Your Movers Will Appreciate These Efforts
The beauty of hiring movers is that they can handle the whole thing. Assuming you pay for an all-inclusive moving service, they'll bring the truck, load the truck, drive the truck, and even unload the truck once they arrive at your new place. You're not really obligated to do much at all yourself. However, your movers will appreciate it if you do these few things:
Tape down any rugs or mats.
Sometimes homeowners put extra rugs or mats down before movers come. They mean well by doing this, but they actually create tripping hazards for movers. It's really easy for the movers to catch their toe or foot under the edge of a mat when they're carrying heavy items through your home. So, if you have rugs and mats that you don't want to pick up, it's helpful to tape them down before the movers arrive. Use packing tape, and go all of the way around each mat to ensure none of the edges can get caught on a foot.
Pack your own "unmentionables."
Movers will pack most things. Most moving contracts do specify, however, that movers cannot pack valuables, such as jewelry or cash. In addition to packing these things on your own, it is a nice gesture if you pack your own "unmentionables" — underwear and the like. You may appreciate not having someone else pack these things, too! Put such items in a box or bag, and just let the movers pack the box or bag as a whole.
Leave snacks and drinks.
If it is a financial strain for you to do this, then don't. Movers can and do bring their own snacks and drinks to refresh while on the job. But if you can afford to do so, it is really nice if you can provide some of these items for them. If you won't be on-site while they are packing and loading your things, you can just leave a cooler with a note that says, "Help yourselves, movers." If you are on-site, then you can offer the movers a snack or drink every couple of hours while they are working. This will save them from having to run to the convenience store for refreshments.
Movers are pretty independent workers, but there are a few things you can do, as a client, to make their jobs easier. And when you make life easier for your movers, they're more likely to get your things moved in a timely manner.