The night before
Most moving-day disasters are actually night-before disasters. Get these right and the morning becomes routine.
- Pack an essentials box for each family member: two days of clothes, medication, toiletries, chargers, important documents
- Strip beds, bag the linens, and label by bedroom
- Defrost and dry the freezer; empty the fridge
- Charge phones, headphones, and a power bank
- Print the bill of lading, inventory, and your USDOT verification record
- Confirm pickup window with the driver by phone, not just text
Pre-load: the 30 minutes before the truck shows up
When the crew arrives, you want them touching boxes within 10 minutes — not waiting on you to clear paths or move the dog.
- Reserve parking with cones or your car on the street
- Prop open exterior doors and lay floor protection inside high-traffic paths
- Take photos of every room before anything moves (timestamp = insurance gold)
- Stage the essentials boxes and 'do-not-pack' items in one closed room or your trunk
- Set out cold water bottles and snacks; many crews skip breakfast
- Walk the home with the driver — point out fragile items and what stays
During the load: stay close, stay out of the way
The driver writes a written inventory as items leave the home. Each piece gets a numbered tag and a condition code (CP = chipped, SC = scratched, MAR = marred, BR = broken).
Verify any pre-existing damage codes are accurate. If the driver marks 'SC' on a couch that has no scratches, dispute it on the spot — those codes are how carriers limit liability later.
- Walk through after each room is loaded to confirm nothing is left behind
- Photograph high-value items as they go onto the truck
- Keep your phone on; the driver may need access codes or directions
- Keep kids and pets in another room or off-site
- Do not feel obligated to help carry — your insurance does not cover injuries on a paid move
The bill of lading is your contract. Read the cubic-feet and weight figures, the delivery spread, the valuation election, and the payment terms. Once you sign, the carrier's terms apply.
Tipping, payment, and the final sign-off
Tipping is customary in the US moving industry. Pay it directly to the crew, in cash, after loading. The driver will usually settle balances with you separately.
- Pay deposits and balances by credit card if at all possible — chargeback rights matter
- Refuse cash, Zelle, Venmo, or crypto-only requests; that is a scam pattern
- Get a copy of every signed document before the truck leaves
The per-crew-member tipping figures that circulate online trace back to nothing measurable — no survey, no filing, no dataset. We used to print a table of them and have removed it. What holds regardless of the amount: tip in cash, give it to each crew member rather than to the driver to distribute, and tip the loading and unloading crews separately when they are different people.
Delivery day at the new home
Long-distance deliveries usually have a delivery window (e.g., '5 business days'). The driver must give you 24 hours of notice before arrival.
Have a floor plan ready and label rooms with painter's tape so the crew can place boxes correctly the first time. Re-handling adds time and time is money.
- Check off every numbered tag against the inventory as items come off the truck
- Note any damage or missing items on the delivery paperwork before signing
- Inspect electronics and large furniture for new damage on arrival
- Federal rules give you 9 months to file a damage claim — file the same week