Common Mistakes when Moving to a New Home
Published by Chris Townsend
When you are moving, everything can happen so quickly that you might accidentally forget something or make a decision that doesn’t work in your best interest. The best way to learn is from your mistakes, but an even better way to learn is from the mistakes of others.
With that in mind, we compiled a list of common moving mistakes so you can avoid them when you are preparing for your next move.
11 Mistakes to Avoid When Moving to a New Place
- Taking Items You No Longer Need
You might want to start packing your house as soon as you know you'll be moving. This is a fantastic notion, unless you end yourself packing items you no longer use or desire. Otherwise, you'll be paying your moving company to transport a dresser that you could have easily carried out to the curb for free.
Take your time going through your house and getting rid of things you don't need. Anything you don't wish to bring into the new residence should be donated, sold, or thrown away. It will be much easier to start over in your new home and become the orderly person you've always wanted to be.
- Choosing Cost Over Quality
While cost is a significant consideration when picking a moving company, it's even more crucial that they do a good job.
The cheapest price may get your items from one location to another (unless it's a fraudster luring you in with low prices), but it doesn't guarantee outstanding service.
Hiring a moving firm is similar to buying a phone: if price is your main consideration, your decision could come back to bite you.
- Leaving the Packing for Later
Packing the average home requires roughly five days on average, and that is assuming you will be packing for the whole time. There will be no breaks. There will be no work on certain days. For the past five days, I've been doing nothing except packing.
Since you're probably not going to take a week off work to pack, on top of the day or two it'll take to move, you should plan the packing time when you figure out your move. Packing your house will take a little longer if you're like most people and have a job and duties to attend to.
Starting packing as soon as possible is the best way to go about it. Before moving day, start with items you won't need and pack a few boxes each day. When the day arrives, you'll only need a few things, which you can simply pack with you in a bag.
- Moving During Peak Season or Rush Hour
Highways are awful enough during the day. Why add to the stress of your move by bringing in a lot of traffic?
Stress isn’t the only problem. It's also expensive to travel during rush hour. Congestion wastes time and petrol, raising your overall cost.
Rather, take a day or two off work to oversee the relocation. Have the movers arrive first thing in the morning so you'll have plenty of time to finish before the rush at 5 p.m.
Furthermore, increased traffic equals more accidents, and the last thing you need on moving day is an insurance claim.
Summer is a "rush hour" that occurs every year. If possible, relocate during off-peak hours. There will be more options for movers, and pricing may be lower as well.
- Packing Items That Are Prohibited
Even though movers handle a lot of things, there are some things they can't move for you. (It's similar to nail polish.) Yeah.)
Because moving firms are prohibited from handling dangerous chemicals, firearms, or flammable items (among other things), you will have to transport these items yourself.
It's also a good idea to keep valuable and/or irreplaceable objects out of the moving vehicle. Instead, transport them in your vehicle to ensure their safety. Ask your moving firm beforehand whether you're willing to accept the risk. Many businesses may refuse to assume liability for things worth more than a particular amount.
- Not Packing Properly
Of course, having a head start on your packing is pointless if you have no idea what you're doing. To avoid harming your belongings during the transfer, take your time and do the job well.
If you remember nothing else, remember this: pack heavy objects in small boxes so they don’t move around as much, while packing light items in bigger ones for space purposes.
To avoid items breaking or getting damaged, choose boxes that are the right size for those belongings that are fragile—not too huge or too little. A box that is too big will leave too much space for the item to move around, while a box that is too small will put your items under a lot of stress.
Don't be stingy with the padding! It isn't worth the risk. To pad your boxes, visit a supply store and get some bubble wrap, packing paper, or packing peanuts for box padding. You could also use clothing, pillows, and linens as packing material to be more efficient.
Label all boxes with the location of where it will go once you arrive at the new place. This way, when the truck arrives and the crew begins unloading there won’t be any confusion as to where everything is supposed to go.
- Not Packing a Kit with the Essentials
After the move is finished you might find that you don’t have the energy to go around unpacking boxes and sorting things out. But if you didn’t pack a bag or separate box with items you use every day, you will still need to unpack.
Therefore, you should pack a separate bag or box with some towels, clothes, snacks, critical documents, toiletries, a first-aid kit, and anything else you could need in an emergency. A good idea is to also pack some entertainment items for the family so they have something to do during the trip or once they arrive at the new home.
Place this bag in your vehicle so it is close when you need it.
- Not Changing Your Address
Even if you'd prefer to ignore all those bothersome invoices, your mail must be delivered to the correct address.
Don't forget to fill out a change of address form at the post office or on the United States Postal Service website 5-10 days before you move. You are not required to pay a third party to handle this for you. Changing your address online is a quick, painless, and inexpensive process.
- Not Doing Your Research
If you're in a rush or just want to get the job done, it's tempting to choose the first big-name company that pops up in the Google search results. You're going to have a hard time if this is your strategy.
Scammers, con men, and just plain bad movers abound in the moving profession, as they do in every industry. How can you know what to expect when you pick one at random?
One word comes to mind: research.
Don't believe all the firm says about themselves without doing some research. Read customer reviews, check the Better Business Bureau, and ask friends and family for referrals.
Get estimates and specifics from each of them once you've narrowed down your choices to three or four. What are their hours of operation? Are they covered by insurance? What kind of services do they offer?
Learning the differences between the different companies out there will allow you to make an informed decision.
- Forgetting to Take Inventory
How can you establish if anything was damaged during the move, and that the movers were at fault should something occur? The only way to do this is by noting the condition of the item before packing it.
You should make a list of the items, including their condition and location. This will also make it easier to determine if any of the boxes or items have been lost.
- Not Choosing a Professional Moving Company
While enlisting the support of friends or relatives to assist with your move is a cost-effective alternative, it can sometimes be a bigger headache than it is worth.
Hiring professional movers, on the other hand, is a cost-effective approach to avoid exhaustion on moving day. Moving firms have the necessary equipment, supplies, and training to ensure a safe and smooth transition. Furthermore, they complete the task significantly more quickly.
Whether you need someone to pack your stuff or just need a moving company to load and transport your boxes and furniture to your new home, hiring qualified movers will save you time, stress, and physical strain.
Wrapping Up
Now that you know the things that you should avoid, the only option left is the right choice. And when it comes to moving Three Movers will always be the best choice you can make. Contact us today and we’ll help you plan your move so it goes flawlessly.
