How to Prepare for Movers: 8 Essential Tips for Success

How can you get your home ready for the movers?

How to prepare for movers? Moving to a new home requires a lot of preparation. This task involves careful planning to ensure that everything goes smoothly. You need to prepare your belongings for transport, get your old place ready for sale, and arrange your new home. To ensure a successful relocation, you need to take a comprehensive approach. Taking proactive steps before moving day, even if they seem small, can make a big difference in reducing stress and avoiding complications.

So, what to do before the movers come? What do you need to do to get your household, property, family, and yourself ready for this big day?

Step #1: Organize your possessions

Categorize your belongings well in advance of moving day, ideally a month or two in advance, to allow yourself enough time to decide what you want to keep and what you can get rid of by selling or donating. Rushing into decisions about your belongings can lead to confusion and frustration on a moving day, not to mention complicating the moving process and potentially increasing the final cost. So what is the best way of preparing your home for movers?

We strongly recommend that you take the following preparatory steps in advance:

Dispose of irreparable and worn-out items. Throw away irreparably damaged or excessively worn items.
Donate items that are no longer needed. Why not consider donating items that are still in good condition but no longer needed? This way, you can declutter your space while also helping those who may benefit from the items you no longer use. Simply gather the items and set them aside for donation.
Set apart valuable items for potential sale. Identify and set aside valuable items that you can sell, which will allow you to get additional funds for your move.
Organize your possessions. If you are wondering how to prepare your house for a moving company, we recommend organizing the things you plan to move to your new place of residence. Distribute them by type, purpose, priority, destination room, or any logical criterion that will facilitate a quick and uncomplicated unpacking process.

Step #2: Create a comprehensive moving inventory

Once you have completed the selection of items for your new home, start creating a complete inventory list with a detailed description of each item to be transported by the movers:

Record vital information. List all important details for each item that will be moved, including type, quantity, material, brand, serial number, estimated value, and relevant features. This helps ensure accurate documentation and reference throughout the moving process.
Document current condition. But how to get ready for movers in order to safeguard your property? Clearly state the current condition of each item. Provide a detailed description of its current condition and document any previous damage to ensure accurate representation.
Include visual documentation. Include photos of each item taken shortly before the upcoming move. Additionally, include all relevant documentation such as warranties, maintenance receipts, certificates of authenticity and appraisal reports.

When moving, it’s helpful to create a list of everything you’re taking with you. It helps you estimate the cost of moving, organize your things, and make sure everything arrives safely at your new home. Additionally, this list is important if anything gets lost or damaged during the move and you need to file a claim.

Your list also plays a part in deciding how much your belongings are worth. This will help you decide if you need extra insurance to protect your things during the move. When choosing your insurance, read the terms and conditions carefully and pick the one that’s best for you. This way, you can make sure your valuables are protected during the move.

Step #3: Carefully consider the details of your move

In order to effectively organize a smooth move, it is very important to think carefully about every aspect and develop an appropriate strategy:

Notify the moving team of potential challenges

It is important to analyze the unique characteristics of your original location (steep stairs, limited doorways, narrow roads, special parking rules, restrictions on moving and parking times, etc.) and pass this information on to the moving company team in advance. This will allow them to accurately calculate the number of personnel needed, the appropriate size of the vehicle and the specialized equipment required to complete the move.

Secure a parking space for the moving van

Make sure there is a suitable parking space for the movers’ oversized truck. If not, the process will be delayed due to the extra time required to transport your belongings to the parked vehicle, potentially resulting in additional charges for long-distance transport. If parking in a private driveway is not possible, arrange for a special parking space on the street outside your home or obtain a parking permit for a public driveway.

Book an elevator

Reserve an elevator in advance to avoid unnecessary delays for your moving team. Securing a lift ensures the moving process proceeds smoothly and prevents waiting times that could lead to additional costs. Proper planning helps you save time and money while ensuring an efficient relocation.

Step #4: Clean and arrange your belongings

The task of getting ready for movers includes many things. If you’re preparing to move, make sure everything is clean and dry before you load it into the truck. It will not be pleasant to unpack dusty furniture, dirty appliances and stained fabrics in your new home. The dirt and moisture left behind can also damage your belongings during the moving process (water can cause mould, dirt can ruin sensitive surfaces, etc.).

