Serious Mistakes When Moving Yourself

If you’re getting ready to move but you think you can tackle it as a DIY move, think again. You can make some pretty serious mistakes if you go about it yourself. It’s always wise to hire a professional mover to ensure things go as smoothly as possible. Take a look at some of the mistakes you can make when moving yourself.

You Fail to Get the Right Insurance

Interstate movers have to offer released-value protection and full-value protection for their clients. Released-value protection is 60 cents a pound, but most homeowners know their stuff is worth way more than that. So, in that case, they can get extra coverage based on their own valuation of their items.

With full-value protection, in the event your belongings are damaged, you will get a replacement item of equal value OR the company will pay to get it repaired. You could also buy separate liability insurance or additional moving insurance from a third-party insurer. Plus, your homeowners insurance policy may also cover items in transit. Call your insurance company to find out.

You’ll most likely not need to tap into that extra insurance, but isn’t peace of mind worth it? When choosing a moving company, find out what kinds of coverage options you have, then make an informed decision about what level of coverage works for your unique situation.

You Need More Help

Sure, you’ll spend a bit more on hiring professional movers, but the move will get done quickly and efficiently, with minimal chance of damage. If you ask your buddies to help, you have to chase them down, get them all on the same page and then risk someone dropping a valuable item. Failing to hire movers because you think you’ll save a buck is just not wise. It’s always worth the extra money to have the pros handle it all so you can sit back and relax.

Be honest with yourself and think about your expectations. How much work are you willing to put in? If you have a bad back, work crazy hours, or have a few young children underfoot, hiring a mover is always worth it.

You Don’t Leave Yourself Enough Time to Pack

Packing takes a lot of time, even if you’re not that careful about how you pack. Leaving things to the last minute will only add to your stress and then a sloppy job. If you bungle the packing job, you will increase the chances that something will get damaged, which will increase your cost. Complications can be avoided with more advanced planning.

Bottom line is, be realistic when scheduling time for packing. It takes two days to pack up a one-bedroom apartment; a two-bedroom home will take three days, and a three-bedroom home takes about five days. You’ll want to tack on another day if you have a lot of delicate or fragile items that you have to carefully wrap or store, or if you have a lot of distractions, such as work obligations, kids or pets.

You Have Too Much Time

Other side of the coin is when you start the process too early. Giving yourself too much time will prolong the process unnecessarily. Plus, it’s likely that you will pack something critical that you will end up needing sooner rather than later. And no one wants to live around moving boxes for much longer than they have to.

You Forget to De-Clutter

Many people pack without de-cluttering first, which means they end up paying to move all their personal belongings, regardless if they still need them or not. Your bill will be less with the fewer items you have to transport. It just makes sense to get rid of junk before you move. Now is the time to minimize your items, donating, recycling, and tossing what you no longer want.