Preparing for Moving Out Day
The process of moving starts long before the movers arrive at your home. Follow these steps to prepare:
Now is the perfect time to declutter and decide what to take to your new home and what to purge.
If you are moving your large appliances, make sure they are ready for transport. We recommend you have your washers and dryers serviced beforehand.
Empty and unplug your refrigerator and freezer at least 24 hours before your movers arrive. This will give them time to defrost and dry before they are loaded on the truck.
Since you will not have your refrigerator, consider packing a cooler full of drinks and snacks to tide you over on moving day.
Safely dispose of anything that cannot be taken on the moving van, including chemicals like cleaning products or propane tanks. Review our non-allowable list to see what else that might include.
The EPA offers recommendations for the proper disposal of household hazardous waste. Review them here.
If you are planning to do any of your own packing, make sure all of your boxes are ready before the movers arrive.
Use professional packing materials and clearly label each box with the room of the house where the items inside belong.
Prepare a box of essential items to load last onto the truck. This will be the first box unloaded at your home and should contain things like paper towels, toilet paper, soap, a travel alarm clock, bottled water, a first-aid kit, and anything else you might need at your new home before everything else is unloaded and unpacked.
See a full list of recommended items in our instant aid box checklist.
Be sure to set aside items that you do not want packed in the moving van. This should include a suitcase of clothing that you and your family will need over the next several days. It is a good idea to put these items in a closet that you have clearly labeled “Do Not Pack.”
Make sure you complete your High-Value Inventory Form. This form should include any items that are worth more than $100 per pound.
Consider hiring a babysitter if you have small children in the house and put pets somewhere where they will be safe and out of the way.
Before the driver leaves your home, do one last check for anything that might have been left behind. Be sure to check attics, storage sheds and basements.
Right before you leave the house, turn off all lights, your furnace and your air conditioner. Lock your windows and doors, and leave behind your keys and garage door openers for the new occupants.
