Does anyone enjoy the moving process? Packing, unpacking, moving furniture, and buying new supplies can intimidate anyone. This is why people loathe the moving process.
You’re also taking time off work and as a result may be missing out on money you need for moving costs.
Despite this, many people decide to skip the professionals and handle the moving process by themselves. For some, this is beneficial if you have friends and family who are happy to help you move.
Before you decide about moving yourself or hiring a professional mover there are things you should consider; nothing is straightforward. Read the pros and cons of self-moving.
The Pros
When you move yourself, you have total control of the timing and process. With the right knowledge, you can pack and box your belongings. Once done, you start the loading and transporting of your items and furniture. If you need help, there are plenty of self service moving tips. Some of the more popular reasons people want to move themselves:
Work On Your Own Time
You’re completely in control of when you do things.
You decide when you make your move. You can move a little at a time, or schedule a long day of moving. Some people feel better if they gradually move items from their old house to their new home. Others like to just get it done. With professional movers, you’ll need to schedule the bulk of the move on a single day. A DIY move can be spread out over days or even weeks; of course, this only really works with local moves.
Save Money
This is, perhaps, one of the major reasons people decide to move themselves. Hiring a mover can be expensive. With the right planning, help from friends, and cooperation from employers (time off), you can complete a DIY move for less than hiring professional movers.
To be sure you are saving as much as you plan, consider the costs that may be included in a professional move that you will have to pay for or do yourself as a DIY mover. Truck rental is a big expense. Packing supplies, equipment, and time off of work are also costs to be considered. Likely, with all these combined, you will spend less cash than hiring a mover. But, is it enough to make teh DIY move worthwhile? Only you can answer that.
Pack How You Want
Would you rather get moving out of the way? No one blames you. If you shove your belongings in one box, who cares? A moving company cares; for less liability, they require boxes be neatly packed and sealed.
Would you rather skip the boxes and shove everything in your car? As a DIY mover, you can do that. But remember what we said about moving companies reducing liability by packing a certain way? Besure you separate the truly valuable items, either monetary or sentimental value, from the rest. These items should be packed just as if professional movers were handling your move.
The Cons
Unfortunately, DIY moving isn’t perfect. There are a some cons if you decide to work independently on moving day. These include:
Heavy Lifting
Not everyone is a muscular and bulky powerlifter.
Moving certain belongings, such as furniture, is difficult for one person. If you don’t have a powerlifting friends who are nice enough to help, you’ll have to strain your back and muscles when you lift that large couch.
Even if you are a strong person, lifting technique is important. Professional movers can seem oddly strong when you see what they can move. This is because of their technique; it provide leverage and safety. Before you start moving your heavy items, be sure you know the best lifting techniques to avoid injury.
Unexpected Problems
Nothing in life is perfect — there are plenty of problems when moving. When you move DIY, you’re the one stuck trying to find solutions. For example, what if your furniture doesn’t fit around corners or up stairs wells? Is parking the truck going to be a problem? Furniture teardown and setup without instructions catches many people off-guard.
Professional movers are used to these problems; they could fix these issues in seconds, and it may take hours for you to find a solution.
Do You Prefer Self Service Moving or Professional Movers?
Everyone is different — some people would rather spend the extra money on a moving company and others think they can handle DIY moving. Something many people do not realize is that you can have the best of both worlds. Contact a professional mover to ask about moving just some of your items, leaving the rest to you. Most professional movers not only provide full service moves, but will happily accommodate moves that are part DIY and part professional.
If you’re moving in Houston, New Orleans, or Corpus Christi and need help moving, take a look at our services.
