5 Things You Should Never Entrust To Movers

The vast majority of items you will be moving to your new home will have monetary value but no sentimental value.

To move those everyday items you will probably hire a good mover to do all the hard work for you.

But however competent and reliable your chosen movers may be, you are strongly recommended not to entrust them with certain “special” possessions of yours.

Typically, those items will have significant sentimental value, very high monetary value, or be irreplaceable.

Here is our list of items that we would suggest are never allowed to be put onto the movers’ truck.

1)   Important Documents

No one will steal or damage your documents on purpose, of course, but you never know what may happen and how soon you are going to need them.

Personal documents (passports, driver’s licenses, medical and school records, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies, car registration papers, mortgage papers, bank statements, etc.), should be kept with you all the time.

You may also like to read: How to Keep Documents Safe When Moving Home. In this guide, we look at the subject of what documents to keep with you and how to pack them when moving home.

2)   Precious Jewelry

Jewelry pieces are small and expensive and can easily be misplaced during the move.

You may even find that certain expensive pieces of jewelry will not be covered by the movers’ insurance.

Add in the sentimental value of your jewelry and it makes sense to pack these items yourself and keep them with you on moving day.

You may also like to read: How to Pack Jewelry for Moving. It is essential that you give your precious jewelry the best protection during your home move and in this guide we share packing tips that will ensure your jewelry is kept safe.

3)   Expensive Electronics

Be warned that expensive state-of-the-art electronics top the list of stolen items during a move (even digital photo frames and stereo headphones have been reported missing, not to mention DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs).

Besides, if some ill-intentioned people get access to digitally stored personal information, you may even become a victim of identity theft.

You may also like to read: How to Pack Electronics for Moving. In this guide, we share packing tips for keeping your electronics safe on moving day.

4)   Family Heirlooms

Losing any of the above-mentioned items may cause you lots of headaches and may cost you dearly, but losing any of the items described below will result in deep emotional distress as no effort and no amount of money can ever bring them back.

Whether it is a golden pendant worth thousands of dollars, or a broken pocket watch, worth nothing, your family heirlooms are certainly priceless to you and the mere thought of losing them is probably painful and unbearable.

So, to take good care of your precious keepsakes, you are strongly recommended to transport them yourself.

You may also like to read: Moving Insurance. Being underinsured is one of the most common home moving mistakes. In this guide, we explain all you need to know about moving insurance so that your precious items are covered in the event of an accident.

5)   Antiques, Artwork, And Collector’s Items

You won’t be able to move your 19th-century armoire in your own vehicle, of course, but any smaller antiques that will fit in the car should travel with you to your final destination.

If you have numerous items of antique furniture or expensive framed art you are advised to contact specialized movers in order to ensure a safe and problem-free shipment of your precious pieces.

If you are a collector then you have probably invested a huge amount of time and money building your collection, so this is something else that you should not entrust to movers.

Many types of collectibles will not be covered by the movers’ insurance so check your insurance policy carefully.

You may also like to read: The Complete Antiques Moving Guide. In this guide, we share packing tips to ensure that your precious antiques get the maximum protection during your home move.

Bonus – Beyond Price

However treasured certain material possessions of yours may be, there are some even more precious “things” you certainly don’t want to entrust to anyone, for their well-being matters more than anything else in the world:

Children

Without a doubt, the safety and welfare of your little angels will be your primary concern throughout the entire moving process.

Do whatever you can to ease your kids’ anxiety and plan your trip to your new home so that it is as peaceful and enjoyable for them as possible.

Keep their favorite toys in the car with you, pack a box of essentials your little ones may need on the road, make frequent stops for snacks and drinks, stop by nice parks or playgrounds to let your kids get some fresh air, and so on.

You may also like to read: Moving Home With Children. In this comprehensive guide, we offer tips to make moving home with kids so much easier.

Pets

Your little animal friends are part of the family and need your tender loving care to cope with the stress induced by the moving chaos around them.

So, it will be best to move your dear pets yourself, so that you can tend to their needs and treat them with all the love they deserve.

If that’s impossible for some reason, take advantage of the quality services specialized animal shipping companies offer.

You may also like to read: Moving With Pets. Moving with pets is such an important topic that we have dedicated an entire section of our home moving blog to the topic.

Of course, there are many other things you should always move yourself as well:

Moving Day Essentials Box

It doesn’t make much sense to have your open-first box loaded on the moving truck, right?

Although it is unlikely to be full of expensive things, it may prove to be invaluable when you have to spend a day or two in your new home without all your possessions.

Make sure your medications, toiletries, change of clothes for all your family members, comforting toys, small tools, and any other essentials you may urgently need, travel with you.

You may also like to read: How to Prepare a Moving Day Essentials Box. In this guide, we suggest the types of things that you may wish to include in your moving day essentials box.

Money and credit cards

You will need cash if you want to tip your movers, pay for road tolls, or buy snacks and drinks along the way, etc. It is also a good idea to keep your credit cards handy in case of emergency.

Non-allowables

The movers won’t take hazardous materials, perishable food, and other non-allowable items for safety reasons, so it’s up to you to use them up prior to your move, to get rid of them, or to find a way to transport them to your final destination.

You may also like to read: What Movers Won’t Move. For health and safety and insurance purposes, there are some things that your movers cannot put into the truck. In this guide, we explain what those items are.

Good luck with your move and be sure to visit our home moving blog which is packed with information to make your home move cheaper, easier, and safer.