Downtown Leesburg and the village of Waterford are two of the oldest places in Loudoun County, and they look it, in a good way: brick sidewalks, narrow streets, and houses that have stood for well over a century. They are great places to live and tricky places to park a moving truck. This guide covers downtown Leesburg parking, the old-house problems you will run into in both places, and how to plan a move that does not end with a ticket or a scraped door frame.
Downtown Leesburg: where the truck can go
Downtown Leesburg has metered street parking, a few town lots, and public garages. According to the town, street meters downtown have a two-hour limit on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are free in the evening and on weekends. The Town Hall Garage on Loudoun Street and the Pennington Garage on Church Street are the main garages, but a box truck is not going into either one.
For a moving truck, the curb in front of the house is usually the goal. That is where meter bags come in.
Reserving curb space with meter bags
The Town of Leesburg sells meter bags that reserve a metered space for a day, for things like events and loading. The town lists them at $14 per space per day, bought at the Finance counter in Town Hall. A moving truck usually needs two or three spaces in a row.
Fees and rules change, so check the current price and process with the town before your move. Buy the bags a few days early so the spaces are open when the truck arrives. If your house is on a side street without meters, look at where a truck can stop without blocking traffic or a driveway.
Old houses: stairs, doors, and floors
Many houses in Leesburg's Old & Historic District and in Waterford were built long before king-size beds and sectional sofas. Stairways are narrow and steep, doorways are short, and some upper floors are reached by a winding stair. Original wood floors and plaster walls do not forgive a bumped dresser.
Measure your biggest pieces and compare them to the stairway and doorways before you book. Some furniture will need to come apart, and a few pieces may not fit at all. We pad door frames and banisters, lay runners on old floors, and plan the order so the crew is not backing out of a tight stairway with a dresser.
Waterford: a village with its own rhythm
Waterford is a small village northwest of Leesburg, and the whole village is a National Historic Landmark district. The streets are narrow, there are few places to put a large truck, and the Waterford Fair brings big crowds on the first weekend of October.
If you are moving in or out of Waterford, avoid the fair weekend, plan the truck spot carefully, and expect longer carries. A smaller truck or a couple of trips can be easier than wedging a 26-foot truck onto a village lane.
Timing a downtown move
Weekday mornings in downtown Leesburg are busy with courthouse and office traffic, since county government is downtown. Weekends bring visitors to the shops and restaurants. An early weekend morning is often the quietest window for a downtown move.
If your move lands on a downtown event, like a festival or a parade, streets may close. Check the town's event calendar for your date before you lock it in.
Downtown condos and apartments
Downtown Leesburg also has condos and apartments in older and newer buildings. Some have elevators and some do not, and a few are second-floor units over shops with a single narrow stairway. Ask the building how move-ins work, whether there is a time window, and where a truck can stop. A third-floor walk-up downtown can take as long as a small house in the suburbs, so mention it when you get a quote.
Packing for an old house
Old houses tend to have smaller closets, odd-shaped rooms, and less storage than newer homes. Before you pack, think about where things will actually go. Label boxes by room and by floor, and keep the heaviest boxes on the first floor if the stairs are tight. If a large piece will not fit, decide before move day whether it goes to storage, gets sold, or goes to family.
Be a good neighbor on a narrow street
On a narrow downtown or village street, a moving truck affects the neighbors more than it would in a subdivision. A quick note to the houses on either side the day before, saying when the truck will be there and for how long, goes a long way. Leave room for other cars to pass when you can, and move the truck as soon as the last piece is off.
