What Are The Most Common Moving Mistakes People Make?
Moving is hard enough without making mistakes along the way. Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, there are a lot of things to consider before you start packing up your belongings. From packing too much stuff to forgetting to pack certain items, there are plenty of common moving mistakes that you can avoid.
Here are some of the most common moving mistakes people make:
Packing Too Much Stuff
One of the most significant moving mistakes people make is packing too much stuff. It may seem like a good idea to pack everything in your house into boxes and load them onto a truck, but it’s not always necessary. If you’re moving across town, you may be able to use a smaller box than you usually would. If you’re moving across the country, you may be able to ship some of your belongings by air freight instead of driving them across the country.
You don’t want to overpack because you will have extra weight on top of what you already need to move. You also don’t want to under-pack either because you could lose something important. On the other hand, packing too much stuff makes for an uncomfortable trip – especially if you’ve got lots of heavy furniture.
Not Planning Ahead For Unforeseen Events
Another mistake people often make when they’re planning their moves is not thinking about unforeseen events. In other words, they don’t plan ahead for things like natural disasters, power outages, and even broken appliances. Unfortunately, these situations happen all the time, so it’s best to prepare yourself beforehand.
If you know that you live in an area prone to tornadoes, you should invest in a portable generator. This allows you to keep running your home appliances while you’re away from home. Similarly, if you know that your neighborhood has frequent power outages, you should get a battery backup system for your electronics.
For example, if you own a laptop computer, you should buy one with a built-in battery backup. This way, you won’t have to worry about losing data stored on your device. A similar thing applies to cell phones as well. If you know that your phone doesn’t work during power outages, you should invest in a secondary battery charger.
Not Preparing To Move Your Pets
Moving pets isn’t easy. They usually require more attention than regular household pets do. There are many different ways to transport animals safely, including crates, cages, kennels, and dog trailers. However, these options aren’t suitable for every pet owner. Some owners prefer to board their pets at a local animal shelter until they arrive at their new destination. Others choose to drive their dogs to their new homes.
Regardless of how you decide to transport your pets, you must ensure comfort during the ride. Many people think that transporting animals is just a matter of loading them into the car and taking off. Unfortunately, this is far from true. Animals need special care when they’re being transported.
They should be kept warm and dry, fed regularly, and given plenty of water. When traveling long distances, you should give your pets access to fresh air and exercise. You should also provide your pets with bedding, food, toys, and treats.
Failing To Plan An Efficient Route
It goes without saying that the route you take to your final destination matters. If you’re going to spend several hours driving through traffic each day, you might as well save money by choosing a shorter commute. On the flip side, if you’ll only be spending a few minutes commuting each week, you shouldn’t waste gas and wear down your vehicle.
The same rule applies to shipping your possessions. If you’re sending them via air freight, you should pick a direct flight path. Otherwise, you may end up paying higher rates for fuel and airport parking fees.
Not Knowing How To Pack Items Properly
When you’re moving, you need to be prepared to pack any item quickly and efficiently. One of the easiest ways to do this is to follow a simple three-step process. First, you should sort your belongings based on size. Then, you should group those items together according to where they go once they reach their destination. Finally, you should wrap and label each individual bag.
This method works great for small items such as clothing and shoes. However, it doesn’t apply to more oversized items such as refrigerators, washers, and dishwashers. Instead, you should look for specialized moving equipment designed specifically for these types of items.
Not Having Enough Insurance Coverage
Insurance coverage is essential when you’re moving. Not having adequate insurance means that you’re putting yourself at risk of incurring significant expenses due to accidents. Fortunately, there are affordable policies available that cover almost anything that happens during a move.
Most homeowners insurance plans offer coverage for accidental property damage. This includes damage caused by fire, theft, vandalism, and falling objects. Likewise, renters insurance covers damages to personal property. This includes damaged items inside apartments and condos.
However, both homeowner and renter policies tend to exclude liability claims. That means that they don’t cover injuries sustained by accident victims who were injured by your negligence. If you’re moving across state lines, you should purchase a policy that provides full coverage against bodily injury and property damage.
Not Taking Care Of Important Documents And Records
When you’re moving, you should make sure that you protect your documents and records. These include financial statements, tax returns, health records, and legal papers. You should store these items in a safe place until you reach your new home. At that point, you should shred them or throw them away.
Similarly, you should remove sensitive information from your computers and mobile devices. This includes passwords, social security numbers, bank account details, medical history, and credit card information. You should also delete files containing confidential information.
Not Making Sure Everything Is Ready Before Start Moving
Before you begin packing up your belongings, you should check to see if everything is ready. This includes checking to ensure that your refrigerator and freezer work properly, that your stove and oven function correctly, and that your plumbing is working correctly.
Likewise, you should ensure that your electrical outlets are working correctly and that your doors and windows open and close quickly. After completing these checks, you should test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. Once you’ve completed these tasks, you should double-check that nothing else needs fixing.
Not Checking Out Your New Home Before Moving Day
After you finish packing up your belongings, you should head straight to your new home. First, you should inspect the premises thoroughly to make sure that everything looks okay. You should pay particular attention to the condition of the floors, walls, ceilings, and furnishings.
Additionally, you should check the condition of the roof, gutters, pipes, and wiring. If you find any problems, you should fix them before you leave. You should also check the locks on your doors and windows. If you notice that they are loose, you should tighten them immediately.
Not Paying Attention To Small Details
During a move, you should try to focus on significant picture issues first. However, you should still pay attention to small details. This includes ensuring that your driveway is clear of snow and ice, that your mailbox is upright, and that your trash cans are emptied.
These little things add up to a big difference in terms of convenience. Additionally, they help prevent potential problems later on. For example, if you forget to empty your trash cans, you may run out of space for garbage bags. As a result, you may use plastic bags, which can lead to leaks and mold growth.
Not Getting Help From Professionals
While you’re busy preparing for your move, you should hire professionals to assist you. This includes movers, real estate agents, and storage facilities. Each of these professionals offers unique services. For instance, movers specialize in helping people move from one location to another. Real estate agents help buyers and sellers find properties that meet their specific requirements. Finally, storage facilities allow people to rent space for storing their belongings.
Each professional offers its own set of advantages and disadvantages. For example, movers typically charge less per hour than real estate agents. However, they typically cost more overall since they charge hourly rates plus flat labor costs. Storage facilities are cheaper than movers, but they typically offer fewer amenities.
Not Being Able To Afford A Reliable Company
Finally, you should never rely on a company that you cannot afford. While you may feel tempted to cut corners, doing so can cause serious problems. For example, hiring cheap movers may lead to breakage and loss of goods. Likewise, cheap storage units may not be secure enough to hold your valuables.
