Nobody looks forward to all the work that relocation entails. Depending on the scale of your move, you could be packing two to three months in advance and facilitating several garage sales. This is especially true if you haven’t decluttered your home in a long time. Now you wish you listened to your mother the last time she brought this up.
Fortunately, your entire relocation doesn’t have to result in a long list of regrets. There were homeowners before you who have made similar mistakes, and now their stories are available for you to nitpick and learn from. Four major blunders stand out due to the cost and inconvenience they’ll bring. If you want to make sure your move doesn’t get any more difficult, then be sure to avoid these mistakes at all costs:
Not Planning for Your Pets
It happens all too often that homeowners plan for everything except their pets. On the day of the move, they’re left with no idea as to how they can care for their dogs and cats in the long drive to their new home. You’re lucky if your pet has no motion sickness or anxieties. But what if they do?
There are several ways you can do this. The first is to make sure your pet is fully vaccinated and documented. Get accustomed to long car rides, or if you’ll be flying, take them with you on your next vacation.
Of course, even when they’re well-behaved and familiar with the motions, it can still be bothersome to cuddle them while you’re managing the relocation. This is where reliable pet shipping companies prove crucial. Search for a reputable company that checks off all the qualities you’re looking for. Letting professionals take care of your pets when you can’t lighten your load and make for a more pleasant reunion in your new home.
Not Forwarding Your Mail (or Changing Your Address)
A lot of people tend to overlook their mail when they’re relocating. This creates much inconvenience because it will demand you to drive back to your old property and make several changes too late.
At least a month or two weeks before your big move, it’s good to have your cable and other subscriptions canceled. Talk to your utility provider for a change of address and pay off the fees that they might require. Finally, go through all of your apps, particularly banks and other crucial services, to update your address. This will guarantee that you’ll be forwarded all the parcels and important documents you need in your new home.
Not Including Insurance
Insurance is key to keeping your relocation expenses low. Even when you hire the best movers in town, there’s no guarantee that every piece of furniture, appliance, and decor you own won’t get damaged along the way. Always expect that they could get broken during the move, so it’s necessary to take transit insurance early on. This will spare you from facing your losses hopelessly should the worst happen.
Won’t transit insurance only add to your costs? It shouldn’t be that expensive, but it depends on the company you’ll partner with. Regardless, you can expect that this investment is much less costly compared to what you’ll cover should accidents occur.
Not Qualifying Your Contractors
Impulse hiring is a terrible practice. It puts you and your belongings in a risky situation, which then worsens the stress of moving. One of the first things you should do when you’re planning your relocation is to look for the right moving company for you. Take the time to research important details such as their headquarters (this could impact their rates), their customer reviews, and the inclusions of their services.
There are moving companies who can pack up your entire home for you, and those that deliver packaging materials straight to your doorstep. It’s also better if they have customer reviews testifying to their expert handling of furniture, appliances, and other valuables.
Once you’ve narrowed down your list, talk to each of them. This will give you a better idea of what they are like and which ones you’ll have an easier time working with. It’s hard work, yes, but you won’t regret it once you see the difference it makes.
The root of all these mistakes is procrastination and poor planning. There’s no shortcut to a successful relocation. You have to sit down, make a list, and tick off each item one by one. The earlier you do this, the less bothersome it feels. There’s no doubt you’ll be grateful you did it once the move is complete and you’re ready to start anew.
