Until someone else posts their experiences, I can recommend renting a POD storage unit. They can place these things in driveways or on lawns...you fill it up with your stuff and after the floor work you move it all back in.

I bet you can also contract with a storage facility to do a temporary storage move...they would supply the manpower and the insurance to do the move.

My parents recarpeted their upstairs (4 bedrooms + hallway) a few months ago. They did it in phases. They first emptied 2 rooms and put the stuff in the other 2 rooms. The installers then carpeted those 2 rooms. Then my parents moved everything back into those 2 rooms and emptied out the other two rooms into the finished ones. The installers came back a few days later and installed the carpet in the rest of the rooms. My parents then moved everything back in.

Even if your rooms feel full, you can cram more in by taking apart the beds and tipping the mattresses up against the wall, moving everything around to fill in the empty spaces, using the bathrooms and kitchen and any other non-carpeted rooms. Garage and covered patio can suffice for temporary storage.

It'll be a pain no matter how you do it. But doing it in phases over a few weeks may be the least painful. A POD is also a good idea if you want to do it in one fell swoop.

When I did occupied homes, I always started in the biggest room, and the hallways. Then tried to empty the small rooms off the hallway, into the big room, moving room to room. Usually the hallway is the center of the installation, or everything is tied to it, so it has to be the first area stretched, with a room attached.

When I send my crew to install carpet, no meter the size of home, job done same day.

Make sure the installers ready for the job and the have a way and plan which room to empty and to where, I would not let it go to days.

I think you worry too much, carpet installers doing this type of furniture moving on almost every single job.

Just over look and try help with little thinks when you see it need.

Good luck

Thanks for all the tips. Especially the one about worrying too much ;-)

I do tend to take on other people's jobs (but that is for a reason too).
Floorguy and Tiledepotus,
About the one day, the man who did the estimate said 2 days. One day would be better. I will bring it up. Part of the issue for me is according to him I have to remove all loose items. Does that mean empty all free standing bookcases, empty all closets, all china cupboards and hutches, unplug all computers and tv's and components ... Should I trust them with the giant screen tv and dressers with attached mirrors? The old secretary desk with the attached bookcase will have to be taken apart - can they do that?

Thanks for your experience on this.

Yes...you need to remove all small loose items yourself. Installers do not unpack china cupboards and hutches, closets and bookshelves and they don't in general practice move your lamps and unplug your electronics. Some will help you disassemble furniture items, but don't expect that will be what they will agree to do. Furniture moving is not usually covered in their insurance policies...they are not furniture movers.

If your floor work is involved with many seams, don't rush the installers. If they need two days to get it done right, let them have the two days.

Yes, it is a pain but the new carpet will be so nice to have.

Since I wasn't going to have carpet put in the kitchen and bathrooms I used those rooms to store my books and other stuff. If you have boxes that can be easily moved on the closet floors that is okay but loose things need to be moved. I used the bathtubs for a lot of the things in the closets.

In California, it is the law, that no more than 10% of the contract price can be collected for a deposit.

You have to know that to even get a contractors license in California. It is on the test.