The household items have been packed, the appliances are protected by moving blankets, and the new location is empty and ready. Your moving day is finally here! After all the preparation you’ve been doing for months, it’s now time to focus on the logistics.
If you’ve hired a residential moving company to help with your local move, there is some moving day etiquette that you should follow. The entire moving process can be stressful but there are a few guidelines to remember to get the most out of your hired household moving services.
To make things easier and stress-free for you, we have curated a list of moving etiquette rules professional household movers want you to know.
What to Expect on Moving Day
Moving day is usually chaotic, and you can expect to be busy with a variety of tasks, such as packing up the remainder of your belongings, organizing items for transport, disassembling furniture, and so on. If you hire professionals for packing and unpacking services, they can take care of some of this for you and will even bring packing supplies. Trusting your mover to handle all of your belongings can be daunting, but hiring a professional moving company like Dose Moving, you can rest assured all of your valuables will be handled with respect.
It’s a good idea to create a personal moving plan and prepare for the day ahead of time. You might even pack an essentials box that includes items you’ll need throughout the day, such as a change of clothes, toiletries, snacks, water, and phone chargers.
Here are some other things to keep in mind for moving day:
- Plan for the weather: If you’re moving on a hot day, be sure to dress in breathable clothing and stay hydrated. If it’s cold or wet, dress appropriately and be prepared for potential delays or complications.
- Get plenty of rest: Moving can be physically and mentally exhausting, so it’s important to get as much rest as possible the night before.
- Communicate with your movers: Make sure to let your movers know about any special instructions or concerns you have. If you have any fragile or valuable items, be sure to set them aside so they can take extra care of those items.
- Stay organized: Keep track of your boxes and items as they are loaded onto the truck to ensure that everything makes it to your new home.
Overall, the key to a successful move is being prepared and staying organized. With some planning and careful coordination, moving day can be a smooth and stress-free experience.
Moving Day Etiquette You Should Consider During a Residential Move
Moving isn’t just challenging for you, it’s equally exhausting for the professionals from the moving company. However, by following moving day etiquette, you can ease the overall stress and make the moving experience better for everyone.
Here’s what the professional movers want you to know:
1. Consider Your Old and New Neighbors – Try to Keep Disruptions to a Minimum
Moving can be disruptive for the whole neighborhood, especially for people who live next to you. To be considerate of your old and new neighbors, try to minimize excessive noise and activity during the move.
For example, you can schedule your move for a time when it is least likely to disturb your neighbors, such as during business hours or on the weekend. You should also be mindful of the appearance of your neighborhood and take steps to reduce any mess or clutter that your move might create.
Speak with your moving team and explain any rules about your neighborhood (parking restrictions, noise regulations, trash disposal rules, etc.) to eliminate any kind of disruptions and to prevent your neighbors from getting upset.
2. Help the Movers, But Don’t Hover
It’s important to be helpful and cooperative with your movers, as they are working hard to help you relocate. However, it’s also important to give them space and independence so they can do their job efficiently.
For example, you’ll need to be on hand if your movers have questions about your belongings or need clarification on any instructions. It’s crucial to be responsive and helpful. On the other hand, you don’t want to micromanage, as it might hinder their productivity. It would be better to keep your distance and let them do their job.
Another thing residential movers want you to know is to keep the way cleared. When your movers are loading moving boxes and furniture onto the truck, you should stay out of the way to avoid any accidents or injuries. You can help by directing them to specific items or boxes, but try to avoid lifting or carrying things yourself.
3. Consider Having Refreshments for Your Movers
It is a nice gesture to offer refreshments to your movers, as it shows appreciation for their hard work. Whether or not to provide refreshments is ultimately a personal decision and can depend on a variety of factors.
If your move is only a few hours long, it might not be necessary to provide refreshments. However, you may want to have water available to help the moving company team stay hydrated. If your move is longer, you might want to offer snacks or lunch to keep them energized during the moving process. Beverages like hot cocoa and coffee are much appreciated when moving on a cold day or early morning.
Of course, none of this is required, but it can be a great way to make the day go smoother.
4. Label All Boxes With the Final Destination
Do you want to move every single box you’ve packed to the new location? What if the boxes you’ve planned to donate are accidentally moved to the new location? The easiest way to prevent any confusion is by labeling each box properly.
According to expert residential moving companies, you should use a permanent marker to clearly label each box with its contents and final destination. Avoid using a pen or pencil, as these can fade or smudge over time, especially during loading and unloading.
Instead of just labeling boxes as “bedroom” or “kitchen,” be specific about in which room and area each box should be placed. For example, you might label a box as “Master bedroom – dresser items” or “Guest bathroom – linens”. It will help the movers unload the boxes in the respective rooms.
