Moving is a lot of work, especially when you have a lot of stuff. Packing up everything, transporting it (hoping that it won’t become damaged along the way), and unpacking it at your new location will definitely take planning and time to make it all work.
If you have valuable items, you will want to make sure to hire an insured, experienced, and licensed mover, but it is likely that they will be more expensive. If you do it yourself, you can definitely save money, but there are also hidden costs and extra problems you will find along the way.
Timing Will Affect Costs
As moving professionals, we can say that the moving industry is based on supply and demand. Peak season occurs in the summer when kids are out of school and the weather is warm.
Generally, 75% of all moves take place from May to September, but can affect as much as 40% of the total cost. If you are able to take on a portion of the work yourself, there’s a lot of money you can save to offset these costs.
Check out these moving tips that will save money on the big day:
- Try not to move during peak season
- Reduce the amount of items you’re moving
- Use free boxes
- Pack yourself
- Confirm with your moving company that there are no hidden fees
- Use old socks as cushioning instead of bubble wrap
- If you’re driving long distance, stay with friends or family instead of at a hotel
- Ask a friend or neighbor to babysit your kids or pets instead of hiring a sitter
- If you need storage, choose a moving company that offers both services
- When packing, nest smaller items in larger items to avoid using additional boxes
- See if you can disassemble and reassemble your furniture yourself instead of paying extra for the movers to do it
1. Try not to move during peak season
Peak season in the moving industry occurs from May to September. Unless if your lease ends during those months and you have no choice, waiting until the fall, winter, or spring time can save as much as 40%. It may be difficult pulling your kids out of school if you’re moving across the country, but you can save a few bucks along the way.
2. Reduce the amount of items you’re moving
Most movers will charge based on time and weight of the items. Keep in mind that heavier items, like furniture, exercise equipment, and machinery will increase costs, especially if they need assembly services. So if there’s anything you are not using, this would be the best time to donate, sell, or pitch them. Especially if you are moving long distance, it is actually better to sell everything and then re-buy it at your new location.
3. Use free boxes
Boxes aren’t too expensive, but if you need a lot of them, costs can add up. There are a lot of stores giving them away for free, like grocery stores, liquor stores, and restaurants. All you have to do is ask!
4. Pack yourself
It’s generally recommended to do everything yourself as long as you are physically capable if you want to save money. So if you can pack everything yourself, do it. If you have any oddly-shaped items, such as tv stands, mounts, or dumb bells, leave them out and transport them separately in your car.
5. Confirm with your moving company that there are no hidden fees
Shady moving companies like to tack on hidden fees to get as much money out of the mover as possible. These include handling larger items, elevator fees, long carry fees, cancellation fees, extra stops fees, traveling fees, hoisting fees, the list goes on. To avoid this headache, choose a company that provides a flat rate or accurate estimate so you can be prepared for the final bill at the end of your move.
6. Use old socks as cushioning instead of bubble wrap or peanuts
While nice to have, these packing materials can easily get expensive just to keep your belongings safe. You can easily get the same effect if you packed some old, thick clothing with these items instead. Nobody would know the difference – they’re in a box.
7. If you’re driving long distance, stay with friends or family
You may not always have friends that live along the way, but if you do, staying with them for just one night can save at least $50. There’s definitely no harm in asking and chances are they will most likely be willing to help you out.
8. Ask a friend to babysit pets and/or kids
Sitters are becoming more expensive these days, especially with the minimum wage going up. A cheap sitter can cost as much as $40 just for 4 hours, and the move likely won’t be that short. Doggie daycares are cheaper; however, asking a neighbor to take them for the day wouldn’t be too much to ask; it will definitely save money.
9. If you need storage, choose a moving company that offers both services
When combined, many moving companies can provide both services to you at a discounted rate rather than stacking them on top of eachother. Although it’s best to call ahead and get the rate for the length of time you will be needing instead of hoping for the best. Especially if you need long-term storage, you can expect the costs to be significant.
10. When packing, nest smaller items in larger items to avoid using additional boxes
One good tip is to pack small items like silverware, kids cups, and other small items in boxes with larger pots and pans. You can also pack suitcases with clothes to avoid using extra boxes. Lastly, putting socks and other small items in shoes can save some space, especially if you have a lot of shoes!
11. Try to disassemble and reassemble furniture yourself
Many movers can include furniture assembly services in the estimate, but they will do it for an extra fee. Unless you’re handling an IKEA bed with a million different pieces or moving an office with tons of desks, removing table legs or separating a couch can be a quick DIY project that can save a few extra bucks.
Work with Experienced Movers
If you are looking for a reliable moving company and still looking to save costs, look no further than Mid-West Moving & Storage. While we don’t always offer the lowest rates, our movers have years of experience, are trained, background-checked, and licensed to help you throughout the entire moving process. If cost is a concern for you, one of our move counselors can work with you to help save both money and time.
In their experience, our experts also use an efficient, 7-step process that has been proven to cut down significant amounts of time. This way, you can be done faster for a similar rate rather than paying another company the same cost for a longer move time.
While not required, Mid-West Moving & Storage offers a number of additional services that are available to you, including packing, storage, furniture assembly and disassembly, document storage, and more. We also ensure to include them in the estimate for you, rather than sneaking them in on the final bill.
Get a Free Quote
For more information on how our professional movers can help you with your move (and maybe cut some costs along the way), contact Mid-West Moving & Storage at 847.593.7201. You can also get a free quote by calling or filling out a contact form.
