When moving house, a common mistake many make is not planning their move. Creating a detailed plan in advance when moving home is critical to your success to tie up all loose ends and prevent any unnecessary errors from being made.

It's important to begin making travel arrangements, booking a moving company, packing, and informing of your change of address as early as possible.

In addition, make sure that you create a detailed inventory of all your belongings in a notebook, computer or even on paper. This will ensure that you pack and move your possessions efficiently, and it will also act as reference point if any items are damaged or lost in transit.

Here are a few more common mistakes to avoid when moving house:

• Hiring the wrong sized truck. This is a moving house mistake that could potentially cost you money. If you create a complete inventory of items for when you move house, you should be able to estimate the exact truck size that you will need for your moving day.

  If you don't, you could risk hiring a truck that is too big or too small. If you hire a truck that is too small, you could be in some trouble on moving day. If you hire a truck that is too big, you are wasting unnecessary money on excess truck rental.
  

• Packing boxes too heavy. As a rule of thumb, it's best to pack boxes no heavier than 20 kgs when moving house. Of course, it's always tempting to cram as much as you can into a box to save space.
  
  Try to consider the fact that you may not be able to lift a box after packing it too heavy. If you are able to barely lift it, then you leave yourself or your movers at risk for strain or injury if a box is too heavy to transport.
  

• Forgetting to notify your change of address. It's best to inform your change of address to financial institutions and your employer, just to name a few, in advance of your move.
  
  This will prevent any important bills or documents from getting lost in the mail or not arriving at your new address after you move house.

  This small detail is one that so many people overlook during the hustle and bustle of moving house. Try marking on your calendar or set a reminder on your mobile phone, to notify your change of address with all relevant organisations at least two weeks prior to relocation.

Top moving tip

Don't make the mistake of forgetting to insure your valuables during relocation. Start by asking your moving company what their liability insurance covers. In many cases, basic liability insurance may not be enough if a mover breaks your computer or TV for example.

Make sure to contact your insurance company to guarantee that all valuables are protected during your move.