One of the worst parts about moving to a new home is how expensive it can be. Now not only are you dealing with trying to get everything organized and over to your new place, but you’re trying to figure out how you can afford it all. This only adds more stress onto your life, making moving quite unpleasant.
If you want to avoid some of this stress, there are a few things you can do to reduce the cost of your home. It may require some more work on your part, but when you see the lower moving bill, it will likely have been worth the effort. Here are a few strategies you can try.
Find a Good Moving Team
The most important step you can take is finding a good moving service. There is a big difference between a good moving service and a bad one beyond just the cost. A good moving service knows that moving is a stressful time and will work to make everything as easy as possible for you. They will also handle all your items with care, so that you don’t show up at your new home with nicked furniture or broken appliances.
To find the best local movers, you’ll need to do some research. Start your search online and see who is available in your area. For example, if you were looking for a five-star moving service near West Hollywood, you might search online for “local movers near West Hollywood, CA”. Then contact each one and find out what their rates are. After this, dig a little further into the ones with the best rates. Have the received positive customer reviews online? Are they fully insured? How long have they been in business? These are important factors you’ll want to consider before you make a choice.
By doing your research you should be able to find good movers that aren’t too expensive. This step requires more time on your part, but if you get a better deal because of it, and if your furniture isn’t broken in the process, it’s worth it.
Do What You Can Yourself
Of course, your movers will be cheaper if they don’t have to do as much work. For this to happen, you’ll have to do more of it yourself. While you may not be able to carry large furniture pieces down several flights of steps, that doesn’t mean you can’t do some of the work.
For example, you could do all the packing yourself. Many moving services include packing help, but charge more for this. If you can do it all yourself, this is one less thing you must pay for. Another thing you can do is make sure everything is ready to go on moving day. Have all the furniture pieces like desks and dressers cleaned out, and things like bedframes taken apart. This will save the movers time, and since you’re likely paying by the house, save you some money.
Finally, you can also make sure all the boxes are ready to go. If you can stack these up near the exit of your old home, the movers won’t need as much time to get them into the truck. When doing this extra work however, make sure you’re getting good value for it. If lugging heavy boxes on your own for several hours will only save you a few dollars, it’s probably not worth it. Do what you can to cut costs, but remember you’re hiring these people for a reason – to make your move easier.
Save on Packing Supplies
Besides the movers, the other big expense when it comes to moving is the packing supplies needed. You’ll need a lot of boxes to store all your loose items and plenty of packing tape. You may also want to get some bubble wrap if you have delicate items that you wish to give extra protection to. All this stuff adds up, so it’s good to save money where you can.
To start, buy your stuff in bulk. You’ll likely need more packing supplies than you realize, so don’t be afraid to go a little overboard. Buying things in bulk can help to cut back on some of the costs, rather than running out to the store a few times because you’ve run out of boxes or tape.
Another thing you can do is try to get some free packing supplies. For example, there are many places where you can get some free boxes and use them for packing. Check your local grocery store – they’re sure to have some. You may not be able to pack your entire move into free, leftover boxes, but you should at least be able to save some money.
Don’t Cut Too Many Corners
As you can see, it’s easy to save some money on moving if you plan ahead and look for opportunities. However, don’t cut too many corners. Don’t break your back trying to move a heavy TV because you don’t want to pay for a mover and don’t use broken down boxes you found in the garbage because you don’t want to buy moving boxes. Your goal is to make your life easier, but to save a few dollars where you can. If you follow the strategies above, you should be able to do just that.
