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Common Moving Mistakes that you Should Avoid
Already find a fantastic place to raise your family? Then you better get ready and packed your things to begin moving into your dream house. At first, you might get confused and not sure on how to pack your things properly, but you can always call a friend or a relative for help, or you can call professional movers for convenience and ease.
Then, worry no more because Wolley Movers Inc. are ready to move with you anytime, anywhere. They move with confidence and will provide you a great service. But in case you want to start packing your things to save time then you better check out these helpful tips for you.
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Watch out for these pitfalls to keep your move smooth and your prized possessions safe.
1. Forgetting about the first week
It’s likely you’ve heard the advice to keep your essentials handy—but that doesn’t just mean packing an overnight bag with some clothes and your toothbrush. There’s a good chance you won’t get fully unpacked for several days—maybe even weeks. So you’ll want to consider all of the things you might need while you’re in limbo.
Add to your overnight bag other essentials such as toilet paper, towels, first-aid supplies, and anything else you think you might need in the first few days. (Did somebody say “corkscrew”?)
2. Not being proactive
Proactive packing can make the unpacking process much smoother. So what does that really mean? Consider the space you’re moving into: Where will each item go? Where would you like to store your dishes, your extra toilet paper, your winter clothes? Knowing all this ahead of time means you can direct each box to its proper location, instead of dumping them all into a room and sorting them out later.
Think about your junk drawers, too, says Kristen Laxgang, co-founder of Two Girlz Packing in Chicago. Try putting miscellaneous smaller items in labeled Ziploc bags, which “makes for an easier unpack than digging through boxes.”
3. Overloading boxes
There’s a reason book boxes exist—books are heavy, and putting too many in a large cardboard crate guarantees a very rough day of moving.
“It’s just a back-breaker,” says Kelly Petersen, who co-founded Two Girlz Packing alongside Laxgang. “Magazine, books, and records should always be in file boxes or small book boxes.”
For other heavy items, make sure you’re keeping the box’s cumulative weight into account. Packing a full set of dumbbells? Divide them equally among a number of boxes, filling extra space with lightweight items such as pillows and comforters.
4. Packing breakables the wrong way
Packing fragile items can be oh-so-stressful, but there are ways to mitigate risk. For instance, Petersen and Laxgang recommend standing plates on their side, where impact is less likely to cause damage.
Of course, you can always use tons of bubble wrap to pad your breakables. But recyclable paper is actually the best multipurpose protection, Mike Dahlman, the general manager ofYou Move Me in Vancouver.
“As long as glass doesn’t touch glass, it’s pretty stable,” Dahlman says. “You just want to fill each box.”
5. Being too specific with labeling
Packing up your grandmother’s antique jewelry? Try using a code name so anybody who spots the boxes in your packed truck doesn’t get any ideas, Petersen says.
While you don’t want to confuse yourself when unpacking, this will keep others from deducing which boxes are worth a small fortune.
6. Getting sentimental
We’re not saying don’t pack your old love letters and high school yearbooks. But you should be prepared for what might happen when you do: hours and hours lost to reminiscing. Happy memories? Angry, tear-filled memories? Doesn’t matter: It’s still valuable time wasted.
“People start packing and run into all these things they haven’t seen in years,” Laxgang says. “If you think that’s a possibility, plan in advance. Prioritize the most important rooms, and get those set up first before you move on to the memorabilia.”
7. Forgetting the final sweep
Before handing over the keys, do one last sweep through your former home—including checking inside the washing machine, oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher.
It pays not to leave anything from your old home because it will be a hassle if you forget something then return to get it back from your old place. Also, here’s something you need to know in preparing for your moving day.
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We quizzed some movers on their biggest pet peeves when it comes time for moving day. Here are seven things you need to know.
1. Don’t be afraid to do your homework—in person
Every company is going to put its best face forward during the estimate process, but when it comes to finding out which companies will move your stuff and make you feel comfortable in the process, Steed recommends stopping by the office. In person.
“Some moving companies are the real deal, and then there are a lot of others where you just have a guy running it out of his apartment,” he says. With other companies, “the trucks have graffiti all over them and the guys look like they just got out of 10 years of solitary.”
Price is only part of the equation. Take some time to consider which movers have your best interest in mind and which are solely looking for a one-time paycheck.
2. Prep the move beforehand
Before you get out the bubble wrap, figure out what needs to happen for the day to go smoothly. Do you need to reserve your building’s elevator? Will the truck be parking on a busy street? If so, save a spot ahead of time. If you’re moving in or out of an apartment complex, make sure you know the rules—designated moving hours can cause major complications.
3. Get your packing done before moving day
If you’ve elected to do your own packing, make sure it’s finished. That doesn’t mean boxes untaped and scattered throughout the house. That means boxes filled, taped up, and ready to go by the time your movers show up. Ideally, everything will be located in a central room, which speeds up the process and keeps your possessions safe.
Even better: Stack your boxes against the wall, giving your movers “the freedom to move (around) and bring things in,” Dahlman says. “We don’t want to impede the entrance. The guys need to move quickly and easily.”
4. Label everything
“It’s easier if the movers know where to put it as opposed to trying to delineate where it goes on move day, when we’re charging our hourly rate,” Steed says.
Also, make sure to keep your movers in the loop. If they don’t know what “Humbert’s room” means, it’s the same as if you hadn’t labeled it at all. And now’s the time to decide what area is your “great room” and which is the “den.”
5. Tell us what’s valuable
Try as they might, movers aren’t psychics. They don’t know that the blue vase cost you $2,500, or that your grandma gave you that crystal decanter, or the retail value of your crushed velvet couch. Let them know beforehand what items they should keep a careful eye on.
“The best way to deal with damage is to avoid it—by communicating about things that are fragile and meaningful,” Dahlman says.
6. Get out of the way!
That means getting out of the way and letting them work. You’re better served directing the movers to the right rooms or reassembling furniture in your new home. (Movers prefer that you disassemble and reassemble your own stuff, so if you’ve been hoping they’ll take on the task of putting your Ikea bed back together—you might want to think again.)
Not only can an eager homeowner slow down efforts, but he or she can also be an insurance liability.
7. Tip us (and maybe buy lunch)
Yes, you need to tip your movers—between $20 and $50 is standard, according to Steed, but more is always welcome.
It won’t hurt if you reward your movers for an amazing service which they deserve. At Wolley Movers Inc., we will make sure that our team has been trained in delicate moving protocol, so you’ll get to your new home with confidence and peace of mind.
