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Posted in Moving Essentials, Moving Preparation, Moving Tips&Tricks on June 14, 2021
Blake Shaw

Bostonian and residential moving and packing expert. Blake Shaw enjoys bar-hopping, music, and writing insightful content.

Don’t Let Moving Mistakes Ruin Your Experience – Here’s the List of Most Common Ones

Relocation is the third most stressful thing in one’s life, so avoiding moving mistakes should be your priority when using long-distance moving services. In fact, if you take into consideration that, on average, Americans move around 12 times in their lifetime, some slip-ups are bound to happen. The important thing is not to make the most serious ones that can drive you crazy.

No matter the reasons for your move, whether you’re relocating for love or you decided to move alone, a mistake is normal. Especially if it’s your first time moving or you decided to live on your own after years of living with your parents or roommates. However, if you had a list or guide of the most common mishaps to avoid, it would make the whole process easier. Imagine all the tasks you have to do, boxes to be packed, and chaos when the relocation day comes. It’s not hard to forget something. With our list, you’ll be sure that everything is under control and nothing is left behind.

Not Finding Reliable Movers to Help You When Moving Cross Country

Every relocation is different, but one thing is common for all the successful ones – good organization. Once you decide it’s the best time to move, start planning right away. An essential task is to contact a reputable company that will take care of your relocation and will be there for you from the beginning until the last box is unloaded from their truck. So, start in advance with your research because it is the key to a stress-free move.

If you’re relocating on a budget and thinking that DIY-ing it will save you money, think twice. It’s often more expensive than hiring a professional mover that has all the services you’ll need for this process, from auto transport to protect your items using the best boxes and supplies. It can be quite pricey to buy all the packing materials, rent a truck, and figure out a whole bunch of other stuff that can’t be missed if you want a successful relocation. And don’t even let us get started on what happens if something important or valuable breaks. Hiring a reputable crew is the best way you’ll be sure everything will go smoothly. The fewer responsibilities you have to think about, the more relieved you’ll be and the whole experience will be positive.

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Avoid Hiring Long Distance Movers Before a Thorough Check

If you’re thinking that finding a reliable company with cross-country moving services is an easy task, you’re wrong. Around 10% of Americans relocate each year, so it’s no wonder that this is a multi-billion industry in the U.S. This also means that you have a vast range of possibilities when it comes to choosing the right company. Start in advance and you’ll reduce the chances of running into relocation scams. Search online for three or more companies, contact them, and check all the reviews and comments by their previous customers. Another sign you should pay attention to is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) license. All companies must have it, and if it’s missing, that’s a red flag.

A girl with the laptop
Check all information and choose the right movers.

Don’t Let Procrastination Get You – Create a Checklist of Tasks

It is in our nature to forget things, so having everything written down will help you organize better. Begin creating your relocation to another state checklist that will keep you on track with every little task you’ve done and that still awaits. This will boost your productivity because you’ll be constantly up-to-date, and you won’t be anxious about this challenging period of your life. This could be the biggest change in your life, so having and embracing all the tips for a successful relocation is a must.

If You Didn’t Think About the Budget – It’s Time to Do It

Setting your budget is one of the first things you should put on your relocation to-do list. It’s practically impossible to get organized if you don’t know how much money you have to spend on the required services. If you’re planning to move without a job, this might seem like a task you shouldn’t do. However, you can organize your savings in the best possible way, and in the end, you could have some money for the first period at the new place until you get the job you want. With everything in order once you organize your budget for each service, the relocation day will go as smoothly as it can.

Another Common Mistake Is Not Transferring Utilities

An important step people tend to forget about in the process of relocation is to transfer utilities. So, a few weeks before the relocation day, contact utility providers and check if it is possible to transfer your utilities or if you need to turn them off. This is something most people leave for the last minute, often after they move in. However, you should do it before the relocation day comes.

Imagine having to deal with someone else’s mail during the unpacking and adjusting to your future home. Luckily, you can do it online or go to the post office in person. You can also request a change of address online and you won’t have the moving problems you would normally have without these steps above done in advance.

Add Cleaning to the Checklist

In the process of making a new apartment checklist, forgetting the cleaning part is something that happens often. It is probably the last thing on your mind, but it is a crucial step, especially when relocating during Coronavirus. Make sure you leave the old place clean and in the same condition as when you first moved in. The same thing goes for your future apartment – clean it thoroughly and it will feel like a real home.

