How to photograph your furniture and belongings before the movers arrive, in case something is damaged
Updated · 4 min read
Before the movers arrive, photograph each large item and each room once, take close-ups of existing scratches and dents, and photograph the serial numbers of electronics. When the items come off the truck, look at each one before you sign, note any damage on the paperwork, and photograph it from the same angles. Then you can show what an item looked like before it was moved.
This guide is about what to record. Moving companies set their own liability limits, claim forms and deadlines, so read your contract; this is photo advice, not legal advice.
When should I take the photos?
- The day before, or the morning of the move, once furniture is emptied and before anyone touches it. Do it before the crew arrives so nobody is rushed.
- At delivery, as each item is carried in, before you sign the delivery paperwork.
- After you have unpacked, if you find something broken inside a sealed box. Keep the box and the packing material.
What do I photograph, and in what order?
1. Each room once from the doorway, so the furniture is seen in place.
2. Each large item whole: sofa, bed frame, table, wardrobe, mattress, from the front and from one side.
3. Close-ups of every scratch, dent, chip, stain or loose joint that is already there, with a second photo further back to show where on the item it is.
4. Appliances and electronics: the front, the screen if it has one, and the label with the model and serial number.
5. Valuable or fragile things the movers will pack, such as a mirror, artwork, a glass table top or an instrument.
6. The boxes themselves: a photo of the sealed and numbered boxes in a row, so a missing or crushed box is visible.
7. Walls, floors, door frames and the lift in both homes, if your contract makes you responsible for them.
Should I also film a video?
A slow walk through each room, with the date and the address said at the start, shows that nothing was left out. Keep the photos too, because they are sharper and easier to attach to a claim form.
What should I do at delivery?
- Check each item as it comes off the truck, rather than after the crew has left. Photograph any damage from the same angles you used before.
- Write the damage on the delivery paperwork or inventory before you sign, and ask for a copy. Signing a clean sheet can make a later claim harder.
- Do not repair or throw away a damaged item until the claim is settled. Keep the box and the packing material.
- Report the damage to the company in writing, by the date your contract gives. Deadlines differ by company and country, so check the contract.
How do I keep the time and place with the photos?
The iPhone Camera saves the date, time and, if Location Services is on for the Camera, the coordinates in each photo's hidden data. That data is often removed when photos go through a chat app or an email client, and the person who reads your claim may never see it.
Check that the phone's date and time are set automatically, keep the original photos on your phone and not only copies sent through a chat app, and do not edit a photo in a way that changes how an item looks. A date printed on the picture itself stays visible wherever the file ends up.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I photograph my furniture before the movers come?
- Yes. Take each room from the doorway, each large item whole, and close-ups of existing marks, with a second photo further back to show where they are. Do it before the crew arrives.
- What should I do if the movers damage something?
- Look at each item as it is unloaded, photograph the damage from the same angles as before, write it on the delivery paperwork before you sign, keep the item and packaging, and report it in writing by the date in your contract.
- Should I photograph serial numbers?
- Yes, for electronics and appliances. A photo of the label with the model and serial number also helps if an item is lost.
- How long do I have to report damage to a moving company?
- It depends on the company and the country, so read your contract. Report in writing as soon as you find the damage.
- Does a timestamp on the photos settle a damage claim?
- No. It makes the time and place easy to see, but the moving company or insurer decides under its own rules. Clear, honest, well-ordered photos taken before the move make your claim easier to assess.