7 DIY Moving Mistakes You Should Try to Avoid

Moving by yourself has a few advantages to it that a standard move doesn’t have. You get to decide when everything happens, and in general, have full control of the moving process. However, DIY moves also come with some disadvantages which need to be considered. After all, you have to do everything, which can get pretty overwhelming if you’re not careful. So, today we’ll be going over 7 DIY moving mistakes you should try to avoid if you want to have a successful and stress-free move.

1. Putting things off

   Among the 7 DIY moving mistakes you should try to avoid, the most important one is putting things off. Procrastination is a common problem when it comes to DIY moves, and it can easily ruin the entire process. So, start planning a month or two ahead of the move, make a checklist of things to do with deadlines for every task, and most importantly, stick to it. Remember, since you’re responsible for everything in a DIY move, you’ll have to take the deadlines seriously. Consider taking some packing tips, as packing tends to be the most time-consuming part of any move. If you stick to your deadlines and manage your time well, you should avoid any major issues.

   

2. Not getting enough packing supplies

   It can be easy to underestimate the amount of packing supplies you’ll need. Remember, it’s very easy for packing supplies to get damaged during the packing process, causing you to need more. Additionally, you can never be certain how much you’ll need until the process is done. As such, it’s important to always get more packing supplies than you think you’ll need, just in case. Also, experts from Helix Transfer & Storage note that you should consider the quality of the packing supplies as well. After all, cheap packing supplies are much more likely to lead to damage or get ripped up while packing. Better packing supplies may be more expensive, but they can give you peace of mind during the move.

3. Forgetting to declutter

   Decluttering can help you out quite a bit during a DIY move, because of a couple of reasons. Firstly, the less you have to move, the less you have to pack, and the lower the chances of something going wrong during transit. However, we understand that decluttering can be difficult if your belongings have sentimental value. And while there are a few ways to go about decluttering your home, we recommend the one-year method. Essentially, when going through your belongings, you should get rid of anything you haven’t used in over a year. Of course, holding on to things with sentimental value is understandable, but we recommend clearing out as much clutter as possible.

   

4. Not labeling the boxes while packing

   One of the biggest 7 DIY moving mistakes you should try to avoid is not labeling boxes while packing. When everything is properly labeled, it’s much easier to get organized overall. You can choose to label the boxes based on the room they were in. Alternatively, label your boxes based on the type of item that’s inside. Either way, it’s very important to label everything clearly, as otherwise, you leave yourself open to all sorts of issues. After all, unpacking can be annoying at the best of times, let alone when you can’t find what you’re looking for. So, label everything clearly and in a way so you can easily tell where everything is.

5. Not packing an overnight and first-day kit

   Especially if you’re moving long-distance, you’ll need an overnight kit. Just in case something happens during the move and you have to stay overnight in your vehicle or a motel. This kit should include necessities such as a change of clothes, medicine, and so on. Additionally, you should prepare the first-day kit and bring it with you. After all, the last thing you’ll want to do after moving everything into the new home is immediately unpacking. As such, having a first-day kit will let you relax and settle into your home before unpacking. Also, you should prepare for cleaning your house after unpacking. Once you’re done unpacking, it’s basically guaranteed that your new home is going to need a good cleaning. So, prepare yourself for this both physically and mentally.

   

6. Booking a truck that’s too small

   Chances are, you’ll end up booking a truck to use for the move. One of the most common mistakes people make is booking a truck that’s too small. In order to avoid this, take stock of everything you’re moving and calculate the right size, if you want to do it yourself. Alternatively, the company you’re renting the truck from should be able to suggest the appropriate truck size for your move. But, remember, having a detailed list of everything being moved is very important in either case. Additionally, our personal recommendation is to rent a truck which slightly bigger than the estimate, just in case.

7. Moving heavy items without help or equipment

   Heavy items, such as bulky furniture, can be very dangerous to move by yourself. If you insist on moving them by yourself, or without equipment such as dollies, hand carts, carpet glides, and so on, you are very likely to injure yourself in the process. So, at the very least get some equipment in order to make sure nothing bad happens. Preferably, however, you should ask your friends and family to help you out. Especially if you need to move furniture up or down stairs, you will need help in order to make sure nothing goes wrong. Remember, this doesn’t only risk damaging your items, but also injuries.

7 DIY moving mistakes you should try to avoid – wrap up

While there are a lot of advantages to moving by yourself, there are also risks and disadvantages you need to consider. So, make sure you’re properly prepared and plan everything well ahead of time so you can make sure nothing goes wrong. We hope that this list of 7 DIY moving mistakes you should try to avoid helps you out, and we wish you a good day.