Missouri River Movers

Moving is a mundane task. Even if you are excited about your new home, the process of getting from point A to point B can be quite an undertaking. It’s easy to make many mistakes as you get tired and frustrated. When you are overwhelmed, things get broken, and errors happen. Here are some tips to ensure you don’t make common moving blunders.

1. Avoid procrastinating.

Procrastination is the biggest folly of any mover. It’s not like you don’t have 100 things on your plate already, and finding the time to move is stressful. If possible, start early and do a little bit of packing at a time. If you save all the work till the end, it will only stress you more. Doing a little at a time keeps you from being too overwhelmed.

2. Create a checklist.

You need to make lists, especially when you are moving. There is no way that you are going to remember everything that needs to be done. When you have a list, you will feel a sense of accomplishment as you cross off completed items. Also, you won’t need to worry about forgetting something because you will have it all written down.

3. Label your boxes.

Whether you’re moving a one-bedroom apartment or a three-bedroom home, you must label your boxes. There’s nothing worse than trying to find toiletries and other essentials and rummaging through boxes to do so. When you clearly label everything, you can choose what boxes need to be unpacked now and what can wait till later.

4. Turn on utilities in your new home.

You would think that turning on the utilities would be simple, but there are often waiting lists. Try going two weeks without cable or satellite when you have little ones running around. Call in plenty of time to make sure that you have electric, gas, and cable service on the day you move in.

5. Transfer the mail service.

They call it “snail mail” for a reason. However, the change of address procedure can take one or two weeks to process. The sooner you turn in this form, the better. You don’t want bills, checks, and other essential items to be stuck in limbo.

6. Reserve a rental truck.

Rental trucks can be hard to come by, especially when you try to move in prime season. You may need to book up to a month in advance. Most people move at the first of the month, and the demand may make finding a vehicle impossible. If you choose the middle to end of the month for your move, then the prices may be less.

7. Don’t try to do it alone.

You need to realize that you are only one person and have limited time. You need help in this undertaking. If you don’t have friends and family readily available, then you may consider using a moving service. They can pack, move, and unpack all your items, and they are licensed, bonded, and insured, for your protection.

8. Don’t use makeshift packing materials.

You can get recycled boxes from just about anywhere for free. You don’t want to try to pack your things in flimsy containers and without proper packing materials. Always pack your most cumbersome items in smaller boxes, and reserve larger boxes for lighter items.

Moving can be a smooth transaction if you take your time and make sure that you do things right. Don’t make these common mistakes as your journey more complicated than it needs to be. If possible, hiring a moving company will allow you to focus on your family while they handle the move.

9. Measure your new home.

When you’re moving to a new place, you might forget to consider that some dimensions in any given room aren’t going to be the same as in your previous home. It might even be a big enough issue that you might not also be able to fit some of your items inside the house!

You can take apart most things to fit through doorways, but the real question is, are they going to match where you want them to go? Taking some time to measure some spaces in the new home will save you some heartache when planning on where to place your possessions. Odds are, you won’t be able to have the setup 100% how you would have wanted it, but at least making sure it will fit will go a long way.

10. Throw out old, unused junk as you pack.

A move is an excellent opportunity to get rid of old stuff you don’t use anymore. You don’t need old junk taking up valuable space in your new home, so it’s good to make plans to offload anything that isn’t necessary. According to cheapmoverssandiego.com, decluttering will not only save space, but it could save you money on your move too!

For old clothes, toys, and equipment that is just going to waste, you could put them to much better use than being dragged along with you to a new place where it’s only going to get thrown into a closet and remain there indefinitely.

You could have a yard sale to get some quick money from the items, see if your friends would like it (maybe even use it as payment for their help in moving), or go the donation route. Whatever you decide, remember that the goal is to leave behind anything you don’t need.