There are many moving mistakes you can make, and one of the biggest ones involves moving boxes! After all, moving boxes are the staple in any relocation process. Not much can be achieved without moving boxes, other than some broken things. With a wide range to choose from, there is a moving box for all your specialty items, and every day things. Now that we have established the undeniable importance of a moving box, let’s move on to the main point of this article, and that is moving box mistakes that will cost you money.
Moving box mistakes that will cost you money
- Not using moving boxes
One of the biggest moving box mistakes that is sure to cost you money is not using one to begin with. Using garbage bags instead of boxes will not only put the items inside at jeopardy, but will also make relocation more difficult. Moving boxes are designed to keep the items inside safe, and protected from the elements. Another advantage of using moving boxes is their convenient, uniform shape, ideal for stacking on top of one another.
- Using grocery boxes
Large moves require a lot of moving boxes, and that can sometimes get expensive. If you’re on a tight budget, scavenging for second hand boxes at your local grocery stores may seem like the cost effective thing to do. While you may get lucky with some sturdy boxes that can be used for items that are of non-fragile nature, for the most part, grocery boxes should be used for just that, your groceries. Most grocery style boxes come in the form of a crate, which means they do not close. They are hard to stack, and leave your possessions susceptible to damage. Often times, boxes found in supermarkets can also house pests that you certainly don’t want to be moving with you to your new place, old place, or anywhere for that matter. In any case, proceed with caution. An idea that may appear to be saving you money can end up costing you much more in the end.
- Making boxes too heavy
Making the boxes too heavy to handle safely, and efficiently poses a danger to the handler, and the items inside. Although professional grade moving boxes are designed to safely hold items within them, they too have their limit. Overstuffing the boxes can make them too heavy to carry, which can cause accidents, setbacks, and money. Also, be sure to avoid placing odd shaped items in boxes that are too small. Rather, place the object in a bigger box, and fill the gaps with packing peanuts.
Pro Tip Avoid these top packing mistakes!
- Leaving items loose within the box
Yes, under stuffing a box is a thing! Equally as important as overstuffing a box, leaving the items free to shift within the box should be avoided! This too poses a great danger to the items inside. To avoid your items from shifting, use bubble wrap, peanuts, or even newspaper to fill the empty space. Be cautious, when using print paper as the ink may transfer onto your items.
- Having many different sizes
While the moving box size is vast, and for a good reason, try to limit your moving boxes to three different sizes at the most. As explained before, uniform boxes make stacking, and loading much easier.
- Not using packing tape
Packing tape is designed to hold boxes filled with items in tact. Regular tape is not designed to withhold such heavy weight, and may result in your box exploding in transit.
- Not labeling your boxes
If you are not labeling your boxes accordingly, you are setting yourself up for disaster. Label each boxes with its contents, and the room they belong to.
Pro Tip Label boxes on the sides, not the top! This way you can read its contents when boxes are stacked on top of each other.