Mistakes to Avoid when Moving Your Home
One of the most stressful tasks to pull off is moving a house. Unfortunately, almost all of us end up moving houses at some point in time. Especially, if you are living in a rental property, chances are that you will be moving places every few years. Even people who are experienced in moving places find it stressful every time they have to shift to a new dwelling. However, the entire process can be made much less hectic if you can avoid a few common mistakes.
Leaving everything for the last moment
The most common mistake that most people make when planning their move is to leave everything on the last moment. Even if you start packing up a week before the final move, you will find yourself stuck up with a dozen things that you will be unable to manage. Plan as early as possible, ideally as soon as you find your new place. Planning early does not mean that you have to pack up six months before you actually have to move. However, you can use this window to research your options and look for external service providers at cost-effective rates. You can also use this time to look for garage sales and flea markets just in case you plan to sell off a few things or buy new items for your new place.
Cluttering
As much as you wish to take along everything that is lying around your house, avoid doing so at all costs. It is understandable that there are memories attached to many things that you wish to keep. Keep a few special items but try to do away with as many as you can. Do not wait for your weight to shed to get into your 5-year-old clothes. Give them away for now and you can always buy the new ones once you meet your target weight.
Not Organizing
It can be incredibly challenging to sort out your entire household. Generally, people tend to pack everything in random boxes. As a result, they keep on looking for their things weeks after moving because it is next to impossible to remember where did you pack a particular item. You can make your life a whole lot easier by organizing your things into categories and labeling the boxes for the contents packed in each box. You can go an extra mile and number the boxes, and keep a separate list of box numbers and contents with you to be able to locate everything that you require instantly.
Trying to DIY Everything
A lot of people believe that they can pull off their entire home moving on their own, from packing to moving to unpacking. The task becomes exponentially stressful if you have other duties such as kids, job and errands to run. As a human, there is a limit to your capacity and you need to acknowledge that. Request friends and family to assist you with a few tasks. Do not hesitate to hire professional moving services to assist you. Professional services such as Royal Moving Company can assist you with packing, moving and unpacking safely.
15 Comments
Nancy
These are great ideas to have a better move. We also like to have a “Move” notebook where we write down all info related to the move: utilities turned on and off, cable TV info, etc.
mami2jcn
We’ve moved many times and definitely one of the smoothest moves was when my husband’s employer hired a packing and moving company for us. It took a lot of the stress out of it.
Sarah L
I have lived in my house for over 30 years. Can’t even contemplate all the complications to ever moving again.
Tamra Phelps
I would be very willing to let moving services help with the move. But usually, we just call on family to bring around their big truck and load it up.
Kate Sarsfield
During one house move we pulled in to a little country town to stretch our legs and one of the cats got out. Thankfully she had a quick pee & got straight back in her box!
Tamra Phelps
Last time we moved, we somehow lost a big box of sheets and towels. I have no idea how, lol. I picture it laying on the side of a road somewhere…
Tamra Phelps
I seem to lose at least one box every move. So, if there’s anything you really want to keep, put it in the car with you!
Rosie
A mover on a local Facebook groups recommends to remember to have good tips for your movers, to have some food and drink for them (if early, donuts and coffee, if lunchtime pizza and soda).
Kate Sarsfield
Rosie, I’ll help you move house if there’s free pizza involved!
Rosie
That sounds good to me!!! Whadda’ want on your pizza?? I gave away moving boxes about a year ago, they didn’t have the holes for your hands. They are expensive, but better than dropping a box and broken items!
Kate Sarsfield
So many house moves, so many stories to tell! Just make sure the kettle & toilet roll are close to hand when you get there & everything should be ok!
Tamra Phelps
I’ve probably made all of these mistakes during moves. I’ve definitely learned through trial and error, lol.
Rosie
I can use these suggestions. I haven’t moved in a long time. I’ve been trying to sell, donate and toss things, not as easy as it sounds, esp when I look for things I no longer have then want them back!! But I’d rather do this than lug things I haven’t used in over a decade.
Kate Sarsfield
We made the mistake one year of using adhesive labels on all the boxes and started packing a couple of months in advance. Great, I hear you say. No, because the adhesive labels all lifted and by the time we’d got to the new house they all looked the same. The next time we wrote on the boxes!
Crystal K
Ooof I wish I’d had this resource before our last move. We made several of these mistakes! Hopefully we’ll be in this house for a LONG time because I have no desire to move again!