Moving across the country can be a stressful process. You have to decide what to keep and what to donate or sell. You may also need to make arrangements with a moving company to ship your items or decide to hire a rental truck yourself for the long haul. Unfortunately, with all the hustle and bustle going on, you may make a few packing mistakes. Whether it involves forgetting to bring along a box that didn't make it on the truck to not giving yourself enough time to pack, we are going over the 6 packing mistakes to avoid when moving across the country.
1. Going at It Without a Plan
It seems simple. You just place all the items into boxes and then place them on the truck. However, you may find out that you don't give yourself enough time to pack, or end up packing things that shouldn't go together, like fragile items with your sports equipment. Creating a plan allows you to figure out everything, from how much packing supplies that you will need to what items to place into which boxes to evenly distribute heavy items. A plan also helps you to decide on which items will go directly to the destination, and which will instead go to a self storage facility.
2. Not Sorting Before Packing
There will be times when you are in such a rush that you skip sorting your items. You go from room to room just placing everything inside one box without figuring out whether items will go to the house or to a storage unit. When you finally get to your destination, you find that all the kitchen cutlery is mixed in with the bedroom clothing and your electronics are in with the spilled bathroom supplies.
Not sorting before packing is a common mistake when people are in a rush to move. Not only do you want to sort items by room, but also by weight and fragility. Then you can make sure to pack heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter items that you don't want crushed on the top. Then you can correctly label the boxes on which room they are for to make the unpacking stage easier.
3. Scrimping on Packing Material
Finding a new place to live and getting ready for the move can cost a lot of money. One area where you may try to save on costs is when obtaining packing materials. Instead of purchasing new boxes, bubble wrap and packing tape, you may use the boxes still lying around in the basement or borrowed from a friend. However, when borrowing boxes from other people, you never know what was stored in them previously that could stain clothing or cause unpleasant smells. Also, old boxes may end up ripping open or falling apart during the move.
It's best not to use poor quality packing supplies for your move across the country. Try to use new packing materials that are in good shape. You may also be able to still find deals during certain times of the year and when purchasing in bulk to save a few dollars.
4. Not Securing Items and Packing Boxes
Arriving at the destination after a bumpy road trip, you may find that some of the boxes had shifted around during the drive. The problem is even worse when you open the box and find vases chipped or electronics no longer working because the box tipped over in the moving fan. One of the main reasons that your boxes and items are in disarray is because nothing was secured properly.
You have to ensure items are secured within the boxes as well as on the moving truck. Fill in gaps around delicate items with bubble wrap, kraft paper and air pillows. Tape the boxes closed securely so they do not pop open during the trip. Once you stack the boxes in the van, use strap and tie-down ratchets to keep boxes, furniture, and mattresses from tipping over. Many moving companies offer straps and tie-downs even if you are just renting the moving van and plan to drive the rest of the way yourself. If you have trouble understanding how to use one, you can always ask the sales representatives on how to use the ratchets correctly.
5. Shipping Forbidden Items with Moving Companies
You want to take everything with you, even the food from the fridge and your pets. You try to pack the things in with the moving van, but the workers shake their heads. The problem leads to you calling the company angrily only as the manager clearly states that the contract forbids the transportation of certain hazardous and perishable items.
This shipping mistake is common. There are many items that are considered dangerous and will not be handled by moving and storage companies, including electronics with lithium-ion batteries, live animals, chemicals, and perishable foods. The company does not want to become liable if something happens that creates a dangerous situation for their workers, the public or the environment. Always read over the terms and conditions of the moving contract before packing up forbidden items that will go into their moving trucks.
6. Not Doing a Final Walk-Through
It isn't until arriving at your destination and you start unpacking when you realize that there are certain items that are missing. It may be simple things such as the extra charging cords to more prized items such as your grandmother's china collection. It's at that point when you realize that you forgot to clear out a closet or drawer for the items, or you packed up everything by the box never made it out of the attic or basement.
While you may be on a deadline to leave your old place, always take the time to do that final walk-through inside the house and around the property. You may find a box that never made it into the moving van or a toy in the sandbox that your child loves and doesn't want to be without.
