Wouldn’t it be nice? if we lived in a perfect world, where everything you’ve planned ahead goes exactly as you’ve planned?
Well, life is like a box of chocolates, and you really never know what you’re going to get, including all the curve balls that life will throw at you on your big moving day. I’m not here to discourage you from moving but rather I want you to be well prepared for any unexpected complications.
Expect the unexpected …
1. Weather on the moving day
Weather is a major culprit when it comes to complications. Luckily for Melbourne residents, it doesn’t snow, but it does rain a lot here in Melbourne, depending on the season. Often the moving day is picked the way in advance, meaning that it’s difficult to check the forecast, and even if you could, forecast that is 2-3 weeks ahead isn’t going to be as reliable.
What can be done?
As your moving day approaches, keep an eye on the weather. If it looks really bad, and you’re able to reschedule the move, seek this option. If this isn’t an option for you, then prepare to move in bad weather. Try to get the truck as close as you can to the house, if possible move all your belongings to your garage to avoid them getting wet.
2. Injuries as frequent moving complications
No one likes getting injured. No one expects to get injured either. However, injuries happen all the time, prior to or during the move and represent one of the most frequent and most significant moving complications. Unfortunately, if you’re injured you’re out of commission, and often you are in need of care as well from a family member/friend. So the move can easily lose two helping hands from one injury.
What can be done?
Avoid extreme sports leading up to your big move. Do not overestimate your strength and fitness level to avoid injuries during the move. If you’ve hired moving professionals, leave the heavy lifting to the professionals. Remember, injuries sustained during the move can also impair your ability to perform daily tasks or even force you to miss out on work.
3. Bad moving company
Everywhere you go there are bad apples. Moving industry is no exception. Without thorough research, you can come across a moving company who displays very little care towards your belongings. Some companies show up late without prior notice, and others bail out on a job on the very day (you’d be thanking them if they give you a heads up). What about the hidden fees? Some companies charge you an hourly rate for their travel to and from your house or have some sort of a hidden booking fee even. This is a serious complication to your moving day.
What can be done?
You can do thorough research on your moving company to avoid a predicament of having a horrible moving company that does not care. Be warned though, there are plenty of fake reviews to misguide you. As horrible as a nightmare things can be with a bad moving company, this is an area you can avoid with some research.
4. Furniture not fitting into a new place
This is a rather common problem. You may have measured your fridge, and confirmed that it may fit in your new kitchen. However, surprise surprise, it may not fit through the corridor, or it may not fit through stairways in townhouses even.
What can be done?
First thing you should try is, trying an alternate point of entry. Your fridge may not fit through the front door, but it may fit through the garage door. Your washing machine may not fit through the back door, but it may fit through the front door.
If there is any furniture that does not fit through to be placed in the desired location, place them somewhere out of the way such as a garage or a corner of the living room. Complete your current move and you can trade-in for a smaller fridge or furniture.
5. Loss of valuables and important documents
As much as undesirable it may be, one of the worst-case scenarios is losing valuables and important documents during the move. Imagine misplacing your ID, passport, contracts, cash, collectables, jewellery and wedding rings, etc. It spells out a nightmare just by thinking about it does it not?
What can be done?
Valuables and important documents should always stay on you. It is better to transport them via your car or in person to avoid this one of the many common moving complications. Refer to moving safety tips for more information.
6. Shortage of packing materials
The last one of our top 6 moving complications deals with a shortage of packaging materials. It is a real possibility for you to run out of packing materials in the midst of a move. If you run out of duct tape or a marker, a quick drive to the 24 hours service station can fix the problems. However, if you’re lacking boxes and containers for your belongings to be stored, then you may have a slightly bigger problem.
What can be done?
Attempt to prepare a little bit extra in terms of packaging materials. There are ways to easily source the boxes for free, and extra duct tape or two shouldn’t be too destructive on your budget, and they will always come in handy.
In the worst-case scenario, you will have to drop off a load, empty out those boxes and reuse them. This can be a time consuming and costly for you, therefore if you feel that you weren’t able to prepare enough materials, or you feel that you won’t be able to source enough materials, they can be purchased through your movers, so be sure to tell them in advance.
We hope that our list of 6 most frequent and serious moving complications and tips on how to avoid them will help relieve stress on your moving day. Like any other issues, it’s better to be prepared and expect potential moving complications before they occur rather than be surprised! We wish you good luck with your moving. If you think you might benefit from hiring an honest and top-rated moving company, be sure to give us a call on 0431 747 411 or fill out the enquiry form. We’ll be happy to help!