If you’re planning a move, there’s almost no better decision you can make than to hire movers to help you. Take it from people who have moved many times: you really want to hire the movers. Doing it yourself has the potential to destroy half your furniture, half your relationships, and possibly even half your sanity. As you find a new home, look for local movers who can help you make the transition, and when you hire that moving company, here are six things that you should do to make things easier for them. After all, you’re paying them. Let them do their job.

1. Carry the important stuff on your person. Your movers have plenty to do on the big day and they’re going to be concentrated on efficiently packing away boxes and getting all of your heavy pieces of furniture out without scratching, denting, or breaking anything. The last thing that they need to worry about is your cash, your prescription medications, your small but valuable electronics, or your grandmother’s heirloom jewelry. Not only do they not want to have to keep track of these things, but they really don’t want to be accused of stealing them when these items get misplaced in the move. These are all small items that you can put in your own car and carry yourself. Then your movers don’t have to worry about them and you know right where they are.
2. Label your boxes properly. If you are borrowing or reusing boxes, make sure they’re labeled properly. If they were used in a move previously they may have names like “kitchen” on them, or they might be labeled as fragile when they’re actually not. Make sure your boxes are labeled for the right rooms and the right items so that your movers know how to be careful with your stuff and get every box to its correct room.
3. Just because it can fit in a box doesn’t mean it should. You might feel a certain sense of accomplishment by filling every box all the way to the top, but the real question is not whether the volume of the box is big enough to hold all of the items but whether the box is structurally strong enough to hold it all. If you fill a large box completely full of books, chances are that even professional movers may not be able to move it around, or that it may break as it’s being moved. Make sure you fill your boxes with a mixture of lighter weight and heavier items.
4. Empty and secure your drawers. If your cabinet or desk is full of stuff, not only is it heavier to move, but it is also a safety hazard. Drawers can slide open and the contents can spell out. Items inside can shift and suddenly change the gravitational balance of your delicate and expensive armoire. Make sure that you take out everything from the drawers. Then secure the drawers with some tape or plastic so they don’t fly open as they are moved around.
5. Take care of mover access before they arrive. The movers are going to be bringing a big truck and they’re going to need to access your home or apartment. If you don’t have your own home and driveway, bear in mind that you may have to find out what the parking regulations and limitations are in your apartment complex or condo units. Find this out in advance and make sure you communicate the information to your movers before they arrive.
6. Consider tipping for a good job. Tipping is not required, but a standard tip of 10% to 15% of the total move is fairly common practice. You’ll want to consider tipping based on how much difficulty you put your movers through and the quality of service they provided. It’s also A good idea to have at least water or energy drinks available if you have a long move on a hot day.

Your movers are there to make your move an easy one. Do everything you can to make it easy on them, as well.