It’s important to understand that all the hard work you’ve done prior to moving out will come down to a single day.
And depending on a number of critical factors, Moving day can either go as smoothly as silk or be full of costly mistakes.
To make sure your moving day is as problem-free and stress-free as possible, you must avoid the most common moving day mistakes. The thing is that a single judgment error can easily result in wasted time and lost money so you’ll need to be extra vigilant at all times.
If you happen to be moving valuable items that are too large or too heavy to move by yourself – your big flat-screen TV, for example, then you are strongly recommended to buy extra insurance for those prized possessions, either through your moving company or straight from a third-party insurance company.
It’s all about knowing what to do on moving day so that you can organize your time efficiently. However, knowing what NOT to do on moving day can be equally important as it’ll keep you out of trouble during the most dangerous and unpredictable day in the entire house moving process.
Read on to learn the most common moving day mistakes that people make and what you should do to avoid them.
To have plenty of packing still left to do
A serious moving day blunder is to leave any packing jobs for the day of the move. You may assume that you’ll be able to tackle some 10 boxes or so in no time before it’s time to move out but the major issue is that you’ll have many other things to worry about than just spend the morning of Moving day boxing some of your stuff calmly and leisurely.
Sure, you can still pack up some of your bathroom items right before it’s time to move away but just don’t leave any time-consuming packing projects until the last moment simply because you won’t have time to handle the extra work.
So make sure you’ve completed the packing task prior to the scheduled move-out date, follow a detailed packing checklist that will definitely help you complete the arduous packing job on time.
To fail to label moving boxes
Another mistake you should avoid on Moving day is failing to label the boxes after packing them up with your stuff.
Some people think that they can save time by not writing the content, destination room, and handling instructions of each cardboard box they pack. Interestingly, what those people fail to realize is that while they could potentially save some minutes by not labeling their moving boxes, they will surely lose hours after the move in search of the containers they need during unpacking.
Don’t make the same mistake. It only takes about a minute or so to label properly a box after filling it in and sealing it up, so there’s really no good reason for you to skip it altogether. Instead:
Take a black marker pen and write down the content of the box and where it has to go on two sides of each moving container.
To forget to pack essentials boxes
A pretty common moving day mistake is to fail to pack any essentials boxes.
Now, unless you’re only moving a short distance away and you’ll be reunited with your household item within that same day, then you’re strongly recommended to prepare a few survival boxes with the purpose of surviving the time you won’t have access to your stuff.
Make sure you keep essential items with you at all times – things such as prescription medicine, toiletries you use on a daily basis, important hand tools, and even one set of extra clothes for each family member. When moving with young children and pets, you just have to have all the essential children’s items and pets’ items with you as well.
Remember that any essentials boxes you prepare must stay with you during the move – that is, you should not give them to the professional movers you’ve hired to help you move.
By the way, you can get your free moving estimate here or go ahead and call us right now at (800) 403-7552. If you are still not sure, simply read our excellent reviews and ratings here.
To underestimate the importance of moving day safety
Moving day can be a dangerous period because of the fact that big and heavy items such as furniture pieces and appliances are likely to be taken out of the home so that they can be loaded into the moving vehicle. And often, the intended exit path will pass through tight corners, narrow passageways, and even stairs until they can be moved outside the house or apartment building.
To ensure that the day of the move remains 100% accident-free, you must follow several critical safety steps:
· Ask a person you can trust to look after your children or pets in a room that’s located far from the risky moving day activities. After all, there are always dangers when bulky furniture is being carried around the house.
· Clear the paths from your home to the vehicle outside from any obstacles such as randomly scattered boxes or other miscellaneous items that can endanger the safety of the entire relocation operation.
To dress inadequately for Moving day
Sometimes you just can’t recognize that you’ve made a mistake until it’s too late and the day of your house move can be such an unfortunate time.
For example, have you thought about what your moving day outfit will be?
What you wear on your move day can make a difference when it comes to safety. The thing you have to remember here is that you should pick the most comfortable clothes you have – the ones that are made of breathable fabric and that will give you enough freedom of movement when it matters the most.
As far as footwear is concerned, wear closed shoes with a rubber sole that provides the best traction possible. Also, make sure the shoes you wear for the occasion have adequate ankle support as well.
Remember that one wrong step can easily end in a disaster for you or for another member of your family. Don’t wear any baggy clothes or long jewelry pieces that could get caught up onto something.
To entrust any valuable item to your movers
One of the most serious moving day mistakes is to entrust any valuables to the professional movers you’ve hired.
Bear in mind that moving your most valuable items is your responsibility and you have to be the one to transport them safely between the two homes. Such valuables include but are not limited to money, jewelry pieces, bank cards, family heirlooms, expensive electronic devices, important documents, and irreplaceable items such as unique photographs, paintings, and other valuable pieces of art.
No matter how trustworthy your movers seem, you just have to make sure your valuables travel with you or have adequate moving insurance for your peace of mind.
To be unprepared for the arrival of your movers
If you follow a good moving day checklist, then you’ll know exactly what to do on moving day, which also means that you’ll be ready for the arrival of your moving team. However, one possible problem is that you may not be following a moving checklist at all, or you may not have enough time to prepare well for your movers.
· Have all your things packed up in labeled cardboard boxes before the movers arrive… unless you’ve requested the extra service of packing from the pros. You can leave some minor packing jobs for last – for instance, packing up your toiletries. However, you should never make the mistake of leaving serious packing projects for moving day.
· Prepare some money for tips in case you are happy with the work your hired men have done. If they have arrived on time, treated you and your belongings with due respect, acted in a professional manner from start to finish, and done a great job overall protecting and moving your possessions, then you should definitely consider rewarding their efforts by giving an appropriate tip to each mover individually.
· Be a considerable host and prepare refreshing drinks (bottled water works just fine) and even some snacks for your moving team. Also, show them where the bathroom is and let them do their work. Nevertheless, you should still hang around in case they have any questions for you or some other issues come up during the moving process.
