Local routes & practical help / Local
Moving preparation and packing
Pack an agreed set of belongings without offering transport or lifting beyond your scope.
What to price before starting
Price packing supplies, protective equipment, transport and custody insurance.
Use your own written quotes, including recurring costs and the cash you could lose. Owning equipment does not establish customer demand.
Skills you must be able to demonstrate
Careful handling, labeling and realistic lifting boundaries.
Before the first payment
Agree items, exclusions, owner presence and how damage will be recorded.
Keep the deliverable, exclusions, approvals and payment responsibility in writing. Do not treat a lead, an invoice or a promised reimbursement as money received.
Where this can go wrong
Breakage, strain injuries and mistaken disposal can outweigh the fee.
Requirements and refusal boundaries
Check applicable moving-service rules and insurance; leave hazardous or specialist items to qualified handlers.
Confirm the exact activity with the relevant authority and insurer. The references below explain general issues; they do not approve this individual service in your jurisdiction.
A lower-risk validation step
Create a packing inventory for your own nonfragile items and test the labeling.
Set a stop condition before spending: what evidence would make you decline, change scope or stop? A practice sample should never expose another person's confidential material.
Primary checks
- SBA: licenses and permits
Activity and location determine permits; contact the issuing authority.
- IRS: self-employed tax center
US self-employment tax, return and recordkeeping guidance; no tax calculation is supplied here.
References reviewed for this publication in November 2026. Rules can change. This entry contains no earnings estimate and makes no assurance of demand.