Tips for How to Avoid a Moving Schedule Conflict

Tips for How to Avoid a Moving Schedule Conflict

Moving is a very busy time for everyone involved. That, unfortunately, often means that appointments tend to conflict with each other. Here are four things to watch out for when you’re scheduling your moving timeline to avoid interruptions!

Utilities Turn-Off

Imagine, you’re mid-packing, and suddenly your lights go off. There’s no water. No internet. And no phone signal.

What have you done?

Schedule your utilities to turn off the day after you leave your home or apartment. That way, if there is a delay, you can simply call the company and have it push the schedule back a bit to give you more room. If you schedule it for the day of departure, it is nearly guaranteed something will happen to leave you in the dark.

If you have a data plan that can cope without wired internet for a period of time, you can go ahead and transfer that one to your new address if you so decide to do it.

Moving Day vs. Travel Day

Never try to schedule your travel day right after your last moving day. It’s inconvenient to sit in an empty house, but it is always better to give yourself the extra day in case something happens. Most moves are scheduled weeks or even months beforehand. That means you have no way to predict the weather. If you purchase a plane ticket for your trip, but the movers are unable to finish their work the day prior, you have no leeway. Now the movers will have to finish while you try to catch your flight.

Or you’ll have to try to change the date of your ticket. Neither of these is an ideal situation. Put off leaving for as long as you possibly can, and you’ll run into very few problems when it is time to head to the airport or get in the car.

Not Scheduling Sufficient Time for the Movers

Your average 2,000-square-foot house takes most local moving companies 1-2 days to pack, load, disassemble, and completely clear out. This means you should plan to give them at least four days to do so unless you do not have this option. Again, you may run into weather delays, or there may be personal issues that arise. Moving is a tricky business. You’re uprooting your entire life. Make certain that you give yourself time to deal with all that entails–and those you hired to help you with it, too.

Pets and Kids

If at all possible, pets should be boarded in a safe and secure facility while the movers do their job. It is far too easy for someone to leave a door open or for a pet to jump a baby gate and escape through open doors and possibly into dangerous territory. A neighbor, a friend, a relative, or even a boarding kennel is a better option than your pet disappearing right before you change addresses. This means scheduling this care far in advance and perhaps even having the animal(s) spend an extra night away from home to allow the movers plenty of time to finish their job.

Children pose a great number of risks too. This especially goes for the younger, smaller children whose parents are reading this. Oftentimes, during moving, stacks of tall and heavy objects are simply everywhere as movers work to put your home in order and get it on the road. This poses a pretty hefty risk of a little one being injured if he or she were to run into a bunch of stacked books. If possible, have a friend or family member keep an eye on your child while the movers are at work.