Moving Tips

Moving and relocating a family is a major undertaking and requires quite a bit of planning. We hope these moving tips will make your move less stressful. Good luck with your move.

1. Before the Move Checklist

• Throw out things you no longer need and trash – Go through all your stuff a month or more prior to the move and throw out the trash. Then take all the things you no longer have use for and have a garage sale/yard sale and/or give them to your family, neighbors, Salvation Army, thrift stores and other places that can return them to circulation. No point in moving junk and cluttering up your next place too.
• Make a good backup of your computer files a week before the move. Atlas Van Lines posts several tips specifically for moving computers, antiques and collectables.
• Create a “Must Have Box” with things you will need upon arrival (medications, toiletries, towels, tv remote, current phone book, any documents needed to cross state or national borders with certain products/produce, etc.). Mayflower provides a list of items for this box.
• Locally, a sanitation department will pickup large amounts of trash twice a year for free on your normal trash pickup day if you schedule them about a full week in advance. You might wish to schedule a special trash pickup if you are moving out.

2. Basic Packing Tips Checklist

• Use moving boxes. Wal-mart plastic bags don’t cut it.
• Put heavy objects in small moving boxes and light objects in big moving boxes.
• The new economical plastic totes sold by Wal-mart types can be good moving totes for large light articles and clothing.
• If you use your towels as packing material you will not have to pack them later.
• Label moving boxes by contents and room.
• If you have suitcases, use them. Its silly to move empty suitcases.
• Entire family help to the extent possible.
• Clearly identify major go/no appliances and furniture (like the fridge stays).
• Securely pack and wrap heirlooms (grandma’s rocking chair).
• Remove light bulbs from lamps before packing them. Wrap the bulbs in newspaper, put them all in one box and label it.
• Get your pets (dogs, cats and kitty litter) out of the way, it is very stressful for them, they may run away and many people are allergic to them.
• Knockdown aquariums.
• Drain waterbeds.
• Measure very large pieces and make sure they can be gotten out of the house. We have ran into a few instances of rooms or garages being built around large pieces of furniture or appliances.
• Garage is often overlooked. Box up small stuff in the garage so it is easier to move.
• Be sure to check you backyard for hoses, bar-b-que grills, toys, trampolines, garden tools, etc. Some may need to be disassembled before the move.
• Make sure all propane bottles are turned off and handle them carefully. Most are not supposed to be transported in an enclosed space.
• Do not forget to check the attic for anything that may be stored there.
• Use personal cars to move fragile, frail, special attention items such as electronic devices (computers, stereo’s, tv’s, vcr’s), loose clothing, house plants, vases containing cremated remains, and firearms when possible. Firearms are a distraction when moving and could be a safety hazard.
• Pack computers and other consumer electronics in their original packaging if you still have it. Be sure to backup computers before you move them.
• Make plans for hauling off any remaining trash when the move is over.
• Collect a few carpet scraps for sliding the furniture on as you move it out of one house and into the other.
• Reserve a rental truck if you need one. Most rental truck providers also sell/rent dollies, moving pads, tape, boxes and other moving supplies.
• Mayflower provides some Packing Tips and a list of the 10 Most Often Forgotten Items on their web site.

3. Things to Anticipate

• For those who like to plan ahead, Mayflower offers a 6 Week Moving Planning Checklist online.
• Moving “food storage.”
• Kids have lots of big toys and bikes.

4. It is often very helpful if someone can watch very young children off site while loading.

5. Pianos

• Have at least 4 healthy adult males to move a piano.
• Use a piano dolly if possible.
• Take extra care with piano legs (they are weak).
• If you try to roll one on its rollers, it may scratch the floor. We have rolled them across cardboard before.

