4 Common Mistakes To Avoid On A Long-Distance Move

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If you and your family are planning to move to the other side of the country or just a few states over, you will need to do a little more preparation than if you were moving 10 miles away. It is important that you take everything into consideration, from the size and floor plan of the new living room, to what really needs to be brought with you. Here are some common mistakes to avoid before your long-distance move begins.

Not Downsizing Enough

When you are moving long-distance, it might not be necessary to bring absolutely everything with you. This not only requires a larger moving truck, but more time spent packing and unpacking, more furniture to disassemble, and more setting up in the new home. Go around your home before moving and really think about what you need to keep and what can be purchased when you get to your new home. If you have a general idea of the size of the rooms, bring some main furniture pieces, but sell or donate the rest. Try to only bring necessary items and items that are valuable or you have an emotional attachment to.

Failing to Consider the Layout of the New Home

Many people will look at the square footage of the new home and its different rooms, but don't think about the floor plan and layout. This is a big mistake when you have a lot of furniture and items to pack into a single room. For example, a large U-shaped sectional might have worked great in your current living room, but even if the new living room is about the same size, that doesn't mean the layout calls for the same sectional. You might find that based on where the television needs to be placed and where the sliding glass doors are, you need to have a smaller sofa and loveseat or some easy chairs. You now have to get rid of your sectional and buy new furniture because you weren't prepared.

Protecting Items Incorrectly

If you were just moving 30 minutes from your current home, the way you protect your items doesn't make as big of a difference. The furniture and appliances won't be sitting in the truck very long, so it isn't something you really think much about. However, long-distance moves take hours, but most often days. This makes a big difference in how much your items are at risk if you are using the wrong packing materials. For example, you may use some extra clothing items to cover appliances since you ran out of foam padding, and find that a few days later when retrieving those appliances, the dye from the clothing has transferred to them due to the humidity or heat in the back of the moving truck. This could have been avoided had you protected those appliances with the right materials.

Failing to Hire Professionals

Long-distance moves require a little more help than what you might have for a local move. Professionals from companies like http://www.wheatonworldwide.com not only move all your boxes and furniture to the new location, but they can help pack and unpack boxes, along with disassembling and reassembling furniture. When you are planning on such a big move, this can be a huge relief. It also helps give you more freedom in stopping at a hotel overnight during the drive without worrying about the safety of items in the back of the truck, or trying to figure out who is going to drive the big moving truck if you were doing a self-move.

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8 February 2016