We often hear about problems during moving and issues with lack of organization while relocating, as well as trouble with the moving companies. Well, we are hoping that after reading this short blog post, you will be able to prevent them in your own moving process. We will do our best to present a problem for you, as well as offer an easy solution for it.
It’s not about ‘having’ enough time, it’s about making enough time – Rachael Bermingham
Believing that you have more time than you actually do
Planing yor move
A very common mistake while relocating is planning. Well, more like underestimating the actual time needed for certain activities while planning. So, if you have never moved house before, or if you haven’t moved in a while, we do suggest that you take caution while making a short task list for yourself.
As a way to avoid this mistake, we advise that you make a realistic plan for yourself, working backwards from your set date of move. So, you’ve hopefully started thinking about your move and organization around two months before the actual relocation, and you have enough time to implement all of our tips and tricks.
Let’s start with counting back at least eight weeks, or ten if possible, from the day of your relocation and setting that date for the beginning of your moving process. We understand that you are working and that you have many other obligations other than the move, so we want to leave as much time as possible to make sure that everything is ready on the day when the movers arrive.
Hire the movers in advance. A common thing to do is to wait for a long time to find the moving company or rent a truck for the move. So, we advise you to make your selection of moving companies and rental companies early on, and contact them as early as a month before your move to avoid this common moving mistake.
Plan your budget. Yes, planning how much money you will need for the actual move is a chore, and we understand that you may not want to sit down and take into account just how much cash you will need to spend on your relocation, but we still encourage you to do so. Planning your budget on time will help avoid the unfortunate situation when you need to tip your movers and don’t have any cash, or find yourself struggling to buy new boxes for your move, as you hadn’t considered them into the costs of the move.
Sort through your belongings. When moving, a normal mistake is underestimating just how much stuff you have in your home. After all, we are all hoarding something, whether it’s a memento from high school or clothes that you are always convincing yourself that you will slim down for. Now, we would advise you to sort through all of the things which you own, creating a list of things which you will be and won’t be moving to your new house. Also, be sure to take into account the items that you will need on a daily level, so that you can pack them last.
The cautious seldom err – Confucius
Not checking a couple of moving companies thoroughly
Call more than 5 moving companies
A normal moving mistake is being in a hurry to pick a moving company and simply looking one up or taking a recommendation from a friend or family member without checking the movers out first.
To avoid this we suggest that you call as many moving companies as you can, five is recommended, and check them out as thoroughly as possible. Go through their website and see the reviews, maybe take the time to contact a former customer of theirs and see how they liked the services provided. We want to make sure that the stress of losing things or them breaking during the move, which isn’t the fault of the mover, is lessened as much as possible.
Call it not paranoia, but caution. – Laura Anne Gilman
Not asking the movers the right questions and not looking through the paperwork carefully
Ask questions about moving
Another common moving mistake is not asking all the things that you need to ask your movers. We advise that you inquire about their estimates, regarding insurance coverage and if there are any extra costs for which you should be prepared for. Of course, these aren’t all the questions which you should be asking, but they are essential to avoiding this common moving mistake.
Regarding reading the contract and the paperwork carefully, do we really need to write about it? We are well aware of the number of people who simply skim through ‘Terms of Agreement’ on a website, so we are cautioning you here not to quickly read through, but to take your time with your contract with the movers. As tiring as it is, we advise caution. Also, make sure to check the bill of lading (inventory of your items), when you load them into a moving truck and when the movers unload them, especially if you are sharing space on a trailer.
Being organized is being in control – Unknown
Not sorting through your things before packing
Sort stuff for moving
As we’ve mentioned before, you probably underestimate the amount of items which you have in your home. So, a common moving mistake is not sorting through all of your possessions before starting your packing process.
The best way to avoid this common moving mistake is to plan the time needed for this accordingly and to be decisive in placing things on your ‘not moving’ pile. We understand that there are a lot of memories attached to everything that you own, but you should make sure that you only take with you the things which you will need and which are most precious to you. We suggest donating or organizing a garage sale to help you get rid of the items which you will not be taking with you to your new home.
To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time. – Leonard Bernstein
Not leaving enough time to pack all of your belongings
Leave time for moving
As we have mentioned before, underestimating the amount of time needed for packing and sorting is quite a common mistake, as you probably know from the last holiday which you took. If it takes more than two days to pack for a short trip, can you imagine how much it takes to pack your whole home? Yes, quite that much, and perhaps more. So, as a way to avoid this common moving mistake, we advise that you plan accordingly and stick to a checklist. Make sure to wrap the fragile items and pack into sturdy, unused, moving boxes, so that you won’t break any of your precious belongings.
So, we leave you with these Portuguese words of wisdom:
He who is well prepared has half won the battle.