Preparing for Full Service Movers

Preparing for full service movers doesn’t have to be complicated, but a little planning before moving day can make a significant difference. While full-service moving takes much of the physical work off your shoulders, knowing what to expect, what to set aside and how to prepare your home helps everything run more smoothly.

With 40 years of experience helping customers move throughout Greater Victoria and beyond, Hendra understands that preparation is about more than packing boxes. It’s about making sure your moving team has the information they need, your belongings are properly accounted for and you feel confident about what happens next.

Good preparation addresses common full-service moving mistakes, including unclear scope, incomplete inventories, and essentials being packed by accident.

Decide what is moving before packing day

Professional movers can pack the items you ask them to pack, but they are not automatically responsible for decluttering your home. Sort belongings before the crew arrives and create separate groups for items to move, donate, sell, recycle, discard, or leave behind.

Anything removed before packing day is something you do not have to pay to pack, transport, store, or unpack. This is especially useful when you are downsizing or moving after many years in one home.

Create a clear do-not-pack area

Set aside the items you will carry yourself or need during the move. Use one room, closet, vehicle, or clearly marked area that the crew can recognize immediately.

• Identification, passports, documents, and keys
• Medication and medical equipment
• Jewelry, irreplaceable keepsakes, and small valuables
• Chargers, phones, computers, and work materials
• Toiletries, a change of clothing, and first-night supplies
• Food, liquids, pet supplies, and children’s essentials

Confirm exactly what the service includes

Not every full-service moving package includes the same services, so it’s important to understand exactly what’s covered in your estimate. Ask about packing materials, professional packing, wardrobe contents, furniture dismantling and reassembly, unpacking, debris removal, storage and any additional stops.

Hendra’s Move Coordinators can help customers review their moving requirements, discuss available services and clarify what’s included before moving day. If there’s something specific you need, make sure it’s discussed during the estimate process and documented in your moving agreement so everyone has the same expectations.

Write down the details that affect your day. Note the expected arrival window, the rooms being packed, any items that need special handling, the destination priorities, and the person to contact if the plan changes.

Review the moving inventory

An accurate moving inventory helps your moving company plan the right crew, equipment, packing materials and truck space. Be sure to include large furniture, fragile belongings, artwork, appliances, outdoor equipment and anything stored in garages, sheds or less frequently used areas of your home.

When preparing for a move with Hendra, take the time to review these details with your Move Coordinator. If your estimate was completed using photographs or a video walkthrough, mention anything that may not have been visible. And if you’ve added or removed belongings since receiving your estimate, let the team know in advance so your moving plan can be adjusted accordingly.

Photograph valuable or complicated items

Take clear photographs of valuable furniture, electronics, artwork, appliances, and items with existing marks. For computers and home electronics, photograph cable connections before unplugging them. This can make reassembly easier and gives you a record of condition and configuration.

Keep the photographs somewhere you can access even if your phone or computer is packed.

Prepare the home for the crew

Movers arrive ready to work, but clear access makes the job safer and more efficient. Remove rubbish, deal with dirty dishes and laundry, separate landlord-owned items, and clear walkways where possible. Secure pets and arrange supervision for young children during the busiest parts of the day.

You do not need to pre-pack boxes if you purchased professional packing. You do need to remove ambiguity about what belongs in the shipment.

Label priorities for the destination

Tell the crew which rooms and items need immediate access. A simple priority system can identify boxes for the kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, work area, and children’s rooms. If you are moving between temporary housing and a permanent home, confirm whether different destinations need different labels.

Ask how the company labels cartons and furniture. Room labels, brief contents, and identifiers can make the unloading and unpacking process much easier.

Plan for the first night

Even a well-coordinated move may leave you tired and surrounded by cartons. Prepare a separate overnight bag with medication, toiletries, clothing, towels, basic food, pet supplies, chargers, and important documents. If children are moving with you, include familiar items and anything needed for the next morning.

Stay available while the crew works

You do not need to hover over professional packers. Be available to answer questions, identify fragile or unusual items, and make decisions when something is unclear. Before the truck leaves, walk through closets, cupboards, garages, storage areas, outdoor spaces, and less-used rooms.

