When Chicago residents decide to move to a new neighborhood, they have multiple decisions to make. Among these are choosing single or multi-family housing, hiring local moving services or doing a DIY move—in other words, taking the route of methodical planning or a freeform adventure. When you do it yourself, you may expect a smooth road and no mistakes, yet they still happen. Let’s look at the big four mistakes we often see people make, and a few ways to manage them.
Preparing for Moving Day in Chicago Takes Planning
We’ve all been there. You created a thorough checklist for the packing process, used a checklist tool like the one we offer, or made several if you’re managing an office move with employees. The time before a move can be long because you are looking at new places, finding the right one, and then organizing your move with or without the help of professional moving companies in Chicago. But here’s the thing. No matter how much you plan, even the best-prepared packers can fall behind. Below we’ve listed four of the most common moving day mistakes and laid out some strategies that will help you navigate these tricky and all-too-common incidents.
4 Common Moving Day Mistakes
When Moving Day arrives, it’s important to remember that the following mistakes and mishaps can happen to anyone, even to those who plan perfectly. It’s OK (and a moving “best practice”) to plan for hiccups, then do your best to remain calm and focused on the specific task at hand. If you do so, even if you’re facing a last-minute move, it can be stress-free. The tips below will help you stay grounded and make a safe transition to your new home.
1. Falling Behind Schedule
As we mentioned, no matter how much planning you do in advance of getting your packing and moving underway, unexpected issues can arise that slow you down. Or you can simply underestimate the amount of time it takes to pack things the right way. That said, you shouldn’t leave any boxes to pack on the day of, even if you think to yourself it will just take a few minutes. It never does. To avoid falling behind schedule, create a timeline along with your checklist and follow it closely. Once your move is good to go, get your packing materials as soon as possible and if you do happen to fall behind, then that’s when you should hire professional packers. But don’t wait too long. The best movers book up quickly.
2. Waiting Until the Last Minute
As we mentioned, many people assume packing will take less time than it does. It can be tempting for many people to leave tasks they believe will go quickly until the morning of the move. Just in case we haven’t been clear, moving day is naturally unpredictable as literally anything can happen. You’re moving your entire apartment or home; basically, you’re moving your life and lives have a habit of getting complicated. Whether you are moving in your twenties or are twice that age, this is a classic mistake that even those who have moved several times can make, because it has worked for them in the past. Believe us when we say that they got extremely lucky. Many times when we encounter an individual who has waited until the morning to get the rest of their things packed, he or she ends up paying extra for the overtime accrued with the movers or truck they’ve rented. We’re just looking out for you!
3. Not Being Safe
When things start going off-course during a move and you fall behind, it can be tempting to ignore the best safety practices and simply start rushing to make your deadline. The problem with this is that you will almost certainly drop something or even worse, trip, fall, and seriously hurt yourself. The emergency room is the last place you want to be on moving day so follow our tips for moving safely and take your time. Additionally, if this is your first time moving in Chicago, factor in at least an extra hour of buffer time to account for traffic, difficulty with parking or any other incidents that may happen.
4. Forgetting Your Essentials Box
Last but not least, let’s not forget the essentials box, a vital collection that contains everything you’ll need to have immediate access to for your first twenty-four hours in your new home. If you’re unsure how to pack one or what to put in it, read our how-to pack an essentials box guide. After all, every move should include an essentials box, otherwise, you’ll find yourself making a mess trying to find what you need just to get through the first night. And keep in mind, while there are certain standards that go in all essentials boxes, like toiletries and a change of clothes, there are others that might just be particular to you, like your fancy coffee beans and French roast without which you simply can’t start the day.
Local Moving Companies Help You Minimize Moving Day Mistakes
Tips like these are just one of the ways local movers help you start your move the right way. In addition to helpful information like this, we offer Move Day and preparation checklists, help finding resources like storage solutions, plus we can even assist in your move with packing and unpacking services or a full-service move. There are many ways to minimize mistakes, or get help with your move when you need it.
Hire Chicago’s Most-Trusted Movers for a Stress-Free Move
New City Moving has been making moves for individuals, families and companies in Chicago since 2009. We know the city and how to expertly, efficiently and economically handle your move. Call us today at 872-314-2148 or schedule your free quote online now.