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Silly Moving Mistakes: Avoid These 5 Common Errors When You Move

By Jackie Gately
(First published )
(Reading Time: 6 minutes)
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You’ll want to avoid these common silly moving mistakes that so many people make.

They can be very problematic and can cause a lot of unnecessary stress!

So, this article shares some great tips about how to avoid moving mistakes so your transition goes more smoothly.

Discover what the 5 most common errors are when it comes to moving — and how to avoid making them, below.

silly moving mistakes | Enjoy Travel Life

CONTENTS – In this article, you will get some very useful tips about how not to do silly moving mistakes, including:

Most Common Moving Mistakes

Relocating your life across the country or even just across the town can be exciting and fun.

But it can also be stressful and confusing if you don’t plan things.

Of course, with professional assistance from moving companies like Safebound Moving & Storage, movers, and packing experts, you can make sure that you won’t make any silly mistakes as you move.

However, there are many avoidable mistakes you can make.

This is especially true when it comes to hiring help, from hiring the wrong kind of moving company to forgetting to pack important items.

So, we’ve put together this list of common mistakes to avoid when moving to save you time and money!

1. Failure to Get Started Promptly

This is by far the most common and the silliest mistake people make when planning a relocation.

They fail to plan adequately and end up scrambling to finish things at the last minute.

When they finally get down to making a plan, they realize there’s no way they’ll be able to finish everything in time for the big day.

If you begin preparing as soon as you know you will be relocating, you may cross each item off your to-do list with relative ease.

You can’t go wrong if you have a comprehensive apartment moving checklist to refer to.

Make a list of every little thing that has to be done, and then do it.

You shouldn’t pack your everyday necessities until the last few days.

If you get a head start, you’ll have more time to find reliable movers.

Many people put off making plans until the last minute, which forces them to settle for whoever is available at the moment.

In reality, all the dependable movers will be booked up in advance, leaving you with incompetent amateurs who are more likely to damage or lose your possessions.

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Moving Mistakes to Avoid

2. Packing Everything!

Packing everything is an extremely typical blunder among the 15 million Americans who relocate each year.

Since you are in the midst of a major life transition, you may believe that all of your possessions must relocate with you.

But this shouldn’t be so!

When moving, it’s always a good idea to get rid of clutter and conduct a deep cleaning.

When in doubt as to whether anything serves a useful purpose, it’s advisable to either get rid of it or run it through a shredder.

Consider whether or not you’ve utilized it in the past two years before making your decision.

If not, don’t be hesitant to discard it.

To save time and energy and get a little extra cash for your trip, hosting a yard sale is a perfect solution.

With less stuff to pack, the relocation process will go more smoothly, and your new place will seem more like home with less clutter.

Things that didn’t sell can be donated to a good cause. (And, that can become a tax deduction, too!)

The things you donate will be of great value to someone else, so consider donating them if you won’t be using them.

3. Neglecting to Record

Another common mistake when moving is forgetting to record what you have and where you packed it.

Taking pictures and measurements of your belongings during the move is an excellent way to document the process.

The first step is to measure your new house.

You wouldn’t want to have problems while attempting to transfer all your stuff, especially furniture, via the front entrance.

So you’ll want to take measurements of the couch and other significant pieces of furniture. Then you can compare them to the width and height of each door in your new house.

It’s a good idea to take pictures before you disassemble items, too. Then, reassembly will be easier.

This is particularly important when it comes to electronic devices with multiple cables.

By the time you finish unpacking, you may have forgotten the original configuration.

Include the user guide for the device in the package it is being shipped in if you still have it.

And make sure you save and label all of the matching cables for the device as well.

Finally, keep a master list of what you’ve packed and in what boxes. Be sure to label the boxes by room so the movers will know exactly where to put it in the new house.

Better yet, you will be able to quickly find what you’re looking for once you’re ready to unpack.

4. Doing It All by Yourself

People often mistakenly believe that they can save both time and money by handling a big move on their own.

Don’t underestimate the time and effort involved. It can be exhausting!

One good solution is to look to a local relocation company, such as Charlotte moving companies if you’re in or moving to North Carolina. They employ skilled and experienced staff that are experts in packing, transporting, and unpacking.

Relocation companies are experts at moving coordination and will ensure that your belongings get to their new home in one piece.

As professional organizers and moving coordinators, they can help you unpack and get settled in with minimal disruption to your life.

Plus, they have helped people relocate hundreds of times, so they are familiar with efficient packing methods. 

The best part is, they’ll handle every aspect of your move with great expertise, so you can move into your new home almost effortlessly!

5. Forget to Change Your Address?

So, what if you forget to change your mailing address?

This is an important moving mistake you don’t want to make.

But if you do, there is no need to panic.

You can always correct it by promptly changing it online for all of your credit cards or any subscriptions you may have.

This will include updating your address with bank accounts, services providers, and memberships, too.

And for safe measure, fill out an address change request form with the post office for anything you’ve overlooked. They will forward your mail for up to a year.

Final Thoughts on Avoiding Moving Mistakes

Moving can be one of the most stressful events in life.

But it doesn’t have to be so overwhelming if you prepare adequately beforehand and enlist the help you need.

Whether you’re relocating for new job, for the season, or a new phase of life, these moving mistakes are very common.

But the good thing is that you can avoid all these mistake after reading this article.

That way, you won’t have to worry about them while relocating.

Jackie Gately at the beach


About Jackie Gately, editor-IN-CHIEF

I'm Jackie Gately, your travel confidante and the creative force behind Enjoy Travel Life, awarded the "Best Casual-Luxury Lifestyle Blog (USA)" in Travel and Tourism by LUXlife Magazine for four consecutive years.

With 25 years of published expertise, I'm a seasoned writer, editor, and photographer curating inspiring travel guides and lifestyle tips for empty nesters. I hope to kindle your spirit of exploration, encouraging you to overcome obstacles and turn your dreams into reality.

Learn to minimize your pre-travel angst and maximize the joy of exploration with insights from my experiences. Let's make every adventure a celebration of this exciting phase of life! 

Follow my social channels for more inspiration.

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