Tips from a pro: Avoid these moving mistakes at all costs
Today’s column was written by Art Lopez, the founder and owner of A&C Brothers Moving & Storage, a Phoenixbased moving company that helps residents from all over Arizona take the stress out of local and interstate moving.
Moving to a new house, city or state is one of the most stressful things a person can go through. Even when everything goes smoothly, you’ll likely be exhausted when all is said and done and you’ve finally completed your move.
However, if your whole move is marred by one mistake after another, your stress levels can skyrocket. It’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of moving, but lapses just make it worse.
Here are moving mistakes you should try to avoid at all costs.
• Not planning well
Making plans for just about anything — moving included — can spare you a lot of time and energy. Long before your moving day arrives, you should already be prepared for everything, from labeling each of your boxes to hiring professional and reliable movers. Taking on a move without planning well is a disaster in the making, so draw up your moving strategy now — before it’s too late.
• Taking everything to the new place
Moving is one of the biggest opportunities you’ll ever have to declutter. In all likelihood, you have things you don’t really need — or even want — anymore, and you now have the chance to leave them behind. You can also opt to pack up all your clutter and choose which boxes to take with you, sell or donate. By sorting out the boxes you don’t need to keep, you’ll also save some space in your moving truck.
• Spending too much on packing materials
If spending some money on new boxes and other packing materials isn’t a problem for you, then go for it. However, if you’re a little wary about your budget and you want to save money, you can forgo buying new boxes and packing paper. Simply comb through your house for old boxes and use old newspapers.
• Not preparing a moving survival kit
Moving from one house to another within the same city is exhausting enough, so imagine how arduous crossing state lines can be on you and your family. If you’re moving that far, it wouldn’t hurt to bring a moving survival kit. One of these should include a change of comfortable clothes for everyone, toilet paper, toiletries, snacks, medication, phone chargers and water bottles.
• Not saving your receipts
With everything that’s going on when you’re preparing for a move — and on moving day itself — it’s easy to forget to save the receipts and to document all the expenses you’ve incurred. Never throw these items away because they’re going to come in handy during tax season. Receipts, your bill of lading and even your estimates could be very useful documents when the time comes to deduct your moving expenses.
• Not hiring professional movers
While you do have the option of going the DIY route when moving, things will be so much easier and more convenient for you if you hire professional movers instead. You’ll incur certain costs by doing so, but the help they can provide is worth it.
• Hiring the first moving company you see
It’s also a common mistake to hire the first moving company you lay your eyes on in an ad. There are many moving companies out there, but not all are created equal. The movers you should hire are legitimate ones that have licenses, insurance and other vital considerations. You should also get quotes from at least three movers to determine the best deal.
Hopefully, these tips can help you avoid getting overwhelmed on moving day. The less mistakes when moving, the lower your stress levels will be. House to House is distributed by the Arkansas Realtors Association. For more information about homeownership in Arkansas, visit www.ArkansasRealtors.com.