Managing Your Moving Days

A representative from the moving company will call or come by your residence to complete a Pre-Move Survey. During the survey, your moving company will:

• Complete a weight estimation
• Note any special items that you identified when you arranged your move

If you are within a week of your scheduled move date and a survey has not been completed on your home, it’s highly recommended that you reach out to the moving company or your local transportation office for assistance.

The movers will inventory your household goods, but their list won’t account for the value or condition of your belongings.

Before the packers come, take a detailed inventory of your belongings and be sure to document your high-value and electronic items.

Technology makes taking inventory easy. All you need is a smartphone or a camera and a computer to make the list. You can also find free online home inventory mobile apps and software, or ask your insurance company for a recommendation.

Knowing exactly what you’ve got and where it’s stored can help make for a smooth transition when you unpack in your new home.

Outline what you want to record:

• Item name, description and condition
• Number of items, (for example, “12 silver forks”)
• Make, model and serial number, if applicable
• Purchase information, including where and when you bought it, the cost, an estimate of its current value and whether you have the receipt (photograph or scan it if you do)
• Photo data, such as filename or number, and how it’s tagged in your files

Follow these steps to get top-quality photos and video:

• Unclutter the area. Put away your stray socks and tidy up around the house before you photograph your valuables so they can be clearly seen.
• Capture every room and photograph everything.
• Photograph high-value items separately. Record specific brand names for any high-priced items.
• Include all small items. They can add up if you need to replace them all.
• Don’t forget to include the camera or digital device you’re using.
• Write the serial number on an index card or sticky note to label the item before you photograph it. Photograph from all sides to show the condition and any brand names.
• Open cabinets, drawers and closets. Get close-up shots of these areas for an overview of what’s inside them.
• Don’t forget the garage or attic. Take pictures both inside and outside to capture everything.
• Talk while you walk when shooting video.
• You can add a lot of details if you narrate your video.
• Make some notes beforehand so you don’t forget any details.
• For TVs, appliances or other electronics, simple videos showing them in working order can save you a headache later.

Make a list, update it and keep it safe:

• Keep your list, photos and/or video somewhere safe. Your detailed inventory won’t help you much if your lists, photos and videos get lost in in the move.
• Keep a flash drive copy in a fireproof safe or a safe deposit box, use a cloud storage site or ask your insurance company if they have an electronic storage option.
• Hand carry this information to your new home.
• Remember to update your inventory. Make sure to record any new items you get, especially high-value ones.
• A strong inventory can make unpacking in your new home much smoother so that you can seize the adventure of your move.

Include key items on the mover’s inventory sheet:

• In addition to keeping your own record, make sure these inventory details are listed on the mover’s inventory sheet for high-value items BEFORE the truck leaves your house.

In addition to creating an inventory of your household goods, use these pro tips for staying organized to master your move.

• Buy clear bags in various sizes. They will be critical to keeping your possessions orderly and easily identifiable when unpacking at your new destination.
• Create a moving binder. During a move, you are going to need ready access to lots of paperwork, including:
• Copies of your orders
• Birth certificates
• Social Security cards
• Mortgage documents
• Rental agreements
• Other hand-carry documents
• Use clear, resealable bags to collect loose hardware during furniture disassembly. Nothing gets lost quicker than the hardware from beds, TV mounts and desks.
• Tape the clear bags of hardware from beds to the respective bed frames so they all arrive together. It will make reassembly after delivery much easier.
• Don’t move still-packed boxes. If you haven’t used an item in two years, you probably don’t need it anymore.
• Remove items from the walls before the packers arrive.
• Your packers are not responsible for removing wall-mounted items, so make sure all pictures, curtains, curtain rods and mounted TVs are down and ready for the movers to pack.
• Use clear, resealable plastic bags to tape the mounting hardware to the back of items.
• Move on less popular days.
• Historically the worst times to move are the last week of any month, and the last week of June to the first week of July.
• If you can move mid-month, you may increase your chances of getting a date that works with your timelines and getting your preferred moving company.
• Prepare drawers and toy bins for packing. Place contents in clear resealable plastic bags before the packers come. Include items such as:
• Silverware
• Spices
• Kitchen utensils
• Markers, pens and pencils
• Toy bin contents
• Photograph the condition of your home on moving day before the packers arrive. Make a video record of the walls, floors and appliances so you’ll have a digital record of the condition of your home before the packers arrive in case any damage is done.

Put aside any items that you’ll need on your road trip or that you want to transport yourself.

Place these items in a location away from the packers, such as in a closet or your vehicle. Mark your area with a “Do Not Pack” sign. Make sure the packers and your family are aware of the “Do Not Pack” area so that important hand carry items – like your car keys or wallet – don’t end up in a moving box.

• Prescription medications: Empty the medicine cabinet and plan to take those items with you. To avoid any problems with going missing, it’s best to transport these items yourself. Grab a small, clear, resealable bag and pack them away to take with you if possible.
• “First day” necessities: Don’t let them go on the truck. Even if your belongings are scheduled to arrive “door-to-door,” plan for an extra day or two without your things because delays happen, especially in summer. Pack a box with items you are going to need as soon as you arrive at your new house: toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, cleaners, toilet brush, broom, mop, drinks, snacks, diapers, paper plates, etc. Then pack an extra bag with sheets, towels and an air mattress.
• Hand carry items: Paperwork and essentials, such as official orders, vehicle documentation, and school and medical records, should all be moved by you. Find additional suggestions for what to hand carry when you move in the Preparing to Move MilLife Guide.

The packers will contact you ahead of time to inform you they will be coming on the scheduled pack dates and within a specified time period. It’s critical that you’re available during this time. If for some reason your movers fail to show, quickly notify your local transportation office and your moving company.