6. When loading large rental trucks and moving trucks

• When backing large trucks, be sure to watch out for trees, wires, and roof overhangs.
• Secondly, be sure the ground is dry enough to support the truck. These units get stuck very easily.
• Note – several of them have lights inside the trailer. They are controlled from the cab.
• If young children are on the site, be sure to corral them before moving the truck and consider keeping them off the loading ramp and out of the rear of the truck. Plus do not leave them unattended in the cab (they may take it out of gear, start it, beep horn, lock themselves in, etc). If they are onsite, try to have some toys and a grandma to keep them busy.
• If truck has an “overhang” (some storage in front up high) put books and some heavy moving boxes up there as the bottom couple rows, then throw some lighter moving boxes on top of them. Tie a rope across them a few times to prevent the overhang boxes from falling backwards onto the rest of the load.
• Put your “Must Have” box mentioned in our Before the Move section and any tools you want to be able to access during the trip or immediately upon arrival in the cab of the moving van, in the front seat of your car or in a locked room. Otherwise when people come to help you “load”, they may mistakenly put them in with all your other stuff, making them very hard to find.
• Put washers, dryers, and big pieces of furniture to the front. Fill in with boxes as you gradually fill in the truck from front to rear. You can put refrigerators up front if you do not plan on plugging them in (and they have been defrosted before the move).
• Tie ropes horizontally across the load (between the truck walls) at various intervals to prevent shifting of contents.
• Put heavy food storage boxes, buckets, bags of grains, and book boxes on the bottom.
• Place refrigerator or freezers at rear if you want to plug them in intermittently during long distance moves or interstate moves.
• Put big mirrors and framed glass between mattresses.
• “Nest” couches (One upside down upon the other).
• “Nest” chairs (One upside down upon the other) or stack moving boxes to a height that an upside down chair on top of them reaches the ceiling.
• Use the furniture pads supplied by the rental truck firm (if there are any) to protect furniture and other wood or metal appliances from being scratched. Wrap breakables in furniture blankes, place blankets on top scratchable furniture, squeeze furniture blankets between scratchable surfaces. We often use flat cardboard for the same purpose. Some old refrigerator or appliance boxes from a store can easily be cut with a utility (carpet) knife into useful shapes and sizes. (Use care not cut yourself with the utility knife).
• Put large plastic kid toys and loose bags on top of load.
• Position bookcases along the wall facing the interior of the truck and fill their shelves with small moving boxes.
• Put pianos on side walls (with their backs to the wall) and tie them to the wall.
• Constantly be tossing / squeezing bulky, light pieces (plastic flowers, Christmas decorations, pillows, plastic toys, blankets, etc) on top the load as you begin to fill the truck. This keeps them from taking up valuable room later.
• Put bicycles, trash cans, bar-b-que grills, and hand tools at rear of truck. (Hand tools may be needed during journey). Run some rope around the various items near the rear of the truck to prevent them from shifting (tie them all together a bit).
• Sometimes bicycles can be tied up high on the wall of rental trucks either horizontally or vertically.
• Small flat tools can often be inserted flat against the wall between the outer wall and the inner braces of the rental truck. Just be sure to get them out before you return the rental truck.
• Keep any tools you may need at the final destination or during the trip near the rear of the truck. You might also keep a heavy duty extension cord there. As per our earlier note, put them in the front of the truck before the move, or people helping may load them in the middle of the truck by mistake. Move them to the rear of the truck once the truck is loaded.

7. When driving/traveling, moving in larger rental trucks

• Know how tall you are, do not be hitting tree limbs, low wires, etc. You will almost never hit them on the open road, but you may once you get off the main roads.
• Make sure you have any maps and phone numbers you may need in the cab.
• Keep a flashlight in the cab.
• Have money or a credit card to pay for fuel, food, tolls, etc.
• Be sure to put a padlock on the rear door. Many people get to their destination and find someone already stole their stuff. The “flat round” type that makes it more difficult to cut with bolt cutters (little of the clasp is exposed) might be the best for this application.
• If you must park the truck overnight during the move, park it in a well lighted area observable from your hotel room if possible. Consider backing it against (quite close to) a telephone pole or a vertical wall/fence. This makes it much more difficult to remove/steal big items.
• Pull over on a side road into a parking lot if you need to look at a map.
• When you need to briefly park/stop the truck try to do so in way you can drive out of the position vs. backing up (poor vision behind the rental truck).
• Be sure if the rental truck takes diesel or gas before refueling.
• Make sure you are aware of the return policy times (return by 8pm etc) and hours the location will be open. Do not speed or drive hazardously to make those times, but do not loligag and get caught by them.
• Have a cell phone and phone book of your destination city in the cab.
• Obey the laws, speed limits, towing regulations, etc.
• If you are caravaning with your family in a car, cell phones make the trip much easier (send them for food, you know when they are making bathroom stops, etc.).
• Many rental trucks have a fire extinguisher in them. Make sure you know where it is and how to operate it.
• Wash the windows when you get fuel if they need it.
• If you left food in your refrigerator or freezer near the back of the rental truck, you may be able to plug it in somewhere overnight and again immediately upon reaching your destination during long distance moves or interstate moves.

