Did you know, over 35 million Americans move each year? With careful planning, it doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are five things to avoid when planning your move.
1. Waiting and Not Planning Ahead
Moving is a tremendous job, and procrastinating, without a plan, can make it even harder than it has to be.
Whether moving from a studio apartment or a four-bedroom home, there are a lot of steps involved. Everything goes more smoothly when there is a plan in place.
Create a notebook or binder and put your daily checklist in it. Use your notebook and checklist to plan everything from getting your moving estimates to scheduling your utility services.
2. Hoarding Too Much Stuff
There is no need to bring unnecessary items to your new home. If you have accumulated lots of stuff over the years, this is the perfect time to unload some of it.
Before packing, go room to room and sift through your possessions. Ask yourself three questions:
1. Do I love it?
2. Do I really use it?
3. Would I repurchase it?
If your answer to these questions is no, donate or sell the item. Eliminating the clutter will save time and money in your move. Don’t let your excess clutter get in the way of a stress-free moving experience.
3. Forgetting to Pack an Essentials Box
When you get to your new place, there are things you’re going to need right away that you’ll wish you hadn’t packed. Towels, toiletries, necessary kitchen utensils, sleeping clothes, etc. Even if you’ve labeled your boxes you could still spend hours going through them all to collect everything you’re going to need just to survive your first night.
Avoid this inconvenience entirely by packing an essentials box. Include a couple of changes of clothes and all your necessary toiletries and medications. Also, include cleaning supplies, a small tool kit, phone chargers, towels, basic kitchen essentials, and snacks.
Your essentials box will be your go-to box the first day or so in your new home.
4. Forgetting to Label Your Boxes
Labeling your boxes is essential when packing for a move.
Be sure to label what each box contains, how it should be handled, and which room the box should be placed in at your new home. If a box contains delicate items, make sure those are properly packed and label the box “fragile” so that the movers know they should take special care when transporting it.
If you take care to label your boxes thoroughly, you will save time and frustration when it’s time to move and unpack them.
5. Packing Last-Minute
It can be tempting to leave things to the last minute when moving, and that includes packing!
If you wait until the last minute, you can end up overwhelmed and stressed. You run the risk of not packing things properly and possibly even running out of time. You don’t want the movers arriving while you are still packing!
Make a schedule for you and your family of when to pack up each room and about how long it will take. Allow yourself a few extra hours for packing each room, because it usually tends to take longer than you expect. That might mean doing a little every day in the weeks and months leading up to move.
Come moving day you’ll be relieved you had a plan.
Home Sweet Home
There’s no doubt that moving is a stressful process. It’s often the test of patience and tolerance for families and friends. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can smooth out the process for everyone involved.
Are you in the market for a professional moving company to take the stress out of your move? Contact our team of moving specialists today and see how we can help you. Also, if you’re looking for other expert moving tips and tricks, then check out our blog.