How to Pack for a Move and Prepare for Movers

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the 9 best packing and moving tips for any family

Congratulations! Moving day is finally here. You’ve packed, boxed, and taped your belongings after making several trips to Goodwill. The hard part is over — almost. Before you get too relaxed, there are a few things to consider when preparing for a move, even if you aren’t doing the heavy lifting. Knowing how to prepare for a move starts with diligent planning. Trust White Glove Moving & Storage, your trusted moving company in Queens, NY, to assist you in making your move as smooth as possible.

Refer to the content below to learn how to prepare for a move!

How to Start Preparing for Movers

Moving day is getting closer, and you have some key choices to make before it arrives. Make sure you have a plan in place so that moving day is smooth and painless. You should know which parts of the move you’re handling yourself and which parts you’re delegating to White Glove. Find somewhere to keep all of your moving plans, checklists, receipts, contracts, and other paperwork — like a digital document or a notebook — so you stay organized and on track.

Not sure how to prepare for moving? Here are some questions to know the answers to before the time comes:

  • Do you have the confidence in yourself to pack up your own home, or will you hire professionals for the job?
  • Do you need a moving truck or a moving service? If so, do you have a moving company in mind?
  • If you’ve decided to use a moving company, do you know what movers will and will not move?
  • Will you be using plastic bins, cardboard boxes, or something else to pack things in?
  • Do you have enough moving containers to get the job done, or will you need to obtain more?
  • Do you want to buy moving insurance?

Packing Yourself vs. Using a Professional Packer

As your moving day approaches, you have so much to do that you might be better off using a professional packing service. This type of service allows you to choose whether movers pack some or all of your belongings, depending on your budget and preferences. If you don’t have a budget, you could save a lot of time and energy hiring White Glove to pack and unpack your house — especially if you don’t know how to prepare to move out.

Pack Up the Right Way

If you are only hiring movers, not packers, then you will need to know the right ways to pack for moving.

Minimize Your Belongings

When preparing for movers, we suggest minimizing your belongings before packing. Get rid of anything you don’t use or want anymore. Host a yard sale, donate items in good condition to a local charity, or find a loved one who may want the things you’re getting rid of. This reduces the number of boxes to move and makes moving day go faster.

Stock Up on Packing Supplies

Next, stock up on packing supplies. You’ll need packing tape, boxes or storage containers, a marker for labeling boxes, and packing peanuts or other insulation for fragile items. Some grocery stores will give you their cardboard boxes for free, but if you don’t want the waste, you could invest in some durable, reusable containers.

Pack Strategically

Once it’s time to start packing, you should know how to pack things up safely. Generally, durable and heavy items go on the bottom of your moving containers, while lighter and more delicate objects should be wrapped in paper or bubble wrap and placed on top. Make certain that all delicate items are well-padded to prevent any potential damage during transit. It’s a good practice to use smaller boxes for packing small, heavy items and larger boxes for larger, lighter items. Before the movers in NYC arrive, ensure that everything is properly boxed up. White Glove Moving & Storage offers expert pack and move services to help you manage this process with ease.

Label and Color Code Everything

Clearly label your boxes or color code them with colored duct tape according to their room. This way, when you arrive at your new home, your movers will know exactly where to take each box. The last thing you want is to have dozens of boxes scattered around your home while you try to find the one with your shoes or jeans.

For yourself, pack a suitcase with all the essentials such as toiletries, clean clothes, and pajamas for the night.

Make Arrangements for Kids and Pets

On moving day, your doors will likely need to be open for a few hours at a time. To keep a clear head, few distractions, and even fewer potential hazards, make arrangements for your kids and pets to be out of the way.

You could hire a babysitter for the children, board your pets for a day or two, or ask a friend or relative to keep them at their house on moving day. Your pets could even be kept behind a baby gate or in a separate room in your house.

With fewer little arms and legs running around, and no dogs running under your movers’ feet as they carry your couch down the porch steps, the move will go much more smoothly.

Familiarize the Movers With Your Home and Parking Situation

When the movers arrive, a brief home introduction is needed. Let them know ahead of time where they can park. If you live in an apartment building that does not have an obvious loading spot, talk to the property manager a few days before to get permission to have the moving truck parked in front of the building. When the movers arrive, walk them through the house and highlight any boxes containing fragile items so they can make a note of how to load them. You should also indicate any furniture that won’t fit through the door and must be disassembled.

How to Prepare for Movers

On moving day, it’s important to remember that professional packers get just as tired as you do. With that being said, it’s polite to have a few bottles of water ready for them and show them where the restroom is upon their arrival at your house. Don’t forget to have some cash on hand the day before the move for tipping. It’s not required, but it is courteous. It’s frustrating to want to tip your movers as they are about to leave, only to realize you don’t have any cash on you.

Clear the walkways to make sure that boxes and large items are against the wall instead of obstructing hallways so they have an easy time and avoid accidents. Please make sure to clear the way for the movers to get in and out of the front door. It’s also a good idea to lay down some drop cloths, tarps, or large blankets to prevent floor scuffs when heavy furniture is being moved. If it is raining outside, we also suggest putting down some towels. It will protect your floor as well as prevent any slips. In the event of snow, it’s crucial to salt your sidewalk, driveway, and stairs so the movers don’t slip on ice while moving heavy furniture.

Take Care of Things Movers Won’t Move

Something that is often overlooked in the moving process is that movers will not move everything. It’s essential to be aware of the limitations, even when relying on professional white glove movers in New Jersey. These are a few items you might have in your shed or your garage, and also in your bathroom cabinet, that professional movers won’t transport:

  • Gasoline
  • Oxygen bottles
  • Lighter fluid
  • Matches
  • Propane cylinders
  • Nail polish remover 
  • Paints and paint thinners 
  • Fireworks

Some of these items are dangerous for anyone to move in a vehicle, and you are better off replacing them in your new home. Other items you should handle yourself are important documents, jewelry, and other valuables. If you are looking to move designer installations, make sure to discuss your ideas with your moving company ahead of time so they can prepare accordingly. Moving can be overwhelming and stressful.

With the right steps taken ahead of time, you can make the process much smoother. One of these steps is hiring professional movers to get the job done faster. We also offer our services in New Jersey and Kentucky. If you’re moving from NJ to Kentucky, be sure to familiarize the movers with the parking situation at your new home. For a moving quote, call us today. To learn more about how to prepare for movers, take a look at our infographic below.

Infographic: how to pack and prepare for movers