The stress of moving is comparable to the stress of changing your sleeping habits, according to the Holmes-Rahe Stress Scale. That’s because it’s not one big issue, it’s a bunch of small issues hitting you all at once. Many of them don’t have to happen, but problems during a move tend to be consistent.
Trying to keep the whole move in your head
This is the one that causes most of the other six. People assume they’ll remember which tradesperson is coming when, which box has the phone chargers, and when the lease handover actually happens. Then moving week arrives and it all collides at once. A single written checklist fixes this more reliably than any amount of good intentions. Ensuring you are staying organised during your move usually comes down to having one document you trust more than your memory – a running list you update instead of one you’re rebuilding from scratch every few days.
Packing everything instead of sorting first
Many individuals tend to pack all their belongings when preparing to move, and later on, within a week, they unpack a significant portion of them to donate or throw away. As a result, boxes and tape are wasted, and in many instances, money is wasted too, especially if you’re charged based on weight or hours. Therefore, before you close a box, go through each room. Sell, donate, or throw away anything you haven’t used in a year, anything duplicated, or anything that you’ve kept as a backup. You will have less to pack, less to move, and less to unpack in your new, tidy place.
Booking movers at the last minute
Quality moving companies have their schedules full well in advance. This is particularly true for weekends, and the end of the month, which is when most people’s rental agreements end. If you leave booking too late, you end up with whoever’s still available, and you’ll likely pay over the odds for it. The firm that appears to be the cheapest is usually just that – they’re likely to add on charges for stairs, mileage, or extra hours. So get written quotes from at least three companies, confirm exactly what’s included. Then once you have a moving date, lock it in as far in advance as you can.
Forgetting utilities and mail
This tip is a sneaky one, as you won’t feel the pinch until you’re in the thick of it. When you arrive at your new place, the power is off and the internet’s not working. You assume that everything has been disconnected at your old home, but no, that electricity bill has been merrily accumulating for the last four weeks. Redirection of mail can take time. As can updating your banking, subscriptions, and government records. We recommend setting up connections and disconnections for electricity, gas, water, and the net at least two weeks in advance. A single missed bill sent to your old address can be a bigger headache than that freezing first night on the floor.
Packing without a system
Instead of randomly filling a box with whatever you see first and regretting it later, pack your stuff by category or by room. Label all boxes as per the room where it belongs or the type of items inside, and prepare a list to track the number of boxes. Also, if you color code your boxes, the people helping you at the time of moving will quickly know where to take each box based on the colors.
When it comes to fragile items, wrap them individually and group them together with care. Label the boxes accordingly and ensure that they are kept separately and on top of the heavier boxes. This will make it clear to anyone handling the boxes and prevent any careless handling.
Skipping the first-night box
It’s really convenient if you’re moving house to pack one overnight bag or box as if you’re actually going to stay away for a night. Then you have everything for the first night immediately accessible and don’t have to go hunting through umpteen boxes to find your PJs and toothbrush.
Not documenting the old property before you leave
Before you hand over the keys to your old rental, give it one last walk through with your camera. Photograph any marks, damage, or wear that were there before you moved in. It’s especially important if you didn’t do this at the beginning of your lease. Without proof, some agents will try to charge you cleaning or repair costs from your bond for things that were never your fault. It shouldn’t take longer than fifteen minutes.
None of these mistakes are complicated on their own. They just pile up when nobody’s tracking them, and moving day has zero patience for things falling through the cracks.
