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Key takeaways

  • Book early. Book at least 10–14 days ahead; about 30 days is ideal. Month-end dates go fastest.
  • Your coordinator usually reaches out within 24 hours of booking. Mention anything tricky then, like a piano, a safe or gym equipment.
  • Expect a check-in about three days before your move to confirm you're packed and on schedule.
  • Label every box with its room, on every move.
  • On moving day, the crew calls with a 30 to 45 minute heads-up. Have walkways clear and someone available to answer questions.

How to prepare for movers comes down to five things: decide what's moving, pack or plan packing early, reserve parking and elevators, set aside what travels with you, and have a clear, ready home on the morning the crew arrives. Do those, and your move day goes faster. On a local move, which is billed by the hour, a faster day usually means a lower total bill. Long-distance moves are priced differently, and we explain how near the end of this guide.

If you've just booked a move, the to-do list can feel endless. You're still working and cooking dinner, and now every closet is a project. It's hard to know what's yours to do and what the movers will handle.

We're Bailey's Moving & Storage, and we've helped people across Colorado and Utah get ready for moving day since 1952. This guide walks you through it week by week, from a month or more out to the morning the truck pulls up. Each section ends with a short checklist, and the whole thing is in our free printable.

Download the free printable checklist

How do you prepare for movers? The short answer

You prepare for movers by working backward from moving day in five stages. Each stage has a few jobs, and none of them is hard on its own. The trouble only starts when they all land in the last three days.

  1. 4–6 weeks out: confirm your mover, decide what's coming with you, and start clearing out.
  2. 2–3 weeks out: pack the things you won't miss and book parking or elevator time.
  3. The week of: finish packing, confirm details with your coordinator, and set aside what rides with you.
  4. The day before: empty the fridge, take apart what you can, and pack a first-night box.
  5. The morning of: clear the paths, protect your valuables, and be ready to walk the crew through.

The rest of this guide explains why each step matters, which makes it much easier to do well.

If you've hired full-service movers: what's on you vs. on the crew?

If you've hired full-service movers, your job is to make decisions and get the house ready; the crew's job is the heavy lifting, wrapping, and loading. Knowing where that line sits saves you from doing work you're paying for, and from skipping work only you can do.

Only you can decide what's coming, what's being donated, and which room each box belongs in. Only you can gather your passport, medications, and the kids' favorite stuffed animal. The crew can't make those calls for you.

The crew, in turn, brings the tools and the know-how for the physical work. Exactly what's included, like taking beds apart or disconnecting appliances, depends on the services on your estimate, so read it line by line and ask your coordinator about anything it doesn't spell out.

There are also things a moving crew won't put on the truck at all, usually for safety reasons. For moves between states, the FMCSA's Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move booklet says federal law forbids packing hazardous materials in your household goods boxes without telling your mover, and that perishable, dangerous, or hazardous items packed without the mover's knowledge can limit what the mover owes you if something goes wrong. Our guide to everything your movers won't move lists the usual suspects: household chemicals like paint, bleach, and gasoline; pressurized tanks like propane and aerosol cans; combustibles like ammunition, fireworks, and car batteries; and perishable food. For plants, pets, and anything else you're unsure about, ask your coordinator before moving day.

Your job, in short: decide, sort, label, and set aside what travels with you. Once that line is clear, the calendar is easier to trust.

Have more time? What to do 6–8 weeks before the move

If your move date is eight weeks or more away, you have the luxury of time, and the best use of it is choosing your mover without a rush. Get estimates from more than one company, ideally from an in-home or virtual walkthrough rather than a quick phone quote, and compare the total cost and what each estimate includes, not just the hourly rate.

Once you've chosen, book your date. If your date is fixed, ask each mover how far ahead they're booking, and book as soon as you've decided. (Book at least 10–14 days ahead; about 30 days is ideal. Month-end dates are the hardest to get, so book those earlier or pick a mid-month day if you have flexibility. Your coordinator will confirm what fits your date.)

This is also a good time to start the sorting described in the next section. Every room you clear early is one less decision later.

6–8 week checklist (if you have the time):

  • Get estimates from more than one mover
  • Compare total cost and what each estimate includes
  • Book your date once you've chosen

What should you do 4–6 weeks before the move?

Four to six weeks out is when you set up everything else to go smoothly. Learning how to prepare for a move this early mostly means making decisions, not lifting boxes.

Start by making sure your mover is the real deal. Make sure your mover is licensed and insured for your state. For moves out of state, look up their USDOT number. In Colorado, for example, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission regulates household goods movers and offers a permit search on its site, so you can look up any company you're considering. For a move to another state, the FMCSA says interstate movers must give you a booklet called Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move before your move. Read it when it arrives. If you're still deciding whether to hire movers at all, our guide to U-Haul vs movers: what each really costs can help.

