Many people move for various reasons and for several times in their lifetimes. While some move out of their apartments to their first home, others move when they decide to downsize and live in a smaller property. Several people also often move to find better job opportunities in another state or their country.
Regardless of your personal reasons or circumstances, whether you want to move across the country or town, you might want to avoid the biggest moving mistakes to ensure a hassle-free and stress-free move. While you can’t always guarantee a smooth and perfect moving day, you can prevent possible problems that may arise by evading the following mistakes:
1. Hiring The First Moving Company You Find
If you want to hire the best moving company, it’s a huge mistake to settle with the first one you find. When looking around for moving companies, you should make sure to get all the best possible quotes from your preferred companies and compare them to make a well-informed decision.
Some moving companies pose as legitimate and offer customers the cheapest rates. For this reason, it’s vital to check their affiliations and certifications to ensure quality and reliable services.
To avoid scams and fraud, take time to read reviews of your prospective moving companies. Search for customer reviews on several third-party websites rather than read testimonials on their websites. Such are often cherry-picked and don’t reflect their clients’ actual customer experiences.
If you want to get an accurate picture of how a moving company works, read a mix of negative and positive reviews. Some of the red flags you should watch out for when reading customer reviews include:
- Unexpected delays
- Countless damage reports
- Holding belongings hostage to get more money
2. Failing To Take Inventory And Organize
Whether you’re a notorious packrat or a renowned neat freak, getting your things in order before packing is essential to reduce stress during a move. Make sure to empty your drawers, cabinets, and closets using boxes and trash bags. Bring a box for things you’d want to donate, one for the stuff you want to keep, and a trash bag for anything that isn’t suitable for keeping or donating.
Taking an inventory is also beneficial because most insurance companies typically need a list of the valuables included in your policy. To make inventory easier, you can use home inventory apps, which are designed and developed to keep a record of your belongings along with their value and photos.
3. Trying To Do Everything Yourself
Some people make mistakes by trying to do everything themselves. While it’s economical, it’s never recommended for everyone. Remember that professional movers exist for a reason. If you want to save yourself from heavy lifting and keep everything well-organized, hire professional movers to help you.
Professional movers make moving easier, taking away your stress and allowing you to focus on other essential things before moving to your new place. These moving experts also know the most efficient methods for unpacking, lifting, and packing. In some cases, they may even get the work done for an affordable rate.
Unlike when you ask for your family members or friends to help, you won’t be liable for the injuries that may occur to your movers. You don’t also need to worry about the hassles of carrying any weight, packing lots of boxes, and renting vehicles.
4. Packing Inefficiently
Packing isn’t a last-minute task. Although it can be a tiring part of the move, you should never rush it. Usually, effective and efficient packing takes at least a month. To make packing efficient, here are the tips to follow:
- Choose The Right Packing Materials
Regarding packing materials, you’ll need cardboard boxes, plastic bins, and tapes. You may also require bubble wraps, mainly when packing breakable items. For extremely fragile items, it’s better to use Styrofoam peanuts.
- Know Your Moving Company’s Terms
When packing, it’s critical to check the things your moving company transports. For example, some movers don’t transport any form of liquid. So, if you have bottles of wine or alcoholic beverages, you might want to include them in your vehicle during your moving day. However, ensure to use special packaging to avoid spills.
- Keep Your Boxes Labeled
Furthermore, it’s helpful to keep your boxes labeled clearly to make unpacking easy. It can also help you keep track of your belongings and ensure that everything arrives safely at your new home.
- Hire A Professional Packer
If you’re too busy and not a pro in packing, doing it yourself may result in various problems like damaged items. So, if your budget allows, it’s wise to let your moving company pack your things for you. They know the right packing strategies and have the proper materials to keep your valuables safe and damage-free.
5. Not Preparing An Essentials Bag Or Box
After a busy moving day, nothing beats a quick shower to relax. However, it can be a hassle if you don’t know which bag or box contains your essentials, such as a robe, shampoo, soap, and towels. This is why failing to prepare an essential bag is a huge moving mistake.
To make things hassle-free as soon as you move into your new place, have a separate box or bag for your essentials. Some of these essentials may also include flatware, dishes, and cups. You can also include your medications in your essentials bag and make sure to keep them in your vehicle.
6. Not Purchasing Insurance For Your Valuable Stuff
One of the biggest mistakes to avoid when moving is not understanding the importance of insurance and failing to purchase one for your valuable items. While you may trust your chosen moving company to take care of your prized possessions, you must remember that anything may happen during a move. Therefore, it’s wise to invest in a moving insurance policy to keep your things safe.
Moving insurance comes in various forms, but they all aim to protect your valuable stuff during a move. Generally, moving companies are required to provide a certain level of coverage, but you may also buy additional coverage if you’re concerned about your destination’s distance or if you have items with immense monetary or sentimental value.
Moving companies offer two types of coverage options, and these include the following:
- Full Value Protection
Unlike released value coverage, it’s often offered by interstate movers and costs extra. This coverage ensures that if your items are damaged while in transit, your moving company should give you a refund based on your items’ current value. It’s much better than the released value coverage, but you might get a fair amount for your items as it depends on how your movers determine your stuff’s current value.
In addition, if you choose full value protection coverage, you’ll need to complete an inventory of your things. This is especially true if you have high-end items. When it comes to the cost of full value protection coverage, it may vary from one moving company to another.
- Released Value Coverage
If you’re on a budget, you can choose released value coverage, which is available for free. While it’s an affordable option, movers will only reimburse you for a particular percentage of your belongings if they’re lost or damaged.
7. Forgetting About Setting Up Utilities
When moving, another mistake to avoid is forgetting about setting up utilities in your new residence. It’s necessary to cut off your existing utility accounts from your current place to avoid surprise billings in the long run. Such may include cable, electricity, garbage pick-up, and internet.
If you have an ongoing newspaper delivery, you must also cancel it. However, timing is everything when cutting your existing utilities because you might want to keep them until you move out.
When getting your utilities ready at your new place, you can save money by asking for new client discounts. Sometimes, other utility service providers waive activation and installation fees for new customers.
8. Miscalculating Budget
It’s hard to determine the overall cost of a move. This is why mistakes with calculating a budget are common when moving. Fortunately, you can avoid budgeting mistakes by booking your move early. This will help you budget properly and clearly understand the other costs included.
When talking to movers, you should ask about the cost of packing supplies, transportation, and other essential services. If you’re moving heavy and oversized items, such as pool tables, a piano, and several pieces of artwork, you should also clarify the costs from your movers.
Other than your actual moving costs, you should include some cost considerations in your budget. For example, if you have pets, you may require special services to move them, or you might need to keep them in a boarding facility while packing or unpacking.
To avoid miscalculating your budget, know your unique moving needs. If possible, have a moving budget in mind and stick to it to avoid spending more than you can afford.
Bottom Line
Moving is never easy. More often than not, it can be stressful and arduous, especially if it’s your first time. Luckily, there are various ways to make your relocation experience less challenging. By trying your best to avoid the above biggest mistakes when moving, your move will be much easier. So, give yourself time to plan everything and never hesitate to hire professionals to enjoy the whole process and avoid any inconvenience.
