There are so many things to think about when moving to a new home that it’s relatively easy to forget to do something important. With a myriad of move-related tasks waiting for you and you alone, the only true way to make sure you’ve completed all the important jobs before moving out is to follow a detailed moving checklist.
And yet, sometimes even a good moving timeline may not be enough simply because there are a number of important things you don’t think about when moving. Such moving tasks often get overlooked by people on the move due to the fact that those jobs are definitely NOT on all to-do lists when moving house.
And even though there are things you don’t normally think about when moving to a new house, you don’t want to fail to do something essential simply because nobody or nothing has reminded you to do it. After all, what people forget to do when moving is their business – YOU don’t want to forget to do something critical to the successful end of the entire relocation story.
Here are the top 5 things you don’t think about when moving… until now.
1. Buying extra insurance for your valuables
You don’t normally think about insurance when you’re moving from one house to another, do you?
When you hire professional movers to protect and transport your household belongings, you trust that they will do a good job keeping your things safe throughout the move. In other words, you’ll rarely worry about purchasing extra insurance for your possessions simply because you assume that the moving company is properly licensed and insured.
Regrettably, you’re going to need more than a mere assumption to keep your stuff protected at all times.
When you sign a contract with a professional moving company, you will get basic limited liability. Also known as moving valuation, such coverage is the epitome of basic and you should treat it as non-existent simply because it will only cover 60 cents per pound per item. A few quick calculations should help you realize that it’s a good idea to get real insurance coverage for your valuable items.
When you have your movers come to your home for an in-house inspection, discuss with them your insurance options and inquire about getting full value protection for your valuables. Having real moving insurance will help you in case of an issue during the move – the moving company you work with will have to repair an item that’s been damaged while in their possession or replace a missing item altogether.
See also: Should you get moving insurance?
2. Trying to negotiate a better deal with your mover
Chances are that one of the things you don’t think about when moving is the possibility to strike a better with a moving company through successful negotiations.
People assume that the price quotes they receive from moving companies are final and non-negotiable. Now, while that may be true for some movers, the majority of movers are likely to give you a better deal as long as you know how to ask for it. Under the right house-moving circumstances, you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain from trying to negotiate with your movers.
Seriously, what’s the worst that could happen?
- Contact a moving company you wish to work with and tell them that you want to use their services but you’ve been offered a better price than one of their competitors. Then, see if they will be willing to price-match the competitor’s quote or even go lower in order to secure your job.
- Ask your movers if you can do anything at all to help lower the final moving price. Top-rated movers should care enough to give you good advice. For example, if you have a flexible move-out date, then choosing a specific one might bring you an additional discount.
- Don’t get discouraged if the negotiations with your movers fail – just try again in a day or two when you may be able to speak with another moving company representative.
Read also: How to negotiate with movers
3. Notifying people and institutions that you’re moving
Changing your address with the USPS (United States Postal Service) is one of the major tasks when moving from one home to another, so you’re not likely to forget to do it.
In order to avoid losing any important pieces of mail, you’re recommended to complete the change of address procedure shortly before moving out. Nevertheless, changing your postal address right after moving into the new home is OK too.
However, one of the things you don’t think about when moving, at least not necessarily, is the list of people and organizations you are expected to notify when you do have a new postal address.
So, who to notify when you’re changing your address?
- Friends and family. Of course, most of them will already know that you’re moving, especially the ones who will be helping you move or have already done so.
- Utility companies. You have to update your postal address with your current utility providers.
- Government institutions. Make sure government institutions such as the IRS, the DMV, and the Social Security Administration all have your new address.
- Financial institutions such as banks and credit card companies.
- Insurance companies.
- Various service providers such as doctors, schools, lawyers, delivery services, and so on.
Useful info: How to change your address when moving
4. Ensuring safety on moving day
Amidst the whirlwind of move-related activities on the day of the move, one of the things you don’t always think about when moving – even though you really should – is moving day safety.
Moving day is the most dangerous period of the entire house move – it’s the time when large and heavy items – boxes, furniture pieces, and household appliances – are taken out of the home and loaded onto a moving vehicle. On the notoriously stressful moving day, a single wrong step could lead to costly property damage, or even worse – it may result in serious personal injuries.
Never turn your back on safety on the day of your move. Take the following major safety measures to ensure nobody gets hurt throughout the day and nothing is damaged or broken in the process of moving out of your current place:
- Keep young children and pets away from the packing and moving action. Ask friends or relatives to look after your loved ones in a room far from any danger so that you can focus on the tasks at hand.
- Wear closed shoes with anti-slip rubber soles for maximum traction.
- Ask reliable friends to help you move big and heavy items such as furniture or appliances. Some cardboard boxes can be rather heavy as well, especially the ones filled with books.
- Hire professional movers if you can’t gather enough helpers among your friends. Moving house should never be a one-man affair.
Think about safety in a serious way to avoid any serious issues on Moving day.
Good to know: 7 moving safety tips everyone must know
5. Getting scammed by dishonest movers
Without a doubt, one of the things you don’t think about when moving to another home is the possibility of you getting scammed by a dishonest moving company.
Rogue movers do exist, especially at the height of the moving season when professional moving services are in great demand. The good news is that as long as you’re careful enough and know how to recognize the red flags of moving fraud, you should be perfectly safe from scammers.
You don’t really think about moving scams… until you’re unlucky enough to become a victim of moving fraud. Here are a few warning signs that you might be dealing with a dishonest moving company:
- The moving company has no website or does have one but it’s very poorly and hastily done, often full of grammar mistakes and punctuation errors;
- The moving company has no social media accounts of any type;
- The moving company has an overwhelming number of negative reviews left by former customers;
- The moving company answers the phone in a generic way (Movers, Moving company) instead of using its proper company name;
- The moving company refuses to visit your home for an on-site inspection – instead, they give you a low-ball estimate over the phone or via e-mail without even looking at the things you have for moving;
- The moving company demands a lot of money as a deposit upfront;
- The movers ask you to sign blank or incomplete documents;
- The company does not have a valid DOT number or an MC license.
Must-read: What are the red flags of moving fraud?
To eliminate any chance of being scammed by shady movers, use our Moving Cost Calculator to get in touch with trustworthy moving companies that have been properly licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation and have valid DOT numbers as proof of their legitimacy.
