10 Common Moving Mistakes to Avoid
Local moving in South Florida can feel overwhelming. While there is a lot to tackle—from choosing a professional Florida mover, packing your home, and more, it may seem endless. And it’s easy to make these 10 common mistakes if you’re not organized. Whether you’re local moving in Fort Lauderdale or relocating to Tampa, Moving Squad has the 10 most common mistakes that frustrate local movers (and they are all preventable!).
Avoiding Getting Started
This is trap door number one! Procrastinating at the start of your local South Florida move is probably the most common mistake local movers make. However, with some basic organization, you move doesn’t have to be painful. Begin by creating a moving checklist. This can help you understand and divide the tasks in your family to prevent falling all on one person’s shoulders.
Overspending on Packing Materials
It’s all too easy to start spending $20 here or $60 there. It all adds up and before you know it, you’ve spent $500 on boxes and supplies. First, get at least three South Florida moving quotes and you’ll likely find that pros like Moving Squad include the packing supplies when our packers do the job. Or consider Express Packs for small homes and condos. However, if you are do-it-yourself packing, call the Squad for discounted supplies. We’ll make sure you don’t over-order.
Do-it-Yourself Moving May NOT Save You Money
Find a few South Florida movers to consider, then compare their moving estimates. There’s a solid good chance you’ll get a competitive moving company cost. Then, ask questions to understand what is included. We see it all the time as do-it-yourself means all moving costs are a-la-carte and add up quickly.
Not Reserving a Mover in Advance
This moving pitfall has got a cost to it! While corporate relocation moves happen quickly, most residential movers decide to move between 3-6 months prior to target date. We recommend securing your chosen mover at least 90 days ahead of time. Moving season begins in May and winds down in September. Don’t wait and get started as soon as you can. Also bear in mind moving is more expensive on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and can substantially impact your moving budget.
Not Accounting for Items in Storage
Out of sight, out of mind is the phrase that pays here. It’s easy to forget those bulky items that have been tucked away in a storage unit for years. Make sure your local, South Florida moving quote is accurate by accounting for all home items to be moved to your next destination.
Not Safeguarding Valuables
A lot of moving companies don’t want to be responsible for the expensive home items like jewelry or artwork you own. This is highly preferred and help avoid claims for items that may not be on inventory sheet because they were tucked in a bedroom dresser.
Improper DIY Packing
Everyone knows the expression “you break it, you bought it.” However, when you pack your home items yourself and just cram stuff into boxes, bad things happen. Unfortunately, when South Florida local movers pack themselves, they are responsible for any damage due to improper packing. Your home items are important to you so take the time to weigh costs of professional packing estimates. If your resigned to go it alone, call us ahead of time and we’ll teach you the basics.
Not Decluttering First
One of the biggest benefits of moving is the opportunity to get to dispose or donate those items no longer being used. After all, you don’t want to pay for the items to be moved, then discarded afterwards. Go through every room in your home and figure out what is going to move and organize the remainder for removal. This will lighten your packing load and lower your move cost. You’re welcome!
Unlabeled Boxes
Almost nothing will be more frustrating during a move than arriving at your new home with no idea of what’s in each box’s contents. Simple idea, everyone packing has a set of colored magic markers to label their boxes! You can color code by room: kitchen, dining room, kid’s room, etc. Trust us, it’s worth a minute of your time when you seal each moving box.
Not Choosing a Professional Mover
We don’t recommend moving locally or long-distance by yourself. Even if you decide to DIY move, you’ll understand the costs better and learn ways to save money. When searching for South Florida moving company, make sure to do your research and due diligence to hire a reputable moving and storage company. Make sure they are licensed and have good moving company reviews and pay particular attention to BBB customer complaints when things didn’t go as planned. The truth is mistakes happen and that’s why Moving Squad is fully insured. We’ll always do our best to protect your belongings, but if something happens, we’ll make it right! Don’t take your chances with some college kids and a truck just because the cost was attractive!
