Residential Moving Guide

Get organized. Items that are to remain in the house on moving day should be clearly labeled so there is no chance of loading them by mistake. If you plan to take some items with you, have them packed and loaded in the car or in a spare bedroom or closet. Make sure to post a sign indicating that these items are not to be moved. Establish a secure, easily accessible place for important documents and items, such as medications, plane tickets, papers for house closing and car keys.

Dressers
Leave light articles of clothing in the drawers. If there are breakable items in the drawers, place them on top of the dresser so they can be packed properly. Keys, screws and bolts should be placed in a bag and taped inside a drawer. Lock file cabinets and take the keys with you. If your shipment is going into storage, all items must be removed from the drawers.

Clothing on hangers
Leave clothing on hangers in the closet. If only a few things are to be packed from the closet, please separate them from the others or place them outside of the closet. These will be placed into "hang-up" wardrobes.

Pictures and mirrors
For pictures and mirrors hanging on the wall by wire and nail, leave them hanging and they will be packed. You will need to take down anything attached to the wall by a screw, bolt or nail driven into the wall. This includes shelving units, plant hangers, curtains and their rods, ceiling fans, etc.

Items in kitchen cabinets
Remove perishables and liquids before packers and movers arrive. Leave all other items in the cabinets and the packers will pack them.

Perishable items
These items cannot be taken on the van.

High-value items
Items of high dollar or emotional value should be taken by you personally and not loaded onto the van. Jewelry, coin collections, furs, as well as remote controls to TVs, VCRs and stereos, and items that cannot be replaced (personal photographs, video tapes and computer CDs should be taken with you.

Non-allowables

Perishable Items:
* Frozen Foods
* Refrigerated Foods
* Open Food Without Adequate Preservation
*Produce
*Plants

Hazardous Materials:
* Matches
* Gasoline
* Kerosene
* Propane Tanks
* Any Type of Fuel
* Motor Oil
* Lamp Oil
* Sterno
* Cleaning Solvents
* Ammonia
* Charcoal
* Charcoal Lighter
* Paint Thinner
* Paints
* Chemistry Sets
* Fertilizer
* Aerosols
* Ammunition
* Loaded Guns
* Poisons
* Pesticides
* Liquid Bleach
* Fireworks
* Nail Polish Remover
* Car Batteries
* Household Batteries


The Following are Not Recommended Items:
* Financial Documents
* Certificates of Deposit
* IRA’s
* Stocks
* Bonds
* Airline Tickets
* Car Keys
* Address Book
* Checkbook
* Computer Disk Storage
* Family Photographs
* Wedding Albums
* Personal Video Tapes
* Insurance Policies
* Deeds
* Prescription Medications
* Medical & Dental Records
* School Records
* Documents Pertaining to New Home

• Open containers such as shampoo, dish soap and liquor are not recommended because they may leak.
• Candles are not recommended because they may melt and cause damage to other property.
• Please remove all batteries from toys, remote controls, and all other battery-operated possessions.

Refrigerator/Freezer
We recommended that you unplug your refrigerator and freezer at least 24 hours before loading day. Leave the doors open so that they may come up to room temperature and air dry. We also recommend that you wipe in the inside of the refrigerator and freezer with a solution of white vinegar and water and dry them thoroughly. When this is completed, pour one cup of fresh, unused coffee grounds into some type of nylon stocking or sock, tie a knot and place one in the freezer, one in the refrigerator compartment. For upright or chest freezers, toss two nylon stockings or socks filled with fresh coffee grounds in the unit, and then close the door. These will absorb unwanted odors and any remaining moisture.

Don’t Forget!

Be sure to empty all ashtrays and trash baskets/cans. When packing yourself, you must use good sturdy boxes with lids. The tops and bottoms must be taped securely. No trash bags will be accepted. When packing yourself, be sure to label each container with your name, order number (provided by your move coordinator), room and general contents. This will make the delivery process much easier and will allow the delivery crew to place each container in the appropriate rooms.