Dec
No one wants to have a stressful moving experience, but that’s what can happen without proper planning and preparation. If you want less stress come moving day, make sure to avoid these 11 common moving mistakes.
1. Failing to Follow Your Timeline
A successful move starts with a good plan, and good planning starts early. You can follow a timeline on a moving task list to stay on track leading up to moving day; otherwise, you may end up scrambling to finish everything at the last minute. Many factors go into a local or long-distance move, and not having a strong, detailed plan is one of the most common moving mistakes.
2. Budgeting Incorrectly
One of our best tips for moving houses is to create a budget and start saving as soon as you know you’ll be moving. Many people make the mistake of winging the financial aspects of a move only to discover that moving costs more than they thought it would.
To prevent this situation, do some research about average moving costs in your area as well as the area you’re moving to. This will give you a basic idea of the costs, and you can set your budget accordingly. You should also call around to at least three local moving companies to get quotes on the services you’ll need.
3. Suboptimal Packing
Do you know how to pack moving boxes efficiently? You don’t want to overfill your boxes because, if you do, they’ll be too heavy to carry. On the other hand, you don’t want to underfill them because you’ll need more boxes to finish the job.
As a good moving guideline, pack heavier items in smaller boxes since you won’t be able to add as many things. Then, put lighter items into larger boxes. If you have a mix of things in one moving box, start with the heavier items on the bottom and add lighter ones on the top.
4. Forgetting to Label Boxes
Another common moving mistake we see is people forgetting to label their boxes. Imagine getting to your new home, needing bed sheets, and digging through over 30 boxes before you find them. That doesn’t sound fun to us!
Instead, one of the best things to do for moving is to label your moving boxes with helpful details to let you or your moving team know where a box goes and what’s in it. For your label, include the following information.
- Which room the box belongs in (kitchen, kids’ bathroom, primary bedroom, etc.)
- Who the box belongs to (you, a partner, or a specific child)
- What’s in the box
- If the contents are fragile
Doing this basic labeling will make moving and unpacking so much easier for everyone involved, so it’s an important thing to consider when moving.
5. Choosing a Mover Without Research
A moving company can make or break your move, and unfortunately, not all movers are created equal. Don’t make rookie moving mistakes by picking your moving team without doing the necessary research.
To choose the right moving company, read reviews, get quotes from at least three companies, and learn how to avoid moving scams.
6. Missing Measurements
Have you measured the clearance space of the doors in your new home? People who skip this essential moving guideline could find they can’t move some of their furniture into the house. Don’t let this happen to you — get those measurements!
7. Packing Your Clutter
Think of moving into a new home as a fresh start; do you really want to bring items you don’t want or need into your new space? As you start planning your move, make time to declutter your things, so you know what not to pack when moving.
Go room by room and sort your belongings into four categories: keep, sell, donate, and toss. Anything you’re keeping can be packed; everything else should be handled by category.
8. Losing Track of Important Documents
One of our biggest tips for packing moving boxes is to keep your important documents together, including:
- Social security cards
- Birth certificates
- Passports
- Health records
- Warranty information
Many people make the moving mistake of not gathering these documents beforehand, then run into trouble when they can’t find them. Compile everything in a clearly labeled box and keep it with you during moving day.
9. Packing in a Rush
If you make the moving mistake of leaving your packing until the last minute, you will have to rush to finish it in time. When you have to pack quickly, you risk overloading your boxes, running out of supplies, and even forgetting to pack everything. Not to mention, you won’t have time to label things in a hurry.
Instead, avoid this panic-induced situation by sticking to your moving task list and start packing at least six weeks before moving day.
10. Packing Dangerous Material
For your safety, you should know what not to pack when moving, including hazardous materials. These materials are things like:
- Explosives
- Flammable liquids and solids
- Poisons
- Corrosives
- Radioactive materials
- Compressed gas
If you have a question about whether or not you should pack a hazardous material, you can always contact your moving company for further clarification.
11. Forgetting to Change Your Address
In the excitement of moving to a new home, it can be easy to forget some companies need to know where you live. About one month before moving day, you should start updating your address with all relevant agencies, including:
- Post office (set up mail forwarding to your new home)
- Utility providers
- Internet service
- Cable company
- Bank
- Loan providers
This is one of our top moving houses tips because it is often the most forgotten task and could cause problems for you going forward if you miss important mail or bills.
Looking for an Experienced Moving Team?
If you need a professional moving team in and around New Jersey to help you avoid the above moving mistakes, turn to White Glove Moving. We have decades of knowledge in helping people like you have easy, stress-free moving experiences.
Contact us today to get started or to get a quote for your upcoming move.