In the hustle and bustle of moving, there are certain mistakes that most homeowners often make. These include unplanned moving, not arranging in-house estimate, hiring cheap quoting movers, not getting an insurance, untimely and unmanaged packing, not keeping emergency numbers in hand, not labeling the packing boxes or cartons, not applying for insurance, missing out to install utilities prior to moving to the new home, and not arranging a survival kit prior to moving to the new home.
All these mistakes are very common however, these can be avoided if you properly plan your moving day. In order to ensure that you have a hassle-free moving day hiring professional movers and packers is a smart solution.
1. Moving without a plan or moving checklist
Start planning 60 days in advance for packing, moving, budgeting, etc., and make a moving checklist to ensure you don’t forget anything.
2. Not asking for an in-house estimate
This leads to excessive overspending. Have a professional estimator come and give you a binding moving estimate.
3. Hiring the lowest quoting movers
People hiring these movers often become victims of scams. Check if the moving company is a licensed, insured, BBB accredited mover and a member of the American Moving and Storage Association.
4. Bypassing items during the estimate
Make a list of all items to be moved and disclose them to the moving company to avoid being charged extra for items not listed on the inventory.
5. Failing to get the required insurance
Find what all your homeowners’ insurance policy covers. Get additional insurance from your mover or insurance agent if needed.
6. Not giving enough time for packing
Start packing at least 2 weeks in advance so you’ll have plenty of time to finish before the movers arrive.
7. Not labeling boxes properly
Label all of your moving boxes with their contents, use color coding to designate which room each box belongs to, and mark boxes with things like “fragile” or “this side up” when needed.
8. Not keeping the right phone numbers handy
Keep handy the telephone numbers of the moving company, local police department, doctor and anybody else you might need to contact in an emergency.
9. Forgetting to install utilities in your new home
Set up your utilities like electricity, gas, etc. at least a week before you move.
10. Not making a survival kit for the first night at a new home
Must haves: toothbrushes, towels, clothing, scissors, screwdriver, address book, flashlight, toiletries, can opener, soap, coffee, toilet paper, medications.
