The stress of moving house can be a vicious cycle. The more overwhelmed and flustered you are, the easier it is to make mistakes, which in turn causes more stress. With so much to remember and so much planning to do, no one can blame you if you fall victim to one of the many potential common mistakes when moving house.
For many people, moving house has become more taxing over the last few years. A 2023 survey revealed that 85.3% of respondents considered moving house stressful, compared to 79% in 2021. People tend to dislike change, and even if you’re on top of the organisational side of things, moving can cause a whirlwind of emotions, from fear and anxiety to self-doubt and grief.
Ready Movers makes relocating to your new home as easy and stress-free as possible. Here’s our guide to avoiding common mistakes when you’re moving house.
Common Mistakes Made When Moving House
These mistakes are easy to make but can cause significant extra strain and headaches when you’re already overwhelmed with moving house. Plan in advance to avoid them, and you can focus on the joy of settling into your new home instead.
Packing Without a Plan
A successful move involves a substantial amount of planning well in advance of the moving date. Planning involves duties like keeping a timeline of essential tasks and their due dates, keeping tabs on when utilities will be on at your new place and making sure you have the right packing boxes and materials ready. Without a plan, your approach will be all over the place, inefficient and more likely to go wrong.
Skipping Insurance
Accidents happen. Sometimes your precious possessions can end up damaged during your move and, without insurance, there’s no way to recoup the financial loss. It’s important to choose an Australian Furniture Removers Association (AFRA) accredited removalist as they’re required to have public liability insurance, third-party property and motor vehicle insurance and carriers’ legal liability insurance in case of negligence.
Packing at the Last Minute
It’s easy to underestimate how much time you need to pack or to start packing way too late. However, this can cause problems because removalists have strict schedules to follow and a set method for stacking their trucks. If you’re not ready on the day of the move, it makes things more chaotic, both for you and for the removalists. The longer you leave it to pack, the more stressful everything becomes.
Packing Before Sorting
When you move house, it’s the perfect time to cut out the clutter and put the possessions you’ll actually use in boxes where you can easily access them. When you start packing before sorting your stuff, you’ll likely end up with disorganised boxes that make it hard to find essential items when you need them at your new place. If you haven’t thrown out what you don’t need, it makes the packing process take longer, leading to wasted time and increased packing costs. Remember: the best way to pack items when moving is to use a professional removalist’s packing services.
Carelessly Packing Fragile Items
Fragile goods like glass and ceramics need to be carefully packed with materials like bubble wrap and packing peanuts. It’s essential to vary your approach to moving to accommodate the most fragile and breakable items you have. For heavier, fragile items, use boxes that are small but strong. Fill hollow items like cups and glasses with packing paper to soften vibrations and prevent them from cracking on impact.
Not Packing an Essentials Bag
Make sure you set aside a bag or box with all the essential items you’ll need on your first night. This can include a change of clothing, toiletries, a clean towel, phone charger, medication and snacks etc.
Not Labelling Boxes
Forgetting to label boxes can cause confusion down the line, and stress when you’re unpacking at the new place.
Choosing the Wrong Removalist
If you’re using a professional removalist, it’s important to choose carefully. Putting your possessions in the hands of rogue operators can lead to damaged goods, late arrivals, and false insurance claims, among other hazards.
How to Avoid Common Mistakes When Moving
Here are some tips on how to move house without committing some of the most common mistakes:
Throw Out Unnecessary Items
Getting rid of needless items well in advance of moving means less clutter to sort through and an easier, streamlined, less confusing move all around.
Make a Packing Plan
There’s a lot that goes into packing for a move. It pays to plan your approach before you start and to work methodically. Pack one room at a time. If you have an attic, a good approach is to start there and move around to the rest of the house. When you pack clothing, start with anything you won’t need to wear between now and your moving day. Make sure you have strong boxes for any books you move. Making a moving timeline of tasks and dates can help, as can researching moving companies and setting up utilities early in your new home.
Label Your Boxes
As you pack, label every box with its contents and the room it’s meant to be in. This will make the process faster and avoid confusion at your destination.
Get Quotes
Financial stress is one of the most exhausting types of stress imaginable, especially when you’re already dealing with having to move. If you’re shopping around for a professional removalist, make sure you get some quotes early to avoid going over your budget or being left with no options.
Start Early
The earlier you begin planning your move, the more prepared you’ll be and the easier it will be to change course if anything goes wrong. It’s best to start organising your relocation at least four weeks before your moving date.
General Tips for Moving House
The right kind of moving house tips make the whole process easier. For an easier time moving, some general tips from Ready Movers are:
Purchase Good Boxes
The sturdier and thicker the box, the better. Small boxes are perfect for heavy and fragile items, while light items like pillows and linen can be packed in larger ones. Large boxes that are packed very heavily have a much higher chance of breaking. Moving boxes should always have strong bases so nothing falls out the bottom.
Pack Items by Weight
Pack lighter items in bigger boxes and heavier ones in smaller boxes, with the heaviest items at the bottom. Start with your least-used items.
Outsource Packing
Packing is one of the most gruelling aspects of any move, and a company offering professional packing services can relieve some of the stress.
Schedule Utilities For Your New House
Make sure the essentials like power, water and gas are already turned on before you move in.
Hire the Right Removalist
There are many removalists out there, but not all of them are created equal. Make sure you look at the reviews, testimonials, and quotes.
Book Early
The sooner you get on top of organising your big move, the more prepared you’ll be to navigate any issues that arise.
Avoid Mistakes by Hiring Ready Movers
Hiring removalists with a proven track record of experience is the most effective way to avoid the most common mistakes when moving house.
Ready Movers’ home removalist services are at the core of what we do, and we take great pride in ensuring your moving experience is seamless and stress-free. Whether you need assistance moving furniture into your new home or you need someone to supply the right packing gear, we can move everything from a whole house to a single room.
Our packing services include supplying materials, assembling and disassembling furniture and assisting with fragile, large and bulky items. We’re an AFRA-accredited removal company that adheres to rigorous national standards, and our local home removal service comes with a Ready Movers Written Guarantee.
To find out more about our services, contact the Ready Movers team.
