“What do movers do?”

The answer seems pretty obvious, and if you’ve asked yourself this question, you’re probably trying to decide whether hiring a professional moving company is really worth it. After all, how hard is it to throw everything in boxes and put them on a truck, right?

First off, there’s a big difference in hiring professional movers vs. reaching out to a group of close friends.

In fact, there’s actually a lot more to moving than meets the eye, and it starts before a single box is even packed. If you opt to move on your own, you might find there are a lot of hidden fees in the process. Turns out, there are at least 10 steps that professional movers take that you might not think of to complete a move.

Next time you ask yourself what do moving companies do, check out this list.

1. What Do Moving Companies Do: They Take Inventory

The first think you might think when you ask “what do professional movers do?” is probably they come to your house on moving day and load everything into their truck. But actually, a moving company’s first step is to go over the list of items to be moved with the home or commercial business owner.

Everybody is different when it comes to what they actually want to be moved. You might want them to move just the furniture and do the smaller boxes yourself. Your neighbor might want a full service move where everything is taken care of including the packing (though there are some things that your moving company can’t move for you).

Either way, your movers have a system for keeping track of everything they’re in charge of moving.

At Cento Moving & Storage, we provide detailed, itemized inventory lists for every job, including the type and number of each item and its condition. As the homeowner, you can always ask to approve this list to prevent discrepancies later.

Moving day can be hectic, so taking the time to catalogue each item will make for a more organized and efficient move.

2. What Do Moving Companies Do: They Offer Packing Services

Moving involves so much more than putting things into a different place. Full service movers can pack your items as well.

Packing is one of the most dreaded tasks associated with moving. Putting everything in boxes, labeling those boxes, then moving those boxes only to open them once more can be a nightmare. Full service moving companies can add this to your contract as an additional service.

If you opt for a full service packing move, be prepared to kick your feet up and relax, because this is where professional mover services can really make a difference. Packers and movers will delicately handle and wrap your valuables, secure them in boxes, label those boxes, and get those boxes moved on to your new home.

(If you’re thinking of putting some of your items in storage, check out our post on How to Pack Your Items for Storage and get the most out of your storage unit!)

3. What Do Moving Companies Do: They Protect Your Belongings

One of the most common fears centered around moving companies is the fear of having your precious items damaged.

Even if you haven’t hired them to pack, a professional moving company will take the time to protect your furniture as well as your home. Carpet protectors, moving blankets, padding, and plastic wrap can do wonders to prevent damage during a move.

Quality, professional movers will know exactly how to safeguard the home you are exiting as well as your new residence, minimizing the risk of damage and loss.

Many people have a moving horror story where some friends heaved a couch over a staircase and crashed through a window or knocked out a light. That doesn’t have to be your story.

4. What Do Moving Companies Do: Professional Movers Always Check the Vehicle

At the beginning of moving day, a crew member will examine the moving truck to make sure it’s in tip-top shape and able to last the day. There’s no use going out with a truck that will quit before the crew does.

Keeping your belongings safe is our top priority, and much of the burden of safety (not to mention an efficient move) lies with the moving truck. Professional movers drive these trucks every day, so they know exactly what to look for.

5. What Do Moving Companies Do: They Load the Truck With Ease

After your belongings are packed and protected, movers will load everything onto the truck. But anybody who’s tried to move themselves knows that this step is easier said than done. A rented truck may have a platform that is up to 4 feet off the ground. Others advertise a lower platform with a ramp, but there are still dangerous clamps and hooks to adjust.

A professional, top-quality crew knows exactly how to load oddly shaped furniture, heavy boxes, and fragile items to make sure everything gets to your new home in one piece. Moving companies excel at maximizing space and efficiency with a load. That means positioning boxes so they won’t fall and protecting your valuable glass coffee table through transit.

Left to individuals without the training and know-how, your belongings may end up cracked, smashed, or scratched upon arrival. Or worse, you yourself could end up injured.

6. What Do Moving Companies Do: Professional Movers Offer Security

If necessary, movers will tie down heavier items within the truck so that they don’t shift during transit and cause damage. The key to having full service movers on your side is the method in the process.

The movers will secure items in the truck using special moving mats, straps, clamps, and locks. In other words, things you don’t have lying around in your garage. You may be able to rent some of this equipment from your local truck store, but that doesn’t mean you know how to correctly use it.

You probably used the tried and true method of jamming as much stuff in the back of the truck as possible, hoping that the sheer density of the items would keep them in place. Guess what? It’s not enough. Securing your belongings is a moving day must that moving companies can do better than you.

7. What Do Moving Companies Do: They Can Handle a Moving Truck

When is the last time you drove a 10-ton truck?

Driving a moving truck is not the same as driving a 2-door sedan. A large, heavy truck filled with boxes and furniture requires a careful attention to turns, stops, and traffic. The dimensions of the truck will be unfamiliar to you, meaning you could damage signs, gates, and trees you don’t normally have to worry about.

Professional movers should be certified and registered with national organizations guaranteeing safety and security. The FMCSA, for example, is a good start. Cento Family Moving & Storage has the appropriate registrations to ensure the safety of your belongings, even across the entire country.

Yes, the people at the rental truck store will let you drive their trucks, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. When moving day comes, think about the time and stress you’ll save letting someone else drive the truck.

8. What Do Moving Companies Do: Professional Movers Means Professional Unloading

Once truck and residents have all arrived at the new home or apartment, the movers will take care of unloading all the furniture and boxes. If you are handling the move yourself, how many friends will it take to get the job done?

Professional movers are specially trained to move heavy loads with efficiency. They know where everything goes, how to most effectively get it from the truck to your home, and how to minimize the total time the truck is loaded.

Movers will take the same precautions to ensure that flooring, walls, and belongings are protected from bangs, scrapes, and drops. Will your group of friends take the same precautions? Will they wrap furniture properly, put things where they should be, and even place furniture where it will reside in your home? Full service movers do all that and more.

9. What Do Moving Companies Do: Professional Movers Know How to Organize

Most homeowners already have an idea of where the furniture should go—if not on paper, at least in their heads.

While items are being unloaded, the moving crew coordinates which pieces and boxes belong in which room, and they take the time to ask the customer how the furniture should be arranged within the room. Professional movers won’t just leave everything in the living room and hope for the best.

If you opted for a full service move, they’ll even unpack and put furniture back together for you so you can relax, go out to a movie, or explore your new neighborhood.

10. What Do Moving Companies Do: They Handle The Clean Up

Once the truck is empty and everything is in its rightful place, the moving crew will get the final sign-off from the customer. At this time, the movers will gather up the blankets, padding, dollies, carpet protectors, and any empty boxes you’ve already unpacked. That’s one less thing for you.

At the end of what might be a very long moving process, you deserve to get some sleep in your new home. With professional movers on your side, you’ll have some energy left to start the next chapter of your life.

What Do Moving Companies Do?

In short, what professional movers do is they life a huge burden of your shoulders come moving day. Whether you hire them to do your packing or not, there is a lot of work happening on moving day, and you want professionals to take care of the job.

So now we hope next time you ask yourself or hear someone else ask “what do movers do,” you’ll have a better answer than simply moving boxes form one place to another (and you’ll see why it’s important not to pick the cheapest mover around).

From beginning to end, professional movers offer a level of service you just can’t get when you do it yourself. Moving is a very stressful experience, not just because you’re no longer living in a familiar place, but also because you don’t have convenient access to your belongings for a while.

Having a team of movers there to help you will not just save you time, but offer peace of mind for the overall transition you and your family are going through. If you’re looking for a team of  professional Orlando movers you can trust, get a quote from Cento Moving today.