Moving isn’t easy for everyone, and there are reasons some moves are harder than others. They typically all boil down to some common mistakes that are entirely avoidable. The first is a lack of planning. If you don’t plan for anything, you plan to fail. The second is hiring a moving company that does not have a great reputation and isn’t in the business of helping you move – more on that later. The third is attempting a DIY move without careful thought. The fourth is failing to pack properly. The fifth is a complete lack of organization. Our friends at Safebound Moving & Storage dive deeper into these topics in this article.
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It’s pretty simple. The earlier you start planning your move, the smoother your move with go. If there’s anything you take from this article, remember that principle. If you don’t have a plan, and suddenly you’re a week away from your moving date, then you can absolutely expect the move to be hard and full of problems.
When it comes to moving, your stress level is proportional to how much you planned. That’s a theme we see with moves time and time again. The longer someone has planned out their move, the less stressed they are on the day of the move. This goes for most things in life, but we see it every day in this industry.
The moving industry can be a shady business for customers if you aren’t careful. Moving companies open and close at a rapid pace everywhere across the country. Many of them don’t stay in business long because they don’t do business well or ethically. Some companies pop up, hang around for a few months, then disappear or begin changing their name every few months. Why do they do that? They do it to escape the horrible reputations they build, both online and in their communities.
Before you put a deposit down and hire a moving company, you have to do some research. This is one of the most important preparation stages for your move. You can’t go wrong when you spend time and put in the effort to find a moving company that’s reputable, honest, and has a good track record. Check out websites like the Better Business Bureau and Yelp to see what other people say about potential companies for your move.
If you hire the wrong company, all sorts of things can go wrong and make your move much harder than it has to be. The worst that could happen is that you put down a deposit and book a move, only to have that company never show up and never return your calls or emails. Or, the company could pick up your stuff but demand an additional payment that was never discussed prior to unloading your belongings. That’s called taking your belongings hostage. Unfortunately, that exact situation happens far too often in this industry.
If you think that you can move with a few friends and everything will go smoothly, you might want to think again. We aren’t saying it’s impossible; we’re just saying that people often severely underestimate how rough a move can be. You’ll spend days doing backbreaking physical labor. Not everyone is cut out for that. And in addition, do you know how to pack all of your valuable belongings properly? If a few important things break, will you still think it was worth saving the money on not hiring a moving company? Take into consideration the additional time you’ll need to take off work, how big the house is, and how far you’re moving. Local moves are typically more doable from a DIY standpoint, but long-distance moves should always be entrusted to a reputable moving company.
If you don’t know how to pack something, there’s a Youtube video for it. Seriously, someone out there has a very specific video on how to pack your wine collection, your breakable trinkets, and even your Picasso. Take some time to learn how to pack these items properly so you don’t open a box full of broken pieces when you get to your new home.
When you’re packing, you should have a system in place to make things easier for the unpacking portion of the move. Pack room by room and label all of the boxes in detail. Make a packing schedule. It may sound ridiculous, but the more you plan and organize, the easier and smoother the moving process will be for everyone involved. Having a set schedule and goals for each week is paramount to making your move as stress-free as it can possibly be.
