I’ve moved a lot. I first left home for college, then made a few more moves for grad school and work. Now that I’m married, I move every time my husband gets a new job (which is often).
This means that we’ve moved our belongings between us in the past decade at least ten times. While none of this moving has been particularly fun or easy, it’s taught me many things about how to do it right—and what not to do when making the big move.
Not hiring movers because you don’t want to spend the money
There are many things to consider when hiring movers, but the first step is always getting a quote. It’s easy to do this online, and you can compare different companies easily.
You should also check if they have insurance and whether or not they’re registered with the Better Business Bureau. If you want to better know whether or not the company has a good reputation, ask friends or family members who have used them before for their opinions.
Confirming the pickup date
Confirming the pickup date is one of the most important steps in moving yourself. You can avoid a missed pickup by confirming your appointment time and date and giving a 24-hour window of when you’ll be available for the movers to arrive.
Don’t forget to give your mover a cell phone number where they can reach you! If they don’t have it, they might not be able to contact you or cancel on short notice if something else comes up.
What happens if my movers arrive at the wrong address?
If your driver arrives at an incorrect address, he will call you immediately so that he can get directions from someone who knows where your belongings are located.
Unless there’s an emergency (like storm damage), this shouldn’t happen too often because many moving companies use GPS tracking on their trucks these days—but accidents do happen!
Packing fragile items incorrectly
Packing fragile items incorrectly can lead to a broken item or, worse, damage your belongings.
Use a big box: The box should be large enough to fit the item in it without having to overpack.
Do not overpack the box: Make sure there is room for the item and if necessary, use filler materials like bubble wrap or other packing material to protect the fragile item from damage due to movement within the container.
Not using a moving truck that’s big enough
Most people think that the bigger the moving truck, the more expensive it will be. This is not always true. If you underestimate the size of your move, you could end up with a smaller truck and pay more for it than if you had gotten a larger one in the first place.
And don’t assume that getting something big will be difficult to drive or park either; modern trucks have many safety features that make maneuvering them relatively easy as long as you’re paying attention to what’s around you.
Making your move during the peak summer season
If you’re moving, the most important thing to do is book your truck in advance. This will ensure that when it comes time to move your things, you won’t have to wait around for a truck or deal with paying extra for one.
You should also try to avoid moving during the peak summer season. The summer months are typically when most people are making their moves; this means more people are trying to get trucks at once, and fewer trucks are available for those who need them.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, even if you follow our advice and avoid the above mistakes, there are still times when it might be best to hire movers. If you’re moving across state lines, for example, then it might be better to let professional movers pack up your belongings and transport them. You can move within a state, but doing so across states adds additional complexity. The same is true of international moves; while some people do this themselves and have everything go smoothly, leaving it to professionals can often make things easier on everyone involved.
So, if you’re thinking about moving yourself, remember that many things go into it. Besides all the obvious stuff like packing and hauling your property to the new house, you also need to consider other steps like using a professional moving company or renting out a truck for everything to work out smoothly.
You save money by doing it yourself. The cost of hiring a moving company is usually more than the expense of renting a truck and packing materials, but not always. If you’re planning on staying in your current location for at least two years (and have a big enough budget), then hiring movers might be worthwhile for your peace of mind. Otherwise, consider driving across town with all your stuff packed into the back seat; otherwise, plan on renting an RV or trailer large enough to transport everything safely and securely with no hassle at all!