It is the evening before your move. The crew arrives in the morning. Half the kitchen is still in the cabinets, the closets are full, and the box supply ran out an hour ago.
This happens more often than people admit. The good news: it is a solvable problem if you act tonight instead of at 7 a.m.
First: call your mover tonight
The most important step is not packing faster. It is telling your mover now.
A crew that knows in advance can plan for it. A crew that discovers it at the door has to stop and improvise, and everyone loses time. Tell your coordinator:
- Which rooms are not packed
- Whether you need materials, packing help, or both
- Anything fragile that is still unwrapped, such as dishes, glassware, art or a television
At Impel, full packing usually happens the day before a move, but a small partial pack can happen the same morning. Calling tonight is what makes that possible.
What to do yourself tonight
Moving in the Bay Area? Get a detailed written quote for your move.
Spend the evening on what only you can do. Leave the bulk packing for later.
1. Set aside what travels with you. Before anything else, pull out documents, medications, keys, chargers, jewelry and valuables. Put them in one bag that never goes near the truck.
2. Pack a first-night box. Bedding, a change of clothes, toiletries, basic cookware and phone chargers. Label it clearly so it comes off the truck first.
3. Empty the drawers that matter. Anything sharp, spillable or private should come out of dressers and desks.
4. Clear the path. Make the hallways, stairs and doorways passable so loading can start the moment the crew arrives.
5. Make a list of what is left. Room by room. This list is what your mover needs in the morning.
What to hand to a packing crew
If you can only finish part of the home, finish the easy rooms and hand over the hard ones. Clothing, books and linens are quick to pack yourself. Kitchens, art, mirrors, lamps and electronics take the longest and break most often.
A professional crew brings the materials: double-walled cartons, dish barrels, wardrobe boxes and mirror sleeves. If you have started packing, the crew works around your boxes and finishes what remains. The packing services page explains how room-by-room packing and labeling work.
For dishes and glasses specifically, our guide on how to pack dishes for moving shows the method if you want to finish the kitchen yourself.
What not to do
- Do not throw everything into bags. Loose bags do not stack, slow the loading, and get crushed.
- Do not use the last hour for packing fragile items. Rushed wrapping is where most breakage starts.
- Do not leave the building unprepared. If your building needs an elevator reservation or a Certificate of Insurance, confirm it tonight. In San Francisco, check that truck parking is arranged too.
How to avoid this next time
The night-before scramble usually comes from underestimating how long packing takes. Most homes take far longer to pack than to load.
If you have a move coming up, our moving checklist lays out when to start packing week by week. If you would rather not pack at all, a full moving service puts packing, moving and unpacking in one written plan.
