Professional Moving Company: Is It Worth It?

Moving is a chore, no doubt about it. Whether you’re packing up to move across town or across the country, moving is a great way to find out how many belongings you have. That’s why the most crucial decision you’ll need to make when it comes time to move is whether or not you should hire a professional moving company.

When choosing between DIY moving or hiring a full-service moving company, you’ll need to consider a number of factors, starting with how important convenience is to you. The more convenience you want, the more likely the price will go up. If you’re weighing the pros and cons of hiring a professional moving company, consider some of the following issues.

You Always Have More Belongings Than You Think

Whether you’ve lived in your location for a year or a decade, stuff seems to hide. When it’s time to pack up, it can feel like your belongings have secretly multiplied. Too many boxes later, you’re contemplating burning it all and starting fresh. All of this goes through your mind before you’ve even loaded a single box into the truck.

When deciding how to move, it’s vital that you take a good, hard look at how much you have. Are you moving a lot of heavy, bulky furniture? Do you have help loading and unloading weighty appliances? Moving your own things requires a lot of planning and preparation. Packing up and moving is probably one of the least liked things to do. Good thing it doesn’t happen that often, but when it does it’s nice to be prepared. If you dread moving as I do, hiring a full-service moving company might be a good idea.

The Cost-to-benefit Ratio

There is no question that DIY moving is usually much less expensive. You can score boxes for free or cheap from regifting websites and online forums. Sometimes businesses are glad to give them away. Renting a truck and loading it yourself saves big bucks on labor costs. Even if you ask your friends to help, often they’re willing to do so for some cold beverages or after-packing refreshments. In some cases, the cost savings are significant. There could be thousands of dollars difference in moving yourself versus hiring a full-service moving company. If you do get friends to help you with your free moving endeavors, don’t forget to treat them to something nice for their hard work.

However, consider the other hidden costs. DIY moving can take up time you don’t have. If you box up your possessions, load them into a truck, and drive the truck to your destination, that entire time is time away from work. In that case, the money you’re saving is a lot less than you think. You could be using up valuable vacation or personal time, and once you’ve moved, you’ll head to work in your new city exhausted. So this is something you would have to weigh the pros and cons on, what makes more sense, spending the time or spending the money?

On the Open Road

Also, consider the transport aspect. When you’re driving the truck yourself, you’re navigating a large vehicle, often over long distances. Long-distance moving can really take you by surprise if you’ve never done it before. Even if you aren’t going long-distance, if you’re not comfortable driving a larger truck, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. And if something goes wrong with the truck, you could be stuck far from help with a truck full of your possessions.

Sometimes, DIY moving trucks can break down. It is entirely possible that you could find yourself on the phone negotiating with the company to send another truck and then deal with unloading your things from the broken-down truck and loading them into a new truck. The entire process can add hours or days to your move. Even worse, a truck breaking down could cause an accident. This is something you definitely want to avoid during your moving process.

Going the Distance

The further away you have to move, the more working parts there are to coordinate. Hiring pro movers can be the optimal way to get all of your possessions packed up and transported across the country with the least amount of disruption to your life. Pro movers can carefully pack up your things, from dainty tchotchke to the three-piece couch set, and get them to your destination without you lifting a finger. Many moving companies can also help you transport an extra car or another vehicle. Talk about stress-free.

When a pro mover goes the distance for you, it will definitely cost a pretty penny. But the upshot is that you can use all the time you would have had to take off to either work or go on ahead and prepare your new home for your things.

Long-distance Moves and Physical Limitations

One last thing to consider is the physical aspect of moving. Packing and lifting boxes are physically taxing. You may have to pack your things into smaller boxes, which means more trips to and from the moving truck. Some people are differently-abled and cannot move and lift their own possessions. Long-distance movers or professional movers, in general, can make the relocation comfortable and remove the stress of trying to get your things long distances while dealing with limitations.

Professional Moving Companies Offer Ease and Convenience

There’s no question that a full-service moving company can make a stressful move go much more smoothly. For people who must weigh cost and convenience, a hybrid or combination solution could be an excellent way to go. But nothing beats the convenience of a professional moving company. Look for highly rated companies near you and call around for quotes, so you can get the level of convenience you need to make your move better and stress-free.