16 Common (And Costly) Mistakes People Often Make Before Moving

When you’re facing a move, it seems like there’s a never-ending list of to-do list tasks.

From remembering to get boxes to booking a moving truck to making sure your internet is hooked up in time for you to resume remote work, your head is spinning with all of the stressful details — and for each one that falls by the wayside, you could get stuck with unexpected expenses to bail yourself out of a logistical headache.

Want to avoid making surprising financial mistakes next time you’re caught up in the middle of a move? Here’s how to plan ahead to make smart homeowner moves and avoid financial blunders.

From missing important bills to losing packages, forgetting to forward your mail can have expensive implications. Luckily, it’s easy to avoid, even if you fail to update your Amazon address right away.

Go to the USPS website and forward your mail in minutes. You can choose the time period to forward mail and even pay to have your mail forwarded for longer than the standard 12 months.

Whether you’re expecting financial statements in the mail or rely on receiving your insurance documents via hard copy, it’s critical to make sure any financial institution that you interact with knows where to reach you.

Set aside an hour to review each of your online accounts and update your address to ensure they are secure and up to date.

Buying boxes can add up quickly. If you plan ahead, you can post a call for free boxes in local Buy Nothing Facebook groups. People are often happy to see the boxes they used go to someone who can use them.

Additionally, liquor stores are often an excellent source for smaller, sturdier boxes to transport things like books.

Forgetting to cancel or transfer utilities is one of the biggest potential financial and logistical headaches. You could incur surprise bills if you fail to cancel your utilities (though the new residents certainly won’t complain!). Schedule a shut-off or transfer date and ensure you won’t be without electricity, water, internet, or any other utilities at any time.

Did you pay a deposit when you moved into your home? If so, contact your utility providers to make sure you get back any money owed to you. Depending on how you pay for your utilities, you may also be eligible for a credit for unused services.

You may have moved without moving insurance in the past, but it’s a wise decision if you want to ensure you’re fully protected ahead of a move.

Typically, you’ll only pay around 2% of the cost of your items, but this will protect you in a situation where items are lost or damaged between point A and point B.

If your safe deposit box is at a local bank and isn’t coming with you, clean it out before you leave. Retrieve any documents or valuables stored in a bank safe deposit box and move them personally to ensure they aren’t left behind.

Depending on where you live, you may need to get special parking permits for a moving van or truck. Look into getting these permits ahead of time through the police department, county, or city so there’s not a parking ticket waiting to welcome you to your new home.

Even if you correctly transfer utilities, you can still face questionable charges after you’ve moved. To make sure you only pay what you owe, write down your readings before moving.

Unexpected situations can happen, and you might need to live out of a bag for a night or two before your items arrive at your new home.

Pack a go bag with all must-have items and basics so you don’t have to go to a big box store for last-minute toiletries and clothing to get you through the next few days.

Pets can get confused during a move and may try to make a great escape. If you haven’t updated your address on their collar or microchip, the search could be fruitless, even if someone turns them in. Make sure to update the address before your move.

Have you recently dropped items off at the tailor? Do you have shoes at the cobbler? What about items in a storage unit? Check any local businesses for items that may be difficult to retrieve after you’ve moved across town or the country.

Plants aren’t always cheap, and you don’t want to spend the money on an entirely new plant collection just because yours died in transit.

Make a plan to keep your plants alive between your old place and your new place, whether carefully transporting them in your own car or passing them off to a local friend for a few days.

Remember to transfer any memberships well ahead of your move, whether it's a local gym or coworking space. If your gym requires a 30-day cancellation policy, notify them a month before you move so you don’t pay for an old location and a new one simultaneously.

The attic and the basement are the most common places to leave items behind. Check these spaces before you pack up the final load to avoid leaving something invaluable behind.

If you’re a renter, schedule a home cleaning before you move. If you don’t plan it yourself, your landlord may charge you a deep cleaning fee, and, chances are, it will be more expensive than the one you would have booked.

Moving is expensive — there’s no way around that.

But planning ahead can prevent you from blowing your moving budget just because you realize you didn’t have a place to park your moving truck or ran out of boxes. Make a list of must-do items and a corresponding timeline to ensure you’re prepared on the big day (and avoid wasting money).