A plastic bin with cleaning supplies
Don't forget to clean your old and new home

Don’t Forget to Get Enough Packing Materials and Label Your Boxes

When moving long-distance, one of the most important tips you can come across is to get as many packing supplies as possible. You don’t want to realize in the middle of packing glasses that you don’t have enough bubble wrap to protect this kind of fragile stuff. Don’t worry, you won’t have to spend a fortune on these supplies. Check online on Craigslist for some free boxes or ask at your local stores if they have anything they don’t need anymore.

Another essential step you need to take if you want to avoid relocation mistakes is labeling. Write on each box exactly what stuff is in it and make sure you write on each side of the box. This is essential because you won’t have to open all the boxes just to see what’s in them, and your movers will know whether they have to handle a certain container with extra caution.

Lacking Insurance for Your Belongings

No one wants to put that much effort into boxing up all the belongings and find them broken once they arrive. However, a mistake can happen, and some of your stuff can get scratched or damaged. This is why you should ask the relocation company about their insurance policies and what kind of coverage they offer.

A girl securing a box with tape
Labeling each box is essential for better organization

Packing up Everything Is Not Such a Good Idea

Planning to move to another city means you have to pack everything you want to bring with you. This isn’t something you can do at the last minute, particularly if you have never done it before and aren’t familiar with packing tips that will help you do it like a pro. We all know how tedious packing fragile items can be or how many hours you’ll need for wrapping up bathroom items. So start packing one room at a time and do your best to stick to the schedule. This will keep you organized and you’ll know exactly where each thing is packed. But, before you begin with boxing up your items, here’s how and why to declutter your entire home.

Decluttering Your Home Will Help You Conquer This Task

If you’re thinking about what to keep and what to get rid of, one of the best relocation hacks is decluttering your home. It will save you a lot of time and make the whole relocation process much more stress-free. You can also start decluttering room-by-room. Donate or sell every item you don’t need anymore or you just don’t use. If you, for example, have old kitchen stuff and don’t know how to pack pots and pans, you can give them away and order new ones once you move in. That way, you’ll have fewer things to pack and more free space. But, decluttering has another benefit – the fewer things you have, the less will the movers cost. If you are doing this for the first time, watch the video below on how to speed up the process and do it efficiently:

YouTube video

One of the Moving Mistakes Is Not Having Your Essential Bag Packed

Figuring out how to move a piano and learning how to pack shoes aren’t the only things to think about. Another important thing is not to forget about an essential bag. You can use a smaller box or a bag where you will put the essentials for the first few days after you move in. This bag should travel with you. You surely don’t want to have to rummage through a pile of boxes just for one towel or toothbrush after a long day of driving or flying. Here are other items you shouldn’t forget to put in your essential bag:

  • Important documents and paperwork,
  • Toiletries,
  • Bed linen,
  • Snacks for the road,
  • Basic utensils and kitchenware.

Don’t Forget Things for Your Pet

If you’re relocating with pets, make sure all their documentation is secured and packed, like insurance certificate and latest vaccine certificate. Don’t forget their favorite toys, too, because this will be as challenging a change as it will be for you. In fact, it is important not to neglect them in the first months after the relocation and take out your furry friends for walks often.

A white dog in the car
Don't forget your furry friends and their needs

After You Move in, Don’t Postpone the Unpacking Process

The longer you wait, the more tasks and obligations will accumulate, and you’ll probably ask yourself why you haven’t done something earlier. That’s why you should start unpacking right after the professional movers unload your stuff. It will probably be hard at first because you will want to rest or explore the neighborhood, but once the whole process is over, you’ll have more free time to adjust to the new environment. This will also ease the progress of finding a job in a new city if you didn’t do it before the relocation, as well as make other tasks easier, like cleaning and decorating the new home. If you have young kids, you should baby-proof your home.

 A woman and man unpacking
Avoid postponing the unpacking process because it won't get any easier.

A Reputable Cross Country Moving Company Will Facilitate Your Transition

When wondering who the best long-distance movers near you are, keep in mind that not only will they be there for you during the whole process, but they should also offer you the services you need for a stress-free relocation. Be sure to ask about the packing service they provide, as well as the storage service in case you have some stuff you don’t know what to do with. Get all the help you can get because it will be much easier to deal with this challenging period that way.

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