Moving can be a stressful process. Reduce the tension by communicating with the movers throughout the day and being prepared for these common setbacks ahead of time. 

Problem: Floor coverings

New residences with freshly laid carpets often have plastic or butcher paper covering the floor. This poses a hazard for the movers and your belongings; the mover can trip on the plastic or tear the paper and go right through it. Julian Grefe from Old City Movers in Philadelphia says that the safest and best option to protect your floors is to put down moving blankets. “All of our trucks come fully stocked with blankets. It is difficult to keep floors pristine but the blankets cover them well and our movers are always careful,” Grefe says. Ask the company if they have blankets before moving day to make sure you’re prepared ahead of time.

Problem: Transporting vehicles

One request that Old City Movers gets fairly often is to transport vehicles, such as motorcycles and scooters, inside their trucks. A lot of people don’t realize that there are legal restrictions on who can move vehicles. If you do want to move a vehicle, you should check with the moving company first to see if they will handle that, or arrange for alternate transportation.

Problem: Gases and flammable liquids

Moving companies are not able to put flammable liquids or compressed gases on the trucks. Items such as the propane tank on your grill or a gas can easily be overlooked when packing.

Problem: Appliances

Make sure you unhook all of your appliances and defrost your refrigerator beforehand. Grefe says if you don’t, your refrigerator will defrost in the truck and soak everything around it. The time added during loading and unloading makes this necessary even for shorter moves, and in the summer it will melt even faster.

Problem: Special requests

If you have the moving company pack your belongings, make sure your instructions are clear and you prioritize items. “People don’t always mention if they don’t want their medicine packed in a certain box or need their child seat left out or put in the front of the truck. This causes problems,” Grefe says. If you do have a special request, put the items in a designated area, make a note of it, and tell the movers.