· Michael Blair
A moving crew is priced by the hour or by the job, and either way the house they walk into decides how the day goes. Boxes still open, a fridge not defrosted, a truck with nowhere to park, and a family looking for the kettle at nine at night are all avoidable, and all of them are set up in the final week. This is the list that keeps the day on schedule.
Seven days out
Confirm the booking in writing, with the arrival window, the crew size, the truck size and the addresses at both ends. Ask what the crew will and will not pack and load, so nothing is discovered on the day. Transfer or schedule utilities at both properties, because a house with no power at the destination in July is a problem for the crew and a bigger one for the fridge.
Arrange parking. A moving truck needs a long clear stretch close to the door at both ends. In the denser Nashville neighborhoods that can mean asking neighbors to keep a space clear, or checking with the city about a temporary no-parking arrangement on a narrow street. A truck parked a block away adds hours of carrying.
Three days out
Finish packing everything except what will be used in the last two days. Every box should be sealed, labeled on the side with the room it is going to, and closed flat so it stacks. A crew moving sealed labeled boxes is fast; a crew moving open boxes and loose items is not, and most companies will not load an open box at all.
Defrost the freezer and empty the refrigerator down to what fits in a cooler. Drain the washing machine and the garden hose. Disassemble anything you agreed to disassemble, beds in particular, and put the hardware in a labeled bag taped to the frame. Take down curtains, blinds that are going, and anything mounted on walls that is coming with you.
- Everything packed, sealed and labeled by room
- Fridge and freezer empty and defrosted
- Beds and furniture that need it disassembled, hardware bagged
- Wall-mounted items down, cables labeled
The night before
Pack the first-night box and keep it with you, not on the truck: kettle or coffee maker, mugs, toilet paper, towels, phone chargers, medications, a change of clothes, basic tools, bedding for the first night, and pet food. Pack a separate box or bag with documents, valuables, keys and anything the movers will not carry.
Walk the house and clear the paths. Rugs that could slide, boxes in hallways, and anything low that a crew carrying a sofa cannot see are the things that cause damage and injury. Put a note on any item that is staying, because a crew that has been told everything goes will take everything.
On the morning
Be there before the crew, with children and pets somewhere else. Walk the lead mover through the house, point out anything fragile, heavy, or awkward, and confirm what is staying. Keep the first-night box and the documents in your own car. Have water available for the crew, especially in summer.
At the destination, be there first and decide where the large furniture goes before it comes off the truck. Moving a sofa twice is the most common way a move runs over. Check the inventory as the truck empties, and note any damage on the paperwork before signing rather than calling about it the following week.