Avoid These Eight Top Moving Mistakes
Moving? Even people who have moved more than once often make mistakes – and here are eight of the most serious mistakes people can make.
1. Not hiring movers. Maybe back in your college days it made sense to get friends to help and pay them in pizza – but as soon as you hit adult life and start accumulating stuff, it stops becoming quite such a good idea. Also, if a professional mover hurts his back lifting your couch, he’s covered by worker’s comp insurance. If a friend does it, you’re liable – even if he would never sue you, his health insurance company might.
2. Hiring the cheapest movers you can find. Because you need to save money, right? That cheap mover might drop your prize porcelain…and then turn out not to be properly insured. Choose a mover with a good reputation and make sure they are properly insured. If you have a piano or other crazy item, then avoid things going off-key by choosing a mover with experience with difficult things.
3. Not getting an estimate. Ideally, a binding estimate. Movers sometimes base estimates off of how long it takes to move a typical one-bedroom apartment and then they show up and the person is a book hoarder – fifty boxes of heavy books! The time doubles, and so does what you pay. So, don’t just get an estimate, make sure it’s accurate. Some movers may ask for pictures of your home so they can get a better assessment of how much you own. And always be honest about things like stairs, narrow doorways, slow elevators, etc.
4. Thinking the movers will move everything. You may, especially for local moves, want to transport certain things yourself. Coin collections, irreplaceable documents, grandma’s jewelry. Also, your mover may not be (for insurance or legal reasons) allowed to transport certain items, most likely including grills, firearms and ammunition, and alcohol. If you have to have them move valuables, get extra insurance. It’s sometimes safer to ship valuables by courier. Another thing movers won’t move – Fido and Kitty. Make separate arrangements for the transport of live animals. This includes things in tanks – you might find your movers are the scared ones if presented with a hissing snake! Another thing is your house plants. If crossing state lines, you might find it’s illegal to move them because of pest concerns. And several days in a dark van won’t do your plants any good – so many movers won’t move plants more than 150 miles. Transport them yourself or find a new home for them before you leave.
5. Wearing high heels while moving. Nope, don’t do it. You might laugh, but teetering on high heels while carrying boxes, or even just handing them to a mover, is a recipe for something being broken. Possibly you! Oh, and no crocs, sandals, or flip-flops either. You won’t drop a box on your foot. Until you’re wearing sandals. Don’t let the kids chase around barefoot on moving day either.
6. Forgetting to switch utilities. You’d be amazed how many people get to their new place to find they have no power, gas, or water…and it’s Friday night and they can’t call anyone until Monday.
7. Not packing a personal survival kit. There’s nothing worse than realizing your hair brush or your child’s favorite stuffed toy is in the bottom of a moving box somewhere. Pack a suitcase with essentials including toiletries, dog food, toys, medication and cash.
8. Not taking care of your movers. Especially if they’re going to be there all day. At the very least, you should be ready to offer them filtered water – and snacks or a slice of pizza will go down well if they’re going to be there all day. Oh, and keep your temper. If you discover something missing, call them politely – it may still be in the bottom of their van or in their office because they moved three people that day and have no clue who that stuffed bat belonged to.
The first rule, though, is to hire a reputable moving company. If you’re planning to move to or from an apartment in Denton, TX, then contact Brown Box Movers today to get a reliable estimate and start the ball rolling.