8. When unloading larger rental trucks

• When backing large rental trucks, be sure to watch out for trees, wires, and roof overhangs.
• Be sure the ground is dry enough to support the rental truck. These units get stuck very easily.
• Toss any ropes and packing blankets into a pile as you unload. This makes them easier to find later. Often a youth can fold them up for returning with the truck as you unload.
• Note – several of them have lights inside the trailer. They are controlled from the cab.

9. Appliances

• Moving Washers and Dryers
  – Empty any clothes from them
  – Turn the washer hoses off and disconnect them
  – Drain washer hose and stick end of hose in washer.
  – Put dryer spiral vent hose and clamp in dryer.
  – Prevent scratches on washers and dryers by putting a piece of cardboard between them in the truck.
• Moving Refrigerators and Freezers
  – Unload them before moving them.
  – Food can be briefly stored in ice chest and cardboard boxes, then rapidly returned to the fridge after short moves.
  – Move them right side up. Do not turn them on their side or back.
  – You may be forced to remove their doors in order to get them through a door or other limiting opening. The door handles are often a problem in clearing tight spaces.
  – When moving them, have someone watching the extension cord and making sure you do not hit the coils on the back of the unit against a door or wall.
  – For long distance moves, you can put the fridge near the back door of a rental truck and plug it in with an extension cord when the truck is not moving.
  – Once you reach your destination, plug it in.
  – On rare occasions, it may be necessary to take the door off a refrigerator or freezer to pass through a door.
• Use an appliance dolly if possible, otherwise use a regular dolly with a piece of cardboard against it to prevent the dolly from scratching the appliances.

10. You may need to pull the loaded drawers from “chest of drawers,” load the frame, then reinstall the drawers. If you fail to do this, the top section may tear off or loosen from some lightweight or old chests.

11. Tools

• Tape measure to help determine the best path through the house with major pieces of furniture and appliances.
• We ask the move out families to supply most of the tools, but it never hurts to have some basic tools with you.

12. When positioning a truck with a loading ramp, it is generally best position the truck with the ramp all the way to the ground. If you try to put the ramp on a step or porch besides being a little precarious, when you start to slide tall furniture or mattresses up it, they hit the roof of the porch or top or a door jam.

13. When moving tall furniture or mattresses/box springs turned on their side, be especially cautious of hanging lights, low ceilings, and the top of door jams.

14. Kid Safety

• Try to get very young children out of the home (have someone watch them).
• No kids allowed in the truck.
• If truck has a hoist, no kids ride it up and down and they stay clear of it at all times.
• Allow kids to move their personal belongings as much as possible.

15. We have found area grocery and liquor stores to be excellent sources of moving boxes. You can often pickup produce boxes (grapes, bananas, etc) from stores in the morning. Liquor store boxes are a good size for moving many things and not so big they get too heavy.

16. If it is an across town move and you are doing it in several trips, be sure to pickup the packing blankets from the new site and return them to the moving site so they can be used again on the next load.

17. Move in tip – many families use the garage as a staging area for full moving boxes. If you leave a lot of full moving boxes in the garage, make sure it does not flood. Several garages in this area take on water during heavy rains.

18. If some of your belongings go to a local storage unit at your new destination

• Decide exactly what will be going to storage before you begin loading.
• Mark them for storage and pack them together and as a group either in the front or rear of the truck to allow off loading them first or last.
• Upon arrival, locate your “Must Have Box” and put it in a safe place.
• Hookup TV, VCR, electronic games to keep young children occupied.

