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 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!
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!
