At some point, everyone’s thought about what it would be like to be president. The changes you’d make, what it’d be like to live in the White House, you name it. But a question most of us have never even thought of is: How does the president move into the White House?
Simply put, the new president can’t start moving into the White House before noon on Inauguration Day, 12 hours after the previous president vacated it. He is required to hire his own private movers to pack and move his home to the White House grounds, where staff then take it inside and arrange it to his liking.
Strange, right? Don’t worry, we’ve got more in depth explanations of what to expect on moving day. Here’s what you should know about presidential moving.
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1. You’ll Only Visit the White House Once Before You Move In
The first family gets very little chance to get to know the White House before moving in for the next four to eight years. Until noon on Inauguration Day, the White House is still fully considered the home of the previous president. The new president will likely see it when the previous president invites him to meet initially, but it will be the last time he sees it until after Inauguration Day.
To ensure a smooth move, the president’s team of professional movers rely on extensive floor plans and pictures to decide how furniture should be arranged, rooms assigned, and paint decided on.
2. Hire Private Movers
It seems strangely mundane, but for the move to the White House, the new president must pay out of pocket for private movers just like anyone else. The secret service will guard and monitor the movers as they pack and transport the new president’s possession’s, but that’s where their job ends.
Ironically, the president’s private movers are prohibited from entering the White House itself. They deliver the new president’s belongings to the White House grounds, where they then pass them onto the White House staff.
3. You Can Decorate the Oval Office However You Want
Except for its shape, the Oval Office can be decorated and arranged however the new president wants. Chairs, sofas, tables, and paintings can all be changed or new ones brought in to replace the old.
Much of the White House can be redecorated and remodeled, and not just the private spaces where the first family lives. When a new administration takes over, everything changes but the building itself.
A Humbler Kind of Move with Meehan’s Family Moving
A Humbler Kind of Move with Meehan’s Family MovingWe may never be hired to move the president into the White House, but here at Meehan’s Family Moving, we’ll make you feel like one. We’ve been moving families and businesses locally and long distance in Palm Beach County for the last 10 years. As your trusted family movers, we’ll make your move easy, fast, and affordable.
Ready to get started? Contact us today at (561) 904-6000 and receive a free estimate on our professional packing and moving services.
