Moving? Avoid These 10 Mistakes

As you’re planning your upcoming move, keep in mind that it’s easy to make mistakes. Hiring the best La Habra moving company to handle your move is a good place to begin. But you’ll want to plan properly to avoid these other common mistakes.

1. Not planning early enough.

It’s so easy to let the actual move and all its details drop to the bottom of your to-do priority list when you’re planning to move to a new home. But the sooner you begin planning your moving day, the smoother your move will be. As soon as you know you’re going to move, start planning your move, and you’ll have more time to handle all the details necessary.

2. Failing to research your moving company.

When you’re getting ready for your next big move, you’ll want to take your time to choose the right moving company for your needs. At minimum, ensure that your movers are properly licensed and insured. And take time to read customer reviews to ensure that your La Habra moving company will provide exactly the services you need.

3. Skimming over your contract.

It’s easy to skim over your contract with the moving company, and just sign away. But the contract is where you’ll catch any mis-communications, and ensure that you’re getting all the services you need. Even the best moving company can make some mistakes when writing up the contract, so take time to examine yours carefully before you sign.

4. Not saving where you can.

Are you moving on a tight budget? If so, you’ll want to save money anywhere you can. One way to do this, especially if you’re packing up your home on your own, is to collect secondhand boxes and packing materials. Friends and neighbors will often have saved these items from their past moves, and it can save you quite a bit of money.

5. Packing boxes too heavily.

Often times, moving companies will have limits on the weight of boxes they will move, which is to protect the backs of the movers. But even if there is no hard limit on the weight of boxes, you’ll want to keep them reasonable. This means packing lightweight items in larger boxes, and packing heavier items in smaller boxes.

6. Forgetting to check the furniture.

When it comes to moving costs, furniture is definitely up there as the most expensive thing to move. So you’ll want to ensure that the furniture you have currently will fit into your new home. Anything that won’t fit is best donated or sold before you move, which will be less of a hassle and save on moving costs.

7. Forgetting to label boxes.

Regardless of whether you’re packing your own boxes or your La Habra movers are packing for you, you’ll want to be sure the boxes are labeled. This takes a bit more time, but it will make unpacking much simpler. Make sure to label each box with the room it goes into, as well as the contents of the box. You won’t regret it when you’re unpacking.

8. Failing to update your address.

When you’re getting ready for a big move, there are so many minor details to take care of that this is an easy one to forget. But updating your address takes just a few minutes online at the U.S. Postal Service website. Update your address just as soon as you have a new one, and you won’t have to worry about forgetting about this detail.

9. Forgetting to keep receipts.

When you’re moving for work, you may be able to deduct some of your moving expenses on your federal taxes. you’ll need good records to do this, so keep your receipts. At tax time, talk with the person who files your taxes to see if you qualify for this allowance. If so, you’ll need to keep your receipts with your other tax paperwork for five to seven years, in case of an IRS audit.

10. Packing items your movers can’t move. 

All La Habra movers have some restrictions on items they cannot move. Federal restrictions keep them from transporting potentially hazardous materials. Ask your movers for a list of these items and others that are restricted, and be sure you make alternative arrangements to get these items to your new home.