The below article is by Suzie Wilson from Happier Home
Photo courtesy of Unsplash.
Planning is key to a smooth moving day
Moving can have costly mistakes if you forge ahead without proper planning. While it is likely that something will go wrong no matter what you do, you can make it easier on yourself by avoiding the biggest faux pas. Here are a few common moving day mishaps to steer clear of.
Don’t do it all alone
Moving is a big task, and it can be a strain physically and emotionally, so don’t do everything by yourself. Ask for family and friends to volunteer to help out, rent a truck or hire movers. If you decide to employ the help of a moving company, be sure get recommendations from reliable sources. According to Better Homes and Gardens, “Most experts recommend that you get three estimates, and ask a lot of questions about possible hidden fees.” Do a background check and ask about insurance should something break during transit. You’ll also want to book them ahead of time and not during rush hour so you can move on your schedule and at your own pace. Don’t forget to feed your helpers and leave cash for tips.
Once you’re all moved in, it can even be fruitful to hire someone to assemble your furniture for you. Some pieces could take several people to put together, and you may not even have the right tools for the job. Sometimes, the directions are too confusing to follow, so save yourself the headache and time that it takes to put everything together by asking for help. Perhaps the biggest benefit of hiring a professional is that you can rest easy knowing it will be reliable and sturdy afterward.
Don’t pack everything
If you haven't moved in quite a while, it may be time to evaluate your stuff. Why pack things you no longer use or want? Take this as an opportunity to scale down by donating, tossing, selling or giving away items you don’t need or love. This could help lighten up the load on moving day and make it easier to unpack and organize your belongings. Plus, you can pack as go through things.
Don’t wing it
Make sure you do enough prep work ahead of time so that come moving day, things go smoothly. This means investing in the right supplies like dollies and carpet glides so that heavy furniture or boxes are easy to move.
Before you spend money on new boxes, look around for some in your basement, garage, and even at friend or family’s houses. You’ll also need plenty of tape, clear bags, permanent markers, scissors, and labels. Instead of buying bubble wrap, set aside soft linens from home to pack your more fragile items.
Keep important documents with you and have an overnight box filled with all the essentials such as keys, first aid, medicine, chargers, clothing, toiletries, cleaning supplies, easy-to-make meals and throwaway utensils. You also should include tools, bottled water, your wallet and any items of comfort for the kids or pets. This will mean you don’t have to rush to find things amidst the numerous boxes.
Additionally, be careful to secure stuff in the truck so boxes don’t move around on their own and prepare for bad weather by having tarps and umbrellas on hand. Make sure you also keep an inventory of what you have moved and check that everything is there before you say goodbye to the old house or moving truck. This is especially important if you’re going over state lines or are flying. Lastly, USA.org urges you not to forget to change your address. You can do so by going to the post office, but you’ll also need to update it on any payment cards as well as your driver’s license.