Bay Area Moving Checklist
Book the mover four to eight weeks ahead, check the license, sort out parking for the truck, and pack room by room. This is the order that avoids the usual moving-day surprises.
On this page
Eight to four weeks before
- Get three quotes. Use the movers by city pages and give each mover the same details: home size, both addresses, stairs or elevators, parking for the truck, and the date. The form on each city page writes this for you.
- Check the license of the movers you’re considering. It takes two minutes. How to check.
- Get the rate in writing: hourly rate, crew size, minimum hours, travel or truck fee, and how stairs, long carries and packing are charged. What movers charge.
- Book the date. End-of-month, summer and weekend slots go first.
- Declutter. Every box you don’t move is time you don’t pay for.
Three to two weeks before
- Plan parking for the truck. A truck that has to park a block away turns into a long carry, and long carries cost time. In San Francisco and other dense areas you may need a permit or temporary signs for the curb. Moving in San Francisco.
- Reserve the elevator and the loading dock if your building has them, and ask about moving hours and insurance certificates.
- Change your address with USPS and your bank, and set up utilities and internet at the new place.
- Start packing the rooms you use least. Label each box with the room and what’s inside.
The week before
- Confirm the date, arrival window, crew size and rate with the mover.
- Pack everything but the essentials. Movers are fastest when boxes are closed and stacked near the door.
- Take apart beds and tables you can do yourself, and bag the screws with the piece.
- Measure anything big against doors and stairs at the new place.
Moving day
- Walk the crew through the home before they start: what goes, what stays, what’s fragile.
- Keep valuables and documents with you.
- Check the time when the crew starts and stops, and read the bill before you sign it.
- Look for damage as things come off the truck, and note it on the paperwork before the crew leaves.
Moving a piano?
Not every mover handles one, and it’s priced separately. See our sister site Moving Pianos for piano moving costs and how to pick a mover who does it.
Find a mover in your city
Movers in each city are ranked by their Google rating and number of reviews. Nobody pays to be listed.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should I book a mover in the Bay Area?
Four to eight weeks for a normal move, more for the end of the month, summer and weekends, when crews book up first. Last-minute moves are possible but give you fewer choices.
Should I pack myself or pay the movers to pack?
Packing yourself saves money if you have the time. Paid packing is faster, and coverage for damage is often better for boxes the mover packed; check the contract. Many people pack everything except the kitchen and fragile items.
What should I keep with me on moving day?
Documents, medication, chargers, keys, valuables and a change of clothes. Many movers won't carry cash, jewelry or important papers, and you'll want them on hand anyway.