Top Things Most Commonly Forgotten During a Move

When you move, it will become stressful and you may forget a few things. It's even worse if the move comes suddenly and you didn't have time to prepare. With more than 30 million people moving every single year, it's no surprise that some things get forgotten or left behind. You're not alone, but if you're aware of some of the most commonly forgotten things during a move, maybe you won't forget them.

Things Borrowed by Neighbors

Maybe the easiest and most commonly forgotten thing from any move is anything you let your neighbors borrow. If you loaned out a weed whacker, for example, and you're moving in the winter, you may not think about it because it has been a while since you needed it.

The best thing you can do to avoid moving without items you let neighbors borrow is to keep an inventory of the things you own and loaned out. Make sure it includes anything you've stored with friends or neighbors, as well.

Anything Packed Last

You may think your packing system is perfect because you plan to pack the microwave or coffee maker last. However, these items can be forgotten because they are left until last. Make sure you remember to pack these final items and triple check before you completely vacate your old home or apartment.

Pets

Believe it or not, many people forget their pets (at least at first) when they move. Cats and dogs have both been left behind because people get so caught up in the stress of moving. Make sure you have a plan for your pets and either move them first or kennel them while you're moving, if possible.

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Anything in a Crawlspace or Attic

It may not happen quite as often as some of the other things on this list, but people often forget to pack and move an entire attic or crawlspace. The things they store here have been there for so long, they may not even think about them, especially if they have to move in a hurry.

Toilet Paper

This isn't an item people forget to pack when they are moving, but one they forget to leave handy during the move. Make sure you leave out some toilet paper and even if you leave it behind it's not a big deal. However, if you need to go and you don't have any paper, it can become a rather big deal.

Other commonly forgotten items and mistakes during moving include:

• Losing packing tape often

• Packing cleaning supplies and tools too soon

• Leaving charging cords for electronics behind

• Leaving food in the fridge

• Forgetting countertop appliances

Items often get left behind during a move, especially a move happening suddenly. One of the best ways to ensure items don't get left behind is to hire a professional moving company to not only move your items, but also pack them up for you. This allows you to concentrate on double and triple checking to ensure everything gets packed and nothing is left behind.

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How to Handle Moving in Chicago When You're Sick

Making a plan to move never involves getting sick, but it does happen. You can set dates for moving, but you can't exactly set dates for when you will get sick. If you've become sick and you need to move, there are some things you should know. If possible, postpone or cancel the move until you're feeling better. However, this isn't always possible and sometimes you have to move regardless of your health. This isn't the time to freak out. Here are some tips to help you with an emergency move when you're sick.

Hiring a Last Minute Moving Company

Maybe you planned on handling the move yourself and you already have everything, or most of everything packed up. It may be a better decision to hire a last minute moving company at this point. They will come take all of your items from your old location to your new location and all you will have to do is be there.

With a trusted emergency moving company, you won't have anything to worry about. You can get moved into your new location without overexerting yourself and making the illness worse.

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Keep the Fluids Flowing

Even though you won't have to do any heavy lifting after hiring a moving company last minute, you still need to be there. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water to help get the toxins out of your system and keep you hydrated. This can help you get through the process a bit easier. Other fluids, such as chicken broth, tea and juice can also help. However, avoid anything with caffeine in it as this can interrupt the sleep you desperately need.

Have Someone Stand in For You

If you're too ill to even be there when they move your things, you can have a proxy stand in. You will still need to sign the paperwork and make sure the moving company you hired will allow you to have a proxy when you're sick. However, your proxy can handle everything else necessary so that you can get your rest and you won't have to worry about the move.

Get a Hotel Room for the Day

While your proxy is handling the move, you should be resting. However, this isn't really possible if your bed is going from your old home to your new home on a truck. It's not like the movers will be able to pick the bed up with you in it and let you sleep in the back of the moving truck.

Instead of being a part of all the commotion, rent a hotel room for the day and get some sleep. Your proxy can handle everything necessary for the move and you can get the rest you need in the comfort of a hotel room until the move it over with or you're feeling better.

Moving while you’re sick isn't fun, but there are steps you can take to make it less stressful. Some moving companies in Chicago offer emergency moving services and will help you even if you don't hire them until the last minute. Hiring a professional moving company will help take the stress off of you, while you’re sick and it's the best option to make sure the move goes smoothly without making you feel worse.

Here's a photo our friends at Paws Chicago shared with us to make you feel better -

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Common Mistakes Made When Moving Furniture

Furniture is often heavy, bulky and hard to move. When you try to move yourself, it can be the hardest part of the process. Not only do you need a truck to transport it, but you also need enough manpower to get it into the truck from where it currently resides. It's much easier to hire furniture movers if you want to make sure your items are moved without damage. However, you should still be aware of some of the mistakes commonly made when moving furniture.

