Life is full of mistakes, but your upcoming relocation doesn’t have to be. Moving is stressful enough when everything goes smoothly. And when things don’t go to plan? Even a local relocation can be ridiculously taxing — emotionally, mentally, financially, and even physically.
Luckily, avoiding the most common moving mistakes is pretty simple when you know what they are. At Ed’s Moving & Storage, we want you to experience the smoothest, low-stress move you possibly can. To help you out, we’ve outlined seven common relocation blunders and what you need to do to ensure you don’t make them.
Not Hiring Professional Movers
A recent survey polled 1,000 Americans who moved within the last three years. Of the respondents who hired a professional moving company, 94% said it was worth every penny. Why? Because professional movers and packers take a huge weight off your shoulders during a move.
When you opt for full packing services, your movers do all your packing and unpacking for you. They know how to protect your items better than you do, and they also know how to get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible.
If you’re looking to save time and cut down on stress, working with professional movers is the only way to go. Hiring a top-notch company won’t be cheap, but the quality of service and peace of mind you’ll get is well worth the cost.
Procrastinating on the Task List
When you have a staggering list of moving tasks, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But don’t procrastinate! Putting things off will only heighten your overwhelm as your move date draws ever closer, so even if you don’t know where to start, just pick something and get it done.
Creating a moving checklist can be helpful here since it’ll help you organize your tasks into a timeline and easy-to-manage chunks. Get started about 90 days before your move, and you should be good to go.
Forgetting to Downsize Before the Move
If you have a ridiculous amount of stuff you never (or rarely) use, don’t hang onto it and bring it all to your new place. If you don’t use it in your current home, you won’t use it in your new home, so do yourself a favor and donate it, sell it, or toss it out.
Downsizing before your move makes the entire process easier. It streamlines packing, loading, and unpacking and even better, it allows you to keep a tidier house going forward.
Failing to Label Moving Boxes
What happens when you don’t label your moving boxes? You have to open 25 of them just to find your toothbrush on your first night in your new home. Does that sound like a fun time? Probably not. That’s why clearly labeling every box is so important.
Planning for the unpacking process is just as important as planning for the move itself if you want to keep your stress levels as low as possible. If you’re hiring full packing services, you won’t need to worry about labeling or unpacking since your movers will handle both jobs for you. But if you’re doing any DIY packing, even if it’s just a few boxes, label everything.
Forgetting to Transfer Utilities and Forward Snail Mail
In the chaos of a move, many relocators forget to transfer their mail, as well as power, water, internet, and other utilities to their new home. Don’t make that mistake! Unless of course, you’re fine with roughing it for the first day or two in your new house.
Take care of all necessary transfers about three to four weeks before you move. They won’t transfer immediately because you have to set a date. The earlier you take care of this task, the less likely you are to forget it.
Packing Non-Allowables
Are you aware that professional movers and packers cannot (or will not) handle certain types of items? If you assume these things will get loaded on the truck and transported to your new home, you’ll be in for a rude awakening on moving day.
Federal law prohibits moving companies from transporting hazardous materials. What exactly does hazardous materials refer to? Common household items like:
● Aerosols (hello, hairspray and WD40)
● Paint
● Nail polish remover and nail polish
● Motor oil
● Matches
● Fire extinguishers
● Liquid bleach
● Pool chemicals
That’s not a comprehensive list. For a full breakdown of all the materials your movers and packers can’t handle, check out this list of non-allowables.
Aside from hazardous materials, there are several things your movers won’t transport (even though the law isn’t involved) because of the risk of damage and complication. These items typically include perishable foods, house plants, and personal items like important documents, medical records, and several other things.
If you have any questions about what your movers will and will not pack and transport, always ask in advance to be sure. You’ll have to move these items in your personal vehicle or arrange alternate transportation for them, so make the appropriate plans well before your move date.
Declining Full Value Moving Insurance
Many people make the mistake of assuming that when they hire professional movers, the movers are fully responsible for any damage or loss that may occur during the relocation. Don’t be like those people.
When you hire a professional moving company, basic liability coverage — also called released value protection — comes standard. But that level of coverage only provides a specific amount of reimbursement per pound of a lost or damaged item.
Currently, movers are liable for $0.60 per pound per article. So if you have a 50-pound family heirloom that shatters during your move, released value protection will compensate you a mere $30 for that item. Talk about disappointing.
If you want the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ll be reimbursed in full for the value of your items, you need to upgrade to full value protection, which will cost you extra. Though it’s an extra expense, it’s well worth it in the event that something expensive or irreplaceable gets lost or damaged.
Need Professional Moving Services in Seattle or Tacoma?
If you’re getting ready to move in the Seattle or Tacoma area, let our team at Ed’s Moving & Storage make your relocation as easy as possible. For over 50 years, we’ve specialized in a variety of moving services, including full packing services, climate-controlled storage, crating, custom move plans, and more.
To learn more about how we can help you simplify your upcoming move, call our Tacoma office today at 253-581-2446. You can also message us with questions or request a fast quote online for more information.