I've had packers twice (once paid for by my work, once because we didn't have time).
* Put everything you want immediately on arrival or don't want to have to hunt for in order to go to bed separately. Both occasions, I packed an overnight bag and a tea/coffee/food box and took them myself. It's also worth making sure you have the tools for putting furniture back together with you. Make sure you have enough mugs out to make them lots of cuppas. Also, make sure you have some basic cleaning stuff and toilet roll and a hand towel. If you're paranoid about damage/breakages, a camera might be an idea too. * Pack anything you'd be embarrassed about them packing. * If you've got something really really precious and irreplaceable, pack it and take it yourself. * They'll only leave out stuff you ask them to, and it needs to be kept separately and under your eagle eye otherwise it might accidentally go in a box. (I ended up with a coffee table made out of a box after they packed every single table including the camping table I'd put separately to use - had to rescue the camping chair out of one's guy's arms as he was about to put it on the van. I was moving Exeter to Cambs and taking myself, camp chair and table, airbed and sleeping bag by car.) They will be very reluctant to return to pick more stuff up on Wed morning - if they can load the van on Tuesday, and not return but go straight to the new place, they get more time off the next day. Their plans might not be the same as the plans you think you agreed with the person who came to assess how much stuff you have, be prepared to put your foot down. * If you own your appliances, you need to disconnect them; this means defrosting any fridge/freezer. * They usually won't transport nasty chemicals or gas cylinders, or frozen/chilled food. Household cleaning products are okay, stuff you'd leave in the shed aren't.
no subject
* Put everything you want immediately on arrival or don't want to have to hunt for in order to go to bed separately. Both occasions, I packed an overnight bag and a tea/coffee/food box and took them myself. It's also worth making sure you have the tools for putting furniture back together with you. Make sure you have enough mugs out to make them lots of cuppas. Also, make sure you have some basic cleaning stuff and toilet roll and a hand towel. If you're paranoid about damage/breakages, a camera might be an idea too.
* Pack anything you'd be embarrassed about them packing.
* If you've got something really really precious and irreplaceable, pack it and take it yourself.
* They'll only leave out stuff you ask them to, and it needs to be kept separately and under your eagle eye otherwise it might accidentally go in a box. (I ended up with a coffee table made out of a box after they packed every single table including the camping table I'd put separately to use - had to rescue the camping chair out of one's guy's arms as he was about to put it on the van. I was moving Exeter to Cambs and taking myself, camp chair and table, airbed and sleeping bag by car.) They will be very reluctant to return to pick more stuff up on Wed morning - if they can load the van on Tuesday, and not return but go straight to the new place, they get more time off the next day. Their plans might not be the same as the plans you think you agreed with the person who came to assess how much stuff you have, be prepared to put your foot down.
* If you own your appliances, you need to disconnect them; this means defrosting any fridge/freezer.
* They usually won't transport nasty chemicals or gas cylinders, or frozen/chilled food. Household cleaning products are okay, stuff you'd leave in the shed aren't.