• Air Travel with Pets – Avatar
• Moving a Computer – 123 Movers
• Moving a Waterbed – ABC Waterbeds
• Moving an Aquarium – Atlas
• Moving Dogs, Cats and Other Pets – Atlas
• Moving House Plants – Atlas
• Moving Kids – MoversDirectory.com

• Budget Rental Trucks
• Hertz Rental Trucks
• Penske Truck Rentals
• Ryder Rental Trucks
• Uhaul Rental Trucks and Rental Vans

• ABF U-Pack Moving Company
• Allied Van Lines Moving Company
• Atlas Moving  Company
• Mayflower Moving Company
• North American Van Lines Moving Company
• United Van Lines Moving Company

• Avatar’s Moving & Storage Knowledge Database
• Moving Cost Calculator
• U.S. Post Office MoversGuide.com

• Expected of Move Ins
• Expected of Move Outs
• Expected of Moving Helpers
• Thoughts for the Quorum

I have personally helped a local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mens group (Elders Quorum) move in, out or across town over 300 families over the last 30 years. Those experiences led to the creation of this web site. The tips below are written specifically in regard to Elders Quorums across the country helping people move in and out of their community. Local Elders Quorums may find it useful to alter this list to meet their needs and distribute it to families who are about to move. Others helping people move may also find them helpful.

Expected of Helpers

1. Be there on time.
2. Be there in force (enough manpower).
3. Have the home teacher involved if possible.
4. Conduct yourselves appropriately.
5. Be careful with the family’s belongings and home.
6. Confidentiality – sometimes people move in or out with weird stuff that is none of your business, nor is the condition of their belongings or home.

Expected of Move Ins

1. Be sure the current tenant is gone before they try to move in.
2. HAve lease or papers signed well ahead of time so the “move in” can proceed.
3. Have electricity turned on before the move in (lights).
4. Notify Elders Quorum presidency Sunday before the move of:
   – That you will be moving in.
   – The time you want us to be there. If you can schedule unloading to be after 5pm weekdays or on Saturday it is easier for us to find helpers.
   – Supply the address of your home and directions of how to get there if it is a rural address.
   – The general nature of the move so we can estimate the number of people required: Number of family members, teenagers, and children; Identify any very big items (piano, huge cabinets, large waterbed); Do you have a lot of materials associated with a home business?; Will we also be moving some things to a local storage unit?; Type of residence you are moving into (house, mobile home, university housing); Does your new home have an upstairs?; Is it on the second floor?
   – Any other special problems you can anticipate.
5. Be there on time with your belongings.
6. Entire family help to the extent possible.
7. Supply a “director” to direct boxes and furniture to certain areas of home. Director is not to be carrying boxes, they are to direct those unloading as to where to place stuff.
8. If some of the belongings go to a local storage unit:
   – Decide what will be going to storage before you begin unloading the truck. Do not be discussing each item as it comes off to decide if you want to store it or not.
   – Try to pack storage items together and as a group either in the front or back of the truck if possible to allow off loading them first or last.
9. Be realistic about what goes “upstairs.”
10. If moving into a trailer house
    – Supply outdoor deck/porch if possible.
    – Anticipate narrow halls and small doors for your furniture.
    – Clean snow and ice from porches and stairs so movers can get safe footing.
    – Get as many vehicles and obstructions out of the driveway as possible so we can get several vehicles close enough to load at once.

Expected of Move Outs

Note to move outs – If you have any difficulties completing this checklist, please contact your home teacher or Elders Quorum Presidency and we will help you with them. Please do so early enough for us to take care of the difficulties before the move.