5. Keep Your Kids and Furry Friends Away During the Moving Process
Moving your entire house is a strenuous task and the chances of injury are high, so keeping the little ones and pets away is the wisest thing to do.
Try to arrange for someone to look after your children and pets on moving day. This will let you focus on the move and ensure that your kids and pets are in a safe and secure environment.
If you can’t find someone to watch your children and pets, consider setting up a designated play area for them in a separate room that’s already been cleared out. Professional movers also recommend keeping an eye on your pets at all times to ensure that they don’t escape or get underfoot.
6. Don’t Leave the Movers Unattended
It’s not good etiquette to leave the property when the movers are working there. Since the moving process is physically demanding, it is important to make sure that the movers have the support they need to complete the job safely.
If you leave the movers unattended, you won’t be able to monitor their progress or intervene if something goes wrong. Sometimes the movers might have questions or need clarification on certain aspects of the move. If you are absent, it will be difficult for the household moving company to get the information they need in a timely manner, which could delay the moving process.
7. Be Ready for the Movers and Have Everything Packed
It’s a good idea to opt for packing services in order to streamline the process. However, if you prefer packing your belongings yourself, it’s important to be ready before the household moving company arrives.
Have a moving checklist handy to make certain that all your possessions are properly packed and ready to be loaded onto the moving truck. It’ll save time and ensure that the movers don’t have to wait around while you finish packing. Also, remove any clutter or obstacles from the areas that the movers will be walking through to make it easier for them to navigate your home and load the moving truck.
Lastly, create a list of all the items that you want the movers to handle to ensure that nothing gets left behind.
8. Keep the Sensitive or Hazardous Items Separate
Residential movers recommend keeping sensitive or hazardous items separate during the moving process to ensure their safety and to comply with any regulations.
Sensitive items might include belongings that are fragile, valuable, or sentimental. Hazardous items include prohibited items that are not allowed to be transported by movers due to legal or liability reasons. Some of these items include lighter fluid, car batteries, cleaning solvents, loaded guns, fuels and oils, and more. Be sure to check with your local laws to understand what items will need to be separated from the rest of your belongings before the move.
If you have any sensitive items that you do not want the movers to handle, consider transporting them yourself. Avoid packing such items with other belongings to avoid confusion.
9. Figure Out the Parking Situation at the New Location Ahead of Time
This is often overlooked and is generally the most important moving day etiquette professional movers want you to know. Moving to a city can be a hassle, especially during the weekdays, due to parking constraints.
If you are moving to an apartment, you might only have a designated parking space or street parking, which might not be sufficient for the moving trucks. If your neighborhood has a shared driveway or an HOA, there might be certain rules for parking.
Contact the appropriate entity, such as the building management or city agency, to learn where the movers can park their trucks and get the proper permits. Knowing where to park saves time, curtails the hassles, and helps you avoid any legal issues.
10. Tip Your Movers Fairly
Of course, tipping the movers is never mandatory, but it’s customary to tip an appropriate amount to thank them for making your move successful. It’s nice to thank everyone who assisted you and made things easier with their hard work.
How much you should tip is entirely up to you. The best way to consider the tipping amount depends on the size of the crew and the complexity of the move.
While the industry standard for tipping residential movers is around 5% of the total bill, you can certainly tip more or less.
11. Avoid Haggling!
You obviously want to save money where you can, but that shouldn’t be put on your moving company. It is generally not a good idea to haggle or negotiate with the movers about the price when it’s time to pay for the moving services.
Professional movers are experts who have a set rate for their residential moving services. Haggling with them may come across as disrespectful or unprofessional.
Moreover, many reliable moving companies offer moving insurance to protect your belongings in case of damage or loss during the move, and haggling with them may jeopardize these protections.
12. Prepare the Payment
If you agree to pay a certain amount in cash, make sure you have it ready beforehand. Although most residential movers take credit card payments, cash is still a considerable choice, especially for a local move.
Ensure you have enough cash with you to bear any extra unforeseen expenses to avoid halting the process. Almost all moving companies provide a detailed quote before offering their services so you know how much cash you should have at hand.
» More: The 21 Most Important Residential Moving Tips
Trust Dose Moving and Storage to Move Your Home Safely, Securely, and On Time
At Dose Moving and Storage we believe that in a successful residential move, everyone works together. While some aspects of these moving etiquette tips are specific to moving day, basic manners go far in any professional interaction.
Being communicative and considerate throughout the moving process helps pave a seamless journey to your new abode. It also makes it easier for the movers to get things done.
Ready to move to your dream house? Call us at {$phone} for a detailed moving quote, and experience the smoothest residential move.