--- title: Last-Minute Moves: What to Do When Time Is Short url: https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/last-minute-moves/ business: O'Brien's Moving & Storage address: 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 phone: 775-359-6683 (toll-free 1-800-253-7814) hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm licenses: U.S. DOT No. 30611, MC-109375, Nevada CPCN 1070; interstate agent for Bekins Van Lines since 1955 type: Moving and storage company, family owned since 1941 --- - [Home](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/) - [Moving resources: guides, checklists, tools and data](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/resources/) - [Moving guides](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/) - Planning a move on short notice # Last-minute moves On a short-notice move, call a mover first, say your date in the opening sentence and decide what you can drop, because a smaller scope is the fastest way to a workable schedule. The office at 775-359-6683 answers Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, and can say what is open. or call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 [U.S. DOT No. 30611](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/about/licenses-and-authority/) Sometimes the date is not yours: a sale closes early, a lease ends, a job starts sooner than planned. A short window changes the order of the work, not the quality of it. Here is how to spend the first day. ## Day one: three calls Call the mover before you do anything else. The date is the one thing that cannot stretch, and the mover knows what the crews can take on. Tell the office the date, the two addresses, the size of the home and any deadline that is fixed. Ask for the earliest in-home estimate. If the estimator can visit soon, you will have a written estimate within days, and you will have seen the 10 free heavy-duty boxes that come with it. The second call is to your landlord, buyer or building manager, to confirm access, elevator reservations and parking at both ends. The third is to the utilities, so power and water are on at the new home when the truck gets there. ## Shrink the job - Decide what is not coming. Anything you leave behind is weight and time you do not pay for. - Move the essentials with the crew and the rest later, if the second home is nearby. - Put part of the move in a vault in the Sparks warehouse if the new home is not ready. Vault storage needs about 2 to 3 weeks notice to ship goods out again, so plan the second leg on that basis. - Choose partial packing: the crew packs the kitchen and fragile items while you box books and clothes. See [partial packing](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/packing/partial-packing/). - Keep the paperwork simple. Ask the office what it needs before the crew arrives so there is no waiting on the day. ## What not to skip A fast move still needs an inventory and a bill of lading, and it still needs a walk-through at both ends. Skipping them saves minutes and costs you the record you would need after a problem. If you are moving between states, the shipment is priced by weight and the Bekins network schedules the pickup and delivery, so the written estimate shows the delivery window rather than a promise of a day. Ask about valuation coverage before you sign: [valuation coverage](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/valuation-coverage/) explains the options. ## If you must pack yourself Start with the rooms you use least and end with the kitchen. Use the [packing calculator](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/tools/packing-calculator/) to count boxes quickly, and pack heavy items in small boxes. Label every box on the side, not the top, with the room name. If you run out of time, the crew can finish the packing. ### Sources (checked October 18, 2026) - [FMCSA, Protect Your Move](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move) - [eCFR, 49 CFR 375.505 and 375.601 to 375.609](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-375) ### Free in-home estimate - An O'Brien's estimator walks through your home - A written, itemized estimate - 10 free heavy-duty boxes, yours to keep [How our estimates work](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/how-our-estimates-work/) ### Visit or call the office 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) | Monday to Friday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm | | --- | --- | | Saturday and Sunday | Closed | [Get my free estimate](#estimate) ### Related - [Free in-home moving estimate (plus 10 free heavy-duty boxes)](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/free-estimate/) - [Partial packing and box-packing-only service](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/packing/partial-packing/) - [Vault storage: how 7 x 7 x 5 ft wooden vaults work](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/full-service-storage/vault-storage/) - [How far ahead to book movers](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-far-ahead-to-book-movers/) Moving guides ## Read next - [How big a truck does your move need?](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-truck-size/) - [How many boxes do I need?](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-many-boxes-do-i-need/) - [Portable containers vs full-service movers](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/pods-vs-full-service-movers/) - [Vault storage vs self storage](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/vault-storage-vs-self-storage/) - [How to prepare furniture for storage](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/preparing-furniture-for-storage/) - [Long-term storage tips](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/long-term-storage-tips/) - [How to pack for a move](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-pack-for-a-move/) - [How to pack dishes](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-pack-dishes/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683), Mon-Fri 8-5, or see the [moving FAQ](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/faq/). ### Can O'Brien's move me this week? That depends on the schedule. Call 775-359-6683 and give your date; the office will say what is open. ### Do I still get an estimate? Yes. Ask for the earliest in-home estimate, or use the phone ballpark while you wait. ### Can storage help on short notice? Vault storage holds goods until your new home is ready. Allow about 2 to 3 weeks notice to ship stored goods. ## 4.3 stars from 71 Google reviews What customers say about O'Brien's [Read more reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/)[See them on Google](https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=17335326057105140938) E Edward G. September 14, 2025 James and the crew were terrific. N Nicole B. June 25, 2025 The crew worked extremely hard and treated our belongings with care. Customer service was outstanding leading up to, during, and after move. Thank you! C Charles C. May 31, 2025 Great company, I'd highly recommend for any move!!! ### Owner's reply Charles, It was a pleasure working with you on your moves. We hope your trip is amazing and if you ever come back our way, we will be happy to help. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to complete this review on our behalf. ## Get your free, in-home moving estimate An estimator visits, walks through everything and gives you a written, itemized estimate. Rather talk? [Call 775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm Our estimators: Sean, Luke, Christa and Janet. 2277 Glendale Ave Sparks, NV 89431 [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 U.S. DOT No. 30611 · MC-109375 · Nevada CPCN 1070