How to Plan for the Worst to Ensure the Best Move Possible
Sometimes, things go wrong.
Moving is no exception, and mistakes and errors tend to happen when a plan falls short or fails to account for certain variables.
In fact, there’s a saying that sums this up well: whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Popularly referred to as Murphy’s Law, this saying is both a warning and a motto. In short, if you don’t plan for it, then you’re setting yourself up for problems.
Moving is one of the most stressful experiences people go through in their lives, sometimes lasting for months, continuing past moving day itself. Problems you encounter on moving day might keep you stressed and anxious far longer than necessary, after all.
Thankfully, a bit of careful planning and the application of Murphy’s Law can help you make your move as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Besides a comprehensive moving checklist, working with reliable movers in Ottawa can help you avoid many common moving problems and prevent them from becoming full-blown disasters.
Let’s take a look at what can go wrong during a move, and what you can do to ensure it doesn’t.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Bad Weather
Weather can be notoriously fickle when you’re relying on it.
While it’s not completely unpredictable, even the best forecasts can be blindsided by sudden storm fronts.
If a storm hits on moving day, you could experience delays, unsafe moving and driving conditions, and damaged belongings.
Furniture Doesn’t Fit
Even though your couch fit through the doors of your old home, it may not make it through the doors, hallways, stairwells, or elevator in your new home.
Finding this out on the day of your move can leave you with a tough decision to make. Do you leave your furniture out on the curb, or arrange to put it in storage?
Property Damage
Say goodbye to extra time and money if you wind up damaging your old or new home during the move. A dropped piece of furniture could put a dent in your floor or a hole in your wall.
You’ll either have to repair these damages, pay someone to make the repairs, or risk losing money from the sale of your house or your rental security deposit.
Damaged Belongings
Any damage to your belongings during a move can be a real let-down. But if it’s damage to valuables with high price tags or sentimental value, you’ll end up resentful after your move.
Bad Traffic
Bad traffic and accidents can put your whole moving day behind schedule. This is especially inconvenient when it’s late, you’re hungry and exhausted, and you still have to unpack essentials, like bedding.
Parking Problems
If there are no parking spots available for the moving truck near your old or new home, the move will take much longer than planned since you will have to carry everything further.
No Elevator
Whether you move to a walk-up building, or a high-rise complex, not having an elevator to use during a move can be a real headache. Walking up and down flights of stairs repeatedly while carrying heavy objects will take a toll on your body.
Injuries
One heavy object or bad footing can cause injuries. And the last thing you want is to end up in the hospital with a strained back or a sprained ankle on moving day.
Your New Home Isn’t Ready
Imagine arriving at your new home and you have no electricity. Or, worse yet, the home is still under renovations. Human errors and natural disasters can leave homes uninhabitable, forcing you to find somewhere else to spend the night or unpack in the dark.
Identity Theft
Sensitive mail winding up in the wrong hands is all it takes for identity theft. And trying to recovery from identity theft can take months or even years, depending on the damage.
Plan For the Worst to Ensure the Best
To avoid the encountering the worst-case moving scenarios, be prepared with the following:
Find Reliable, Professional Movers
You can avoid most of the worst-case scenarios mentioned above by hiring reliable movers in Ottawa. They will take care of all your belongings and make sure none of your property gets damaged.
The moving pros do all the heavy lifting for you, even up stairwells, so there’s no need to worry about straining or hurting yourself. What’s more, they even disassemble large furniture for ease of moving into your new home.
Hook Up Your Utilities at Your New Home
The moment you know your moving date, call your utility service providers to hook up utilities at your new home. This will save you from moving into a place with no electricity or running water.
Change Your Address & Re-Direct Your Mail
Make sure to change your address with your banks, credit cards, and government accounts. Use your postal carrier’s mail forwarding services for up to a year after you move to ensure all sensitive mail reaches you and no one else.
Check the Weather Forecast
Check the weather before and on moving day to take the necessary precautions. You can cover belongings with plastic sheeting if it’s supposed to rain or snow. Make sure to pack cool beverages and sunscreen if it’s going to be a hot day.
Protect Property
Blankets, runners, and padding can protect your old and new homes from property damage. Reliable movers have this material on hand to protect your spaces and belongings during the move.
Measure Large Furniture
For furniture that can’t be disassembled, such as a large couch, take measurements of the doorways of your new home to see if your furniture will fit. If not, arrange to move your furniture to storage, sell it, or donate it.
Plan for Parking
If possible, reserve parking spots near your moving locations well in advance. This will save you and your movers from lengthy walks and delays in moving.
Check Traffic
Check your moving routes ahead of time for traffic updates. Plan to use the route with the least amount of traffic, but also keep other routes in mind in case of the unexpected.
Keep a Clean, Safe Path for Movers
Make sure that no toys, boxes, or belongings obstruct the moving path for your movers. Preventing slips, trips, and falls on moving day is key to a safe and efficient move.
Reserve the Elevator
If you’re moving to or from a building with an elevator, reserve it for your moving day. This will make the move go smoothly compared to moving everything up and down the stairs.
To make your move as successful and stress-free as possible, plan well in advance, use a moving checklist, and hire reliable, professional movers.
Although anything can happen on moving day, you can get over these hiccups easily with some careful preparation and skilled help.
