Moving to a new home requires a lot of time, money and energy. But relocation also involves so many tasks and crucial decisions. Consequently, you should make a plan and come up with a good strategy. In case you already started moving and still don’t have a plan, you could lose lots of time and money as a result. To avoid such emotionally and financially draining missteps, be wise and don’t let yourself make those common DIY moving mistakes. It is important for you to be aware of the most common moving mistakes, and learn how to prevent them. That is why we are here. Moving experts from US Moving Experts will remind you of common missteps you must skip while moving. Moreover, those examples will help you prevent turning your move into a nightmare. Stay with us and together we will make the best strategy for your upcoming move.
DIY moving mistakes
Moving brings a lot of stress and hustle. But we need to deal with all that pressure and try to stay calm. Accordingly to your character you should find ways how to make your move less stressful. The truth is, every moving process is unique. For example, a single student moving to his first apartment would not need to do the same things as a family of five moving to a big house across town. Besides, it will be easier to deal with moving stress for those young students comparing to bigger families with babies and school-age children. Above all, you will have to find a way to go through a moving process as easy as possible despite all circumstances. In case you’re planning a DIY move, the best way to ensure your move goes smoothly is to have a good plan for avoiding the most common DIY moving mistakes.
1. Not Leaving Yourself Enough Time
It is never early to start planning your moving. Therefore, start the organization as early as possible. We highly recommend you start planning the logistics of your moving day two months in advance. After reading this article it will be clear why you need to start early. We will mention many tasks and reasons why you will need so much time.
2. Not having a good moving strategy
When you have decided to move no matter the reasons, then prepare in advance. Along with it, it is recommendable to make a checklist or a task list to make sure you would not forget anything. Moreover, you can make a few lists if that is what you need to be organized. So put everything on paper or on your phone. Skip creating a moving checklist only on your tablet or laptop because those should also be packed and transported when the moving day comes. It will be hard for you to carry a laptop around in the middle of packing. Furthermore, your moving checklist needs to be handy and available all the time.
DIY moving mistakes – Doubts about hiring movers
When faced with moving, consider your needs and priorities. That is the very first step in making a good strategy. What is the first thing to do? It is to decide if you are going to perform a self-move or hire professional movers. Hiring professional movers can save you not only your time but also can save your money. If you are planning to use professional moving services, you should book them as early as possible. If possible, avoid moving in peak season and during the last weekends of a month. For this reason, your choice of available movers will be restricted and your moving costs will be much higher.
Failing to research movers
Make sure the moving company you hiring is licensed and insured. Additionally, ask for recommendations and references, read moving reviews. It is important to check the company’s USDOT number and find out about past complaints and disputes. Get a few on-site estimates from at least five companies. Stay aware that Online estimates and estimates over the phone can never be precise. It is better to ask for an on-site estimate. Nevertheless, don’t forget to give your movers all the relevant information, such as possible obstacles and special requirements. Those can influence the price of moving service. In the end, compare the estimates wisely. Namely, the surprisingly low offer could mean you are dealing with fraudulent movers, so be careful with those signs.
3. Packing Too Much Stuff
Now is the perfect opportunity to go through all your belongings and get rid of useless stuff. Decluttering before a move can save your budget, too. If possible, the best way to start decluttering is by holding a garage sale. Besides, donate what you don’t sell. Above all, throw out all items you don’t find suitable for sale or donating.
4. Packing improperly
To prevent damages to your possessions during transport, avoid the following packing mistakes:
- Leaving packing for the last moment. Did you forget it will need a lot of time to properly pack an entire household?
- Not providing enough protection. Wrap your belongings carefully and keep in mind that fragile items need extra protection.
- Not making an inventory sheet. Inventory sheets, to-do lists, and checklists have a crucial value during the move.
- Packing all your belongings before sorting them. Get rid of stuff you no longer need before you start packing. Sort out your possessions before the packing. Instead of packing all your items take only items of high practical, aesthetic, or sentimental value.
- Packing non-allowable items, particularly as hazardous materials, perishable food, and plants. It is one of the common DIY moving mistakes you should avoid.
- Neglecting to label the boxes properly. This step will make an order and save you precious time.
- Not packing an essentials box. The essentials box can provide you with the necessary things for the first couple of days in your new home. It will help you until all your belongings arrive.
5. Lifting Heavy Items Yourself
Last but not at least, here we come to another DIY moving mistake. This is one of the most common DIY moving mistakes. Even if you have all the equipment professional movers use, don’t try to lift anything really heavy yourself. Unquestionably, lifting heavy items without getting hurt is a skill that takes time and experience to learn. Avoid risking your health and safety and hire professional movers if you are own heavy items such as piano or pool table.
