It's an unfortunate fact of life that schadenfreude is a popular form of entertainment. With cameras constantly recording every second of every day, it's no surprise that a new video of someone failing at life ends up being passed around on social media almost every day. If you don't want your moving day to become a viral sensation because of an unfortunate accident, here are three things you should do.
Strap It Down
You significantly reduce your risk of ending up on the front page of YouTube when you hire professional movers to help you transport your stuff to your new home. If you're set on doing it yourself (or if there are things you don't want to load on the truck), it's critical that you take the time and pay for the resources to secure your items in or on the vehicle.
A fairly common road accident involves objects fall out of moving vehicles. In fact, according to one study by AAA, over 200,000 crashes occurred between 2011 and 2014 because of flying debris. Some of these accidents are caused by beds, pianos, dressers, and other large items falling off the back of trucks or from the top of vehicle roofs because they weren't secured tightly.
Place objects in the vehicle in a way that limits movement. For instance, lie dressers flat on the truck bed if possible rather than letting them stand upright. Use bungee cords and/or rope to tie the items down securely, and only pack enough stuff on the vehicle that can be safely fastened. It's better to make multiple trips and have all of your stuff arrive in one piece than to try to move everything at once, only to have your belongings end up in the middle of the freeway.
Teamwork It Up
Moving day accidents can be caused by any number of things, but the most YouTube-worthy ones involve staffing failures. There aren't enough people to adequately transport a precious glass cabinet, for instance, and so it ends up smashed to bits because the arms of the people moving it just gave out suddenly due to its weight, and your so-called friend Snapchatted the whole incident.
If you want to avoid disasters like this, barring banning the use of any and all recording devices, make sure you have enough manpower for the job at hand. Boxes can typically be handled by one or two people, but large items like beds and sofas may need three or four people to be safely transported. If you're having a hard time scrounging up enough family and friends to help, contact a local moving company to ask about hiring a few of their team members.
Plan Your Route
The environment itself can troll you in many ways while you're traveling from one home to another. For instance, if you're not paying attention, you may end up going under a bridge that doesn't have enough clearance for your truck and get stuck or, worse, rip the truck and your stuff apart. Traveling during rush hour will pit you against other anxious drivers who have no qualms about cutting you off, while moving too early in the morning or too late at night will have you fighting against the dark night, depending on the time of year.
In addition to choosing an ideal time to move when there isn't too much traffic, use a mapping software to plan your route so you can avoid problem areas, like train tracks and low-clearance overpasses. You'll save time and ensure you, your crew, and your stuff make to your new home all in one piece.
For more moving tips or assistance with relocating to a new home, contact moving companies in your area.
