Relocation to a new home is not an easy thing to do and should not be taken lightly. To successfully manage it, you have to start making plans weeks and sometimes months in advance. Otherwise, you risk making mistakes that can cost you a lot of money, not to mention the stress they will cause. So the first thing you need to do is not underestimate the size of the endeavor. Secondly, you should be familiar with all the things you should not do, or you might inevitably cause more damage. To help you make this new step in your life effortlessly, here are some common moving disasters you should avoid doing at all cost.
A typical cause of relocation disasters is hiring a moving company last minute
You should be aware that in the last year, 31 million people moved in the US. This means that moving companies are fully booked most of the year, especially during the peak season in spring and summer. Therefore, if you book a company last minute, you are inviting a disaster to happen. With the market saturated with moving companies competing, a lot of them use falsehood to attract customers. And one of the most common strategies is to offer you cheap rates that you cannot resist. But most of them do not have insurance or a license, so if something happens, you will not be compensated.
Also, a typical household has a shocking amount of stuff, and to properly organize the move, companies send a person to evaluate your home. However, if there is not enough time for that, you will get a crew of people that have no idea what to expect. Thus, if you have valuables or large furniture, you can expect delays and, in worst-case scenarios, damage to your belongings.
Not packing properly can turn your move into a nightmare
It is a common mistake to think that packing is easy, but that kind of thinking will only lead to accidents. Therefore, the first thing you need to be aware of is that standard cardboard boxes are not that sturdy. If you overload them, they will break, and your belongings will spill everywhere. And if you have fragile items inside, you will spend hours cleaning all the pieces. Hence, always ensure that your stuff is properly wrapped with bubble wrap.
Also, if you try to lift a box that is too heavy, you will most definitely injure yourself. Thus, you should hire a moving company with long experience and a good reputation. When you compare different moving companies and choose the right one for this task, you do not have to worry about disasters like this ever happening, since they have the right equipment and knowledge to avoid them. Secondly, do not forget to label all the boxes. People often overlook this step, and they have trouble finding something once they move.
Forgetting to measure all the furniture is the usual source of moving disasters
Moving day is here, and it is time to load everything into the moving truck. But there is a huge problem because not everything can fit through the doors. You forgot to measure all your large pieces of furniture, and now you are stuck. The best solution here is to prepare in advance and thus avoid this very common moving disaster. Take the measurements and check that they can not only pass through the doors, corridors, and staircases but also fit your new home. If they are too big for your home, then you should store your furniture until you need them in the future. But if the only problem is transportation, then there is an easy solution. Disassemble all the big pieces before the movers come. However, ensure that you do not lose any screws and bolts by putting them all in one bag.
Not setting the utilities at your new home can be a major moving calamity
Imagine you coming into your new home, unloading all the boxes, and realizing there is no electricity. But that is not all – water and gas are also missing. This could count as one of the significant moving misfortunes that happen pretty often. In all the chaos of trying to organize the relocation, some things slip from our minds. Thus, you should always put on paper everything you have to do because, with that strategy, you will never skip a step. So to avoid this calamity, one of the options is to transfer utilities before you move. Also, make sure there are no overdue bills at your new home. And thirdly, you have the option of stopping all the utilities and turning them back on once you move, so you don’t have to waste electricity on an empty house.
Do not try to transport non-allowables
One of the things that can happen is the moving company refusing to move all of your belongings. It transpires in rare instances when you try to transport stuff that they are not allowed to transport. Usually, the list of these items is part of a company’s guidelines, but unfortunately, few people bother reading them. For example, they cannot move propane tanks, gasoline, fertilizer, paint, and paint thinners. Therefore, before the crew comes to move you, check their web page and get rid of all the hazardous materials. You can try to organize their transfer by yourself or throw them away. Just make sure you do not throw them down the sink or into the garbage. They all have written instructions on the packages for proper recycling.
With good planning, you’ll be able to avoid most common moving disasters
Avoid common moving disasters by making a solid plan and following it. Write down all the steps you need to take, and do not deviate. But most importantly, hire a professional moving company that is licensed and has insurance. That way, if anything happens and your belongings get damaged, you will be compensated. Also, avoid all the companies that have below-average rates. In most cases, they are scams, and working with them will end up costing you more money than if a reputable company moved you.