- Always have someone watching the movers while they are packing and loading your items.
- Be familiar with the neighborhood before the day of the move. You want to make sure there is room for the truck in front of your new home. Be sure to warn the movers of any stairs they will have to climb or if there is an available elevator before the moving day.
- Let the mover know if there are time restrictions on when you are allowed to move. Many apartment buildings will not allow you to be moving after 5 PM.
- The building owner may ask the mover to see insurance certificates in case any damage is done to the building. Be sure they have these papers.
- Have all supplies that will be needed for the move. If the mover has to go get more, your price will go up and time will be wasted.
- All of the packing you are doing yourself must be completed prior to the day of the move. You don't want to have the moving company wait for you to finish.
- Before your move, try to obtain a written appraisal of antique items to verify value.
- Avoid waxing or oiling wooden antiques (and fine wood furniture) before moving because some products may soften the wood and make it vulnerable to imprinting from furniture pads.
- Unplug all television sets a few hours in advance of the move so that they will be at room temperature when the movers arrive. Moving a TV set in which heat is still retained can cause internal damage.
Reminders



AMSA, the American Moving and Storage Association, is launching a new consumer protection and certification program called ProMover on January 1, 2009. This initiative is designed to fight imposters, known within the industry as “rogue operators,” like never before by giving consumers an easy way to separate reputable, professional movers from con artists out to make a quick buck at their expense. AmeriMOVE is an avid supporter of AMSA’s efforts to advance professional and reputable moving standards.