Common moving mistakes you can easily avoid

Not organising help

The most common mistake that most people make when they are planning to relocate is thinking that they can do it alone. Of course this happens to all of us, we forget about just how many things we have accumulated over the years and we convince ourselves that for the money we will be saving it will be much easier to do it alone. This is really something that you should think about carefully. Moving alone if you aren’t moving far is hard; moving alone if you’re moving to Europe can feel impossible. Not only will you have to do all of the planning, the hiring and the organising but you’ll be doing all of the heavy lifting and have to find all of the moving equipment yourself. Choosing a removal company can help to take the stress out of your move.

Moving things you don’t need

Most of us are a little guilty of some sort of hoarding. Whether you just can’t stand to part with anything or you have a wardrobe full of clothes you “might wear one day”. Keeping these things is one thing, but moving them is ridiculous. Have a good clear out before you even begin to think about packing. Create designated spaces for things that are moving, things that can go into storage and things that are being donated or thrown away. Not only will you feel much clearer about exactly what is moving with you but you will even save yourself money and energy by not moving unnecessary items.

Not planning the right time to move

There are two different time related factors when planning your move. First of all there is the time of year. If you have a choice in when you are moving then try and think about when is best for you and anyone else that is moving with you. Do you have any time off work or will the children be at school? If you can plan your move around the school holidays so that there is as little disruption to your children’s lives as possible. If you don’t have children think about work, is it better for you to move during the week or on weekends and will you be able to get the necessary time off? Everything can affect your move right down to the season. Think about it, it’s much easier to move in summer than it is in winter. Nobody wants to move in the rain or worse the snow; the weather can make even the simplest of tasks difficult. If you do want to move in the summer it is worth booking your removal company as early as possible as everyone else will have the same idea so don’t think you can just book it a week before the big day.

You should also take into account the time of day that you choose to move. Can you do it at a time when the roads will be quiet rather than getting stuck in rush hour traffic? Choosing to move out of peak times can take hours off your journey or if you are travelling abroad can even cost less as there are savings to be had for those willing to travel at off-peak times.

Forgetting the things that can’t be boxed

Even the most organised of us will forget something and the easiest things to forget are the things that can’t go in boxes. Our belongings can be placed into boxes and put onto a moving van but what about the cars, the pets and
the rest of you. Don’t forget to think about how the rest of you are going to get to the new house all of your things are now sitting in. Have you arranged some transport? This is particularly vital when you’re moving abroad as you will need to make arrangements to transport your pets and any vehicles you might be taking. Ideally you should take your pet to the vets a few weeks before the move just to make sure they are up to date with all of their vaccinations.

Not thinking about what happens after the move

You’re going to be focusing all of your energy on the move and getting you and your loved ones to where they need to be, but don’t forget about what happens once you’re there. This is especially important if you are moving to a place you’ve never been to before. Do you know where the local supermarket is, the petrol station or the bank? These could all be places that you will need to visit sooner rather than later and it is worth doing a little research beforehand to find out where they are. Also prepare a little box of necessities to take with you so that you have what you need until you unpack, even if it only contains tea bags and a kettle.

Thinking you don’t need to plan

All of these mistakes boil down to people thinking that they do not need to plan. When it comes to relocating don’t ever think that you can wing it, something will get forgotten or worse go very wrong. You can easily avoid these mistakes just by taking a bit of time at the start to plan your move. The worst mistake you can make is being unprepared.