The packers will load just about anything and everything that they can fit into boxes during this portion, which can be a blessing and a challenge.

• Make sure to sort out what needs to go with you (and not on a moving truck) before pack day, or you run the risk of those things getting lost in the mix of boxes.
• Clean out your trash cans before the packers come. This avoids having dirty items packed and delivered. It’s also a good idea to throw out items such as used toilet brushes, old mops and any other items that are easily replaceable

• Have the packers show you the inside of each box before they tape it. You can make additional notes on the outside describing exactly what is in there. Adding a few detailed notes to the boxes – such as pots and pans, utensils, toy trucks, hammer, etc. – can help make the unpacking process easier.
• Don’t sign the mover’s inventory until you understand and agree with everything listed. If you disagree, make sure to write it in the remarks section. No one likes doing paperwork, but if you spend a few extra minutes reviewing the inventory sheets on the front end, it will make life much easier during delivery of your goods.
• The movers will identify any preexisting damage such as dings, dents and scratches on the inventory form. Make sure that their description is accurate.
• For valuable items, make sure the inventory specifies the make, model and serial number of the item. Generic labels like “Electronics” or “TV” should be a red flag for you.
• If they miss something, you can request that they unpack the item so that specific details can be added to the inventory.
• If you disagree with anything on the inventory, write that in the remarks section.

When they first arrive, the loading crew is required to put down some type of material (plastic, fabric, etc.) to protect your flooring, doorways and any tight corners. If damage is done to your residence, you have the option to file a Real Property Damage claim. For information about claims, review the Understanding Moving Claims MilLife Guide.

During packing and loading, the movers will create an inventory of your household items and put colored numbered stickers on all the boxes and larger items such as couches and household appliances. On the inventory sheets, they will also indicate whether any of your household goods had pre-existing damage.

After everything is loaded on the truck, do a walk-through with the driver to make sure everything is out of your residence and loaded so that nothing gets left behind. Ask the driver to provide his/her phone number so you can reach them if needed.

Because you are traveling to your next destination, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open and be available for the moving driver and your moving coordinator. If your driver or your moving coordinator has any updates, they may try to contact you as they make their way to your next destination, so it’s important you be available to answer any questions.

• If you have arranged a direct delivery move, you MUST arrive at the delivery destination before the driver. If the driver arrives at your new residence before you do, they may have to put your items in storage, depending on their schedule.
• If you had planned for your items to go directly into storage, you have more flexibility with your arrival timing.

• The moving company must provide 24-hour notice before delivery.
• They will attempt to contact you twice, at least six hours apart.
• If they do not hear back from you within the 24-hour notice timeframe, they may try to call the local transportation office and have your belongings placed in storage.

Once your goods are in storage, it can sometimes take up to a few weeks to get them delivered again.

It’s a good idea to provide your moving company with an emergency contact in case the driver cannot get in touch with you during transit.

• Document any preexisting damage. Take photos of your new empty house before you move in. It is easier to document the damage to walls, flooring or the carpet if you take pictures before the movers arrive and start unloading.
• Pre-clean the new bathroom and kitchen. Allow enough time to clean before the movers arrive so you don’t have to clean around all those boxes.
• Plan where you want your furniture to go. The movers are only responsible for placing items one time. Make sure you know where you want them to put the couch and other large items before they unload.
• Unpack one box at a time. It is easy to open a box, decide you have no idea where all that stuff should go and then move on to the next box. Resolve that once you open a box, you will empty it completely then break down the box to avoid half unpacked boxes everywhere.

Unloading at destination includes the one-time laying of rugs and the one-time placement of furniture and like items in a place you or your representative has designated. You also have a couple of unpack options the delivery crew can do for you:

• Full — the movers unpack all the contents of the boxes in your specified rooms.
• Partial — the movers open, but do not unpack, boxes in select areas.
• You can also have your mover reassemble any furniture that they took apart at the origin (beds, couches, etc.).

Prior to the delivery crew offloading your household goods, they will give you the inventory sheets so you can check off the “numbers” to ensure everything is delivered. The use of bingo cards/check-off sheets is another way the crew can check off the numbers. These are only internal moving company documents.

• Document and report any damage to your mover as items come in the house. Footprints on your mattress? Nicks in your table leg? As things are unpacked, immediately photograph any damage to the item and how it was packed in the carton. Make sure you point out this damage to the movers and document the damage on the Notice of Loss or Damage at Delivery form they should provide to you. List the inventory number, description and whether it was missing or damaged. For example: #101 (piano) missing; #45 (box with kitchen items) crushed; #236 (TV stand) broken in half; inventory #36 (mattress) not in carton or greasy fingerprints. This can help with any claims negotiations later on.
• Personally check off all numbers on the inventory sheet. Do not let the delivery crew check off the numbers on the inventory sheet. This is not in your best interest.
• Know where the boxes are going in your new home. As the boxes come off the truck, you should expect to direct the crew to a room where you’d like each one to go. If you’ve got friends or family who can help during this phase, that’s always a bonus.

Once the truck is empty, you should verify on the inventory sheet that everything has been delivered.

• Note any missing items on the inventory sheet before you sign it.
• Note any damage that may have occurred to the residence.
• Any items not received or that arrive damaged should be written on the Notification of Loss or Damage at Delivery form provided by the driver.
• Remember to keep your inventory sheets until your claims process is complete.
• For information about filing a loss or damage claim, review the Understanding Moving Claims MilLife Guide.

The movers are responsible for hauling away empty boxes and packing materials after they’ve finished delivering your belongings, but they are not required to come back after that. If you ask them to come back to take your empty boxes and they agree to do it, that’s great. If possible, have everything piled up in one location to get this done quickly.