Movers and Packers Share Tips: Avoiding Moving Mistakes

No one likes making mistakes, but because of them, people have the opportunity to learn. Fortunately, some of the best movers and packers in the country got together and created a list of mistakes they wish every customer knew. The purpose of creating this list was to help people avoid making costly errors. Regardless if you have a move coming up or just want to educate yourself, you can learn some valuable lessons from mistakes made by other people.

• Packing – An inadequate or insufficient packing technique is one of the most common mistakes that customers make. According to the experts, mistakes include using boxes of the wrong size or those in terrible condition, putting more than 50 pounds of items in a box, and waiting until the day before the move to start packing. Other common mistakes include using the wrong or inadequate packing materials, not having a good labeling system, and packing the wrong items together.
• Poor Organization – Even for a small move, professional movers cannot stress enough the importance of being organized. At a minimum, you need two to three months to start getting things ready for an upcoming move and even more time for a large move. During that period, you have the opportunity to recycle, toss, and donate items, gather all of the required moving boxes and other materials, set up a labeling system, arrange the shut off and turn on of utility services, and so on.
• Delicate Items – Another common mistake that movers and packers warn about is not wrapping fragile items correctly to ensure their protection. Without question, bubble wrap is the best material, but Styrofoam padding and polystyrene filler also work great. For dishes, glass picture frames, decorative vases, and other similar items, protection is essential. If you run out of traditional packing materials, you can always use sweaters, towels, blankets, sweatshirts, and other materials to prevent any fragile items from breaking.
• Insurance and Licensing – Top movers and packers agree that one of the worst mistakes that people make is not verifying insurance and licensing. Before hiring any moving company, you need to make sure they offer full replacement value insurance. Although this type of coverage is a little more expensive, it is worth every cent. Also, you want to confirm that the company you hire is properly licensed. Otherwise, you could end up with a mess in the event of an accident or damaged goods.