Appliances are the one thing that punish you for skipping prep. A fridge that wasn't defrosted leaks all over the truck. A washer with water still in the hoses soaks the box beneath it. And gas equipment left connected is a safety issue nobody should improvise. The good news: none of this is hard, it just has to happen before the crew arrives, because most of it takes time you can't rush on moving day. Give yourself a day of lead time and work down this list. Everything below is the routine order we recommend across Virginia, Maryland, and DC homes.
Defrost and dry the refrigerator 24 hours ahead
This is the one people underestimate. Empty the fridge and freezer, unplug it, and leave the doors open for a full 24 hours before the move so it fully defrosts and dries. A freezer that isn't defrosted drips meltwater the entire ride, and a sealed-up damp fridge grows a smell you'll fight for weeks. Lay towels at the base to catch runoff, pull out or tape down the shelves and drawers, and wipe the interior dry. Once it's on the truck it should stay upright, and it needs to sit unplugged for a few hours at the new place before you power it back on.
Drain and disconnect the washer and dryer
Run the washer empty for a minute so the pump clears, then shut off the water valves and disconnect the supply hoses. Water sits in those hoses, so drain them into a bucket and tape them inside the drum or bag them. Front-loaders usually need shipping bolts reinstalled to lock the drum, so it doesn't bang around and damage the bearings in transit. For an electric dryer, just unplug it and detach the vent. A gas dryer is different: the gas line should be shut off and disconnected by a qualified person, which we'll cover next.
Handle gas appliances the right way
Anything on a gas line, the range, a gas dryer, or a gas water heater, needs the gas shut off and the line safely disconnected before it moves. This is not a DIY step. Have a licensed plumber, a gas fitter, or the utility handle the disconnect, and schedule it a day or two ahead so you're not waiting on moving day. Reconnection at the new home should also be done by a qualified pro, then checked for leaks. Movers transport the appliance, but the gas connection itself is deliberately left to the licensed trade for everyone's safety.
Drain fuel from mowers and outdoor equipment
Gas mowers, trimmers, blowers, and generators can't travel with fuel sloshing in the tank, and fuel or oil leaking in a truck is both a mess and a hazard. Run small equipment dry or siphon out the gas a day ahead, and drain the oil from a mower if you can. Disconnect and tape the spark plug wire so nothing starts by accident. Grills follow the same logic: take the propane tank off entirely, since tanks don't ride on the truck. Set the drained equipment aside so the crew knows it's prepped and ready to load.
Line up your disconnect timeline
The theme here is timing. Defrosting eats 24 hours, gas disconnects need a scheduled appointment, and draining hoses and fuel is quick but easy to forget in the last-minute rush. So work backward from your date. Two days out, book any gas work. The day before, start the fridge defrost, drain the washer, and empty the fuel. The morning of, do a final wipe-down and confirm everything's unplugged and detached. Tell your FLYT coordinator which appliances are coming so the crew shows up with the right straps, dollies, and padding for each one.
