If you have planned for a major move in the past, you will probably have an idea of how overwhelming moving can be. Many people planning for a move often overlook hidden expenses that they did not anticipate when preparing their budget. In fact, these unexpected expenses are the number one cause of stress when moving.
Moving costs can easily pile up to much more than you had initially anticipated. To make sure you remain on top of your budget and to avoid ripping your hair off, keep the following tips in mind.
It begins with the removalists
Believe it or not, removalists play a very important role during the moving process. They can assist in moving large and heavy items, provide packing supplies, and assist in plotting a reliable moving timeline. However, removalists are not free. Managing the cost of their services is one of the best ways of avoiding hefty moving expenses.
To start off, make sure you get an accurate in-home quote for the moving process. Removalists who offer vague and ambiguous quotes over the phone may misguide your budget and end up demanding much more money when they find that the workload is higher. In addition, understand how the removalists charge for their services. If they charge by the hour, budget for more time that they might spend disassembling and moving large furniture items.
Make a comprehensive budget with plenty of headroom
When planning for the move, you need to sit down and think of every contingency associated with the moving process. Ask friends or family who have moved before what you should consider in your budget. Deposits, utility bills, storage expenses, transportation, and other factors often come into play.
After you have everything budgeted, add extra headroom to each cost. For example, if a moving truck costs $50 to hire, budget for $75-$80. This extra headroom will prevent you from working on tight margins and having your entire budget thrown off when one thing goes over the allocated amount.
Keep a proper inventory of all your items
Take pictures of all your valuable and expensive items. Take extra care when packing them and always keep them separate from other items in the home. Replacing an expensive item that has been damaged while moving is one of the most common unexpected moving expenses. You should also look into insuring delicate items such as classic pianos and vintage furniture.
It doesn't end with moving from your old home
Unfortunately, most people stop planning for the move as soon as they have their items at their new home. They forget that the new house will also need to be turned into a home by setting it up correctly.
Make sure your budget also includes purchasing and carrying out necessary modifications (such as purchasing new appliances, furniture or even curtains). This will prevent incurring hidden costs down the road.
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