Packers on Moving Day

[20thCenturyGhosts]

Hi, we have decided to bite the bullet this time around and get the movers to pack for us, but just wondered a few things. Do you need to empty kitchen cupboards for them to pack, bookcases cleared etc or do they just pack from the shelves? Also, do they leave the boxes in the new house, or empty the stuff out and take boxes back with them? Keep trying to get DH to ask them but he forgets and never leaves me their contact details

Different movers offer different services. We have had ones who pack from shelves and then put in the new house in equivalent locations. Also had those who just transport boxes, or the in between level where they pack and then just leave the boxes in the appropriately marked room. Always provide a detailed floorplan with a clear and logical numbering system if so.

I’d just call and ask!

Hi OP - I've only done this in the USA and Canada but I presume it's the same everywhere. You don't need to empty anything as that's exactly what the service is - they pack it all for you, and all you need to do is tell them what not to take. You'll need to check about unpacking though as we've had mixed results with that. Moving companies generally will pick up empty flattened boxes once you're done with them too.

Really, you need to write all your questions down and phone them to ask so you don't forget or have any misunderstandings on the day.

We've decided we'll never move again without getting someone to pack for us - worth every penny imo.

No you do not have to empty the cupboards or bookcases etc. However they will not take perishable food or anything liquid, so remove that stuff. They will pack everything else though- leave a dirty nappy hanging around and you'll be wondering why one of the boxes is so stinky!
They do not unpack the other end! They will most likely send you an invoice with the packing materials they used. They will take the blankets off things like dining table if they covered it.

It seems to differ between different companies. Ours packed the inside of all the cupboards, shelves etc, and even packed our perishables on the day of moving (the left the fridge plugged in overnight and packed the food into cool bags and passed them to me first at the other end). We literally didn’t need to lift a finger. On the other end they brought the boxes into the relevant rooms and we unpacked them. They said they don’t need the boxes back either.

However they will not take perishable food or anything liquid, so remove that stuff.

Mine did. They also, however, packed a full kitchen bin!

Our packers packed absolutely everything. There are unpacking services but I've never used them. we moved from London to Bristol so they let us keep the boxes which i then gave away for free on gumtree otherwise they said they'd normally pick them up

Make sure you don't leave a stray pack of nuts in the dining room if you intend to put the dining room contents in the garage, otherwise mice will move in

Ours packed from the shelves and cupboards (and window sills); we helped them to label the boxes so they knew which rooms to put them into at the new house. They offered to collect boxes a week later, presuming it would take us time to empty them all - I called them the next day to arrange collection!