Moving is a large task, and there’s always a lot to do. As such, it’s easy to make small mistakes that make a large impact on the success of your overall move.
On moving day, avoiding common moving mistakes can mean the difference between a stressful experience and a successful transition.
To help you ensure a smooth and streamlined move, we’re devoting today’s blog to covering the ten most common moving mistakes and helping you understand how to prevent them:
Here’s what to avoid:
1. DIYing your whole move
Choosing a moving company is an important task. Still, one of the most common mistakes people make during the moving process is to assume that they can DIY everything. Save yourself the trouble and ensure you have the support you need on moving day by hiring a skilled moving company.
After you’ve found a few moving companies you’re interested in, get quotes from each of them to compare costs. Depending on the size of your move, your location, and the services you need, the moving quotes could vary by thousands of dollars.
How to beat it: Obtain and compare at least three moving estimates. Look for a moving company that offers a convenient way to get a quote – a virtual walk-through or an app.
3. Paying a deposit
Never, ever, ever—under any circumstances–give a mover a deposit. This is one of the biggest red flags out there when you’re selecting a moving company–especially on interstate moves.
In fact, it’s a classic tactic used by shady moving companies.
They underbid the job, take a large deposit, then show up on move day and tell you that the job is bigger than they estimated and that the charges will increase. From there, it just gets worse. The original estimate doubles and sometimes triples—delivery is delayed because there was not enough room on the truck and the shipment has to go to storage until another truck is found, etc.
How to beat it: Only work with reputable moving companies that don’t request a deposit.
4. Not downsizing, first
Very few people truly need to move every item they own. To save yourself some expense and work on moving day, avoid overpacking at all costs.
How to beat it: A few weeks before our move, start downsizing. Go through everything you own – including clothing and sports equipment. Make two piles: one of things to sell and one to donate, and then hold a garage sale to lighten your load. If you have large items to donate, look for a moving company that offers pick-up and haul-away services.
5. Procrastinating
Moving can be stressful, and it’s natural to postpone that “everything is in boxes” phase. Still, doing so will only make your move harder in the long run. At the end of the day, delaying only adds to the stress of your move and makes it more difficult to get everything done.
How to beat it: Create a moving checklist. This is a simple step that will help you plan out your time-sensitive tasks and keep your moving process organized.
6. Not labeling your boxes
You’ve packed everything up, and you’re ready to settle into your new home. Now, the question is where the heck everything goes. Forgetting to label boxes is a huge mistake that only makes your move much more stressful and inconvenient.
How to beat it: Invest in high-quality moving supplies and use them. Every time you seal a box, label it with a black sharpie. The label should include details about what the box contains and which room it should be unpacked in.
7. Forgetting to transfer utilities
Unless you transfer your utilities manually, the accounts will stay in your name after you move. This puts you at risk for nasty surprises after you move – like being liable for utility bills you did not run-up.
How to beat it: A few weeks before you move, contact your utility companies to transfer your utilities. They’ll ask for a moving date and will help you cancel or transfer accounts and reclaim any deposits owed to you.
8. Packing incorrectly
It’s easy to make packing mistakes that can damage or ruin your items. Avoid packing heavy items into cardboard boxes, for example, or packing plates and cups too tightly.
How to beat it: If you’re moving high-value, rare, or breakable items, ask for help from your moving company. They’ll understand what you need to move effectively and how to avoid damaging rare items. If you’re DIYing the packing portion of your move, check out our helpful guide.
9. Not asking the right questions
One of the most common moving mistakes people make is not knowing which questions to ask a moving company. Asking the right questions ultimately helps you select the right company and get the services you need to streamline your move.
How to beat it: Write down a list of questions and divide them into two categories. Start with general questions that help you learn about the moving company, then move to questions focused on helping you find the services you need for your move.
10. Not saving your receipts
Some moving expenses can be a tax write-off. To save yourself some cash at the end of the year, be sure to save each receipt.
How to beat it: Create a moving folder to contain receipts. To help you categorize and identify receipts, make a note at the top of each receipt that covers when, where, and how you incurred the expense.
Gallo: Your Trusted Source for a Better Move
When it comes to smooth, streamlined relocations, Gallo is here to help.
Our team of skilled, experienced movers will help you with every phase of your move, from the packing to the actual transport.
Don’t hamstring your move with easy-to-avoid mistakes – contact the team at Gallo Moving & Storage for end-to-end assistance with your move.
Top 10 Moving Mistakes
Moving is a large task, and there’s always a lot to do. As such, it’s easy to make small mistakes that make a large impact on the success of your overall move.
