The week before
Confirm your elevator reservation or loading dock time with the building if you are in an apartment complex, since most Irvine buildings require this in advance and some limit the window to a couple of hours. Waiting until move day to sort this out is the single most common delay we see.
Set aside a box of things you will need immediately at the new place, basic tools, chargers, a change of clothes, so it does not end up buried at the bottom of the truck.
If any furniture will not fit through a doorway in one piece, figure that out now rather than on move day. A dresser that needs its drawers removed or a couch that needs to go through a window takes extra time that is easier to plan for in advance.
The day before
Finish any packing you are doing yourself, especially the kitchen and any closets, since these tend to take longer than people expect. Label boxes by room, not just contents, so unloading goes faster.
Clear a path from the door to the street for the crew and the truck. If you know parking will be tight, whether that is a coastal Newport Beach street or a busy Costa Mesa block near South Coast Plaza, let us know so we can plan the load-in accordingly.
Charge your phone and keep it handy. Most last-minute questions on move day get solved with a quick call rather than a delay.
Move day itself
Do a final walkthrough of every room, including closets, cabinets, and the garage, before the truck leaves. It is easy to miss a shelf in a hall closet when the rest of the house is already loaded.
Keep important documents, medications, and valuables with you rather than on the truck. This matters even more on a local move, since it is tempting to assume the short drive makes it unnecessary.
Walk the new place with the crew as items come off the truck, pointing to rooms rather than describing them, so nothing ends up in the wrong spot and gets moved twice.
After the truck leaves
Once the truck pulls away from the old address, do a final check that keys, garage remotes, and any items the landlord or new owner needs are left in the right place. It is easy to forget this step once the focus shifts entirely to the new address.
At the new place, check that all boxes and furniture came off the truck before it leaves, using your inventory notes from the walkthrough rather than relying on memory after a long day.