Bay Area Moving Tips from Jay’s Small Moves

Tips to Help Make Your Move Fast, Safe, and Cost-Effective!

  • Booking Job Over Phone: Please be as thorough and candid as possible when describing your unique move job. Having accurate job details in advance will help ensure team efficiency. Knowing prior to your move: the residence size, # of stair flights (in & out), description of large and heavy items, long walkways over 50ft, most dismantling and reassembling needs, multiple destinations, and any other pertinent move details are important to us as your moving company.  Please feel free to call us anytime after your initial phone booking to further discuss your job details.
  • Parking: Arrange for parking for the moving truck at both destinations. Be creative with signs, cones, trash cans, cars, etc to ensure available parking. Busy city streets will usually require a parking permit. Visit movingpermits.com to avoid ticket / traffic issues. We will need safe & legal parking.
  • Packing: Being FULLY PACKED, unless you have hired packing service, prior to the crews arrival will make your move fast, safe, and cost-effective. Jay’s Small Moves cannot accept liability for unpacked fragile items. We do offer packing services. Here are some packing/moving tips:
    • Do not leave any small stuff without packing
    • Pack and protect all fragile items
    • Use small boxes for books
    • Make sure boxes are full and close flat in order to stack
    • Leaving the boxes at the front will increase job speed (if desired)
    • Label boxes clearly and include the room they belong to
    • Have a plan for furniture arrangement
    • Dressers, cabinets, etc. should be emptied prior to team arrival
    • Small fragile, valuable, and sentimental items should be moved by client
      (This includes medicine, jewelry, small paintings and glass items, electronics, etc)
  • Elevator: Make elevator reservation in advance with your building manager
  • Storage: Make storage reservation in advance and be aware of hours of operation
  • HOA Requirements: Please let us know ASAP if proof of general liability is required
  • Children (pets too): Please keep safe and clear during move (Very Important)
  • Delicate Floors / White Carpets: Have protected before team’s arrival
  • Mattress Bags: We recommend using mattress bags for protection
  • Electricity: Disconnect all electronics such as washer, dryer, fridge, etc (No propane)
  • Appliances: Please have dismantled in advance if necessary to move
  • Truck: Please respect our liability concerns and do not enter ramp or back of truck
  • Personal Presence / Cell Phone: Stay present during move & always keep phone handy
  • Furniture Disposal: At times, we offer unwanted furniture disposal service
  • Safety is Top Priority: Please do not rush or pressure movers to do unprofessional work
  • Final Walk Through: Check that nothing was missed / forgotten before movers depart
  • Relax: We are at your service and here to help you

How To Pack Drawers For Moving

The good news is that many of your drawers don’t have to be packed before you move. In fact, keeping certain drawers full, and inside the dresser saves room in the moving van or truck and means less time unpacking once you’ve moved into your new home.  Keep in mind...

read more

Landlord Obligations: Know Your Rights As A Renter

Are you a California renter? Or, are you moving from out-of-state into a California rental property? If so, your landlord has certain obligations you should know and understand to protect your legal renter’s rights. If you're moving to a rental property outside of...

read more

The Best Way To Handle A Small Move

If handling a small move was as easy as it sounds, most professional moving companies would be out of business. While the steps required to coordinate and facilitate a small move may be less-intensive than those required for long-distance moves, the same “Moving...

read more