Before the movers arrive, you should:

Remove the batteries from all devices that will be loaded onto the moving truck.
Remove fuel from any fuel-powered equipment (lawn mower, snow blower, etc.).
Unplug and clean electrical appliances — clean, defrost and empty the fridge and freezer. Clean ovens, hobs and microwaves. After washing and defrosting the appliances, dry them with a towel to remove any moisture.
Remove all drawers, cupboards, shelves and other furniture. Clean the surfaces.
All bed linen, towels and clothes that will be packed in the truck should be washed and dried.
Sort your items into categories to make packing easier, faster and safer.
Wash and dispose of rubbish in all the containers you are transporting. Always have a few garbage bags on hand to collect rubbish throughout the day.

Step #5: Pack all items before your movers arrive

How to pack your item to ease the process for movers? If you have agreed with a moving company that they will exclusively collect and transport your belongings, it is important that everything is packed and ready for loading as soon as the truck arrives at your home. Follow these steps:

Label items thoroughly. Clearly label each box with details of the contents, the room it is intended for and any special handling instructions. This careful labelling makes it easier to sort and locate items efficiently when unpacking.
Mark fragile and valuable items. Make sure that boxes containing fragile or valuable items are clearly labelled. This will signal the movers to handle these boxes with extra care, reducing the chance of damage.

If you ask yourself “Should I help movers,” then it is up to you. If you choose a comprehensive moving service, professionals will take care of packing your belongings, freeing you from the need to pack in advance.

Identify items that cannot be loaded into the moving truck

Consider marking a room in your house as a “no-pack room” and locking it to prevent misunderstandings or conflicts with your movers. This will also help to avoid any unexplained disappearances of valuable items during the move.

Mark any large items, such as furniture or appliances, that you will not be moving to your new house. This way, the movers know they should not pack and load these items on the truck.

Remember to protect your data so that no one can access it during your move. Keep personal documents, credit card records, financial documents and other important papers with you at all times (or in a safe room), use a password to protect your computer, shred or burn old documents, and don’t give confidential information to movers (or anyone else).

Step #6: Safeguard your home during the moving process

You’ve done everything possible to make the move easier and prepared all your belongings for transport. How how to prepare your home for movers and packers so that it is in good condition after a chaotic moving day?

Cover carpets and floors with tarps, old blankets, or sheets. This will protect them from dirt and damage and give your movers more traction when moving heavy furniture. For fine finishes and expensive carpets, use plywood sheets or carpet films.
Place rugs at the entrance to the house to prevent dirt from entering.
If it is raining or snowing, it is best to put down old carpets at the entrance and in the hallway of your home. This will prevent rainwater, mud, or snow from getting on the floor.
Cover stairs with anti-slip materials.
Wrap moving blankets or thick fabrics around the railing.
Use old sheets to cover the walls.
Corner pads on walls and stairs can prevent dents and chips at the corners.
Styrofoam is a great way to protect door frames.

Step #7: Ensure a safe and smooth exit from your house

Take the necessary precautions when preparing your home for the movers to arrive so that they can easily and safely transport all your belongings.

Plan the best route to get your items out of your home and into the truck. Measure your furniture, appliances, and other bulky items to determine if they will fit through doors and hallways. If you anticipate difficulty manoeuvring large items, consider removing hinges from doors to create a few extra inches of space. If the doorways or items are small, let the movers know in advance. This will allow them to bring the appropriate tools.
Make sure there is enough space in the room for the movers to move your belongings without hindrance.
Remove mirrors, clocks and pictures from the walls to prevent them from being damaged by the movers when they move large items.
To ensure safe access to and from your home, remove any obstacles that may be in the way. This could be a small object such as a flower pot, shoe, pet food bowl or toy.
To prevent accidents, keep the path from the front door to the moving vehicle free of debris, fallen leaves, and other hazards.

Step #8: Ensure the safety of your children and pets

It is important to keep in mind that moving can be dangerous, especially for children and pets. Injuries may occur if they get hit by a moving truck, and if doors are left open for an extended period, they may escape. Furthermore, the presence of movers may disrupt their daily routines and cause them to become upset or frightened.

On a moving day, leave your children and pets in the care of a trusted friend or relative. This ensures their safety and prevents them from getting in the way of the movers. Additionally, it helps to maintain their regular feeding and sleeping schedules.

If it is not possible for someone you know to take care of your children and pets on moving day, then it’s best to arrange for a babysitter or pet sitter to watch them in a quiet place away from the chaos of the move. Also, make sure to keep your pets in a safe and secure place during the move.