It is not uncommon to overlook some things when you are forced to juggle a lot of tasks at once. Moving your family from one location to another that is far away will be stressful even when things go exactly as planned. However, mistakes in the planning or execution of a long-distance move can quickly turn the entire process into a nightmare. The following long-distance moving mistakes should be avoided to protect the safety of both your family possessions and your sanity.
Not Performing Adequate Research
A quick online search in many cities will show an endless supply of movers ready to transport your family’s belongings to your new home. It would be best if you understood that the services provided by these movers are not equal, and you will need to perform your due diligence to guarantee you end up with a credible and competent mover. Make sure you read the reviews that are left for each mover you consider and only work from a referral whenever possible. Also, call or make visits to the movers that make your shortlist of candidates.
Failure to Obtain Correct Insurance
Full value protection, as well as released value protection, is required by federal law for movers who transport belongings from one state to another. Released value protection establishes the value of your property at 60 cents per pound. Most homeowners would agree that their belongings are worth quite a bit more than that and will choose to protect their assets with full-value protection better. Liability insurance is also an option and is governed at the state level.
Procrastination with Packing
Packing for a move is a time-consuming activity. It would help if you were sure to take full advantage of all the time available to you to pack up your belongings properly. You will guarantee a more stressful move for you and the members of your family if you wait until the last minute to box up the things that will travel with you to your new home.
Packing Too Early
Beginning the packing process too early can be nearly as damaging as starting the process too late. You will not only increase your stress level by prolonging the moving process, but you will also increase the chances that things you and other family members need will be packed in boxes long before it is convenient to do so.
Not Getting Rid of Unneeded Items
There is no better time to relieve yourself of unneeded items than when preparing for a move. Minimizing your possessions will decrease the cost of moving your items and make it much easier for you and your family to pack your belongings. Find a location in your home to temporarily store the things you and your family do not need. Once these items are identified, find a local charity that can benefit from these items.
Final Thoughts
Moving your family’s belongings from one area of the country to another will require a lot of work. The task can begin to feel unbearable when simple mistakes result in repeated work or increased costs. You can increase the likelihood of a smooth and stress-free move for you and your family if you avoid the five mistakes mentioned above.
