When moving to a new location, there are many tasks to be done beforehand to make sure everything gets there in one piece, on time. Here are some of the mistakes that are often made when making a move. Read them over so you do not become a victim of a moving mishap yourself!

Mistake #1: Hiring a Mover Without Checking References

One thing you should make a point in doing when moving is check on the reliability of the moving company before handing over your cash. You do not want to hire someone without experience or you risk having dishes broken and electronics stolen. They might take extra time to do the job, as well. Check references of companies by doing online searches and asking others in the area about the service they have received. 

Mistake #2: Forgetting to Turn on Utilities

Before you make your move, have your power turned on! Imagine getting to your new home to spend your first night inside with flashlights. Camping may be fun, but not when you want to take in the sights and sounds of a home you just moved into. Call the local electric company at least a week in advance to give them ample time to flip the switch on for you.

Mistake #3: Skipping Moving Insurance

If you don't take the time to make sure the insurance your mover is using is enough for your needs, you may be stuck with a bunch of broken items and no way to get money from them. Ask the moving company upfront about their insurance policy. If you are less than thrilled with their policy, you can opt to find someone who promises more. Check on renter's and homeowner's policies, as well. There may be a rider you can put on your insurance to cover replacing lost items when moving.

Mistake #4: Last Minute Packing

If you know you are a procrastinator, you will want to remind yourself several times that you cannot afford to wait to pack. You must change your habit when it comes to moving, or you may be left with a mess when you try to pack your items last minute. Plan on packing items every single day from at least a month before your move so you won't get left scrambling, throwing things on the truck without proper packaging. 

Mistake #5: Being Poorly Organized

If you organize your items before placing them on the moving truck, things will be a whole lot easier to unpack when they get to your new location. Make sure to label boxes with large print and include the room the items will belong in. Pack a container that has essentials in a clear storage container so it will be easily found. Include things like a phone charger, flashlight, paper plates, plastic utensils, toiletries, and spare clothing. If you get tired from bringing things in the house, you can grab your clear container and get through the first night without opening another box until the next day.

Moving is a huge and fairly stressful undertaking, no matter how exciting it is. Even the smoothest of moves can have you scratching your head later as you look for a particular file or piece of equipment that you thought you had, but cannot seem to locate anywhere. One of the best ways to decrease the amount of stress you feel about a move––as well as reduce the likelihood of not being able to find your favorite stapler once you unpack––is to take inventory.

Before You Pack

Being organized for a move starts before you pack your first box. Make an inventory of everything you own that will be moved. While a video is ideal, even pictures are sufficient as long as they are accompanied by identifying information. Be sure to take close-up pictures or video shots of serial numbers and other details that will make such belongings more easily identifiable at a later date.

For safe keeping, as well as ease of access, be sure to store at least one extra copy of this information off-site. A cloud-based storage solution is both easy to access and secure, making it a great choice.

As You Pack

Make sure you adhere to a particular system as you pack. The last thing you want to do is simply nonchalantly pack everything from the coffee filters and pens to the toner cartridges and trash bags in the same box. Keeping all your office supplies, for example, in a labeled and numbered box that you then tally in a notebook––or on a form on your laptop or cloud-based storage system––will enable you to easily access the items when you need them. Color-coding will help you stay organized by letting you know instantly that all the boxes with red labels on them belong in the office, for example.

When You Unpack

Make sure that you are armed with your list of items that you packed in each box as the boxes are unloaded off the truck. This way, you can immediately determine if a box is missing. If you know that the boxes labeled with your chosen color––say, blue––are the most urgent on your list, you can unpack them first.

However trustworthy a moving company may be, there's no accounting for accidents. To protect their valuables from damage, owners often invest in moving insurance.

Types of Moving Insurance

By law, moving companies must offer at least two kinds of coverage for moves across state lines. Released value coverage is the most basic form of protection. It offers 60 cents of compensation for every pound of material damaged, regardless of what those materials are. Movers include this coverage in their moving charges, so there's no extra cost for it.

Because most materials are worth more than 60 cents a pound, many choose to supplement this coverage with full value coverage. For this, the owner estimates the full monetary value of all the items he or she wants moved, and then pays a flat fee to insure them, usually worth one percent of the items' value. If any of these items are damaged, the moving company must either restore them to their previous condition or replace them with new items of the same market value. Full value coverage doesn't apply to any items worth more than $100 per pound unless the owner explicitly lists those items on the shipping roster.

A third kind of insurance, which movers are not required to offer, is separate liability coverage. This policy covers the value of the items insured minus the 60 cents per pound that the mover must pay. There is also expanded valuation coverage, which allows owners to declare what their belongings are worth per pound, and lump sum coverage, in which movers compensate the owner for the value of each item rather than the weight.

Insurance Tips

When buying moving insurance, owners should first contact the companies that offer them homeowners or renters coverage. These companies often include moving insurance along with the homeowners or renters policy or offer moving insurance coverage at a discount.

Movers don't have to cover items that they didn't pack, so owners should avoid interfering with the packing process or transporting any items on their own.

If something is damaged in transit, the owner must prove that the movers transported it. For this reason, owners should record every item that the movers handled, regardless of value.