What Movers Wish You’d Do Before Moving Day

Most of what makes a move run long has nothing to do with how fast the crew works. It's the stuff that didn't get sorted out before the truck showed up. Here's what actually moves the needle, from the people who do this every week.

1. Be fully packed before we arrive

This is the big one. "Almost packed" is the single most expensive phrase in moving. If the crew is standing around while you finish a closet, you're paying for labor that isn't loading the truck — and the loading plan gets worse, because we're working around a pile of loose items instead of stackable boxes.

If you're not going to make it, that's completely fine — just tell us in advance and book packing help. It's cheaper than improvising on the day.

2. Sort out parking before moving day

This one catches people constantly, especially in downtown St. Pete and Tampa. A truck that can't get close means every single item gets carried further, and a long carry adds real time to the job.

If you're in a condo or apartment: reserve the elevator and the loading dock, and check whether your building restricts move-in hours. Some buildings only allow moves on weekdays, or require a certificate of insurance from your mover in advance — ask early, because that paperwork can take a few days.

3. Empty the dressers (mostly)

A loaded dresser is heavy, unbalanced, and much more likely to get damaged — drawers slide, joints rack, and the whole piece becomes a two-person problem instead of a one-person one. Soft clothing can sometimes stay in a sturdy dresser, but anything heavy or breakable needs to come out.

Definitely empty anything with glass, mirrors, or loose shelving.

4. Put aside the box you'll need first

Pack one clearly-marked box that stays with you, not on the truck: medications, chargers, toilet paper, soap, a change of clothes, basic tools, coffee, and anything you'd panic about if it went missing.

Same goes for valuables. Jewelry, cash, passports, hard drives, and irreplaceable documents should travel in your own car. Not because anything is going to happen — but because you'll sleep better, and no reputable mover will argue with you about it.

5. Tell us about the hard stuff up front

A safe, a piano, a gun cabinet, a treadmill, an aquarium, a marble table top — these are all movable, but they change how we staff and equip the job. Finding out about a 600-pound safe when we arrive means we might not have the right equipment on the truck.

The same is true of stairs, narrow doorways, tight turns, steep driveways, and anything on a third floor with no elevator. None of it is a problem if we know. All of it is a problem if we don't.

6. Do a walkthrough with the crew when they arrive

Take five minutes at the start and walk the whole place with the lead mover. Point out what's going, what's staying, what's fragile, and anything that needs special handling. Five minutes here prevents the two most common moving-day annoyances: something getting loaded that was supposed to stay, and something getting left behind that was supposed to go.

Do the same walkthrough at the other end before the crew leaves — check closets, the garage, behind doors, and the back of the truck.

7. Plan for pets and small kids

Moving day involves propped-open doors, heavy objects, and a lot of foot traffic. It's genuinely the most likely day of the year for a pet to slip out. If you can, arrange for pets and young kids to be somewhere else for the loading window. If you can't, pick one room, put everything for that room in it, and keep the door shut with a sign on it.

8. Know what movers can't legally take

Licensed movers generally can't transport hazardous materials — propane tanks, gasoline, paint, aerosols, fireworks, pool chemicals, and similar. This isn't us being difficult; it's a safety and regulatory issue. Plan to transport those yourself or dispose of them properly before the move.

Pinellas County runs household hazardous waste drop-off for exactly this.

9. Confirm the details the day before

Arrival window, both addresses, gate or building codes, your phone number, and how you're paying. A two-minute confirmation call prevents the crew sitting outside a locked gate at 8am while your phone is packed in a box somewhere.

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