Don't Make One of These Common Moving Mistakes
You have just put your home under contract with a great buyer. Of course, this is just the first step in the home sale process but a big relief none the less. Lots of people hate the thought of selling a home for a few reasons - moving being at the very top of the list.
Moving has never been an easy process for a lot of individuals, it requires a lot of time, effort, and money. To avoid all the hassles and stress, below are the most common moving mistakes that most people incur and how you can avoid them.
Avoiding moving mistakes will make your life far more manageable and probably save you from a significant amount of aggravation.
1. Bringing unnecessary items
Moving with every item you own is one of the main problems that a lot of people make. Items such as books, clothes that don’t fit, and kitchen tools will add unnecessary costs. You'll also be adding time to your move which can add up.
What you should do:
It is recommended that you prepare earlier by going through your staff, get rid of the items you don’t need or use. You can sell, donate it or give it to your friends, but don’t spend cash moving the items.
Consolidating what you own is one of the best ways to save money on moving expenses. You can use these excellent tips at Maximum Real Estate Exposure to accomplish those goals. Lots of people should be disposing of things they will never use or even selling some of their items.
Some of the biggest arguments among couples when moving is what to take and what to leave behind or give away. Selling what you don't need when moving is just plain smart.
2. Waiting until the last minute
Moving requires a lot of preparations and planning. A lot of people will wait until the last minute to start packing. If you have a long list of items, it will be hard to know what and where to start from. This brings a lot of stress and losses since you will be rushing to pack the items.
What you should do:
To start your move, create or use a relocation checklist or moving guide. The checklist will help you plan your move such as booking your moving company earlier, packing and organizing your items on time, and ensuring that you don’t leave anything behind.
It is as well advised to contact a moving company in advance if you are planning to relocate during the summer. Summer is one of the busiest seasons for moving along with the Spring.
3. Packing everything by yourself
Sometimes, underestimating the services of a moving company is one of the mistakes. Downsizing to save money long term is smart but trying to save a few bucks surrounding your move doesn't always work of the best. You may think that you are saving cash by opting to use a truck or convincing your friends to help you carry your items, but it can be risky if you happen to own a lot of delicate items.
What you should do:
Hiring a reputable moving company is one of the best decisions you will make. These professionals have the experience and knowledge of handling your items. The best moving companies provide services such as; insurance, valuation protection, and liability coverage depending on the agreement you make.
Skilled movers will help you to pack delicate items or disassemble large furniture thus reducing the aches, muscle strains, and injuries that you may encounter when you do everything by yourself.
You will also be covered if any of the items break or lost during transit.
4. Select the best moving company
Searching for a moving company is one of the most challenging and crucial tasks of your moving journey. Some individuals hire cheap moving companies, thinking they are saving a lot of cash. These unreliable moving companies end up causing a lot of damages, stealing your items or even refusing to reimburse the items they have damaged or lost.
What you should do:
Search online and ask for references to get the best moving company. Compile a list of movers that meet your specific requirements. Read reviews and do sufficient research to learn more about the movers that you had short-listed. Make sure that they are licensed, registered and insured. Seek guidance from your friends and family members who had relocated to learn about their experience of hiring the best moving company.
The last thing you will want to deal with is a moving dispute which happens fairly frequently when you hire the WRONG moving company.
5. You forget to bubble wrap
While packing is tedious enough, you may end up putting antiques, glassware, and other fragile items in a box and forget to use a bubble wrap.
What you should do:
To have a safe move, you should buy moving supplies such as a bubble wrap, a cushioning rolls, and a tape from a local moving store. These moving materials help you to cover fragile items to prevent breakages, denting, chipping, and scratching.
6. Labeling Clearly
There is nothing frustrating like getting to a new house and having to open every box randomly because you have you are not aware of where you placed the items. Unable to plan for unpacking is one of the mistakes a lot of people make during the process of packing.
What you should do:
You need to have an excellent technique of labeling your boxes so that when the time to unpacking comes, you will know what you have in which box. There might be items that you might need sooner such as a toothbrush, cosmetics, toilet paper, medicine, computer etc, so finding them fast can only be accomplished if your boxes are labeled properly.
Labeling is essential part of the packing process. It is helpful to write a list of all the items that you pack into every box, as well as what room the box is meant to go into.
This small step will help the removal team or you to identify what room the box is going to go into when it gets unloaded into your new house. It will let you locate certain items quickly, or provide you with an inventory should certain items go missing.
7. Forgetting to visit the post office
This may sound strange you but it is very important. After you have sold your house or informed your landlord that you will be moving, many people forget to change their mail. It is important to notify everyone of your move. Once you stop receiving important documents in the mail your stress level will go through the roof.
What you should do:
Contact the post office in your new area to make sure that the address is on their postal route. This way you can be sure to let them know that you will be moving into that address so they will know to deliver mail to you.
Bonus tip - if you just sold a home make sure you give the new owner your address. Ask them to forward to you any mail that comes in after you leave. You would be surprised how many times over the years I have gotten calls saying there was a packaged delivered for the former owner of the house. It happens all the time!
8. Not doing what you should once you move in.
Let's face it - moving can be a chaotic experience. Once you have finally settled into your home there are some additional things you should be doing. The article at Clever Real Estate Guidance provides some clear and concise advice on what you should do after moving into a new home. Trust me it is more than ordering a pizza and relaxing on the couch.
Take a look at the tips and make them a priority after your move.
Other Active Rain Real Estate Articles Worth Reading
- How to pick a loan term for your house mortgage - do you know what considerations to think about when trying to decide the length of your mortgage? See some helpful tips on choosing the right loan term for your particular financial situation.
- Questions to ask when getting a home mortgage - see some of the most important questions you should be asking when getting a loan to purchase a home. Never underestimate the importance of picking the right lender when purchasing real estate.
Use these additional resources to make smart financial decisions when buying your next home.
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