8 Common Moving Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Moving means a lot to people. In 2020 alone, nearly 30 million people told the Census Bureau they lived at a different address. That’s roughly ten percent of the country.
Most of these moves did not go smoothly. Common moving mistakes are easy to fall into, yet you can avoid them once you understand what they are.
How should you prepare for your move, and when should you start making those preparations? How can you pack and fix your old house for sale? What do you need to do when moving with your family?
Answer these questions, and you can avoid bumps in the road to your new home. Here are eight mistakes you need to avoid.
1. Winging It
Preparing for moves is essential. Any move requires a lot of work and planning to pull off. If you make a spontaneous decision to move, you will waste a lot of money and risk losing your belongings.
Start planning for your move months in advance. Look at properties you can move into.
If you are preparing for a long-distance move, you may need to find a rental property first. This gives you a chance to move out at little expense if your new environment doesn’t work for you.
Talk to your boss about what you plan on doing. You can transition to a different office in your company, or you can get a reference for a new job.
2. Not Hiring Moving Services
You can plan a lot of your move on your own. But moving services will take care of the hard labor of moving your belongings. They can help you set up your items in your new home and clean up your old one.
Don’t pick the first company you see. You must compare rates and examine experience levels. Some companies have a reputation for damaging property, and they may not offer insurance.
Talk to a realtor and your nearby chamber of commerce. Once you’ve found one with a good reputation, try to strike a deal with them. Visit their frequently asked questions page to see what their knowledge is of essential issues.
3. Taking Unnecessary Items
The simplest way to start packing personal items is to stuff all your items in boxes. But that doesn’t prove easy when you have a lot of things to store away.
A few weeks before your move, sort through your different belongings. Put the things you own that you do not use and do not need to one side.
If all of those items are useless, you can throw them out. You can donate or sell anything that someone else can make use out of.
Try holding a yard sale, pooling items with your neighbors. This serves as a great way to say goodbye to them as well.
4. Going Without Insurance
You should have insurance on all of your most valuable objects. You may have some coverage from your homeowner’s policy. Take a look at your terms to see if heirlooms and expensive items are covered.
Ask your moving company if they can offer any insurance. Rates may be expensive, but you can buy insurance for specific items like dishes or appliances.
Make sure the company you buy from has insurance for their employees. If someone gets injured on your property, you may have to pay for their medical services.
5. Not Prepping Your Children
Moving and depression in children are closely linked. Children have little say in the matter, which naturally makes them frustrated. It is harder for them to keep their old friendships or adjust to new school environments.
Some children have to move due to divorce. This combines two challenging experiences in one.
Talk to your children about your move well in advance. Tell them why you need to move and how they can keep in touch with their friends. Give them a tour of their new home and ask for their input on what should go in it.
6. Forgetting Your Current Home
You shouldn’t forget about your current home, even while you are focused on your new one. You should give your house a deep clean, including your attic and basement.
This allows you to find things you have forgotten about. This also lets you fix problems like broken appliances or leaking pipes.
Cancel services to your home, especially lawn care and pest control. A couple of weeks before your move, cancel utilities to your home.
Help with selling your house however you can. Minor fixes like a new coat of paint can encourage someone to make a purchase. Google “how to sell my house” to read some tips.
7. Not Packing a Survival Kit
You need to make sure your move-in day goes well. In a suitcase or personal bag, you should bring all of your must-haves.
Your wallet, address book, and map of your new town should be in there. Medications and toiletries should also go inside.
8. Leaving Without Saying Goodbye
You will be able to remain in touch with old friends over the phone and through social media. But you should give them a personal farewell. If you don’t, you risk getting them angry.
You can throw a big party and invite everyone, or you can go one-on-one. If you want a party, spend some time speaking to each person.
Eight Common Moving Mistakes
You can avoid the most common moving mistakes. Make plans for your move several months in advance, getting advice from your employer. Hire a moving company that others vouch for.
Get rid of your unnecessary items, and get insurance for your most valuable ones. Prepare your children emotionally and psychologically.
Make fixes to your current home so a realtor can sell it. Keep your toiletries on your person. Say goodbye to your dearest friends, then hit the road.
You can sell your house fast. We Buy Houses Nashville serves the Nashville area. Contact us today.
