Full service moves are a great option. You simply pay the movers to come to your home and work for you. They'll complete the hard tasks like packing, loading, transporting, unloading and unpacking your belongings. However, just because they are doing the hard part doesn't mean that you should be out of the house completely!
Read on to find out your responsibilities on moving day while the movers work.
Your responsibilities at your old home on moving day
While you don't want to be looking over your movers' shoulders all day, you shouldn't be completely out of sight. Plan on being close by in the next room. This way, you won't be a distraction to the movers, but you'll be close enough if they have any questions for you. It might be a good idea to drop in on them every so often, in case you have any questions or concerns about the move.
There are also several things you can do to help out your movers. As they go about your house packing everything up and making trips from your home to the truck, here are some things you can do:
- Keep pets occupied and out of the way. Pets have a knack for being nosy and constantly under foot. To ensure your furry friend's safety, keep them locked in an empty room that's already been packed. If you have paid for full packing services, and there are no rooms that won't be accessed by the movers, consider asking a neighbor to watch your pet for a few hours. If you must, you can keep your dog in the backyard or your cat in a carrier until it is time to leave for their new home.
- Keep children occupied. On moving day, there will be people in and out of your home, hauling heavy furniture and appliances. If your children get in the way of all the commotion, they could become seriously injured. Consider hiring a babysitter, creating a "safe room" or sending the little ones out into the backyard to play.
- Serve refreshments (and even lunch) to the movers. Movers work hard to move the contents of your household from one location to another. It's a job that requires diligence, skill and back-breaking labor. To show your appreciation, keep a cooler of drinks and snacks on hand to offer the workers. You could also offer to buy them pizza, burgers or sandwiches.
- Have cash for tips. While tipping is not necessarily expected in the moving industry, it is a generous way to show appreciation for a job well-done. Full service movers take care of every aspect of your move for you, so you may want to express your gratitude accordingly. The size of your move and the number of movers will determine the size of your tip, but there is no set amount expected.
- Avoid confusion by setting aside boxes you're going to move yourself. Some things you may consider moving yourself include extremely valuable jewelry, important documents like financial statements, medicines or photos.
You responsibilities en route to your new home
During the transportation stage, there isn't much you should be doing aside from focusing on getting to your new home.
Prior to leaving, make sure that the movers have your correct new address -- double checking with them can never hurt. Also, provide them with your cell phone number, so they can keep in touch and let you know if they encounter any problems or delays.
You responsibilities at your new home during the move in
Upon reaching your new home, your responsibilities will be letting the movers do their jobs while staying close enough in case of any questions or issues.
As the movers bring everything into your home, let them know where you want your large furniture pieces to go. They can work more efficiently if they know where to put everything.
Although the movers do all the grunt work during a full service move, you will have plenty of things to do yourself. By following these tips, you can help keep things running smoothly on your moving day.