Planning for a big move requires more than simply boxing up your home into a moving truck. There is preparation to do and pitfalls to avoid. Know what mistakes can make your move more stressful so that you are better able to avoid them.

1. Skipping the Checklist

Moving without a plan is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. You need at least a simple checklist, especially if you are moving a long distance or to a new state. A checklist can be a detailed schedule that includes the exact week or day you will do each task, or it can be as simple as a list of tasks listed in the rough order that they need to be completed.

Examples of things to include on the checklist are the deadline for scheduling the movers, transferring utility services, sending out change of address information to businesses and the post office, and packing deadlines.

Pro Tip:

There are handy moving checklist apps that you can download to your phone or tablet. With these, you can be on top of your move no matter where you are, and there is no risk of misplacing your checklists.

2. Trying to Do It All

It can be tempting to try and cut costs by handling as many aspects of the move as you can on your own, but this is often a false economy. The time and energy you expend can costs you, either in lost wage hours or due to costly mistakes.

Consider outsourcing as much of the move as possible to professionals. Packing services, for example, ensure that everything is boxed up properly and professionally. Unpacking and assembly services at the other end of the move take away the stress of trying to put together all of your furniture again, which ensures your bed is ready to sleep in that first night.

Pro Tip:

Look for a full-service mover that also provides specialty services if you have any tricky-to-move items, like a piano or fine art. It’s often less expensive to package multiple services together through a single moving company rather than divide your move between several different movers.

3. Packing Garbage

It can be frustrating to open a box at the end of your move and realize that someone boxed up the full kitchen garbage can without emptying it first. You paid to move literal garbage many miles, which is a waste.

Garbage isn’t always as obvious, though. It can masquerade as outgrown children’s toys, clothing you will never wear again, or paperwork you no longer need. Declutter before the movers arrive so this doesn’t happen.

Pro Tip:

Several weeks before your move, begin assigning yourself one room in your home a week to declutter. Further, get the decluttered items out of your house immediately by setting up a weekly donation pickup for any unwanted items.

4. Moving Contraband Items

Some items are simply unsafe to move, and in many cases, it may actually be illegal to move them on a moving truck. Hazardous and flammable materials like fertilizers, fuels, and many cleaning fluids top this list. If you are crossing state lines, there may be fruits and plants that are illegal to transport.

Other items are simply not allowed by the moving company for safety reasons. Perishable foods, including pet food, tops this list. It’s also a good idea to move important documents, like your family’s tax records or birth certificates, in your personal luggage instead of in the moving truck.

Pro Tip:

Ask your moving company for a list of contraband items when making your reservation. This will give you plenty of time to use up the items or dispose of them properly prior to moving day.

Contact Island Movers to begin planning your move today.