5 Big Moving Mistakes That Can Sabotage the Big Day
You found the perfect home. You and your Realtor negotiated an amazing price. The paperwork is almost done and the closing is tantalizingly near. In fact all that remains now is for you to start planning your move.
Sounds pretty straightforward right? But whether this is your first time moving or your tenth, there are certain common mistakes people make that can turn what should be a happy – if hectic – day into a nightmare. Here is a little about some of the biggest of those mistakes and what you can do to avoid them.
Forgetting You Want to Move at a Peak Time
Obviously movers operate year round, but like any other professionals they have their busy seasons. In Ontario, that is usually late Spring through early Autumn. This will often mean that the very best movers are all booked up and you’ll have to look a little harder to find a good one.
Therefore it’s actually best to start planning a move the day your offer is accepted, so that you stand a better chance of getting the mover you want. If that turns out not be possible Yelp!, Homestars and Angie’s List can all be a good source of both alternatives to your first choices and helpful consumer reviews.
Forgetting to Get a Written Estimate
You didn’t buy your new home without investigating all of the costs involved and then getting them in writing so why would you do the same with your move?
Even if you are very set on using a certain moving company and are not really shopping around you need to get a good estimate – in writing – of the costs you will incur on moving day before it arrives. Fuel surcharges, additional labour hours , additional packing materials and even wait time can in many cases impact the cost of a move so ensure you know how much these things would add to your final bill upfront.
Moving Too Much Stuff
Stuff accumulates, especially if you have been in one place for a while. And no doubt as you deep cleaned and staged your home you found all kinds of things that you had even forgotten existed. And maybe, as you did to save time and effort in what is a busy time you packed it all back in a new box and its currently sitting in your basement, or the attic.
But before you add these boxes to the stacks to go on the moving truck ask yourself why you’re doing so. If you hadn’t used – or even seen – it in ages why are you taking it to clutter up your new home?
A better idea is plan a reuse, recycle, regift weekend, where everyone gets rid of the things you really don’t need or use. Donate items to charity, hold a garage sale or even put things on eBay (it’s free to list there these days).
Forgetting That Your Fur Kids Need to Move Too
So you have a mover. And you have a plan for getting you and the rest of the members of the household to your new home too. Or do you? Have you actually planned how you are going to get Fluffy and/or Fido moved safely? Or Hammy the Hamster or Sally the Snake?
Moving a pet – especially one who is likely to be skittish and scared in the midst of all the turmoil – is something that needs advanced planning. Overlooking this crucial part of the plan could result in a lost pet or (sadly) worse so if you are a pet parent don’t skip it.
Forgetting to Create a Move Day Survival Kit
If you are moving, even just across town, you need a move day survival kit. Remember, when you get to your new home your life will pretty much be in boxes and no one has the energy or inclination to deal with unpacking right away.
Creating one for each family member is not that hard, you just need to use some common sense and foresight. Changes of clothes, essential toiletries, basic bed linen, TP and paper towels, snacks, all of your meds and a stocked first aid kit, YOUR CELL PHONE CHARGER, snacks and pet food are all musts, and don’t forget cash, not only to tip your movers but also to pay for the pizza you’ll eventually order as there is no way you are going to cook.