Preparing for Your Move

Moving day works best when you’re ready for our crew to arrive. We’ve helped hundreds of Lexington families relocate, and we’ve learned that the most successful moves happen when customers take time to prepare beforehand. This doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself – we’re here to handle the heavy lifting and logistics – but a few simple steps before we arrive can save hours and reduce your overall cost.

Our 26-foot trucks accommodate most homes up to 1,600 square feet, though this varies based on how much you own. The average local move takes between 5-8 hours from start to finish, but factors like stairs, elevator access, distance from the truck to your door, and how well you’re prepared all affect timing. As a firefighter-owned company, our crew works efficiently and professionally, but we can work even faster when you’ve taken steps to get ready.

The single most important preparation step is boxing and securing all items that can fit in boxes. Everything from kitchen dishes to closet contents should be packed and taped shut before our crew arrives. This protects your belongings during transport and allows our movers to work efficiently rather than spending time figuring out how to handle loose items.

Labeling boxes by room makes unloading dramatically faster. Write clearly on at least two sides of each box so movers can see the label regardless of how boxes are stacked. If you want to get really organized, put small signs on door frames in your new home matching your box labels – “Master Bedroom,” “Kitchen,” “Kids Room,” and so on. This simple step helps movers place boxes in the right rooms without constantly asking for direction.

Position packed boxes near entrances, garages, or other accessible areas. When movers don’t have to walk through your entire home to find the next box, loading goes much faster. This is especially helpful in larger homes or properties with long hallways.

Disassemble large furniture pieces before moving day if possible. Bed frames, dresser mirrors, kitchen tables, and similar items move more safely and efficiently when taken apart. Pack all hardware – screws, bolts, brackets – in labeled Ziploc bags and tape them to the corresponding furniture piece. Nothing slows down setup at your new home like searching for missing screws.

If you’re not comfortable disassembling furniture yourself, let us know during your estimate. We can help with this, though it does add time to your move. Pool tables and fitness equipment must be disassembled before we can move them – these specialized items require particular care.

Disconnect all appliances and drain water lines from washers and other water-using equipment before our crew arrives. We can help reconnect basic appliances at your discretion, but proper disconnection beforehand prevents water damage and ensures safe transport.

Remove fuel and oil from gas-powered equipment like lawn mowers. We cannot transport items containing flammable liquids for safety reasons, and having these ready to move saves time and prevents complications on moving day.

Wrapping furniture inside your home helps prevent scratches and damage during the move. While this adds time to the job – and therefore cost – it significantly reduces the risk of damage to both your furniture and your property’s walls and doorways. You can choose how much wrapping and protection you want based on your budget and comfort level.

Our crew uses furniture pads, shrink wrap, and other protective materials when requested. We recommend these protections, especially for valuable or delicate pieces, but you can opt out if you prefer a faster, less expensive move with slightly higher risk.

Be available to guide our movers, especially during unloading. If you’ve labeled boxes clearly and marked rooms, this goes quickly. Having someone available to answer questions about placement saves time and ensures items end up where you want them.

Let our crew know the best place to park when we arrive. The closer our truck can get to your entrance, the faster loading and unloading proceeds. If parking presents challenges at either location, giving us a heads-up helps us plan accordingly.

For the safety of our crew and compliance with regulations, we cannot transport certain items. These include explosive or flammable materials, firearms, ammunition, hazardous materials, riding lawn mowers with fuel, unassembled pool tables and fitness equipment, hot tubs, grand pianos, and non-empty flower pots.

Loose items that aren’t properly packed or secured are also not covered. Our crew members work hard to protect your belongings, but we cannot be responsible for damage to items that weren’t prepared appropriately for moving.

If you have fish tanks, call us to discuss specifics. Some can be moved while others present safety concerns for both the tank inhabitants and our crew.

Our hourly rate means preparation directly affects your total cost. The more ready you are when we arrive, the faster we work, and the less you pay. We’re not trying to stretch jobs – our crew consists largely of off-duty firefighters who are trained to work efficiently and get the job done right.

Stairs, elevators, and long carries from the truck to your door all add time. We can’t control these factors, but good preparation in other areas helps offset the extra time these situations require.

Tips aren’t expected but are always appreciated. Moving is physically demanding work, and our crew takes pride in handling your belongings carefully while working efficiently. If you feel they’ve done a great job, showing gratitude is certainly welcomed, but it’s never required or assumed.

Contact Firefighters Move U at (859) 982-5626 or office@ffmoveu.com if you have questions about preparing for your move. We’re happy to walk through specific concerns about your situation and provide guidance on what will make your moving day most successful.

Our experience helping Lexington families relocate has taught us what works and what doesn’t. Let us share that knowledge so your move goes as smoothly as possible.

Firefighters Move U provides professional moving services throughout Lexington, KY and surrounding communities. Our firefighter and veteran-owned company brings reliability and care to every relocation.