Moving Day Etiquette: What you should and shouldn’t do for your movers

When moving day arrives, you want to be properly prepared. Moving day etiquette is important you should know what you should and shouldn't do for your movers.

Some of the things you may or may not do for your movers also depend on what you hired them to do for you. For example, if you hired your movers to pack for you, it's not necessary to finish packing before they arrive. However, if you didn't hire your movers to do your packing, you should be done packing before they arrive.

Here are a few other things you should know about moving day etiquette before your big day arrives.

Label Your Boxes Properly

Labeling your boxes with the room they belong to will make it easier on your movers. You can even color-code the labeling for each room to make it even easier for your movers to know where everything needs to go once it arrives at your new home.

In addition, make sure you label any fragile items clearly. Put the word "fragile" on all sides of the box and make it obvious.

Don't Make Boxes Too Heavy

It's better to make your boxes smaller and lighter than larger and heavier. Make sure you pack in a way that allows every box to easily be picked up and moved. Even the strongest movers may struggle to lift large, heavy, and awkward boxes on the day of your move.

Get Out of Their Way

While you should remain present on the day of your move, you don't want to be in the way. Make sure you give your movers access to easily move your things and make sure you let them do the job you hired them to do.

Reserve an Elevator

If you live in a high-rise building, make sure you reserve an elevator, if possible, for the day of your move. It's not a good idea to expect movers to carry your items down several flights of stairs because you didn't book the elevator for the time of your move.

Provide Hydrating Beverages

Your movers will appreciate a bottle of water or a sports drink during the process, especially on hot days. Even in the winter, providing a beverage (maybe a hot cup of coffee in the morning) can be a nice way to welcome your movers to your home.

Remove Pets and Small Children, if Possible

If you can, send your spouse with the children and pets ahead of time. Even if they just go to the local dog park, keeping them out of the way of the movers is best for all parties involved.

You don't want your children getting hurt because they got in the way and the same goes for your pets. Plus, this can be a very stressful thing for small children and pets. It's best to keep them out of the way on moving day by removing them from your home while the packing is underway.

Make Sure You Are Present

If one of the movers has a question, you should be present to answer the question. They will also need to double-check things as they pack and sign the paperwork. Make sure you're easily accessible on moving day or at least make sure they know where to find you, if necessary.

Moving day is a big day for most people. After you've hired the right moving company for your residential move in Chicago, make sure you follow the tips above. You'll have better moving day etiquette simply by following this advice and your movers will appreciate it.

How to Safely Pack & Move a TV

Moving your TV may seem like a chore. It's a huge undertaking and if you have a nice, flat-screen TV, you don't want it to get broken. The right box, along with packing the TV properly will go a very long way.

After hiring movers to help with your residential move in Chicago, you want to ask about the specialty boxes they offer. They will likely have a flat panel TV box you can use to better protect your TV during the move. In addition, use these tips to help protect your TV when moving.

Remove the Power Cord

There is no sense and leaving the cord plugged in when moving your TV. Remove it from the back of the TV (if possible) to make moving the TV easier. Cords get tripped on and cause accidents.

Remove the Base

This may not be necessary with every flat screen TV, but if your TV has a large base, remove it. Without removing it, the TV may not fit into the box, which can make it a hassle to move.

Keep All Hardware Together

There's nothing worse than arriving at your new home, unpacking your TV, and realizing you don't know where the hardware or cord is to use it. Make sure you keep all the hardware with the cord and the base.

Cover Your TV Before Packing it

A layer of foam or bubble wrap will go a long way to help protect your TV during a move. If you want to safely pack your TV, you will want to cover it with foam or bubble wrap before putting it in the box.

You can use stretch plastic wrap to secure the foam or bubble wrap, as well. This will also ensure the TV doesn't get scratched.

Another option is to use furniture pads, a sheet or a blanket to cover your TV. If you don't have the right packing materials, this is a good choice in a pinch.

Make Sure the TV is Secured in the Box

Once you've covered the TV and placed it into the box, you want to make sure it's secure. Without the right packing materials, it could shift, which could cause issues during the move. Make sure you use furniture pads, blankets, foam, bubble wrap, or something else soft to ensure it's completely secured inside the box.

Load the TV Upright

One of the biggest mistakes people make when moving a TV is loading it the wrong way. You want to load it upright and store it properly. It's best to store it in between sturdy objects, such as a mattress or dresser. The best way to pack a TV for the move is to make sure it won't move around or fall.

When you pack your flat-screen TV for moving, make sure you have the right box and you use these tips. Without the right packing, you could arrive to a cracked, scratched, or damaged TV, which could cost you quite a bit of money to replace.

If you're worried about your TV, hire residential movers to pack and move it for you. Professional movers will ensure it arrives in the condition it left your old home in.

