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HomeMove Day Guide

FREE GUIDE

What actually happens
on move day.

Hour by hour. From the night before to the moment the crew drives away. No surprises. No forgotten items. No standing around wondering what to do next.

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Undergrads crew carrying furniture on move day
🌙Night Before☀️1–2 Hours Before Crew Arrives🚚Crew Arrives📦During the Move🔑Before the Truck Leaves🏠At the New Place
🌙
Night Before

Do this before you go to sleep

Confirm crew arrival time (call or check your booking confirmation)must do
Defrost the refrigerator if you haven't; give it 24 hoursmust do
Pack your "first night" bag: toiletries, one change of clothes, phone charger, snacks, coffee supplies
Pack your essentials box (goes in your car, not the truck): medications, documents, laptop, valuablesmust do
Disassemble anything that wasn't already done: bed frame, large shelving units
Get cash for tips if you'd like to tip the crew
Charge your phone. A dead phone on move day is a problem
☀️
1–2 Hours Before Crew Arrives

Set the stage

Clear a path: move rugs, chairs, and obstacles from all doorways and hallwaysmust do
Prop doors open if possible, reduces back-and-forth friction significantly
Mark items NOT going: use sticky notes on furniture or boxes staying behindmust do
Move your car so the truck can access the closest spot to your entrancemust do
Gather all keys, remotes, manuals you're leaving behind for the new tenant/buyer
Take photos of every room, documentation for your security depositmust do
🚚
Crew Arrives

The walkthrough (3–5 minutes)

Walk the crew through every room before they touch anythingmust do
Point out fragile items, art, mirrors, electronics, antiquesmust do
Show them what's NOT going (items staying behind)must do
Tell them about parking logistics: any tight spots, time limits, elevator reservations
Ask if they have questions, better to clarify now than mid-move
📦
During the Move

What to do while the crew works

Stay accessible, be within earshot to answer questionsmust do
Keep kids and pets in a separate room or arrange outside care
Don't try to help carry. You're paying professionals, and it slows down their system
Do a room-by-room sweep behind the crew: inside cabinets, under beds, in closetsmust do
Check appliances: inside the oven, under the washer/dryer, in the garage
Water your plants if they're going in your car separately
🔑
Before the Truck Leaves

The pre-departure check (non-negotiable)

Walk every single room. Even ones you think are emptymust do
Open every closet, cabinet, drawer, and shelfmust do
Check the garage, attic, outdoor storage, and patiomust do
Confirm the truck holds everything on your inventory
Turn off all lights, fans, and HVAC
Lock all windows and doors
If renting: photograph the empty unit for your deposit recordsmust do
🏠
At the New Place

Direct the unload

Be there before or when the crew arrives, don't keep them waitingmust do
Tell them where each piece goes room by room. This is your one chance without rearranging latermust do
Check off items as they come off the truck if you have a list
Point out any tight corners, low ceilings, or tricky spots in the new place
Keep a clear path from the entrance to each room
Do a final walkthrough with the crew before they leavemust do

AVOID THESE

The 6 most common move day mistakes

Not labeling boxes by room

Fix: Label all 4 sides of every box with the destination room. The crew stacks boxes. You'll never see the front label.

Packing valuables in the moving truck

Fix: Jewelry, documents, medications, laptop, and irreplaceable items should ride in your car. Every time.

Not being home when the crew arrives

Fix: The walkthrough is the most important 5 minutes of your move day. Be there for it.

Forgetting the walkthrough before the truck leaves

Fix: Set a phone alarm that says "WALK THE WHOLE HOUSE" 30 minutes before your scheduled end time.

Not having a clear path through doorways

Fix: Move rugs and furniture obstacles before the crew shows up. It's worth 10 minutes of prep.

Waiting until move day to decide where things go

Fix: Know your floor plan before the truck arrives. Draw it out. The crew will ask, and hesitating costs everyone time.

IF YOU'RE DOING THE POWER MOVE

You drive the truck. Here's what that changes.

With The Power Move (you rent the truck, we provide all the labor), the timeline above mostly applies. Add these steps:

  • Pick up the truck before the crew arrives. It have it ready at your door when they show up.
  • You drive the truck to the new address, the crew follows in their vehicle
  • After unloading, you return the truck. Crew is done once the last item is in the new place
Full Power Move guide

More guides

Full Moving Checklist

8 weeks of tasks, week by week

How Much Does Moving Cost

Real numbers by home size

The Power Move

You drive, we handle the labor

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