Book the reservation early
Most larger complexes across the valley require a freight elevator reservation for move day, and those slots go fast at the end of the month when the largest share of leases turn over. As soon as your move date is set, call the leasing office and lock in your window.
Ask specifically about the length of the window and what happens if you run over. Some buildings charge extra or bump you to a later slot, which is worth knowing before the day arrives.
Confirm the paperwork the office wants
Many buildings ask for a certificate of insurance from your moving crew before they will release the elevator reservation. Get this requirement in writing from the office and pass it along to your movers a few days ahead, not the morning of.
Some communities also require pads or blankets on the elevator walls and floor during the move. Ask whether the building provides them or whether your crew needs to bring their own.
Stage before the window opens
Have boxes and smaller items staged near the door before your window starts, so the crew can move straight to carrying rather than searching the apartment for what is ready to go. Every minute spent looking for a box is a minute lost from a fixed window.
If your building has more than one elevator, ask whether a second one is available as a backup for residents during your window, in case the freight elevator has any downtime.
Keep the elevator moving
The fastest elevator moves keep a person at both ends the whole time, so the cab is never sent up or down empty. One mover loads on your floor while another unloads at the truck, and they trade off as the job continues.
Try to avoid running personal errands during your reserved window. Every trip a resident takes in the elevator during your slot eats into the time you have booked.
After the move
Walk the empty apartment with the crew before they leave the building, checking closets, cabinets, and any storage room that came with the unit. It is easy to forget a top shelf closet when you are focused on the elevator window.
Confirm with the leasing office that your move out inspection, if the building requires one, is scheduled separately from the moving window itself.