3 Mistakes Most People Make During A Move

From cleaning and organizing to packing and transporting, it is easy to see the stressful nature of moving. While most people already know the challenges ahead, very few will invest time and energy into properly preparing for moving day. Without proper planning, moving day will become stressful, tiring, and expensive. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can increase your chance of having a successful, productive, and stress-free moving day.

Not Measuring Furniture/Appliances

Carrying boxes and bags into your home will not be an issue for you or your movers. However, carrying pieces of furniture and appliances into your new residence can be a bit challenging. If you did not measure properly, carrying these larger, heavier items into your home can become very stressful and time-consuming.

The width of a standard doorway is between 18 and 36 inches. Bringing an extra-wide, two-seater recliner or chair into an upstairs bonus room could potentially be a problem. Not only could you damage the piece of furniture, but you could also damage the walls, door, and even floors. Measuring your furniture before making this plan is imperative.

If you are shopping for new furniture and appliances before moving day, make sure to take measurements of your home beforehand. Measure doorways and spaces for your new furniture or appliances. Bring your tape measure to the store and measure items before making any purchases.

Not Cleaning Out

It does not make sense to bring items that you no longer need to your new residence. These items will only take up space and require more time and energy to pack and transport. To reduce your stress, you must clean out your house before starting to pack.

Go through all of the clothes in the home first. If you or another family member cannot wear an item of clothing, place it into a donation box. Make sure to clean out seasonal items as well. Coats, jackets, boots, scarves, and winter hats are also great items to donate. Donate any toys, books, movies, games, home decor, and furniture that you will not use at your new residence. Many charitable organizations will offer you a receipt, allowing you to claim these donations on your taxes.

Consider planning a large moving sale a few weeks before moving day. This will allow you to purge your home while also earning a little money.

It will feel great to purge your belongings, but it will also decrease the time it takes to move and unpack.

Not Asking Your Movers

Assuming your movers will handle the packing and transporting of every one of your belongings is not smart. When you hire the professionals, you must ask them for details on services they do and do not offer and if there are items they cannot transport.

Many moving companies do offer packing services, but this service will cost an extra fee. Also, your movers may not be legally permitted to transport certain items for you. Moving hazardous materials is not permitted, but you may not realize one of your belongings is part of this group. Here are a few common items that are considered hazardous:

  • Propane tanks
  • Charcoal and lighting fluid
  • Ammunition
  • Cleaning solvents
  • Fertilizer
  • Kerosene and gas
  • Fireworks
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Pesticides
  • Weed control products
  • Pool chemicals
  • Paint and paint thinner
  • Car batteries

Be sure to discuss these items with your moving company ahead of time. Then, arrange alternative transportation to move these hazardous materials to your new residence.

Moving may be a common task, but it should never wreak havoc on your life. With this guide, you will know what common mistakes to avoid to ensure your moving experience is a pleasant one. For more information, talk to professional household movers in your area that can help you.

Share