Moving Day

Moving guide for what to do at your old home: 

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• Gather tools and supplies: Professional movers may have most supplies on hand. If not, make sure you have trash bags, rope, extra boxes, dollies, and tape. You’ll also need water and snacks to help keep up your energy.

• Store your valuables with you: There’s no need to be too paranoid, but keeping expensive items like jewelry with you can help prevent theft or loss. Through the hectic move day, it’s always best to have these items where you can see them.

• Protect the old place: You don’t want to damage anything while you’re moving out of a home. (If you’re renting, you could lose your security deposit!) So, put down carpet, floor, and door frame protectors throughout the home.

• Label everything accordingly: If you haven’t yet, make sure all boxes and items are labeled as accurately as possible. This will help moving day go faster and make your unpacking much more efficient.

• Coordinate with the movers: If you have professionals arriving, make sure you greet them promptly and show them where everything is. They’ll want to know how you’ve packed and organized items so they can decide what to bring into the moving truck first.

• Stay out of the way: If you’re using professional movers, they know what they’re doing. They’ll move and load your stuff in a way that makes sense. Stay close by if they need something, but don’t micromanage! You could slow the process down.

• Load appliance first, if you’re not using professionals: Then you’ll want to pack large appliances – washers, dryers, refrigerators – first, then pack your labeled boxes by room, finishing with the kitchen and master bedroom. Those are the rooms most people want to set up first after a move.

• Secure your moving truck: As you go, you’ll want to make sure your moving truck is as secure as possible. Make sure heavy boxes are on the bottom so your items won’t topple over. When you’re done packing, secure it even more with ropes or ties. Professional movers should know to do this, so don’t worry.

• Double-check your home inventory: Go through every room and closet in the old place to make sure you didn’t forget anything. Double-check your packing list (which should have a log of all of the boxes and their content), and make sure nothing is left in the old home. Lock all doors and windows.

• Make a clean getaway: No, you don’t want to clean the old place. But you need to so you won’t feel guilty when new tenants arrive. (If you’re leaving a rental, cleaning might be mandatory for your security deposit).

• Leave a note with your address: Ask the new residents to forward any mail that makes it past your change-of-address request.

• Save your receipts: If you use professional movers or rental truck services, make sure to keep your receipts and contracts. You’ll want them on hand in case anything goes wrong on moving day.

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What to do at your new home:

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• Before unloading: Check out the new home again to make sure everything is in good working order. This is much easier while it’s empty. Find the fuse box and the main water valve.

• Make a clean start, too: Wipe down surfaces and sweep the entire home before you unload anything because you’ll never have this opportunity again.

• Protect the new home: Take the same protectants you used in your old home, such as floor and door protectors, and place them throughout the new home.

• Conduct a quick tour: If you have people helping with you who haven’t seen the new space before, show them around first before unloading. Point out each room so the movers can match your labeled boxes with the areas they should go to.

• Keep an eye on things: Stay out of the way, but check furniture and appliances (if professionals are moving you) for scratches and dings as they’re brought into the house. Contact the moving company immediately if you see anything. (If you’re depending on friends for the move, you might have to turn the other way to any minor damage.)

• Stay organized while unloading: Remember when we reminded you to label everything? This is where that comes in handy. Try to unload boxes in the rooms or areas where their items will go.

• Unpack as you go if possible: If you’re unloading in tight quarters, it may not be feasible, but try unpacking as others are unloading to help save time and get ahead of the work.

• Pay the movers and thank them for their time: After everything is unloaded, make sure you thank and pay your movers or helpers unless they’re also staying to unpack— tip professionals 10% to 20% based on their assistance.

• Set up your bed first: Trust us, you’ll want a place to put your head down at the end of a long day. Set up your bed, mattress, and linens, so you can get a good night’s sleep in your new home.

• Assemble storage and furniture, if you’re up for it: Put together your furniture and storage space — it will give you more room to unpack.

• Toast to new life chapters: Congrats, mover! You’re in your new home! Grab a slice of pizza and a drink — you’ve earned it!

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The bottom line

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Moving is a very involved process that takes much longer than you might expect. Moving day is one thing, but there’s plenty of prep and post-move tasks that go into unpacking and settling into a new home. The best way to prepare for an easy move is to follow a detailed moving checklist like ours. Your checklist for moving into a new home will keep you on track to save time, money, and stress.

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