Next, decide what's worth moving. Every box you don't pack is a box nobody has to carry, load, and unpack. Walk each room and sort things into keep, sell, donate, and toss. Our post on getting rid of junk before moving day has ideas for clearing out.

If you haven't had an in-home or virtual walkthrough yet, schedule it now, after you've sorted, so the estimate reflects what's really moving. Here's how to prepare for a virtual walkthrough.

After you book, your move coordinator will reach out—typically within 24 hours of booking. Use that first call to mention anything tricky, like a piano, a safe, gym equipment, or an heirloom.

4–6 week checklist:

  • Make sure your mover is licensed and insured for your state (in Colorado, look up their PUC permit); for moves out of state, look up their USDOT number and read the FMCSA booklet
  • Sort every room: keep, sell, donate, toss
  • Schedule your estimate walkthrough if you haven't
  • Tell your coordinator about specialty items

What should you do 2–3 weeks before movers come?

Two to three weeks out is the time to start packing and lock in access. Packing is usually the biggest job on your list, and starting early turns it into a few boxes a night instead of an all-nighter.

Begin with what you use least: guest rooms, books, holiday decorations, off-season clothes. Label every box on the top and one side with its room and a few words about what's inside. That label tells the crew where to set it down.

This is also the time to handle access. If you live in an apartment, condo, or HOA community, ask now whether you need to reserve an elevator, loading dock, or parking spot for the truck, and whether moves are limited to certain hours. Get the answers in writing and pass them along to your coordinator. Check with your city about street-parking or meter permits for the truck. In Denver, if the truck has to park at a meter, the city issues meter permits for moving trucks, with fees based on the meter's rate, the number of meters and the number of days, and no same-day service (Denver DOTI, Parking Meter Entrance Requirements, DOTIPT-115.1), so apply early. Pass every building rule to your coordinator in writing; they'll confirm what else they need from you.

If you're moving in winter, plan for snow and ice on walkways and driveways. Our guide to moving in the winter covers the basics.

2–3 week checklist:

  • Pack least-used rooms and items first
  • Label every box with its room and contents
  • Reserve elevator, dock, or parking time and share it with your coordinator
  • Arrange for pets and kids on moving day

How do you get ready for movers the week of the move?

The week of the move is about finishing, confirming, and setting aside. If you've kept pace, you're down to the everyday things, and the goal now is to know exactly what's going on the truck and what's riding with you.

Your coordinator will usually check in about three days before your first service day to make sure you're packed, have enough supplies, and are still on schedule. Use that call to confirm your arrival window, your building's reservation, and any last-minute changes.

Set aside a "do not pack" zone, like a closet or a bathroom, with a sign on the door. Put everything in it that you'll carry yourself: medications, important papers, laptops and chargers, jewelry, cash, and anything you couldn't replace. Our post on helping your belongings arrive safely explains why valuables should ride with you.

Back up your computers, and see our electronics prep guide for large TVs.

Week-of checklist:

  • Finish packing everything except daily must-haves
  • Confirm arrival window and building reservations with your coordinator
  • Create a "do not pack" zone for valuables and papers
  • Back up computers and photograph electronics wiring

How do you prepare for movers and packers on packing day?

If you've hired movers and packers, your job on packing day is to make choices easy for them. The crew packs quickly, which is what you're paying for, so the more you've decided ahead of time, the smoother and faster it goes.

Before the packers arrive, pull out anything that shouldn't be packed: "do not pack" items, giveaways, and trash. Group and mark anything headed somewhere else, like storage. Tell the crew lead about anything fragile, valuable, or sentimental.

Plan to be home and reachable during packing, since questions come up. Your coordinator will confirm packing-day timing and what to have ready.

Packing-day checklist:

  • Pull out "do not pack" items and trash
  • Mark anything going somewhere else
  • Point out fragile and sentimental pieces
  • Stay home and reachable

What should I do before movers arrive?

The day before movers arrive, get the house into a "grab and go" state. Anything the crew has to wait on, like a bed that isn't taken apart or a fridge that isn't empty, adds time to your move. On a local move, which is billed by the hour, that time adds to your total.

Empty, defrost, and clean the fridge and freezer if they're coming with you. Take apart the furniture you're comfortable taking apart, and put screws and bolts in labeled bags taped to the piece. Not sure which pieces the crew will take apart or disconnect? Your estimate should say, and your coordinator can confirm.

For dressers, whether clothes can stay depends on the dresser and how full it is—clothing adds weight fast and can stress the frame. Clothes and linens can sometimes stay; pack everything else. Tape drawers shut so they don't slide open. That's the same guidance Chad Tripp gives in what moving day looks like with Bailey's Moving.

Finally, pack a first-night box for each person: sheets, a towel, toiletries, a change of clothes, phone chargers, basic tools, toilet paper, and something for breakfast. Keep it with you, not on the truck.

