How to prepare for your movers

Everyone knows that moving can be very stressful. Even more so if you wait until the last minute to prepare your home before your big move date. In this article I wanted to talk about some things you can do to help alleviate this stress and to make your move day go as smooth as possible.

Tip #1: Lighten the load by selling / donating any excess items

Moving can be a great time to purge some of the unnecessary clutter that we tend to accumulate as time goes on. Before you start packing, try and see if there are any items that you could sell or donate BEFORE your move date so that when your movers arrive, there are less things for them to move.

If you have a good amount of time before your actual move date, then having a garage sale could be a great way to earn some extra cash and lighten the load of your overall move. (And this will help offset the overall cost of moving!)

If you are on a time crunch, then calling up friends and family and asking them if they want or need any of your cluttered items could be a great way to have them come and haul away any items you aren't taking to your new home.

Another great way to quickly purge is to post your unwanted items to sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or apps like Offer Up, and Let Go. Between these services you should have no problem getting rid of that old raggedy couch!

Tip #2: Start packing early

This is not to say that if your move is a month away, that you need to have ALL of your items packed and ready to go now. But the earlier you start packing, the less stress you will feel in the days leading up to move day.

Even if you pledge to just pack one box a day after work, doing so will cover a lot of ground before crunch time arrives. (And remember that trash bags are NOT a good method of transporting clothes! They can be annoying to stack in the truck, they tear, and you can not stack 4-5 of them on a handtruck. Bite the bullet and box it up for a more efficient move.)

Start packing the things that you know you will not need in the time leading up to your move. For example you could start packing excess linens out of closets, off season clothes, extra pantry items, clearing out the entertainment center from the living room, cleaning out your garage or basement, ETC.

Doing so will not only lessen your stress, but also ensure that your items are safer as you aren't packing in a rush the day before your move. And don't forget to label your boxes clearly so your movers don't have to ask where every box goes. This will result in a smoother and more efficient unloading process.

Also if you opt to spend the money, another option is hiring the movers to help with packing which many of our busier customers choose to do.

Depending on the size of your move, the movers can split your move into a two day process: the first day is spent on packing / preparing your home, and the second day is your actual move day. For smaller moves this can sometimes be accomplished in one day. Be sure to ask your moving company how they recommend going about your specific move.

Often times this is a great option but just be sure to let your movers know BEFORE your move date that you will also need help packing, as this can sometimes effect the amount of movers they send, and the amount of packing materials they will bring.

Tip #3: Don't wait until move day to secure your new home

Be sure to get the keys to your new home at least a day or two before your actual move date. Often times our customers wait to try and claim their new apartment / home the same day we are arriving to move their stuff.

This can lead to a very stressful experience for you because sometimes the wait time to get your keys is longer than you expected, and you may end up paying your movers to sit and wait for you to be able to access your new home. This happens more often than you would think and can be easily avoided by securing your new home prior to your move date.

Tip #4: Book your rental truck / POD prior to your move date

If you are planning on renting a truck / POD and hiring labor-only movers, it is recommended to make the reservations about a week or two before your move date. In today's housing market, rental trucks and PODS of all sizes are in high demand.

Stay ahead of the curve by making reservations with companies like U-haul, Penske, Ryder, POD, or U-Pack before your move date. This way they know when you will be picking up the truck, and they will often have the truck pulled out front, gassed up, and cleaned out, prior to your arrival. Or they will be sure to have your POD delivered by the time your move date arrives.

Tip #5: Reserve Parking

This is more so of a tip for those of you who hire "full-service" moving companies as they need a place to park their 26 ft. truck when they arrive at your destination (26 foot truck is the standard truck size for most full service moving companies). But this also applies to those of you who opt to rent your own moving truck for the day.

We try and remind our customers during the booking process to reserve parking at both the pickup AND the drop off locations. However, oftentimes movers are forced to park their moving trucks in a less-than-ideal location for loading your household goods. This can prolong the move, which ends up increasing your overall moving bill by large margin (remember most movers charge by the hour).

If you call your city often time they will allow you to reserve a parking spot on the street specifically for a moving truck or you can go the old school method and block off some parking spots with your car(s) or ask your neighbor to hold a spot with their car and then move it upon arrival of the moving truck.

Remember a 26 ft truck often needs about a 30 foot long parking spot. This is can be an advantage to renting a smaller 16-18 foot moving truck as they can navigate tighter streets and steeper driveways than a traditional 26 foot moving truck.

Also, if you are moving into an apartment style building, talk to the management team and ask if they have a specified "loading zone" for move-ins or move-outs. Sometimes buildings have off-street loading zones to help maximize efficient moves which both saves you money, and makes moves happen much faster and in a more convenient manner for other residents of the building.

Its important to think about your pickup and drop off location's parking and try and decide what size truck will be best to accomplish your move in the most efficient manner.

Tip #6: Reserve your building's elevator

This tip is similar to the parking tip in that it is geared toward allowing your movers the most efficient route possible to your new home. If you live in an apartment building, oftentimes the management will allow you to book the elevator specifically for your move.

This means that your movers aren't stuck waiting for the elevator while other residents or sometimes other movers are using it (happens more often than you would think). Typically only buildings with more than one elevator will allow you to do this but it can be a HUGE help to maximizing your movers time and thus saving your money.

The building's management will typically have an elevator key that puts the elevator into a 'hold' mode that holds the door open until you move the key back into its 'normal' mode. Once you get to your required floor, you flip the key back into 'Hold' mode and you don't have to worry about the elevator trying to close the doors on you while carrying heavy items.

They may also put up 'reserved for moving' signs on the elevators to let other residents know to use alternate elevators during the move in period.

We hope that you can take these tips and implement them to ensure a seamless move come move day. And remember if you are in the Portland, Oregon area and need help moving, please give Pack My Truck Moving Co. a call at 503-853-9822 / submit an inquiry on our home page / or email us at packmytruck@outlook.com.

Happy moving!