A move gives you the prospect of a brand new adventure while at the same time saying goodbye to the neighborhood where you made so many memories. Yet we notice that many people look up to moving. It is quite a job that involves a lot of arranging and carrying.
Do you want to manage your move completely yourself? No problem, we help you on your way by listing the most common pitfalls. By preparing well and avoiding the mistakes below, a move will bring less stress.
#1 Bad packing of stuff
The biggest mistake ‘do-it-yourself movers’ make is packing. Nothing moves more pleasantly than sturdy, well-packaged cardboard boxes. You can easily lift these and stack them properly in the moving van. Make sure you provide enough sturdy cardboard boxes in which you can logically fit most things. Loose items are damaged or lost quite quickly. You can prevent such situations by packing your belongings into cardboard boxes and labeling the boxes. Buy necessary protective packaging material for proper packing.
#2 Waiting too long to transfer contracts
The second biggest mistake in relocations is in the red tape. In addition to lugging things around, you also have to ensure that your contracts are transferred in a timely manner. In many cases, the new home already has gas, water, and electricity. Not much can go wrong there. But have you also thought about transferring your telecom (telephony, internet, and TV) contracts in time? It is best to start your application about two months in advance so that your telecom is fully in order upon arrival. Do not hesitate to cancel your current contract until after the move. That way you won’t be without internet, television, and telephony.
#3 Starting packing too late
The third most common mistake may not surprise you. Many people often suffer from procrastination and eventually mispackage due to the large number of things that have to be packed. Secretly, this takes more time than you might think. Ideally, it would be best if you started preparing a month and a half in advance. Then, decide which items to move with you and get rid of the items you no longer need.
As soon as this is in order, you can start packing the things you no longer need – until after the move. Collect these in cardboard boxes that you label with the name of the room where they should be.
#4 Do not submit an application for a moving van location
The day of the move has arrived. The moving van arrives, and then you see that the parking space in front of the door is occupied. No room in front of the door for the removal van and any removal lift. An annoying situation that we, unfortunately, encounter regularly. We advise our customers to contact the municipality well in advance. There they can submit an application to keep one (or more) parking spaces free for the removal van and lift. There is a parking ban for other vehicles that day in the relevant places.
#5 Loading the moving van incorrectly
Loading a truck efficiently is a profession in its own right. Unfortunately, people with no experience with touching moving vans often underestimate this importance. The result? A poorly loaded truck that can only carry a certain amount of all your stuff.
#6 Forgetting to drain the washing machine
Does the washing machine have to be moved to the new home? Give your washing machine some extra attention during the preparations. Make sure that all water has been pumped out before disconnecting the washing machine from the water pipes and drain. Many of you do not know that after pumping, a little residual water remains in the machine. That is why it is best to disconnect your machine three days in advance and let it drain. This way, your washing machine will not start leaking in the moving van, which means you can prevent water damage to other items.
#7 Engaging too little help
A typical characteristic of many people: is wanting to do everything alone. Our advice: put your pride aside and ask friends or family for help. Moving is a tough job, and many helping hands make light work!
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