In order to prepare for your movers, you should have cash on you

You should have some cash on you in order to give tips to your movers

In case you would like to know how much you should tip your movers, here are some ideas. For example, if you are moving locally, tip them $20. And, if you are moving long-distance tip them between $30 and $40. So, wait until the end of the moving day and the quality of their services will help you make a decision.

With a good plan and some work, you will welcome your movers prepared!

Relocation is certainly a highly complex process during which you should get as much help as possible. Feel free to visit Verified Movers and find professionals that will take expert care of your move. By doing this, you are going to have expert moving help which ensures that everything will go in the right direction. Now that we have shown you how to prepare for movers and provided you with some basic tips, expect a smooth process. Don’t forget to make a moving checklist and an inventory list to keep track of your tasks and items. Otherwise, start with the preparations on time and there won’t be any pressure. Good luck!