July 13, 2022
Some people might think that relocating across the country is not a difficult task and that they can do it on their own. However, none of us are professionals, so we tend to make some moving mistakes that slow down the relocation process and make it unnecessarily complicated.
To avoid spending days stuck under piles of boxes or walking through shops looking for the perfect packing material, hiring a cross-country moving company is a solution. Also, knowing how to pick the best one will take time. To learn how to avoid huge relocation fails, go through our article, and you’ll see that the move doesn’t have to be such a scary thing.
What Should You Not Do When Moving Cross Country to a New Home – Is There One Answer?
Planning a relocation to another city requires a lot of time, effort, and money. The process is often messy, and there’s a good chance not everything will go the way you initially planned. With so many things to do before relocating, you can easily make a simple mistake, particularly when relocating in a hurry.
To avoid making the relocation process feel like a nightmare, you should employ different moving hacks that will help you avoid horrendous fails. Thinking about all the does and don’ts of the move, you might even wonder, is there a checklist for moving that will help you navigate between good and bad decisions? Luckily, we made a list of the most common relocation fails you should definitely avoid if you want to have a stress-free and successful move.
Follow our guide, and you will be able to avoid more than a few relocation traps
#1 Choosing Not to Hire a Cross Country Moving Company Makes the Entire Process Much More Difficult
Are you looking at your home and thinking – I can do this on my own. How hard can it be to pack clothes or even to box up shoes for the move? Taking care of your home inventory might seem like an easy task. However, it is surely not a one-man job, and trying to tackle it on your own will be your fast track to failure.
From obtaining material for packing to more physical things like moving furniture, there are so many tasks that will overwhelm you. That’s where hiring long-distance movers will come as a perfect solution. You will be covered every step of the way, from using cross-country moving services that cover all the basics of the move to packing assistance.
Furthermore, if you hire a top-notch long-distance moving company with a wide range of services, you can even get the car shipped and your things kept protected in a storage unit until you need them.
Using long-distance moving services means you won't have to lift a finger during the move
#2 Not Researching Cross Country Movers Before Hiring Them Exposes You to All Sorts of Fraudulent Activities
Information is power. That’s why you should get all the info about professionals that will be handling your stuff. Thoroughly researching movers is one of the essential tips for a relocation because avoiding doing it will leave you open to all sorts of moving scams.
When you start researching the company, make sure it has:
- All the necessary licenses (USDOT number)
- Good reviews of previous customers
- Online presence
- Offers transparent rates (without any extra unexplained charges)
- Provides a free quote and online estimate
- Doesn’t ask for the full payment upfront
If it ticks all the boxes, you can ask for a contract (which shouldn’t be blank) and then book a move.
Trustworthy movers will provide you with all the info about the company, services, and payments
#3 Stating the Preparations Too Late Is One of the Most Common Moving Mistakes
For starters, you will have to learn how to use bubble wrap. Then you will have to pack dishes for the move, figure out how to box up the TV and the list just goes on. Postponing everything and leaving it for the last minute possible will make the relocation hectic and stressful.
Time management is everything because there will be many things you forget to do during the hectic and rushed process. For example, switching utilities might slip your mind completely. Give yourself enough time, and everything will be done. And one of the best tips would be to start preparing three months before the move. Also, to avoid rushing up packing and relocating, you should learn how to stop procrastinating.
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There Are a Few Ways You Can Stop Procrastinating
Since you cannot predict all the work that needs to be finished, if you postpone it long enough, you won’t be able to complete it. Procrastination can be a huge problem during the move. To stop it, create a schedule, pick the right moment to start the tasks (for example, packing). Make short pauses and then fully commit to the task at hand.
If you want to learn some useful tricks on how to stop procrastinating, check out the video below.
#4 Not Consolidating Your Home Before the Move Will Significantly Increase Its Cost
We are all used to the places we live in. You probably don’t notice squeaky doors, uneven paint, and chipped walls. But if you are trying to rent out your home before the move, there are some things that need to be fixed.
Some people forget that the key is in the presentation when trying to rent out or sell their current property. If you want to get the best price possible, you’ll need to prepare the house for sale and make it look shiny and spotless.
Just put yourself in the position of the potential buyer. Employ all the house hunting tips on your own home. Does it pass the test? If it doesn’t, get down to cleaning and decluttering and make it presentable. Trim the overgrown grass, clean up the floors and windows, use creative storage ideas to show off the space.
All of these small improvements will increase the price of your property. And the more money you get, the more funds you’ll have in the budget to buy your next dream home in a new state.
Cleaning up your home will increase its price
#5 Failing to Pack Your Belongings Correctly Will Leave Them Unprotected
Let’s say you want to pack up glassware for the move. Have you actually ever done that before? If you don’t have enough experience handling delicate and breakable belongings, packing them on your own can lead to failure.
Do you know how many boxes you need? Have you obtained all the right padding materials? All of these will affect the way you handle the boxing-up process. Since not all the items are packed the same way, failing to wrap them up and pad the boxes will make moving safely that much harder.
Consider Getting Insurance
No matter if you hire professionals or you are DIYing the whole move having insurance is essential. Luckily, there are vast options to choose from, depending on your needs. With the right insurance policy, the damaged or broken objects will be reimbursed to you fully.
Also, if you hire a cross-country moving company, their insurance policy will cover the damage done to your stuff. But know that only applies to items packed by a professional packing crew. Everything else is not covered by the policy.
Properly boxing up your stuff will bring you one step closer to a successful relocation
#6 Forgetting to Label Everything Makes Unpacking Significantly Harder
Throwing things in containers without any plans doesn’t exactly scream efficient relocation, right? If you don’t develop a boxing-up system, the unpacking process will truly be a nightmare. Just imagine looking for your favorite mug or shoes, the first day in your new home, and not being able to find them. You’ll end up unpacking every box until you find them.
To avoid this, use labels! Mark each box with a different color or just write on a label what exactly is in the crate. This way, when the movers unload all the stuff, you won’t spend days going through the boxes looking for a laptop charger or something essential. You can also create a photo inventory if you want to memorize how many boxes you had in each room.
Furthermore, to add to the protection of your belongings, make sure you write “Fragile” with big, bold letters on the boxes containing delicate items. This way, the relocation crew will know to take extra care of those crates.
Labeling crates correctly will save you a lot of time during the unpacking process.
#7 Waiting Too Long to Update Your Address and Transfer Utilities Will Cause a Lot of Problems
We already talked about procrastination and the fact that it can have huge consequences on your move. If you leave everything for the last moment, there are more than a few things you’ll forget to do. And some of those can impact the stay in your new home.
For starters, forgetting to organize important documents can lead to losing ID, passport, home lease, and many other essential papers. However, there is a silver lining to losing documents because you might find a copy or print another one. On the other hand, forgetting to change the address when relocating can cause the loss of your mail, which can contain really crucial info.
And finally, waiting too long to update the address can actually leave you without utilities in the new home. Just imagine relocating during the winter and trying to unpack while your teeth are chattering. It would not be a pleasant experience. That can be also said for relocation during the summer when unpacking (without AC turned on) would make you sweaty and uncomfortable.
Relocation won't be fun if you forget to turn on utilities
Don’t Let Moving Problems Deter You From the Plan
Well, there you have it — a list of things to avoid. Now you know you should take your time preparing for the movers, planning, and packing. However, don’t allow yourself to procrastinate. Just stick to the schedule, and there won’t be any delays. With our guide, you are bound to succeed in your cross-country move.
