Moving—even the word feels exciting, right? But in practice, dragging boxes through the windy city turns fun into frustration fast. With Chicago’s fickle forecasts, mini side streets, and those buildings that reach for the clouds, planning is non-negotiable. Whether you’re heading for that quaint pad in Lincoln Park, upgrading to more square footage in Oak Park, or squeezing into something smaller by the Loop, the right prep saves you sanity. Here’s a rundown of the ten biggest Chicago moving blunders and the easy fixes to keep everything on track.
Contents
- 1 1. Forgetting About the Traffic Monster
- 2 2. Forgetting Parking Permits
- 3 3. Not Weather-Proofing the Move
- 4 4. Packing Too Late
- 5 5. Overloading Boxes
- 6 6. Skipping the Decluttering Phase
- 7 7. Ignoring Building Rules
- 8 8. Not Budgeting for Extra Costs
- 9 9. Thinking Friends Can Replace Movers
- 10 10. Forgetting to Update Utilities and Address
- 11 Why Hiring Professionals is Worth It
1. Forgetting About the Traffic Monster
If you’ve tried to roll a couch from Lincoln Square to Hyde Park during rush hour, you know the city’s streets can reject even the feistiest GPS.
How to sidestep it: Choose a truck slot for either super-early—think, before daylight—or during the calm midday lull on a Wednesday.
2. Forgetting Parking Permits
City moves usually boil down to one precious coin: curb space. In Chicago, several neighborhoods slap a parking-permit sticker on that coin, and a moving truck without one might be imprisoned on a ticket pad.
Solution: Call the Chicago Department of Transportation or swing by the local alderman’s office to grab a temporary moving permit pass.
3. Not Weather-Proofing the Move
Is it snowing on April 10? Is the sky trying to keep June’s party cooler by blasting it with rain? Chicago weather. Folks often get sloppy with weather preparation and pay a big price for soaked boxes or slippery sidewalks.
Solution: Stack tarps by the door, roll out plastic wrap, and upgrade from flimsy cardboard to heavy-duty bins. When winter is on the move, shovel, salt, or screw down a frozen walkway before the moving truck kills the engine.
4. Packing Too Late
The last-minute pack job might work in the movies, but in real life, it’s a recipe for madness. Too many Chicago movers wait until the week or even the night before to start stuffing boxes, and the stress hits the roof.
How to stay cool: Start with the stuff you rarely use—books, out-of-season gear—3 to 4 weeks in advance. Label boxes by room and stick “fragile” signs on anything that needs extra care.
5. Overloading Boxes
It’s super tempting to cram everything into one box to “save” one more. The problem is that the box of cookbooks now weighs more than you do. Not only can you barely carry it, but you open it later to find dishes—and probably a few books—smashed.
6. Skipping the Decluttering Phase
Throwing “it’s still good” stuff into moving boxes is the fastest way to pay to transport junk. That toaster you only used at that one party in 2012 doesn’t need a front seat in your new kitchen.
How to fix it: Chicago is surrounded by donation centers like Goodwill and Salvation Army, so you’re still working, but unused goods get a new home—plus, your new kitchen has more cupboard space.
7. Ignoring Building Rules
All elevators are locked down on moving days, and good luck finding a parking spot. Waiting a half-hour for the elevator to “free up” can turn your moving day into a sitcom episode.
How to smooth it out: Call the front desk of the building a few weeks in advance. Reserve the mover’s elevator, book the load-in time, and find out if you owe a parking permit or a small fee for the loading dock.
8. Not Budgeting for Extra Costs
You think you’re done once you pay the moving truck. Surprise! Packing tape, boxes, fridge stickers at the new place, a small donation to the unloading crew, maybe a parking permit, even storage for that vintage couch that doesn’t fit—add it all up.
How to prepare: Write it all down ahead of time. Include everything you think of so that extra fee you somehow forgot—now suddenly counts as a budget item—doesn’t blindside you.
9. Thinking Friends Can Replace Movers
It’s tempting to offer pizza and drinks for a “free moving crew.” But the couch suddenly getting wedged in the stairwell is never a fun surprise. Moving pros carry the skills, the right tools, and the strength to fit the impossible through the impossible.
10. Forgetting to Update Utilities and Address
Reach out early. Call your utility companies—gas, electricity, and internet—at least two weeks ahead of your big day. That and the quick change-of-address form at the post office give you a head start, letting you check in online, your new bank, and any subscription boxes and still keep receiving your favorite items.
Why Hiring Professionals is Worth It
Moving in Chicago isn’t just about getting from point A to point B—it’s navigating a city that tests even the best planners. Between the downtown gridlock, sideways rain, and the need to book the freight elevator, the hassles mount fast.
Hiring pro movers in Chicago lets you trade those headaches for a clipboard of checkmarks. They crush the traffic calculations, shoulder the couches, and handle every little detail you’d probably forget—like padding the stairwell first. With the logistics in their hands, you can kick back and sip a coffee in the new kitchen instead of flopping onto the couch surrounded by unopened boxes.
