To hire a mover or not to hire a mover…
Gone are the days of bribing your friends to help with the promise of a six-pack and some pizza for their time and effort. But, there’s a lot to consider when choosing how your belongings will move from your old home to your new one and who will do it.
Packing up and moving from one place to another, whether it’s across town or across the country, is stressful. While it can be nice to sit back and let somebody else handle the logistics of packing, loading, and moving your belongings, there are some downsides to consider, such as not being fully in control. Read on for the factors to consider when deciding whether to hire a mover and how to choose the right mover for your needs.
Related: What to Expect on Your Apartment Tour Day
Why (Not) Choose a Moving Company?
Pros of Hiring a Moving Company
- Lower Stress: The process of moving is more complicated than simply putting your belongings in boxes, and it usually involves a lot of emotions. Before you can even begin to load boxes, you often sort through items to throw away or donate first. This typically takes more time than anticipated and can feel mentally draining. Receiving help from the pros for the subsequent packing and/or heavy lifting can take some of the pressure off as well as reduce the amount of physical exertion you put into lifting and carrying boxes.
- Efficient: Moving companies do this for a living, so they know how to get the job done quickly. Plus, they can focus solely on packing and moving your belongings, whereas you need to think about other logistics as well, such as scheduling the internet installation at your new place.
- Proper Equipment: Experienced movers know how to move large and heavy items (no standing in a stairwell yelling “Pivot!”). This knowledge can help you avoid damage to your furniture and to walls and door frames. Moving companies have the proper materials and dollies to wrap your belongings, pack them in the correctly sized boxes, move those boxes to the truck, and place them in the truck so that they remain safe in transit. Plus, if a professional mover breaks your TV, the company will pay to replace it. Your college roommate may or may not be willing to do that.
- Prevent Injuries: Carrying large and bulky items increases the risk of back injuries and even less obvious injuries, such as tripping because you couldn’t see around the box in your arms. Professional movers know how to lift heavy items in a way that avoids injury.
Cons to Hiring a Moving Company
- Cost: Regardless of whether you do it yourself or hire a moving company, moving is expensive. Boxes aren’t cheap, and renting a moving vehicle can be costly as well. Then, tack on the cost of labor for people to do the heavy lifting, and it adds up quickly.
- No Control: Hiring other people to move your belongings means giving up some control, which feels difficult for some people. While you can trust that your movers won’t toss your boxes around, you can’t guarantee that they’ll pick up your beloved keepsakes as gently as you would. Plus, walking behind the movers, and telling them how to do their jobs defeats the purpose of hiring them in the first place (and annoys them to no end). If you don’t feel comfortable relinquishing a little bit of that control, then movers might not work well for you.
- Impersonal: It can be hard enough to feel comfortable with someone you know going through your belongings as they help you move, let alone a stranger. Reputable moving companies will protect you against stolen or broken items and will act professionally, but it can be difficult to trust people you don’t know to handle your possessions. You might resolve this issue by packing your most valuable or beloved items yourself, leaving the rest to your movers, or skipping the movers altogether, depending on how strongly you feel about it.
Factors to Consider When Selecting Movers
Once you decide to hire a moving company, you need to hire the right moving company. You’ll want to consider three key factors: the size and distance of your move, the company type, and the cost.
Size and Distance of Move: Think about how many belongings you own, their size, and their weight. Consider also how far you will have to move those items. Some companies charge by weight, others charge by distance, still others use a combination of the two. Most companies will provide an estimate.
If you’re simply moving across town and you have a longer timeline, you might move smaller things on your own, and then hire professionals for the largest items. But, for a longer distance, hiring a team is probably easier in the long run.
Company Type: Different companies specialize in different types of moves. Some are strictly local, and others specialize in long-distance moves. For shorter moves, local companies tend to be less expensive and often charge an hourly rate. On the other hand, for longer moves, a larger company will be better prepared to facilitate the move.
Cost & Budget: Hiring a moving company costs money. When working out your budget, here are some of the charges you may encounter:
- Basic Charges: Find out whether the company charges by weight, distance, or hourly. Many companies offer a variety of packages, from full service—they pack, load, transport, unload, and unpack everything—to a basic load, transport, and unload.
- Insurance: Reputable moving companies have liability insurance. However, some companies offer optional premium insurance to further protect your belongings from loss or damage.
- Gratuity: It’s customary to give a tip to the workers who did the moving. A good rule of thumb is 20% of the moving cost. You could also tip per mover, but that depends on whether it is a local or long-distance move.
- Miscellaneous: These fees can pop up if you need specialty equipment or certain considerations outside the norm, such as a smaller vehicle that can maneuver in a tighter spot.
Moving Companies to Choose From
National Moving Companies
National moving companies are perfect for longer moves, which are typically anything over 400 miles. These companies have locations wherever you are moving to. Workers for national companies often undergo rigorous training. National companies can also provide storage in case you won’t immediately move into your new home. Finally, they are experienced at working with all kinds of items, from your dishes and personal items, to expensive belongings like fine art and vehicles.
Examples:
International Moving Companies
International moving companies are experts in handling the logistics of moving to a different country, especially if that move is overseas. Not only do these companies know how to maximize space and safety, but they also know important information about the customs, rules, and regulations of moving from one country to another.
Examples:
Local Moving Companies
If you prefer to support small businesses, most mid- to large-sized cities will have local companies to choose from, and these can be a great option for shorter moves. Local companies tend to possess greater knowledge of the area you’re moving to, including routes, traffic patterns, and construction. They also tend to provide a high quality of customer service and can customize their services to your needs. These companies are also often more affordable because they require fewer additional expenses and operate with less overhead.
Examples:
Find Your Next Apartment with AptAmigo
Regardless of how far you are moving, it can be stressful and time-consuming. Why not make things easier for yourself? Now that you know whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a company, let AptAmigo help you find the perfect place to live in your new city.
Read Next:
Surprising Ways the Apartment Industry Is Against Renters
FAQs
Lori Walker is a freelance writer and content marketer. She writes personal essays, memoir, and poetry in Tulsa, where she lives with her husband and cat, Joan Didion.
