Are You Making These 7 Moving Mistakes?

When you realized you have to move to a new city or state, you began making plans so the entire process could go smoothly. You’ve likely found your new home and started to make to-do lists so you know exactly what needs to be done.

But what if you’re making mistakes as you go along?

In this article, we list some of the most common mistakes people make during the moving process. As you read through this blog post, keep these details in mind so you know which errors to avoid while you’re packing and preparing for your move.

1. Calling a Rental Truck Company Too Late

Whether you’re moving within your city or across state lines, you’ll need a moving truck to move an entire household between locations. However, you’ll want to reserve your moving truck well in advance to ensure that it’s available before your move.

Many moving companies and moving truck rental companies are booked throughout the summer-and especially on weekends. When you wait until the week of your move, you risk not having a rental truck available.

Instead, call the rental company a couple months in advance and see if you can reserve your rental ahead of time. Note that you may have to put down a deposit to ensure the rental will be available for your booked time.

2. Packing Unnecessary Junk

While renting a moving truck is an added expense for your move, many movers spend more money than necessary because they have too many items to transport. In fact, many people pack unnecessary items and bring them to their new homes only to throw them away after they’ve unboxed those belongings.

Rather than paying for a larger truck than you need, sort through your belongings; throw away, donate, or sell unwanted items; and rent an appropriately sized truck to haul your items to your new home.

3. Packing at the Last Minute

Packing seems like an impossible task, and you may believe that you don’t have a lot of time to pack up your entire household. As a result, you may just shove everything in random boxes the weekend before your move. However, this packing method increases the chances of losing or forgetting items, and you’ll feel more stressed on moving day.

Instead of packing at the last minute, try packing little by little. Start slowly and a couple of months in advance if possible. You should also organize and pack one room at a time so everything gets boxed up and inventoried before your move.

4. Winging the Moving Process

Another common mistake movers make is winging the moving process. While you may feel creating a moving plan takes too much time and effort, this step can actually save you from a lot of stress and hiccups come moving day.

As soon as you find out you’ll be moving (or as soon before the move as possible), draft a moving plan. You can easily write this plan down on paper and put it in an easy-to-see location. Or, you can search for moving apps that allow you to craft to-do lists, checklists, and inventory sheets so you can conveniently manage every aspect of your move.

5. Moving During the Busiest Times of the Year

During the summer, kids aren’t in school, parents tend to take more time off work, and the weather is ideal for outdoor activities. Moving during the summer seems like a convenient idea since you won’t have to worry about rain, snow, or other kinds of inclement weather. And with the kids on summer vacation, you’ll have a few extra hands to assist you.

However, as previously mentioned, summertime is the busiest time of the year for moves. Moving trucks are usually booked all summer long, and you may have a hard time finding a company with anything available. Additionally, your friends or family might be on vacation and can’t help you load the truck on moving day.

If you can, avoid moving during the summer. If a summertime move is unavoidable, try to move at the beginning or in the middle of the week to ensure you have resources on hand. The last thing you want is no moving truck and no help right before you leave.

6. Forgetting a Survival Kit

In your hurry to pack up your belongings, you may have forgotten to leave out a few essentials, like clothes, toiletries, and food. You’ll still need a few items so you can live comfortably while you pack away all of your possessions. But once you’ve packed these items away, you won’t want to dig them out.

Before you start boxing everything up, place a few essentials in a carry-on suitcase or a duffle bag. These items should include clothing, toiletries, items for entertainment, bedding, disposable dishes and cutlery, towels, and laundry items.

7. Loading the Moving Truck by Yourself

Another big moving mistake people make is to load their moving trucks by themselves, which not only drags out the whole process but also puts you at risk for injury. But when you ask neighbors, friends, and family members to help you, you can finish loading the truck faster-and you avoid unnecessary back or leg injuries.

When you prepare for your next move, use the information in this blog to avoid making common moving mistakes. You should also consult with Elite Truck Rental to book your moving truck rental well before your projected move date. As you take these additional steps, you ensure that your next move goes swimmingly.