Moving is difficult, but it isn’t nearly as hair-pullingly, feet-stompingly, teeth-grittingly difficult as most people make it out to be. The truth is that you might think moving sucks because you aren’t moving the right way. That’s often due to your mistaken belief in a few powerful and popular myths about moving. To make sure your next move goes smoothly, here are a few of those myths busted.
Myth #1: It’s Cheaper to Move DIY-style
You might think you’re saving money by packing your boxes, renting your own moving truck and hauling all your belongings from one home to the other — but you’re only reducing your expenses if your time is worth absolutely nothing. The truth is that moving takes an overwhelming amount of time and effort for an amateur to do on their own, and all that time and effort is likely better spent on doing things that make you money or contribute to your quality of life. Would you rather spend your Saturday trying to Tetris heavy furniture into a too-small moving truck, or would you rather spend the day with your friends by the pool?
Professional movers have the techniques and tools to pack up and move your stuff in no time. However, more importantly, using a professional moving service for an intra-city move costs just about as much money as renting a moving truck, buying boxes and dollies and paying your friends in pizza.
Myth #2: Any Movers Will Do
You meticulously chose your new home, comparing other properties in the area and looking for the exact features you need — so why would you wantonly choose your moving company? You want a moving company you can trust, who communicates well and is clear about schedule and costs. What’s more, not all moving companies offer the same services; if all you want is someone to carry your heavy stuff out of your old house and into your new one, you don’t need all the bells and whistles that some movers provide. The more a moving company does, the more you will have to pay, so it’s worth your time to investigate your options.
In big cities like Seattle and Baltimore, moving companies number in the hundreds, so you would do best to use the web to find the exact right movers for you. It’s not a bad idea to get quotes from multiple companies, which you can use to haggle down the price and save even more money on your move.
Myth #3: All Movers Do All the Work
Speaking of the differences between movers, its important to know what a typical moving service will do for you and what you can pay extra for. Generally, movers won’t move hazardous materials like dangerous chemicals or weaponry, and they won’t pack or label your smaller stuff (unless you pay them to). Still, movers will:
• Take inventory of your belongings. This is what helps them provide you with an accurate quote, and it tells them whether they have sufficient insurance to cover your valuables.
• Protect your belongings from harm. Broken or marred items are deducted from movers’ paychecks. Thus, they take pains to wrap your furniture in moving pads and safeguard other things in their trucks to prevent damage.
• Load the moving truck. This is the biggest and best known job of movers, and for good reason. Carrying all your stuff is back-breaking work, and packing a truck efficiently requires some mental gymnastics that professional movers excel at.
• Driving the moving truck. Driving a full moving truck can be nail-biting if you are unaccustomed to such a large vehicle.
• Unloading and organizing your stuff. Most movers won’t unpack your boxes, but they will put your furniture exactly where you want it in your home.
You can pay extra for full-service movers, who do pack all your belongings in boxes, unload items in your new home and even clean up extra moving materials, like boxes and plastic wrap. In some cases, full-service moving is worthwhile, but for most people, the minimum moving package is plenty of help.
Myth #4: You Have to Move All at Once
Many people make the mistake of thinking they need to move as soon as they sign a new lease or start paying their new mortgage, but it’s a good idea to give yourself some time to slowly settle into the new place, so you can think more critically about how you want your new home to look and function. You might be able to avoid moving some of your furniture if you think it won’t fit with your new interior design, and you might have better ideas for organizing your kitchen cabinets if you take your time during the move. While professional movers can get an entire house empty in a matter of hours, you shouldn’t force yourself to move everything in one day; that’s only going to throw your life into chaos and start you off on the wrong foot in your new place.
