How to Prepare for an In-Home Estimate Pt. 2: Do’s & Don’ts

In our previous blog, we shared tips on how to prepare for an in-home estimate. But first, a quick recap: an in-home estimate is conducted by a mover. This is where you’ll get a cost estimate based on the property — furniture, appliances and valuables, among other things – that will need to be moved. In today’s post, the local movers at Around Town Movers share the do’s and don’ts of preparing for your in-home moving estimate.

DO Schedule Your Movers Early

Start looking for movers as soon as you’ve picked a moving-in date. Doing this early will give you more time to compare quotes and services as well as schedule an in-home moving estimate. You will also have more time to ask your movers about things that you’ll need to do before moving out, such as whether you should disassemble furniture and what type of boxes to use for packing. They may also provide tips on how to protect fragile things like your widescreen TV or antique furniture.

DON’T Buy Packing Material (Yet)

Some moving companies offer free or discounted packing supplies. In addition to the savings, these boxes are typically more durable than product packaging and may protect your items better than store-bought or reused boxes. 

DO Start Packing Non-Essential Items Sooner

Once you have packing supplies, start packing non-essential items. Spreading your packing over several days will make the process less rushed and will give you more time to properly label the boxes and update your inventory. You will also have more time to decide whether to hire piano movers or other specialty services. Packed items will also help your movers assess moving costs more accurately when they come over for your in-home estimate appointment.

DON’T Pack Everything Before the Estimate

Packing everything beforehand sounds like a time saver, but you’ll probably want to hold off on packing essentials like your convection cooker and mattresses until the day before moving out. It will make the last few days in your home more convenient, and it shouldn’t affect your in-home estimate: estimators are trained to assess how much space unpacked items will occupy in the moving truck.

Around Town Movers is one of the leading movers serving Ashburn and Arlington, VA, as well as surrounding communities. Give us a call at (703) 682-5922 . You can also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.