Moving house can be a stressful process that requires a great deal of time, money and effort. However, to ensure the move is as stress-free as possible, there are several mistakes worth avoiding. There is a common misconception that moving properties is a fairly straightforward process: pack your belongings and hire a removal company to relocate it all for you. However, there are numerous mistakes that are easily made when it comes to the packing process and the logistics of your removal company. Nevertheless, here at Davis & Mac, we know some of the best top tips to ensure your removal experience runs as smoothly as possible. Here are the most common moving mistakes to avoid.

8 Top Mistakes to Avoid When Moving House

Considering the time and effort that moving house demands, it is no wonder that removal and packing mistakes occur. However, there are several ways you can minimise the occurrence of any mistakes. We have included both a list of mistakes you may encounter and a range of solutions to these problems. From overpacking your moving boxes to failing to purchase sufficient packing supplies, here is how to not go about your relocation process.

Lack of Scheduling with Removals Company

Failing to book a removal company in enough time is probably one of the biggest mistakes you could make. Organising a removal van just several days before you are supposed to be moving home is only going to subject you to a great deal of unnecessary stress. Removal companies are likely to be booked up, especially at busy times of the year, such as summer holidays, so don’t leave this aspect of the move to the very last minute.

Make sure to book your man and van Chelsea several months in advance to guarantee your booking, and then follow up a few weeks before to ensure they are still available. Underestimating the time required to pack your belongings and the scale of the overall job is a common mistake. However, don’t let this be a mistake you make.

Packing Your Items Without Sorting First

Sorting out the entire contents of your home is an immensely big task, but it is necessary to complete. It will save you money, time and space if you effectively declutter your home and sort through which items you need and which you don’t. Over the years, it is more than likely that you will have accumulated a huge amount of clutter, however, not all of this needs to be relocated into your new property.

Taking more household items with you that aren’t necessary will cost you substantially more. The final relocation price that you pay for having your belongings transported is often based on the total weight. Simply put, the more you take with you, the more expensive the process will be.

Packing items that you are likely to get rid of once you’re in your new home is a huge waste of time. You also need to consider how much space you have in the new property. If you have downsized into a smaller home, then it will be imperative for you to sort through your clutter. If you are looking for ways on how to successfully move into a smaller property, then take a read of a recent article we wrote.

When it comes to decluttering your home ready for the move, there are several ways you can dispose of superfluous items. If you have a lot of clothing to get rid of, then charities are always appreciative of any donations. For more sentimental belongings that you’re struggling to part with, then family members may be willing to have some of these items on loan until you have space for them again. Similarly, if you have large pieces of furniture you’d like to keep for the future, then storage solutions in Chiswick is a practical idea. These are all effective ways of long-term and short-term decluttering.

Not Purchasing Enough Packing Supplies

A typical mistake when it comes to moving properties is failing to buy enough packing supplies for the contents of your home. You’re going to cause yourself a significant amount more stress if you get halfway through your packing and you run out of boxes and bubble wrap. It is always advised to overestimate what you are going to need.

Most removal companies will provide packing supplies for you. However, this requires you to ask in advance and to accurately estimate how much you have in your home. However, to be well prepared, we advise purchasing your own boxes of varying sizes, packing paper and bubble wrap to ensure you have enough. Take a look at ‘Wanna Pack’ who supply everything you’ll need for safely transporting your possessions. They also provide moving box packages based on the number of bedrooms you have in your home, to guarantee you have the correct number of boxes suited to the size of your house.

Overpacking Boxes

While we appreciate the need to make the most of the space in each of your moving boxes, it is important not to overpack them. Do not overpack or overstuff any cardboard boxes. It is essential to be wary of the weight of any objects you are packing. Make sure to pack heavy items into smaller sized boxes so that they are still carryable. This will prevent you or anyone helping you to move from causing themselves injuries.

Cardboard is, by no stretch of the imagination, a particularly strong material, so be mindful of this when you are packing. If any boxes can’t support the weight and end up tearing, you could end up damaging sentimental possessions. If you are worried about this happening regardless of the amount you’re planning to pack into a cardboard moving box, then it may be worth investing in large plastic boxes to transport your most beloved items. Make sure to purchase clear plastic boxes with secure lids on though to keep your belongings fully protected.

Forgetting to Label Packing Boxes

Forgetting to label your packing boxes is an assured way to make the unpacking process in the new property a living nightmare. Attempting to sort through piles of un-labelled moving boxes in an unfamiliar home is guaranteed to raise your stress levels. Even the most organised of us are going to find this task a challenge. And when it is an unnecessary challenge that could have been eliminated with some pre-planning, there is no point subjecting yourself to that kind of stress.

Once you have packed up one room into several boxes, take a black marker pen and write clearly the contents of that box. You can even label which room it is meant to be going into in the new house. This will not only help out your removal men but also you and anyone else helping to unpack. It is also important to display any handling instructions so that anyone moving these boxes is aware. Ensure you have clearly indicated which way up it should be carried and whether or not the box can be carried the other way up. Make sure that you label the boxes with the contents, their room destination and handling details on at least two sides of the box.

Not Taking Measurements

Failing to take measurements of the size of your new property is going to land you with a whole host of problems. If you find that your sofa doesn’t fit through the door when you arrive, then there are the questions of what you’re now going to do with it and can you afford to purchase a new one? By making sure you have accurately measured the rooms in your new home, you can either prepare yourself for having to buy new items of furniture, or you will be sure that your existing furniture will fit.

If you find that a lot of your favourite items of furniture won’t fit into your new home, then you can always look into storage solutions in Hammersmith. This is a particularly good idea and a worthwhile investment if you know that your new home is only a temporary place to stay.

Failing to Pack A Moving Day Essentials Box

If you pack away the contents of your home without boxing up an essentials pack, then your first night in your new home is going to be made more stressful than necessary. The last thing you need to be doing after a long day of packing and lifting is to be searching through boxes for a mug and some teabags.

Here is a list of items we deem to be necessary for your moving day essentials box:

Next day clothes for everyone

Toiletries

Kettle, a few mugs, teabags/coffee

Torch

Phone charge

Bedding/sleeping bags

Screwdrivers, hammer and tape measure

Summary

Hopefully, now that we have made you aware of some of the most common mistakes you can make when moving house, you won’t fail to make the same mistakes. All of the solutions we have included in this guide are all assured ways of making sure your moving experience is as stress-free as possible.

If you implement the advice we have suggested into your relocation experience, then it should run relatively hassle-free. That said, you are bound to confront a number of several small issues, especially with a large scale move. However, this guide is an attempt to help you limit the number of vexatious issues you encounter.

If you are looking for reliable removals in Notting Hill, then get in touch with Davis and Mac today. If you have enjoyed this article or found it beneficial, please feel free to share it on your social media channels.