Common Moving Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Moving house is an exciting time, but it can come with a lot of stress. You’ll have a lot of different things to juggle which sometimes means things can go wrong. However, with some careful planning and preparation, you can avoid the most common moving mistakes and help to make your moving day hassle-free.

Trying to move everything yourself

Unless you’re moving across the street or you only have a few items to move, it’s almost always beneficial to hire professional home movers. Even if you enlist the help of friends and family, without the expert knowledge and specialist equipment that a removals company has, you’ll find you spend a lot of extra time and resources moving. You should also be careful of moving valuable and fragile items yourself, as you may not know the best way and have the best packing material to move them safely.

You should consider exactly what will be involved in your move, how much you have to transport and whether you have the time to dedicate to moving everything yourself. Often, hiring professional movers is well worth the cost and can save you a lot of hassle.

Not researching your removals company

If you do decide to hire a professional removal company, you shouldn’t just pick the first company you find. Whilst you will want to liaise with a removals company in good time before your move, you should make sure to research a few different ones. You should get a few quotes to make sure you can find a removals company within your budget, however, you shouldn’t just pick the cheapest. Make sure to read reviews and testimonials from real customers to see their experiences of the company.

You should also check whether the company has any relevant certifications. For example, all Britannia depots are members of the British Association of Removers (BAR) and have BS EN 12522 Quality assured accreditations, or they are in the process of obtaining them. You can find out more about our certifications here.

Leaving packing to the last minute

There will be many items around your home that you will need right up to moving day. But you can start packing the belongings that you don’t use regularly ahead of time. This can save you a lot of stress that could come with leaving all your packing until the last minute. Plus, when you leave enough time to pack, you can make sure you’re packing in an organised manner, which will make it a lot easier when it comes to unpacking in your new home.

Depending on how big your home is, you should give yourself at least a few days to pack up everything ready for your move. Think about how much you have to pack and the kinds of things you want to pack – remember, delicate and fragile items will need more time to package properly. If you don’t have time to dedicate to packing, you could always use a removals company that offers a professional packing service. This will ensure your items are packed quickly, efficiently, and safely.

Not decluttering before the move

The less you have to move, the easier your move will be. So, you should always take moving as an opportunity to declutter. This will mean you can avoid moving anything to your new home that you’d actually rather get rid of, saving you time, money, and space. Taking some extra time to sort your items whilst you pack can be a huge help.

When you’re preparing your belongings to move you should sort them into different categories. Think about what you want to move to your new home, what can go into the refuse or recycling, what can be sold or given to charity, and what you might want to keep in storage.

Not doing a pre-move survey

Some removal companies, including Britannia Movers International, offer a pre-move survey ahead of the move. This allows the movers to properly assess what will be required for a successful moving day, including how much needs to be transported and the kinds of items you have, including fragile and bulky pieces. They can also look at your property and evaluate any challenges to access for the team or their vehicles.

It’s best to always allocate the time needed for this pre-move survey, as it can help the moving day to go smoothly and allow the movers to prepare for any potential challenges. If you don’t want to wait for an in-person survey, Britannia has developed a video survey app for your ease and convenience.

Forgetting to pack the first-night essentials together

After a long day moving, the last thing you want to do is have to go through all your boxes to find the items you need. So, make sure to pack all the things you’ll need for your first night (and first morning) in your new home together into one box. This could include items like the kettle, mugs, and what you’ll need to make a hot drink. It should also include toiletries, towels, and a change of clothes so you can freshen up, as well as the tech you’ll need, such as phone chargers.

You should also keep your essential items that you don’t want to get lost in a bag and keep this on or near you throughout the move. This could hold things like your wallet, house keys and important documents that you might need on moving day.

Moving home?

Britannia Movers International has extensive experience in home moves. We offer a reliable, stress-free moving experience nationwide, with a tailored service created for your specific needs. Contact us to find out more information about how we can help with your move or get a Quick Quote for an idea of the cost.