How to prepare for movers

If you are scheduled to move soon, your primary goal is to make sure that everything is done correctly and that you can move as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you hired a moving company, you could expect things to go smoothly because they are professional and know exactly what they are doing. But if you want to make sure everything goes as planned, a little help won't hurt.

You can help the movers by doing small and simple things before the day of the move. Preparation is the secret to a successful move, and we are here to tell you how exactly you should prepare so that you can maximize your time. Do the following things, and your moving company will thank you for it.

Separate Items the Movers Won't be Touching
The first thing that your state movers will do is to walk through your home and take an inventory of the items they need to load to the truck so they can efficiently finish everything. You may have items that you will move, so make sure to let the movers know that you will be handling those items. These items can include laptops, jewelry, and other essential items. Put them in a separate box and label them, so that the movers will not waste their time loading them to the truck. If your items are all set, you can already put them in your car to ensure the movers will not accidentally load them to the truck.

Defrost the Refrigerator and Freezer
This simple task is one of the most common things homeowners forget to do before they move. You need to plan because you still have food inside that you have to get rid of. You can start by slowly eating the food weeks or days before the move, or if you still have a lot inside, you can donate them to an organization or share them to your neighbor.
​
Give at least a day or two when you defrost your refrigerator. This will be just enough time for the ice to defrost totally. Make sure to have a towel in the freezer to take care of the water when the ice melts. You can also place a bowl with warm water in the refrigerator to speed up the process of defrosting, in case you forgot to do it a day before the moving date.

​Strip Sheets from the Mattresses
Although it is an easy task for the movers to take the sheets off from your mattress, it will save them time and effort if you would do this ahead of time. You can do this a  night before your move. Fold the sheets and put them in a separate box. If your movers do the packing, you can simply fold them up for them. They will wrap them up in protective plastic and load them to the truck.

Unplug and Roll Up Electronic Cords
It doesn't take much time to unplug cords in the house, but if you add the time you spent wrapping them up to make sure they don't get tangled or damaged can be tedious. Start with the cords behind your television. There you can see different wires tangled up like the game console, DVD player, and your TV cord. It will take time to untangle them if you let the movers do them for you. Untangle them and put them in a different bag and label them so that you don't forget where to find them later. They can also be tripping hazards for the movers so do them a favor by taking care of these cords ahead of time.

Label Items as Much as Possible 
You can always read and hear this suggestion because this is probably the simplest thing that you can do that has the most impact on making things more comfortable on the day of your move. It will be easier for the packers to unload your items when you put labels top each box. Write the tags as clearly as possible so that the movers can read them easily. You can also go to your new home and put stickers that match the ones you have on each box to help the movers know where each box should go.

Break Down Tables and Shelving
Before doing anything, consider first what would be manageable for the movers to lift. Some items will be heavy for them, especially shelving in garages. It can take time to break down shelves and tables, so if you think you can't handle it, you can always ask your movers if you should do it or if they will handle it.

Remove Everything From Walls
It's understandable to forget the things on the wall when you give your full attention to other things such as your closets, floors, and cabinets, and everywhere else. You can start by removing all fragile items such as picture frames and antiques. Put them in one place for the movers to load up quickly. Put all non-fragile items together like bulletin boards and shelves because they don't require as much care as the breakable items. You can also put all nails and screws in a bag and label them to save yourself from the trouble of looking for them when it's time to put the frames back on the walls of your new residence.
​
Sort and Organize Garage or Shop Items
Items that we don’t need but we can’t simply get rid of goes to the garage or shop. Keep these items organized together with the tools and equipment you need to make sure the movers will be able to handle them well on a moving day. If there are items you no longer need, why not donate them and get rid of the things you will never need. No matter how attached you are to the item, you have to let go of it to make your move smooth and less of a hassle. The best time to purge these items is when you are about to move to a new home.