Top 10 Moving Mistakes to Avoid

Let’s face it, when you are moving there are plenty of things that can go wrong. The goal is to minimize the possibility of those things going wrong. As they say, “knowing is half the battle”, so today we are highlighting the top 10 most common mistakes made when moving. Knowing what to avoid also helps you know just what you should be doing to have a stress free, hassle free move with none of these mistakes.

1. Waiting Until the Last Minute. The number one mistake that people make when moving is waiting until the last minute. Moving takes a lot of planning and preparing things ahead of time. In fact, most moving tips will have you start planning as far out as 1 year from the date of your move.
2. Trying to Move without a Checklist. There are so many things that have to be done in conjunction with a move, checklists (usually multiple ones) are imperative. You might need different checklists in relation to different subjects. There might be a checklist for things to do regarding your kids, your job, your destination, your moving truck rental, and of course, a master checklist for packing the house up. Checklists are the best way to keep a list of things that you don’t want to forget and to make sure that everything gets done and is checked off the list.
3. Dismissing the Need for a Moving Calendar. One of the best ways to plan a move is to create a calendar and work backwards from moving day. This allows you to customize your moving plan according to the things you need done on your checklist and the time frame you have left. Start with moving day, then the 7 days before moving day, 2 weeks before, 1 month before, etc. Having a solid plan like this ensures that too much is never left until the last minute.
4. Not Sorting and Separating Your Things in Advance. Just about anyone who has moved before will tell you that you almost always end up moving with things you don’t want to keep in your new home. Sort through everything ahead of time and separate items in each room. During this process, decide what you don’t want to keep and do your best to reduce the clutter in your life. This will make less work if you have fewer things to pack up, move, and unpack. More importantly, it gives you a fresh start in your new home.
5. Assuming the Cheapest Movers are the Best. You should definitely shop around when it comes to hiring a moving company or a finding a company to rent from. Do your homework and use online reviews and word of mouth recommendations from friends to find the best value. Remember that the best value is not always the least expensive.
6. Failing to Read Your Moving Contracts. In addition to all of the tasks you have when moving, reading contracts often seem like one more unnecessary thing to add to the list. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Reading the contracts and all the details are very important. This will help you know what is insured and what isn’t. What is covered and what happens if something goes wrong during your move. Look into details such as one way moving fees, insurance coverage from door to door, and any extra or hidden fees that might be added on.
7. Forgetting to Include Items in Your Moving Estimate. Sorting and separating your things will help avoid this problem from happening. All too often, moving day is here and you have estimated or measured wrong and you have more than you estimated and it won’t all fit in the moving van or moving truck. Over estimating is also a common problem, which is less of a problem to have, but no one likes to end up paying more for a larger moving truck that they didn’t need.
8. Packing Your Valuables with Everything Else. When it is time to pack up your home, do not put your valuable and important documents with everything else. Pack an overnight bag of the things you will be using during the move and include your valuables and your important documents in your overnight bag. If you are taking a flight, keep them in your carry-on luggage. Conversely, if you are moving close enough to where you live, consider putting them in a safety deposit box at the bank during your move so that you don’t have to worry about them at all.
9. Forgetting to . Your checklist will come in handy here, but only if you remember to make arrangements for your pets on moving day. The move could be quite confusing and stressful for them. If you are moving nearby, consider boarding them or putting them in doggy day care for a day or two. If you are travelling to a different state or different country, find out about quarantine procedures and regulations well in advance. Visit your vet before moving day to collect health records and get up to date on all vaccinations.
10. Assuming Your Kids are OK with the Move. Children might not be happy with your move. Leaving friends and familiar surroundings at a young age might be scary and even frustrating since it’s not likely their decision to move. Make sure they are OK during this process. Have checklists and calendars for them so that they can know what to expect. If your , perhaps they can stay with friends or relatives during the move if you feel that is appropriate for them.

Moving Mistakes Summary
Moving is one of the biggest jobs a family has to go through. It can be stressful and emotional. Instead of making things worse, knowing what mistakes not to make can help guide you in the right direction. Follow the steps above to know what to do right during your next move.