5 Benefits of Using a Moving Company for Short Move

You may think you don't need a moving company for a short move. While you may be perfectly capable of moving your things from one home to another a short distance away, hiring professional movers in Chicago will certainly provide plenty of benefits.

Let's look at the top five benefits you gain from hiring The Professional Movers even when your move is a shorter move.

Better Protection for Your Things

You have the option to hire movers to handle your packing and unpacking, along with the actual moving. When you hire a full service moving company, you'll gain better protection for your things.

Even if you do the packing and unpacking yourself, having movers carry your things, handle the furniture, and pack the truck will provide better protection for your things. If you have fragile items, heavy items, or anything valuable, you'll gain more peace of mind by hiring professionals for your short distance move.

Less Worry About Injury

Moving something heavy doesn't become any easier just because the distance you go is shorter. The biggest issue with heavy items, such as pianos is getting them into and out of the truck.

Professional movers know how to move heavy items without getting injured. Hiring professionals for piano moving or to move your furniture means you'll avoid any worry of injury during the process.

Save Time

Moving won't happen in just a short amount of time. Even a short move means you'll have to spend time packing, loading the truck, unpacking, getting settles, and recovering from the stress and physical activity.

The time it takes to move from one place to another, even if it's just a few blocks away, can add up fast. Instead of wasting time, hire professional movers and save time. With the right moving company, you won't have to do any packing, loading, or unpacking.

Keep the Stress to a Minimum

Stress robs you of your health and time. When you're stressed out about moving, you might not sleep well and you might struggle with eating. Hiring movers will help keep your stress to a minimum.

Whether you choose to do the packing yourself or leave it to the movers, you'll be able to eliminate the stress of carrying items up and down stairs, packing the truck, and making sure everything arrives without damage.

In addition, it can be stressful when you need to recruit friends to help with your move. Instead of asking friends, hire professional Chicago movers to help you get your things from point A to point B, even if the move is just a short move.

Safer During Bad Weather

Professional movers know how to handle rainstorms in the summer and snowstorms in the winter. They know how to drive the moving truck in poor conditions. Unless you have a large amount of experience, you probably don't know how to deal with additional obstacles caused by weather.

Moving in the winter can be dangerous if you don't take precautions. Hiring movers to handle your things will ensure you don't have to worry about delays or safety.

Hiring movers provides plenty of benefits, even if your move is just a short distance. When you have professional help for your move, you won't have to worry about protecting your things, getting them to your new place safely, or dealing with unpredictable weather conditions.

Moving Day Essentials You Should Have on Hand for Your Move

When it's time to start packing for moving day, you must be strategic. Depending on how far you're moving and how long it will take, there are some moving day essentials you'll want to make sure you have on hand. Here are some of the top essentials to have available on moving day.

Bedding and Pillows

Arriving at your new home and searching for fresh bedding and pillows just lead to frustration. You might have dozens of boxes and have no clue where they are packed away.

Instead, pack a set of bedding for each bed in the house and make each family member responsible for taking their pillow. They can even use the pillow in the vehicle as you make the trip to your new home, which can be very helpful on a longer trip.

Cleaning Supplies

You may want to do a bit of cleaning after everything is removed from your old home or before everything goes into your new home. Cleaning supplies can come in handy on moving day and should also include wipes for hands.

A Corkscrew

If you have any thoughts of celebrating with a corked bottle of something fun, you'll need a corkscrew. Make sure you pack this item with you as it can be a real pain to figure out which box it was packed away in when you're ready to pop the bottle and enjoy celebrating your new home.

Batteries

Whether for the TV remote control or for a smoke detector, batteries are essential on moving day. You may not realize it until something needs batteries as many times these little items get overlooked.

Pack a variety of batteries to take with you on your journey. This will ensure you have what you need when a battery becomes an essential item for your move.

Basic Toolkit

Chances are, you will need a toolkit on day one when you move into a new place. Whether it's needed to hang something on the wall, tighten a screw, or for another room, make sure you have a basic toolkit. You may want to include a hammer, screwdrivers, measuring tape, pliers, a utility knife, and other basic tools.

Toiletries

The first day in a new place is usually chaos, but you don't want to be searching for toiletries when you move in. Toilet paper and toothbrushes should be packed specifically to become easy to find when you arrive. Other toiletries may also be necessary.

An Overnight Bag

You never know how moving day will go and it's smart to have a day's worth of clothing and other items ready to go. Have every family member pack an overnight bag or pack one for the entire family with a change of clothes and other essential items.

Phone Chargers

Don't make the mistake of packing your phone chargers in boxes for the movers to take with them. You may spend hours trying to locate them when you arrive if you do this. Instead, pack them with you to ensure you'll have a fully charged phone when you arrive at your new home.

Moving day is stressful. Whether you're just moving locally in Chicago or you're moving across the country, there are certain essentials you want to make sure remain with you. Let The Professional Movers handle most of your items, but make sure to pack some essentials for moving day.