Perhaps you’ve been living with your parents your whole life to save up for a down payment on a home. You finally have that first home you’ve been saving up for, but you’ve never moved before. You have no clue how hard it is to move your entire life from one space to another…but you’re about to find out. Here’s what you should avoid doing to ensure you can enjoy this new experience without pulling your hair out.
Moving without help. You might have been able to do this for a small move from your parents’ home into your dorm room or small apartment, but moving an entire life into a new home is going to be a nightmare without the adequate hands to keep things moving. You might not want to bug friends and family, but you will be eternally grateful for their help when your move is done in hours instead of taking all day.
Hiring the cheapest moving company available. If your friends and family are unwilling or unable to help, you should probably hire movers. Because buying a home is already so expensive, many buyers want to avoid hiring movers, but experienced owners know it’s worth the extra cost. That said, hiring the cheapest mover you find on Craigslist is not advisable. It might save you money in the short term, but the horror stories of broken valuables and stolen items from bad movers are plenty. Don’t skimp out—hire a reputable company with many great reviews you can verify.
Waiting too long to pack. We’re all busy and packing is no one’s favourite task. But if you wait until the week before—or worse, days before—you’re not only going to be pulling your hair out, you’re going to be so stressed out you’ll be snapping at everyone and anyone about nothing. Don’t leave it to the last minute, especially if you hired movers. They will arrive on time, and if your stuff isn’t ready, you’ll be charged for that time anyway.
Hoarding. This goes hand-in-hand with waiting too long. When you don’t give yourself enough time to sort through what you do and don’t need, you’ll end up packing everything just to get it done, including a bunch of garbage you haven’t used in years. Take the time to pack in stages on the weekends leading up to the move, so you can sort through your junk and toss what you no longer use. This way, you’re not paying extra to move boxes full of items you’re going to toss when you start unpacking in your new home.
