There are several ways to move. They range from packing a few boxes into your own vehicle to hiring a moving company that will do everything for you. What you choose depends on your answers to the following questions.
How much time do you have?
Can you pack a few boxes a day, move them to your new home across town, and spend several days doing it? Or, do you need to move everything in the space of a day?
If time is important to you, then you need to consider the various options and how long they take. Moving companies are usually the fastest alternative for moving a long distance.
The amount of time to pack your possessions depends on how many you have. You need to allow plenty of time before your move to schedule a moving company.
If you have plenty of time to pack yourself, you can have a moving company load your possessions, transport them, and unload them at your new home.
How much money can you spend?
Moving companies can help in a number of ways, but they can be very expensive. Before you totally write them off, remember the cost of fuel if you do it yourself.
For a general idea of what it will cost to move your household, use the guide most truck rental agencies use and count the number of bedrooms.
Here's a guide to moving truck sizes:
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26' will move 4 bedrooms
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24' will move 3-4 bedrooms
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17' will move 2-3 bedrooms
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14' will move 1-2 bedrooms
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10' will move an apartment
Contact truck rental companies for the costs. Be sure to ask for all of the charges, including if you are renting a truck for a one-way trip rather than returning it to the same location.
Next, you will have to consider fuel. Estimate how many miles you'll be traveling and how much the fuel will cost. Websites such as www.mapquest.com can provide directions and miles from your current home to your new one.
If you are considering your own vehicle, you should have a rough idea of how many miles you get to a gallon of gas. If you are considering renting a truck, ask the rental company for the gas mileage figure. Once you have these figures, you can calculate the cost of fuel:
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Add the total miles (remember, if you are making more than one trip, double the miles for a round trip and add as many trips as you estimate it will take).
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Divide the total miles by the number of miles your vehicle will drive on a gallon of gas.
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Multiply the gallons of gas needed by the current cost of gas (make sure to use the correct gas…some trucks require diesel fuel).
Example: If you plan to rent a truck and make three trips from your old home to your new one, which is 20 miles away, here’s how you would calculate the cost of fuel:
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20 miles times 2 (round trip) times 3 = 120 miles.
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Your truck gets 10 miles to the gallon, so divide 120 miles by 10 to get 12 gallons of fuel needed.
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If the cost of gas is $3.00 per gallon, multiply 12 gallons of gas by $3 to get an estimated fuel cost of $36.
Once you've gathered these costs, call some moving companies and ask for a sample quote over the phone. Ask in advance about extra charges for heavy items, stairways, or pianos.
Be aware that having the movers pack for you will increase your moving bill by about 30 percent. Also, you may pay a premium if you schedule your move during busy moving times, generally after the 25th of the month or before the 2nd. Try to get recommendations from friends or colleagues.
You will have to provide movers with the number of miles involved in the move and the approximate weight of your belongings. The mover will help you in making this estimate. Be wary of a mover whose estimate seems too low. The services provided may be second rate. Many will insist on coming out to your place for an estimate, which may or may not be something you want to do.
You can also look for online quotes from companies; however, keep in mind that these quotes are not always guaranteed. Protect yourself by ensuring the moving company is reliable.
How complex is your move?
Do you have a lot of heavy or breakable furniture? The more family members in your household, the more complex the move will be.
If you are a graduate moving into your first apartment, on the other hand, you probably don’t have a lot of furniture and possessions. If you have fragile or special items, you will need to decide if you can move these yourself or if you need to hire someone to move them for you.
Consider the size and weight of what you are moving. A refrigerator, sofa, washer, dryer, and bedroom furniture can all be too heavy for a couple of people to move on their own.
How far are you moving?
Across town is one thing. Across the country is quite another.
Using a moving company to move across town might not be cost effective. However, unless you have a lot of time to move from one home to the other, you might consider renting a truck.
Consider hiring someone to help lug the heavy furniture unless you are confident of a strong labor force.