How to Prepare for Move Day

The week before

• Confirm the arrival window, the address and the crew size in writing with us.
• Reserve the elevator or loading dock, and ask the building what paperwork it needs.
• Sort the things that cannot travel, such as hazardous materials and perishables.
• Start the packing you plan to do yourself, heaviest and least used rooms first.
• Set aside a box of essentials that stays with you.

The night before

• Clear a path from the door to the truck, inside and out.
• Put the boxes that travel with you somewhere the crew will not pack them.
• Charge your phone, and keep chargers and keys off the moving truck.
• Defrost and clean the fridge if it is travelling, and let it dry before loading.

The morning of

• Be there, or have someone there, to answer questions and sign the paperwork.
• Point out anything fragile, anything newly repaired, and anything you are worried about.
• Keep pets and children away from the loading path.
• Have payment ready in the method you chose when booking.

What our crew handles

The crew arrives with the equipment the job needs, not just muscle:

• Furniture blankets and stretch wrap for upholstery, case goods and mattresses.
• Dollies, hand trucks and straps for anything heavy or awkward.
• Floor runners and door-frame protection, so walls and floors are covered before anything moves.
• Wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes, and tools to take down and rebuild beds, tables and shelving.

If the 26 foot truck cannot reach your door because of a narrow lane, a low bridge or a height restriction, we use a smaller van as an exception to shuttle items the last stretch. We tell you in advance when the address suggests that will happen.

What you handle

• Valuables, documents, medication and jewelry: these travel with you, never on the truck.
• Anything you plan to pack yourself, and the boxes you have already closed.
• Parking or the loading dock, unless you asked us to arrange it with the building.
• Final walk through: check closets, cupboards, the garage and the balcony before the truck leaves.

Elevator and loading dock reservations

Buildings that have a move-in policy usually want the reservation, a certificate of insurance, and sometimes a deposit. Book the elevator for a window that covers the whole job, not just the loading, and ask whether the freight elevator is the only one you may use.

If your building needs proof of insurance, the certificate of insurance request form starts that process.

Parking and access

Street parking is the other half of access. See parking permits and loading zones for how to reserve a space city by city, and tell us if the truck will need to park more than a building length from the door.