12 practical tips from the Horizon Boston Movers crew — things we see people get wrong every move day.
Before you start packing:
Book early
especially if you're moving September 1st in Boston.
Boston's lease turnover date is one of the busiest moving days in the country. Movers fill up weeks in advance. If your move date is flexible, avoid August 31st and September 1st altogether.
Back up irreplaceable files before move day.
Upload photos, documents, and important files to cloud storage or a portable drive that travels with you — not in the moving truck.
Photograph every cable setup before you unplug anything.
TV, sound system, computer, router — take a photo of the back panel before disconnecting. Reconnecting is ten times faster when you have a reference.
Arrange for pets to be off-site on move day.
Open doors, unfamiliar people, and constant movement stress out animals — and a loose dog or cat slows the crew down. Board them or have a friend take them for the day.
Update your address before move day, not after.
File a change of address with USPS at usps.com, then notify your bank, insurance providers, employer, and subscription services. The post office forward typically takes a few days to activate.
While you pack:
Color-code boxes by room
A strip of colored tape on each box — blue for bedroom, red for kitchen, green for living room — lets the crew place boxes in the right room without reading every label. Unpacking gets significantly faster.
Load the boxes you need first, last.
Tell the crew which boxes are essentials — toilet paper, phone charger, coffee maker, medications. Those go on the truck last so they come off first and don't get buried under everything else.
Pack a first-night bag separately not in a moving box.
Toothbrush, medications, phone charger, change of clothes, and anything you'll need before unpacking. Keep it with you in the car, not in the truck.
On move day:
Keep valuables and documents out of the moving truck entirely.
Passports, jewelry, cash, medical records, and irreplaceable items should travel with you in your car. Moving trucks are secure, but there's no reason to take the risk.
Clean the new place before the truck arrives if you can.
Wiping down cabinets, closets, and counters is much easier when the space is empty. If you have access to the new place a day early, use it.
Know where your furniture is going before the crew arrives.
A rough sketch of each room with furniture placement saves significant time on move day. Our crew can place everything correctly on the first pass instead of moving it twice.
After the move:
Save your moving receipts.
If your move is job-related, some costs may be tax deductible. Consult your accountant — but keep all receipts from your mover, truck rental, and packing supplies just in case.
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