Mistake #1 - Assuming Professional Movers are Too Expensive

When you simply assume a professional moving company is too expensive, you never give yourself a chance to look at the entire picture. Yes, it's more costly than doing it yourself, but they are also professionals. Spending a little bit of money may save you time, headaches and other issues, such as figuring out how to move your large pieces of furniture, even if they only need to go down the street.

The easiest way to keep your furniture from becoming damaged is to hire professionals to move it for you. Don't make the mistake of writing this option off just because you assume hiring movers is too expensive. Take the time to gather all the information and get a quote from a local furniture mover before you finalize your decision.

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Mistake #2 - I Won't Get Injured When Moving Furniture

Many people seem to think they are immune to moving-related accidents. If you try to move furniture yourself, it could become rather dangerous. Professionals do it for a living and they have been trained in safety for all types of furniture. Without this training, you may end up dealing with a personal injury from moving a large item.

You want to make sure the walking path is free of any obstacles, you have the right equipment, you know the right way to lift and you wear both gloves and proper shoes. If you don't do these things, you may be putting yourself in danger when moving furniture.

Mistake #3 - Getting and Driving a Truck is No Big Deal

If you've never rented a moving truck before, it may not be a good idea to take on this task. You will likely need a truck for moving furniture, which means you have to know how to pack it and drive it. Many make the mistake of getting a truck without enough space or getting one that is too large. Too small of a truck could lead to improper packing, while too large of a truck may be difficult to drive.

Make sure you get the right size truck before you start moving. Usually a 10 to 12 foot truck works for small apartments, while a 14 to 17 foot truck will work for a one to two bedroom home or small office. If you're moving a house, you will need a 20 to 26 foot truck or multiple trucks.

Mistake #4 - My Friends can Help with the Furniture

A huge mistake you could easily make is assuming your friends can help you with moving heavy furniture. It's a costly error in judgment as they may not show up or they may not have any idea how to help you. Without the right help, you could get injured or they could get injured.

The worst thing that can happen is you assume they will help you, but they don't show up. Sometimes, your friends can't get the time off of work or they come up with an excuse because nobody really likes to help with a move. When you hire professionals, this isn't an issue. They will show up on time, ready to work for you.

Moving furniture isn't an easy thing to do. You need the right equipment, a truck and enough manpower to move it from one place to another. Instead of risking it, hire a professional to help you move the larger items, if not everything you own.

Tips for Preparing Your Employees for an Office Move

When you move an office, it takes more than just packing up a few boxes and transporting them to a new location. It's a huge change for everybody involved. Employees go through the change just as much as the business and the owner. It may change the commute time, the space they have to work with and may cause some employees to fall behind on work during the move. As the owner of the business, it's up to you to prepare your employees and keep them comfortable during the move.

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Where Should You Start?

Whenever you need to move your office, you want to start with scheduling everything the move involves. From packing to transporting to unpacking, you want to schedule everything about the move to ensure everybody is on the same page with your office move. Make sure to pay close attention to any shipments needing to be forwarded and any new services you need to set up, such as internet, phones, utilities, etc.

By creating a schedule of events for the move, it's easy to assign tasks and take some of the stress out of the situation. Employees will know what to expect and when it will be happens, so there will be no surprises.

Your Communication Plan

After you get a schedule put together, you need to create a plan for communications. This should include communicating with employees, movers, suppliers, clients, etc. The best way to start your communication plan is to let everybody know what is going on. Hold a meeting, sent of a memo or do whatever else you need to do in order to communication the need for the move to your employees and anybody else involved.

The point of the communication plan is to eliminate situations, such as an employee coming to work and finding out the microwave has been packed and sent to the new location. This could cause them not to be able to heat up their lunch and could be a huge stress. Keeping everybody on the same page will eliminate these types of situations.

Show Excitement for the Move

As the business owner, you should show plenty of excitement about the move. Whether you're moving into a larger space or a better location, it should be a positive, exciting thing. This will go a long way to set the mood with your employees. When you show excitement, they are more likely to get on board and become excited, too.

Hire a Professional Moving Company

Nobody enjoys packing, moving and unpacking. If you expect your employees to be in charge of the move, they may not be very happy about it. This could add additional pressure and stress to their workday. Instead, hire a professional to pack, move and unpack all your things. This will help things go smoothly and it's one less thing employees have to worry about.

It's very stressful to move from one office location to another. Some stresses cannot be avoided, but they can be minimized. Use these tips to help keep your employees happy and stress-free while moving.