Packing assistance and labor-only moving: what’s included?

Packing help gets belongings ready to move

You can request help with certain items, a room such as the kitchen, or the packing for a larger move. Describe what remains unpacked and ask who supplies the boxes, paper and other materials.

If you have already bought supplies, give the mover the sizes and quantities. The crew may need different materials for a fragile or unusually shaped item.

Labor-only usually means you arrange the vehicle

A labor-only crew helps with the physical loading or unloading while you arrange transportation. Confirm whether the booking includes loading, unloading or both, and whether each address needs a separate crew.

You also need to arrange the driver, parking and the vehicle’s arrival. A rental truck reservation by itself does not arrange the people who will unload it.

Check equipment before the job

Give the mover the truck or container size, arrival window, item list and access details. Ask about the equipment and protection needed for the job.

• Who supplies moving pads and how they will be returned.
• Who supplies straps, a ramp and any dollies the job needs.
• Whether the furniture needs disassembly or reassembly.
• What happens if the truck or container arrives late.

Describe the job in one message

For example: “We have a rental truck at our second-floor apartment. We need help loading a sofa, bed, dresser and packed boxes. There is one flight of stairs, and we still need to arrange unloading at the destination.”

Add photos of the furniture and entrances. That gives the mover something useful to quote and makes any missing arrangements easier to spot.