Everywhere you look, you find plenty of moving advice. Even your friends, family and coworkers probably have plenty of tips to offer. Unfortunately, no one ever tells you the moving mistakes to avoid. These are the little things that can pile up and make your day chaotic and miserable. You have to wonder if everyone just wants to see if you make the same mistakes, or if they are waiting to hear you complain the next day about things that could have been avoided with a little helpful advice.
Handle the Move Yourself
There are a lot of affordable moving companies that do a pretty good job of getting your belongings from one place to the next. Why would you want to exhaust yourself or risk injury by handling the move yourself? Even if you recruit your friends to help, it can turn into an all-day ordeal. When you hire movers, you can be nearly unpacked by the time you would be carrying in the last truck load, if you did everything yourself.
Jumping on the Cheapest Estimate
If one moving company is significantly cheaper than the others, there is a probably a very good reason. Grant it, you can get a great rate, if you time your move right, but if there is a company with an everyday rate that seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Do a little digging and you will likely find that there are complaints on the internet and even with the Better Business Bureau.
Forgetting About Rush Hour
The time of day should be considered when you schedule your movers. The last thing you want to do is schedule it where they will be traveling to your new place during rush hour traffic. Keep in mind that if you are paying by the hour, the clock does not stop just because there is a traffic jam.
Not Being Educated About Non-movables
Don’t take for granted that your movers will take care of everything you box up. You should know that there is a long list of items that they won’t handle, such as weapons, flammable items and hazardous chemicals. There are also things you do not want them to move like coin collections, antiques, heirlooms and expensive jewelry.
Not Packing a Survival Kit
Whether you are moving across town or the country, you should expect the unexpected. Always pack a survival kit with everything you need to get you through at least one day. This should include clothes, toiletries, towels, snacks, important documents, first aid kit and anything else you may need right away.
Not Downsizing Before You Pack
There are probably a lot of things in your home that you don’t need. Why take the time to pack, move and unpack these items? You will end up adding clutter to your new home or getting rid of everything anyway. Donate, sell or throw away all this stuff first.
Forgetting to Backup Computers
Whether you forget, or you just don’t realize you need to do it, you will find yourself singing the blues, if you do not backup your computer. Even if your computer does not get dropped or wet, the movement alone can do damage. You would be surprised at how many people regret not doing a backup before they move. You should also avoid having cheap moving companies handle your computer. When possible, transport it yourself.
