If you’re moving from Michigan to Arizona or making any other type of long-distance move, you’d expect to plan and prepare extensively for it. However, it’s easy for people who are instead making a local move to have a false sense of security.

Yes, much of the process will be simpler and easier for a local move, but a lot of it will also be the same as if you were moving far away. In any case, avoiding these pitfalls will help you enjoy a smooth move to your new place.

Underestimating the Time Commitment

The time that it takes to complete a move tends to be more extensive than many realize heading into the process. It’s true that the travel itself will be much shorter for a local move, but you’ll still need to spend a similar amount of time cleaning, packing, unpacking, and so on. Depending on how many items you’ll be moving, you may want to start the process a few weeks prior to your moving day.

Failing to Declutter

Anyone who’s moving should ensure that decluttering is part of the process. Doing so will help get everything organized and allow you to throw out what you don’t need, resulting in a simpler and more cost-effective move.

Not Labeling Your Boxes

Many homeowners make the mistake of packing boxes but not labeling them, resulting in what can be a tremendous time commitment after you’re settled into your new place and trying to figure out where everything is. At a minimum, you should label every container with which room its belongings are for.

Neglecting to Measure Furniture and Doorways

If you’re moving furniture, it’s important to ensure that it can get out of your current home and fit through the door at your new house. Neglecting to measure furniture and doorways can lead to tremendous complications down the line, as you may then be stuck with furniture and nowhere to put it.

Failing to Reserve a Truck or Movers in Time

Don’t wait to reserve a truck whether you’re moving on your own or you hire movers to do the heavy lifting for you. Despite this move only being a local one, both of those options may not be available if you wait too long to arrange for them. This is especially a pitfall if you’ll be moving on the weekend or toward the end of the month, which are particularly busy times for movers.

Hire Trusted Local Movers

If you’d like assistance with your local move, reach out to Integrity Movers in Warren, MI. We’ve helped many people get settled into their new places after all types of moves.