Careful planning can help any move go smoothly and according to plan. While it’s ideal to have your moving company secured at least a few weeks—if not a month or two—before your relocation date, that’s not always possible. So, what do you do when you have to coordinate a last-minute move and find same-day movers? Here’s everything you need to know.
Why People Need Same-Day Movers
There are many reasons why people might need same-day movers. In some cases, people who’ve had a move booked for a long time might have their closing date changed at the last minute, or you might find out the morning of your move that your new home isn’t quite ready for you to move into. In other cases, the move date might’ve just snuck up on you, and you find yourself behind the proverbial eight-ball: you need to move out but don’t have any supplies or labor.
In some extreme circumstances, your moving company might cancel your relocation service at the last minute. Although rare, it unfortunately does happen. The best way to prevent this from occurring altogether is to work with the best movers in Chicago so you won’t have to scramble to find same-day movers and deal with the stress of an emergency move.
Whatever reason you’re in the sticky situation of coordinating a last-minute relocation, there are steps you can take that’ll help you get great service, even in an emergency situation—and a critical part of this process is finding reliable same-day movers.
Why Some Moving Companies are Available for Emergency Moves
You might assume that the best local moving companies book up well in advance. Although it’s true that most great movers fill up their calendars quickly, it’s also possible that the moving company you’d ideally hire to handle your emergency move has had a last-minute cancellation. When house and condo closings are rescheduled or homes aren’t ready for new tenants, the moving company is affected as well as the person who expected to move that day. Your favorite moving company just might have a crew and a truck available due to a last-minute schedule change, so they might be able to serve as your same-day movers.
That being said, keep in mind that availability for same-day movers will be limited. The busiest season in the Chicagoland moving industry tends to be March through October—and the end of each month, beginning of each month, and weekend dates fill up the fastest. However, even during the busy moving days, you can usually coordinate an emergency move by following a few steps.
How to Coordinate a Last-Minute Move
The first step in finding same-day movers is to take a nice, deep, relaxing breath. There’s probably not a single last-minute situation you’d call “ideal”, but try to keep in mind that you’re not the first person who has gone through an emergency move. And you certainly won’t be the last! After all, over 28 million Americans move in a given year, and not all of them are able to plan in advance.
Although it’s unfortunate that you’re in the position of needing same-day movers, it’s best not to dwell on the negative. Instead find the best path forward! The next step in finding a company to help you is to dive right in by gathering as much information as you can about your move so you can find a great moving company.
Gather Vital Information About Your Move
Before you can even call moving companies to see if they’re available for a last-minute move, you’ll need to get your ducks in a row. Same-day movers might have a certain size truck and crew available to help you, but they’ll need some information so they can confirm whether they’re a good fit to help you.
Here’s a checklist of the details you should have on hand when you start calling same-day movers:
- The addresses you’re moving from and to, including any building information like flights of stairs, existing elevator reservations, freight elevator accommodations, and parking recommendations for the moving truck
- Whether you need storage service in addition to moving help
- The sizes of your old and new homes (usually indicated in number of bedrooms)
- An estimated inventory, which will include large items like couches, beds, and other furniture as well as how many packed boxes you have
- Which type of moving insurance you’d like
If you have an estimate from another moving company that you believe is accurate—even if that company canceled on you at the last minute and they’re the reason you’re coordinating an emergency move—you might consider sending it to your same-day movers. As long as all of the information regarding addresses, building details, and inventory are reliable, it can really save some you and your same-day movers some time.
It’s no problem if you don’t have an existing moving estimate with all of this information. However, since you’re coordinating an emergency relocation with same-day movers, you’ll need to work quickly to gather all the details of your move, as time is of the essence.
Finding Reliable Same-Day Movers
Don’t just start contacting any old moving company that comes up on a Google search. First, spend a couple of minutes vetting them. You can quickly make sure they’re a legitimate business in a few different ways:
- They’re known (in a good way, of course!) by the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Illinois Movers’ and Warehousemen’s Association
- They have a professional website and social media presence
- Their online reviews are plentiful and positive
You can also send a few texts or make a few calls to your friends and family who’ve used local moving companies in the past to see who they recommend. And don’t forget the power of local social media! Neighborhood groups on Facebook, NextDoor, and other platforms are full of people who just might have some good advice.
Once you’ve found a couple of moving companies who you’d like to work with, it’s time to hop on the phone and start booking your last-minute move.
Contacting Last-Minute Movers
If you’re in the unfortunate position of finding same-day movers, it’s best to make a couple of phone calls. Emails are always helpful, but it’s much faster to communicate during a live conversation—and a phone call allows you to convey the urgency of your situation.
When you start calling moving companies about your last-minute relocation, remember to be polite and as calm as possible. You’re in a rough position having to coordinate an emergency move, but keep in mind that the teams at these moving companies are there to help you. If your needs aren’t met by a helpful and can-do attitude from a customer service representative, you might need to move on to the next moving company on your list.
Booking With Same-Day Movers
Once you’ve found a moving company that you feel comfortable with—and that has availability for your emergency move—let yourself take a big sigh of relief. Provide them with all of the details about your relocation so they can start working to dispatch a crew and a moving truck to you.
You might need to be a little patient and flexible here. Great moving companies usually don’t have labor and vehicles sitting around waiting for an emergency call to come in, so it might take a little time for them to finalize the logistics. Additionally, you might not get a move crew at the exact time you want them to arrive. Just ask the customer service team to be communicative and to keep you posted on their progress in coordinating a crew so you can manage your timing and budgetary expectations.
Costs to Expect from Same-Day Movers
Generally speaking, same-day movers don’t charge an expedited or overtime fee for last-minute jobs, so your moving cost shouldn’t change whether you booked your move a month, a day, or a couple of hours in advance. Even with a time crunch, your same-day movers will send you an estimate that you’ll need to formally approve before they can move forward with dispatching your crew. This helps ensure that you’re aware of the estimated labor, transportation, and materials fees.
In a Jam? We’d Love to Help With Your Same-Day Move
As Chicago’s favorite moving company, we’ve handled our fair share of hectic moves. And while we’ll never claim to have seen everything, we’ve seen a whole lot—including last-minute moves! After all, we’ve been movin’ and groovin’ since 2007 with countless happy clients, so we know more than a thing or two about how to turn a stressful move into a great experience.
Although it’s always ideal to plan your move at least a month or two ahead, we also know that the world isn’t perfect. If you ever find yourself in a tough spot, we’ll do our best to accommodate your same-day move.
Contact us today for more information about our last-minute moving services!