Moving to Kirkland, WA: What to Know Before Moving Day

Kirkland is one of the easier Eastside cities to move into, but it has a few quirks that catch people by surprise. Waterfront condos that have strict building rules, hillside neighborhoods with narrow streets, and summer weekends when downtown parking suddenly disappears.

Here's what our crews run into most often when handling Kirkland moves, and what to coordinate ahead of time so the moving day goes smoothly.

Know which part of Kirkland you're moving into

Kirkland is not just one kind of neighborhood, and the move changes with the area.

• Downtown and the waterfront. Mostly condos and apartments. You can expect elevators, loading zones, and a building manager waiting with a checklist.
• Houghton and Everest. Has a mix of older homes and newer townhomes close to downtown. Driveways are usually shorter and the streets fill up fast.
• Juanita and Finn Hill. Hillside lots, long driveways, and only a few steps between the street and the front door. Access matters more than square footage here.
• Rose Hill and Kingsgate. Larger single-family homes with much easier truck access. These tend to be the most predictable moves in the city.
• Totem Lake. Newer apartment buildings near the urban center, plus most of Kirkland's office and medical spaces.

If you're unsure what your new place will need, send us the address and we can help you better anticipate what you might experience on moving day.

Check your building's requirements early

Most Kirkland condo and apartment buildings ask for two things before a move: a certificate of insurance from the moving company and an elevator reservation. Some also limit moves to certain hours of the day or sometimes require a deposit.

Ask your building manager at least a week before the move. We'll get you the certificate of insurance they ask for. The elevator reservation itself is on you to book, since buildings only take those from the resident. Showing up without an elevator reservation is the fastest way to add hours to a move which can add to your moving cost.

Plan around parking and traffic

Downtown Kirkland and the Marina Park area get busy on summer weekends. If you have a choice, we recommend a weekday move as it's much easier to find parking.

For moves coming from Seattle, the 520 bridge and 405 both will affect travel time. Have a morning start to avoid the worst of it. Travel time is part of what you pay for on a local move, so this is worth the planning.

Decide how much of the move you want to do yourself

This is the question that shapes everything else. Our Kirkland crews handle moves a few different ways depending on what you need:

Full local move. We show up with a truck, load, drive, and unload. You handle nothing on moving day other than directing our movers on what goes where. This is the best fit for most household moves within Kirkland. Our local moving page covers what's included.

Packing plus moving. If the packing is what you're dreading (we all dread it, but sometimes people enjoy the extra control), our packing services cover the whole house or can just tackle the rooms that take the longest. Buying your own boxes and paper ahead of time is an easy way to trim the cost while still getting the labor. Always buy more boxes than you think you need, you can always return the extras.

Labor only. You have a rental truck, a POD, or a container in the driveway and just need a crew to load or unload it. Our labor-only service covers that, along with in-home furniture moves during remodels or flooring projects, which are two projects people don't consider hiring moving help for.

Office or commercial move. Kirkland's Totem Lake corridor has a ton of small offices and medical suites. Those moves run on your business hours with everything labeled and staged by department. Our commercial moving page covers how we scope them.

Long distance. If you're leaving the area, that's a different service with a fixed-price bid instead of hourly billing. Our long-distance moving page explains how it works. We'll miss you in Seattle, but wish you luck wherever you're going!

Get the house ready before we arrive

The single biggest factor in how long a Kirkland move takes is how ready the home is when the crew walks in. A few things that can speed it up:

• Boxes sealed, labeled by room, and staged near the door
• Drawers emptied and loose items packed
• Clear paths from every room to the exit
• A parking spot held for the truck, with cones or a family member crossing their arms
• Someone on site who can answer questions and sign paperwork

You're welcome to pitch in, but our crews have it handled and helping rarely speeds things up. The one rule is that customers can't ride in the truck, cab, or on the liftgate, no matter how fun it looks.

Timing your move

Summer and the end of the month book up first across the Eastside. If your dates are flexible, a mid-month weekday usually means more availability and a smoother day. Flexible dates can sometimes open up better availability for smaller moves too, so mention it when you reach out if you're not needing a specific move date.

Ready to move to Kirkland?

Tell our team where you're coming from, the new address, roughly how much you have, and your ideal date. We'll recommend the service that fits and add you to the schedule. Our Kirkland moving page has more information on how we handle moves across the city if you are still curious.