Review the destination plan

Before moving day, confirm where the truck can park, which entrance the crew should use and whether stairs, elevators, narrow passages or building restrictions could affect unloading. In Greater Victoria, moving into a downtown condo can involve very different access requirements than a home in the Westshore or Saanich Peninsula. Elevator reservations, limited loading areas and narrow driveways are all worth discussing with your Hendra Move Coordinator in advance so the crew can plan accordingly. It also helps to identify which rooms should receive boxes first and where larger furniture will go.

That destination plan should also explain what happens after delivery, because unpacking after a full-service move is easier when rooms and essentials have priorities before the truck arrives.

Prepare special instructions

Write down instructions for furniture that needs careful handling, rooms that must remain accessible, items that should travel together, or belongings that have more than one destination. A short written note is easier to follow than a detail mentioned once during a busy morning.

If a piece of furniture has removable shelves, fragile glass, electronics, or an unusual assembly method, identify it during the estimate. The crew can then plan the right protection and sequence.

Protect the parts of the home that are staying

Remove or clearly identify landlord-owned items, built-in fixtures, items being sold, and belongings staying with another person. If you are moving from a home that is being staged or sold, make sure the crew knows which rooms or surfaces require extra care.

Keep important paperwork about the property, keys, remotes, and access instructions outside the shipment.

Plan for delays without losing essentials

Even a local move can take longer than expected because of weather, access, traffic, elevators, or a change in the amount of work. For long-distance moving, the gap between loading and delivery may be wider. Keep enough medication, clothing, toiletries, work equipment, and household basics with you for the expected transition.

Set up a simple communication plan

Good communication makes moving day easier for everyone. When moving with Hendra, make sure you know who your main point of contact is, how to reach the team with questions and how any changes to your moving plan should be communicated. Share the best phone number to reach you on packing and delivery days, and make sure another household member understands the plan if you’re unavailable. A few minutes spent confirming these details can prevent unnecessary confusion when things get busy.

Preparation checklist

1. Sort belongings before packing day.
2. Mark a do-not-pack and personal-carry area.
3. Confirm the written service scope.
4. Update the inventory with large, fragile, or specialty items.
5. Photograph valuables and electronics.
6. Clear access and secure pets and children.
7. Prepare an essentials bag.
8. Plan priority rooms at the destination.
9. Be available for questions and complete a final walkthrough.

What to do the week before moving day

During the final week, finish decisions rather than starting a new packing project. Confirm the date, arrival window, access details, contact information, and any building requirements. Make sure the moving company knows about changes to the inventory or destination.

Use the remaining time to wash or separate items that should not be packed, remove food and liquids that cannot travel, arrange pet care, and prepare the personal items you will carry. Keep the essentials bag out of the rooms being packed.

What to do on packing day

Start with a short walkthrough. Point out the do-not-pack area, fragile belongings, items that are staying behind, and any rooms with special instructions. Then allow the professional packers to work without redirecting every carton.

Stay close enough to answer questions. If the crew finds something unexpected, make a decision promptly and ask for important changes to be recorded. Before the final carton leaves, inspect cupboards, closets, storage spaces, garages, and outdoor areas.

What to do after the truck is loaded

Keep your documents, keys, personal essentials, photographs, and moving contact information with you. Confirm the destination address, delivery instructions, and any storage or timing details before leaving the origin home.

If the home is being sold or handed over, complete the agreed cleaning and property checks separately from the moving inventory. Do not place important property documents or access items inside the shipment.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to pack before full-service movers arrive?

If professional packing is included, you usually do not need to pack ordinary household items. You should still decide what moves and separate personal essentials.

Should I empty drawers for movers?

Ask the moving company. Some furniture can travel with light contents, while heavy or fragile items may need to be removed for safe handling.

What should I do while movers pack?

Remain available, keep the do-not-pack area clear, answer questions, and perform a final walkthrough. You do not need to direct every box.

Should I label boxes before the movers arrive?

You can label personal-carry items and special instructions in advance. Ask the moving company how it labels professional packing cartons so your system works with its inventory process.

How do I prepare furniture for professional movers?

Do not dismantle items unless the moving company asks you to. Identify fragile parts, existing marks, removable pieces, and any special instructions during the estimate.