Hire a Moving Company or Move Yourself?

When planning a move you have the option to hire professional movers or do the job yourself. Both have its advantages and disadvantages, and your decision will depend on the following factors:

• Distance
• Time
• Budget
• How much stuff you have to move

Determine which of these factors is the most important to you. If you're on a tight budget you're probably better off moving yourself. If you don't have time, however, you should hire a moving company as the whole process requires careful planning and organizing. Sometimes you can't isolate just one factor as the most important, so to help you make a decision consider the following suggestions:

Distance

Know how far you're moving, calculate how long it's going to take you to get there and approximately how much gas you'll need. Next, find out how much it will cost you to rent a truck to your destination. With this information on hand, call up a few moving companies and ask for a quote. Based on their answers decide which option is the more reasonable one. Generally, if you're moving somewhere close like across town for example, it would probably be cheaper to do the moving yourself.

Time

If time is of essence, consider hiring a professional mover or at least someone to partially help you in the process. First see if there are friends and family who are willing to give you a hand. If not, you have the option to hire someone for a specific job like packing and loading if you can't afford a moving company. You should give yourself at least 4-6 weeks to plan and organize your move otherwise you might end up unprepared and forgetting important details.

Budget

Calculating your moving costs in advance and setting up a budget is an important part of the planning process. Knowing what you'll have to spend will help you organize your finances and prepare adequately. Hiring a moving company is usually more expensive than moving yourself but it's also more convenient and time-efficient for you. Get quotes from at least three companies and see if you can afford it. Don't forget that there might be hidden costs not included in the quote.

How much stuff you have to move

If you live in a small apartment and relocating nearby moving yourself is the better option but be prepared for lots of manual work. With the help of a few friends you can easily load and transport your goods to the new house. If you live in a big house, however, and have lots of heavy furniture, chances are you'll need extra help. One of the advantages of hiring a professional mover in this case is that they offer insurance for your items and you are protected against damage or loss while if you decide to move yourself, you'll have to rely on your homeowner's insurance throughout the moving process or purchase extra coverage.

Research all your options carefully and decide what works best for you. After all, the goal is to have as safe and stress-free move as possible.