While relocating to a new home across the country can be exciting, it’s full of backbreaking procedures. From packing, moving, unpacking, and everything in between, long-distance moves can be stressful and unsettling.
With your mind focused on too many things simultaneously, a few details may slip your mind, resulting in costly and time-consuming mistakes. Take note of these four common long-distance moving mistakes and how you can avoid them.
1. Moving Too Many Items
When relocating to a new address across the country, you probably want to bring all your belongings. And although it saves you the cost of buying newer items in your new home, you don’t necessarily have to pack everything. Besides, the more items you have, the higher the cost of moving. De-clutter and sort your items several weeks before the moving day.
You can start by making an inventory of all the items you truly need in your new home. For instance, if you’re moving from a house to a condominium, you might not have to bring your lawn care tools. You can donate or sell the items you won’t be moving.
2. Underestimating the Time Needed
Homeowners may underestimate their long-distance move. As a result, they don’t start packing their items early enough and often contact the moving company too close to the moving date. Also, as a way of saving money, some homeowners resort to DIY move.
Sure, packing and moving everything all by yourself or with the help of a few friends might save you a few bucks, but some items may get damaged. This is especially true if you have valuables such as antique furniture or even fragile kitchenware. With that in mind, you should contact a professional moving company to help you pack and move fragile and valuable items. While you’re at it, ensure you contact the company in advance, preferably a month early, to avoid last-minute delays.
3. Failing to Insure Valuables
With a long-distance move, the chances that your items may be damaged in the process are pretty high.
Luckily, a good number of moving companies offer value protection to their clients, meaning that you’ll get compensated for items damaged during the move. The bad news is that homeowners tend to rely on this standard value protection which usually covers items based on their weight. However, it may not be enough if you’ve got precious items such as a grand piano, artwork, or antiques.
Getting additional insurance coverage for your valuables will give you peace of mind knowing that in case of any damage, you’ll receive adequate compensation. You may have to buy the insurance from an agency but be sure to first inquire from the moving company. Most of them offer different types of coverage options depending on your budget and item’s worth.
4. Failing to Budget
When planning a long-distance move, it’s easy to stick to the estimate/quote offered by the moving company. After all, the company is doing all the heavy-lifting; your only responsibility is to ensure all the necessary items are packed and pay up after the job is done.
However, you should create a budget that takes into account the moving cost and unprecedented costs that might be incurred in the process. For instance, you’ll have to pay additional fees if you want help with unpacking and setting up appliances in your new home. Creating a budget ensures you don’t overspend or underestimate the cost of moving.
Planning a long-distance move is hectic, which is why most homeowners end up making costly mistakes that compromise their move. In addition to the solutions suggested above, be sure to consult a reputable moving company for a stress-free long-distance move.
