Last Updated on February 28, 2023 by
For the past few years, roughly 40 million Americans have moved each year. Are you getting ready to join them?
Residential moving is stressful. Sure, you’ve found your perfect new home, but getting there is the hard part. You want to make the process as easy as possible for yourself.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the most common residential moving mistakes that first-time movers make. Read on to learn how to avoid them.
Table of Contents
1. Not Starting Early Enough
Too many people leave the packing process to the last minute. Packing is stressful, so it’s normal to want to procrastinate. The entire moving process is intense and there’s so much to do!
While it’s important that you don’t give yourself too much time, you should give yourself enough time to have a stress-free moving process. You don’t have to start as soon as you find a new home to move into, but create a schedule for yourself and give yourself more time than you think that you’re going to need.
Remember that you’re going to have to clean after you pack up all of your things. You’re going to have to give yourself time to unpack in your new home and you don’t want to over-exert yourself.
Don’t leave all of the moving responsibilities for the last minute. Start going through your residential moving checklist early.
2. Not Decluttering First
Do you have too much stuff? We’ve all been there. We accumulate things until our homes are so cluttered that there’s nowhere left to put our belongings.
There’s something charming about intentional clutter, but it can get overwhelming if you’re not careful. Your residential move is the perfect opportunity to declutter and start fresh without all of the excess junk that you’ve accumulated while you were in your current home.
Always declutter before you pack so you have less to worry about in your new home.
So how do you declutter? We recommend using boxes for a quick and easy decluttering process. You can re-use the boxes for packing when you’re done, so don’t worry about wasting storage.
Label boxes with:
- Keep
- Donate
- Fix or reuse
- Wrong room
- Throw away
Go through your items and determine whether or not each one is still necessary.
That clothing item that you haven’t worn in years because it no longer fits? It goes straight into the donation box so someone else can use it. Those old school papers that you haven’t looked at in years? It’s their time to go into the trash.
Rid yourself of the baggage of clutter and you’ll be able to start fresh with a clean and tidy home.
3. Making Common Packing Mistakes
If you’ve never packed up a home before, you might make a few rookie mistakes.
Many people make the mistake of not labeling their boxes with rooms (or not packing items together by room in the first place). They might forget or just assume that it won’t matter when they get to the new house. After all, you can open up the boxes and see what’s inside, right?
Whether you’re doing a DIY residential move or enlisting professional help, labeling your boxes by room makes a huge difference. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to unpack and arrange your room right away?
You should also label your boxes based on the type of item that’s inside. This will help you (or your movers) know how to place things in the moving van.
Fragile items need to stay in safer places. Heavy and durable items can go underneath other items. These things matter if you want your items to stay in good condition.
4. Not Making a Checklist
You need to make a checklist before you start packing for moves. Remember, you can’t afford to leave anything behind, and it’s easy to miss things that are tucked away in dark cabinets.
Making a checklist will also keep you on track so you don’t run out of time.
Make sure to include all of your important documents, every piece of furniture that you plan on keeping, everything that you plan on donating or giving away, and the number of boxes that you’re using.
You want to be able to compare your checklist to the items that make it to your destination to make sure that everything is where it should be. A checklist will keep you organized for a stress-free move.
5. Not Keeping Important Things With You
Not everything should go into boxes. Remember, if you’re doing a long-distance move, you’re going to need some things as soon as you get to your new home.
So what should you bring with you?
If you’re driving, make sure that you bring things for the road. Games, books, and snacks are going to be important for a long-distance move.
You should keep the majority of your important irreplaceable documents with you if you’re able to do so. You may need some of these documents as soon as you get to your new home (especially if you’re moving to a new state and need to set up accounts).
Make sure that you have enough clothing for a few days. Your boxes may arrive after you do. You should also bring enough toiletries for a few days.
6. Trying to Do It Alone
Moving is a lot of work. Sure, if you have a large family you may not need a helping hand, but hiring residential movers is always going to be the easier option.
Find a good moving company well in advance of your move. Don’t be afraid to shop around and ask for quotes before making your final decision.
Good movers are quick, efficient, and careful. While there are plenty of horror stories about residential movers losing or breaking objects, the right company will keep everything safe and sound.
Avoid These Residential Moving Mistakes
Your move will be far less stressful if you avoid these common residential moving mistakes! Remember: don’t do it alone, declutter first, give yourself time, pack the right way, keep important items on hand, and never forget your checklist.
Good luck with your move!
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