Moving Glossary

Appliance dolly

A hand truck with straps and a tall back, made for refrigerators, washers and other heavy appliances.

Blanket wrap

Padded moving blankets wrapped around furniture and held with tape or stretch wrap to protect it on the truck.

Bubble wrap

Plastic sheeting with air bubbles that cushions fragile items inside a box.

Cubic feet

A measure of volume. Truck sizes and storage space are often compared in cubic feet.

Declared value

The value you state for your belongings. It matters for the protection or coverage you choose, so ask what applies to your move.

Destination

The address where your move ends.

Dish pack

A thick double-wall box, often with cell dividers, built to protect plates, glasses and other kitchen items.

Dolly

A two-wheeled hand truck for carrying boxes and heavy items.

Door jamb protector

A pad or guard that wraps the door frame to protect paint and trim from furniture.

Elevator reservation

A time window many apartment and condo buildings assign so moving crews can use the elevator without blocking residents.

Essentials box

A box or bag you pack last and open first: medicine, chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes and basic tools.

Estimate

A moving company's best guess of the price or time for a move, based on what you tell them. Ask what is included and what could change it.

Flat-pack furniture

Furniture sold in a box that you assemble with hardware and a few tools.

Floor runner

A roll of protective material laid along the path through a home to keep floors clean and unscratched.

Furniture slider

A small pad that lets heavy furniture glide across a floor without scratching it.

Hand truck

Another name for a dolly: an upright, two-wheeled cart for moving boxes.

Inventory

A list of everything going on the truck. It helps you check things off at the other end.

Labor only

A service where a crew loads or unloads a truck you provide, with no truck or driving from the moving company.

Liftgate

A platform on the back of a truck that raises and lowers heavy items between the ground and the truck bed.

Load order

The order in which a crew puts items on a truck: heavy and sturdy first, lighter and fragile later, so nothing shifts.

Long carry

A long distance between the truck and the door. It adds time, so a crew often needs to know about it ahead of time.

Mattress cover

A thick plastic or fabric cover that keeps a mattress clean during a move.

Move coordinator

The person who plans a move with you, from the first call through the schedule and the crew.

Moving blanket

A thick quilted pad used to protect furniture on the truck and in the home.

Origin

The address where your move starts.

Packing paper

Plain, clean paper used to wrap dishes and fill the gaps in a box so nothing rattles.

Pad wrap

Wrapping furniture in moving pads and securing them with stretch wrap.

Piano board

A padded, narrow board that a piano is strapped to so it can be moved without tipping.

Portable container

A storage container delivered to your home, loaded at your pace and then moved or stored.

Shuttle

A smaller truck used when a big truck cannot reach the home, with items moved from one to the other.

Staging

Setting up furniture and boxes so a home or office looks right for a sale or a move-in.

Stair carry

Moving items up or down stairs. Flights of stairs add time and often a person to the crew.

Storage in transit

Holding your belongings for a few days or weeks between homes, on the truck or in storage.

Stretch wrap

A clear, clingy plastic film that holds blankets, drawers and doors in place.

Tie-down strap

A strap that holds furniture and boxes against the wall of the truck so they do not shift.

Walkthrough

A look at the home with a mover, either in person or by video, to plan the size of the crew and the truck.

Wardrobe box

A tall box with a hanging bar that lets clothes travel on their hangers.

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