5 Most Common Mistakes Made With DIY Moves
Moving is a big task, and it’s easy to miss a couple of essential steps or make some blunders. However, the fewer mistakes made ultimately, the smoother your move will go. Here are five typical moving mistakes and what you can do to avoid them.
1. Waiting Until Last Minute to Book Your Mover
As soon as a moving date is known, start getting estimates from moving companies. Most people get about three estimates before deciding who to sign a contract with. However, don’t delay too long getting those estimates because the longer you wait to reserve a date, the higher the chances the preferred date won’t be available. Also, booking just before the date might mean paying a little more.
2. Avoiding the Declutter Process
It often feels easier just to simply toss everything into boxes and seal them up rather than take the time to sort through belongings and organize them. However, it’ll cost you, both literally and figuratively, in the long run. Decluttering isn’t fun and, for many people, stressful, but tackling this task before a move is a smarter moving strategy. It means fewer belongings to move, which means it’ll bring down the cost of your move, and it’ll give you less to unpack and make room for at your new place.
3. Trying to DIY When You Need Help
Granted, hiring movers might cost a bit more than taking the DIY route, but what you save may not be worth it in the long run. Oversized items are challenging to move and typically involve renting a vehicle and reliance on others. Unless you’re certain you can handle the move alone, hiring a professional moving company will give you complete peace of mind. Before shooting down the idea of using movers, consider how much you need to move, how many lifts will be involved, and how long it would take. Once the totals are tallied, the moving costs might not sound bad.
4. Planning to Pack in the Days Before the Move
A huge mistake many people make is not giving themselves enough time to pack. Waiting until days before the move means less organization, potentially careless packing, and the stress of not getting it done on time. Ideally, start at least two weeks to a month before the move and plan to do a little each day. This ensures you have time to pack everything securely and label it clearly.
5. Not Properly Labeling Boxes
Another DIY mistake is when people place vague labels or do not label their boxes. It doesn’t seem like a big deal until the moving boxes arrive at the new place. No one will know what carton goes in each room, and it’s challenging to find items you need immediately. It also often results in unnecessarily moving boxes from room to room, which is tiring and time-consuming. Before the packing process starts, have stickers or a dark-colored sharpie to label each container.
Make Your Move a Smooth One
By avoiding these five moving mistakes, it’ll be much easier to get settled in, and the sooner you’ll be enjoying your new home.
Have an upcoming move and need an estimate? Contact us today for a free quote.