1. Firstly, notify the Elders Quorum presidency the Sunday before the move of:
   – That you will be moving out.
   – The time you want us to be there. If you can schedule unloading to be after 5pm weekdays or on Saturday it is easier for us to find helpers.
   – Please try to avoid changing an established day and time if possible. If you must move the date or time, please notify the Elders Quorum presidency as soon as possible so helpers can be notified and new help can be found if necessary.
   – Supply the address of your home and directions of how to get there if it is a rural address. If you are moving to another local address, please supply it also.
   – The general nature of the move so we can estimate the number of people required: Will you be moving out of town or to another local address (will we be both loading and unloading?); Number of family members, teenagers, and children; Identify any huge items (piano, huge cabinets, large waterbed); Do you have a lot of materials associated with a home business?; Will we also be moving some belongings from a local storage unit?; What type of residence you are moving out of (house, mobile home, university housing)?; Does your home have an upstairs?; Is it on the second floor?
   – Any other special problems you anticipate.
2. Be packed and ready.
3. You are expected to supply:
   – Ropes or twine for tying on, tying down loads.
   – Shipping blankets or cardboard to isolate furniture.
   – Drinking water and cups.
   – Broom to sweep out rental storage units.
   – Rental truck or vehicle for out of town moves with: functional ramp (we’ve seen some that could not be pulled out); shipping blankets (some flat cardboard can also be helpful); ropes for tying load securely; appliance dolly if needed; lighting for inside of truck if loading after dark; lock for rear door of truck (prevent someone from stealing your stuff); be sure the truck is big enough (do not forget about the garage and outdoors: tools, trash cans, bar-b-que grills, large kids toys, swings, lawn mowers, bicycles, lawn games.
   – Wrenches and tools for: breakdown of beds and bunk beds (and a container for the bolts); removing the refrigerator or freezer door if they have to be removed; separating legs from large dining room tables; removing pins that hinge doors that may need pulled from hinges; “undoing” front door closer so front door can be blocked open; remove dyer spiral vent hose (probably a large screw driver).
   – Piano dolly if needed.
4. Clean snow and ice from porches and stairs so movers can get safe footing.
5. Get as many vehicles and obstructions out of the driveway as possible so we can get several vehicles close enough to load at once.
6. Lastly, have drinking water and cups or paper cups available for the movers, especially in hot summer weather.

Thoughts for the Elders Quorum

• Try to get the home teachers involved as much as possible.
• Plan to have enough People and Pickups for the move.
• A group prayer at the end of the move for the safety of the family during the move and for them doing well in their new location might be appropriate.
• Bring young men and involve them.
• It is often very helpful if someone can watch the moving family’s very young children off site.
• Get extra help for 2nd story moves or homes with an upstairs. Double Extra help for local move between two second story locations.
• Get extra help for trailer house moves. Hard to get in and out of them, narrow doors, narrow halls, often can’t park close. Its often easiest to have a few people inside and several outside passing boxes, furniture, and other belongings at the trailer door.
• Learn how to properly tie down a load, and how to tie larger pieces of furniture or bedding to the rental truck wall. Futhermore, teach one another this skill.
• Don’t be afraid to show up for only part of the move. A little extra help at the front, middle, or end of a move is often very appreciated.
• If you are in a seasonal moving area (University, etc), families moving out at the same time might have a garage sale together or share a rental truck for “same day” local moves.
• We have a list of e-mail addresses of quorum members and use it to flash out a request for help when an unexpected move in or move out takes place. We call a few people to make sure we can get a least a couple bodies there, then flash the e-mail and hope for the best. It seems to work well in emergency situations.
• Be sure to park coureously and legally (dont block driveways or mailboxes, and park on the correct side of the street for the direction your vehicle is facing.) We sometimes turn up in several vehicles and do not want to make a bad impression on the neighbors by parking with wild abandon.
• Lastly, for moves involving pickup trucks, make sure things are tied down very securely so nothing falls off/out and leads to an accident.

My Personal Moving Tips Checklist of moving supplies and things I take as a helper

• Steel toed work boots, lifting belt, long sleeved shirt and a baseball cap.
• Tape measure.
• Small tool box.
• Roper/twine.
• Utility (carpet) knife.
• Several flattened, large appliance boxes for cutting up as padding.
• Flat weight plate to hold the empty boxes above down in my pickup bed.
• Pickup truck.
• Ice water if it is extremely hot.
• Written down address I am going to if I am not familiar with the location.
• Travel alarm (watch).
• Ink pen and paper in pocket.
• My glasses (sometimes have to read find print installation instructions).

Weird Local Things

Finally, if people are moving in from other locales, make sure they understand anything particular to your climate, like here in Oklahoma we tell them:

• What days and times they test the tornado sirens (that always freaks them out the first time), plus what to do if the sirens go off for real.
• Some things they may be planning on temporarily storing in their garage might be damaged by the summer heat.
• Which areas of town and roads that may flood during heavy rains.
• Any high crime areas near them they might wish to avoid, especially at night.
• Where the Church is and when we meet.
• Where Wal-Mart is.
• They usually already know where they’re kids schools are.
• We try to prepare them for football game day traffic in this college town.