10 Common Moving Mistakes to Avoid

Moving is stressful, complex, and expensive. But what makes it more painful are typical errors that first-time movers (and sometimes seasoned ones) don’t consider. At Safe Ship, we know a lot about moving. As a moving services broker, we’ve helped thousands of customers through job relocations, military deployments, and corporate moves. Let’s explore some of the most common moving mistakes you might make and how to reduce the stressful errors that might hinder your cross-country move.

1. Not Planning Ahead

One of the biggest moving mistakes to avoid is a failure to plan. Relocating — even if it’s just across town — requires forethought. Planning your move carefully helps avoid last-minute chaos. It’s even more important for long-distance moves, which can be costly and take more time. 

Without a solid plan, you might scramble to pack, coordinate logistics, and pay thousands more for last-minute services because you didn’t source quotes quickly enough. It might even lead to property damage because you’re in a rush. To steer clear of these issues, create a detailed moving checklist weeks in advance. This helps ensure a smooth transition to your new home. If you’re short on time, enlisting professional help from a long-distance moving services broker can help. These companies vet and compare several different moving companies to help find you the right balance of price and service.

2. Failure to Declutter

Americans have a lot of stuff, and we keep buying bigger houses to contain it. Another major moving mistake is failing to declutter when it comes time to move. In addition to the detrimental health effects of a cluttered home, packing and moving all those items takes time, money, and effort. 

Staging your home for sale and packing for a move presents a real opportunity to downsize the number of things you own. As you pack, consider donating or selling items you no longer need. If you’re moving on a budget, it can help cut costs because there just won’t be as many boxes or items to transport.

3. Not Having Enough Packing Materials

Nothing is worse than running out of packing tape or boxes, but it happens often. Stock up on all the packing supplies you need before you start packing so you can avoid this common moving mistake. Don’t forget to pick up packing paper, bubble wrap, or packing peanuts to protect those fragile belongings like framed photos and dishes. 

4. Not Measuring Furniture

Furniture is among the biggest, bulkiest items you’ll transport as part of your move. Getting items out of your house or apartment is one thing, but getting them into the new space is another. Measure the furniture and any rooms and doorways you need to navigate as part of the move. The last thing you want to experience is leaving a $5,000 couch on the curb because it simply will not fit your new home. This advice extends to appliances, too. If you’re bringing a refrigerator or large appliance like a washer and dryer, ensure it fits the space at your final destination.

5. Forgetting Box Labels

Another common moving mistake? Not labeling boxes. 

Proper box labels streamline unpacking and help you locate essential items quickly. They can also help your movers load and unload the truck. After all, the last thing you’d want is to put a box of heavy hardback books on top of a box of dishes. 

The best way to label boxes is to write the room they’re in and the box’s contents. Write these details on multiple sides of the box, including the top. You may even want to label boxes with numbers to help with organization. 

Tip: consider investing in adhesive fragile item labels to help ensure that boxes containing breakable items are treated with extra care.

6. Disorganized Packing

Speaking of labels, a systematic approach to packing increases efficiency and reduces the risk of your belongings being damaged during the move. Move room by room and pack non-essential items first. Once your moving date gets closer, consider packing away items you’ve used regularly but won’t need immediately. One way to stay organized is to create a spreadsheet that lists the items in each room and the boxes in which they are stored.  

Strategic packing can also help you stay organized as you unpack. Consider numbering or color-coding each of the rooms in your new house and making signs to put on the door or next to the doorway. This cuts down on the amount of time you may spend hunting for items as you unpack.

7. Waiting Until the Last Minute

Starting your moving process early reduces stress, allows you to address unexpected issues, and avoid possible moving mistakes. That includes shopping around for moving companies. When you give yourself enough time to find a mover, pack, and plan for your move, you can be more flexible with your arrangements and avoid paying premiums. Waiting to find moving service providers will leave you will limited options, forced to accept what’s available. 

8. Not Getting the Required Parking Permits

It’s an overlooked part of moving, but moving trucks are big. If you live in a major city or apartment complex, there’s a good chance your vehicle will block parking spaces, streets, or both. Secure the proper parking permits you’ll need for your movers. In addition, reach out to your neighbors in advance and let them know what’s happening. This lets them plan, thus avoiding a traffic jam while the truck is parked outside.

9. Not Packing an Essentials Box

There’s one important box the movers shouldn’t have to worry about: a box filled with the essentials. This box contains things you need immediate access to once you arrive at your new home. Passports, important documents, laptops, or other devices can go in this box, but don’t underestimate the importance of a shower curtain, hand soap, and a few rolls of toilet paper. 

10. Forgetting to Change Your Address

As you prepare for your move, don’t forget the common moving mistake of forgetting to change your address. Changing your address with relevant parties ensures the continuity of important communications and services. Manually update this information as much as possible to reduce stress. In a pinch, changing your address through the USPS is fairly quick and will ensure most of your mail gets to your new home.

Allow Safe Ship Moving to Help Reduce the Stress of Your Move

Moving long distances can be stressful, but a proactive, organized approach can reduce most of that stress and help reduce the risk of making critical moving mistakes. One of the best ways to eliminate the hassle is to partner with a moving broker who can help you source estimates from several providers. Safe Ship provides moving brokerage services to long-distance movers to save you time and money. Contact us today for more information or a free estimate.