Mover Etiquette: How to Treat Your Movers on Moving Day
Moving day is finally upon you! After weeks of packing, sorting, cleaning, organizing and coordinating, the day you’ve prepared for is officially here. The movers are knocking at your front door when a sense of panic suddenly ensues because you completely forgot about taking care of THEM. There’s no going back now and you don’t have any cash on hand for the tip, there’s not even a drop of drinkable water anywhere to be found, and the snacks can be found in the pantry box buried in the garage! If you’ve ever been faced with this gut wrenching reality, you’re not alone! There’s a lot of speculation regarding how much to tip, what to provide your movers, and sorting out the details, so, we’re here to provide the official etiquette ensuring you’re fully prepared!
Tipping
As a service professional who works exceedingly hard to move and manage your most prized possessions, proper etiquette absolutely suggests that you tip your moving crew. Here’s the “inside scoop” on tipping your movers:
- Tipping amounts for movers vary, however, it should be based on the size project they’re managing for you. If you have a limited amount of goods and it only took a half day, around $10 per person is considered acceptable. However, if you have an extensive move with exceptionally large furniture, long walking distance to the truck, and it’s a full day move, then, $20 per person is recommended. Sources have also confirmed 5%-10% of the total moving bill is also a fair rate.
- When tipping, be sure to present the tips to each individual, rather than giving them all to the foreman to distribute. It’s a sign of respect toward each person and their specialized role in your move. Having the tips organized in individual envelopes at the beginning of the day, helps you avoid scrambling last minute.
- Always tip your movers in cash.
- Something else to consider when tipping is the quality of the service they provided. Did they do a mediocre job and cut corners or did they do an AMAZING job and pay attention to all the details? This often will dictate just how generous you would like to be. Movers should be on time, treat your things like their own and be organized.
- Tipping is almost always allowed by moving companies. However, just to be sure, check with the moving company ahead of time, to ensure you’re respecting their guidelines.
Food & Drinks
When it comes to food and drinks, it’s really up to the discretion of the homeowner, however, here are a few easy parameters to consider:
- The general consensus is that at the very least, you are expected to provide your movers with cold, bottled water or a jug with plastic or paper cups, if you prefer. In addition to bottled water, it’s a nice courtesy to have additional cold drinks on hand like Gatorade or lemonade.
- Some people prefer to purchase the moving crew lunch as their only “tip”, while others provide a monetary tip in addition to lunch! It’s important to note that if you do plan on providing lunch, be sure to provide them with a few different food choice options, rather than just assuming one or the other. Also be sure to ask if any of the crew members have specific allergies.
- If you opt out of providing a full lunch, snacks for the crew members are a great alternative. Things like snack size cracker pouches, fresh grapes, orange slices, and granola bars are great options!
- Always avoid giving beer or any other form of alcohol to the crew at the end of the day. Many companies have strict policies about drinking on the job and you are best off avoiding any potential liability issues.
Showing Appreciation & Respect
Showing appreciation for your movers doesn’t have to stop at a tip or providing food and drink. Simple kindness also goes a long way. Here’s some simple but thoughtful ways to express your gratitude:
- Recognize them by name to their supervisor or even just saying a personal thank you goes a long way too.
- Write an online review on Google or the company’s social media account, and mention specific crew member’s names who went above and beyond.
- Offer for the movers to take your unwanted furniture. If you have old furniture you are disposing of or that won’t fit, offer for one of the movers to take it.
- Offer them a place to rest during their breaks. This can be as simple as putting a few lawn chairs out in a shaded area of your lawn.
- Point them to the restroom when they first arrive and be sure it’s stocked with liquid soap and paper towels.
- Make yourself available. Be available to answer any questions, show them around and overall assist in making their job easier however you can!
Whether you’ve moved one time or ten, there’s one thing for sure, you don’t need added stress on moving day! Being prepared ahead of time takes the stress off of you, the movers and everyone involved. Use this guide and share it with your family and friends so you can count on an AMAZING and efficient moving day from this day forward!
Packing service
Amazing write up! Thanks for this submit
Olivia Smart
Thank you for explaining about tipping movers. I’ve been wondering how to go about this whole thing since we started looking at our options for this move. I’ll be sure to keep this in mind as we get closer to our move.
Jessie Holloway
Thanks so much for pointing out that tipping should be based on the size of the project you hired movers for. My aunt is moving and she wants to hire movers for the house. We’ll have to look into finding a local company she can hire so she can move as quickly as she wants.
Daisy James
It’s good to know that you should tip them in cash. My close friend was at my house last night for dinner, and she told me about how she and her husband want to hire a moving company for their move at the end of this month. I’ll pass this information along to her so they can know how to find a good moving company. https://www.innovativemoverswi.com/
Varsha
Lovely! nowadays hardly people notice these small small things and show humanity after getting work done specially when they are shifting their house or moving to new house. The Packers and Movers team get so tired at the end of the process that these tips will help customers to treat them nicely after shifting. Please keep on sharing such information.
IRONVAN LIVING COLLECTION
Mover etiquette is something that we don’t often think about, but your post sheds light on the importance of being a courteous client. Your tips, such as offering refreshments and being present during the move, are practical and thoughtful. I especially appreciated the suggestion to tip generously if the service was exceptional. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Azalea Mckenna
Thank you for sharing such excessive information. When hiring a moving company, it’s customary to tip the appropriate amount to each mover.
M. Nordstrom
Great advice! Very informative and useful.
Helps reduce a lot of worries and make moving day a better experience for people moving and the movers.
Thank you very much!
Sheena
I appreciate your clear explanation regarding tipping movers. Since we began exploring our options for this move, I have been uncertain about the proper protocol. Your guidance has provided valuable insights, and I will certainly remember this as we approach our moving date.
Olivia Jade
Contact several long distance movers and request detailed quotes for your specific requirements. Make sure to provide accurate information about the items you need to move, including their quantity and any special handling requirements. Compare the quotes, taking into consideration factors such as services offered, pricing, insurance coverage, and estimated delivery timeframes.
Shreya
This is really a nice write up. Everyone should be treated with kindness.