Preparing for your moving company can seem like a daunting task, but this complete, comprehensive guide will give you all of the information you need to have the smoothest move possible. Just follow this guide and call Top Notch movers!
What to do during the consultation with a moving company
When you are going through the consultation, it is vital that you are upfront and clear about all the possible hurdles that the movers will possibly have to go through. The consultation process is in place purely to ensure you receive the fairest and most comprehensive pricing check available.
With Top Notch Movers we will look for countless factors, the most important being:
Terrain – we will first look for the alternate terrain. Anything from stairs to felt carpet to outdoor areas will affect the price and how it will pertain to your move. Specialty Objects – There are countless specialty objects that we will consider in the event of a move. These range from safes and art pieces to gun racks and grills. We must always ensure our movers are in the safest possible hands. Openness – Next we will look at how open the residence or business is. If it is easy to maneuver, this will make it easier on our movers and your wallet.
What will the moving company do?
Often you will be visited by the owner of Top Notch who will walk the lot and assess all of the points listed above. The primary purpose is to plan on how many movers will be needed and how long the move should take. 
Typically we charge based on Full-Days or Half-days and a number of movers needed for the event. Presumably, you will be renting your truck with us too, and that will also be included in the original price not counting on if there are specials at that time. Finally, you will receive a written invoice that will itemize the charges and what parts are up for debate regarding how much involvement you would like in the move!
What do I do to prepare for that, before the moving company arrive?
When you are preparing for the movers to get to your home, you need to prepare the appearance, the categorizing, and the organizing of the materials.
Cleaning and Clearing the House
You should be cleaning and clearing the house. Anything that can interrupt the movement of the move can only cost you money and potentially risk the health of our movers. Cleaning – First, you should clean the house. This is good practice for when you are leaving a house or apartment because the next owner won’t have to go through the process and it’s a good first impression for the home in general. Additionally, cleaning up the house can make it easier to move because you will both. Cleaning the air of dust and lose particles that can affect performance. Clearing – Next you will want to clear the area as much as possible. if you have kids or a dog, you know how difficult it can be to see the floor at times if there are a lot of toys or loose items on the floor. Clearing the air will make it much easier to move throughout the house and run the risk of possibly hurting your legs during the move.
Sectioning off your Valuables
Next, you will want to section off your valuables. There are two types of sectioning you want to do. 
Ease-of-Moving – When you organize an area and make it easier for the movers to pick up your belongings, you are making it much faster for them to move. The moving industry translates time into money, and if you can make it easy for them to make a full day a half day, it can save you money on your move in the long run. Additionally, it will make it much more organized for the next section. Personal Responsibility – More importantly, it ensures that personal responsibility is solely on your shoulders. When there are questionable items that need to be personally escorted, you remove the risk of us affecting it by taking control of it. While we are professionals and can safely transport your belongings with ease, it is often best if you take personal responsibility for the majority of your belongings.
Tagging and mapping for your moving company
Finally, a great way to make the moving process even faster is to tag and map your belongings once you’ve sectioned them off. 
Tagging – Tags are incredibly important, especially if they are color coded. If you can tag your belongings to know exactly what room they started in and where they are going, it can make the moving process and transition into the new home much easier than if you didn’t. We recommend either duct tape, post-it notes, or different colored strings or even just extensive sharpies. Mapping – Finally, you want to map out where everything belongs. Chances are you know where you’re moving to before we get there. If you want to make the moving process simple and easy, make a map and color-code where everything is going to go. The more clear and concise you can make it, the faster the movers will get to escorting your belongings from one place to the other.
The Day of the Move
Once the day of the move happens, it’s important to make a game plan and stick with it.
Go ahead or Follow Through?
If you’ve followed all of our plans up until this point, you now have a unique choice. Will you go ahead of them or follow from behind them and guide them to the location? 
Go Ahead – Arguably the most popular option is going ahead and clearing the new home out as much as possible. Chances are if you’ve helped us pack the truck in for about the first 50%, you’ve seen what room is going to be in the forefront, and it will make it much easier for you to prepare for the unloading process. Follow Through – If you like hanging out with your movers, many of our clients will follow through and pick up lunch with the movers. This happens a lot with predetermined all-day moves and is a kind gesture that will often make a move much more personal as opposed to trying to crunch the numbers.
Coordinating the move with a moving company
Often there will be a moving manager there, or the movers will know what they’re doing. But if you are the micromanaging type we highly recommend reading this section to know how to manage the move properly. Otherwise, it can be a headache to deal with a moving company. 
Managing – When you are managing, remember that you are managing the movers who work for the owner. They are there to help you as fast as possible and respectfully move your belongings. There is no need to shout or belittle people who are helping you move your stuff to a new location; please remember that we are all working together. Clarity – Additionally, when you are giving feedback and help for us to move, be as clear as possible. If you find yourself pointing and saying ‘over there’ a lot, it is often doing a disservice because the movers are trained to keep their neck straight. So if you’re going to be specific, do so before they begin moving the objects, or you risk injuring the movers. Pizza – We always suggest the same thing. Order some pizza, it works for everyone and keeps everyone up and happy.
How much should I tip?
Tipping Standards are different with movers than if you go to a restaurant. We’ve seen most people do it either based on the percentage or just chuck cash at the movers and don’t think about it too much. 
Percentage – If you are doing a percentage, we recommend around 10% of the total value of the move, which is still a good amount of money even though the number seems low. Cash Value – But the most often way we’ve seen movers get tipped is just a flat $20 or $100 bill depending on how much is being moved. If you are a single person who just needs help getting all of the boxes out, 20 to 40 bucks will do it no problem. But if you just had two movers escort your baby grand piano from Miami to Boca Raton, it’s usually expected that they receive a $100 tip.
Top Notch Movers, the best moving company in South Florida.
Top Notch Movers has been working in South Florida for countless years. During that time we have helped dozens of people and businesses moving to new locations. We hope this guide has been helpful to you and we hope to hear from you soon. If you would like to work with one of the best moving companies in South Florida, we encourage you to call us or fill out the form below. We have people waiting by the phones at all hours of the day, and we would love to hear from you!
