Moving Day Checklist

Get every box closed, taped, and labeled by room. Pull the linens off the beds and bag them. Empty the fridge and freezer. Drain gas and oil from anything with a small engine. Disassemble anything you committed to disassembling (the foreman will assume disassembly is on them unless your estimate says otherwise — check it). Charge phones, laptops, and any tools you'll need to keep working. Set the thermostat for the next day's crew comfort.

This is the box that does not go on the truck. It rides with you. At minimum: two days of clothes per person, prescription meds and basic OTC, toiletries and toilet paper, phone and laptop chargers, important documents (IDs, leases, kids' shot records), a basic tool kit, paper towels and trash bags, a power strip, the binding estimate, and a small box of snacks. Color-tape this box and put it in your car the night before so a crew member doesn't grab it.

Walk every room and open every closet, cabinet, attic hatch, and outdoor shed. Take date-stamped photos of empty rooms so you have a record. Lay floor protection at the main entrance and on any hardwood traffic lanes. Reserve the elevator if your building requires it and confirm parking — many cities require a posted permit for a 26-ft or 53-ft truck. Get pets to a sitter, kids to grandma, and have water and bathroom access ready for the crew.

Greet the foreman, walk the entire home together, and point out anything fragile, anything that should not go on the truck (essentials, valuables, the high-value inventory items), and any pre-existing damage on floors or walls. Confirm the estimate type (binding, binding-not-to-exceed, non-binding) is what's on the bill of lading. Confirm the delivery window. Get the foreman's name and direct cell number, plus the dispatch number for the carrier.

Stay reachable but out of the work lanes. Spot-check inventory tags as the crew applies stickers to boxes and furniture — every item gets a number that matches the inventory sheet. Note exceptions yourself: any existing scratch, dent, or stain should be documented on the inventory before pickup or you forfeit the right to claim it later. Be available to authorize any change order in writing before the crew performs added work.

Do a final walk of every room with the foreman before they close the truck. Open every cabinet and closet again — it's stunningly common to leave one item behind. Confirm the inventory count, sign the inventory and bill of lading only after reading them, and keep a copy. Never sign a blank or partially complete document. Confirm the delivery window in writing one more time and get the truck number and driver name if you're handing off to a different delivery crew.

Be there before the truck. Lay floor protection, walk the home with the delivery foreman, and direct boxes to the correct rooms (your color-coded labels pay off here). As items come off the truck, check each tag against the inventory sheet. Note any damage on the inventory before the driver leaves — exceptions noted at delivery are far easier to claim than ones reported a week later. Pay per the contract, tip the crew in cash, and keep every signed document for nine months in case you need to file a claim.

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