Moving by Yourself? Here Are Common Mistakes to Avoid

Relocation is a complex endeavor. Before settling down to your new home, you have to go through the entire process of home buying: finding a suitable property, consulting the best mortgage agency, and selling your old home to the right buyer. In other words, the journey towards relocation takes a lot of time, money, and effort before you start moving out of your house.

Moving to a new home involves a lot of stress, especially if you’re the type who refuses to let go of random stuff in the house. So if you have a hefty amount of possessions, chances are, moving won’t only be challenging and messy but also expensive.

Many homeowners opt to hire a professional moving company to relieve them of the burden of moving items. While it cost a considerable budget, a team of professional movers can make the moving process safer, smoother, and stress-free.

On the other hand, some people still choose to handle the moving preparations themselves, especially if they aren’t moving somewhere too far or the move isn’t too complex. Doing the relocation yourself can save a lot of money, but it also involves a lot of challenges in the process. To help you in your DIY moving, here are some potential mistakes you should be aware of!

Assuming that DIY moving is cheaper than hiring a pro mover

Many homeowners assume that doing the relocation yourself saves a lot of money than hiring a professional mover. The truth is, there’s a reason why professional moving companies exist, and the list could go on about the benefits they offer. They have the expertise and skills in packing and unpacking belongings to ensure the relocation is stress-free, safe, and quicker.

There are certain circumstances when self-moving is cheaper than hiring a pro: the move is within 100 miles, friends are available to help, or there aren’t items to relocate. Unless you fall into any of these conditions, then a DIY move is a practical option.

If you’re confident enough to do the moving on your own, you need to be aware of the hidden costs involved in relocation. DIY moving involves a handful of hidden DIY costs, including the following: packing supplies, moving equipment, moving insurance, fuel, toll fee, lodging, cleaning charges, and fuel surcharge.

Underestimating the moving time

Time can turn into your enemy once you decide to relocate without professional help.

The lack of organization and moving experience are two common reasons why relocation is hard to do. Homeowners tend to pack and move their stuff almost randomly without a concrete plan. As a result, they end up taking a few days before they can fully relocate. Interestingly enough, most failed DIY moving attempts result from underestimating the period required to execute a move.

Remember, overconfidence will certainly ruin your chances of successful house relocation. If you plan on doing a DIY move, a moving calendar or a moving timeline will come in handy to help you distribute and prioritize the moving tasks in an organized way.

Renting a moving vehicle of the wrong size

While this sounds very obvious, many movers make the mistake of renting a moving vehicle that is too large or too small for their moving requirements.

Renting a moving truck with small storage space can force a mover to make multiple trips before they finish the relocation. Meanwhile, choosing a large truck can be very expensive by paying for the additional storage that you don’t really need. You even risk harming your items during the travel, especially if they’re not secure inside the vehicle.

While both scenarios may cause an unnecessary burden on your DIY relocation budget, it’s more practical to hire a moving truck with a large storage space than to hire a small vehicle and make multiple trips.

Every moving truck has certain storage capacities, so if you’re doing the move yourself, you need to know how much space you will need. For example, pickup trucks are ideal for partial Frelocations or small loads. Cargo vans are perfect when moving out of a studio or a college move. You may opt for 14- to 17-foot trucks if you’re moving out of a two-bedroom house or for office relocations. Those doing a cross-country relocation from significant residences will need a 20- to 26-foot truck.

Before deciding to do a DIY relocation, think about if doing it without professional help would be a more practical decision. Sometimes, there’s no harm in asking for help, especially from the experts. They won’t only make the moving process easy but also ensure a safe and stress-free relocation.