When moving – whether down the street or across the country – people will commit multiple errors. This is the sad reality as it is hard for most people since they do not know what they are doing or how to prepare for the process. While it is largely inevitable, with a little common sense and hard work, you can make a move without worrying about causing any serious issues. With this in mind, here are the four most common mistakes people make when they move.
Breaking Items
Whether putting the items in a big truck, small van or car, most people will break a few things. This is hard to avoid without some serious packing skills. To do so, a homeowner should head to a local store and look for free boxes. Then, he or she can find the right size boxes for the job. To take this further and make sure it is done right, you can buy the right boxes from a store. While this is not a free option, it will help a person go a long way in moving their items. Of course, with the boxes, you should also buy some packing material or get some newspaper. When using the packing material, one should make sure to use copious amounts as it is easier to protect the items when giving them little room to wiggle.
Lose Items
All-too-often, a family will lose precious items while making a move. Other times, one will misplace the item and take weeks to dig through the boxes to find it. Either way, this is annoying and can cause a person to suffer from unneeded stress. To avoid this, you should label every box with a sharpie or pen. Not only that, when writing on the box, you should do so on all sides, so it is not hard to read the writing and find the side with the label. When doing so, you can avoid a tense situation when looking for a needed item at the new place.
Underestimating Driving Time
When going at it alone, most people opt to rent a big truck and do the drive. While this is a smart and thrifty way to make a move, it is also offers a huge downside. Simply put, when looking at a map or online directions, most people forget to take into account that they are driving a large truck. Since a van or a large truck will have to be driven slower, you should realize this and compensate for it by allowing more time to arrive to the location. Otherwise, you may end up at your destination later than expected.
Moving Too Many Items
Now, it is hard for some people to let go of their possessions. This is understandable to a degree. On the other hand, when making a long-distance move, you should try to unload some items at a garage sale. This will save a person money in moving costs. Not only that, when moving fewer items, you can load the truck quickly and not worry about causing more unnecessary delays.
It is easy to make serious and minor errors when making a move. While this is true, it you understand what precautions to take and what to avoid, you are going to have a better chance at making a smooth and error-free move.