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Moving day can be exciting—like getting a blank canvas for your life—but it can also be one of the most stressful experiences you take on. The only guarantee on moving day is that the unexpected will arise. To set yourself up for success on the big day, we’ve gathered common moving challenges and moving tips to squash them. 

The number one moving tip: Think about what might go wrong

The number one tip to ensure a smooth move is to think about what might go wrong. We spend so much time planning things so that they go right that we rarely stop to consider what might go off-kilter. If you’re thinking about a situation gone wrong for the first time when it happens, it can create panic. If you’ve thought about what can go wrong already, you’ll be better able to handle it when it arises. 

This resilience technique is used in sports psychology but is easily applicable to life’s challenges!

Planning and logistics

A stress-free move begins long before moving day arrives. Learn about the common planning and logistics errors that can pose challenges on moving days.

Failing to book house moving services in advance
As soon as you have a moving date, it’s time to look into booking moving services. This could be booking your full-service movers in Kelowna to handle packing, moving, and unpacking or even just reserving your moving truck. Essential moving tools can book up very quickly, particularly in the high season, and the right tools and services can make or break a successful move. 

Starting to plan early has more benefits than just a smooth moving day. When you plan ahead, you can save costs in more ways than one. Read about how to save money on your next move on the blog. 

Falling for a moving scam
So you’ve booked your movers in advance and have thought of everything that could go wrong. You’re in the clear, right? Then suddenly, it all goes downhill: the movers don’t arrive or, even worse, they pack up your belongings, and you never see them again. Moving scams are an unfortunate reality. The good news is you can avoid falling for a scam with a little extra diligence. 

Avoid working with random people you find off social media and before signing off on a company, look into whether the movers are properly licensed and insured. The Better Business Bureau and the Canadian Association of Movers are great places to start. 

For more tips on selecting a moving company, check out our blog. 

Making space for your moving truck
Whether you’ve rented a truck or mobile storage container or the movers are coming with their own transportation, it’s imperative that you remember to make space for this equipment. Talk to your neighbours beforehand to avoid conflicts and demark a space for the moving vehicles. Leaving this until the vehicle arrives is a recipe for annoyed neighbours, annoyed movers, and moving day delays. 

Forgetting to pack a moving day bag
A bag of essentials is essential to a stress-free moving day. This bag should contain everything you need to get by for a day or two, such as an extra change of clothes, medications, a toothbrush, and other toiletries. 

Underestimating the time required
Just because you planned for packing, unpacking, and loading, it doesn’t mean you allotted enough time for each task. Underestimating the amount of time these tasks take is a very common moving mistake that can throw your whole move off—rushing leads to errors, which can look like broken and lost items or increased costs. Be realistic when budgeting time, and if you realise that the packing and unpacking are more than you can handle, look into full-service packers and movers like Bighorn Moving And Storage, who not only move your belongings to a new location but safely pack and unpack them for you. 

Your items

Avoid costly or heartbreaking mistakes that can happen to your belongings by taking note of these easily-avoided moving errors. 

Not purging your belongings
You don’t have to turn your house into an episode of Hoarders, but not cutting down on unnecessary belongings is a very common moving mistake that can add time, cost, and a whole lot of labour to your move. A new home is a clean slate. Take this time to get rid of the things you don’t need and avoid packing and moving items you don’t need to. Check out our blog for more tips on downsizing.  

Using poor packing materials
A box is a box, right? Wrong. You may think you’re saving money by reusing moving boxes from previous moves, grocery stores, or other purposes, but weak boxes can cause anguish on moving day. To be clear—reusing packing materials is perfectly fine as long as you’re confident in the integrity of the material or packing very light, unbreakable items. Don’t risk your grandmother’s heirloom lamp on a box that’s been through the ringer more times than you can count. 

Losing track of items
You throw them in the box, and you’re done, right? Well, if you start packing without any organization, you’ll be in for a chaotic moving and unpacking period. Clearly labelled boxes create a more efficient moving day because you or your movers will know where to place them in your new home. Furthermore, unpacking becomes a breeze when you can pinpoint exactly what is inside a package. 

Not properly caring for fragile items
Wrapping a bunch of towels around your china might seem bomb-proof, but fragile items should always be handled with the utmost care, and the right techniques can make all the difference. It’s also crucial that you clearly mark and flag any fragile items with your movers so they can handle them appropriately. If we don’t know that a fragile item is buried in your box of clothes, we won’t be able to handle it with the care it needs. 

Physical safety

Breaking a dish on moving day is one thing, but breaking a bone is far worse. Don’t neglect the physical safety of yourself and your movers. 

Not planning for child or pet care
There are many moving pieces (pun intended) on moving day, making it hazardous for pets, children, and movers if little ones are in the way. The best way to prevent accidents is to arrange child or pet care. For furry friends, at minimum, having a crate available to keep them out of the way is a necessity. 

In the hustle and bustle of planning your move, it’s easy to forget about the little ones. Make sure child and pet care has been ticked off your list—it’s a matter of safety for everyone involved. 

Thinking you can DIY everything
Pizza and beer for your friends seems like a great deal compared to a professional moving company or fancy dollies, straps, and other moving equipment, but the cost of strained muscles, heavy objects landing on toes, or worse is never worth it. Your pals can be extremely helpful when it comes to moving, but do everyone a favour and draw the line when it comes to bulky, heavy objects that can cause real harm. Professional movers have the right equipment and training to move all manner of objects—from L-shaped sofas to pool tables to heavy safes. Don’t risk the health and safety of your family to save a few dollars. 

Not securing the appropriate equipment
Even if you’re moving everything yourself, the proper equipment makes a huge difference. One moving truck rental versus multiple trips with your SUV, picking up a dolly from your local moving company, or moving pads and blankets will save you time and frustration come moving day. 

Believe it or not, moving day can be stress-free by getting ahead of any surprises that may come up. If you’re looking for packing and moving in the Okanagan, Bighorn Moving And Storage can help.  

When you’re ready to make your next move, look local for the best movers in Kelowna with the experience you need to get the job done right, stress-free. Get a moving quote from Bighorn Moving And Storage today!