Labor-only moving help means the crew handles the physical carrying — loading, unloading, and maneuvering heavy items. What it does not include is the truck, the packing, or the prep work. All of that is your responsibility before the crew arrives. Here is what to have ready so the job goes as smoothly as possible.
Your truck or container needs to be in position before the crew arrives
The crew shows up ready to load. If the truck is not on-site or the container has not been delivered yet, the job cannot start and the booking window counts from the scheduled arrival time regardless.
- If you are renting a truck, pick it up and have it parked at the loading address before the crew's arrival window starts. Add an hour of buffer for rental-counter delays.
- If you are using a portable storage container (PODS, U-Box, or similar), confirm the container has been delivered before you book the labor crew. Coordinate the delivery date and the labor date so the container is already on-site.
- For Seattle apartment buildings, check whether the building requires a service elevator reservation or a loading zone permit. Reserve both in advance — a missed elevator window in a high-rise can stall the whole job.
- For Tacoma homes and South Sound addresses, confirm where the truck can park relative to the front door. A truck that parks two buildings away means longer carries and a longer job.
Everything needs to be packed and ready to load
Labor-only crews load boxes and furniture onto the truck. They do not pack boxes, wrap items, or sort belongings. If boxes are not sealed, labeled, and staged when the crew arrives, the job stalls.
- All boxes should be closed, taped, and labeled with room destination (Kitchen, Bedroom 2, etc.) before moving day.
- Fragile items should already be wrapped in packing paper or bubble wrap and packed inside a box — not sitting loose on a shelf waiting to be wrapped.
- Kitchen items, toiletries, and anything that is not packed yet should be boxed the night before. Moving morning is not the time to finish packing.
- If some items will not be moved — furniture you are leaving behind, items sold separately, items going to a different location — mark those clearly so the crew does not load them by mistake.
Disassemble large furniture before moving day
Bed frames, sectional sofas, large dining tables, and oversized desks often need to come apart to fit through doorways or stairwells. Moving morning is not the time to figure out how they disassemble.
- Disassemble bed frames the night before and bag all hardware with each piece. Label which bag goes with which frame.
- For sectionals, separate the sections before the crew arrives. Crew members load individual pieces — they do not disconnect sofas with the clock running.
- Dining tables with removable legs or extension leaves should be taken down and the hardware stored in a labeled bag taped to the underside.
- If something needs power tools to disassemble, have the tools out and ready. The crew may be able to help with standard disassembly if it is quick, but confirm at booking whether that is included.
Clear your load path and plan the truck order
The crew works from the interior to the truck. Every obstacle between a room and the exit adds time and increases the chance something gets nicked.
- Clear hallways, stairwells, and the path from each room to the front door or garage before the crew arrives.
- Remove doors from hinges if a doorway is too tight for a piece of furniture. Have a screwdriver ready.
- Plan your truck load order in advance: heaviest and largest items (appliances, dressers, sofas) go toward the front of the cargo area. Boxes and lighter items fill in after.
- If you have items going to two different delivery addresses, separate them before loading and tell the crew which items are going where.
FAQ
- Does the truck or container need to be on-site before the labor crew arrives?
- Yes. The crew loads directly onto your truck or into your container. If neither is in position when they arrive, the job cannot start. For truck rentals, build in at least an hour of buffer for the pickup. For storage containers, confirm the delivery date is the day before or early morning of your move.
- Do labor-only crews pack boxes or just load them?
- Labor-only crews load boxes and furniture — they do not pack. All boxes should be sealed, labeled, and ready to carry when the crew arrives. Loose or unpacked items are not loaded unless they are furniture or large objects that do not require boxing.
- Should I disassemble furniture before a labor-only crew arrives?
- Yes, for anything that will not fit through doorways or stairwells fully assembled. Bed frames, sectionals, and large desks should be broken down the night before. Bag and label all hardware with each piece. If you are unsure whether something needs disassembly, measure the widest point of the piece against your narrowest doorway.
- What order should items go onto the truck?
- Heaviest and largest items — appliances, dressers, sofas, bed frames — go toward the front of the cargo area first. Boxes and lighter items fill in after. For a multi-stop move, load destination-two items first so they are accessible last. Walk the crew through the load plan at the start rather than directing individual pieces mid-job.