Move day usually goes one of two ways: smooth and over by 3pm, or a disaster that drags until 10pm. The difference is almost always preparation in the 12 hours before the crew arrives, and how you brief them when they show up.
The night before
- Final pack-down: kitchen to paper plates, bathroom to a single kit, bedroom down to the bed you’re sleeping in and one outfit for tomorrow.
- Disassemble the bed frame (unless the crew is doing it). Bag the hardware, tape it to the headboard.
- Strip the bed in the morning, not now. You’ll sleep better on sheets.
- Charge everything. Phone, kids’ tablets, speakers, anything with a battery. Outlets are hard to access during the load.
- Park your car somewhere it won’t block the truck. If you have a driveway, leave it on the street so the truck takes the driveway.
- Eat a real dinner. Moving days are physically demanding even if a crew does the lifting; energy management starts the night before.
- Set out: walking shoes, water bottle, a real watch.
The morning of, before the crew
- Wake up early. First crew arrival is usually 7-9am; you want a 60-minute head start.
- Coffee, breakfast, hydration. Then no caffeine until the load is done — you don’t want adrenaline + caffeine + lifting decisions.
- Final sweep walkthrough. Every room, every closet, every cabinet, behind every door, on top of every cabinet. Things get left in surprising places. Make a list of anything that’s staying.
- Identify the “do not load” pile: items riding in your car, the first-night box, valuables, paperwork, prescriptions. Physically separate them — put them in your car or in a clearly labeled corner near the front door.
- Open the gate / unlock the door / clear the path. Anything the crew needs to physically access should already be accessible.
- Put the dog in a closed room with food, water, and the door clearly labeled “DO NOT OPEN — DOG INSIDE.” Or take the dog with you to a friend’s for the day; that’s better for both of you.
When the crew arrives
The first 15 minutes are the most important of the day. Don’t skip them.
- Greet the lead by name. Names matter and make the rest of the day easier.
- Walk every room with the crew. Show them: load order preferences, fragile items, anything specialty (piano, gun safe), the “do not load” pile.
- Show them the access path. Truck location, door to use, where stairs are, where the elevator is, any tight turns they’ll hit.
- Confirm the rate and the estimated time to finish. Get alignment NOW; you don’t want to discover a misunderstanding at hour 3.
- Show them the bathroom they should use.
- Offer water. It’s hot work; even good crews need water reminders.
During the load
- Stay accessible but don’t hover. The crew has questions for the first hour (“Does this dresser come apart? Is this lamp going?”) and then they’ll work without interruption.
- Don’t reorganize their packing. They have a system. If you’re worried about a specific item, mention it once and trust them.
- Don’t leave to run errands. “I’ll be back in 30 minutes” is how things get loaded wrong. Stay on site until the load is done.
- Refill water, offer Gatorade in summer. Crews work harder than you might think.
- Take pictures of the truck once it’s about halfway loaded. If anything’s damaged at the destination, you have a record.
Final walkthrough after load
The most-skipped step. Crew is tired, you’re tired, you both want to be done. Do it anyway.
- Every room: open every drawer, every cabinet, every closet, the attic, the basement. Look behind doors. Look on top of cabinets.
- Inside the dishwasher.
- Behind the washer and dryer.
- In the medicine cabinet (people miss this constantly).
- Outside: garage, shed, deck, the side yard.
- In the freezer (frozen leftovers; toss them or take a small cooler).
If you find stuff, it goes in the truck now or in your car. Don’t leave it.
In your car (not the truck)
The list of stuff that should ride with you:
- Phone, wallet, keys, cash for tips
- Prescriptions, daily medications
- Important documents: passport, birth certificate, social security card, lease/closing paperwork
- Valuables: cash, jewelry, fine art
- Laptops you use for work
- First-night box: sheets for one bed, toilet paper, soap, toothbrush, a clean outfit, phone chargers, paper plates
- Pets, leashes, food, litter, carriers
- Houseplants
- Cooler with food/drinks for the drive
- Tools you might need at the destination (drill, basic hand tools)
Paying the crew
- Cash, Venmo, Zelle, or card — confirm at booking which the crew prefers.
- Tip if they earned it. Tipping loading crews has the regional norms.
- Get a receipt or text confirmation, especially if this is a work-reimbursed move.
Drive to the destination
- Don’t rush. Big trucks ride differently than your car. Higher center of gravity, longer braking distance, harder turns.
- Watch for low bridges. Boston’s Storrow Drive and the New Jersey parkways are famous. Most truck GPS apps warn for clearance; your phone’s regular GPS doesn’t.
- Take wider turns. Especially with a trailer.
- Stop every 2 hours on longer drives. Stretch, hydrate, walk around the truck to check the load.
At the new place
- First: locate the bathroom, the breaker box, the water shutoff, the parking situation. In that order.
- Tape signs on each room door with the room name as you labeled boxes. “BEDROOM-1” on the door of bedroom 1.
- Walk the crew through the destination access just like you did at the origin.
- Direct placement in real time. “Couch goes against that wall.” “Dresser by the window.” Don’t say “anywhere” — you’ll spend a week rearranging.
End of day
- One bed made, one bathroom functional. Don’t try to unpack everything. Sleep.
- Take a hot shower. You earned it.
- Order delivery. Cooking your first night in a new kitchen is masochism.
- Tomorrow you finish.