Inside the quick turnaround of moving out the Biden’s and moving in the Trump’s.

Article by Ryan Hartnett, Senior White House Producer

WASHINGTON - As the outgoing President leaves the White House, the incoming President will soon be calling it their home. 

This morning, roughly 100 White House staff members will be packing up the Biden family’s belongings and unloading the belongings of the Trump family all within the span of six hours.

For security reasons, outside moving companies are not allowed to do the job of moving belongings in and out of the White House, instead the responsibility falls upon White House staff members.

The process begins when the two Presidents leave the North Portico for the swearing in ceremony and concludes at the end of the inaugural parade. 

While the move in and move out process is only six hours on Inauguration day, it all begins immediately after Election Day and it all starts with the White House chief usher, Robert B. Downing. 

With only 76 days to plan the six hour process, every task and movement by the White House moving staff must be organized minute-by-minute.

The goal of the organized chaos is to have the President’s residence and office ready for when the new President gets to work on day one. 

Most of the time, the transition goes smoothly but move-in day mix ups in Washington have occurred in the past. 

When the Clinton family moved into the White House in 1993, Hillary Clinton’s shoes for the inaugural ball went missing during the move in. 

Former White House chief usher, Nancy Mitchell, recalled the 1993 move in day crisis when she spoke with the Today show back in 2017.

“We started tearing out items in the closets and finally we found them in Chelsea’s room covered up with some other items,” said Mitchell, “I never felt so happy in my life.”

Most of all, the redecorating of the Oval Office considers the most precise coordination of the process.

Trump’s Oval Office will feature a portrait of Andrew Jackson on the wall and the “Reagan Rug” floor covering used by President Reagan and Trump’s first term. 

To move in the rug and other furniture, aides partially disassemble the resolute desk in order for the larger items and decorations to be swapped. 

As time is running out to complete the move in, the White House staff look to assure that everything will be just right for the Trump family when they walk into their new home this afternoon.