5 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Moving, Pros Share

If you’re prepping to move houses or apartments, you’ll want to make sure that you’re covering all of your bases and steering clear of common pitfalls so that the process is as seamless as possible. What errors will you want to be sure to avoid? We spoke with moving experts to find out.

Below, they share five common mistakes that people often make while moving. Don’t worry, though, these issues are all avoidable if you take the time to do just a little bit of prep in advance of the big day.

Not Packing in Advance

Adequately preparing for a move means taking plenty of time in advance to pack all of your belongings so that you’re not scrambling at the last minute.

“Packing can take longer than anticipated, and leaving it until the last minute can lead to a rushed and disorganized moving process,” Zezo Elazazzy, a elite tasker at Taskrabbit, says.

Moving is stressful enough as it is, and spreading out your packing tasks well in advance will make the week of your move less chaotic. Plus, if you’re moving out of state, you may wish to use those last few days to visit favorite restaurants, say goodbye to friends, and the like—no one wants to be pulling all nighters taping boxes.

Not Packing Boxes According to Room

On a related note, be sure that when you’re packing up your home, you’re sorting items by room—all of your living room decor should stick together and not be mixed in with dining room accessories, for example.

“It’s easy to think of packing boxes full of like items, but this can potentially lead to confusion and clutter when unpacking,” Amanda Wiss, the founder of home organizing company Urban Clarity, says.

This tactic may also help to prevent boxes from becoming overly heavy—for example, you can place pillows in boxes alongside coffee table books and trinkets, Wiss notes.

Not Labeling Your Boxes

Take the extra few seconds to label each of your moving boxes as you pack up the house—it’ll be well worth the effort.

Wiss explains how not labeling boxes and being vague can cost you time in the long run, so taking the time to thoroughly label things whether you use masking tape and a marker or a label maker will help you find things when needed.

Taking this step will also be helpful for your movers, who will easily know where to place each box they bring inside the house, Wiss adds.

“Specific labeling helps you prioritize your unpack and avoid a mountain of ‘not-ready-for-that-yet’ items,'” Wiss says.

Not Decluttering Before You Move

Moving is expensive and time consuming as it is—so make sure you’re only bringing with you the items that you truly wish to hold onto and leaving behind anything that no longer suits you.

Elazazzy encourages people to take some time to declutter before packing those moving boxes to make the process more streamlined.

Not Getting the Right Mover’s Insurance

If your movers are transporting your belongings, note that you will want to ensure you’re getting the right type—and amount of—mover’s insurance, Wiss shares.

“Especially if you are moving items of great value, like art and family heirlooms, it can be a great idea to buy additional insurance to protect these items from loss, damage, and theft,” she says.

Wiss recommends purchasing additional insurance to cover your bases here.

“Minimally, most movers are insured per pound per item, which means a damaged piece of art that weighs two pounds may only return about 30 cents per pound if you make a claim for damage during transport,” she says. “That’s less than a dollar in return for what likely cost you more—a lot more.”