11 Moving Mistakes To Avoid For a Trouble-Free Relocation

A wise man once said that to err is human. Indeed, mistakes can and will happen in anything that you do. While that is certainly true, some mistakes tend to be a lot more expensive and disruptive than others, particularly when it comes to relocating to a new home. Whether you’re moving out of state or staying in California, moving mistakes are something you want to mitigate as much as possible. Mistakes can lead to broken valuables, unexpected delays, and extra costs that you were not expecting. Thankfully, professional moving companies such as Move Central are here to help you avoid all the most common moving mistakes. 

What is the Biggest Moving Challenge?

In many ways, the most difficult part of any move is finding the best moving company to make for a trouble-free relocation. Some moving companies might be too pricey, others may not offer the service package that best suits your needs, and others may not be reliable. That’s why it’s really important to choose the best moving company that can move your stuff effectively, efficiently, and without any unforeseen problems. If you are in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, or Orange County, Move Central is a worthwhile option for its simple and efficient moving services.

Common Moving Mistakes 

Using Old or Incorrectly Unfolded Boxes

If you’re moving an entire household’s worth of stuff, you’ll need a lot of boxes. You might be tempted to just pop by your local general store and pick up some old used boxes from there, but we recommend avoiding this. Older boxes are more prone to coming apart when fully loaded; they can also collapse when stacked, damaging whatever items may be inside. Likewise, incorrectly folded boxes can cause similar problems, another good reason to hire a local professional moving company that will do everything for you.  

Packing Hazardous Materials 

Federal law prohibits the transportation of hazardous items without informing the mover. When we refer to hazardous materials we mean aerosols, bleaches, paints, pesticides, nail polish removers, and other potentially volatile items. Ignoring this law could lead to some pretty stiff penalties, so it’s best to consult your moving company if you intend to transport such items. Likewise, you’ll want to avoid packing any perishable items as this too is generally not allowed. If you have any perishables, either give them away or consume them before your move. 

Everything Is Done at the Last Minute 

Hastily going through the moving process is one of the most common moving mistakes and the easiest way to run into trouble. Moving all of your stuff to a new place takes time and coordination, and you’ll want to have a game plan so that everything goes smoothly. Make a mental note or better yet, write down your plan for how all your belongings will be removed, packed, transported, and set up in your new home. 

Decide which room should be packed first, what should be thrown away, and how things should be packed to ensure everything gets to your new home in one piece. For a very forward-looking plan, it’s good to account for what comes after the move, namely what you should know before moving to your new hometown. 

Using Trash Bags 

If you aren’t moving furniture, you might be tempted to use trash bags to pack your stuff since this will save you money and time. Trash bags, however, are far from an ideal way of packing your stuff for many reasons. For one, you have no way of separating items in a trash bag, meaning fragile items might be piled in and are more likely to break. Additionally, any heavy or remotely sharp item will eventually cut its way through even the strongest trash bag. Thill will cause your items to slowly start spilling out, likely while in transit.

Overfilling Boxes 

Filling your boxes to the top might save you from having to use as many boxes, but it can easily end up being a costly moving mistake. All boxes have a weight limit that should be respected. Going beyond the specified weight limit leads to collapsed or broken boxes. If you hire local moving help they will likely have a range of boxes for you to choose from, each with a particular purpose suited to your needs.

Forgetting the Essentials 

In the rush to get to your new place, it’s easy to forget about important things like your documents, prescription medication, or daily-use necessities. To avoid this common moving mistake it’s a good idea to create an inventory of all these items beforehand and set them aside so they can be packed separately. You should do this for yourself and all your family members. That way, everybody knows where their essentials are, making your relocation that much easier. 

Not Wrapping Fragile Items 

We all have treasured fragile items. Take the time to protect them as much as possible during a move. Improperly wrapping fragile items is a common moving mistake that many movers fall victim to. Even if you use bubble wrap, a fragile item can still be damaged if it is not covered properly or if they are allowed to shift. As a general rule, you want to put in as much packing material as possible so that your fragile items are protected and secured. Hire help moving to avoid this moving mistake altogether. These experts will ensure your valuable fragile items will be safe and secured, no matter the distance of your move. Hiring long distance movers is a good choice in this case, especially if you plan to move from Norcal to SoCal.

Not Labeling Boxes 

There are few things more frustrating than rifling through countless boxes just to find one thing. That’s why it’s a great idea to label all of your boxes to make unpacking less stressful. You don’t have to list every item on the box, but it’s a good idea to indicate which room the items in the box came from. This will help you and your moving company place each of your newly unpacked items in the right place at your new home. Be sure to use permanent markers for your labels so that the writing is clearly legible and won’t fade away during transportation. 

Overpacking 

We’ve talked about how you shouldn’t overstuff your boxes, but it’s also important to not pack too many belongings, especially if you have things destined for the garbage can rather than your new home. As part of preparing for your move, we recommend going through all of your belongings and getting rid of anything that you don’t need or don’t want. This way you can ‘trim the fat’ so to speak, and avoid stuffing lots of random junk in your packing boxes. 

Running Out of Moving Supplies 

Moving supplies includes boxes, tape, bubble wrap, towels, markers, and anything else you might need to facilitate the move. The beauty of hiring a moving company is that they arrive with these essentials, allowing you to reduce the possibility of making this common moving mistake. If you plan to do the move on your own, your plan of action will need to estimate the amount of moving supplies you’ll need. Use this as a guide to buying enough of each item. Be sure to purchase slightly more than what you think you need. This provides you with a comfortable margin of error and will prevent headaches while packing.

Trying to Make Things Perfect

Any move, no matter how well organized, is going to have some unexpected snags or complications. This can happen even if you hire a moving company, and ultimately it’s not a problem. There’s no reason to worry too much about the things that you cannot control, and trying to make things perfect might cause unnecessary delays. As long as you do your due diligence in planning, and have competent moving help by your side, everything should be fairly straightforward no matter what happens.