Laguna Beach – Avoid Moving Issues

Moving? Avoid These Ten Mistakes

When you’re planning your upcoming move to a new home, there’s so much to do. It’s easy to make mistakes due to all the details that need to be put together. But you can avoid mistakes if you know what to look for, and how to avoid these top ten mistakes.

1. Failing to plan early.

In some circumstances, a last-minute move can’t be avoided. In this case, you’ll have to pull together a lot of details very quickly. But if you can avoid a last-minute move, do. Take time to plan your move early on in the process, especially if you’re taking care of some of the details, like packing, on your own. This simple step will help smooth out any potential mistakes through the moving process.

2. Not vetting your moving company.

When you’re getting ready to move, you might just assume you’ll have great results if you pick the first moving company you come across on Google. But you’ll want to do more research than that. Make sure the moving company you use is licensed and insured. And then check reviews to ensure that the movers typically offer great service to their customers.

3. Skimming over the contract.

No one likes reading contracts, as they’re pretty boring. But you will definitely want to read your contract, or bill of lading, with the moving company thoroughly. The contract shows what your movers are responsible for, and what you’ll pay. You need to ensure that all the details are right before you sign on the dotted line.

4. Forgetting about free resources.

One a tight budget for your move? Take advantage of any savings you can get. One way to save is to reduce the services you purchase from your Laguna Beach moving company by packing your home on your own. And then save more money by picking up your moving boxes and other materials secondhand from friends, neighbors, and even local grocery stores.

5. Packing in the wrong boxes.

When packing your own home, be sure that you don’t allow boxes to get too heavy. This just runs the risk of harming someone moving an unexpectedly heavy box. Plus, too-heavy boxes are more likely to break during the move. Pack lighter-weight items into larger boxes, and heavier items into smaller boxes. This evens out the overall weight of your boxes, and keeps them from falling apart.

6. Not double-checking furniture fit.

When moving, it’s easy to assume that the furniture in your home right now will fit easily into your new home. But this may not be the case, even if your square footage is similar. Take time to measure your new home, as well as your furniture. Then, sell or donate any furniture that doesn’t fit into your new home. This can save you money on your move, and make moving into your new home more convenient.

7. Skipping labeling boxes.

If you or your Laguna Beach moving company are packing your boxes, be sure that you label boxes appropriately. It will be much easier to unpack if you know where each box goes and what’s inside of it.

8. Forgetting to update your address.

It only takes a minute to update your address on the U.S. Postal Service website, but it does take a week or two for the update to apply. So be sure you schedule your address update as soon as you have a new address. Then, check in with bill companies, creditors, banks, and other important companies to update your address with them. The simplest option for updating your address with your friends and family members is to send a simple postcard.

9. Getting rid of receipts.

In some situations, moving-related expenses are deductible on your federal income taxes. If this is the case, you’ll need to keep your moving receipts. Take them to the person who files your taxes at tax time. If you do decide to deduct these expenses, be sure to file away your receipts for at least five to seven years, according to IRS requirements.

10. Packing items the movers won’t handle.

Even if you’ve hired the best Laguna Beach moving company, they won’t be able to move everything in your home. This is mainly because of federal restrictions on potentially hazardous materials. Movers can’t handle items like propane tanks or certain chemicals. Get a list of prohibited items from your moving company, and plan to transport these items some other way.