Moving takes time, planning, and plenty of preparation. Don’t make the mistake of packing up your entire life, organizing a move, and completing that move in less than a week. Avoid extra hassle by sidestepping these common mistakes.

Hiring a Bad Moving Company

There’s no shame in hiring a moving company to tackle all the heavy lifting on moving day. Not finding a reputable moving company, however, is where many people fall short. Before you start handing out money, visit websites such as Angi and spend a little time reading up on companies around Atlanta. These sites provide a listing of the top-rated moving companies in the area, and the customer reviews and ratings will essentially tell you everything you need to know about a service and its reputation.

Poor Packing

Don’t throw everything in a box and expect your items to be fine when you arrive at your new place. Be sure to protect your items with bubble wrap or paper and label all of your boxes. Be sure to keep out important items like cash, your phone charger, medications and mover information.

Not Knowing Measurements

Do you know what’s worse than not fitting your armoire through your new bedroom door? Not being able to get it out of your old house on moving day. If you have large furniture or appliances of any kind (e.g., armoire, sofa, refrigerator) you’re taking with you, make sure you have measured each piece and each doorway that they will pass through. 

Thinking You Have Enough Time

The fact of the matter is you don’t have enough time for a move. You never will. There will always be scrambling and something you will wish you had better planned out or realized. Unless the big day is unexpected, you should be planning your move for at least two months in advance, and even that may not be enough time. Make a detailed schedule of what you need to do and when it needs to be done, and don’t overlook anything. Don’t simply tell yourself you need to buy moving supplies; schedule a time to do it. If you start your packing three weeks before you move, buy all the supplies you need and detail exactly what they will be before that date. Instead of rushing your packing, you can rent a moving container for a few weeks so you can pack when it suits your schedule. When you’re done loading your items into the container, you can have a moving company deliver the container to your new address. 

Make an Essentials Box

You’ve spent the whole day, from before the crack of dawn to well after sunset, packing up vans, driving, and unloading. Maybe you’ve even begun to sort your boxes. Now, it’s dinner time, and you’re exhausted. You can’t find your cookware? Well, that’s okay. You can always get takeout. But where is your toothbrush? And where are the clothes you wanted to wear tomorrow? Soap for your shower? If you make an essentials box, and you label it well, perhaps even take it yourself in your car so you can keep an eye on it, you won’t have these problems.

You Don’t Update

Make sure that you have your utilities taken care of and that things like cable or meal delivery service are also updated or canceled. It isn’t just your utilities and subscriptions you have to transfer or terminate. Don’t forget to update your new address with the post office so that they can start sending your mail to your new home. 

The most helpful thing you can do is to allot yourself enough time to get everything done. Have a checklist made and mark things off as you go. Create your Packing Central, get all the supplies you need, and make sure you know the measurements of large furniture. It’s a process, but taking care of these things will ensure a smoother move.

Ready to make a move? The Mary Ellen Vanaken Team can help you find your dream home. Call (770) 521-7864 or email [email protected] to get started today!

Article via Natalie Jones with Home Owners Bliss. Image via TheLifeStyledCo’s Pinterest.