7 Mistakes To Avoid With Your DIY Move
1. Having the wrong sized moving truck
If your things don’t all fit into 1 load, you will have to return for another trip. This adds more driving time, but also is very discouraging.
When you’ve finally emptied out the truck, the last thing you want to do is go back for another load (and I’m saying this as a professional mover).
If you have anyone helping you, it will definitely test their patience, and this would be a natural time for them to leave.
Lastly, if you have a deadline of when you need to be out of your old home, this extra time could turn into a major problem.
2. Assuming any boxes will work
Just grabbing a bunch of free liquor store boxes is NOT the best idea. Sure, you will save money on boxes, but the boxes they give you are really small, and will result in you taking MANY extra trips.
3. Not having the right equipment
Just having a truck and human bodies to move things will result in a lot more physical pain than is necessary. Find a way to borrow/rent at least 1 solid 2 wheel dolly and 1 – 4 wheel dolly. Now, you’ll be able to take 4-6 boxes per trip, instead of 1-3 in your arms, and it will be a much gentler experience on your back and arms.
4. Not following a packing timeline
Whether you are doing the move completely on your own or not, you will need to have things packed into boxes at some point.
A very common situation that occurs is to think that “a few loose items” can be put into a car and brought to the new home that way. That is true, but typically those “few” items can turn into a lot and they are unable to fit into a personal vehicle.
A good rule of thumb is – if it can fit into a box, it should be packed into a box. Getting started early will help you avoid the last minute scramble.
5. Packing boxes poorly
If the packing timeline gets tight, this happens a lot. In a rush to get things thrown into boxes, the level of care goes down and when that occurs, damaged items are very likely to happen. If you don’t really care about the state of your belongings, maybe this isn’t a big deal to you, but most people own things because they actually want to own them, and would rather them not be broken or damaged.
Common mistakes when packing boxes:
- Not filling the box all the way to the top. It may seem like you are being cautious by not filling it all the way, but all that means is there is dead space in the box and it will not be completely flat in the truck.
- Not protecting the items inside the boxes. The best materials to use when packing is packing paper. It is essentially like newspaper, but without any ink on it. With this you can wrap your dishes, bowls, and any delicate items and they will be insulated from other items. (show pic of packed box)
Pro tip – Crumple up a piece of packing paper and put it on the base of the box before inserting any items. This provides an additional layer of protection.
If you want more tips on how to pack boxes, check out this article.
6. Assuming everyone who said they’d help will actually show up
It’s easy to say yes when someone asks you to do something, but when the actual time comes the answer may change. Maybe the reason is legit or maybe they just don’t want to risk a back injury in exchange for a couple slices of pizza. Either way, you need help because moving everything on your own is just not possible.
Be mentally prepared to hire movers in case nobody shows up. If you have some time where you have access to you new and old homes at the same time, you schedule the “DIY” move early, and if it doesn’t work out, you still have time to hire movers.
7. Assuming driving a rental truck is just like driving a car
News flash – it’s not and even a small moving truck is MUCH larger than a regular truck or car.
Little boo boos can result in your “cheap” move becoming a lot more pricey than expected.
Next Steps
You’ve read this entire article, congrats!
Maybe you are starting to wonder if moving yourself is actually a good idea. I completely understand.
If you are on the fence and curious what the process would look like for a great moving company to serve you, feel free to reach out and connect with me.
Or, if you just want to buy moving boxes, we can help with that.
