What Moving Equipment Should I Provide?

You can always count on our moving help to provide standard moving equipment , this includes a hand truck (a dolly for boxes), floor dolly (flat for furniture) and standard tools. However, depending on the type of services we are providing for you it may be necessary to obtain moving supplies or other moving equipment to help us complete your move successfully.

Being prepared for our movers can save time (and money) on moving day. If you are ever unsure if you will need a specific type of supply you should purchase it to be safe, you can always return the item if it remains unused. The majority of the items listed in this post can be purchased at home improvement stores and truck rental or self storage locations.

Loading Service

Furniture Blankets/Pads

It is necessary for our movers to have padding during a load to protect your furniture from damage. Pads can be very affordable and are usually rented from your truck rental, POD or freight company. If your transportation company does not rent pads or blankets you may want to consider purchasing them as they are very important. For more information read our moving guide about furniture pads.

Shrink Wrap/Plastic Wrap

Often referred to as "plastic stretch wrap", it is commonly used to protect cloth furniture that can get dirty. We commonly use shrink wrap to protect couches and loveseats but also may use it to secure furniture pads to larger items. If you decide to purchase shrink wrap you should obtain a size no less than 15" wide. These rolls are usually 1000'-1500' in length and cost between $15-$25. [Related: Plastic Wrap for Moving: DIY Movers Guide]

Mattress Bags

You spend a lot of time on your mattress and probably don't want it to get dirty. We highly recommend that you invest in a mattress bag for each mattress and box spring in your home. These bags can usually be obtained from any local self storage, truck rental or home improvement store and cost $3-$6 depending on the size.

Appliance Dolly

The dollies we provide are for moving boxes and furniture, they are not suited for large appliances. An appliance dolly can be rented from your local truck rental location and is specifically used for the movement of large and bulky appliances. We commonly use appliance dollies for side-by-side refrigerators and gun safes.

Advanced Tools

Our movers come equipped with standard tools for assembly and disassembly, typically screwdrivers and pliers. If you have furniture that requires a special tool, power tools, allen wrenches or a specific size tool we recommend that you have it available for our movers.

Rope

Although not always necessary, rope can help to secure your household goods during the load. We recommend having 1/4" nylon rope on hand in case it's needed. You'll want to utilize rope if you have a rental truck, but tie down straps are recommended for 'You Load, We Drive' freight companies (like ABF U-Pack) and most portable storage companies. [Related: What types and sizes rope or tie downs do I need?]

Tie Down Straps

If you're using a freight moving company or moving storage container you will likely find tie down straps to be more effective than rope. If you are using ABF U-Pack or a similar freight service you will want to get tie downs with an e-track fitting. [Related: DIY Moving With ABF U-Pack]

Packing Services

Moving Boxes & Packing Materials

If you are hiring moving help to pack up your home you will most likely need boxes and materials. Whether you provide your own materials, have us provide them or purchase them online it is important to note that they are not included in our labor pricing. In the event that you would like us to provide materials for you rest assured that you will only be billed for the supplies that we use on site.

Unloading Service

Floor Runners/Carpet Protection

It should go without saying that we will always use caution when entering your new home, however sometimes this may be unavoidable. This is especially true if your move is taking place in poor weather conditions like snow or rain. When available, our movers will utilize the furniture pads from your load to protect the floors and carpets. If you do not have any furniture pads or if you prefer to take extra precautions we recommend providing floor runners. Floor runners provide an additional level of protection to ensure that your floors remain clean. [Related: How to Protect Flooring]