The Pros and Cons of Do-It-Yourself Moving
There are obviously two main ways to handle relocation: do it yourself moving
or hiring a moving service. Each has its merits, so if you’ve been trying to decide
whether you want to move yourself or have a moving company do the work for you,
consider the following pros and cons:
The Case for Do It Yourself Moving
The biggest advantage of do it yourself moving is that you’ll save money, because
moving companies understandably charge quite a bit to cover their equipment and
the amount of work involved. The more possessions you have, the more a moving company’s
services will cost you, so that’s an important factor when making your decision.
If you have a truck or can borrow one, your moving costs will be only negligible.
Even renting a truck would still be much less expensive than paying for a moving
van and fees for trained movers.
You’ll have much more control over scheduling and the entire process if you
move yourself, because you won’t have to worry about conforming to
a company’s scheduling. When uncontrollable delays happen on your end, you can automatically
adjust the scheduling without having to worry about cancellation fees or whether
the company will have a truck and crew available. Additionally, you’ll sidestep
potential problems caused by disreputable moving companies. Although there are plenty
of moving companies with good reputations, the industry is also known for scams.
If you move yourself, you won’t put yourself in a position where someone can take
advantage of you.
The Case for Hiring a Moving Company
If you have more money than time and/or physical strength, you’ll probably want
to hire a moving company rather than move yourself. Although the costs
can be high depending on how much you have to move, the upside is that you won’t
have to do much other than pack. And you can even pay the moving company to do that
if you don’t’ want to do it yourself.
Using a moving company means you won’t risk potential downtime caused by injuring
yourself during the moving process. You also won’t have to alienate friends and
family by asking them to help you move. Perhaps most importantly, hiring a mover
can help you arrive at your new home relaxed and rested, instead of harried and
tired. Letting someone else do the worrying can make a big difference, especially
if you have children and pets moving with you or if you’re starting a new job at
your destination and want to preserve your energy for your first day.
So if you have a strong back, lots of friends and energy to burn, do it yourself
moving might be right for you. On the other hand, if money’s no
object you might want to put your feet up and let someone else do the work!
Saveology Planner
Control your moving cost and timeline. Use our moving calendar to track your move and remember all important dates.