Trump in, Biden out: How White House readies to welcome new president in just 5 hours

Moving out of a house and into a new one is stressful. Most of us have experienced it at least once in life. There’s the packing, the protection of valuables, the hiring of movers, the timing of the actual move itself — and then, of course, the unpacking and sorting of belongings.

Now, imagine doing this for Donald Trump , the incoming president of the United States, who is moving into the White House — a 132-room mansion — in Washington, DC from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, on the day he is sworn in as the 47th president of America.

This crucial period, stretching out for only five hours is known as Moving Day and is described by one former White House usher as ‘mass bedlam’. Gary Walters, who has been part of several transfers of families in his 21 years as White House chief usher told the Washington Post, “I call it organised chaos”.

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What does Moving Day entail? How is it carried out? Here’s how it all unfolds.

Leading up to Inauguration Day

For the Trumps — yes, Melania Trump will be moving in on Day 1 of her husband’s presidency — moving into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the formal address of the White House, is their responsibility. That means they are responsible for getting all of their belongings to the White House themselves.

Planning for this begins, as soon as the outgoing president, in this case Joe Biden , concedes to the newly-elected president — Donald Trump. In this period, everything from the incoming first family’s choice of furtniture and room layout and other details such as ideal room temperature, favourite snacks and preferred bath soap is obtained by the chief usher of the White House.

And as Inauguration Day draws closer, the president-elect typically relocates to Washington, DC. Moreover, traditionally, the incoming president and his family stay at Blair House, a 119-room complex made up of four connected townhouses, the night before the day he is sworn in. President Joe Biden and Barack Obama stayed there before their big days, but Trump didn’t stay there on the night before his first inauguration in 2017. It is not yet known where he stayed this time.

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On Inauguration Day — The early hours

Moving in doesn’t officially begin until the day of inauguration. It starts around 4 am when the White House permanent staffers — around 90 of them — and contractors show up to start the big move.

Then around 8.30 am, the staff gathers in the White House’s State Dining Room to say goodbye to the first family. Most often this includes the staffers giving the outgoing president a gift: a box constructed from historic White House wood, which contains the flags that flew over the White House on the president’s Inauguration Day and final morning in office — a tradition started by White House Chief Usher Gary Walters, a Reagan appointee who served under four administrations. Past staffers describe this moment as emotional.

An hour later, the outgoing US president attends a coffee in the Blue Room that includes the incoming and outgoing presidents and vice presidents, their spouses and a congressional escort.

Inauguration Day — the frenzy unfolds

At 10.30 am, the chaos ensues as the incoming and outgoing presidents leave the North Portico together and head toward the Capitol. At this point, the actual moving process begins.

“When first families leave around 10:30 am or 11 am, they have that five-hour period where the staff work furiously,” says Matthew Costello, a senior historian at the White House Historical Association.

It begins with empty trucks being loaded with the outgoing president’s belongings. Pieces that have been taken on loan from the White House’s permanent collection are shipped back the federal storage facility.

When the move-out process is complete, the incoming president’s items are moved into the executive residence. The team of outside movers tends to be rather small — usually only a handful of people — as the White House’s permanent residence staff handles the majority of the work.

Amid this move-out and move-in, staffers go into overdrive, cleaning the White House. And this isn’t your regular cleaning; it includes cleaning and replacing rugs and window treatments and thoroughly scrubbing the residence and the Oval Office. Everything from carpets and furniture to vents and ducts is washed or otherwise cleaned to remove any lingering allergens or pathogens.

There’s also minor repair work that is carried out in this period. Plumbers, carpenters and electricians make minor repairs such as changing internet or cable wires, installing new light fixtures and changing artwork.

Rooms are also arranged as per the incoming family’s request. For instance, if a president and first lady want a room changed into a private study or gym, those changes are implemented at this time.

Once all this is done, the incoming First Family’s boxes are unpacked — clothes are placed in cupboards, items are laid out, including toiletries. Even the White House kitchen is restocked as per the incoming president’s requests and likes.

The Washington Post reports that the florist puts fresh arrangements all over the house. The bowling alley gets new shoes in the first family’s sizes.

Welcoming the new president

The White House has anywhere until 3:30 and 5 pm (local time) to get all things ready, as the new president then returns to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue following the swearing-in ceremony and congressional luncheon. The first family is welcomed into their new home by staff and shown upstairs to their living corridors.

All in all, it’s a crazy time. As Ann Stock, who saw the transfer up close as the Clintons’ social secretary, told the Washington Post, “It’s energising, but absolutely exhausting.”

With inputs from agencies