Day-before checklist:

  • Empty and defrost the fridge
  • Take apart furniture and bag the hardware
  • Tape dresser drawers shut (soft clothes can stay)
  • Pack a first-night box and keep it with you

How to prepare for moving day: the morning-of checklist

On the morning of the move, clear the way and be ready to walk the crew through. The first half hour sets the pace for the whole day.

As what moving day looks like with Bailey's Moving explains, the driver calls when leaving the warehouse—usually 30 to 45 minutes ahead—and most local moves aim for a morning arrival window around 8 to 10 a.m. Use that window to take out the last trash, strip the beds, and move your "do not pack" items to your car.

Clear the path from each room to the door and out to the truck. Move rugs, shoes, and toys out of hallways, shovel the walkway in winter, and have keys, fobs, and the elevator ready.

When the crew arrives, walk them through the house and point out what's staying, what's fragile, and anything that needs special care. After that, what happens next is the crew's job. You can read more about what moving day looks like with Bailey's Moving.

Morning-of checklist:

  • Strip beds and take out trash
  • Load valuables and your first-night box into your car
  • Clear paths and walkways (shovel if needed)
  • Have elevator, keys, and parking ready
  • Walk the crew through when they arrive

Moving long-distance? Here's what's different

Everything above applies to a move to another state, too, but a few things work differently.

Start with price, because long-distance moves aren't billed by the hour. (Most moves of more than about 50 miles within Colorado or Utah aren't either; they're priced by weight and miles.) A non-binding estimate is based on weight: the truck is weighed empty and again full on certified scales. A binding price reflects the contracted inventory, so if the items on that inventory don't change, the price doesn't. Adding or removing items on load day changes the price through a change order, which is one more reason to finish sorting before your estimate. Our guide to binding vs. non-binding estimates explains both.

Your belongings won't arrive the same day, either. On a move to another state, delivery comes on average 10 to 14 days after pickup, so plan to keep what you'll need until then with you.

On delivery day, the driver gets a lay of the land in your new home and hands you an inventory check-off sheet. Items are checked off as they're placed, anything that was taken apart is put back together, and packing debris is cleared then, or later if you need time. Before you sign anything, take a few minutes to look everything over and ask your questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do before movers arrive?

Before movers arrive, finish packing, empty and defrost the fridge, take apart what you can, tape dresser drawers shut, and set aside valuables and a first-night box to carry yourself. On the morning of, clear the paths, reserve the elevator if needed, and be ready to walk the crew through your home.

Is $100 per person a good tip for movers?

Tipping is optional, and there's no set amount. Chad Tripp, Operations Manager at Bailey's Moving & Storage, says $20 to $100 per crew member can be reasonable depending on the size and difficulty of the move. Cold water or sports drinks, lunch or a snack, and a review that names the crew are appreciated too. For the full moving-day walkthrough (including tipping), see what moving day looks like with Bailey's Moving.

Are you supposed to empty dressers for movers?

It depends on the dresser and how full it is. Clothes and linens can sometimes stay; pack everything else, and tape the drawers shut. Clothing adds weight quickly and can stress the frame. That's the same guidance in what moving day looks like with Bailey's Moving.

What am I supposed to do when movers come to my house?

When movers arrive, walk the crew lead through your home. Point out what's staying, what's fragile, and anything that needs special care. Keep kids and pets out of the way, stay reachable for questions, and do a final walk-through before the truck leaves. We cover the rest in what moving day looks like with Bailey's Moving.

Your move, ready in three simple steps

You don't have to hold all of this in your head. Here's the simple plan:

  1. Print the checklist. Grab our free printable and stick it on the fridge. Download the free printable checklist
  2. Do your part, and leave the rest to the crew. Decide, sort, label, and set aside. The lifting is ours.
  3. Talk to your coordinator. Share your building rules, specialty items, and questions early.

Picture the crew walking into a ready home: boxes labeled, paths clear, and you with a coffee in hand and your valuables in the car. The day moves quickly, and the final bill is far less likely to surprise you. On a local move, you pay for the hours the crew actually works, so a ready home keeps those hours down. On a long-distance move with a binding price, the price reflects the inventory you agreed to, so it holds as long as that inventory doesn't change. The other version is half-packed rooms at 8 a.m., a scramble for the elevator, and extra hours on the clock. A little prep each week keeps you in the first picture.

Planning a move in Colorado or Utah? Get My Free Quote.

Get My Free Quote 888-260-5717

When you're settled in, the Bailey's Moving post-move checklist covers what comes next.

Related reading

What Moving Day Actually Looks Like With Bailey's Moving

Full-Service Movers vs. U-Haul

The Bailey's Moving & Storage Post-Move Checklist

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