On moving day, avoiding common moving mistakes can mean the difference between a stressful experience and a successful transition.
To help you ensure a smooth and streamlined move, we’re devoting today’s blog to covering the ten most common moving mistakes and helping you understand how to prevent them:
Here’s what to avoid:
1. DIYing your whole move
Choosing a moving company is an important task. Still, one of the most common mistakes people make during the moving process is to assume that they can DIY everything. Save yourself the trouble and ensure you have the support you need on moving day by hiring a skilled moving company.
How to beat it: Find a moving company that offers local and long-distance moving services, storage, packing services, and anything else you need to enjoy a streamlined move. If you’ve never worked with a moving company before, here’s our complete guide to choosing the right match.
2. Not getting an estimate
After you’ve found a few moving companies you’re interested in, get quotes from each of them to compare costs. Depending on the size of your move, your location, and the services you need, the moving quotes could vary by thousands of dollars.
How to beat it: Obtain and compare at least three moving estimates. Look for a moving company that offers a convenient way to get a quote – a virtual walk-through or an app.
3. Paying a deposit
Never, ever, ever—under any circumstances–give a mover a deposit. This is one of the biggest red flags out there when you’re selecting a moving company–especially on interstate moves.
In fact, it’s a classic tactic used by shady moving companies.
They underbid the job, take a large deposit, then show up on move day and tell you that the job is bigger than they estimated and that the charges will increase. From there, it just gets worse. The original estimate doubles and sometimes triples—delivery is delayed because there was not enough room on the truck and the shipment has to go to storage until another truck is found, etc.
How to beat it: Only work with reputable moving companies that don’t request a deposit.
4. Not downsizing, first
Very few people truly need to move every item they own. To save yourself some expense and work on moving day, avoid overpacking at all costs.
How to beat it: A few weeks before our move, start downsizing. Go through everything you own – including clothing and sports equipment. Make two piles: one of things to sell and one to donate, and then hold a garage sale to lighten your load. If you have large items to donate, look for a moving company that offers pick-up and haul-away services.
5. Procrastinating
Moving can be stressful, and it’s natural to postpone that “everything is in boxes” phase. Still, doing so will only make your move harder in the long run. At the end of the day, delaying only adds to the stress of your move and makes it more difficult to get everything done.
How to beat it: Create a moving checklist. This is a simple step that will help you plan out your time-sensitive tasks and keep your moving process organized.
6. Not labeling your boxes
You’ve packed everything up, and you’re ready to settle into your new home. Now, the question is where the heck everything goes. Forgetting to label boxes is a huge mistake that only makes your move much more stressful and inconvenient.
How to beat it: Invest in high-quality moving supplies and use them. Every time you seal a box, label it with a black sharpie. The label should include details about what the box contains and which room it should be unpacked in.
7. Forgetting to transfer utilities
Unless you transfer your utilities manually, the accounts will stay in your name after you move. This puts you at risk for nasty surprises after you move – like being liable for utility bills you did not run-up.
How to beat it: A few weeks before you move, contact your utility companies to transfer your utilities. They’ll ask for a moving date and will help you cancel or transfer accounts and reclaim any deposits owed to you.
8. Packing incorrectly
It’s easy to make packing mistakes that can damage or ruin your items. Avoid packing heavy items into cardboard boxes, for example, or packing plates and cups too tightly.
How to beat it: If you’re moving high-value, rare, or breakable items, ask for help from your moving company. They’ll understand what you need to move effectively and how to avoid damaging rare items. If you’re DIYing the packing portion of your move, check out our helpful guide.
9. Not asking the right questions
One of the most common moving mistakes people make is not knowing which questions to ask a moving company. Asking the right questions ultimately helps you select the right company and get the services you need to streamline your move.
How to beat it: Write down a list of questions and divide them into two categories. Start with general questions that help you learn about the moving company, then move to questions focused on helping you find the services you need for your move.
10. Not saving your receipts
Some moving expenses can be a tax write-off. To save yourself some cash at the end of the year, be sure to save each receipt.
How to beat it: Create a moving folder to contain receipts. To help you categorize and identify receipts, make a note at the top of each receipt that covers when, where, and how you incurred the expense.
Gallo: Your Trusted Source for a Better Move
When it comes to smooth, streamlined relocations, Gallo is here to help.
Our team of skilled, experienced movers will help you with every phase of your move, from the packing to the actual transport.
Don’t hamstring your move with easy-to-avoid mistakes – contact the team at Gallo Moving & Storage for end-to-end assistance with your move.